New Prints!

New prints have been added to my Etsy shop ----->  http://www.etsy.com/shop/tschwiesow

Gardening

This morning, I took a few pictures of the flowers that I planted in the backyard.  I did most of my planting earlier this month and the flowers are growing fast.  I thought I should document their progress.

Bye-Bye Brass

I bought a can of high heat spray paint to tackle the fireplace cover.  It was pretty windy outside, which made it difficult to spray paint.  The end result turned out "ok", but I think I might try to paint another coat on a less blustery day.

Bathroom Makeover

I completed a mini makeover on our master bathroom yesterday.  We rent our home, so I was limited to the number of improvements that I could make to the space.  I painted the walls (Glidden's Water Chestnut), replaced the cabinet hardware, and switched out the light fixture.

The artwork that hangs in the bathroom was created by my artist friend, Ted Simmering.  You can check out more of his work at tedsimmering.com.

Send in the Clones

My fiancé, Brian, is in a cover band, Send in the Clones.  If you're in the East Dundee area on Friday, 5/25, kickoff the holiday weekend with cocktails & live music at Bandito Barney's.

Dry-Rubbed Rib-Eye

Last night we had steaks for dinner. I used this dry-rub recipe that I found on the Food Network Website. This is the second time that I've used this recipe and I really love the smokiness that the paprika provides to the steaks.  The recipe calls for the steaks to marinate in the rub for 24 hours (or 2-3 days) but I had only a few hours to give.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons salt*  (I highly recommend that you cut this back to 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pulverized crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons pimenton (Smoked Spanish Paprika)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Oil, for brushing grill
• 2 (22 to 24-ounce) bone-in rib-eye steaks
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Use your fingers to make sure that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Rub the outside of each steak generously with the rub. Wrap each steak in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, 2 to 3 days is better. This will make the steak taste like it has been aged.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush and oil the grill to loosen and remove any crud. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Right before cooking remove the plastic wrap and lightly oil the steaks. Place the steaks on a very hot grill to put a char on both sides of the steak. When both sides of the steak have become well charred move the steak to a cooler part of the grill to continue cooking for 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove the steak from the grill and let rest in a warm spot for 7 to 8 minutes. Cut the steak off the bone and slice on the bias across the grain. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

* or to taste

Etsy

I am now selling high-quality archival prints of my original artwork on Etsy.  You can find my shop here.

Wedding Invitations

I've been having the hardest time finding just the right wedding invitations.  I wanted something with our wedding colors (coral & grey), less formal, and lighthearted.  I picked out a few styles from Wedding Paper Divas, but there was something about each design that was lacking.  So, I decided to make my own invitations.  They turned out great and the best part - I'm saving money.