Trust Me….

I love to blog.  I really do, really!  I like to talk, well write, and I like to encourage women to be homemakers.  To try new things. To not be afraid. To embrace whatever level of “homemaker” they can.  So here I am again.  

Being a box person I just made myself a schedule of what to blog and when.  We’ll see!

Monday will be design day

Tuesday craft day

Wednesday cleaning day

Thursday cooking day

Friday shopping day.

There it is!  And form now on I refuse to capitalize.  That’s my policy and I’m stickin’ to it!  

 

And just for laughs… I am sitting in the library with my kids and I have this piece of hair that won’t go down….

With you…

I have so much to share!  I have been cooking, crafting, entertaining, and cleaning a lot lately… I promise some good stuff soon!  Thanks for not giving up on me!

Kitchens

There are three thing I LOVE when it comes to kitchens. White anything (it just looks so clean), subway tile and wainscoting. Check these out friends!

Neutral palette, new cabinetry and fixtures mixed with salvage and antique looking accessories. And did you notice the ceiling? Can you say character?

The high contrast here gives a more modern feel while still using very traditional style cabinetry and fixtures. I love how the very minimal reds and greens accomplish so much and bring great interest to the space.

We don’t get to see much of this one, but do you see that window? Who wouldn’t love doing dishes while gazing out that! Yummy!

Here is another space we don’t get much of, but isn’t this a fun idea? And talk about frugal… use your dish ware as decoration! This is a great example of functional accessorizing and the mix of green and blue really caught my eye.

All white cabinetry, traditional style, SUBWAY TILE, with that fabulous lighting fixture… divine!

Oh, my… This one is amazing. Again, all white cabinetry, not quite subway tile but the odd shape, sheen and coloring really stood out to me. The contrast from the traditional cabinetry and oven hood and the lines of the table, mixed with the informal white slipcovered chairs to finish it off, beautiful.

I saved the best for last. We still have the all white palette, but there are two things that get me- that back wall and the floors. The floors are a diamond pattern done in white and cherry, they scream character, originality and style. That back wall is so amazing to me because it has so much architectural detail in it. Those windows are spectacular, they are then framed in with moldings and then surrounded by wainscoting. It feels so open and airy, looks comfortable enough for conversation, and the breeze that would come through those french doors combined with the sunlight might make guests never want to leave!

Breakfast

I had a breakfast this morning for some of the Mom’s whose kids are at the local VBS this week. It was a good time, filled with laughs and good eats. Here are the recipes I tried this morning. Links provided, all from allrecipes.com…

Good Old Fashion Pancakes:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the recipe.

Feta Eggs:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent. Pour in eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally to scramble. When eggs appear almost done, stir in chopped tomatoes and feta cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until cheese is melted.

I added garlic and 3 cloves of minced garlic

Banana Crumb Muffins:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Floor Cleaning Update!

Oh my, Oh my!!! I am smitten with vinegar and water… it worked amazingly! My floors have never looked better. My husband even made a comment that he could feel the difference on his feet, that the floor felt smoother.

I put @ 3″ of warm water in a bucket, added 1 cup of vinegar and dumped in a bunch of rags (old dish cloths). I cleaned a section of the floor, with the grain, and then retired that cloth. On to the next. It took me about 10 cloths and 30 minutes to clean 1200 square feet. Not bad for a beautiful floor!

So I will save myself the $6.99 I usually spend on the cleaner (I’ll save $21 per year- hey every little bit counts!) , and use an environmentally safe, chemical free product! I feel so green…

Summer Looks For Summer Fun

Tips for summer looks for backyard BBQ’s, nights out on the patio of your favorite restaurant, walks on the beach, summer weddings and get aways… great finds….

This is a great look for an informal outdoor party.  This dress:

These shoes from Payless:

Add this sweater for a punch of color and light coverage for the nighttime breeze:

Try this dress for a night out:

Dare to wear the red wedge:

Another casual dress:

Are you kidding me with these?  Could they be any cuter?

A few wedding looks.  This dress:

These shoes:

Or this, this is my favorite “look”:

With these fabulous, amazing, adorable, sassy shoes:

All of these items are done on a “homemaker” budget.  The most expensive is the last pair of shoes.

Apron

I made this apron last week. It was really fun. It has been a long time since I have done anything for “fun” in my creative realm. Love it. I find myself wearing an apron quite frequently these days while I am cleaning, cooking and working around the house. I figured, if I want to wear an apron, it may as well be a cute one. I had a great time picking out all the fabrics, and coming up with the design as i went along.

If “free style” sewing projects aren’t your thing, try a pattern. Aprons make great host gifts or presents for your domestic friends and family. Add a cookbook for bigger occasions. (you could even do a collection of your own favorite recipes and have it made through allrecipes.com.)

Thank You Cards

For those of you who don’t know, I run an Interior Design/Soft Goods Design (drapes, bedding, ect.) out of the house. I love the flexibility, the ability to be creative, and still being able to stay home with my family. I also love that I get to talk with other ADULTS about one of my passions, design.

One thing I have always wanted to do is send “Thank You” cards to my clients for their business. It eats me up that I don’t. So, I decided to make handmade cards, that would reflect my creative abilities, to send.

Here is how they turned out:

They will also be the driving force behind my new company branding I asked my husband for! Time for a re-fresh!

Sunday Deals

I did some light grocery shopping yesterday.  I went to the 99¢ store and Fresh N’ Easy.  Wanted to share some of the deals I found with you!

At the 99¢ Store they had Dole Strawberries, Chris and Pitt’s BBQ sauce (one of my favorites!), banana’s and red peppers in 2 packs.

Fresh N’ Easy had Jet Dry 8 oz. for $1.99 and their store brand kettle chips for 89¢ (I stocked up as they are the perfect size for an on the go snack, or a trip to the beach).  They had an import beer, 12 bottles for $4.99.  I decided it couldn’t hurt to try… and it wasn’t that bad.  It is called “Taurino “.  Probably not an entertaining beer, but for a Saturday afternoon by the pool, it wasn’t all that bad.  It is comparable to other Mexican import beers, but maybe a little lighter.  I also noticed that they had men’s Speed Stick deodorant for $1.81 regular price.

Found any deals lately?

Interior Design P2

Here is another great space. Yet again, we have a neutral background that solidifies the design. The walls, wainscoting and paint and the bedspread are all white or cream. Then to add visual interest there are brown draperies that do a really good job adding depth and interest to the space. The brown is them repeated with throw pillows on the bed. Another focal point is the lavender pillows on the bed. They add another area of visual interest without drawing too much attention to themselves. Then the bedding is finished off with taupe euro pillows and a throw at the end of the bed. While the artwork above the bed is floral, it has more of a graphic touch than you would find in a shabby chic worn oil painting, thus keeping with the cleaner look.

I think this design would accommodate a couple who didn’t want things too contemporary yet clean, comfortable, serene, with a feminine touch without being “girly flowery”.

How to accomplish something like this on a budget?

Try these drapes, this bedspread, euro shams like these, this throw, artwork like this or this, pillows like these, these, or these, an ottoman like this, end tables like this or maybe this (one of each creates more interest!) and lamps like these (they are amazing!).

If wainscoting isn’t in the budget, just paint a soft white to the desired height, light tan above, and add a chair rail instead.

Good luck!