Friday, October 26, 2012

Remember that Time I had Writers Block?

Well I have been thinking about what I want for my life and I am still in the process of deciding some things but on the other hand I have created my ultimate goal for this blog.

So I am really into making old unwanted things into something beautiful that people will love. Hence the name "Reasons to Love." Unfortunately with being a full time student and a part time worker I do not find too much free time to go picking and redo pieces to either use in my home or sell for someone else to use.

I would love to be able to just do that and make a living off of this hobby that my mom and I could do together. She has taught me everything I know and I would love to be able to do this with her everyday.

People who I have seen and researched that do this type of work get most all of their publicity and clients through the use of a blog and various social media outlets. Now with me being an advertising major with a lot of public relations experience, this is right up my ally. A co-worker helped me shape this plan for the future of my blog and here is the gist --

  • After the blogging class I am in is over I will be moving over to Wordpress
  • I will purchase my domain -- reasonstoloveblog.com
  • Malory (my lovely co-worker) will be helping me design my web page and brand myself
  • I will create correlating facebook, twitter and other social pages
  • I will be using my personal pinterest page for the business and inspirations for my blog
  • I will set up an account to start buying, reclaiming and selling my products.
  • Hopefully with my determination to reach this goal I can be a successful entrepreneur.

This is my life, this is my dream and I am going to reach it.

Yummy Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

In my quest to become just like June Clever (From Leave it to Beaver.) If you don't know who that is than you need to learn this one thing about me: I love everything about the 1940 and 1950 eras, EVERYTHING. Alot of my inspiration and morals are based on things from that time. You should look into it.

Anyways....


So I found this simple recipe for enchiladas and decided yesterday morning that I would have a small dinner party to get feedback on how my cooking turned out. Needless to say everyone loovveed the food! They now are no longer afraid to come back and have more of my cooking. The recipe was so easy and very yummy I thought I would share it with you.

What you need:
  • 6-8 corn tortillas (enchilada size)
  • 1 pre-cooked plain rotisserie chicken, shredded (I just used a few pieces of frozen chicken breasts)
  • 1 cup sweet corn
  • 4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided in half
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 – 10oz can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 – 4oz can chopped green chiles
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

  •  
    Instructions: 
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. Fill the center of each tortilla with a handful of shredded chicken, a tablespoon or so of the corn, and a pinch of the shredded cheese.
    3. Roll and place in the bottom of a baking dish with the seam side down.
    4. In a pot over medium heat melt the better. Add flour and whisk into a thick paste.
    5. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken, sour cream, chiles, salt and pepper.
    6. Whisk gently for about 5 minutes until warm and smooth.
    7. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining shredded cheese.
    8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and serve warm.
    Serve with your choice of side dish (I chose spanish rice)
     
    Here is a picture of your finished product!!
     
     

    Tuesday, October 23, 2012

    Writer's Block in Life

    We all know how it can be to have writer's block. From the professional novelist to the average college student at some point in our lives (or maybe more) we go through a time where we just simply have run out of words to write. Even now as I write this I am struggling to type what it is that I am wanting to say.

    I believe writer's block can be more than just not knowing what it is you want your next term paper to be about. Writer's block is when you have lost inspiration, lost sight of what you want or just don't know what you want.

    I think it has been a long time coming but I have finally hit my writer's block in life. I had known what I wanted to do with my life, but now those goals seem to have been lost in my life's current path. Some people who have this happen to them see it as a good thing or as something that was meant to happen. Maybe the path they were on was not a good one and some new variable has put them on a brighter one. 

    For me, I am currently not sure whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that my goals are changing. I have hit a writer's block in my life story. I had all these plans and ideas of what I wanted to do with my life but now I am just not sure. The things I want to do and enjoy doing don't have a spot next to what is currently taking time out of my day.

    No I do not have some addiction or bad habit. I just simply am lazy. I don't know what I want to make of my time so I waste it. That is a hard reality to face but that's what I believe I have been doing. I don't make time to ponder what it is I'd rather be doing and if I do come up with something, I never act on it. It is an awful rut to be in. I can't decide what I want my blog to be, I can't motivate myself to apply for those internships or go to the gym and I have lost sight of what I want in my personal relationships. Like I said an Awful Rut.

