A Crisp Life

CRISPknowledge. Easy-to-peel Hardboiled Eggs.

File this in your “hmmm good to know” box. I just discovered how to make hard boiled eggs that are perfect and EASY TO PEEL. I can’t be the only one that curses and cries and rips off half the egg white every time they peel hard boiled eggs, right? I was determined to make deviled eggs with our Sunday supper of homemade fried chicken (could I BE any more southern right now?) so I decided to research how to cook them so they peel better. In the past I’ve tried using old eggs and I can attest it doesn’t work. I found on website this method and it worked! I used eggs I purchased today and each egg peeled perfectly. This has not happened to me. Ever.

Boil water, add eggs gently one at a time to the boiling water. Boil for 13 minutes and transfer to a bowl full of water and ice for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the eggs are cool. Tap on the counter all around the egg, cracking the egg all over. I peeled from the bottom (making sure to get the thin membrane with the shell) and each egg peeled easily and perfectly! Don’t worry about it, you’re so welcome.

CRISPwellies. I’m a HUGE fan of my army green rain boots and I got mine a few years ago from . Well they’re baaaack! I’m not sure if these fit exactly like the ones I bought previously but the reason I love my Costco ones are because they fit my foot and leg better than the Hunters I had tried at Nordstrom. I am a shoe size 8 and I had never been able to wear Hunter boots before because the 8s were like clown boots on me (huge and bulky) and the 7s we just a smidge too small. The Costco size 8s fit perfect! Plus I LOVE the green. I was surprised but it goes with so many things from my closet - denim, navy, plaid, mustard yellow, black leggings, I mean everything looks good with that subtle pop of green. If you’ve been in the market run out and try a pair at Costco!

CRISPgarden. Y’all best be working in your yard because A. Did you know working in the yard and getting that soil all over you is a natural anti-depressant? B. Getting your hands dirty also helps our immune and gut health and C. Putting science aside, doesn’t it just feel good to feather your nest and watch your flowers grow? Our first house in Austin was ALL shade. I had this lush front yard of Japanese aralia and acuba and caladium growing like crazy and I thought I had a green thumb. Then I moved to Dallas with FULL sun yards and I’ve struggled to keep things looking good in the hot August sun. I’m posting this pot because these plants have served me well in the hot sun. The key to a perfect pot is Thriller-Filler-Spiller. Well this has a thriller and spiller and I think it still looks good, I just didn’t have enough room to squeeze another plant in there. My “thriller” is the hot pink Rio diplandenia that I purchased from It was bred to have twice as many blooms as a mandevilla (according to the guy at Home Depot so don’t fact check me). The bright lime green spiller is a sedum I bought last Summer . This is now one of my favorite plants because it takes the hot sun, you don’t have to water it too much in fact water it much less than anything else in your garden, AND it stayed green through the winter! A surprise I didn’t realize was happening. Other cool thing is when a little sprig breaks off you just put it in the dirt and water it and a new plant of sedum grows. Both the Rio and the sedum can take hot sun (min of 4 hours of full sun per day) and are drought tolerant. Now that doesn’t mean you don’t have to water them at all, but just water them a lot less than you would the rest of your yard in the hot months.

CRISPshoes. I have last year’s version of these “Women’s Violet Woven Backless Mules” from in black and I have to say they are one of my faves. I copied my friend and co-worker (RIP 😢) and bought the same pair as her and then proceeded to wear them several times a week in front of her, thus making everyone think SHE was copying ME. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, duh. I kid, she was cool about it (I think). I saw this updated Spring 2019 pair online and realized I think I have to order the tan as well. They actually stay on my feet (a lot of slip-on mules do not) and they are comfy and never give me blisters. They’re really cute with jeans and crop pants, skinny or wide leg and lots of other things. ❤️❤️❤️

CRISPmani. I can’t really even begin to explain how many people have stopped me over my matte midnight blue . I found myself eagerly explaining my fancy “lee press on nails” to the gals behind the coffee counter at Central Market and I was like “this madness needs to stop”. Thanks a million to and for telling me all about Impress Nails. I finally went out and bought a set, $5.99 for 30 nails from . Super easy. Clean your nails, take the sticker off and stick them on, trim/file and voila! The most perfect manicure you’ve ever had. And you don’t have to wait for them to dry! I will say at day 3 I had one come loose. I cleaned the nail and stuck a new one on. Day 5 they started snagging my hair when I ran my fingers through it. Day 6 some started to come loose so I popped them off with no damage to my nails! I got countless compliments and would just stare at them at random moments in the day, I love them so much. I’m kind of cheap so I will probably try to get 2 sets out of the 30 nails they give you. They were BOGO free on their site with free shipping. I ordered 4 more sets and it worked out to $4/set or $2/6 day manicure. I actually like to do my own nails and get really antsy in the chair when I get gel nails done so this is perfect for me!