The Bluebird Patch

Etsy is one of those sites I just can't get enough. I think is underrated and not many people are aware how highly successful it is. The website has allowed local artisans connect with customers around the world to offer their products in online market place. Etsy processed nearly $400 million in transactions this year, and now has 7 million registered users — both numbers are about double what Etsy saw in 2009. More than 400,000 people sell items through Etsy, and currently 7.3 million items are listed, according to the company website. Pretty impressive... Last night I found some interesting items all with one thing in common. You guess it... "Happiness". I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :)  Happy 2011 Blue COTTON Canvas 18x18 Pillow Cover http://www.etsy.com/people/decology   http://www.etsy.com/people/annechovie  http://www.etsy.com/people/ParadaCreations   http://www.etsy.com/people/Signs http://www.etsy.com/people/dazeychic     http://ww

OMG! How cute is this. By watching this little fella dance I say the movie producers of "Happy Feet" did a great research. Who would have thought this can actually happen in real life. Simple adorable.

  A Dutch Baby Pancake is an impressive, yet easy to make, way to start your morning. A Dutch Baby is basically a cross between a pancake and a popover and is tremendously popular in Seattle ; according to local lore, it originated at a restaurant there called Manca's. Serve it with fresh berries or nothing more than jam or a lavish sprinkling of lemon sugar.  Dry Ingredients 1 cup of flour ¼ Cornstarch (secret ingredient) 2 tablespoons of lemon zest 1 Tablespoon salt 3 Tablespoons of sugar A pinch of cinnamon Wet ingredients 3 eggs 11/4 Skim milk (use regular milk and pancake will be too dense) 2 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 Tablespoon of melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 450 degrees You know the drill. Wet ingredients in one bowl, dry ingredients in another. Add dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk to incorporate until lumps disappear. Grease (generously)  a 12 inch stainless steel skillet with vegetable oil. (Butter will burn!! is not the best option fo

Celebrate the New Year with like-minded friends of the heart at Fadó Atlanta Irish Pub & Restaurant. This wonderful venue was voted "Best Day Drinking" in Atlanta by AOL's 2010 City Best.   Leave a comment below about what food or drink are you most looking forward to have at Fado and you could win 4 tickets to Fado's New Years Bash. You can view Fado's menu here:  http://www.fadoirishpub.com/atlanta/main-menu The New Years Eve party starts at 9 pm . The cost of the Atlanta New Year’s Eve bash is $10 a ticket and includes a complimentary champagne toast at midnight and party favors to help you ring in the new year the proper way! The DJ will start playing at 10 pm and will take you into the New Year listening to all of your favorite songs! And remember folks, at Fadó you’re Irish, everywhere else you’re just drunk. Come out and celebrate New Years Eve the Irish way! For an extra entry follow @bloggingatlanta on twitter and retweet the follow

  If you live in metro Atlanta then you can recall the "snowmagedon", "big blizzard", or "snowpocalypse" that occurred at the beginning of the year.   The 'Snowmageddon' storm as referred to by President Obama was the biggest snowstorm in nearly 90 years and was the 2nd, 3rd and even 4th significant winter storm for some parts of the Mid Atlantic states this winter season.   Satellite Photo of the 2010 Snowmageddon During the storm people rushed to the stores to load up on bread and milk.        Schools closings, flight cancellations, and power outages were everywhere. Hundreds of vehicle accidents were reported and many people got stranded on the highways. It was total chaos, yet the whole world made fun of us. Many people don't seem to understand how and why southerners in the US act as they do when it snows. I'll tell you, you see is just that when it snows in the south it means ice roa

Oh the joys winter! Snow flurries, ice clinging on tree branches, watching movies under lots of blankets, drinking hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps in the morning, and eating a rustic meal in front of the crackling fire are one of my favorite winter memories. Last night I decided to make one of my daughter's favorite winter meals, braised oxtails. She has been begging me cook this for a long time and I was waiting for a day like this to cook this delicious dish. Oxtails are one of the most flavorful beef cuts. Long braising of oxtails makes the meat fall off the bones. Oxtails are the perfect winter meal. The cooking method is quite simple. 1. Dust and season the cut oxtails all around with flour, oxtail seasoning, salt and pepper. 2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in an enameled braising pot and brown the oxtails on all sides. Remove the oxtails from the dutch pan and add onions, shallots, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and cook until tender. 3. Deglaze w

   Cupcakes are like happiness in a bite. This past Saturday we joined the Fernbank Museum for the "Caroling and Cupcakes" celebration. We wanted to have a day of family fun and enjoy the sounds of the season. As part of the event, children were able to eat cupcakes,  make crafts, have  p hoto opportunities with “Santa-saurus” , listen to music by  Pope High School Chamber Music Society, hear stories by the KSU tellers, and being caroled by the Georgia Boy Choir. It was truly a magical event so if you missed it no worries since the Winter Wonderland Celebration continues next weekend (Dec 11-12). Always consider buying a Fernbank Museum membership. This can be a wonderful Christmas gift and a great way to build memories that last a lifetime. Being a Fernbank Museum member can provide a full year of valuable experiences to share with the entire family. With 12 months of free Museum admission, the savings quickly add up as you enjoy unlimited access to all the Museu