Let's talk about craft organization or the lack there of!

Now that I'm living in an Apartment things are a little cramped...okay, a lot cramped and I have no space to keep my craft supplies. Currently they're residing in my TV Armoire and it is a hot, scary mess in there...almost to the point that I don't even open the doors anymore.

So I went to my trusted friend Pinterest to find some storage ideas for small spaces and I lucked up! I found some do-able ideas that I could possible make on my own!

Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart

This is my absolute favorite storage idea of all! Of course it comes to us from the DIY guru herself, Martha Stewart! 

It's made from two identical book shelves joined together with a piano hinge. If you're a skilled DIY'er you could add your own shelves and pull out desk.

If you're interested in the step-by-step how to, here is the link:

Hidden Craft Storage

Another great idea is the Murphy Desk, similar to the Murphy Bed that folds up and into a closet. You could create something similar to this in your home. I'm not sure about doing this in my apartment because the only storage closet I have is in my hall in front of my bathroom with no light.

 Photo courtesy of HGTV Blog

Another great idea for the Murphy desk is to attach it to the wall and when it folds up it looks like a piece of wall art! I really like this idea, however, you need some intermediate 
carpentry skills to achieve this one on your own!

I am in love with this closet craft storage! I wish that I had the space to do this in my apartment; sadly, I do not. I love this because you can just shut the door if you're in the middle of a project and don't feel like cleaning up...that happens a lot with me. 

Adding some inexpensive peg board on the door also creates more storage space as well as the shelves in the top of the closet. I know that Home Depot will cut a sheet of pegboard in half for you at no cost. The last time I purchased some it was around $14 for a sheet.

The only downside to this set up is that it lacks seating. I like to sit when I craft... maybe I'm just lazy like that. So, this would simply be a storage area rather than an actual crafting area.

This is more along the lines of what I currently have; minus the cool paint job, shelves, ribbon storage and pretty much everything else that makes this awesome! 

If I had the space in my apartment this is probably what I would have. This bad boy takes ups a lot of valuable real estate when your square footage is less than 800 sq. feet. But I do love the overall concept.

                                                                          

During my Pinterest craft storage journey I ran across what might possibly be the craziest storage solution I had ever seen. 

Craft storage above your washer and dryer? ... Hmm... 
Pretty ingenious or Pretty weird?

It's usually an unused space and would be perfect to store your crafty tidbits! 

Sadly, my laundry room is barely big enough to turn around in but this might work for you.

Photo Courtesy of BHG

    

Finally I bring you a bonus: For all of my book worms. Wouldn't you die to have a space like this to read in? It looks so cozy and inviting that I almost want to pick up a book and read...almost.

The somewhat, sorta kinda Southern Belle

Sometimes I'll see something on Facebook and it makes me question myself. Recently on one of the pages I follow (a page about being Southern) the question was posed: "What is your perfect date night?"

I know what my perfect date night would be. But as I read through the replies, shaking my head at some, I came to realize, maybe I'm not as Southern as I thought I was!

Now, I will say y'all with the best of them. And I do measure distance with time and I have been known to Bless a Heart on occasion. But after you read through some of these responses, you might be wondering too.

Oddly enough I have never dated a guy who liked to fish or hunt or even mud ride. The SSN is definitely NOT that kinda guy. My dad has been known to fish on occasion with his grand kids but he never hunted during my lifetime.

*Does anyone know what a felark might be? 

So, first of all; I don't do deer meat! My best friend Traci over at Mommy Mayhem and I accidentally ate Deer meat once. At least I think it was deer meat, it was in her mom's freezer and we made taco's with it when we were teenagers. That was the first, last and only time I have and will ever eat deer meat! I've had other women look at me like I had a second head when I said that.  Am I weird? Am I the only one in Alabama that doesn't eat Deer meat??

Secondly, I don't know of anyone that actually drinks out of Mason Jars. Not saying that I never have just saying that it's not a normal thing... we don't have them sitting in our cabinets, just so you know!

Thirdly, I don't even know what a K5 is... anyone else know?

Okay...... so wow.

Cattle Scaring? Is that a thing? I've heard of but have never participated in Cow tipping. Cattle Scaring is new to me.

I might be down with this one...Riding a Gator or a Four Wheeler is fun!! Maybe there's a little bit of a southern girl left in me after all!


The question is: What's the most Southern thing you do?

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Hello Peeps!! I wanted to share a New recipe that I recently tried called Easy Enchilada Casserole. I have been in a Mexican food kinda mood lately and this was perfect!

The recipe was definitely easy to make and came together quite quickly. I'll give you the picture version and the actual recipe at the end of the post. 

(Please excuse my crappy photos, my apartment has one light in the kitchen and it's florescent!)

My Weapons of Choice: 

(You don't need an onion that big or the 2 lbs of meat in the picture. To save time for another meal I'm making I went ahead and browned all the meat with the onion and set aside what I needed for the other recipe. It is a huge time saver when it comes to cooking!)

Here's the easy part:

Cook the ground beef until well done. You can go ahead and add the onion, I prefer to do it this way so that the onion actually gets done. 

