Quick and Easy Solutions

There are few things that give me more pleasure than finding a solution to a problem that will take less than 5 minutes and almost no effort!

Rather than make a bed skirt, why not put a fitted sheet on your box spring and call it a day? I always use white sheets.

Who doesn't have mismatched towels? Try attaching coordinating ribbon that will magically transform this hodgepodge into an eclectic, "I did it on purpose" set.

This is by far my favorite quick and easy (and cheap) decorating solution. I made a giant message board for my hall and can display cards, pictures and whatever, rotating it all easily throughout the year. Here are Martha's directions...

Pretty and practical, our ribbon board has been keeping work spaces clean since it was introduced -- and keeping party invitations, postcards, and photographs organized and easy to spot. The board can be made from Homosote fiberboard, available at lumber yards. Have it cut to size. Pull linen taut around front and sides of board, and staple it to back, securing two opposite sides first, then the other two. Be creative in arranging ribbons in a pattern on the surface. (The pattern at left is modeled after a garden trellis.) Use upholstery tacks to secure ribbons. Tuck your cards behind the ribbon; you'll need few, if any pushpins. Screw a picture hanger to the back, and hang the board on the wall.
From Martha Stewart Living, January 2001

Happy Fall Y'all

"Autumn is almost here, the first day of fall 2010 is officially weeks away; and depending on where you live in the U.S. and Canada it can feel like an autumn breeze is blowing (Vancouver) or like the high heat of summer like is for people in New York City. Officially, summer does not end until September 22 which marks the first day of fall 2010 at 11:09 EST. The September equinox is also known as the Autumnal Equinox. 'The sun crosses the celestial equator and moves southward in the northern hemisphere during the September equinox. The location on the earth where the sun is directly overhead at solar noon is known as the subsolar point. The subsolar point occurs on the equator during the September equinox and March equinox.'
Source: timeanddate.com"

So right, it's not fall yet, but I'm ready now.

Fall is such a lovely time of year in Tennessee and for the first time in months I'm excited about cooking again. Even with air conditioning you feel gross when it's 102 degrees outside and completly unmotivated to turn on anything that would make the air hotter or more humid! I especially love fall recipes, like breads, soups and PIES and was aghast the other day when half my YW didn't know what a chess pie was. WHAT!!!! How can you live in Tennessee and not eat chess pie? Well, this needs to be and will be addressed and I'm just the Amerikorean to do it. I make the best chess pie this side of the DMZ.

Here's a yummy recipe for you all to try if you'd like.

CHESS PIE from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Mix in the eggs, then stir in the cornmeal, evaporated milk and vinegar until smooth.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 40 minutes. Let cool. Cut and top servings with whipped cream. You will think you have died and gone to heaven.

There are many different variations so I didn't post my own recipe which is for a buttermilk chess pie. I wanted to go for something more traditional. You can also make a lemon chess or chocolate chess pie. Those are both delicious as well!

Depeche Mode - Somebody

I was in a music rut yesterday and wanted to find something I hadn't listened to in a long time. I found an old Depeche Mode cd and thought, why not? The kids, however, were horrified by the synth, and said it sounded like something from a Japanamation movie. They're probably right. BUT, WHEN THIS SONG CAME ON, it was like the weird feeling slapped me across the face and left me speechless. Aaaaah, Depeche Mode.... holy cow. I told the kids to shut it while memories of my teenage years in Germany came rushing back. Going to the lake wearing our mood lip balm and Burger King chicken nuggets we paid for with money we bummed off the commissary baggers and walking around downtown Frankfurt and eating Japanese noodles and Hanau High School and sucking at soccer, and tucking our shirts into our jeans pockets, and talking about our intense crushes and crying over heartbreaks etc... I miss my old friends and you know what, I miss being a carefree teenager sometimes. It didn't seem carefree at the time though. Funny.

Things I Learned Last Week

Grilled London broil, yes grilled, is MUCH better with caprese salad than canned corn.

Life is better when it's cooler outside.

If you're chopping jalapenos, wash your hands before rubbing your eye. (thanks dad)

Like morning sickness, PMS can strike at any time.

