Relay Foods - Online Grocery Shopping

Recently I was approached by Relay Foods, an online grocery store. They are a company based in Charlottesville, Virginia (yay local!) and have recently expanded into Lynchburg, Virginia where I live. I was given the awesome opportunity to review them for you guys. But not to worry, you're eligible for an awesome deal too!

Relay Foods currently has pick up locations in the following cities: Baltimore/Annapolis, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, NOVA/Washington, Richmond, Staunton/Fishersville, and Williamsburg. So if you're in or near any of these locations go order some groceries! 

For us here in Lynchburg, our pick up is from 3:30pm-6:00pm at the BB&T on Old Forest Road. 

Their website is incredibly user friendly. Ordering groceries is so easy. Check out Sweet Pea's post about Relay Foods and navigating their website for more info. 

But it really is so simple. You can place your order up until midnight the night before pick up. How awesome is that? Forgot an ingredient for that casserole on Wednesday? No problem! 

Relay Foods is loaded with amazing local farmers as well as conventional grocery store items. You're bound to find what you're looking for! 

Big, beautiful, blue truck just full of groceries for us Lynchburgers! 

 

All you do is tell the attendant your name (they're super sweet) and they find your box and you're on your way! 

Easy peasy. There were about 3-4 other people waiting for their groceries which is awesome! The attendant even told me that Lynchburg has broken records for the largest order! That blows my mind...us? Here in little ol' Lynchburg? Especially considering they have pick up locations in DC and Richmond! 

They give you your groceries in these super cute tote bags. They're good quality reusable bags, too! I'll be bringing mine back to load my next order of groceries in. 

Gorgeous local hummus right there on top. 

Two bunches of bananas (they gave me one bunch that was more yellow and one that was a little green...so smart! They won't all ripen at the same time!) and organic strawberries. I inhaled those puppies in a couple of days! 

All my goodies! 

I only got a couple of local products but I'll definitely order more next time. I ordered potato gnocchi to try and cook with! I'm excited to try it. 

Lots of spaghetti. My husband is a spaghetti fiend! He'd eat it every day if I let him. And quinoa of course. It's a great staple to have. 

Overall I was very satisfied with Relay Foods and you can bet I'll order from them again! How cool is it to order online one day and pick up your food another day? So much less time consuming than going to the store. I can imagine this would be especially helpful if you're one to plan weekly meals! 

And let me be extra honest here...I used to think online grocery shopping was for snooty business people that could afford to pay someone else to shop for them. That's not the case at all! 

Here's the best part for anyone remotely interested in trying Relay Foods...if you use my referral link then you will receive $30 OFF your order of $50 or more! If you use my link, I'll also receive a $30 credit to my account. Who wouldn't want $30 of FREE groceries??? It's really a very, very good deal. Use this link HERE if you're interested.

So go, give it a try! They even do gift certificates! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Disclaimer: I was given a gift card for Relay Foods in order to review them. Everything I said is my own opinion, though. I'm always honest with you all!

Lynchburg Virginia Blogger Meetup

Last night we had our meet-up for Lynchburg bloggers at Mangia Wine Bar!

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I was so excited to meet other bloggers near me! In our little town of Lynchburg, Virginia there were 5 of us that met for dinner from Virginia Bloggers. 

• First there's Paula from Sweet Pea which is a blog about cooking, gardening, home projects and life. You may recognize her screen print pumpkin pillow project (I think I'm getting out of hand with all these "p's") from the latest Clutch Guide! 

• Then there's Cait from Cait Makes Things which is all about sewing and upcycling thrifted finds. She also shares another fashion based blog called Two Little Bells with a friend. Check out her easy project for making cheap (and adorable) boot trees! My only tall boots are from my horse showing days but I'd love to make this project for a friend!

• There's also Carrie from Dream Green DIY, the blog about incredible DIY design on a budget. You make recognize her from a recent Better Homes and Gardens issue. No big deal. (Except it's a hugely awesome deal!) If you're local you may also recognize her and her beautiful home from the latest Clutch Guide! 