The original recipe calls for Corn Tortillas. I am NOT a fan of corn tortillas because they always seems chewy to me. You can use either.

Cut corn tortillas into strips or sections and add in to the mix.

You'll notice in the original recipe that it calls for Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom. My stupid self grabbed two cans of Cream of Mushroom... it still tasted really good! So, you can make the call on that. The recipe also called for Olives; I DESPISE olives, again, it's your choice. That's what's great about this recipe, you can make it to suit your tastes. 

After you've drained your meat, you're going to add in your cream of chicken and mushroom soups, the 10 oz can of Red Enchilada Sauce. (It comes in Mild, Medium and Hot. I chose Mild and it wasn't overly spicy) and the entire can of diced green chilies and my favorite part: The Cheese! 

Go ahead and mix that up. 

Pour that into your casserole dish and add in your tortillas that you cut up.

After making this I decided that I probably should have cut the tortillas into strips and not triangles because I spent the entire meal cutting up pieces of tortilla into smaller bites! 

And if you'e a cheese lover like I am, top it with a little extra cheese!

Throw that bad boy in the oven on 350 Degrees for 45-60 minutes and you will have a delicious, cheesy, Mexican Casserole. Top with Sour Cream, Guacamole or Salsa and Enjoy! 

 Let me know what you think. 

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 dozen corn tortillas

1 can chopped olives

1 10oz can cream of chicken soup

1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup

½ chopped onion

1 lb shredded cheddar cheese

1 can diced green chilies

1 10oz can red enchilada sauce

Optional garnish: sour cream, guacamole and salsa

Instructions

1.  Cook the ground beef until well done.

2.  Mix together soup, enchilada sauce, olives, onion, and chilies.

3.  Add ground beef and cheese.

4.  Cut corn tortillas into strips or sections and add in to the mix.

5.  Transfer to a casserole dish and bake for 45-60 minutes at 350.

6. Garnish with sour cream, guacamole and/or salsa (optional).

Lafayette Cemetery No 1

I told you in my last post that I would show you something that was creepy beautiful. After finally finding a place to park in the Garden District we walked a few streets over to the Lafayette Cemetery No 1. 

It's strange to say that a cemetery could be beautiful but it was truly stunning. We walked quietly and respectfully throughout all of the graves; many of which were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. 

If you don't know why or have never seen the above ground burial vaults here is a little history on why New Orleans buries their dead above ground:

The custom of above-ground burial in New Orleans is a mixture of folklore and fact. New Orleans is certainly not the only city with a high water table, but it has, at 90%, the largest percentage of above-ground burials. New Orleans' first formal cemetery, the St. Peter Street Cemetery, was located in what is now the French Quarter. According to accounts of the time, all deceased were buried in the ground. Accounts of the time also stated that when graves were dug, they frequently filled up with water, resulting in watery graves.

Following a series of nasty epidemics in the early 1830s, which were often blamed on noxious fumes emitted by corpses, the city council passed an ordinance requiring all further burials to take place on land purchased on the Bayou St. John. But an important exemption was made: burials could continue at the existing cemeteries if they were in tombs and vaults in existing above-ground structures.

This fortified the tradition of above-ground burial for New Orleanians.

I'll just let these pictures speak for themselves:

And that wraps up our trip to New Orleans! 

NOLA Part Deux (See what I did there)

I wanted to share with you my favorite parts of New Orleans. I discovered these little gems as we were out exploring and walking the streets. Don't get me started on the walking.. I'm a fat girl and fat girls don't like to walk that much! 

My favorite find in New Orleans were these two signs. They were hanging outside two apartments that were for rent. I know that the New Orleans people take their Ghosts pretty serious but I never imagined they had to advertise that something was Haunted or Not Haunted. Although it would make me think twice before renting that apartment! 

That same day we ate lunch in The French Market at what I deemed the world's tiniest restaurant! The restaurant was in an old house. (Everything in New Orleans is in an Old House.) We ate on the Balcony and had my ass been an bigger I wouldn't have made it up the staircase...let's just say it was narrow.  I suppose people were smaller back in the day.

Our View from the Balcony

It was super windy that day and eating on the balcony proved extremely difficult. Before we got our food the waiter brought the other diners food out the door and it all blew off the plate, all over us and the balcony! We just got up and went inside to find a table. I had another Roast Beef Po Boy. I was going to become a connoisseur of the Roast Beef Po Boy! 


Although I don't have any pictures, that Sunday it was pouring down rain as we walked through Frenchmen Street. The SSN wanted to find a place to listen to some blues music and we heard this was a more adult version of Bourbon street. It turned out to be more of a Hipster version of Bourbon Street. Complete with two hipsters sitting outside in the rain with their type writers selling "Fresh Poetry." We ended up not finding a club because they were all packed because of the rain.

Last but certainly not least- On our way home I was a little bummed that we never made it to the Garden District or to any of the Old Cemeteries. We ended up eating lunch at Checkers of all places and as we were leaving The SSN was giving me directions, I figured we were going back to the interstate. He took me to the Garden District- He's sweet like that. 