Cotton shrinks, so that grey and black tshirt isn't flattering anymore.

Some teenagers are clueless, CLUELESS... and no, I'm not talking about my own or any of my youth.

Morning prayer and scripture study are key to managing my anxiety.

Talking and chopping don't mix well.

My posture is terrible. I've actually known that for a long time, but now I'm starting to feel it.

Tegan and Sara

Scott and I took Oliver and a friend to a concert a couple of weeks ago. One of the opening bands was a young group called Tegan and Sara from Montreal, Canada. Loved them! The were way better than the other bands including the headliner, plus they're identical twins which makes them all the more lovable.

http://teganandsara.com/

Flea Market Fever

I've got the fever and I've had it bad for a long time. I know it's weird, but I can't help it. When I find something that Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware recreates, sitting in a tag sale for a quarter of the price or less, my hands get sweaty and my head gets light. It's magic.

Over the years, I've found some real treasures! Here are a few of my favorite things...

This 1942 lithograph I found framed and matted for 19.99 at Goodwill. I love Goodwill, don't you?



These cute little 1950's era roosters are so cute. I couldn't resist them at 7 dollars for the pair!

I also found the French armoire at a flea market in Tongren, Belgium years ago. It's cool because it folds down flat like a puzzle. The two prints were also flea market finds, matted and framed, 18 buckaroonies!

I keep my quilting fabric in this hutch from the "Peddler's Mall" in Kentucky. It was so cheap and crusty, I didn't feel badly about putting nails in the sides and hanging my quilting rulers where I could get to them easily. Another reason I love second hand... you don't feel anxious about doing whatever you want to make it your own. The inside holds a ton of fabric. My dad thinks it's ugly, but who cares what he thinks.

Occasionally my husband gets into it, like when he found this lovely antique recliner at a junk store for 50 bucks! It's got a brass rod in the back that moves up and down to adjust the position.

Grace's dresser is falling apart, so I've been on the lookout for a replacement. I found this Edwardian "gentleman's butler" a couple of weeks ago. It still has the original labels on the shelves for very British things like, "pyjamas" and "sundries". It smells like moth balls still, so I haven't actually put her clothes in it. All part of the game!

A cheapo bookshelf from a thrift store has been most useful upstairs for keeping bedtime books organized and handy. I did have to paint this one because it had stains all over it.

This rolling desk was just too cute to pass by. The only thing I had to do was repair the leg. I've used it as a desk, a small kitchen island, and now an entry way table. The print above it was bought in Kahl, Germany for 15 Deutsch marks = about 8 dollars at the time. It was my very first flea market find!

And if I had to choose one more of my favorites, it would be this little table. Nothing special really, it just fit perfectly in that spot and cost next to nothing. It also came with that finish.

I'm not posting this to brag about my fabulous finds, but to help anyone looking for inspiration on a budget. Keep in mind it takes a lot of looking to find one treasure, but it's worth it. I have so many fun memories when I look at these things too like, hauling around babies in front packs and strollers at 6 in the morning with other Army wives.... dragging our stuff behind us, exhausted and exhilarated! Bartering when I didn't have the money to actually purchase with cash! Walking my kids at various indoor flea markets when it was raining because I couldn't stand having them in the house for ONE MORE MINUTE. Using vinegar and baking soda to get the "old people/house" smell out of furniture. Fun stuff like that. It's a challenge to decorate a house, especially when money is tight but it makes it fun when it turns into sport!

If any of you like junk shopping as well, call me. I'm so there.

PS. I also love IKEA, can you tell?

August Babies

Our family births babies in cycles... even the in-laws can't escape. For example, my husband only has one brother-in-law (Gary) and one sister-in-law (Candice). It just happens that they have the EXACT same birthday. On top of the two in-law birthdays, Scott's grandmother's birthday is in Aug, my mother's birthday is in Aug (TODAY), my cute nephew Van's birthday was yesterday and I had two children almost exactly ten years apart in this most celebratory month! 1994 and 2004.

Phew.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a shout to all my people and wish them the happiest of happy birthdays, especially since we cannot manage to get cards out on time! We love you guys and will do better next year.

