She's A Betty

We're Moving to PopBetty.com: Please Change Your Bookmarks By March 2013!!

The above logo was created by Susan Seitz of Typematters, a Georgia-based graphic design team. She was amazing to work with, and I highly recommend her. 

I will be closing this account in March if possible, so please update your bookmarks! Once this blog is closed, all links containing "shesabetty.typepad.com" and all current image links will no longer be valid.

All your old favorite posts can be found at my revamped blog PopBetty (to update individual links, simply substitute "http://popbetty.com" for "http://www.shesabetty.com" or "http://shesabetty.typepad.com" at the beginning of a URL). I'm still transferring content and setting everything up (more on that later!), but hope to resume regular blogging by March. Can't wait to get back into blogging and chat with you all! 

xo,

Renee

Currently Enjoying: Wordpress, Polka Dots, & a Bialetti Moka Pot

Above: Wordpress.org; Old Navy polka dot sweater; Bialetti 3-cup moka pot.

Hi everyone! Hope 2012 is treating you well (or at least better than 2011, my goodness). Here are some things I'm liking right now, and think you might too:

• First, I broke down & bought the Old Navy polka dot sweater that's been featured all over blogs & Pinterest. I haven't received it yet, but I'll post a mini-review when it arrives. So cute.

UPDATE: I returned the sweater. It's cute in person, and good quality for Old Navy, but the print makes you look significantly wider/bigger up top. I'm short & curvy, so this just wasn't the best look for me. Two bloggers who make it look good, though: Mix & Match Fashion & Petite Little Girl.

• Second, I recently discovered moka pot coffee, aka "espresso for poor people." Of course, it's not real espresso, but it's still intense and good. I'm using a Bialetti 3-cup moka pot & LavAzza Qualità Oro ground coffee.

• Finally, I'm currently setting up self-hosted Wordpress sites for several clients. In doing so, I've realized that I'm ready to transfer my blogs to Wordpress. Typepad has been great all these years, but I need something more customizable & functional. I want jQuery slideshows and responsive site design like everybody else!

Switching services isn't the easiest process, though, and most of my blogging energy & time over the next two months will be spent on behind-the-scenes stuff. I will post once a week on each blog, and hope to finish migrating both blogs by mid-March. Also, I will be cleaning up old content as I go, probably deleting or at least combining many of the pre-2009 postings. So much of that content was shopping-related, and has little to no value now (dead links, unavailable products, etc.).  

What are you guys currently enjoying?

Christmas 2011 Recap

A Christmas that started off inauspiciously, with stress and empty pockets, ended up being one of the best ones in recent memory. This was the first Christmas in four years where I didn't have to work Christmas Eve, or the week after; everyone was in a good mood and liked their presents. Here's how we celebrated (clockwise from top left):

• Watched holiday movies while working on this Thomas Kinkade Christmas Wreath puzzle (50 cents at the thrift store).
• Ate gingerbread (made with Betty Crocker mix and Target cookie cutters).
• Rented Bachelor Mother, which was even better than I remembered {film still via Livin' Vintage; rent it for $2.99 On Demand}. David Niven and Ginger Rogers are just magic together, and the script's so clever. In my opinion, it's aged better than many so-called "classic" screwball comedies.
• Saw Arthur Christmas, the latest movie by Aardman Studios (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep). My teen brother & I saw it in mid-December, and had the theater to ourselves. We don't always find the same things funny, but we both laughed ourselves silly, especially at naughty Grandpa.
• Drank Crispin Honey Crisp Hard Apple Cider, another good & cheap holiday tipple.
• Also: Bought a bunch of snacks (chips, crackers, cookies, things we normally try to restrict), and made a giant batch of paella on Friday, and nibbled on both through the weekend. Watched the first episode of Rosemary & Thyme, a cozy British mystery series with a gardening theme (Season 1 is available for streaming on Netflix).

How about you guys? What made your holiday break special (or at least bearable)?

Pinterest Holiday Boards

I had planned on doing a Winter Holiday special here, similar to Halloween Week, but...eh. I'm feeling stressed and Grinch-y this year. Christmas shopping & prep, the luminary ceremony at my grandmother's grave, a major home clean out, and one big end-of-the-year freelance project (which I'm still working on) consumed the last few weeks, and I have miles to go before I sleep. 

I did save up lots of great holiday post ideas at Pinterest, though, in anticipation of that holiday special, and it would be a waste not to share them with you. Here are a few favorite finds, from my Winter Holidays board:

Source: refinery29.com via Renee on Pinterest Source: amazon.com via Renee on Pinterest Source: myrecipes.com via Renee on Pinterest

Source: trissalicious.com via Renee on Pinterest Source: us.asos.com via Renee on Pinterest

Clockwise from top left (click images for links):

• a peppermint-inspired manicure from Refinery 29
• a chewy turrón recipe
• plaid tights
• a peppermint martini
• Bachelor Mother, a classic comedy set during the holiday season

There are a lot more goodies (over 300 pins) on my two Pinterest holiday boards, Winter Holidays and Holiday Gifts & Wrapping Ideas, and I hope you'll click over. I also hope to do more holiday posting next week, once my big project wraps up.