• And finally there's Megan from Rappsody in Rooms, another fantastic blog about renovating a 1960s rancher into a space that reflects her personality along blogging about life in general. Ever wondered what a year's supply of toilet paper looks like? Wonder no more. 

We sat on the patio during the beautiful evening and had a great time chatting and eating and discussing all kinds of things. We brought up one of our favorite bloggers, Young House Love multiple times, talked about networking, our families, jobs, and some silly giveaways. We talked about Haven Conference and got some awesome insight from Megan and Paula who were fortunate enough to go! Megan almost got pooped on by a bird, our waiter forgot about us and overall we had a fantastic time! We ended up having such a good time that we completely forgot to get any pictures! I'm a little bummed but I'm sure we'll get together again soon! 

If there are any other local bloggers in the area we'd love to meet with you too! 

Be sure to check out their awesome blogs and tell them Catherine sent you! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Lynchburg, Virginia Blogger Meet-Up!

If you're a blogger in the Lynchburg (Or even Roanoke and Charlottesville) area and want (or need for that matter) a night out, come out to Mangia and meet up with your fellow local bloggers!

Click HERE for more information from Virginia Bloggers.

If you're planning on going, leave me a comment with your name and blog name so I can connect the blogs/faces ahead of time. I hope we have a great turn out! I look forward to meeting you!!

Till next time,
Catherine

Virginia Renaissance Faire-Spotsylvania, Virginia

This past Memorial Day weekend we were able to be back in Richmond with our families. Among the rest of the fantastic weekend (the most perfect weather weekend ever!), we also went to the Virginia Renaissance Faire at Lake Anna Winery in Spotsylvania, Virginia! 

It was a new experience for us but it was a lot of fun! Plus free tickets don't hurt! My sister- and brother-in-law were both volunteer performers so we scored free tickets through them!

Clear blue sky! The weather was absolutely amazing and the cicadas were loud!

My lovely sister-in-law playing her part well as Margaret Emmerson. I don't know how they're all so good at staying in character! My favorite was when they called an iPhone a "pixie box."

Brian and I waiting anxiously for the mini circus show to start! 

Circus Stella was phenomenal! Dextre (pictured above) and Jana (pictured below) are a beautiful young couple who perform together. They also have 5 rescue dogs, 3 of which have a part in the show! 

It's hard to see but that's Jana up on a static trapeze. I know I wouldn't be brave enough to be up on one of those!

She is incredibly flexible and has balance like a cat!

Dextre stood on a ladder with no support! Then he had this kid climb up the ladder, again with no support, and give him his hat!

Shouldn't this be the other way around? Haha. 

Clearly the circus was my favorite part of the faire. I took way too many pictures! She also did an aerial silks routine which was amazing. 

Balancing on a chair on a tight rope!

Did I mention dogs?! Here's their newest rescue puppy named Mabel. 

Stella, the circus' namesake!

Stella jumping over Louise.

Adrian walking on poles. 

Parrot dog! She looked comfy up there!

 Dancing at the May Pole.

The minstrels playing music for the dancers. 

Shh...don't tell my husband I have evidence of him participating! He's such a good sport!

There were even alpacas!

And a falcon! Apparently there are only about 2,000 falconers left in the United States and there's a very strict hierarchy that you have to make your way up.

Jousting!! We walked over in time to see this final joust but that's all we got to see. The winner was a woman! 

The Lady's Court of Love. This was a fun interactive bit where anyone could come up and bring up a love matter than needed help solving. It could be anything from, "My friends said they would come here today at 2pm but they were late!" or "My husband won't admit I'm right!" And then the ladies of the court will banter and make a decision. It was pretty entertaining!

And here's a crummy shot of one of the vineyards. 

The faire is going on from now unti June 9th on Saturdays and Sundays. It's $9 to get in but children 5 and under are free. It's a great place to visit for fun but also is a great learning experience for kids (and adults too!). Definitely more fun than reading a textbook!

Lake Anna Winery is also a great place to visit! They're open Wednesday-Saturday 11:00am-5:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm-5:00pm. Ask for a tour and bring a group with you! 

How'd you spend your Memorial Day weekend? Have you been to a renaissance faire before? 

Till next time,

Catherine

Etsy Shop Announcement!