My August baby stats:

Oliver- born at 10 something in the morning... crazy hard labor and delivery, like 20 hours... with the help of forceps... 9lbs, 6oz and 22" long... most beautiful baby ever! Didn't sleep through the night for the next 5 years.

Sophia- born in the afternoon???... pretty easy labor and delivery, maybe 5 hours... 8lbs, 4oz and 21" long, I think... most high maintenance baby ever! Didn't sleep through the night for the next 5 years.

They love each other so much, it makes me teary.

It's Beginning to Smell a lot Like Christmas

I found an awesome homemaking tip in Martha's incredible September "Special Decorating" issue of MSL. Scented candles can get pretty expensive and be a little heavy as well, righ? Try this instead. Fill a pot or teapot about 3/4 of the way full with water, add orange peel, whole cloves and a cinnamon stick. Bring it to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer. It will fill your house with the most delicious smell and you could probably add some honey and make a spiced tea out of it if you wanted. I'll wait until it's not 150 degrees outside first.

It's easy, inexpensive and it works.

Memory Keeping

I'd rather eat my weight in cheese than do genealogy work. Is this a good thing? Of course not, BUT, I'm lucky my dad really does enjoy it, and my husband's family is on the ball as well.

Something I would enjoy putting together is a family tree. I don't have one and would like to make a few for our home. One for my extended family, one for Scott's and one for our immediate. I don't want them all to look the same, however.

I found the first one (above) on a fun blog, http://www.mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/, and LOVE the 3-D leaves and photos! The little round picture frames are made out of metal labels from a craft store and the leaves are card stock.

These other three are from Martha's blog and are very nice as well. The white lettering on red paper is just that and very simple, but beautiful. You'd have to have really nice handwriting though.

You can download the other two templates from the links below and have printed on the size of paper you want at UPS or Kinko's. This will be a fun fall craft when my kids are in school and would also count for a Personal Progress project. Score!

They would make beautiful Christmas gifts as well. Hmmm....

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/family-trees?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/make-a-family-tree#slide_2

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/family-tree-fan-chart?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/make-a-family-tree#slide_5

DIY

I saw this project on Design Sponge and am in love! The directions are super easy and the results are spectacular, don't you think?! I'd like to make one for the pergola out back. It would be beautiful lit up at night for a BBQ or dinner? I guess it would be a fancy sort of BBQ, but still pretty.

It's just a planter basket, freezer paper and ribbon! Check out the full tutorial here:

http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/08/diy-project-brennas-paper-capiz-shell-chandelier.html

Here Comes the Sun

I am really into the color yellow right now, especially with grey or taupe as the neutral. I haven't really started decorating my house because it's taken a while to actually furnish it! To me, the fun decorating is all about the pillows and the art, the flowers and the lamps... not so much the couches and other necessary furniture. I can't wait to incorporate some strong punches of color.

I love the idea of picking one or two accent colors and going hog wild. Why not paint a mirror yellow, or dining chairs even?

My favorite is the porch photo. We used to have a swing on the side porch of our last house and we used it all the time! Until, that is, the porch was infested with bats and our neighbors' daughter decided to raise bunnies for a 4-H project on the other side of our fence. Yuck! We also found a possum out there once.

Pretty Party

I have 3 birthdays coming up, and was feeling a little out of steam and a lot out of money. I don't want to do anything expensive, but still have fun and be creative for the kids.

Well, I found a link to this page from Lorie's amazing blog, and am again inspired. Those are just strips of material hanging with twinkle lights. I already have both! So, maybe I'll convince one of my girls to scrap the "luau" theme and go with something a little more dreamy and original.... somewhat original anyway!

http://www.ashleymeaders.com/

The Best Meatballs

We bought a half a cow a couple of months ago, and I've been trying to find unique beef recipes since . This meatball recipe isn't really unique or groundbreaking , but it's by far the tastiest recipe I've found!



Italian Meatballs:


1 lbs ground beef
1 lbs ground pork
2 minced cloves of garlic
2 eggs
1 C Romano cheese
1 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 C Italian bread crumbs
1-11/2 C water or milk

salt and pepper to taste

-Mix ingredients, slowly adding the milk/water til the mixture is moist but still "roll able". Heat about 1 C of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs on all sides.


