A Play On Woods – Wood Art Brilliance

I’m so excited about this feature, the brilliantly detailed wood art, and especially this family’s story.

Meet Eric and Catherine, a husband-and-wife woodworking team based in Knoxville, TN.   The brains and talent that are A Play on Woods.

 Eric told me that a little more than two years ago, they were living in Los Angeles, CA, and went to a county fair with their then-two-year-old kiddo. At one of the exhibition halls they saw a scrollsaw artist at work.  They didn’t quite know what he was doing, but Eric was truly transfixed.  He was even more amazed after speaking with the artist and learning about portraits and figures and the level of detail that was possible to achieve.

Within a week, the couple found a scrollsaw and set it up in their little LA apartment, hooking up two large plastic shower curtains to prevent sawdust from invading their living room.

Having a two-year old, they could only use the machine at night, when he was sleeping. But living in an apartment, they also couldn’t keep working too late because their neighbors were a thin wall away. They had just two hours every day to learn what they were doing. Eric says it wasn’t ideal, but learn we did! “After what felt like forever, but was probably just a couple of months, we realized we were actually getting pretty good!”

And now look at all the fabulous wood art they bring to life for us to enjoy!

I especially like that they offer so much fan art.  They have a section in their Etsy shop titled “Nerd Wood” – Gotta love it!  So many great selections for fans of all genres.

Season’s Greetings, Specials, and Fun from the Yum Factor 10 Family

Hello All!  Tis the Season!  Yay!

And our Yum Factor 10 family has some special goodies to share with you.

Our friend Beth Byrd at Pretty Byrd Designs has designed the most gorgeous gift tags and cards to enhance your holiday giving. Everyone on your list will be delighted to receive a gift topped with that extra special touch, or a beautiful handmade card with your personal sentiment.  (Hint – Hint – These are under $5.00 – Only $4.75!, and her designs are FABULOUS!)

These Christmas Note Cards are so gorgeous, and again, under $5.00.  Only $4.50.

And the icing on top is that Beth is offering free shipping on all orders over $10.00.  Just use the code:  FREESHIPPING at checkout.

Our dear friend, Amy, of Amy Wonderland has you covered with beautiful faux leather metallic hair bows for your seasonal parties and get-togethers.  Pictures do not do these justice.  I own a couple of these and they are SO FAB!  And guess what?  These are only $5.00!

Spooktacular 50 Percent Off Sale Today from Studio 3B!

Today Only – Till Midnight!

Use Coupon Code GOODGOURD to receive 50% off anything and everything in the Studio 3B Etsy Shop.  The Coupon Code lasts till midnight tonight, October 30, 2017.

You can also use this special link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Studio3B?coupon=GOODGOURD

Studio 3B offers specialty handmade fashion accessories.  Perfect time to stock up on early Christmas gifts!

Happy Halloween and Holiday Shopping!

Studio 3B

Till next time, stay wonderful!

Jfay

Easy Veggie Pizza

Hey all!

Who’s in for a pizza night?  Yay!

There are so many ways to construct and top a pizza.  The ideas are limitless, and that makes creating pizzas a lot of fun.  For a week night, I like to make pizza that is not only delicious, but that’s also very easy.  One of my favorite tricks/shortcuts is to use Naan flat bread as a base.  Choose your favorite brand and flavor.  For this veggie pizza, I used a garlic flavored Naan bread.

Here is the list of ingredients used to top this pizza:

EVOO

Garlic Powder

Zucchini

White Button Mushrooms (small size)

Roma Tomato

Green Onions

3 Italian Shredded Cheese Blend: Romano, Parmeson, Asiago

5 Italian Shredded Cheese Blend which includes Mozzerella, Provolone, Romano, Parmeson, Asiago

You’ll want to begin by coating your Naan bread with the olive oil.  I usually use about 1-2 tsp per crust.  You can brush it on, or spoon it over the top.  Next, sprinkle with garlic powder, then sprinkle on some cheese.  I put the 3 Italian Cheese Blend here, as this is a harder cheese blend and would not melt as well on the top.  This cheese blend packs a huge flavor punch.  I purchase mine from HEB (their brand) and it is a fabulous blend.  If you’re unable to find this 3 cheese blend at your grocer, then I’d suggest sprinkling on some grated Parmeson/Romano from one of everyone’s favorite green canisters of Italian cheeses, then follow with some of the 5 Italian Cheese blend of shredded cheeses.

Next, you’ll want to get your veggies prepped.  Three of the veggies used for this pizza are moist and that can effect your crust, so prep is important for these.  First get everything rinsed very well and set aside to dry before slicing and dicing.

For the zucchini, I like to slice this as thinly as possible.  Almost paper thin.  Lay the slices all over the top of the cheese, evenly covering the entire pizza base.  I then sprinkle the zucchini slices with more garlic powder.  Yum!

Jaclyn’s Ghost

 Ghosts… Mystery… and Fashion…

Can this diva solve her own murder, or will she be stuck in limbo forever?