I love the detail on this fence. It was outside of what use to be a Slave Trading House.

Are you tire of New Orleans yet? I have one more post to share with you. It's going to be creepy beautiful!

NOLA, the big easy...aint so easy!

Recently The SSN and I took a trip to New Orleans. It was my first time, I was a NOLA Virgin, if you will! He on the other hand grew up there. But before I get started can I just say, what a HOT MESS it was trying to find our hotel? Wow... oh wow. I guess growing up in Alabama the closest thing we get to a big city is Birmingham. Granted, its a decent sized city but New Orleans is big and crowded....and the traffic! Every street is a one way and everyone seems to be going that direction with you.

See...That's EIGHT lanes you have to cross if you want to get to the other side. Not to mention the Trolley Tracks in the middle of it all. 

And you definitely want to get to the other side because somewhere buried among the street vendors, performers and throngs of people is Bourbon Street. 

The SSN bought me a hot dog from a street vendor. (I'm sure they have a proper name but I'm sticking with street vendor) I was a little skeptical but it was probably the most delicious hot dog that I've ever eaten. If Hot Dogs can be delicious? He also bought me a jello shot from some guy standing outside of a strip club...I'm still trying not think about health ratings and all that other important hygiene stuff! OR the fact that I actually drank/ate a jello shot from a random man. 

Neither of us are big drinkers but he had me try something called a Hand Grenade. They sell these things from stalls in the middle of Bourbon Street. It was probably the best drink I've ever had. I could have drank a few more but one made me a little tipsy. Thankfully we were walking! 

We stumbled upon a restaurant called Desire. The FOOD..... oh, lord... We both had a roast beef po boy. If you are ever in New Orleans please go by Desire and eat one. Next to my momma's roast beef it was the greatest thing I've ever put in my mouth! Be sure to try Oceana Grill as well, I cannot describe the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo we had (twice I might add.) It was creamy and Cajun and I really want some right now! 

Desire- This picture does not do this place justice. It was goregous inside. The ceiling was lined with copper tiles, the entire front and side of the restaurant was open so that you could see the street. It was beautiful!

After our bellies were full we wandered back onto the street. I think what struck me the most about being on Bourbon street was all of the children! And not just the ones with their parents but the ones that were performing at 2:00 am for money. My heart ached for them. I asked SSN where their parents might be and he said either performing or out doing drugs. These children were only nine or ten years old. They were full of life and talent but I'm sure it was only for show. 

The next day we spent in the French Market. I really enjoyed seeing all of the artist who set up their little booths and sell their wares. 

This dude was SUPER talented, I wish you could have seen the detail in all of his paintings. They were amazing...and all shaped like Octagons for some reason. 

And yes, we stood in line at Cafe du Monde FOREVER to get Beignets! We were smart though, we got them to go. And walked over to Jackson Square to watch a street performance. The street performers were plentiful and FREE! 

I spy the back of The SSN's head (he's in the Saint's beanie)

He's doing a headstand in the middle of traffic... insane! 

Stayed tuned and I'll wrap this big post up and show you my favorite part of New Orleans.

Later Peeps ~ Stefanie

Please allow me to introduce myself...

All things Southern and Sassy with a little about life, crafting 

and cooking.

I'm Stefanie, I was born and raised in Alabama. Some people may cringe but I quite like it here. Being southern is privilege and if you weren't born here, well, we'll show you how it's done!

A little bit about me:

I'm 33 years old, sarcastic, crafty and I love to bake. I live in the same city that I grew up in; I kinda like it that way. I love my family, I was truly blessed with the best parents in the world. I also have a younger sister, a brother-in-law, two spoiled rotten nieces (my little boo boo's) and a nephew (buddy buddy.) Everyone in the south has a nickname whether they know it or not! 

Being crafty is something I inherited from my momma (that's what us southern girls call our mother.) I can remember her making hair bows and sweatshirts with puff paint on them for my sister and I, back in the day, aka the 80's. (terrible time for fashion!) She passed that crafty gene onto me and not my sister and now I have an Etsy shop! I mostly sell home decor and the occasional accessory...whatever is tickling my fancy at the time. If you'd like to check it out: Sassy Frassy Home.

I suppose my love of baking came from my Nanny. She should have owned a bakery; her cakes were that good! Sadly, she's gotten older and is no longer able to bake. I would kill to have one of her Italian Cream cakes again... or Red Velvet or her pound cake. Yummy!! I'm making myself hungry. To this day I keep her pound cake recipe in my wallet so that I never lose track of it. 

Once upon a time, I was married. That lasted about ten years- it didn't work out- don't feel bad because I don't. I've met a wonderful man; we'll just call him The Sexy Smart Nerd (to be called SSN from henceforth) Although he is much more than a sexy smart nerd; he's an amazing artist/Batman fanboy/sarcastic genius/comic book reader/soon to be Psychologist. Who, when he reads this will either be very embarrassed or agree that he is indeed that awesome! (probably the latter) We're very modest around here. 

That's all I have for you right now; I do hope you'll come back and check out some recipes, some craftiness and anything else that happens to be on my mind!

~ Stefanie