I just love sharing such fun announcements with you all!! 

I announced it on the blog's Facebook page but not here yet and not everyone has Facebook so I thought I'd announce it here as well! 

After talking about doing it for so long now, my husband and I finally opened up our very own Etsy shop!! 

There is not a lot listed at the moment but keep checking back because I'll be adding more items as time goes on! 

We've got lovely little button bracelets and embroidery floss earrings as well as a few other things on there now. If you see a style you like but in the wrong color (or vice versa) then please let me know! I am more than happy to provide custom items! I even crochet the most adorable little plush monster toys for children! My niece absolutely loves them!

Like I said before, keep an eye out because more will be added! I'll be adding listings for crocheted hats, scarves, cosmetic bags and custom pencil art by my husband. And who knows what else! I'm up for anything! I'll probably start making reusable dryer sheets again soon and try to sell those as well. What do you think?

If you have an account on Etsy, be sure to click the little red heart to "favorite" my shop! 

Oh and don't mind the "z" at the end of Happily Ever Crafter. I didn't have a choice, Happily Ever Crafter is taken as a shop name even though the shop has not been active in a very long time! Unfortunate but that's ok. 

What types of things would you like to see being sold in my Etsy shop? 

Till next time,

Catherine

Jane Marczewski Music!

Are you sick and tired of what people consider to be music these days? I am. There is so much of a fight for the attention of the media but there is very little true talent actually making it through. 

Well, folks...you're in for a real treat if you love GOOD music. 

THIS is good music. THIS is talent. THIS is passion. THIS is Jane Marczewski! 

The other night a good friend of mine invited my husband and I to a little concert in a downtown loft. The main act was one of her best friends, Jane Marczewski (pronounced sort of like "mar-cheski"). We had listened to her music online before and she is phenomenal so we wanted to come out and show some support. 

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Jane Marczewski is an amazing young woman with a passion for music and an unbeatable voice. She's from Zanesville, Ohio but it currently in Lynchburg, Virginia. Many musicians have come through Lynchburg but Jane sets a whole new standard of quality. 

If you don't believe me, go HERE and listen to some of her songs! I can vouch that she's as good on a recording as she is live. That's also rare. So many musicians are strictly studio and don't do well in concert but Jane is just as good if not better! You can also go HERE and download her FREE EP! Who doesn't love free music? Really good free music at that! If you're convinced and love her music, go and "LIKE" her Facebook page! 

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I'm not sure what you're waiting for if you haven't gone and listened yet! She's got my stamp of approval! 

Is there a local artist you love that you think the world deserves to hear? Let me know! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Cook: Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Homemade breakfast sausage made from local, pastured ground pork! It's even better than it sounds! To make this the way I did, you'll need to go to Auburnlea Farms or their website and order a pound or two of their ground pork and their Breakfast Sage Sausage Seasoning. Go do it...it's worth it. They're located in Gladys, Virgina which is less than 30 minutes from Lynchburg. I wrote more about them here. 

Ingredients: 

• 2lbs ground pork
• 3 Tbs breakfast sausage seasoning
• 3 Tbs water

Directions: 

First thaw the pork if you haven't done so already. I always prefer to let it thaw in the fridge overnight instead of ever using the microwave. 

And your yummy seasoning! It's not spicey which is great because I'm a wuss when it comes to spice. It's just the right combination that creates a delicious end product. You could also add some bread crumbs if you wanted to make it a little fluffier. 

Put the pork, seasoning and water into a large bowl and get in there and mix it with your hands. I know it's cold and gross but it's the best way! If you prefer spicy sausage, add in your spice of choice now. 

Form small sausage links or patties with your hands. I made links this time because I was making them for my delicious breakfast pockets. Which, by the way, are amazing.

Drop them into your skillet on medium heat.

Once they've browned, flip them over and let the other side brown. 

Helpful Hint: Instead of dirtying an old coffee mug with the extra grease, grab a piece of aluminum foil, fold it in half and gently press it into the form of the mug. Then all you have to do is wrap it up and toss it in the trash! Brilliant! Just don't press too hard or you'll puncture the foil. 

