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January 31, 2012

Valentine Burlap Bunting

Burlap gave this Valentine bunting a shabby chic look.


Supplies:
Burlap ~ since burlap usually comes in wide widths, you should only need about 1/2 yard (depending on the number of flags you would like)
Template at the bottom of this post 
Scissors
Sewing machine
Embroidery floss and colorful cotton fabric ~ for appliqued hearts

Direction:
Fold the burlap in half, and place the template on the fold.
Cut out.

For the applique and letter:
Unfold the flags.  You will put your applique in the center of one side.
Method 1 (easiest) Cut out 6 circle in bright cotton.  Use fabric glue to attach them to the center of each flag.  Use iron-on letters.

Method 2 Cut your 6 circles onto "Heat and Bond"; iron to the back of your cotton fabric.  Follow the manufacturer's directions for peeling the backing.  Place your applique onto the center of the flag.   Use a zig zag stitch to sew the applique onto the burlap. Embroider the letters.
  
I used the letters L - O - V- E.


Fold the flag, and sew on the right side starting and stopping at the lines marked on the template. Use a 1/2 seam. 
The burlap will fray, but that gives the bunting the shabby chic look.
Thread cording or ribbon through the top of each flag, and tie a knot at each end.



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January 30, 2012

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Brownies

A delicious brownie that has an unusual ingredient ~ canned pumpkin!  


Ingredients:
1 (18 ounce) box of brownie mix ( I used triple chunk.)
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons hot fudge topping
2 tablespoons  peanut butter


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9" X 9" baking pan.
Combine the brownie mix with the pumpkin until smooth.  Add the chocolate syrup.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
Microwave the peanut butter for 20 seconds (or until softened).
Spoon the peanut butter on the top of the brownie mixture


Use the point of a knife to swirl it around.



Bake for 35 minutes.  Do not overcook.
Cool and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Enjoy!

(adapted from Hungry Girl on Food Network.com) Pin It

January 27, 2012

Found Friday - Olioboard

As if my Pinterest addiction wasn't bad enough, now I have Olioboard, an online moodboard site where I can actually upload all the things I have pinned and create room layouts, experiment with color schemes and spend way too much time.  Darn you internet awesomeness. Users are also able to use photos already uploaded on the site from retailers like DwellStudio, West Elm, CB2 and more.  

I wanted to try making a moodboard for my latest project - our teeny downstairs powder room.  I had a few ideas already and two colors in mind but it was so helpful to actually see them together and discover what worked and what didn't.  Let's just say a pink flamingo watercolor will not be making an appearance, even though prior to creating the board I was convinced it would be perfect.

So without further ado, my first moodboard. 


I wanted to keep with the fun, unfussy aesthetic that runs through the rest of our house but also infuse a little fun girliness too.  I don't know how the horses came into play but I found one that I thought would look cool (the planter - which I am hoping to make myself) and just went with it.

I'm keeping the cost of the whole makeover to $50 (or less) and as of today I have already spent half of that on fabric, wall decor and shipping.  So we'll see what happens.  

The plan is to complete this project by next Friday, so I'll post the before and after photos and then we can see how true I stayed to my moodboard design.

Happy Friday! Pin It

January 26, 2012

Layla's (Temporary) Craft and Play Table

It was tough to up come with a title for this post -  there were so many possibilities:

-How to Make Your Husband Laugh Without Really Trying
-I Really, Really Love My Glue Gun
-A Cheap (But Cute) Table Made for Zero Dollars

I think the title I chose was the most appropriate! 

So here's the deal, the table we have been trying to buy for Layla from Land of Nod has been back ordered and then back ordered again.  It was initially supposed to be a Christmas gift, and now it looks like it will be a birthday gift, that is if it's actually available before BIG number 3 in April (fingers crossed).

Now you may ask, why not just get another table, surely there are tons of white craft/tea party tables out there? My answer to you is, yes indeed there are, but I fell in love with this one because it is super sturdy, durable and will be able to grow with both of my girls.  Also it's pretty and will look nice in our front living room/kid's library.

All this waiting was making me antsy and since Layla got lots of craft supplies for Christmas I decided to take a few things that have been sitting in our garage waiting to be recycled or reused (for something, someday) and make my own.

