Eat 3.

I have gotten really horrible at posting regularly, but I really am going to start doing more posts. I am currently working on about five at once, so expect some good stuff soon! But for now, here’s a yummy recipe a friend and I designed. It has some pretty strong flavors, but if you’re a fan of Italian food, you’ll love it!

Tomato-Basil Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 package of fusilli or penne pasta
• 1 small jar of julienned, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1 package of cherry tomatoes, sliced into fourths
• 1 handful fresh basil, chopped finely
• 1 jar of store-bought basil pesto (or the equivalent amount of homemade)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 pinch of Italian herb blend
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Boil water for the pasta. Add a pinch of salt and then the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the package, until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the chopped basil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes together. Add the salt, pepper, and Italian herbs and stir in.
3. When the pasta is cooked, drained, and rinsed, serve onto plates and distribute the pesto amongst the servings.
4. Incorporate the tomato mixture with the pesto pasta and sprinkle with the desired amount of pine nuts and parmesan.
5. Drizzle with 1/4 tsp. olive oil each and serve hot! This goes well with warm crusty bread or a simple green salad.

DIY

Hi all, I apologize profusely for not posting! Life gets busy…but I will make up for it with some DIY ideas! So I loved the ballet-style shoes from Urban Outfitters in the link here: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=20330940&parentid=WOMENS_SHOES

Although they are gorgeous, I thought that I could replicate the shoe for half of the price. Just buy some cheap, basic flats from the thrift store (or reuse old ones) and use hot glue or a sewing machine to attach a matching ribbon to the inside of the heel. The glue or stitches should be at least an inch wide and should be centered so as to allow for equal lengths on each side. I hope that isn’t too confusing!

Another easy accessory project is recreating Anthropologie’s adorable Critter Cameo Coin Purse, which can be found in the link here: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/accessories-travel/26114322.jsp. This adorable little bag can be replicated for much less with a basic wallet, a flat-backed animal bead, a strip of ribbon, and a sewing machine. Simply center the ribbon around the middle of the wallet and stitch into place. Then sew the bead front and center. If you want to embellish further, go ahead but there are your basics!

So I hope you enjoyed this! Pictures of the projects will follow soon, but if you can’t wait, you can buy the items at each of the links.