Uncategorized Archives - Page 14 of 14

Super Scarlett Juice

February 6, 2013 By Taylor 1 Comment

Welcome to TaylorMade’s new series, “The Juice Journals”. I am so so soooo excited about having a excuse to make even more juice :) Last Mother’s Day I introduced my new juicer and I made my very first juice, Dr. Oz Green Drink. With the “trendiness” of juicing, that post has been a hit on Pinterest. I am constantly looking for more recipes and more recently have started making my own concoctions. I am not a big breakfast eater but I actually look forward to my juice. I also love all fruit but I hate to admit that I’m not as fond of vegetables. I eat them because I know I need to but I’d rather eat Mexican Food :) So this is a good way for me to sneak in a bunch of extras for me and my kids.

Every month I will try out new juice recipe and let you know how it goes. Without further adieu, here is the first ever Juice Journals recipe – Super Scarlett. The color came out so pretty, I knew it was perfect for February.

Super Scarlett:

1 green apple

4 carrots

1 beet

kale

pomegranate

celery

2 oranges

About the taste… I will be honest, this was my first time to juice a beet so all I did was wash it. It was so pretty so I took a huge gulp and the juice had kind of a dirt flavor. Not as in I’m trying to insult by calling it names, it actually had a soil/earth flavor. I realized later I should have peeled the beet. Beets are a root vegetable so they have that same flavor as a potato peel. I peeled another beet and juiced it again in a smaller batch and it was so much better. Moral: peel beets, sweet potatoes, carrots etc. Overall, I would definitely make it again as long as I PEEL THE BEETS :)

This has been your first installment of the Juice Journals. I already have so many ideas… If you have any juice recipes you have posted/tried or anything you want me to try, pretty please leave it in the comments!

Happy Juicing.

Cheap Things to do in Houston

August 27, 2012 By Taylor 20 Comments

In case you missed it, I was a part of C.R.A.F.T.’s series on Creating Free Trips. I was so honored to be a part of such a cool series! Most of you know I’m proud to be born and raised in Houston, TX… This post isn’t a craft or a recipe but might come in handy for someone, so here is a little glimpse into our city:

Welcome to Houston. I actually live in a suburb outside of Houston, but for us Houstonians, a 30 minute commute into town is nothing! Here are some of the thing I love to do with my family and friends without breaking the bank :)

1. Discovery Green Park
This park is awesome, it is 12 acres of green space located right smack dab in the middle of downtown. It has a splash pad and an awesome playground for kids, it has a few restaurants and an upscale bar. I love the super cool color blocked wall that is becoming a popular photo shoot background. There is also a stage that hosts free live bands.

2. Astros Game at Minute Maid Park
Home of the Houston Astros. Now, this isn’t totally free but you can get tickets in the”nose-bleed” section to a game for only $5.00 a ticket. Another plus is that kids 14 and under are free all summer long and on Sundays, your kids can run the bases after the game.

3. Miller Outdoor Theatre:
This is an outdoor theatre located in the Museum District of Houston. There is a small section of covered seats that you can purchase but the best part is the huge hill that is totally free. You can pack a picnic and some blankets and come enjoy the show on the lawn. They even allow alcohol (no glass :) They have plays, and concerts and the Houston Symphony plays here too.

4. Farmers Markets:
Houston has a TON of farmers Markets. I have even done a Farmers Market Bike Tour which is a 15 mile ride stopping at 3 farmers markets. I love them because even if you don’t buy anything (which isn’t possible) most of them have live bands, and artists and samples!

5. Museum District:
Houston has a huge Museum Scene. There are the “big” museums like Museum of Natural Science, History and the Fine Arts Museum who offer free admission on Tuesdays or Thursdays after 2pm and there is also a free museum day once a year. But of our 18 museums, 11 are free everyday of the year.

6. Shopping at 19th Street in the Heights:
The Heights is an area of Houston with a rich culture. It is up and coming for the hip young crowd of Houston. It’s “inside the loop” (Houston terms for city living) but it is affordable. It has a cool vibe with unique restaurants and fun little shops. My little sister actually lives a few blocks from here.

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7. Kemah Boardwalk
The Kemah Boardwalk is about 25 minutes from the city of Houston (in Texas we explain distance in minutes :) It is located very close to NASA wish is also where I am located! I grew up going to the Boardwalk often but it is actually a huge tourist attraction. There is a nice hotel, a ton of restaurants and bars, games, rides, and a splash pad for the kids.

8. The Beach – Galveston
Galveston is not technically located in Houston, infact someone could probably do a whole C.R.A.F.T. post just about free things to do here. But like I said before, Houston is huge and since its less than an hour drive, Houstonians would easily make a day trip of the beach. I am lucky enough to live in a great suburb that is located right in the middle of both. Between the seawall, the strand (eating and shopping) and the beach you could spend all day here! Parking at a spot on the seawall and packing a lunch make it totally free!

9. The Water Wall
This is Houston’s #1 most photographed location. At any given time, you can see a woman in her wedding dress and family portraits going on. It’s basically just a huge water fountain, but there is a lawn in from so you could bring a picnic too.

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10. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
This last one isn’t free. But I think it is a must see because there is nothing quite like it. It is the World’s largest rodeo and runs for about a month at the end of February every year. It is like a culture here Y’ALL. We kick it off with the Chili Cookoff, everyone in all of Houston talks about it, all of the local elemantary schools even have go Texan day the week before. Houstonians don’t just go once, we go as many times as we can until the next year. The cool thing- all of the workers are volunteers, so its also the worlds largest group of volunteers in one place. There are concerts every night, but if you just want to experience it, tickets are pretty cheap just for the carnival and livestock show at around $7.00. Put it on your bucket list.

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Thanks yall! I had such a blast exploring my city to find good cheap fun! I hope you visit Houston soon :)
-Taylor

Introducing…. Ampersand

March 18, 2012 By Taylor 20 Comments

Since this blog is all about the things I have made, I would like to introduce to one of my greatest projects ever….

Our new real life store, Ampersand! On March 2nd, my amazing Mom and I opened this little retail boutique. It has been a long time dream for both of us and we decided the only way to do it- is just to do it! So we did it, and we are in love. When people say they have their blood, sweat and tears into something, believe them. I feel like the store is kind of like my 3rd child haha. Speaking of children, the boys have been pretty amazing. My mom and I have spent the past 3 months, working, cleaning, decorating, painting, merchandising, laying floor, receiving (breakable) shipments, and setting up all with the boys by our side. For boys that are 1 and 2; this is quite the accomplishment!

We have been opened for only two weeks and so far it has been awesome. We did a soft open with no advertising but word of mouth and social media and we have more and more customers each day.

So what is Ampersand all about? It is a little Home Boutique that is a great place to find unique home decor, accessories, gifts for teachers, graduates, friends, showers, babies, holidays, etc. We carry some great jewelry lines and handbags and we are also becoming quickly “famous” for our candles. We don’t offer online shopping yet so if you find yourself in Texas then come visit us! We are located right outside of Houston in cozy Friendswood, TX :)

Of course when you do something like open up a boutique some people think you are crazy (we might be) haha. But this is seriously such a dream job for me and I hope one day that my kids know that you only live one life so make it a good one!

I can’t even begin to tell you all of the DIY that went into the shop! I will be posting projects here and there about Ampersand but the ole blog is is staying the same :)

You can read more about the shop at www.ampersandshop.com and also visit us on Facebook HERE. If you have any cool & unique finds or products then send us an email too at info@ampersandshop.com.