Spicy Boiled Peanuts

My husband loves boiled peanuts and I love my husband so I make him boiled peanuts.

Even though I'm from the Deep South, I've never had boiled peanuts.  Robby used to talk about them all the time when we were up North saying how much he used to really enjoy them.  I could never find raw peanuts so I couldn't make any for him.

I ran into some raw peanuts recently and decided to make him some.  I chose the slow cooker method because it seemed fool proof.

I don't remember how many peanuts I had but it was at least 2 - 3 pounds.  He likes them spicy, so I doctored up some serious spicy stuff.

Raw peanuts

1/3 cup cayenne pepper 

1 boil-in-bag crab boil

1/4 cup salt

Seasoning

Rinse peanuts.  Add crab boil-in-bag to crockpot.  Add peanuts.  Add seasoning.  (Garlic salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, etc.) Cover with water.  Stir.  Cook on low for 24 hours.  Stir a few more times.  Taste one after 18 hours.  Adjust seasoning accordingly.

I cooked them outside on the deck.  Why?  It smells like vinegar and feet while cooking.  24 hours of that is NOT my ideal nose tickle.  

Oh...and I store them in half gallon mason jars in the fridge using the "juice" to keep them wet. He puts some in a bowl and microwaves them. 

Racist Uncle Was Right

First off, Racist Uncle isn't really racist he's just inappropriate as shit.  He doesn't have a problem with people based on their skin color, his problem is strictly based on the stupid ish people do, say and fall for.  We call him Racist Uncle because he has absolutely no qualms about referring to said stupid person by the worst slurs our world has created.  And I'm talking IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS...if you do something jacked up...he hates you.

Period.

I spend the majority of the time talking to Racist Uncle on edge when talking about current events.  We all know only the worst of the worst crap makes the news so he has a whole lotta people to talk smack about.  And I am constantly telling him..."Dude...you can't say that about people!"  And he's all like..."I don't know why in the hell not.  That gotdamn _______ shot up _____.  He shoulda just killed his ownself if he was so damn disturbed hell!"  

If you took away the racial slur...he'd be right.

This post isn't about Racist Uncle being right about people though.  It's about him being right about something important he told me.

"Niece, when you're going through some stuff, only drink the good shit.  Drink too much of that bad shit and it will jack you up."

And I've always taken that advice.  When going through a tough time, I only drink the good stuff.  LOL!  My latest good stuff?  Don Julio Blanco stored in the freezer and served in a highball straight with a twist of lime.  Maaaaaaaaaan...I sip it slow with the music flowing and my foot tapping to the mellow beat.  

The good stuff cuz this election...lawd...

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My Golden Boy!

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This past weekend my Golden Boy has his bi-annual piano recital.  This was the first time he played the piano while he sung a song and I was way impressed.  Like...WHOA.

This kid is going far in life but he will never, ever, ever be cooler than his T-Monnie no matter how hard he tries to look in pictures.  LOL!  

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Make Wood Wall Art Out of Anything Paper With Modge Podge!

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Step 1:  I wanted it to look old so I beat up a piece of wood I had from a shelf that I built with a hammer.

Step 2:  Sand it all over so you don't have splinters.

Step 3:  Stain.

Step 4:  Paint with Modge Podge.

Step 5:  Add paper items.

Step 6.  Let dry for 15 minutes.

Step 7:  Paint over whole thing with Modge Podge.

Step 8:  Cover with a clear satin topcoat for protection.

Step 9:  Let dry overnight.

Step 10:  Add sawtooth hangers to back.

Me likey.  I love how it looks really old.  

Have you ever done a Modge Podge project?  What was it?  

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DIY Decorating Around a Flat Screen Television

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I've had some stuff I've wanted to frame for a while now but never got around to doing it.  And...I had a super blank wall in the room I like to read in.  I have a television in there that I use to binge watch programs The Robinator doesn't want to watch like "Parenthood" and listen to music.  The room is comfortable and I've been finishing it slowly.  

That blank wall is opposite my mirror gallery and behind the television.  

Have I mentioned that I hate how televisions take up a wall?  Like...there never seems to be anything interesting about the wall the television is in front of.  I've seen where interior designers put a lot of art on the wall behind the television and I kind of liked that.  Then...I thought about other stuff that I like too and decided to make a mixed media wall.

Our friends, Kenny and Booth, have an amazing home.  Not because it's like this grand estate or anything (even though it is), but because everything in it has a story.  Anything your eyes light on has a unique history and story.  Walking through their home with one of them is like a cultural personalized museum tour and I love that everything has a story behind it.  They didn't just roll up to a furniture store and buy a matching living room set.  Every piece is unique and personalized to their personalities and the way they live their life.  They have fascinating art and bits of all sorts of amazing things to look at.  It's like a sensory party that you never want to leave. I could sit in their great room for hours and hours perfectly content.

And that's what I want.  I want spaces and things with personal and unique stories.  This room is the first one that I'm doing that way just to see how well it fairs and I am loving it so far.  I can't wait until I decide on window treatments because that will mean that I am finally finished with it as I've said they will be the last things I do in each room.

Michael's was having a 50% off sale on their wall frames so I picked up some of them for the vintage musical programs and art that I had.  I made a tray at an Annie Sloan paint techniques class I attended, did a canvas using stencils and added two wood pieces that I did myself.

The first one was an address sign with 13700 on it.  All my happiest memories in life so far were made at 13700.  It's where my husband and I first started out as a married couple and where we just grew into who we are.  It's where my family, framily and friends gathered all the time and where I've circled infertility, learned how to be settled and really just grew up.  

The second one is made from handwritten sheet music from a musical in the early 1900s.  "Swing Low," "Were You There?" and "Deep River."  I bought this years ago with the other pieces in Maryland.  

The tray was a fun time and I enjoyed meeting the ladies and learning about different painting techniques. So there is a story behind it too.  The vases were made using dollar store vases and dots and tape to create a design and then spray paint.  

I love the way it has all come together.  It's visually interesting and the television is no longer the focal point of the wall.  I even have room to add more pieces should I ever decide to.  I like that I decided to use the whole wall instead of just up high above the television.