Pretty, Pleasant and Practical

Hootenany!

2011-12-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

Source: themotherhuddle.com via amy@flexibledreams on Pinterest

In another stroke of Pinterest inspiration, I made this "Hootenany" pancake this morning. SUPER easy for a nice, warm breakfast! Just thought I'd share.

Happy New Year!

Latest Favorite {Time Waster}

2011-06-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

By now you've heard of all the wonder that is Pinterest, and I've been stalking for a while, but since I'm still on the "waiting list" (what's up with that?) I need to start compiling some of my faves somewhere! LOVE all the inspiration you can find there (HATE the amount of time I can spend getting "inspired"), plus it's super easy to pick up the code and it carries over with the source (both from Pinterest and the original source).

Great, right? Here are a few that I needed to file away for future inspiration.

Source: flickr.com via Casey on Pinterest

This is such a great idea for yearly portraits. Must. Do. Soon.

Source: rasamalaysia.com via Janis on Pinterest

Red Lobster biscuits!

Source: weheartit.com via Megan on Pinterest

Cute idea for a kid's room or playroom...

NEWS FLASH: Via Facebook stalking of the Pinterest page I realized that you can just ask someone to invite you! So, I begged the total strangers on FB to invite me and I'm in! I think. Here is where I'll be pinning: www.pinterest.com/sarahogan. Join me? I'll send you an invite (now that I know how it works!).

As I was searching for my first pin, I ironically came across this....maybe it's a sign! Oh dear....

Source: nobiggie.net via Jamie on Pinterest

Almost Motivated

2011-04-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

I was really interested in this post when I saw the title in my reader today. After all, I do love a good book on organization.

As soon as I saw the picture, I realized something - I have that book. It's in my pile! But seeing it somewhere else almost made me want to use it. Almost.......

In other news my sister was back today and painted my foyer / stairway / upstairs hall in Grey Matters by Sherwin Williams. Loving the change so far, but now I can't wait to paint the trim white...again with the snowball effect!

Favorite. Find. Ever.

2011-04-02T05:25:00.001-07:00

Found this for $1 at an estate sale with my girlfriends a couple weeks ago. It was just lying in an empty garage with a dozen or so other books. I almost jumped for joy when I found it. After watching Julie and Julia, who wouldn't want a copy? It's a 1966 printing, and it a little worn, which makes it just about perfect. Nothing I love more than finding a treasure like this! We may or may not have been fearing for our lives as four young (we're still young right?), pretty girls in a house alone with an apparently drunk man and his dog, but I wasn't leaving without this book! Haha! {P.S. We did some major thrifting as well; separate post forthcoming on that...and how much I love Goodwill!}

Firehouse Recipes: Pork Medallions over Crusty Bread

2011-04-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

My sister is a firefighter and most often cooks the meal for her shift. She sent this one to me recently and it's too good and easy not to share! Got some marinating in the fridge as we speak...

Happy weekend!

Ingredients:

2 yellow onions
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons dry ground mustard
3 teaspoons garlic powder
pork tenderloin (she uses 2 1/2 lbs at the station - you can buy a 2-pack at Costco)
Crusty bread....or buns.

Directions:
Coarsely chop onions and saute in butter. While onions and butter are in skillet turn heat off and add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder. Place tenderloin(s) in a 9x13 glass dish and pour the warm marinade over the meat. let sit in fridge for 2 hours. When ready, place in oven at 375. bake for 35 min and then take dish out to cut pork into 1/2 in medallions. Place back into the oven for 10 minutes. Serve over crusty bread...... ENJOY!!!..

Kitchen Preview

2011-03-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my amazing sister, my kitchen is now a lovely shade of Rainwater (by Sherwin Williams). I know it's hard to see the color in these pictures, but I am loving the change! It's definitely an adjustment, the kitchen was a nice, sunny (but not too bright) yellow previously, and it kept things nice and light. This is definitley more muted, but a very soothing and welcomed change.

What happened to Sea Glass, you may ask? Well, my sister, being the professional that she is (seriously, she has her own painting business - Simple Start, Inc.), picked up the chip (that I had picked out ONLINE, without seeing it in person), proceeded to call me and say something like, "Umm, you do not want this color." Really? It's one of Martha's top 12 favorite colors! Too bright she thought, and she was right. When she showed me the actual chip in person, I thanked her profusely for helping me avert another aqua-blue disaster (and my apologies to my friend Jamie, who graciously helped me paint that first infamous blue, and who has sworn she will never paint for me again. :-)).

She actually chose this color instead, based on a description of what I wanted, and it was a winner! She freshened up the trim (who am I kidding - it had never been painted, so "freshening" is a major understatement!), did all the set up, furniture moving and clean up, too.

The problem now becomes that once I paint something, a snowball effect ensues and everything else surrounding becomes so much less appealing. Hmmmm....patience, patience..for now I will enjoy my new blueish/greyish/greenish kitchen!

Kitchen Paint Color

2011-03-10T19:00:00.000-08:00

I have a major itch to make some changes around here, starting with the walls. I'm thinking of this color for my kitchen. I really want to try an aqua-y blue, but my first attempt was disaster - too bright and didn't work with the other colors in the house.

This is a Martha Stewart color called "Sea Glass." What do you think? Too green? Too bold? Just right? Painting starts Monday, so fingers crossed!

Latte Bowl Cupcakes

2011-03-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was making some cupcakes and had just enough batter left over to fill my mini latte bowls. After realizing they don't really sit on an oven rack very well, I set them in a glass pie dish and then put them in the oven and baked them for the regular time. Worked like a charm! And so, so cute. Now I need to buy some more latte bowls......

A little bit of happy.

2011-02-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

So, there's an Anthropologie two blocks from my office. Right. It's not a good situation. Anyhoo...I am normally not in the office on Fridays, but given the weather this week, I needed to go in and do some catching up. And after being cooped up for several days, some fresh air was in order at lunch. Can you guess where I ended up? Right again.

I've seen the gorgeous latte bowls all around and would love to have a giant stack of those, but I picked up these mini-versions for the time being. I fell in love with the color and thought they might be good snack bowls for my little ones. Plus, they are a steal at $2.50. When I was checking out, the lady told me people bake cupcakes in them? How adorable would that be!? But with all my googling skills, I can't find anything of the sort. So, if you come across something or have used them for cupcakes yourself, please do share! I guess it can't be that hard, right? Put some batter in there and bake them? I'll let you know how it goes.

And, on a whim, I picked up this bracelet. It was on sale for $10, down from $40 or $50 or some crazy amount I would never pay for a bracelet. But, it was Friday, I was feeling good, and..well....it came with a pretty bag.

Cute, right? I don't have good wrists for bracelets, but ten bucks!

Bookmarks: Part I

2011-01-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

I need something to get me motivated over here again, so I thought I'd share some things I've bookmarked recently (or not so recently) in hopes that I can get back in the saddle!

{Image via Isabella & Max Rooms}

My entryway is in SERIOUS need of updating. It's currently a pale green (I know, right?) and I'm thinking of something in the grey family for wall color. It was love at first sight when I saw this image on Isabella & Max last week. LOVE the grey with the white trim, and that stencil! I've seen Whitewall stencils here and there, but haven't quite worked up the nerve (or time...or energy) to try one. But I think the entryway could be a good spot to make a statement.

She even has her tutorial here. Now all I need is some spare time....and a little courage!

So many good books, so little time.....

2011-01-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

Looking at this stack of books {which have been accumulating next to the couch for some time now} makes me want to hole up in this house for about a week and read / clean / organize / redecorate and otherwise get some stuff done around here!

The new year is off and running, and I have a fresh dose of motivation. Maybe this giant stack of books will help me. If nothing else, they will be good reading.

Except that one on the bottom. That's not mine. No way.

Favorite Holiday Finds

2010-12-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

So, I'm gonna go ahead and pretend it hasn't been several months since my last post (and that my sidebar doesn't still say "Loving Spring") and dive right in.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite holdiay finds this year. I must say, I'm feeling OK about this Christmas season. Shopping wise, I'm a little ahead of where I usually am at this point (which is traditionally NOWHERE). And I feel like I have a decent plan for everything else, along with a timeline for execution. Note Exhibit A:

Now, the plan is not complete, and I've already switched today and tomorrow's plans because I didn't feel like cleaning tonight. You'll see that I've also had some...uh...input from others in this house. But that makes me feel even better about it. Have to plan for fun and relaxation, too! (And somewhere on the list I should add, "touch up the white trim on the chalkboard door!")

