Outfit: Green Skirt, Aladdin Shoes

What I wore to church:

Shirt: Dillards (free hand-me-up from younger sister. It was her bridesmaid shirt from our wedding reception. Thanks, Em!)

Shoes: Free hand-me-up from sister

Skirt: Thrifted for $0.99 

Belt: From maternity maxi-dress from Motherhood Maternity

Earrings: CZ Studs, gift from hubby

I love this skirt! I found it last week for $0.99 at a thrift store. It is the perfect kelly green, silky, and machine washable! 

Here is some Pinspiration on the matter, and some ideas for next time:

Plain white T. Found here.

Navy T. Found here.

Navy stripes, big necklace.  Found here.

Navy stripes and white T. Found here.

Hot pink.  Found here.

Graphic T. Found here.

Polka dots. Found here.

With leopard. Found here.

With bun, stripes, heels. Found here.

 My sister gave me these shoes two years ago. They are so weird. I love them.

Neither of these pictures does them justice. The toes are incredibly pointy and curl up and the ends. Very elfish/1001 Arabian Nights. They also have beads, sequins, embroidery, and are both black and brown. A color combination that I was always against, but has apparently become very fashion-forward. So fashiony!

Art Lesson: Oil Pastels, Shapes and Shading

I have a new art student/worker to add to my Tuesday night art lessons/maid service. M is joined by A, who also lives in our neighborhood and attends church with us. Welcome, A!

M & A chose to do a project (found here) on shading and shapes using their oil pastels for their art lesson this week.  We also incorporated the stylus technique we previously learned on the fish valentines. 

Materials:

Paper

Pencil

Ruler

Oil pastels

Stylus 

Step One:

Pick a shape and draw it in the center of the paper with the pencil. Then use your ruler to draw straight lines through the shape and across the paper to create other shapes and angles. Draw at least five lines and try to make them interact (cross) other lines. 

Step Two:
Pick a medium value (not too dark, or too light) color to fill in your center shape and a contrasting medium value color to fill in the negative space around it. (Two colors that are different from each other or on opposite ends of the color wheel.)

Step Three:
Using grey shade in each piece of the picture gradually lightening half way until you switch to the white oil pastel and shade the second half of the piece getting gradually to pure white on the opposite end of the piece.
Try to match opposing shades as you start on the next piece. (Try not to have grey ends touching another grey end.)
When the center is done, move to the negative space (background) and continue shading using the same technique.

Step Four:
Using the stylus draw/write patterns/words throughout. Shake oil pastel crumbs from the paper into the trash after you are done using the stylus.

Baked Pear Vanilla French Toast with Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

This is supposed to be a breakfast food, but it was soooo delicious that I would also consider it a dessert. It could go either way! I also love the fact that you can prepare it the night before, refrigerate it, and then pop it in the oven the next morning when you want to eat it. It is the perfect food for a holiday breakfast, which is exactly what I used it for. Happy Easter! It is delicious, impressive, quick, and easy.

I also used a recipe from Our Best Bites for Buttermilk Caramel Syrup to serve with it. This could also be made the night before, refrigerated, and used the next day. Mmmm. 

Look at those pears!

First, the french toast:

Baked Pear Vanilla French Toast
Originally from The Reluctant Entertainer, found on Pinterest via: Taste and Tell

serves 6 to 8...to however many you cut from a 9x13 pan

total prep time: 10 minutes
inactive time: overnight
baking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
3 fresh pears: peeled, sliced, and cored (I sliced mine in rings)
4 cups French bread, cut/torn into small pieces (About a whole loaf)
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
9 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the water and continue heating until bubbly. Remove from heat and pour into a well-greased 9″x13″ baking pan, making sure to spread it evenly. Arrange the pears on top of the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the bread evenly over the pears, then sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla together and pour evenly over the entire mixture. Press the bread down with a spatula once you have poured the egg mixture on top to make sure the bread soaks up the liquid.Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until it becomes puffy and the eggs are no longer runny. 

Sauce poured, pears layered, and topped with bread, now just waiting for the nuts and then egg mixture!

Wait 40 minutes...

Voila!

Delicious from every angle.

Secondly, the sauce:

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

From Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

3/4 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 stick real butter
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE soup pot.

Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it’s still bubbling, you’re okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes. This requires constant vigilance.

When it’s done, it should take on a golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Before

During

After: The delicious results.

 The beauty of it all coming together!

Pears sliced into rings lay flatter and more evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Delicious served warm or cold.

Let's eat!