Colonial Williamsburg Christmas Decoration Inspiration

My family and I spent Thanksgiving week in Williamsburg, VA. It was a great trip, and since the Christmas season apparently starts in late November, Colonial Williamsburg was already decked with holiday wreaths and garlands. Below are some of my favorites:

A stunning apple wreath & garland...

...a simple doorway garland with rope & leather wreaths... 

...and another eye-catching garland bunch, which includes a pineapple and a hedge apple.

Aren't they lovely? It's amazing to me how festive and Christmas-y they look, all without ornaments, ribbons, or lights. Hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

Recipe: Black Bean Soup

I've been looking to add more stew recipes to my arsenal, and recently had success with this modified Rachel Ray black bean soup recipe. It's simple & hearty, and can easily be vegetarian.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans (I like Goya brand)
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 tsps ancho chili powder (optional)
salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce (I recommend Tapatío or Cholula)
3 1/2 cups less-sodium, low-fat chicken or vegetable broth 
1 (15-ounce) can diced stewed tomatoes
1/2 lime, juiced
2 to 3 scallions, chopped

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil to the pot, then add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add the red pepper. Drain 2 cans of black beans and the can of pinto beans, and add them. Mash the remaining, undrained can of black beans with a fork, and add to the pot along with the coriander, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper, hot sauce, broth, and tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the lime juice, and remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve with scallions and sliced crusty bread.

Last Minute Halloween Links

A big thanks to all the people who linked or pinned my Halloween posts! My traffic tripled last week, and while it's a temporary boost, it's encouraged me to keep blogging (and to do Halloween Week posting next year). Here are some last minute Halloween links I thought you'd enjoy: 

• Present & Correct has a fun Halloween contest.

• Nightmares Fear Factory's Flickr photostream features photo upon photo of terrified haunted house goers. I laughed until I hurt.

• Here are two favorite Halloween songs (YouTube links): Screamin' Jay Hawkins "I Put A Spell On You" & Gnarls Barkley's "Boogie Monster."

• From Daily Candy, a Best Horror Movies list, and from Time Magazine, the Top 10 Haunted-House Movies. 

• From TresSugar: How to Dress as Your Favorite '90s Girl for Halloween.

And some nice, non-Halloween blogger news I've been waiting to squeeze in: 

• I planned on posting about For Me, For You's fundraiser (her boyfriend has cancer, and as freelancers, neither have health insurance). But I didn't need to. Because within one week they met their fundraising goal AND he was approved (after some struggles) for Medi-Cal. 

• Joy had a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

Have a great Halloween!

Book-a-Month Giveaway: Mary Anne Saves the Day & The Girl With the Silver Eyes

This giveaway is closed.

First, a big thank you to those who entered last month's giveaway! The winner (chosen by random.org) is Carla.

I'm giving away something a little different this time. Instead of one new book, the winner will get two nostalgic favorites from the 1980s. More details below the fold.

I loved both of these books as a child, and my glee upon rediscovering them convinced me that some of you might also welcome the nostalgia trip. Having reread them, I feel they've held up well over time, and could also make solid middle grade reading options for young women in your lives.

Note that these are used books from the 1980s, so expect page yellowing and other small imperfections. They are in good to very good used condition, however, with tight bindings & clean pages (no writing or stains).

Here's the back cover of Mary Anne Saves the Day, book #4 from The Baby-sitters Club:

The DRAMA. 

As a child, my parents actually punished me by taking away my Baby-sitters Club books for a week. As a punishment, it was horrible & effective. I'm not the only one who was cuckoo for the series, either: The Daily Beast has an article about The Baby-sitters Club's persistent cult following. 

The second book is another cult classic, The Girl With the Silver Eyes, by Willo Davis Roberts:

Good ol' telekinesis. A Goodreads reviewer described this book as darker, older child's Matilda, and it's kind of true. If you're still having trouble remembering this one, check out Lizzie Skurnick's (author of Shelf Discovery) Fine Lines column on it.

To enter the giveaway, tell me about one of your favorite out-of-print book or book series from childhood. It can be recently reprinted (like The Baby-sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, or The Vampire Diaries series), but should have been out-of-print for some time. It doesn't have to be for children or teens either; some of my favorite books came from my parents' shelves.

Details: One entry per person, and please include your email so I can contact you if you win (email will not be shared with anyone, ever). Contest will end at 12:00 AM EST November 30th, and the winner will be announced later the same day. I will ship internationally, but can only cover up to $5 on shipping. Winner will be picked at random.

To Try: Stroopwafels, or Dutch Caramel Wafers

In high school, I went to Holland on a school-sponsored exchange program. One thing I discovered was the delicious stroopwafel, a treat made from two crisp wafers held together by spiced caramel.

Stroopwafels are traditionally placed over a hot mug of coffee or tea. Not only do they act as mug snugglers, but the steam from the beverage softens the wafer and the caramel inside. In other words, they are perfect cold weather treats. 

I found these at Cost Plus World Market, and recommend the brand (each box contained 8 wafers and cost $4). People in larger cities should also check in the international sections of their grocery stores or at local bakeries. You can buy stroopwafels online at Amazon or from The Vermont Country Store as well, although prices can be steep. 

Have you eaten stroopwafels? If so, what did you think?