OK, back to the favorites. First up, love these red wire baskets I found at the dollar store. I'm thinking of using them to assemble some hot cocoa gifts using this recipe and a couple of cute mugs, maybe some marshmallows. I literally scooped up every last one at my local store. A lady stopped me to ask where I found them. I directed her to the back corner of the store with a gentle warning, "I have to tell you, I took a lot of them!" I didn't have the heart to tell her I took them ALL. And then I proceeded quickly to the checkout.

And while we are on the topic of the dollar store, I also couldn't resist these cardboard star decorations. Picked up three (and had to stop myself from picking up more).

We all know you can't give gifts without ribbon! Found this red ribbon at....you guessed it....the dollar store (there's a theme here) and then found the black and white ribbon at Costco. They (Costco) had tons of beautiful fabric ribbon in 50 yard spools for $6.99. 50 Yards! (They also had 400 sheet packs of tissue for less than $6; I picked up a pack of that, too, and am hoping to execute my vision this year of filling the house with these on Christmas morning.)

The dollar store isn't the only place where I can't stop myself. The $1 Spot at Target elicits a similar bulk-buying response. Found these take-out boxes I plan to use for goodies...particularly my sister-in-law's mother-in-law's carmels. I think that perhaps robin's egg blue ribbon embellishment will be in order.

And I picked up some of these, thinking that they could be used for my kindergartner's classmates (but I need ideas for contents...any suggestions?).

Last, but certainly not least, my friend Joe delivers again. Picked up these goodies tonight....giant gingerbread men to decorate ($3.99 each), sugar cookie kit with mix, cutters, icing and sugars ($3.99), delicious goodies I will bring to the office tomorrow in lieu of baking anything tonight, and a new green tea to try.

I hope you are enjoying your holiday season. I'd love to hear about some of your favorite finds! Do tell.

Hello!

2010-09-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've been out of touch....again. Life has been extra busy - a little one starting kindergarten, new puppy, visitors, work....all good things, but not a lot of extra time! Hope you are all doing well. I hope to be back soon! :-)

{photo: me}

Before you throw those baby clothes away....

2010-08-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, as we were heading to a restful weekend getaway in Michigan, I was reading the Fall 2010 Real Simple "Family" special edition.

I literally burst into tears after reading this excerpt from the Editors Note:

" A few years ago, I went to the high school graduation party of a girl who lived up the street. The weather was cooperative, the food terrific, the parents proud and the teenagers appropriately polite. It was a wonderful night. But what I remember most was a sentimental gesture from the graduate's mom. She had saved a selection of outfits from her daughter's childhood and hung them on a clothesline, in chronological order, along the deck. Looking at the clothes, you could imagine her daughter growing: from the infant just home from the hospital to the college-bound almost-woman she had become. I stared at the line of clothes and thought, Wow, how organized! And then, How beautiful."

My husband was looking at me like I was crazy. I could barely even read it to him. It just struck a nerve. Maybe because my oldest started kindergarten this week and I know how quickly the years will pass. Or maybe I was just overly emotional that day.

Whatever the reason, I know I will be taking careful consideration before getting rid of any of the boys' clothes. :-) I love the idea of keeping a special outfit from each stage of their life. And what a beautiful way to use and display them.

Just thought I'd share!

Staycationing

2010-08-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

We are "staycationing" this week. Ticking things off our summer list, getting stuff done around the house and preparing for the first day of school tomorrow. Who knows, maybe I'll even get a chance to catch up on some posts.

Hope you are enjoying these last lovely days of summer!

{photo: me}

Favorite Things: Part 5

2010-08-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

You know how much I love lavender, and I fell in love with this scent at Bath & Body several years ago. I know it says "Sleep," but I use the lotion any time of day, and I use the pillow mist as an air freshener in the house and on my furniture as well. Seriously never get tired of it - it's such a soothing and pretty scent!

So glad...

2010-08-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

...that I decided to plant those gladiolus bulbs this spring. They are in full bloom and there are so many different colors and varieties. They are the perfect flower for cutting and bringing inside - long lasting and so pretty!

Linking to: Pure Style Home "Pure Project #12"!

Favorite Things: Part 4

2010-08-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

This spring I was on a huge green tea and honey kick. Not as much lately with the warm weather, but I really love the iced green tea from Panera, so maybe I should just put it over ice? I think I'll try that.
So far this is my favorite variety, but I am no tea connoisseur by any means. There's just something relaxing to me about tea (and coffee). Really more of a state-of-mind thing most of the time - love curling up (or waking up....or working with...or running errands with...) a nice cup of something. And if it's tea, it's good for you, right? Gotta get those antioxidants!

Favorite Things: Part 3

2010-07-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

I haven't bought (or received....hint, hint) a nice perfume in quite a few years. I was looking for something inexpensive and light, and I came across this solid perfume while perusing L'Occitane a few months ago (translation: looking to spend a gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket!).

I've always had a thing for rose scents. I think it dates back to a rose-y Victoria's Secret lotion my Grandma Mickie used to wear ("Her Magesty's Rose" I think?), and then my mom and I found Evelyn Rose at Crabtree and Evelyn which was very similar.

This is also very similar and was only $9. Plus, it's easy to carry and comes in that sweet little tin!

I'm still in the market for an eau de toilette, though.....any suggestions?

Favorite Things: Part 2

2010-07-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

This fave was actually a suggestion from the "what's your favorite beauty product" giveaway a while back. Camilla from High Heeled Foot in the Door recommended these minty lip glosses from C.O. Bigleow (via Bath & Body Works).

WARNING: they are a little bit addicting. Not only minty and fresh, but delicious. Ok, that's weird, but they do taste good! Ha! You won't be able to resist licking your lips. :-)

Time to head back to good ol' B&B, these three tubes are now empty and it's time for a refill. I love them all, but I must say that the Cinnamint (in the middle) was my most favorite.

Favorite Things: Part 1

2010-07-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

A while back I had a notion to post about a bunch of my favorite things. I even took all the pics and uploaded them, but never quite got aroun to the posts. So, here goes! The first was a gift from a friend who was visiting, and I fell in love immediately. This Tocca candle (Grace scent) smells AMAZING and I love everything about it, including the beautiful box. I keep it on the piano in our foyer and light it whenever we have company. It's not too perfume-y; just a nice light scent. And the best part? The tiny little matchbook that comes with the candle and fits perfectly in the box. How cute is that?! Do you have any favorite candles? What a perfect hostess gift. Thank you, Allison!

Always makes me happy

2010-06-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Having fresh-cut flowers in the house always makes me happy. I thought I'd share these pictures from a couple of weeks ago when all my peonies were in bloom. They smelled soooo good, and I was so sad to see them go. I also love this idea from Pure Syle Home - anything green brings a little bit of the oudoors in and feels so refreshing and pretty. (Also LOVE her shed / playhouse idea.) And I was trying to get every last bit out of my annviersary roses. And seeing them in this jar reminds me I need to post about my big flea market adventure with my good friend Jamie. More to come!

The List

2010-06-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

I made some progress on my list last....er...two weekends ago (holy cow, what did I do last weekend?). And we finally made our summer list. Drumroll, please......

It was assembled with input from all four family members, and we actually had a good time putting it together. And you'll see I had to add at least one item toward the bottom, just so I could check it off (please tell me you do that, too!)

And did I ever mention that I finally did the chalkboard door? In like January. And it still needs touch ups around the trim. Add it to the list! (looking at this picture reminds me I also should have put potty training on the list....and hanging those pictures properly!).

{Inspriation for this list: here.}

Organics

2010-06-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've had my fair share of paranoia about the foods we eat, how they affect our health, and finding the "right" diet for my family and myself. It can be a little overwhelming. I read somewhere that up to 30% of cancers are caused by diet. Anyway, I'm starting to digress, but this article on CNN yesterday caught my eye.

It summarizes the findings of the Environmental Working Group (they have some interesting fact on sunscreens as well) where they determined which types of produce contain the highest level of pesticides, mostly due to their soft outer skins. According to the article, ""You can reduce your exposure to pesticides by up to 80 percent by buying the organic version of the Dirty Dozen,"":

The Dirty Dozen

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

On the flip side, there are other types of produce that don't have the high levels of pesticides because they have thicker skins:

The Clean 15

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

As much as I wish I could buy only organic produce all the time, it's not always possible (or affordable), so I think I'll try to consider the lists above and buy organic where there is a significant advantage to do so.

Do any of you worry about these things or have certain philosophies on the way you buy your produce?

I recently found out that an organic farm in Wisconsin (Harvest Moon Farms) will be doing weekly produce drops at my office building from June to October. I decided to split a full share with my co-worker, so I'm really excited to be able to have a variety farm-fresh fruits and veggies each week from a farm that is all organic (and supports genetic diversity in their plants....that's a whole separate topic!). After splitting the cost two ways and dividing it by 20 weeks, it was really only about $17 / week. Plus, it saves me some shopping! :-)

I know this post was not that exciting, but just thought I'd share. I'd love to hear your thoughts as well!