And just like that, they're done! I managed to get 50 sausage link out of 2lbs of ground pork. Again, if you wanted to add something like bread crumbs, you can make the recipe go further for less. I used about 20 links for the breakfast pockets, my husband and I ate maybe 5 each with our breakfast-for-dinner and the rest went into the freezer before we could devour the rest!

I'm not big on pork but man, these sausages were amazing! I think next time I'll try it with ground turkey which I'm sure will be just as delicious. We wanted to get turkey but they were out for the time being.

What's your favorite kind of sausage? Turkey, beef, pork, chicken? Would you rather buy it from the store or make it yourself?

Till next time,

Catherine

The Bizarre Bazaar-A Richmond Tradition

If you've ever lived in Richmond, you know about The Bizarre Bazaar! It has been a Richmond tradition for 37 years and there are two each year. There is The Spring Market, usually in April, and The Christmas Collection in December. 

I drove all the way from Lynchburg to attend this year! My mom and I planned to spend just about the whole day at The Bazaar but we actually ended up stopping at two other craft shows! It really did become an all day event! 

First we stopped by one of my favorite places for a small local artisan craft show at The Montpelier Center for the Arts and Education. This is actually where my husband and I had our beautiful wedding reception! The building serves many purposes from a library to a ruritan meeting place to a dance studio to a venue for various events. There is a beautiful ballroom surrounded with windows and a hallway around the entire ballroom. There is always beautiful, local art work hung up in the hallway. During our wedding reception there was animal themed art in the halls which was perfect for someone like me!

We showed up nice and early around 9:30am to start off our day!

There were maybe about 30 vendors that hand-crafted everything from goat's milk soap to pottery to wreaths and even beautiful woodwork. It was hard to keep my wallet in my purse! 

Several vendors were showcasing their gorgeous handmade jewelry. There was even a lady who hand spun wool into yarn. I absolutely LOVE seeing the gifts and talents of my local community being showcased. Everyone has some sort of talent that they can put to work and I really enjoy supporting them in their endeavors. If you've been keeping up with my blog, you've probably noticed a pattern where I love finding Made in the USA products. As much as I love USA made products, I love locally made products even more!  

After we spent almost 2 hours at the Montpelier Center, I was checking Facebook on my phone and a friend had commented that there was another craft show going on at a nearby high school that had about 75 vendors! I mentioned it to my mom and off we went! 

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of that show but there were a lot of great vendors and products available there too! There were a few more direct sales type of vendors but also lots of cool handmade products. We spent another couple hours at this craft show and we each found a few good things for gifts so it was nice and successful. We also bought lunch there to support the school, which my mom and my older sister both attended, actually!

Now, onto the big daddy craft show! The Bizarre Bazaar! 

I couldn't stretch my arm high enough to get even a fraction of what was there!! The Bazaar is held at the Richmond Raceway Complex which is a huge venue for all sort of events. The Bazaar alone took up their main building and 3 adjoining buildings! This year there were 475 vendors, primarily from Virginia and the nearby states but some even as far as Vermont. 

This picture is deceiving because, let me tell you, there was rarely that much available walking space in the isles! This place was packed with people from all over Richmond! We spent about 4 hours going booth-to-booth trying not to miss anything! There was just so much to see...and taste! 

By the end of it we were frankly quite tired! We each found a bit of stuff to buy and I found one of my favorite soup companies, Leonard Mountain! Their soups are delicious! They're "just add water" soups and are quick and easy. They're great by themselves or you can add all sorts of extras and it's always delicious! I blogged about one of the soups here. I had been hoping I'd see them because I was out of the soups I had bought last year. I ended up buying 7 soups at a craft show deal price. Yum! Winter is always the best time for soups, isn't it? I also bought some adorable reusable sandwich and snack bags for my husband's lunch! So glad I won't have to use hundreds of plastic baggies anymore! My mom also found plenty of gifts and we collected lots of business cards for reference. 

All in all in was a great day, not only for buying locally crafted goods, but for spending some fun, quality time with my mom :-) 

Do you enjoy attending local craft shows? Is there a yearly event you just can't miss? What's your favorite product you only get from local vendors?

Till next time,

Catherine