I started with two 24" x 36" canvases that I use to paint things on since I ruined them both when we moved.  I thought doubling them up would make a good, solid table top.  For the "legs" I used the mailing tubes that Layla's Love Mae decals came in.  I kept these in case I ever needed to mail something in a tube...that has yet to happen so Scott cut them up into equal parts and voila - legs!

I bought this cute pair of wooden chairs at a DC Junior League event last Spring for $15!

I used a staple gun around the sides of the canvases to attach them to each other and a hot glue gun to adhere the legs to the underside of the bottom canvas.  This wasn't as sturdy as I would I have liked and I had visions of Layla gently placing her imaginary tea and cookies on the table and everything crashing to the ground. So Scott decided to be helpful, after 30 minutes of snarky comments, and drilled a few wood blocks into the canvas next to the legs to kind of box them in.


Layla enjoying tea at her new table. 
My budding artist's work proudly featured on the wall.


Lastly, I covered the table in white paper so Layla could draw and scribble to her heart's content.  All in all, I think this little Sunday project was a pretty nifty solution to the back ordered table situation.  And as long as it can make it through the next two months of tea parties and craft-making I will be one happy mama:)


A well worn tabletop already! Happy!


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January 25, 2012

Wishlist Wednesday - Things I Love

This spring I am planning a BIG redecorating project for our home ~ painting, new curtains ~ the whole thing!
So today I am listing a few of my favorites, hoping that we can incorporate some of these beautiful ideas:


art blocks ~ I know that Kendra would be great at these.


love this idea for displaying art and photos




 love white pottery and this gray lace really makes them pop
 

 a pretty little accent piece

 

and an interesting painting technique





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January 24, 2012

Adding A Little Color to an Empty Corner

It all started with this little bare corner of our kitchen. 



For awhile now I have been trying to decide what to put up on the wall to brighten it up a bit and add some color.  I didn't want anything to big or dramatic, just something simple and pretty with a pinch of quirkiness.

And then last week I spotted these on Etsy and I had an idea!


This just shows nine of the larger caps.  I actually received 40.

Why not frame these pretty vintage dairy and juice caps and turn them into a cute (quirky) work of art?

I started out by finding a frame that would be a good fit and a piece of white cardboard to use as the background for the caps. 


Once I was happy with the layout I added a dab of hot glue and stuck the caps onto the background.

I knew the dark brown frame was not going to look right so I decided to use my little sample jar of Martha Stewart's Persimmon Red , which you might remember from this project, to add some brightness.


The perfect shade after two quick coats of paint!

 
This color goes perfectly with the Missoni tumblers and other items I have in our glass front cabinets - which are on the other side of the window - directly across from the cap art.


Crazy how similar the orange/reddish pink colors are!

Once the paint dried and and the board was in place my plain little corner turned into this.






Hooray for a quick and inexpensive update!


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January 23, 2012

Paper Heart Banner

A little decorating idea for Valentine's Day ~ a paper heart banner.


Copy and print the templates onto heavy stock paper.





Cut the large and small patterned hearts (I used pinking shears).  Cut out the conversation hearts, and use a glue stick to secure them onto the center of the large hearts; let dry.
Hole punch the tops of the hearts, and using ribbon thread the hearts.
Enjoy! Pin It

January 20, 2012

Pinterest Challenge Friday - Guest Post - Banana Nilla Wafers

Challenging myself to actually complete a project/recipe/design I've pinned on Pinterest has been so gratifying and fun for me to do and share with all of you. So I was super excited when my sweet friend Jenny emailed me photos of this kid-friendly snack she made for her two boys titled "My Pinterest Challenge of the Week"!!





Here's what she had to say:

If Layla likes peanut butter you have to make these.  Take two mini Nilla Wafers and place a slice of banana in between them, coat the outer edge with peanut butter and then roll in rainbow sprinkles.  They are bite sized and yummy!


Looking forward to making these easy snacks for my little peanut butter lover!

After getting Jenny's email I thought...wouldn't it be fun to share other people's completed "Pinterest Challenge" photos?!  So if you have photos of anything you've pinned and completed yourself and want to share them with the whole world (well with all the lovely people that read this blog) then please click here and email me.  Be sure to include some great photos, the link to the original pin and a little bit about why you decided to tackled it.

My hope is to feature a guest post on Pinterest Challenge Friday at least once a month.