“Jaclyn’s Ghost” from Author Dorlana Vann.

I’m very excited to announce that Jaclyn’s Ghost is now available at Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle!

After recovering from the shock of seeing her own dead body, (still dressed to kill from last night’s party) fashion model, Jaclyn Jade, discovers she’s a ghost with a choice. She can either immediately go back to Hell, do nothing and stay in limbo, or find the reason she fell short of grace and advance to Heaven.

Because she was murdered, Jaclyn hopes that finding her killer will unravel this mystery. With the help of a timid closet-psychic who can speak to the dead, and a handsome, yet arrogant, ghost of a man from the roaring 20s, her search for answers initiates a quirky journey of self-discovery. Personalities, eras, and worlds collide as this mismatched trio race against time to solve the mystery of Jaclyn’s Ghost.

More Books from Dorlana:
Passage to Mesentia
Supernatural Fairy Tales: Paranormal Anthology
Silverweed: a supernatural fairy tale (YA)
The Princes of Tangleforest (YA)

Jaclyn’s Ghost on Amazon

Dorlana Vann

Dorlana Vann on Instagram

Till next time, enjoy great reads, and stay wonderful!

Jfay

Amazing Organic Eye Cream!

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share a fabulous find with you.  I’ve been on the hunt for a while now looking for a great eye cream.  After researching, trying different name brands, and not really finding anything that suited my very sensitive skin, I found Deja Brew Scrubs on Instagram, as if by magic.  They had exactly what I was searching for.  An all natural product that is actually good for your skin.  I zoned in on their Organic Anti-Aging Eye Treatment.  The ingredients listed are: Coconut Oil and Vitamin E Oil.  It doesn’t come any more natural than that.

Upon receiving my new Deja Brew eye cream, I was very excited and couldn’t wait to begin my regimen.  Enclosed was a  nice letter from Deja Brew Scrubs and directions on using their product.  The eye cream, when received, was in liquid form.  The outdoor heat tends to melt the ingredients, but that was not an issue in the least.  I simply popped the jar in the fridge for about 10 minutes, and it was ready to use.  My eye cream also arrived with a nice gift of Vanilla Pumpkin Scented Body Scrub.  Yay!

I’ve been using my eye treatment cream for 10 days now, and I am truly delighted with the results!  I love it so much that I am also using it on my throat area, elbows, and knees.  To use, you just rub your finger in the cream.  It melts with the heat of your finger.  Just dab it around your eye area – top, bottom and sides of both eyes.  Gently rub, and it goes into your skin very nicely, with no oily feel on the skin.  I was amazed.  It leaves my skin feeling and looking very soft.  I just went to a new hairdresser and she actually commented on how soft my skin is.  I truly recommend this eye treatment.  Their formulation is spot on, and I tell you, this portion size jar is very very generous.  It’s going to last me a really long time, unless I decide to use it on my entire body!  Which I may!  I ordered the 4 oz jar.  It is $12.99.  They also offer an 8 oz jar for $14.99.  That’s a great deal!  And right now they are offering the body scrub of your choice and their lip plumper for free with the purchase of their eye treatment cream.

City Acre Brewing, Houston, TX

If you love craft beer, delicious (fresh from the garden), made from scratch food, a great place to hang out and relax, well, there’s a treat in store for you at City Acre Brewing!

My Sister and her family have been telling me for a little while now that I really should visit.  They absolutely love coming here to enjoy the brews and what they always describe as the most delicious food.  And you know what – they were right!

From the moment you first approach City Acre, it’s like a pleasant oasis with an inviting outdoor area and garden.

You can tell this is definitely a place that families enjoy bringing their children.  Both indoors and out you can see people relaxing and having a great time.

I really like the interior with all its rustic charm.  They have long tables with benches that invite you to all sit together and enjoy good company as well as good food.

They have paper menus that you can find along the wall, as the menu is seasonal and ever changing.  They have their own garden in which they grow herbs and produce that they use in the restaurant.

You are greeted very warmly as you approach the counter to place your order.

They of course have outstanding brews to choose from.  Everyone in my family enjoys all their offerings.  They also have quite a few other concoctions (as they call them) that peaked my interest, such as their own specialty sodas, soda fountain classics, and even cure-alls.  You’ve gotta check out their online drinks menu:  Click Here

They definitely had my curiousity, so I ordered their Queen MAB Ginger Beer, which they describe as spicy and refreshing.  Boy!  What a fresh ginger taste!  And yes, it is spicy!  I also tried their Lemon Sage Soda.  Very nice lemon flavor with fresh sage.  Not your same-o lemonade for sure.  They mix these for you when you order them.  It’s so cool.  They get your glass and put in their special syrup, then the water and ice, give it a stir and you’re ready to try a very fresh soda, made just for you!  Very different, and very tasty.

And now I must talk about Chef Rick’s food!  Wowser!  Bet you haven’t heard that term in a while.