You can serve this with a marinara sauce, with a spicy BBQ dip or plain. You can even serve these meatballs Asian style with some rice, fresh chopped green onion, a drop of chili sauce, wrapped in steamed cabbage leaves. Sounds weird, but tastes so good!

Thankful Thursday

I haven't done one of these "Thankful Thursday" posts in a long time. Why??? It certainly isn't because I'm not "thankful" for the blessings in my life, but the 10-15 minutes of blogging I give myself a day doesn't allow for any deep thoughts. In the last 4 months or so, the rest of my time is taken up with my calling, my family and trying to get myself on some kind of a routine. While I'm extremely organized in some ways, I'm extremely undisciplined in others!!!

I'm thankful for opportunities to serve. I was called as the YW president a little while back and it's taken me out of my comfort zone for sure! From the full frontal hugs (ack!!!) to the missionary efforts that are necessary parts of this calling, I've become more reliant on the Lord... and it's a good thing. Becoming more spiritually in tune has helped in areas of my life that really needed some boosting... all areas really. Maybe there's hope for me yet.

I'm thankful for my friends. We've been here in Tennessee for over 3 years now and there is not a day that goes by, I don't recognize this blessing in my life. I love it here and for the first time in a very, very long time have a lot of true girlfriends again. Friends I can vent to and know it stays right there without judgement... friends I can call and go shopping with with no notice... friends who invite me to parties and LNO's.... friends who understand who I am and what I believe in. It's nice.

I'm thankful for creative outlets and time. While my blogging has been somewhat superficial, it's nice to have that time to be mindless or feel inspired. School's starting soon and I have so many little projects for the fall. This is what I enjoy and it makes me feel good to create a beautiful environment at home that my family and I can enjoy. Actually, I don't think that's superficial at all.

I'm now over my 15 minute blogging time by 35 minutes, but that's OK. My one pair of athletic shoes disintegrated at camp so I can't exercise anyway!

A Great Movie

Scott and I watched "The Young Victoria" last weekend and it was wonderful! My husband was not particularly excited about it, but after a few weeks of nagging and convincing, he picked it up.... and loved it.

I loved everything about it too. I'm typically not much of a love story fan, but maybe because it's based on a true life love story, it didn't seem cheesy to me. The acting, storyline, costumes, everything was done well. I don't know how accurate all the little details were, but who cares.

So good.


http://www.theyoungvictoriamovie.com/

PS. I thought Emily Blunt was a singer. I'm so out of touch.

Nigella's Pork Chops Served With Gnocchi and a Mustard Cream Sauce

Nigella Lawson made these delicious looking pork chops on TV the other day and I'm dying to try them. If you try them before I do, let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS:
2 pork chops, about 1-pound total weight
2 teaspoons infused oil
1/2 cup hard cider (apple juice can be substituted)
1 tablespoon grain mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream
Gnocchi

DIRECTIONS:

"I love the old French favourites, the sorts that evoke not the supercilious waiter and theatrically removed silvered dome of the big name restaurants, but rather the small town bistro, all warm wood and rough red. This is possibly the easiest route to a proper, filling and yet strangely delicate dinner. The pork is cooked for just enough time to take away pinkness but ensure tenderness within, and gloriously scorched without. The mustard, cider and cream add comfort and piquancy. To soak up the gorgeous juices, and to serve as a fantastically quick time potato substitute, I serve up gnocchi alongside. You could always add a little lemony fennel, sliced thinly, or a green salad if you're in the mood.


Cut the fat or rind off the chops, and then bash them briefly but brutally with a rolling pin between 2 pieces of cling film/plastic wrap to make them thinner. Heat the oil in a pan, and then cook the chops over a moderately-high heat for about 5 minutes a side. Remove them to a warmed plate. Pour the cider into the pan, still over the heat, to deglaze the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute or so then add the mustard and stir in the cream. Let the sauce continue cooking for a few minutes before pouring over each plated pork chop. If you're having gnocchi with, make sure you turn them in the pan to absorb any spare juices before adding them to your plates."

