Author Archives: Jane

Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast: Omelet Muffins!

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On a recent business trip, a coworker and I were comparing notes on our attempted low-carb diets.  I try to eat low-carb when possible, simply because it is the easiest way to keep my weight down while not denying myself the joy of eating.

The biggest problem, however, is breakfast.  If breakfast isn’t already made, I’m likely to hop to the coffee shop for  a big old bagel rather than frying up some eggs.  Melissa had a great suggestion for fixing eggs ahead of time:  Omelet Muffins.

As soon as I got home I tried them, and they were so easy that I was hooked.  They’re basically like omelets, in the shape of muffins.  Now I make two batches of these each week and we always have breakfast ready to go!

Omelet Muffins3

 The “HOW” is simple:

  • Scramble a dozen eggs in a bowl.
  • Chop whatever you want to add – I like ham, cheese, fresh spinach, or any veggies left in the fridge.
  • Grease an oversized muffin tin.
  • Put some of the meats/veggies in the bottom of each muffin cup.
  • Pour eggs over, distributing evenly.
  • Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min, until they’re done but not overdone.
  • Wrap and refrigerate.  Keeps for a good 4 days, longer if frozen.

Ready to eat them? 

Just pop one in the microwave for 45 seconds and breakfast is done!

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While you can definitely make these guys with no fillings added, I love having surprise flavor on the inside.

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Lazy Sunday: Bird Watching

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I never thought I’d get excited about birdwatching, but it’s a hobby that’s slowly grown on me in the three years we’ve rented this house.

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Our leafy backyard is home to a fun variety of birds, most of whom are brave enough to stay out in the yard even when all the cats, dogs, and I are on the back porch.  (Don’t worry, I don’t let the cats get close to them!)

With my new(ish) camera and super zoom lens, I’ve been able to get some decent shots of my different little friends as they congregate around the bird feeder that  Ryan’s family gave me for Christmas.

Red Bellied Woodpecker | The Borrowed Abode

My Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-Bellied Woodpecker | The Borrowed Abode

Northern Cardinal Bird Couple | The Borrowed Abode

Northern Cardinal Couple – Male on left, female on right.
Carolina Chickadee | The Borrowed Abode

Carolina Chickadee

Blue Jay | The Borrowed Abode

Blue Jay? I’m stumped because my bird book says they have a prominent blue crest on their heads, and this guy does not.

Birds2 | The Borrowed Abode

Sometimes I chop up my apple cores and stale bread into tiny little pieces, and put them out for the birds, forgetting that there are also squirrels out there.  They may be pests, but they’re awfully cute, too.

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Not pictured:  The Oriole that I saw once.  Have you ever done any bird watching?  What kinds of birds do you seen in your neighborhood?

My Office / Dressing Room: Finished!!

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It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been able to share a truly “finished” space with you guys. And that’s why I’m so excited about today’s official “After” post for my office!

Let’s take a little tour to wrap all these projects up.

The white door below is the entrance from the hall.    Jane Office Finished6

Then, of course, we have my desk, which I built myself from scratch.  The art hanging over the desk is thrifted and handed down.

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The curtains are from Ikea, and the dresser is a family heirloom.  I’m hoping to find beautiful glass knobs to dress it up when I am in Italy on my honeymoon/anniversary trip.

On the wall over the dresser is a mirror that I had to fight for in the clearance section of Pier One (years ago) and then of course my window frame jewelry display, which continues to be one of the most useful items I ever made.

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On the next wall is my mid-century modern secretary, which folds out into a desk.  I use it when I work from home for my day job, since I have a separate laptop for that job.  My closet, with the Container Store shelving I installed, is still going strong.  I considered hanging curtains over it, but they would just get in the way.

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Oh! And under the desk I have my personal laptop and a power strip on a tray.  I actually use this to also charge things like phones, camera batteries, etc.  The tray makes it feel a little less messy and a little more like a charging station.

Jane Office Finished1 To the right of the closet is the exit from the office.  On that wall I hung my Neu Year planning calendar. Jane Office Finished9Above the door I have my hats on plastic-containers-turned-hooks, and these little plastic things continue to be the best hat hooks I’ve ever used.

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All in all, I love the office and love even more that it is FINISHED!  It’s a huge improvement from a year ago when I was working with an Ikea desk and some mismatched old furniture.

Office Before

The office: BEFORE.

I’m not even sure I can call this a true “before and after” post because I didn’t want to waste a lot of space on the before. This room has gone through many stages, but three years into the process I finally feel that I’ve gotten it put together in a solid way.

Office Update: A Fantastically Huge Planning Calendar

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Note: This is NOT a sponsored post or review.  This is me just raving about a product that I love.

As a small business owner trying to juggle a day job requiring travel, and all the other requirements of life, scheduling and planning my time well is a struggle.  Especially long-term planning for goals and sub-goals, like around the holiday season.

To plan all this out, you definitely need to see the whole picture. And that’s something I’m not very good at keeping straight in my head.

Neu Year Calendar

So when I found out that two handmade business friends, Rachel and Kim, each used the Neu Year Calendar, I knew it was the perfect solution for my long-range planning problems.

The Seize the Year calendar shows the entire year on one large piece of heavy-weight paper (or coated dry-erase paper, you choose). Even better, it’s double-sided – one side shows the calendar in a portrait layout, while the other shows it in landscape.

Neu Year Calendar Portrait Layout

But my favorite thing is that this calendar isn’t from a mass retailer like Target or Office Max, it’s from a small business.  It’s their only product.   And with that comes fabulous, friendly service.

I chose the uncoated paper version so that I could write on it with pencil or pen.  When it arrived, it was just as awesome as I’d hoped. I had to hang it, and was too busy to build a beautiful frame like Kim did (silly me!).

I bought a lightweight painter’s canvas, painted the edges teal to tie in with my office, and attached the calendar using spray adhesive.  Because the canvas was so light, it was easily hung with Command Velcro Picture Hanging Strips. The only downside is that I didn’t apply the paper to the adhesive well, so there’s some bubbles and some curling edges.Seize the Year Calendar3

Also, I ended up drawing on it and scribbling on it in pencil and marker, so now it looks a bit messy.  But it definitely gets the job done.

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This massive paper calendar fit perfectly in my redesigned office, in the nook where the door opens from the hall into the room.  I can eye it from my desk at all times, which is perfect for keeping long-term deadlines on my radar. Jane Office Finished9

In the process of using it for three months I’ve realized that I’d do better with the dry-erase version, so I just ordered a new, dry-erase one.  I plan to staple it to my canvas over top of the old one.

And guess what? I discovered they’re on sale right now, which is even better!