Like I said, my family has been raving about the food here at City Acre, so of course I had to give it a try.  I decided on their Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich.  It’s pimento cheese made from scratch served on sourdough bread.  Sounds okay, right?  Well, it was a bit more than okay.  It was really quite delicious – and I ordered it with their Garlic Fries.  As we were standing in line, the chef walked by with someone’s food, and the aroma was wonderful!  We inquired as to what was served, and it was garlic fries, so yeah, add that to my order.

As you can see, there is fresh garlic that is slightly sauteed atop the fries — Oh, my, goodness!  Were they good!  The sandwich with that freshly made pimento cheese – I even put some of the garlic on my sandwich.  Sooooo good!  And with a fresh ginger soda — the flavors – the pop – the wow!

Before we left, Chef Rick came out and spoke to us and thanked us for stopping in.   My family told him that it was my first time here and he welcomed me as a new friend.  Everyone was so friendly here, and you can tell they love what they do and are happy to see you enjoying everything and having a good time.

I hope you’ll stop by and see Chef Rick and everyone at City Acre.  They’re located off Highway 59, Eastex Freeway at 3418 Topping Street.  I’ll give you their website link and also be sure to follow them on Instagram.  They’re always having specials and seasonal items, so you’ll want to keep up with what’s going on.

City Acre Brewing Website

City Acre Brewing Instagram

Till next time, stay wonderful, and enjoy good food and good drinks!

Jfay

 

Attention Quilters and Crafters!

Or friends of quilters and crafters!

Here’s a fun shop I came across last week while on a quest for purchasing novelty fabrics for my projects.

It’s called AmourFabriQues.  The owner of AmourFabriQues is Salena and her shop is on Etsy.

I approached Salena about her Mystery Box of assorted fabrics.  I thought this sounded like a great way to get a nice variety of prints.  Salena was very approachable, answered all my questions and said that she would cut the fabrics to the size needed.  Her original size was just 1/4″ smaller than what I needed and she was very nice and even pulled some fabrics and took pictures for me to see the types of prints she had available.  And this is for a value mystery box, where you’re getting a surprise/pre-selected bundle of fabrics – How cool is that?  She really went the extra mile for me.

My package arrived today and I was so excited to see what goodies were in store!  When I opened the shipping package, I had a fun mystery box, that looked like a present.

And it was like unwrapping a present!  These would make great gift ideas for the quilters and crafters in your life – What fun!

I purchased 1/2 pound of fabric for $5.50!  And received a new spool of thread as a thank you gift!

Check out the assortment!

Much More Than Just a Card, It’s a Special Memory

Don’t you love to receive a special card with very touching sentiments, especially when you can tell that it is truly intended for you and from the giver’s heart?

Well, there is a super sweet lady who specializes in creating very personalized cards that are truly from the heart and are made just for your recipient.  Her name is Beth Byrd of Pretty Byrd Designs.

I’ve blogged about Beth and her work previously, and she is also a sponsor of Yum Factor 10.  I’ve admired her work for a while now, and when I featured her here before I didn’t fully realize what all she offers with her designs.  I knew her cards were very special and I love her journals and gift tags.  Everything she does is fabulous.  But it wasn’t until I approached her about possibly making a special Father’s Day card for my Husband that I completely understood how very special a card made by her can actually be.

I inquired if she could design a personalized card for my Husband as kind of an anniversary/Father’s Day sentiment card and also asked if she could put our personal pictures on the card, as well as a line from a song.  She responded very quickly that she would be honored to make us this card, and that she could of course put our pictures on the card as well as what ever wording I would like.  It was such a pleasure ordering this card from Beth, she seemed just as excited as I was about it, so this made the ordering and personalization even more fun!

Here is a picture of the finished product:

Beth had asked if all the pictures could be printed in black and white so that everything would be cohesive on the card, and I thought that was an excellent idea, as it also gives a vintage look/feel to the theme.  I am completely ecstatic with the results!  I was able to have pictures of our little family through the years, beginning with me and my husband when we were very young and just starting out, then our young family when our son was little, on to us at our son’s 26th birthday party, then us two on our 34th wedding anniversary.   Completed with “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.”  A truly sentimental journey – our life story with much more to come in the future.  All on a card…..  How fabulous is that?!  I’m sure you know that it made me cry….  Happy tears of course.

Free Stuff!

Who loves free stuff?!  Me! Me!

Well, this time I’m giving the free stuff, and giving myself a Sponsor Shout-Out here on Yum Factor 10.  Yay!

My Etsy Shop is called Studio 3B and I make hand sewn purses, totes and other fun fashion accessories.

Beginning tomorrow, June 30th and then also on Saturday, July 1st, I’m hosting a fabulous Christmas in July Special and I’ll be giving away a free surprise gift with every item purchased.  So, if you’re wanting to purchase multiple items, you receive a free gift per item you snag.  How about that?

And…. for any early birds reading this now, I’ll honor this today as well.  So, let the fun and shopping begin!

Hooray!

Jfay, Studio 3B

xoxo!