UPDATE: Made these on the 2nd of August, and they were fabulous! A couple of changes, double the sauce and add a few splashes of lemon juice with the apple cider, since we're not using "hard cider".... it gives it a little kick.

Good Question

Earlier today, this question on Lorie's blog, "How Many Yards of Fabric do I Need to Reupholster?" took my breath away. I was thrilled to find a very basic tutorial link and diagram. Any sewer knows what a pain it is to try and figure out how much fabric to buy when reupholstering a piece of furniture, especially when the fabric you've fallen in love with is super expensive even on "sale". http://bedifferentactnormal.blogspot.com/

I then followed the link to the tutorial where I found a FABULOUS giveaway. So fabulous in fact, that while I was typing my comment to enter, the comment count went from 350 something to over 440! Crazy.... and yet I'm still hopeful. I really want those pillows.

http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/

I also found a couple of other inspiring blogs and a few projects I may want to tackle at a later date. Of course, I still have a few projects of my own to finish as well! Right now I'm getting ready to cut my own stencils (not the goofy, country kind) and make some simple slipcovers (also not the goofy, country kind) for my dining chairs. If all goes well, I'll post some pictures!

I Love...

SARAH RICHARDSON's SHOW, SARAH's HOUSE!!! Now that LOST is no more, this is my new obsession.

Sarah's house is the second series of hers that I'm completely addicted to. In season 3, she completely re hauled a beautiful old farm house, almost stripping every inch to the lathe, rebuilding, and putting on a charming addition as well. This is the best season so far because of her use of bold colors and the beautiful antiques she was able to incorporate, without looking too stuffy. Here are just a few of the rooms...

Her mudroom is fabulous. She added two closets and a faux antique buffet. I love the pop of red! My only criticism is, I would have put a half bath in one of those closets, even if it meant a smaller space in between. It's always good to have a place to wash up when coming in.

This yellow and white room has totally inspired me to use bright yellow. I'm redoing a bathroom and have decided to do a bright, funky shower curtain. It'll be really cheery against the dark walls.

Her kitchen is so airy and clean looking! Again, her juxtaposition of old and new is perfectly balanced and her pendants are lovely. Ms. Richardson is absolutely the queen of fabulous light fixtures. She loves to rewire vintage pieces, and her choices in this house especially, are flawless.

Pretty boy and girl rooms, and an even prettier hallway would make waking up a joy! It's also so much easier to clean up when things are organized and nice looking. Why???

This is such a charming bathroom, and now that I see this shower curtain again, I may have to just copy! Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, right?!

http://www.hgtv.ca/sarahshouse/default.aspx

Easy Microwave Treat

Cashew Brittle:

Mix 1C sugar with 1/2C white Karo syrup. Microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. Add 1,1/2C cashews. Microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. Add 1T. butter and 1tsp vanilla. Microwave for 1,1/2 minutes. Remove and stir in 1 tsp of baking soda and pour onto a buttered cookie sheet. Cool and break up. This is so delicious and easy! It's a perfect thank you gift or last minute party treat. Try it!

(You may have to adjust the times, depending on your microwave!)

City by the Lake

The weather in Chicago was perfect and the city just glittered against the sun and beautiful blue sky! We enjoyed a boat tour that took us out to Lake Michigan and walked around for a couple of hours, just exploring a bit. If it wasn't for the couple of minutes we lost Spencer, it would have been a perfect day!

We of course had to do the annoying touristy stuff like cruise Michigan Ave and shop a bit... all my idea. There weren't really any shops that you couldn't find in a nice suburban shopping mall, but everything was so much more exciting. Being on the 3rd floor of Crate and Barrel was kind of scary because of the open escalators and the sunglasses at Banana Republic were extra stylish!

The famous Billy Goat Tavern had delicious cheezborgers and cokes... no Pepsi. A customer behind us made the mistake of asking for chips, and was told, "Get them yourself, I'm not your mother!"

I loved learning about the famous buildings and skyscrapers, but was especially excited about the 80's movie references, like Adventures in Babysitting, Ferris Bueller's, The Untouchables, etc. I have to admit though, every time we go to Chicago I think of the movie Candyman and get a little creeped out.... Cabrini-Green, yuck.