Before wrapping this post up, I need to mention that Jenny just reopened her shop The Owl Tree on Etsy.  Her designs are whimsical/adorable/if you don't buy some soon there won't be any left because I'll have scooped them all up myself:)

Seriously though, her work is amazing!

Two Little Birds.

Fly...Fly Away.


You & Me.
  
  
 Have a great weekend!! Pin It

January 19, 2012

Apple Chips

I have seen recipes for apple chips so many places recently, and I found one that works for me ~ and it is so easy!  The results are crunchy chips that are delicious and healthy. An added bonus ~ your house will smell so "cinnamon good" while they are baking!


Don't they look like dark russet potato chips?

 All you have to do:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Peel and core your apples (use as many as you want)!   Thinly slice ~ I found that my mandoline really helped. 
Spread apple slices onto parchment paper.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 1 hour.
Turn the slices over; sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake another hour or until the slices are crisp.
And enjoy! Pin It

January 18, 2012

Wishlist Wednesday - Getting My Craft On

So many things to do so little time in the day to do them...well most of them.  Here are a few lovely things I have hoping to make time to try!

Pretty hearts made with crayons and wax paper!

Macaroon Coin Purse - how cute are these?


I have so many pretty vintage stamps - need to do something with them!


Would love to get my hands on some old spoons and try dipping them in pretty colors.

I have been saving bottles/jars of all different shapes and sizes in the hope of one day doing this!


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January 17, 2012

Valentine's Day ~ Personalized Cross Stitch Heart

With Valentine's Day less than a month away, I began thinking of decorations that I have made. This personalized heart for Kendra has kept its place on a bookshelf in her old room.



I used ivory satin, eyelet, and ribbon.   The cross stitch was worked on 22 pt Aida ~ the hearts in various colors, and the vine in light and dark greens. 




Personalized letters are available on this great site.
The ribbon was threaded through the eyelet, and the heart sewn together. 
One heart = lots of memories!





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January 16, 2012

Rosemary Yeast Bread Recipe

It has been a long time since I have made bread from yeast, but since I was making soup for dinner and have an abundance of rosemary, I thought it was time to give it a try!  When I looked at recipes, I found that there were parts of some I liked and parts of others, so I combined ideas from all of them.
I don't have a bread machine, but the hook attachment on my mixer was a great help.



Ingredients:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil



Directions:
Dissolve the sugar in warm water, and mix in the yeast.  Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Mix in the salt, oil, 1 1/2 tablespoon rosemary, and flour. 



Stir with the hook attachment until a dough forms.  If it sticks to the side of the bowl, add a little more flour.
Knead with the hook on medium-high speed for 8 minutes.  Again add flour if the dough sticks to the bowl.

Coat the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Place dough in bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size ~ about 2 hours.


Punch down dough, and divide in half.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly grease paper. Cover, and allow to rise until double in size ~ about one hour.



Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes; brush with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and rosemary (I used rosemary sea salt).  Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.





And enjoy!

Printable recipe:








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January 13, 2012

Pinterest Challenge Friday - A Vintage Doily Runner

As you make have noticed I love all things vintage. So as soon as I saw this pin I was in love.  Then a few months later I saw that my Mom had pinned it too.  Since Christmas was only a few months away I decided I would attempt to recreate this for her as one of her gifts. 

I began scouring eBay and Etsy for pretty white and ecru crocheted doilies.  I wanted to try to mix in a few different shapes instead of just sticking with the round doilies.  Once I gathered up about thirty round, square and a few other random shapes I got to work!






The first thing I did was wash and press all the doilies to make sure they were nice and flat, making them a lot easier to work with.  Next I laid them out on my dining table and moved them around until I came up with a layout that I like.  This took a bit of time.




Then came the tedious part, sewing one doily to another.  I started by threading a needle with white thread and pulling it though the edge of one doily and attaching it to another.  I quickly realized it was easier to pull the thread through and then just knot it a few times instead of trying to actually sew each piece.




After double checking that each doily was attached - usually in two places. I was finished!




The hardest part was trying to package this up for Christmas.  The thread is so delicate that even the slightest pull would break where I had attached it.  So even after carefully folding it up my Mom still ended up having to resew a few spots that had come apart.



Looking forward to seeing how this looks on my parent's dining room table!! Pin It
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