    What are the steps needed to figure these things out. Do we as humans have what it takes to just let things happen or do we need to take control. Do I have what it takes to do what is necessary?? How do I know what is best for me when I can't seem to grasp what it is that I want?

    I see a challenge that I can't muster the energy to take on.

    Thursday, October 4, 2012

    The Future of My Blog

    While taking this blogging class I have been able to really look at blogs and see how they are set up and what they talk about. They seem to have everything together! They have a subject or theme to thier blog and they stick to it. Now, i've never been one to be a copycat buuuttt I really think I need to take notes of what I like about the blogs I follow because I don't have a specific subject or theme...

    A friend of mine just recently launched a blog and shortly after turned it into a website then created social media sites to go with the site. With in a couple of days of doing this she has already gained tons of readership and gotten an interview with a "Big Time" Celebrity. She wouldn't tell me who so she wouldn't jinx it, but I am so proud and amazed that she created an idea, something she is passionate about, and worked hard to make it happen.

    Now alls I gotta do is MAKE IT BIG! I want my writing to have a purpose and create loyal readership so that maybe I can provide some type of help, entertainment, education for people. Sound more like I'm the one who needs help...

    I'll practice my writing and figure out what I will be best at writing about on my blog. Until I feel that my blog is ready I will not go seeking for reader's. I want the first impression to be the best impression. 

    Monday, October 1, 2012

    Inspiration for My House Decor

    My Inspiration...


    I have finally figured it out!!! After all the years of not knowing what my design style was I think I have finally figured it out.

    Rustic Shabby Chic.


    Thats it! After all of the criticism that my house looks like an old lady's well its because it is! I love all of my vintage, reused furnature. When I bought my house I had recently started watching Once Upon A Time on ABC and the decoration of Mary Margaret Blanchard's (Snow White) Apartment is sooooo cute. With all of the whites, light pinks, yellows, green and blues it is a fresh breath of air. But here is my problem somehow when they do it, it can work for any season. Winter, Fall, Spring. But when I tried I always feel like it should be spring.

    Here is my inspiration...





    

    This is Snow White's house. So crisp with all of the rustin furnature and colors. I truely believe that this style matches her character perfectly and just so happens to match mine as well.


    Love Love LOVE the table with different colors and styles of chairs. Can I please just get rid of all my stuff and mimic this apartment???

    I can't get over this white washed wood! All of the furnature is so different and goes together so perfectly!

    I'm thinking I may need a trip to The Rink...


    You can bet there will be some Mary Margaret inspired project coming your way!!!

    My Autumn Reasons to Love!

    ~Here is My Top Ten Must Haves for Fall~


    1. Cardi Cardi Cardigans!! Any Color. Easy to add to all of your summer tanks to make a warm fall outfit.
    2. Brown Boots <3 Ahhh comfortable, warm and goes with everything. Every girl need a good pair (or two) of brown riding boots
     

    3. The Walking Dead Season 3. My Obsession! Perfect for October and Halloween!! A little tid bit about me, I'm deathly afraid of zombies and therefore love zombie movie and now I have a zombie show! It's amazing.


    4. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Candle and Body Wash from Bath and Body Works. If you havn't smelt this amazing aroma then you havn't lived.

    5. My Amazingly comfortable Hammock! It was a gift to myself and with the cooler weather I can finally enjoy it!
    6. Apple Cider. Mmmmmmmmmmm! Need I say more?







    7.The Kindle Fire A gift from my amazin parent last Christmas. Easy to read a book, search the web or write on my blog from anywhere, even my hammock :)
    8. Scarvesssss To where while I am laying on my Hammock with my Kindle Fire and drinking Hot Apple Cider!
    9. PUMPKINS!!! Carving, Pie, Scents Everything Pumpkin! I don't know when I aquired this strange obsession over pumkins. Maybe all of the trip to the pumkin patches as a child or all the times I have carved a pumkin and then baked pumkin seeds for a snack. Maybe it is just because a pumpkin is the universal symbol for fall. (Probably All Three)

    10. The Brisk Cool Weather in which if we did not have, it would not be concidered Fall! It is the perfect tempurature to just sit outside with a light sweater on and enjoy nature and the beauty of the changing season where everything starts dying to be reborn in the winter. Too Deep? Well get over it that's just what fall does to me.