P.S. Can you tell I've watched Food Inc.recently? :-)

List

2010-05-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

I am SOOO looking forward to this long weekend. I fully intend to relax and enjoy the absolutely perfect weather we have in Chicago right now. But, as always, I'm already creating a list in my mind of things I'd like to accomplish as well.

The first item on my list is....well, as list. I am inspired by the ever-creative Meg at Whatever. She recently posted their summer list and I am motivated to do the same this year. I think it will be fun to try and come up with some creative ideas and tackle them this summer. We live in Chicago and have seriously underutilized some of the things available to us in the beautiful city. So, this weekend I'm going to start putting my "list" together.

Other things on the long-weekend list:

Finish putting my plants / flowers in the yard.
~~Walk to the farmer's market for fresh donuts (and maybe some fresh veggies, too).~~ Done!
Work on a play area for the boys in the backyard (that is really on my hubby's list).
Clean my room and put ALL the clothes away.
Some self-pampering, perhaps? Hair color, ~~bangs trimmed~~ and mani/pedi (all DIY, of course).
Maybe switch out the boys clothes and find some shorts (poor children...Gabe went to school in jeans on this beautiful day).
Get through a giant pile of mail.
Work on thank-you's from my 5-year-old's birthday party (that was TWO months ago...I WILL get them done!).
~~Dinner~~ / cookout with friend~~(s).~~
Work on an embroidery project my grandma started me on, oh.....7 years ago? MUST finish for her birthday in two weeks (been trying for every Christmas and birthday since she started me on it....shameful!).
RELAX.
~~Last, but definitely not least, fill the house with some fresh flowers...particularly a bunch of these:~~

Hope you all have a perfect long weekend, and good luck with your lists, if you have one. :-)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

We had a spur of the moment Cinco de Mayo celebration tonight. I stopped by the store on my way home and picked up all the essentials for our little fiesta, including the "margaritas" pictured above (non-alcoholic, as the children were drinking as well :-)). These were sooooo good. We haven't made them in a while, but it's just limeade concentrate, a can of water and lots of ice. Wet the rims of the glasses with a lime (or water) and dip them in bowl of kosher salt before you fill them.

Gotta have chips and guac (avocados were on sale in honor of the day!):

All the fixin's for some chicken tacos....onions, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese:

I caught this guy licking the leftover salt from this glass. He is his mama's boy. I love me some salt! :-)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Help!

2010-04-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

I was browsing at Hancock Fabrics this mornng and came across this fabric in the home decor / upholstery section for $3 / yard! I LOVE it, so I bought two yards (and want to go back for more), but I'm not sure what to do with it! It's currently spread out on my dining room table, and I actually like it there as a tablecloth, but was also thinking maybe curtains either in the dining room or foyer. Or maybe my bedroom. Or maybe the duvet I've been wanting to make....help!

Any ideas?

I feel like I am drawn to patterns and color, but might have a few too many going on around here. But I'm determined to find a place for this. :-)

I also picked this vinyl up for half-price for the kitchen table. I had been using regular fabric with a clear cover, but this is heavier weight and easier to wipe.

I think I could easily become a fabric addict. :-)

{Super} Simple Muffins

2010-04-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

These muffins are so easy it's ridiculous. I started making them last fall when I had some fresh cranberries on hand and didn't know what else to do with them. The variety above are blueberry (the last of the ones we picked in Maine a couple years ago....is that gross?), but you can add any variety of fruit or mix-in you'd like.

The recipe comes from my all-time-favorite "red and white" cookbook - aka the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. This is the cookbook I always saw (and still see) my mom cooking from. It has all the basics. Shameful confession: I even use this cookbook for things like scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. :-)

So, just thought I'd share the recipe. They are easy to whip up for a nice, warm breakfast. Our boys love them - the batch never lasts a whole day. You could also maybe try a healthier version with whole wheat flour?

I also add about a teaspoon of turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) to the tops of the uncooked muffins. It's gives them a sweet, crunchy glaze. I've done it with regular sugar, too.

Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teasoon salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

Set oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12-muffin tin or line with paper baking cups. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).

Mix in a cup of fresh cranberries (chopped) or blueberries (or just about anything else....they give variations for cheese, oatmeal, etc.). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (sprinkle unbaked batter with turbinado sugar if you want) and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. The muffins are pretty small if you make 12. I think next time I make them I might either double the batch or just make 6.

Enjoy!

Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

2010-04-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Remember Martha's pom-poms from this post and the Encyclopedia of Crafts? I tried the mini-version for my mom's birthday last week. I just layered 4 sheets of tissue, and kept cutting sections in half until I ended up with 12 squares. Then I accordian folded each one, trimmed the ends to a point, tied a piece of embroidery floss around the center (with enough length to hang them) and then separated the sections. They took some time, but I love how they look and now I don't want to take them down. :-) (...though I have lost several to light sabers...hmmmmm....)

Did I mention I love spring?

2010-04-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist posting one more of my favorite pictures from this spring. Anyone know what type of tree this is? I really wanted to do a little photo shoot with a magnolia tree this spring (that sounds wierd, I know), but it seems they are all past their prime. I dream of having a big magnolia in my yard; I love the huge, beautiful blooms. But then again, I love blooms of all kinds.

What is your favorite spring bloom?

{photo: me}

Focus

2010-04-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying spring, but I feel like I'm lacking a little bit of direction and I apologize for the absence. I think I'm just trying to figure out where I need to focus my efforts at the moment. As always, I have so many ideas rolling around in my head, and so little time to decide what to do with them! I love blogging; it's a hobby and a great creative outlet. I have to be careful not to let it become a stressful thing, you know? I have a habit of doing that - making thing that should be fun stressful. :-)

So, I will get back to posting at some point soon, once I can find my focus.

{photo: me}

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks. Lots going on, but we are having a great, low-key Easter weekend so far. It's my favorite holiday, and I'm looking forward to celebrating with my boys and family tomorrow.

May you have a joyful Easter as you celebrate the resurrection of Christ!

Liberty Loot

2010-03-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

Would you believe I totally BLANKED going to Target on Sunday for the big debut? So, I ran out today over lunch to see what I could find. I started with the scarves / bags / wallets (found shortly after walking in the door) and had one of each in hand. Then I decided I was being too impulsive and put them all back. On to the clothes. I decided this shirt was a must have and pressed on in search of more.

Shoes. The wellies. Wellies have been on my list for some time now (recall this post). Found my size. Done. Must....find.....more.....

Housewares. Wait a minute....where are all the housewares? "Ma'am, do you know where all the Liberty of London housewares might be?" GONE. Except something caught my eye....a lamp and shade with an orange sticker (my favorite kind of sticker).......half off for this straggler:

If it's possible to be in love with a lamp, I am in love with this lamp. I scored both parts for a total of $17! So, even though I was bummed that everything was pretty much gone, I think it worked to my benefit when it came to them clearancing out what was left!

And the boots....they are super comfy. I love them and I have finally checked wellies off my list!

I did call another Target tonight and they said they still had items, but they were full price (most items are sold out online, too). I couldn't go out tonight but may see what I can catch there tomorrow night!

Procrastination

2010-03-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

I should be prepping for a meeting I have tomorrow, but instead I've been playing around on picnik with this picture. And now I'm going to go to bed and will get up early to prep, maybe (story of my life :-)).

Good night!

Liberty of London for Target

2010-03-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I wasn't that acquainted with Liberty of London before I was introduced to blogland. I'm still not very well versed, other than I know I wouldn't mind some of their pretty fabric. What I will say is this: I am looking forward to a Target line of their products being released on March 14. I saw the commercial during the Bachelor last night (yes, I watched..even though I only saw two other episodes during the season...sort of wishing that I hadn't...), and I found this preview via decor8 and a corresponding sneak peek via her blog at Real Simple.

I think my faves are the canisters, the pillows and the platters. And the lamp. Pretty, pretty!

Oh, and you can check out the intro for Target here, and take your own "patternality" test on Facebook. I got this result, and then took it again to see what else I'd get . I like the second one a little better....

{images via decor8 and Simply Stated on Real Simple}

Winter Recipe Series: French Butter Cookies (Sables)

2010-03-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a huge fan of America's Test Kitchen. I don't always get to watch it Saturdays on PBS, but I have a few of the cookbooks (got a new one for Valentine's Day!), and a couple of weekends ago, I happened to catch them making these:

Delicious, delicious butter cookies (or in French, "sables"...if you want to sound fancy). Can't really go wrong with LOTS of butter, right? They remind me of the kind that come in a tin, except I didn't make any that are pretzel shaped....

Anyway, I wanted to try my hand, and was actually surpised at how fun they were to make. I was thinking they may be a little tricky, but overall very do-able. I decided to make them for company a couple weeks ago.

The recipe called for Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw), which I easily found at Trader Joe's, along with the unbleached flour. Since my mixer is broken, and I don't have a stand mixer, I turned to my food pocessor, which actually worked really well.

Then I split the dough into two sections, rolled it with my hands until it was a couple inches thick and about 6 inches in length and then wrapped them both in parchment to chill.

Then I made a batch of chocolate ones, because I wanted to try the swirl. The recipe is slightly different for the chocolate (less flour because of the cocoa), but the process was the same.

Then, I followed the instructions for the swirled cookies and rolled out one of the plain sections along with one of the chocolate sections, layered them, and rolled them back up to chill (this picture is disappointing because there's a little piece of chocolate dough on top and it looks a little like a raising or something gross...but it's not, promise!).

After a couple of hours, I took all three rolls out (one plain, one chocolate, and one combined) and cut them into 1/4 inch slices, brushed them with the egg white mixture and then sprinkled them with the turbinado sugar.

I baked them on parchment paper (according to the recipe) and they really turned out perfectly. The one thing I love about America's Test Kitchen is they test something 100s of times to get it just right...and this one did not disappoint.

They were delish...everyone loved them and I felt super fancy, even though it was super easy!

Here's a copy of the recipe taken from here, and here's the link to the chocolate and spiral versions. Enjoy!

French Butter Cookies—Sables

from the Episode: The Cookie Jar

Turbinado sugar is commonly sold as Sugar in the Raw. Demerara sugar, sanding sugar, or another coarse sugar can be substituted. Make sure the cookie dough is well chilled and firm so that it can be uniformly sliced. After the dough has been wrapped in parchment, it can be double-wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 40 cookies

1 large egg
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter , softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (2 3/4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon large egg white , lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado sugar (see note)

1. Place egg in small saucepan, cover with 1 inch water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill small bowl with ice water. Using slotted spoon, transfer egg to ice water and let stand 5 minutes. Crack egg and peel shell. Separate yolk from white; discard white. Press yolk through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl.

2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, salt, and cooked egg yolk on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with rubber spatula as needed. Turn mixer to low, add vanilla, and mix until incorporated. Stop mixer; add flour and mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, press dough into cohesive mass.

3. Divide dough in half; roll each piece into log about 6 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in 12-inch square of parchment paper and twist ends to seal and firmly compact dough into tight cylinder (see illustrations below). Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

4. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using chef’s knife, slice dough into ¼-inch-thick rounds, rotating dough so that it won’t become misshapen from weight of knife. Place cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Using pastry brush, gently brush cookies with egg white mixture and sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.

5. Bake until centers of cookies are pale golden brown with edges slightly darker than centers, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Store cooled cookies between sheets of parchment paper in airtight container for up to 1 week.

{recipe from America's Test Kitchen}

The Latest in Home Fashions

2010-02-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

Animal magnets on your microwave.....everyone's doing it.

Magnets of all kinds in random order on your fridge....to die for.

Coffee filter snowflakes...all the rage.

Doorknob hangers with teethbrushing reminders...you know you want one.

A few action figures here and there for variety...who can resist?

I couldn't help but notice this theme around my house this week. I have to confess that I am sometimes tempted to stash these little treasures away, out of sight, for the sake of having the house look neat. But, when I really think about it, I know there will be a day when I will miss these decorative touches dearly. So, I'm choosing to "incorporate" them in to our decor and enjoy them while they last.

Aaannnd..that made me cry....

Always late to the party...

2010-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

I'm always last to get on board with the latest trends, it seems. Here's another something that's been popping up everywhere: Lonny Magazine. I was "flipping" through tonight (love that you can flip it just like a regular magazine) and I might be hooked. Just FYI. :-)

Here's the latest issue.

Pretty Pic

2010-02-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me, you have probably seen this image floating around everywhere in blogland for the last couple of weeks, but I just had to share. I first saw it on LGN, and it's available to download for free (will print up to 11x14) here at Oh Brooke.

I wish I was wherever that is right now! I need to print and find a place for this soon.

Notes to self...

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

...after spotting this beautiful home via Apartment Therapy (the home tour is here):

1. Paint something this color blue (I tried once before, but it was the wrong shade. I will try again.)

2. Paint trim white asap

3. Hang pretty bunting / garland at any time of year

And the homeowner has a really pretty blog, too.

{image via Apartment Therapy}

Real Simple: New Uses for Old Things Top 50

2010-02-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

I've always been a big Real Simple fan, but after probably 7 years of hard copy magazines, I decided to cancel my subscription and now I do most of my perusing online. I'm undecided on whether that was a decision I'm happy with....every time I'm in the line at the grocery store the hard copy seems to call to me...the pretty cover, lovely pictures...I think I've just talked myself into re-subcribing.

But in the meantime, I think I get every "daily" e-mail newsletter they have. In one, I noticed the Top 50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things - one of my favorites! I couldn't help but flip through all 50. Some of them are better than others, but here are a few of my faves:

Rubberbands on hangers for tank tops

Ribbon to spruce up a boring lamp

Why not?

Clever snack containers

Cute idea for a pretty frame

{images via Real Simple}

Hooked on Houses

2010-01-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Do you ever watch a movie and think, "ooh...I love that house"? That happened to me recently while watching the Stuart Little movie series that we had checked out from the library.

I loved the Little's home so much, that I decided to look for pics online, assuming someone else loved it as much as I did. And I was right. I found the Hooked on Houses blog, which not only had the Little house tour, but also LOTS of other fun movie home and celebrity home tours. It's just good fun - check it out.

Here are a few of my faves from the Stuart Little house from her original post here.

The exterior of the home:

And the foyer (love that staircase!):

The dining room (a little fancy, but I like those striped chairs):

The cozy living room:

And I love the colorful kitchen, particularly the nook:

And there's more movie set home discussion at the Inspired Room. At least I know I'm not crazy for taking note of homes in movies (and posting about them)!

Bright Spots

2010-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am in a winter funk lately. Maybe a little S.A.D. Just needing the sun and a change of pace and scenery. So, this evening I decided to perk myself up with some recent (albeit shallow) bright spots:

I now have my very own copy of Martha's Encyclopedia of Crafts, thanks to a gift from my mother-in-law. And look what's coming out in March, just in time for my birthday (OK, that's just horrible and shameless....):

I found not one, but TWO more sets of the bird dishes at our local Target. Totally made my night. (Funny side story....found two sets, but realized that one of them had someone's OLD DISHES in the box! Who does that?! I was still partially excited because of the other box, and then my husband walked down the aisle and found one more. Yay!)

I have L'Occitane and Bath and Body gift certificates that are burning holes in my pockets. Thinking about these items, maybe:

A new fragrance, perhaps

My traditional favorite from Bath & Body

And by "bright spots" I don't mean to diminish the ALWAYS bright spots of my healthy family, a warm home, food....been thinking a lot about those things as well in light of current events. Sometimes you just feel a little "blah," you know?

How do you deal with the winter blahs?

Required Reading

2010-01-04T19:07:00.001-08:00

A couple weeks ago as my husband left for the library I yelled on a whim, "grab me something crafty, hon." And he brought this gem home - SCORE. If you enjoy crafting or enjoy *thinking* about crafting (I fall in to that category!), then this is a must read!

Say what you will about Martha, but the woman has real talent and an eye for beautiful (or shall I say "good") things! I have been inhaling this book and am already planning not to return it to the library. :-)

These tissue paper decorations look so fun to me, and would make a place so festive - no matter what the occasion. I secretly wanted to fill our house with them on Christmas morning so the boys could wake up to something fun, but I ran out of time (of course). Maybe next year. Here's the tutorial.

There are tons of other beautiful projects and photos in the book. I also have been perusing the "Craft" section of her website, which includes a Craft Blog and some fun Templates and Clip Art.

The woman's a genius. But you knew that already.

Bittersweet

2010-01-03T10:57:00.001-08:00

Guess what? My mom got me a set of the pretty bird dishes for Christmas. I was on board to take the plunge and switch up the kitchen a bit, so I went online today to see if I might find a couple more sets on sale, or even better, clearance. Much to my dismay, I can no longer fine them ANYWHERE. I'm so sad! Dan was at our Target today and didn't see any in person either. He said all their dishes seeom to be on sale /clearance, so I must have missed my chance!

If you happen to be perusing the dinnerware aisle at your local target and see a set, please let me know! :-(

Framed Series

2009-12-31T20:00:00.001-08:00

So, I mentioned that my sister recently moved into a new place, and she hinted that she'd like to frame some photos for the walls. Enter Christmas and a modest budget we mutually agreed to, and framing photos became an attractive option as her gift.

I began looking through my photos from the last year, and a lot of my favorites were either trees or leaves. Not sure what that tells me, but I put these six together for her and framed them in some frames I got for $1.99 this summer at the Christmas Tree Shoppe in New Hampshire.

I was happy with the result and I think she liked them, too. Or she hung them up anyway, so I think that's a good sign. Makes me want to print some for myself - which reminds me of the wall of frames I posted about here....eek, that was over a year ago and I still haven't done it. Oh well, it's a new year and maybe with that will come some new motivation!

I also did this print for my dad and father-in-law. This was a picture of Mount Washington we took when we were in New Hampshire this summer. I liked this as well, but the mountains turned out a little dark in the actual print.

2009-12-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

We are having a warm, cozy New Year's Eve at home this year. No special plans, just hanging out, eating good food and relaxing. I can never help but feel reflective at the end of the year, and this year is no exception. I am so very grateful for my family, my friends and for God's provision and blessings in our lives.

I'm looking forward to a New Year and thankful as I reflect on the one that has just passed.

I hope you have a very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a Merry one! I know we did. And my house is still recovering! I'm doing some catching up around here the next few days, but will be back with some new posts in the near future! Happy New Year!

Easy {Delicious} Gift

2009-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago I posted here about a great hot cocoa recipe, and I've pulled it out again this year as simple Christmas gift.

It's from the 2008 America's Test Kitchen cookbook, and is super simle to make (and even better to drink). I did a double batch that filled 12 jelly jars perfectly. It'd be cute to pair it with a mug or two and maybe some marshmallows?

Anyway, just thought I'd share. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!

Best Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

3 cups nonfat dry milk

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa (the best we could find was Hershey's "blend" of regular and dutched cocoa)

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the ingredients in a food processor or blender (may need to split it into two batches). Mix 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup hot milk (that's supposed to be key to it's deliciousness...vs. water). It's really rich, so we've done it with 1/4 cup mix and it's just as good.

Fun Giveaway

2009-12-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

I have to introduce you to another of my favorite reads: High-Heeled Foot in the Door. Camilla always has lovely taste and practical ideas...and fun giveaways! Which leads me to today's post, and another something to faun over....La Plates! I will take one of each, please! You can enter to win a set from Camilla today! And keep reading; there are lots of fun giveaways in progress....

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

2009-11-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, I am definitely in the Christmas spririt! I like to give Thanksgiving a fair shake, and not get too crazy about Christmas too early. But, it almost seems like you're being left in the dust if you don't! Here it is, November 30, and I already feel like I'm "behind" in my Christmas preparations. It's madness.

So, my goal this year is to keep it simple and not spin myself into a frenzy of busyness and anxiety as this holiday approaches. The truth is, I love Christmas. I really do. I want it to be an enjoyable season, especially now that I have kids of my own. A season full of warmth, fun decorations, delicious treats and time spent with family watching the Grinch or Rudolph or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Not nervous thoughts about whether I've picked the most perfect, most generous (but cost effective), most thoughtful, most meaningful gifts for everyone and whether or not I should pick up more, maybe just a couple more, things...I might need more stocking stuffers...what if my distant relative comes for Christmas and they bring me a gift.....what if someone gives me baked goods and I don't have something for them in return....maybe a couple more batches of cookies or carmels....what if our Christmas cards aren't cute....

See? I'm getting crazy already. I don't want my boys growing up thinking Christmas is a stressful season! It's a time, first and foremost, to celebrate the birth of Christ. I do also think it's a wonderful time to show love to others by giving. It doesn't matter if our house if perfectly decorated or if our cards aren't the cutest on the block.

I am working on getting organized tonight in hopes that I can achieve this goal of a laid back holiday season (are you laughing at me?). For the past several years, I've liked some of the tools provided on Organized Christmas, particularly the printables. Last year I made the binder and printed some of the worksheets to keep me organized.

I also came across the want, need, wear, read idea on another blog today (sorry, can't remember where), but then I gooogled it and found the original post here. I like the idea of keeping things modest for Christmas. My kids truly don't NEED much, if anything. But, it's fun to give (and receive!), and I want to keep it reasonable. I think something in each of these categories would be a good mix.

And for packaging of baked goods, I picked up a case of glass mason jars and some red ribbon this year (though I realized I didn't get the wide-mouth jars, so I need to make sure whatever I bake will fit through the opening!). Again, trying to keep it simple (trying being the operative word there).

Do you have any traditions related to holiday preparations that help make the season less stressful for you? I'd love to hear about them!

I leave you with some pretty Christmas decor from my mom's and mother-in-law's this past weekend. Now, off to scour the cyber Monday deals....

:-)

Edited: Linking up to the Inspired Room's Holiday Linky Friday! Go take a look at other holiday ideas!

Thankful

2009-11-25T05:40:00.001-08:00

“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.”

―Frank Lloyd Wright

I loved this image and quote from the Real Simple Daily Thought feed this morning. I'm feeling thankful for my life, my family, my faith, my home - the list could go on. But I think there is some truth in this quote from our friend Frank (whose studio is just a mile away from here :-)); the older I get, the more perspective I have on my life and the beauty in it.

Here's to finding beauty in your life, no matter what the circumstances may be. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

{image via Real Simple}

Rotary Phone

2009-11-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

My grandma still has a wall-mounted rotary phone in her hallway, and I've always loved it for some reason. Maybe just reminds me of being a kid at her house, the LOUD ring, the time-consuming dialing....

Anyway, I came across this beauty at a garage sale on Friday. It was $12, which is more than I would usually pay for anything at a garage sale, but I couldn't pass it up. Well, I actually did pass it up, but went back later for it! I think it was the color. I kept imagining how well it would match the new office area. :-) Just a fun, authentic, vintage find.

I don't even know if it works (she said it did), but I'm going to give it a try! I'm sort of wishing I would have picked up the red one she had, too!

Am I the last to know...

2009-11-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

...about Polyvore? I tend to be the last one to learn about things, and I feel like this is probably one of those things. I first came across Polyvore on C Lo's blog, but have seen it a couple times since and just now tried it for myself. Oh. My. That's all I can say. You can basically clip things from online stores and import them to make your own little inspiration board / collage / etc. SO MUCH FUN. Not that I needed something else to be addicted to. :-) So, my sister just moved in to a new place, and it is a totally blank slate. The wheels are turning, and I can't help but put together some (unsolicited) plans. Sometimes I like to decorate vicariously through others. This is barely even a start, but I just wanted to try my hand and then see if I could figure out posting it here. Try it for yourself! More to come on my sister's place, btw. :-)

Beck's LIving Room by huron on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Ikea.com sofa, $699
Target.com lamp, $130
Ikea.com rug, $70
Target.com, $13
Ikea.com, $80

Beautiful Life Friday

2009-10-30T18:10:00.001-07:00

I love this idea. Taking a minute to reflect on something beautiful from your week. This week was a little tough. Nothing major; just the day-to-day wearing on me. Feeling a little bit like I am going in too many directions sometimes. I work part-time (which is really full-time) in corporate america and I think I'm good at my job, but it can be a little consuming mentally sometimes. My husband's uncle e-mailed him a quote this week that said this:

"My greatest fear is not failure; it is succeeding at something that does not matter."-Author Unknown

That hits home with me lately. I want to be good at the things that really matter. Like a good wife, mom, daughter, friend, sister....I worry about failing in these areas.

But, in the midst of my stress, I found beauty in the picture below of my oldest son taking in the colors of the season. Looking at it just makes me step back from everything else and appreciate the things I've been rushing past. The things God has blessed me with.

What you can't see in this picture (which was taken in my bedroom) are the unmade bed and piles of clothes that also fill this room. But, sometimes it's all about perspective. Looking past the things that don't matter and focusing on the ones that do.

Ok, that might have been a little heavy for a Friday night! Check out some other "beautiful" posts over at the Inspired Room's Beautiful Life Friday.

Fall Recipe Series: Chicken Enchiladas

2009-10-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

My husband and I came across this recipe when we were first married. We were looking for something festive to cook for Cinco de Mayo, and these enchiladas did not disappoint. We found it on the Food Network website, and it's still posted here. Doubling and freezing it works well also; I've even quadrupled it before (couple for us, couple for friends). Just make sure you have a huge bowl for all the mixing! (Pics below are from a quad batch.) I have also used canned, shredded chicken and that works great as well.

If you're feeling really adventurous, try Fried Ice Cream for dessert. We also made that along with this recipe originally. It's a little bit of work, but fun and tasty.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

(recipe taken from the Food Network website)

Ingredients

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

2 cups prepared salsa

2 cups grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Directions In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, the corn, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

In a baking dish spread a 1/2 cup of the salsa over the bottom. Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a corn tortilla, roll up and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas. Pour remaining salsa over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top. Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enchiladas may be reheated, covered with aluminum foil, before service. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve warm.

Cute Chore Chart

2009-10-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to create a chore cart for my oldest son, so this post from ModEco Kids via ohdeedoh caught my eye. But what I love more than the chart is the sentiment expressed in her post, talking about the importance of kids feeling that they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.

Just thought I'd share this in case you were looking for something as well! There's a free printable so you can make your own - how nice!

And check out the rest of ModEco while you are there - great stuff. She also has an adorable etsy shop!

Fear of Orchids

2009-10-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

I know it seems wierd to be afraid of something so pretty. I've always loved orchids...from a distance. A couple weeks ago my husband was kind enough to bring one home for me, and I love it. But, I'm afraid I'm going to kill it. The just seem too delicate and exotic.

Anyway, so far so good. Seems to be hanging in there, but I'd appreciate any tips you may have on orchid care! :-)

Procrastinator's Party: The Reveal

2009-10-20T20:21:00.001-07:00

Well, today was the deadline for the Procrastinator's Party. I will say this: having this deadline definitely gave me some motivation! I'm pretty happy with what I got done. Still some thing to finish up, but it's pretty darn close.

To refresh your memory:

And.....drumroll please.........

{sorry again about the lighting....had to use the flash for these since I was taking them tonight}

Better? This project was like therapy for me. It's something I've really been wanting (NEEDING) to do for a while, so it felt good to get it accomplished, but it also really got the creative juices flowing. I had a lot of fun choosing the fabrics, spending WAY too much time at Joann's and then doing the actual sewing, etc. These were my inspirations:

I think my favorite part is the chair cover. I fell in love with this fabric when I saw it at Joann's. It's not fancy, just cotton fabric, but I loved the colors and I knew I needed to get out of the yellow-blue rut in the kitchen. We got this chair at IKEA for cheap, but the cover was totally trashed (mostly from my 4-year old who loves to play at the computer).

Making the cover was actually pretty simple. I had tried (and failed) one other time to cover it. This time it turned out decent. I just sewed the two rectangles together (after hemming the bottom edge first) and then added the ribbon on the bottom to close it. The seat was easy - staple gun! :-)

I also loved the fabric I used for the memo board. It was upholstery fabric that was half-off and it helped me accomplish my goal of getting away from floral a little bit (it's a problem for me). :-) It was easy to cover the old one I had - again, staple gun! And some leftover ribbon from the chair.

The storage boxes were from IKEA and I found some vinyl stickers for embellishment (though taking me back to flowers!). The file folders / hanger I already had, and I used one of my favorite flea market tins to hold a rescued-from-the-cold impatien fomr the backyard. We got a brand new in-the-box keyboard tray on craigslist for $35 - score.

AND, I did tackle that cabinet and the drawers as well. Now, some of that stuff is in a bag and a box and still need to be sorted, but it's progress. All but the bottom drawer are empty; I'm thinking of putting the boys' craft supplies, etc. in there. My best helper for this project was my trusty label maker. I got it a couple years ago and am addicted. :-)

This has been great fun! Melissa, thanks for throwing the "party," let's do it again soon! Visit the post at The Inspired Room to check out more "afters!"

Flea Marketeer Party

2009-10-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

One more "invite" I can't pass up...

The folks over at Flea Market Style are having a little party! The invitation is to post your favorite flea market find, and, as you'll recall from this post, I come from a long line of flea marketers, thrifters...whatever you want to call it, it's in my genes (and my home!)

Below are a few of my favorites. Everything pictured below was $1 or less (i.e. free!). Can't beat that!

Share yours! Head on over to the party and check out the rest of the blog while you're there. I'm looking forward to picking up a copy of their magazine!

You-Can-Do-It-If-You-Try Window Treatments

2009-10-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

It's no secret how much I love ideas from Jenny over at the Little Green Notebook. If SHE knew, she'd likely issue some type of cyber restraining order. Truly.

But, I couldn't pass up the chance to participate in her most recent post on pelmet boxes. She made these adorable pink ones for her girls' room using foam board, badding, L brackets and a little tape to hold it all together! How cute is this:

{image via Little Green Notebook}

And her tutorial is here. She's asked folks to share their own DIY pelmet box ideas, and I happened to have done some a couple of years ago with none other than.........foam board and tape! Worked like a charm. The fabric was an upholstery-type fabric I picked up at IKEA maybe 3 years ago? I was going to use it to recover some dining room chairs, but changed my mind. I LOVE this fabric and still have a whole bunch of it...what to do...what to do...

(excuse these photos; I took them tonight and the lighting was not great!)

And I can't help but share another of her tutorials on these DIY roman shades; I'll definitely be trying this one. Thanks, Jenny!

{image via Little Green Notebook}

Happy Fall!

2009-10-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying fall so far; it could be little warmer and less rainy, but enjoying it nonetheless. I'm definitely a cool weather girl; just wish we could keep it at cool and skip the bitter cold of Chicago winter. Hope you're having a good fall. I am planning on spending today working on the office area (no, I haven't started yet, but if I had I wouldn't be a true procrastinator, right?). Have a great weekend!

Procrastinator's Party

2009-10-06T18:38:00.001-07:00

I must say that today's post at The Inspired Room caught my attention; you know how often I talk about my procrastination. That's what made this post right up my alley! The challenge is to conquer one project that has been delayed by procrastination using the following steps: posting about it, linking back to the original post and then coming back in two weeks to share your results. As a procrastinator, I work best under a deadline, so this is perfect.

And I don't even need to tell you which project I'm tackling. :-) Yes, it still looks the same (other than I threw out the dead plant). I need to seriously organize and spruce up the office area in the kitchen.

Care to join? Check out the post here.

Fall Recipe Series: Heather's Pizza Soup

2009-10-04T09:40:00.001-07:00

The weather has changed and I thought maybe I'd post some of my favorite cool weather recipes. My friend Heather gave me this soup recipe a while back; it's REALLY good and very easy to put together. I'm thinking this is on our menu for this cool fall day!

Here's the recipe (lifted from her blog - thanks, Feather! :-)).

Pizza Soup:

2 – 14 ½ oz. cans crushed tomatoes

2 - 10 ¾ oz. cans condensed tomato soup, undiluted

2 ½ C. water

3 ½ oz. sliced pepperoni, quartered

1 med. Sweet red pepper, chopped

1 med. Green pepper, chopped

1 C. sliced fresh mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. rubbed sage

½ tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Bread

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Simmer together until veggies are tender. Serve with garlic bread and cheese. You can also prepare like French onion soup with bread on top, topped with cheese and broiled. This cooks up great in a crock pot. Also, you can substitute V-8 for the amount of liquid in the tomato soup and water – about 40 oz. of V-8, and it doesn't taste any different. (Those are Heather's words / recommendations.)

Happy fall! I love this time of year.

Pretty Bird

2009-10-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have been stalking these dishes at Target for quite some time now. Every time I'm there I swing by and take a peek....love them. I actually think they look better in person; the colors are a little brighter.

The problem is, I don't really NEED new dishes. My Pfaltzgraff Summer Breeze dishes (that we got for our wedding) are doing just fine. But, tastes change over time, right? I'm also very sentimental and I think I would feel badly about abandoning our "wedding" dishes. But, we do have the china from our wedding as well, so maybe I wouldn't feel that bad. :-)

But, as I said, I don't NEED new dishes. Just want them.

Look what I found...

2009-10-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

I was at L'Occitane this week picking up Jamie's prize and of course had to ask about the special edition lavender shea butter from a few years ago. She told me they stopped making it because the process wasn't 100% organic, but that they were acquiring a company call Melvita and the products would be avalable in the US in November. And guess what they have? Lavender Shea Butter! :-) Organic certified shea butter with wild lavender essential oil - Melvita USA Shared via AddThis

And the winner is....

2009-09-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all for participating in the giveaway! It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to trying some new things! So, after a random drawing involving slips of paper (one per person), a hat and my husband as the drawer, I'm happy to announce that the winner is....

Jamie at The4Bells!

Jamie, I know where to find you and will either get it in the mail or get it to you in person soon. :-) Thanks again all and happy weekend to you!

I Want to Go to There & A Giveaway of My Own

2009-09-22T15:28:00.001-07:00

I LOVE lavender; especially fresh cut or dried lavender. Once in a while I can find it at a farmer's market. But I also love anything scented lavender. And I would REALLY love to visit the Provence region in France and see the lavender fields for myself. It's a dream of mine. I didn't get the chance to see that region when I was there, but maybe someday...wouldn't you love to stand in one of the fields above?! Forget "wanting" to go...I think I NEED to go. :-)

The pictures above are from the L'Occitane website. I consider myself a drugstore-cosmetics-kind-of-girl for the most part, but my one indulgence is shea butter from L'Occitane. It's super smooth and creamy and very multi-purpose...I used it as lip balm, under my eyes, on my hands and cuticles and most recently on my hair to add a little shine (and tame flyaways!). Even better was the Limited Edition lavender shea butter they had a couple years ago. I have searched high and low to find that again (including every store I saw while in France), but to no avail (if you ever see it, let me know!).

They have lots of amazing products that are all natural and manufactured using socially responsible processes. I would love to try more of their products, but I digress....

So, all of that to say, what is your tried-and-true-can't-live-without-it beauty product? I am always on the lookout for something simple, but effective (and reasonably priced, but that can be negotiable). I have been wanting to do this giveaway for a long time (mostly to learn all your best beauty secrets!), so here we go:

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite beauty product.
Comments welcome through this Thursday (9/24/09) and I'll pick the winner on Friday (random drawing).
Make sure I can contact you either via blog or e-mail.

The winner will receive a mini-size Shea Butter from L'Occitane. It's small, but it's good. :-)

Another fun giveaway...

2009-09-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

So, I didn't win Trina's giveaway, BUT....there's another fun giveaway today at The Inspired Room featuring the jewelry of Lisa Leonard (I'll take one of each, please).

All of these giveaways are puttng me in the mood to try one.....stay tuned. :-)

Giveaway at la la lovely things!

2009-09-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

Trina at la la lovely is having a giveaway this week featuring the handmade vintage jewelry of Vivi Reborn. I love their concept of repurposing vintage jewelry - and they have some beautiful pieces. Stop by and enter for yourself, and check out the rest of Trina's blog while you're there. It's full of beautiful things, and it inspired me to start this blog. :-)

Bright Sunshiney Day

2009-08-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

It's going to be a beautiful, sunny day here. A little cool, but that's OK with me. I think a walk to the farmer's market for fresh donuts is in order!

One of our sunflowers bloomed this week, and another is really close. These are really fun to grow!

Currently Blooming: Zinnias!

2009-08-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am really happy to say that the zinnias that I grew from seed this year survived and are blooming! I'm just bummed that I let about half the seedlings die because I never finished putting them all in the ground. I think I'll do these again next year; I just love the hardy colorful blooms. I'm torn between cutting a bouquet and leaving them in the yard. :-) I also love the detail on these; I was noticing that little ring of "mini" flowers around the center...so cool.

I took the ones below in one of the "creative" settings on my camera; interesting the difference in color. I need to learn more about those settings. :-)

Seriously

2009-08-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

I am in love with the Little Green Notebook blog. If you haven't been reading, you seriously should. I really love all her ideas, but this post today was great and gives me some ideas for my door monogram idea from this post. I also love her bookshelf; I've been looking for a way to embellish my IKEA billy bookcases, and this provides some inspiration. She has a beautiful blog; wander over and have a look. {images via little green notebook}

Summer Recipe Series: Anne's Macaroni Salad

2009-08-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try to fit a couple more recipes into the "series" before summer's over (can't believe it's August already)!

This picture doesn't do it justice, but the macaroni salad that my friend Anne makes is delish. A definite summer barbeque staple. Lots of chopping involved, but it's worth it. :-)

Anne's Macaroni Salad

4 cups of cooked macaroni (about 2 cups dry)

6 hard boiled eggs

3 stalks chopped celery

About 6 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup sliced radishes (optional)

4 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed

Dressing:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups mayonnaise

2 tbsp regular mustard

Mix dressing with a whisk. Add dressing to macaroni and other ingredients. Chill (will be a little runny at first).

Thanks for sharing this recipe with me, Anne. We love it . :-)

Currently Blooming: LOTS!

2009-07-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

The yard is in full, mid-summer bloom, despite the weird weather we've had this year.

These from a hanging basket I got from the boys for Mother's Day (love these!):

Some Marigolds:

Phlox:

Daylillies still going strong:

Garden:

Weeds and other miscellany:

I wish our yard looked as pretty as these shapshots might make it seem. It's actually a little grown over and messy, but I'm not complaining. I'll be sure to come back to these photos for a little encouragement this winter when everything is brown (or white!).

Summer Recipe Series: Aunt Tina's Ice Cream Cake

2009-07-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

Christina taught me how to make this cake when they were here for Memorial Day and I've made it at least twice since then. It is SOOO good and SOOO easy. Here are the instructions, per Aunt Tina:

Ingredients

One box of ice cream sandwiches (12 in a box, I think)

One jar of butterscotch carmel sundae topping

One large tub of Cool Whip, thawed

One bag of Heath Bar bits (baking aisle by chocolate chips)

Instructions

Layer ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a 9x13 pan (may need to cut some to fit the edges, etc.). Pour butterscotch carmel topping over the sandwiches and spread to coat. Top with entire tub of Cool Whip. Smooth the Cool Whip and then top with the bag of Heath bits. Freeze until firm, slice and serve!

It is seriously so good and such a yummy summer treat (if it ever warms up again!). Thanks for sharing this recipe, Christina!

Currently Blooming: Daisies and Day Lillies

2009-07-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

This week's inspirations...

2009-06-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Two photos jumped out at me this week during my blog surfing. This one I love because I've been wanting to paint our piano. I even googled "painted piano" a few months back looking for inspriation, but didn't find much. Our piano came with our house. I love it and hope to teach the boys to play someday, but it's sort of beat up and not the nicest color brown. I love this picture from Katie Fine Design via Little Green Notebook:

The other one is Pierce Allen via jentrified. I am in love with this image on a number of levels. As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there." :-) We have large closets upstairs and I am daydreaming of using one to make a space like this...or maybe two and make them the boy's beds (Caleb's room has two large closets - one on each side). I'm pretty confident it won't happen, but it's fun to daydream....

Formerly Blooming: Chives

2009-06-16T19:55:00.001-07:00

The chives are all done blooming, but I still wanted to post these pics. :-)

Paper Source Blog

2009-06-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

I noticed that Paper Source now has a blog called P.S. Lots of super cute ideas for all that pretty paper!

True Story

2009-06-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

So, the other day it rained and Dan noticed all my newly bloomed peonies were lying on the ground. He thoughtfully cut some and placed them in my new vase (75% off at Target!). As I looked, I couldn't help but notice the resemblance to the painting above...pretty similar! The weird thing is, I LOVE this painting (real painting on canvas that I got at a garage sale for $1!), but I never even noticed it was peonies! And doesn't the vase look similar, too?

I know I'm a nerd for even posting this, but I just thought it was weird (in a good way). :-)

House Rules

2009-06-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

I came across this image on a blog somewhere and couldn't find the origin, so finally I found it on etsy here. It looks like they are sold out, but I would really love to have this in our home somewhere. I just love what it says and hope we can have a home where these rules apply.

Now Blooming: Peonies (Finally!)

2009-06-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

I've always loved peonies, and when we moved into our house, we transplanted a couple of bushes (?) from my aunt. They came up the next year, and the next, but hadn't bloomed until this year. Yay!

I've been watching, watching, watching in anticipation. It looks like one is really light pink/yellowish (far right) and the other is going to be really big pink blooms.

I was also wondering the significance of ants helping them bloom. You can read more about that here.

Summer Recipe Series: Cobb Salad

2009-06-05T21:37:00.001-07:00

I love watching cooking shows on PBS (mostly because I don't have cable). One day they were making cobb salad on Everyday Food (the recipe is here). A couple of days later, we were having enchiladas and made a mexican version with black beans, corn, feta and a little bit of cilantro.

Really, you can do just about any toppings you'd like - lining them up on top makes it look colorful and fancy. :-) I think I'll be using this one quite a bit this summer!

Now Blooming: Columbine

2009-06-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Summer Recipe Series: Millionaire Pie

2009-05-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

Now that summer is upon us, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite, easy, summer staple recipes. The first is SO easy...it seriously takes 5 minutes and you get not one, but two pies! My Aunt Mary gave me this recipe a few years back, and it quickly became one of my faves. It's so light and creamy...perfect for summer (or anytime really)!

Millionaire Pie

1 large tub Cool Whip

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

2 ready-made graham cracker pie crusts

Juice of one lemon

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, divide between the two crusts, chill and...VOILA. Seriously, it's so easy. Just don't forget the lemon juice, or it won't set, and for some reason she told me it needs to be "Eagle" brand for the sweetened condensed milk. And you can add nuts if you'd like, either to the filling or sprinkled on top for garnish.

Enjoy!

Seedlings

2009-05-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

We've decided this year to start our garden from seeds. So far, things are going pretty well (hopefully it won't frost tonight!). Dan did some seeds directly in to the ground (first collage below): lettuce, spinach, carrots, corn, peas, beans. And then we started some other things inside with one of those starter trays (second collage below): artichokes, basil, cilantro, yellow squash, edamame, zinnias, cucumbers, sweet williams, watermelon and zuicchini. I'm pretty sure we won't have room to properly grow all these things, but it has been fascinating growing things from seed. I know Jamie and Sandi do this, but we've usually just purchased the plants from a garden center in past years. It definitely seems more rewarding so far to do some things from seed. I just love seeing the new growth everyday. In the second collage the photos on the left side are just last weekend (we planted them Saturday night) and the photos on the right side are from yesterday. So much fun to see everything getting big (especially my zinnias - center pic).

Now, if anyone has any advice for getting the inside seedling out and into the ground safely, please let me know! :-)

P.S. I realize I am posting everything in collages now. It's become a serious addiction! Sorry. It's just an easy way to post lots of pics at once. :-)

Flowers are the best subjects....

2009-05-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

...they always sit still and look pretty!

Wallflowers

2009-05-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

I think I might need these. They were the special of the day on delight.com yesterday. Aren't they so cute? I'd like to put them over my bed maybe?

2009-05-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Pesky, but Pretty

2009-05-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Remember as a kid when you thought that dandelions were "real" flowers? Maybe even picked some for your mom? Well now that I'm a home owner with a yard, I can't stand them. But sometimes I can't help but appreciate the vibrant pops of yellow against the really green spring grass. And who doesn't love shaking the fluffy ones and watching all the little seeds fly away? I'm sure our neighbors love it. :-)

Here are some pics of "weeds" in our back yard today.

Simple Start

2009-05-04T20:40:00.001-07:00

My sister has always been really great at painting (maybe because she always got stuck with it?). :-) She has graciously painted many things around here for us over the years. And she's done lot for other people, too. And did I mention she's really good at it? :-)

She recently started her own painting company, called Simple Start, Inc., and it's really taking off! She helped us a couple of months ago with a project in our dining room..one that I've been wanting to do for a long time. Actually, it's a technique I learned from Christina and Joyce....you stripe a wall in the exact same color, but alternate flat and satin finishes. The effect of the light makes the stripes noticeable, but subtle.

Here's the before and after....drumroll, please...

And a larger "after:"

Much better! This room has taken a LOT of different forms. When we bought the place, this room was stark white. I decided I wanted a lovely robin's egg blue (Jamie was gracious to help). :-) It also served as the kitchen (notice the fridge!) while the real kitchen was being gutted. Let's just say, the blue didn't last long (wonder why?! it wasn't Jamie's painting).

For a long time it was the family/TV room (bottom left corner), but I didn't like the green (which we painted VERY shortly after the blue) with my craigslist couch and rug. Then last fall we turned it into the dining room.

Here's the big transformation in progress and Becky in action (and C a little bit, too!). :-)

Now, it's starting to come together. Still lots to go, like finishing the light fixture, chair rail, paining the new trim (which Dan modeled after the other trim in the house - nice work, hon!).

As you can see, Beck did a great job! She is SUPER meticulous, but efficient...she did the whole room in one afternoon / evening. If you need some painting done, HIRE HER! :-) Here's her info: Simple Start, Inc., www.simplestartinc.com, simplestartpaining@gmail.com.

Thanks, Beck!!

Mission Organization: Day 4 (?)

2009-04-30T19:18:00.001-07:00

Ummm...ok. I definitely haven't been online as much this week (but still some), so that's good. But, I haven't even started on the office area. I'm not sure why I feel the need to confess that, but there you go. :-) So, it's still first on my list after getting the rest of the house in reasonable order (which is taking a little longer than I thought!). And, I watched 30 Rock tonight and caught up on FB and blogs. There. I said it.

Mission Organization: Day 1

2009-04-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am the quintessential perfectionist procrastinator. I have such lofty ideas of things I'd like to do and how I'd like to do them, that I rarely ever start or finish them. I don't think I've been really organized in reality since about maybe 3rd or 4th grade when I drew a calendar on my big blackboard easel and mapped out my outfits for each day, down to the bow for my hair.

I have this wierd, constant yearning for organization, but rarely achieve it. I always feel like life would be much less stressful and much more relaxed if things were the "way I want them." I know that sounds crazy, and I'm definitely not as crazy as I may sound right now. I realize that this should not be my ultimate goal in life, and I do know there are other, more important things, like spending time with my family. :-)

Anyway, I was watching "30 Rock" a few weeks ago and the opening scene was Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) walking down the street with huge "Compartment Store" (aka Container Store) bags in hand. I wish I could find the clip, but here's the dialoge (to Kenneth :-)):

“I went to the new flagship Compartment Store on 5th Avenue and I’m going to get my life in order. There’s a stacking thing to separate your junk mail from your humidifier catalogs, a thing you stick on your laptop that hold your keys, a round plastic deal that holds your shoes with a pocket for a photograph of what shoes are in there. I’m going to become wonderful. It’s a new beginning, like a phoenix rising…”

I had to laugh, because I feel this way...a lot. :-) Anyway, I've vowed to take this week off of facebook and blogs in order to get some things done around here. I'm going to just take things in bite-sized pieces and start plugging away. I'm really trying to convert myself to the "something is better than nothing" ideology, rather than deciding I can't do anything until I can do it just perfectly.

So, wish me luck! Tonight my goal is to straighten the house and get it to some sort of baseline, :-) and then start on the "office" area of our kitchen. I feel like part of the reason I can't keep things organized is that I don't have good core systems in place for the office, closets, etc. If I can get this in order, I can avoid cramming the thing that should go there in other places. :-)

So, I'm going to start here (see below...yikes) and move on from there. As you can see, it will be quite a task! I'm partially blogging here to keep myself accountable, and partially so I can look back at befores and afters and pat myself on the back. Kind of like adding something to your to do list just so you can cross it off and feel accomplished. :-)

The Tulips

2009-04-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

Something I love about Chicago is the way the city does a great job with landscaping and flowers all year round. My favorites are the tulips down Michigan Ave. in the spring. My mom, sister and I stayed downtown last night for a little "girl time" and I got a few pics of the tulips on our way out. I see them almost everyday going to and from work, but don't often get a chance to take pics.

Photo of the Day

2009-04-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

I may start doing a favorite photo of the day, since I'm still snapping away with my new camera. :-) Dan and the boys got me roses for my birthday. So sweet.

I would like this to be my foyer, please.

2009-04-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Is wallpaper making a big comeback or what? I'm really getting tempted. I love this foyer...the pic is from Thibaut via Little Green Notebook (I've been loving this blog; thanks, Joyce!).

Breakfast Nooks

2009-04-08T21:05:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if it would ever be possible in our kitchen, but it would be a dream of mine to have a breakfast nook. I just think they are pretty and cozy - love the ones below (images via flickr).

Fun Finds

2009-04-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

The boys and I were in Rockford last night and decided to visit my grandma for breakfast. Her signature breakfast is homemade biscuits and chocolate gravy. She's made this as long as I can remember. We all call it "chocolate-n-biscuits." Anyway, there was an added bonus of her having a garage sale today(actually my uncle helping). I come from a long line of thrifters. I'm not sure if that's a word, so in case it's not, what I mean to say is it is in our genes to shop at garage sales / thrift shops / estate sales, etc. for great buys. And then a lot of it somehow ends up at my grandma's..it becomes the centralized "bargain bin" for our family (which is large...my mom is one of nine). :-) As I was perusing, I found some great stuff. And, of course, when I tried to pay, my money was rejected! Gotta love grandmas. So, I became the proud owner of the below treasures for free. This is my favorite kind of shopping. If I had the time and energy, I would really enjoy buying and selling second hand things. In fact, there's not much in my house that I purchased when it was new! The danger, though, is collecting a bunch of stuff you don't really need. Technically, all of the below falls into that category, but I just couldn't resist. It's in my blood. :-)

Happy Spring!

2009-03-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

With spring showers on the way (spring officially starting today!), I'm feeling the need for a pair of wellies or rainboots or whatever you want to call them. Here are a few I was perusing on Zappos:

I think these polka dot ones are my fave and they look really comfy and reasonably priced; like them in the grey also.

These are super cute, maybe not quite as practical with the heel.

And then there are the Hunter Originals - classic, but pricey.

Something a little different from Hunter.

These are cute and springy.

Anyone else have some that they'd recommend, and are they comfy?

Happy Spring!