Dancing When The Stars Go Blue, Dancing In Your Wedding Gown

Dear creative readers...........................

I would soooooooo love to hear your thoughts on these inspiration boards I am playing with for my daughter's approaching wedding. Specifically, I need tablescape inspiration. Tell me what you see.............................

Obviously, she adores birds, branches, silhouettes, something old, succulents...........oh and yes, blue.

MARTHA MOMENTS MAKE MONDAY MATTER.............

Gretchen Schaumann is a jewelry designer that

uses vintage, found treasures and special new elements to design and create beautiful functional art. Check out her blog and have a wonderful Martha Moment TODAY!

http://mimitoriasdesigns.blogspot.com/

MARTHA MOMENTS MAKE MONDAY MATTER

MAKE IT END IN 2010!

Excerpted in part from It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh

I have decided to purge my possessions this year, NO EXCUSES! Been reading a few organizational blogs this weekend and have decided to use Peter Walsh's

THINK F.A.S.T. strategy.

I would be delighted to hear from others who have conquered their clutter using this or similar motivational mantras.

Together let's "MAKE IT END IN 2010!"

F: Fix a time and face the task. Set aside a Saturday or a Sunday, or a few hours every day, to start the process.

A: Anything not used in 12 months goes. If you haven't used an item in the last year, it is highly unlikely you really need it or that you are going to ever get enough use out of it to justify it cluttering up your home. Take the plunge and get rid of it! Ask yourself these questions as you encounter each piece of clutter:

• Do I use this?
• How long has it been since I've used it?
• Will I use it again?
• Is it worth the space it takes up in my house?

Remember: The objective is to get stuff out of your home, not to move it into another room. You will be amazed by the sheer volume of unused and unneeded items in your home. Don't spend time inventing reasons to keep these things.

S: Someone else's stuff. It's bad enough when clutter is your own, but it is totally crazy when the clutter belongs to someone else. Your house should not contain anything that doesn't belong to you. If it's something you've borrowed, give it back. If you've ended a relationship or gotten a divorce, now's the time to let your ex's belongings go. If your kids have established their own households, it's time for them to pick their stuff up.

T: Trash. The trash can is your friend. It is your very hungry friend. Take pride in how much you throw away and make it fun.Remember the goal: You only want to keep the amount of stuff that makes sense for your space.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom" Anais Nin

Thanks to all my friends and family for helping me achieve the dream

AUTUMN JOY

My autumn joy is...........................

leaves from my family tree!

No time to blog............I got a dog!

Meet "MAGGIE", the nine year old bichon who has TOTALLY captured my heart. These "dog days of summer" 2009 have turned out to be the best I can ever remember................

JAVA JUNKIES JULY 4TH JOLT

Coffee Rubbed Cheeseburgers

Coffee rub:
1 tablespoon freshly ground coffee
2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Burgers:
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound ground chuck (preferably grass-fed)
1 pound ground sirloin (preferably grass-fed)
8 slices smoked provolone, smoked caciocavallo, or smoked Gouda cheese (about 8 ounces)

Buns:
8 potato-bread hamburger buns
8 slices red onion
8 slices tomato

Texas BBQ Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 chipotle chile from canned chipotle chiles in adobo,* minced with seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

Preparation

For coffee rub:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

For burgers: Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Break in half. Gently mix chuck and sirloin in large bowl. Form meat into 8 patties, each 3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter and 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Using thumb, make slight indentation in center of each burger. DO AHEAD: Burgers and bacon can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coffee rub on top side of each burger. Place burgers, rub side down, on grill rack. Grill until slightly charred, about 4 minutes; turn.
Place 2 bacon slice halves atop each burger. Cook 3 minutes.
Top each with 1 cheese slice. Cover and cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute longer. Place burgers atop bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices and tomato slices. Spoon dollop of Texas Barbecue Sauce over. Cover with bun tops and serve, passing additional sauce alongside.

For Texas BBQ sauce:
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Stir in ketchup and all remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill.