acrylics & icing

Thrifty Thursday & the one that got away

2014-08-07T21:28:00.001-04:00

As any of you Craigslist-ers, yard sale-ers, and thrift-ers out there know, this hunt can be hit-or-miss. I can search Craigslist for a month to no avail, then BAM! This happens.

I had a "bam" moment recently that I feel inclined to tell you about. I've been searching for a dresser for the dining room (you know, a buffet, or whatever), and suddenly one afternoon I came across this:

That's right. This. Magnificent Mid Century Modern beauty. For 50 bucks. The stars had aligned, the clouds opened up and a beam of light shown down on me sitting in front of my computer screen. And I'm pretty sure I heard angels singing, too. I almost pulled a finger muscle hitting the "reply" button so fast.

Then I realized the beam of light had actually been shining on some other lucky a-hole. Someone had beat me to it. I wanted to cry. Like a young, spoiled child.

But don't think I didn't get back up on that horse. Like a gambling addiction at one of those quarter pusher machines, I became obsessed. Furiously searching Craigslist, I decided this unfortunate situation would NOT happen again! (stomping foot and shooting fist into the air).

On the bright side, I did manage to rake in a handful of other bargains that are attempting, unsuccessfully, to fill the void left by my dresser (yes, mine).

Exhibit A. Hello, little cabinet. I nabbed this guy for $40- probably more than I should have spent looking back, but I was rebounding, people.

He's a little worse for the wear, so a paint job is in order.

I plan to put him where the little grey cabinet is under the window in this picture. Then the dresser will go under the chalkboard.

I also snagged this sweet quilt at a neighbor's moving sale. I bought 6 dresses and 2 pairs of earrings from her for $8 (because when you're as freakishly small as I am and you find anything remotely cute at a good price that fits, you buy that ish). She tossed in the quilt. Fo' free. Whoop whoop!

The last addition is this ginormous beast of a trunk. It had seen better days when I bought it. A couple of boards were loose, and the trim on the lid was coming off. But as mentioned, it's gargantuan. And only 20 bucks.

A little hole-drilling and nailing got this baby into workable shape. I've been considering a paint job, but I'm kinda digging the beat up, rustic look. At any rate, it holds a ton of blankets, which until now were kept in giant crates in the office. Also, don't mind that crater coming from beneath the window. The glories of old-home-ownership.

I did spot this great MCM sofa as well, not long after the dresser catastrophe. A bargain at $90, and new upholstery would make it a beaut. It didn't really "get away". I actually emailed the person selling it, had plans to reupholster it myself (oh yea, and learn how to reupholster a couch, because that's also important), and was figuring out a way to haul the thing back to our house. Then my brain came out of hibernation, smacked me in the face, and asked me why in the heck I would buy a couch. I freaking love our fantastic Chesterfield. And I no longer have an extra 3000 square feet of space to just... fill. Poo.

So what about you? Any celebration-worthy finds recently?

Going Meat-Free: My Top 10 Vegetarian Recipes

2014-07-09T19:30:00.001-04:00

If you've seen any of the recipes I've posted the past couple of years, you may have noticed a lack of meat. I do eat seafood, but the word "pescatarian" makes me feel like an enormous snob, so we'll just say I don't eat mammals. Or animals with feet. Or snakes. I guess this is why there's a word for this diet.

Most people assume I've cut out meat for nutrition reasons, but in reality, I think meat-containing diets can absolutely be healthy. And actually, vegetarian diets can be a really bad idea if you don't know what you're doing.

When Will and I both hopped on board the meat-free wagon, it was a huge challenge at first. The biggest challenge was figuring out what the heck I was going to make for dinner! All of my old recipes had meat in them! I think many people (my previous self included) have the idea that every meal has to be centered around meat. It sounds silly, but I seriously had no idea how good food could be without it. I can honestly say there's not a single old meat-containing recipe I like better than any of the food I make now. And it's a lot cheaper, actually. Meat is expensive! After experimenting with a lot of recipes, I've compiled a pretty solid set of go-to recipes. Will calls it the "All-Star List".

Since I've had several people ask for vegetarian recipe advice, and I tooootally know how hard it can be to try the meat-free route, I thought I'd post a list of some of my favorites. I post a lot of my own recipes here, or some that I've found and altered, but unless you follow me on Pinterest, a lot of them are never mentioned. And even some of the Pinterest recipes I've tried have been duds.

So without further ado, here are some go-to recipes for meat-free folks... or if you're just looking to cut back on food expenses. Enjoy!

1. Edamame Fried Rice

This is a much healthier take on the standard Asian takeout. With a boost in fiber from brown rice and only a tablespoon of canola oil (packed with unsaturated fats- the "good" fats), this is a guilt-free, meat-free way to enjoy Asian fare.

2. Spring Pesto Tortellini
This recipe from Prevention RD (Nicole rocks!) is perfect served with white wine on a hot day. Pesto pretty much rules my world in the summertime, and paired with crisp asparagus, it's incredibly refreshing!

Photo from Prevention RD

3. BBQ Black Bean Pizza
One of my favorite summer recipes, this pizza is fantastic on the grill! Sweet corn and black beans with the smokiness from barbecue sauce is an unexpected and delicious combination.

4. Black Bean Enchiladas
I have yet to find a better Mexican recipe than these black bean avocado enchiladas. It's the perfect combo of veggies, protein and fiber-packed black beans, and enchilada sauce... My mouth is seriously watering.

Some tips:

I love using whole wheat tortillas for these to get additional fiber.
While these are unbelievably tasty, I've found they're not nearly as good as leftovers (we're talking about soggy tortillas here, my friends). In other words, these would be best served to a larger group, or use a smaller baking dish and make fewer of them if it's just for two people.

Photo from Creme de la Crumb

5. Coconut Curry
Feeling like Indian tonight? This is the simplest recipe ever. The curry sauce is delicious, and like many of the recipes above, it makes enough to serve all your favorite people!

Photo from Detoxinista

6. Grilled Eggplant Burger
Can you tell I'm in summer-mode?! This is another favorite grill-able meal. Did you ever guess you could still grill as a vegetarian? Forget the burgers guys, the thinly sliced eggplant with fresh basil, tomato, and onion is crazy good. Toast the buns on the top rack for an added delish-factor!

7. Avocado & White Bean Wraps
Adobo chiles are the secret to the yum-level here. Not only are these things tasty and filling, but you don't feel like a beached whale after eating them. Plus, they're simple enough to make when it's Monday and the motivation is nonexistent.

Photo from Eating Well

8. Greek Lasagna
While this Greek Lasagna is the best cold weather soul food I could imagine, I've been known to make it year-round. Even my meat-loving family back in Indiana digs this stuff! It's especially fabulous for serving a large group of people or for tasty lunch leftovers the next day (and the day after that, and the day after that!).

9. Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Cheese. Need I say more? You won't need dessert (or another meal for 24 hours) after eating these bad boys. Decadent should be in the name of this sandwich. Yummy... in... my tummy.

Photo from Joy the Baker

10. Portobello, Broccoli, & Red Pepper Melts
Oh Martha, you've still got it. These may look like just an appetizer, but thick sliced portobello mushrooms mixed with veggies and cheese makes this a surprisingly filling dish. Another perfect dinner to throw together after a long day of work. Pair with wine. Obviously.

Photo from Martha Stewart.

How It's Looking- A living/dining room update

2014-07-07T20:51:00.000-04:00

Did everyone have a fabulous fourth of July?! I still can't believe it's mid-year already. We spent our day biking (at the crack of dawn when it's still possible to breathe outside), "swimming" (AKA bobbing around in a pool without actually exerting any energy), eating/drinking with pals, and enjoying fireworks and the extended hours of Crescent City Park on the Mississippi. Don't worry, I won't be sharing photos of various fireworks. But I will share this:

Aaaanyway, it's time for another house update. I think the last time I photographed the main part of the house was at Christmas. Also, we've been sliding small updates in, not mentioning them, and pretending like no one will notice.

For instance, we painted the dining room and kitchen, as well as all the trim near the crown molding. Did anyone notice the walls suddenly weren't yellow anymore in this post? I think it helps tone down the "everything around me is yellow" factor. The cream cabinets, yellow ceiling, yellow walls, and yellow trimming between the molding was making me pine for something blue-toned in my life.

Yes, the ceiling is still yellow. Uggggghhhhhhhhh. Sorry. Every time I think about painting a ceiling it makes me groan for extended periods and feel like I might vomit. It may be a while before we tackle that beast.

We've got a few new pieces of art hanging out in the living room these days. The two larger pieces are mixed watercolor and ink by Geza Brunow- his stuff is awesome. Check out his "Kings" pieces. They make me smile so much!

Then we balanced out the fancy schmancy art with some pieces that are more tolerable to the Arvin budget. The top piece we acquired for $2 (!!!) from a guy who lives nearby and doodles little pen on paper pieces like this all the time. The bottom right is a postcard-style advertisement for the Tennessee Williams Festival we picked up at a performance of Night of the Iguana at a warehouse in the Marigny.

Here's the 2-buck doodle a little closer:

Remember when I mentioned how bright the 60W bulb seemed in this fixture I pieced together? I switched it out for a 40W. It was a good move. I also love the shape. Ooh lala!

I've gotten into the habit of picking up flowers every week, and it's fantastic. Flowers make me happy. So do ice cream, chocolate, and cake. Keep that in mind, friends. My birthday is nearing.

You may have noticed (above) the little cabinet to the left of the window. It was a Craigslist find we snagged for $50 a few weeks ago. Plans are to paint it. More on that soon.

So what have you been up to? Any home-updates on the to do list?

Outer Beauty

2014-06-12T07:57:00.004-04:00

Have I really not posted anything about the backyard yet? Let's have a glass of wine and check it out, shall we?

Fortunately when we bought the house, the backyard was in pretty good shape. Here's what it looked like:

The landscaping layout was already in place, the whole thing was fenced, and the deck had been built. We also inherited a barge wood table and outdoor chairs, which has been perfect for entertaining.

Here's what it looks like now:

String lights, lanterns, and an outdoor rug have made it a bit cozier.

I know what you're thinking about that picture above. Jackie's looking very regal. Here's another regal shot.

We also mulched, added some extra plants, and stained/sealed the deck. After 12-hour car rides, staining decks is 2nd in my list of "things I wish could be done when I snap my fingers".

Here's what the deck looked like last month (I don't know why Jackie always seems to be standing over there when I'm taking pictures):

Penelope the Palm Tree is lookin' sexy in the corner.

And check out the new garden! Doesn't it look like I actually know what I'm doing? Turns out everything grows like madness down here. This is just after a massive basil harvest that got us 3 large batches of pesto. Yay, pesto! Boo to eating so much in one sitting I have to lie down to avoid throwing up (Yes, that happened to me this week.).

This is what it looked like about 6 weeks ago:

I get these wild hairs and feel like I want to plant every vegetable known to man, then I remember that the drive to care for plants only strikes me every now and then.... so I need to start small.

Not surprisingly, the mint is taking over like a pug in a Dingo factory.

I started these babies from seeds, folks! Woop woop! If only I had a cow and the knowledge to make cheese. I'd be eating Caprese everything until the end of time. You can check out a whole bunch of ways to eat tomatoes, basil, & mozz together here, by the way. Yummy to my tummy.

We've loved using the backyard for drinks, dinner, and game nights in the evenings. Ain't she a real beaut'?!

So, what's left on the to-do list back here?

~~Add some lighting for evening entertaining.~~
~~Start a small vegetable/herb garden.~~
~~Get a palm tree. Because we can.~~
~~Stain the deck.~~
Seal the fence (uuuuggggghhh).
Sand and re-stain the barge wood table.
Replace the single door to the laundry room and French doors to our bedroom. We might as well have cardboard propped in the doorways. The doors are not efficient. At all.
DIY a pergola over the deck, where the bistro table and chairs are.
Take out the pea gravel and replace it with brick- We started out really liking the gravel, but it's pretty obnoxious after a while. For one, it's really uncomfortable to walk in. With shoes on, it feels like I'm walking in sand, and barefoot it feels like.... well, like I'm walking in gravel. Second, we have brick along the sides of our house and in a little patch near the center of the fence. It looks sooo pretty when it's all rustic and mossy.
Paint the trim a different color. We've actually already done this out front- I'll be sharing that shortly.
Get a whole bunch of chickens and give them all "old lady" names! Okay, this one will probably be on the back burner for a while...

Clearly, we have a long way to go. Let's end on a positive note:

I DIYed a light fixture and didn't electrocute myself!

2014-06-05T18:19:00.000-04:00

Come basque in the glory of successful wiring with me, my friends. Perhaps you think connecting a white and black wire into the proper places on a lamp is child's play, but to me, it feels like I missed my calling at becoming an electrician. I want to wire and rewire ALL the lamps!

Anywho, it all started when Will and I were complaining to each other about how dark one corner of the living room is. We have lamps in 2 corners, the TV in a 3rd, and then there's the corner dark enough to be a make-out corner at a middle school dance. And because I don't want anything shady (pun) going on around here, I set out on a light search.

The space isn't big enough for a table and lamp, and a floor lamp would be awkward, so I knew it would have to mount to the wall. I've always drooled over these fantastic light fixtures that only people much wealthier than I can buy:

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Being willing to spend much less money on a light fixture than these require, I started considering a DIY option. I'd seen a lot of basic single light cords, like this one from IKEA, so I knew there had to be a way to rig something up. I didn't like the simplistic look of everything I found on the internet though. I was hoping for something more... vintage.

Then, the wonderful Michael at Inspired by Charm wrote this post with some extremely helpful info about where to buy separate light sockets and cords. Clearly he picked up on my stuck-in-a-DIY-situation brain waves. I ordered the antique bronze cloth covered lamp cord and the antique brass lamp socket on eBay, then found a wall mount pulley for $14.50 on eBay as well.

Everything came in the mail a few days later looking a little like this:

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Saturday morning while Will was running around the neighborhood being fit, I sat with coffee and bonbons (ok, maybe just coffee) and started wiring the cord to the light socket. I Googled some videos that showed me where to put the hot and neutral wires (so as not to electrocute myself or burn down the house), and had the thing together in about 20 minutes. I will not be held responsible for anyone who electrocutes/shocks themselves or burns their house down... thus, I won't be demonstrating how the wiring is done.

Next, I took off the wheel of the pulley, thread the cord through, and put it back together.

To keep the cord in place (so the light won't sink lower and lower from the pulley after it's hanging), I used a bit of fishing wire to tie it to the base of the pulley.

I screwed in one of the 60 watt old-school lightbulbs that are all the rage these days, then the last step was mounting it to the wall. Boom.

It's quite nice having more light in the living room at night. Plus those vintage bulbs give off such warm light, it makes everything feel cozier.

After using it a lot, I'm considering getting a 40 watt bulb instead, so it doesn't burn my retinas when I stare adoringly at it. We'll see.

What do y'all think? Anyone else on the hunt for new lighting these days?

Because We Don't Like Eating on the Floor

2014-04-29T20:06:00.002-04:00

Fear not, friends and neighbors! The days of standing around the kitchen bar are over. We finally have a central gathering spot for game nights, snacking, and swooning. Okay, I'm probably the only one doing the swooning. But can you blame me? I've been pining for a reclaimed wood table for quite a while, and here it is in the flesh!

I mentioned here that I sold our previous Craigslist table. On Craigslist. So when Upcycle rolled up with this beaut, I was practically lying on it as they carried it in. I had no idea how much I would miss having a table for 4 weeks. Sure it's great for eating dinner on, but where else would I put piles of mail and knick-knacks to gather for weeks in a huge chaotic mess?

You may also notice the bright yellow chair in your face. We grabbed that on Craigslist for $20. And the stool on the other side was another Craigslist find for just 5 bucks. I like having it as an extra seat, in case we have more than 8 around the table.

The rusty metal base was originally part of an old work bench, we think.

Then came these guys. Two of these transparent chairs were listed on... you guessed it... Craigslist, for $25 each. Since I was planning on selling 2 of the 4 woven IKEA chairs for $25 each, it was basically an even trade.

Here's the full set, jiving happily together around the new dining table. I plan to toss a couple faux sheepskins over the transparent chairs when I get a chance to order them. You may recall that we had one on the living room rug. After one delightful Jackie GI explosion, the crisp white fuzzy piece was history. You're welcome for that great image I just created in your head. So for now, the purple scrap fur has it.

I've been a little scarce here lately, but hoping to make a greater appearance this summer. Life is busy. Have you noticed? So come back soon. And in the meantime, go outside. Spring is here!

Wine (& other delights) in SF

2014-04-15T08:10:00.001-04:00

Thanks to a fabulous bargain on Southwest flights and one very hospitable friend, we were able to take a long weekend trip to San Francisco this month. I hadn't been before, but the city has made my "favorites" list fo sho. I'm still infatuated with New Orleans, but I may have a wild fling with San Francisco from time-to-time, too.

Our first morning started with a ferry ride and tour on Alcatraz Island. I'm not usually into audio tours, but this one was pretty great. Plus the weather was gaw-geous.

It's kind of spooky, right?! Maybe if I had photo shopped some storm clouds in...

Alcatraz library.

After the tour, then meandering around the city a bit, we got dolled up and headed to Treasure Island for a Dinner Lab event. If you're not familiar, you should be! Gourmet food, tasty drinks, fun venues, plus an excuse to meet new people.

The next day we ventured outside the city to wine country. First things first though... Golden Gate photo ops. The selfie was not a success.

Better?

P.S. The breeze is responsible for this puffed-up dress look... no baby under there, Mom.

On the way to Sonoma County, we stopped at Hog Island for raw and barbecued oysters. It's a fun, laid back outdoor restaurant where you can BYO wine, snacks, etc. and shuck oysters with pals. Apparently the oyster-shucking requires advance reservations. Since even watching oysters being shucked makes me feel faint, I wasn't too disappointed. I know. I need to toughen up.

A windy and scenic drive led us from oyster paradise to Bella Wine Caves in Healdsburg. We sampled a handful of complimentary wines with our friend slash wine member extraordinaire, and I daydreamed about hitting the lottery and buying a vacation home next door. It wouldn't be a bad life. My lack of picture-taking at the vineyard is shameful. I guess this means we'll be making another trip!

We spent nearly the whole day in Sonoma, then got up early for coffee and another San Francisco exploration. Fly Wheel Coffee Roasters has siphoned coffee. Fancy pants.

I could walk around the Haight for hours, checking out the shops and houses. I'll take another vacation home here, please.

Following a good walk, we rented bikes on Haight St. and rolled leisurely through the park to the beach. Access to wine country and beach? Give me a break, San Franciscans.

The rest of our time was spent catching up with friends and trying new food/drinks in the area. Memorable, but no share-worthy pictures to be had.

Thanks to our fantastic neighbors who wrangled the pugs while we were gone, and our awesome pal who gave us a bed and some invaluable tips during our visit!

Anyone else pulling a mini-vacay soon? Even if you love where you live, every now and then there's nothing better than taking a few days to escape to somewhere new!

Thrifted Kilim Rug

2014-04-01T15:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I browse through a thrift shop and leave completely empty-handed. Other times, I find a cute pair of champagne coupes. Or the perfect piece for a Mardi Gras costume. Or an inexpensive terrarium jar.

Then, there's the rare occasion when I hit. The. Jackpot.

And I celebrate in a fashion that looks similar to this.

What makes me dance uncontrollably under a spraying bottle of champagne, you ask? Okay, there's usually not champagne. But I can't help but do a little jig when I find something like this. Meet Kilim rug. From Goodwill, no joke. He's been walked on a lot in his day (and he's a little wrinkly in these pictures), but I adore his every flaw.

You may remember our previous rug... from Lowe's originally. It can be seen in a million old posts, but here's a glimpse of it in our old apartment, in case you don't remember:

Worked well for our house in Indy, and I actually still liked it. I just really wanted some color. And this new fella does it for me.

Since I didn't have another good spot for the old traditional rug, it got a new home via Craigslist. And this guy took over the dining room.

Last weekend we finally got our reclaimed dining table, by the way. I can't wait to show you what it looks like on this sweet rug!

So what about you? Any great thrift shop finds these days?!

A Budget-Friendly Display

2014-03-25T21:32:00.002-04:00

We've been fortunate to host some of our friends and family since our move south, many of which are able to stay longer than just a weekend. Because they're usually looking for something to do while we're at work, we've been wanting a way to display our suggestions. We've collected a hefty stack of brochures for tours and activities, but let's be honest, it's mostly about the food, drinks, and socializing here.

I thought about painting a list of our recommendations onto canvas, but there are constantly new restaurants and bars popping up. And our favorites change quicker than it takes Kirb to run from bed to dish at dinnertime. He's hefty, but can really move when it's time to feed. So we decided on something less permanent.

We started by searching thrift shops and Craigslist for a large, chunky frame. Turns out it's hard to find one on the cheap. Anything I spotted that fit my liking was over $100. Right. So I figured it was time to think outside the box. With some loot from Lowe's and my own stash at home, I took a less traditional route to get this 2-foot by 3-foot chalkboard creation for less than $35! Woop woop!

Here's the end product:

I guarantee Pinterest is already teeming with this idea, but here's the how-to for my version.

I bought two 10-foot foam trim pieces from Lowe's for about $15 each. They had several styles, but I chose a wider version for a sturdier look. I think it's about 3" wide. Wood trim would've worked well too, but I liked the idea of the foam being so lightweight. Our paint situation is looking pretty ridiculous (we're talking big grocery sacks full of paint samples I've collected over the years), so I already had chalkboard paint and a sample tub of red satin paint that happened to be from the front door. I also busted out some Frog Tape, Liquid Nails, mini foam roller, paint brush, tape measure, ruler, and miter box and handsaw- all of which I had on hand.

You can probably tell by the lighting that I took this after dark.
It was daylight savings time, people.

The first thing I did was tape off the area on the wall where I wanted the chalkboard. I decided on 2' x 3' for the inside dimensions of the frame, so I taped off an area just slightly larger to make sure I had some leeway with frame placement.

Then I rolled on my chalkboard paint. It ended up taking 3 coats to get a nice, solid black.

Next, I used my handsaw to cut two 2-foot pieces and two 3-foot pieces of trim. These would be the top/bottom and sides of my frame. I used a little sandpaper to smooth out the edges.

After wiping them down (sawing the foam gets a little messy), I layered on the red satin paint with a brush. I added the first two coats, then used Liquid Nails to connect the pieces end-to-end to form a frame. I ended up slathering on one last coat once the frame was together, just to make sure all the nooks and crannies were covered.

Once everything was dry, I attached the frame to the wall with Command Strips, cut in half lengthwise. The advantage of making a frame that weighs no more than a pound!

Boom! So easy and inexpensive!

Here's the completed version with our latest restaurant/bar/music recommendations. You can see we've already made some changes- every time we turn around there's a new place to add to the list!

A New (Door) Face

2014-03-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

I won't waste any time building up to this announcement... The front door is complete! It shouldn't be big news, but this project was moving at tortoise-speed due to all the Mardi Gras festivities. It's been over 2 months since I first asked for opinions on plans for this guy, so I got my act together to show you what we decided.

Let's rewind to what we started with. Here's the original plum colored door.

I did some stripping, as you know. The paint kind. Then after several weeks with the rustic looking half-red-half-bare door, I took the plunge. I bought some red paint. Yep. The door got a little rouge. Before I got to painting, it looked like this:

I started by taping off the glass.

Then I added a layer of Kilz primer.

After drying for 24 hours, I painted on the first coat of red. I let each layer dry overnight, and all-in-all it took 3 coats. I'm loving the look!

The trim is pale green, but when it's time to repaint it, we plan to use a different color. Something a little brighter. Maybe periwinkle? Wouldn't that be pretty next to a bright red door?!

This is what it looks like from the inside now (with the nice weather, we nearly always have the door open when we're at home).

Did you happen to notice the front light switcharoo? The original lights were pretty tiny, so we replaced them with some larger, more prominent lights.

Check out the before and after:

Not bad, huh?! So what do you guys think? Was red the right choice?

Sitting On It

2014-03-20T08:16:00.001-04:00

I'm just going to put it all out there. Remember the table and chairs we bought on Craigslist a couple of months ago? We sold them. On Craigslist. No, this was definitely not my original plan. And no, this is not like me to change my mind after making a purchase! I'm the person who hem-haws around for a week before I spend $20 on something- therefore never regretting a purchase. I'm changing, guys. Who AM I?!?!

source

It all started with the decision to replace the original 6 chairs that came with the table. I'd considered it from the beginning, and finally posted them on Craigslist to see what kind of response I'd get. A new neighbor came by to see them shortly after and happened to dig the table, too.

It's generally not my style to sell whatever items in my house visitors show interest in, but truth be told, Will and I had been semi-wishing we'd gotten a table that was just a bit bigger. This is the result of a lot of reminiscing about family dinners and game nights with friends. Then, a couple of weeks after we bought the set on Craigslist, an awesome new shop called Upcycle opened in the Quarter that makes reclaimed tables and other furniture. That's where we bought the fantastic French Horn light I posted about last month. Most of the reclaimed tables we've come across are waaaay more than we'd ever be willing to spend, but this particular shop is very reasonable.

So when our neighbor offered to buy the 6 chairs and the table for the same amount we originally paid, I basically shouted "Sold!" and helped her carry it to her house. That second part is quite true, actually. Carrying a solid table for 2 blocks isn't nearly as easy as I imagined.

In the midst of all this table-selling business, I started to peruse Craigslist in case some wonderful and inexpensive chairs showed up. Sure enough, after just a couple weeks I was quick enough to nab 4 woven IKEA chairs for 25 bucks a pop. My plan is to collect mismatched chairs, but I figured I could easily sell 2 or 3 of these at some point. So the set came home with me...

Then about a week later, I came upon this vintage school chair for $25 at a thrift shop in town. He was pretty grungy, but nothing a good vinegar-scrub couldn't take care of.

I'm contemplating painting it. Maybe a bright yellow for the wood? Or leaving the wood and adding turquoise to the legs? I found a few inspiration chairs floating around in inter-space. Like this from Dot & Bo. Before they sold out, these guys were $265. Holy moly.

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So we're currently with 5 new chairs, sans table. Our dining room is looking a little sparse. Luckily the guys at Upcycle have already started working on a custom table for us. The great part is, we made enough money (back) from the old set and some extra outdoor furniture we sold to pay for the new reclaimed table. Woop woop!

More to come soon!

Sunday Recipe: Rosemary Garlic Bread

2014-03-16T11:32:00.001-04:00

I don't usually post on Sundays, but it's rainy here. And rainy Sundays should be for reading, drinking coffee, and baking, am I right?

I realize it may not be raining where my readers are (AKA my mom and grandma), but I'm pretty sure even dry Sundays should include the activities listed above.

Plus, I just couldn't keep this recipe to myself. Tasty recipes should not be hoarded.

I originally made this bread with olives and kale, snagged from Mama's Italian Cookbook. The bread itself was great, a crusty exterior with a fluffy, perfectly dense inside- but the flavor just didn't turn out like I had hoped. This time around, I used the basic components from the recipe, but subbed out the olives and greens for garlic and rosemary.

The results were aaaaaaah-mazing. Especially when served warm. With butter. Real butter. My mouth is watering. Most people assume because I'm a dietitian that I don't eat ice cream, butter, fried foods, or any other delicious and artery-clogging treats. Truth is, that moderation business everyone spews about all the time? It's true. I also believe in quality over quantity, thoroughly enjoying food, and moments of indulgence. I don't eat butter very often (maybe twice a month), but when I make bread? Heck yes.

Yay butter!

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Apart from the deliciousness factor, this recipe is also fantastic because it's super simple. There's also a good chance that you have all the ingredients on hand. And baking on a rainy Sunday without even leaving the house is pretty much my dream-come-true.

You know, one thing I seem to forget about baking is how specific the measurements need to be. I get used to throwing things together when it comes to cooking. When I bake, I have to check myself before I wreck myself. Or I will wreck myself. And the bread.

The situation can really get sticky when it comes to "sifting"ingredients. The first ingredient below tells you to use sifted flour. You really need to, folks. If sifting will kill you, at least pour the flour from the bag into the measuring cup. Don't scoop the flour out of the bag with the cup. It will pack down, serve up too much flour, and leave you with dry dough.

I was especially excited to use herbs from the garden for this bread. We have an abundance of rosemary in the backyard (FYI, there's finally a post in the making about the yard!), and it'll get out of control before I ever use enough of it. Some of the neighbors are in the same boat. There are rosemary bushes in the neighborhood that are as big as trees. No joke.

Without further ado:

Rosemary Garlic Bread
(Adopted and adapted from the Homemade Olive Bread recipe in Mama's Italian Cookbook)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (plus a bit extra for dusting)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
pinch of sugar
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
4 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
oil for brushing

Directions:

Add the flour to a medium mixing bowl. Form a hole in the middle of the flour, and dump the yeast, salt, and sugar into it. Add the water to the hole as well (lukewarm, to activate the yeast), and knead the ingredients to form a smooth dough. It may be a bit sticky, and that's okay.
Cover the bowl with a clean hand towel, and place in a reasonably warm spot (I usually just sit it next to a turned-on lamp). Let rise for an hour, or until double in size.
Punch down the dough, and knead in the garlic and rosemary until mixed.
Separate the dough into 3 sections, form into loaves, and place on an oiled pan (or one lined with a silicone baking mat). Dust the hand towel with flour, cover the loaves, and let rise for another hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Once the loaves have risen, brush them with oil and toss them in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned on top.
Let cool on a wire rack.*

*Or if you're not patient enough for all that waiting, cut off a chunk and layer on some butter. YUM. It's also delicious with brie cheese, if you're into that.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

First Mardi Gras: The Big Day!

2014-03-11T19:26:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, the weather on Mardi Gras Day could not have been any worse in New Orleans this year. It was 40 degrees and rainy the entire day. What the heck, right?! I guess this is part of that whole "polar vortex" situation I've been hearing about up north. Gross.

Despite mother nature's horrible sense of humor, I was utterly impressed by the Bywater turnout.

The standard large parades always roll on Mardi Gras morning, but for once this Carnival Season, we didn't head out to watch. Instead, we stayed in our neighborhood for "Society of St. Anne", which we'd been hearing so much about from our neighbors. Truth be told, it's not a krewe or even a "society" at all, but really just a huge, fun, and friendly celebration of costumed neighbors that parades through Bywater... Although over the past several decades, I think the parade has attracted more than a few folks from outside the neighborhood.

The costumes are what it's all about! I was overwhelmed looking at all the creative pieces (some works of art, no joke!). We sported homemade outfits, complete with the shoes I made us both, which you may have seen on Instagram or Facebook if you follow me (you can also catch a glimpse of them in the second photo below). Luckily, our awesome neighbors didn't hold back either...

Grainy iPhone picture of the full attire.

I didn't get many pictures once the parade became more dense (it was raining, after all), but I did manage to snag some shots as people began to gather two doors down from our house.

There was very interesting and creative beverage transport.

Seeing all these awesome folks strolling past our house was just about the best thing ever!

And out come the safer-in-rain-than-my-expensive-Canon iPhone photos:

Now for attempting to remove the leftover eyelash glue from my eyelids, and feathers from throughout the house. Glitter removal is a lost cause. Glitter has become a member of our family, and it's not going anywhere.

First Mardi Gras: The Pre-Party

2014-03-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

Our first Mardi Gras has officially come and gone, and it was even better than I thought it could be! We made it to most of the parades, had a lot of great times with friends, and saw the real Mardi Gras scene... which is very different than I think most people imagine.

Just a warning- this post is preeeeetty picture heavy. (I've even got too many pictures for one post, so those from Fat Tuesday itself will come later.)

The season kicked off with Krewe du Vieux, a satirical parade that's known for poking fun at politicians, celebrities, and the media. On the way to watch in the Marigny, Will's vintage New Orleans Jazz t-shirt got him an interview with a couple of Madrid-based reporters.

Police mark the beginning of the parade.

R Bar gallery parade-watchers.

This krewe's floats are smaller than in most Mardi Gras parades, and the members walk alongside.

The following weekends were full of traditional parade-watching.

Families use these ladder contraptions for their kids to see (and catch throws) better. Is this not brilliant (and sort of terrifying)?!

We watched the majority of the parades uptown on Magazine or St. Charles, because most of the crowd is families and primarily New Orleanians. The drunken tourists and crazy spring-breakers don't seem to make it past Canal Street. Or Bourbon Street, for that matter. This is Canal the week before Fat Tuesday.

I only took my camera to a couple of the parades, but here's a smattering of iPhone pictures from the days leading up to Mardi Gras. If you follow on Instagram, you may have seen a few of them already.

Wigs and false eyelashes infiltrated my wardrobe this week.

Uptown is all about family-friendly fun. This is on Magazine Street before Thoth (one of the bigger krewes) rolled.

Yea, that's wig #2.

610 Stompers dance in a lot of parades here. They're known for the short blue shorts, sweatbands, and a large amount of facial hair. These guys get seriously into their moves, and it's pretty hilarious.

Parade-watchers.

Carnival shoes, beads, stray feathers. You know, the usual.

I'll never get enough of the great costumes!

How did everyone else spend their Mardi Gras?! I've heard that other cities have mini-parades and celebrations, which is pretty awesome!

Going Green

2014-02-17T19:49:00.001-05:00

I mentioned before that the holidays have really been a primary focus since we moved in. Apart from smaller updates (like these bookshelves we installed), holiday projects have been nearly the only thing on my mind. I'm not used to the "holiday season" lasting through March! As a result, I'm trying to redirect a bit onto what we want to accomplish in the next few months. Just thinking about painting a wall a few weeks ago made me want to nap, but the inkling to paint and create an overall vision for each room is finally setting in.

With our last two homes, I began painting in the first 24 hours of taking ownership. Literally. So an unpainted house was starting to feel weird. The pale yellow was neutral enough to handle for a time, but I was dying to add some bolder colors. I pretty much had my heart set on green from the beginning. After perusing my Pinterest boards, I discovered I'd been not-so-secretly fawning over green rooms for quite a while. Like the two below...

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When we hit up Sherwin Williams, there were a few different shades we pondered.

Pardon the cell phone picture. This probably
doesn't depict the colors very well...

At first, I thought an olive or avocado color was going to win, which is a bit more yellow than blue. But then I considered more of a "true green" as well. Relentless Olive (not pictured above) and Garden Grove made the cut, and the samples came home with us. I slapped 'em on the wall in a few spots to see what looked best.

Top: Relentless Olive. Bottom: Garden Grove.

Maybe it was the fact that Will referred to Relentless Olive as "baby poop green", or maybe I just dig more of a blue undertone, but Garden Grove came out on top.

Thanks to a 50% off sale Sherwin Williams had right after we bought our house, I had a couple gallons of base paint set aside to have tinted to whatever color we decided on for the living room. What made the whole process even easier was my super fabulous hubby. He painted the whole room, both coats, while I was living it up in Tampa for a bachelorette party. Swoon. My hero!

Because it's been a while, here's what it looked like before.

And here's what I came home to.

Yea. I came home to that beached whale on the couch, too.

The following weekend, we added white between the crown molding and chair rail near the ceiling. See above how it was yellow before?

This is how it looks after adding some white. We still need to touch it up aaaaaand paint the ceiling white. Ugggghhhhhhhh. I'll need to recover from Mardi Gras before tackling that beast.

It's been 70 degrees here, by the way. Therefore, I refused to close the door, even to take these pictures.

Also, nice weather and door open means it's impossible to get pet-free pictures in the living room.

Notice the new poster to the left of the window? It's a Jazz Fest poster from 2004 that we got signed and framed for a bargain. We've made a handful of New Orleans art purchases recently... hopefully I'll get a chance to share more about them at some point.

That rock to the left of the cabinet above? Our "rustic" door stop.

Anyone else making bold changes recently? Even when it's just paint, it's sort of refreshing, right?!

Mardi Gras Prep

2014-02-10T20:00:00.002-05:00

It's Carnival Season, folks! If you read most of the posts here or follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you're already well aware. Holding in excitement isn't something I've mastered yet.

The season technically begins following Twelfth Night (the twelfth day of Christmas, if you will, on January 5th), and lasts until Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Depending on when Easter falls, Fat Tuesday could be as early as the beginning of February, or as late as March. This year it's March 4th. Which means even more time to celebrate the season! It also means Valentine's Day becomes virtually obsolete. Sorry, Cupid.

As it goes for any other holiday, the mood changes a bit in the house. Our first Mardi Gras is all about the homemade.

Exhibit A: Paper "Bon Mardi Gras" flag banner and appropriately colored tissue paper pom poms.

I free-handed letters on yellow sparkly scrapbook paper (way cooler in person than in pictures, obviously), cut them out, and double-stick-taped them to plum colored paper. The edges are lined with green pipe cleaners, hot glued on.

Bywater Musings: Part II

2014-02-05T22:53:00.001-05:00

It's that point in the week when I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And to celebrate, I'm back for another Bywater neighborhood exploration! I could probably do a dozen posts about all the interesting stuff we've found around here... but I'll stop at two for the sake of your interest.

I'll never get enough of the eclectic colors people use so boldly. I'll be that brave, someday. Maybe.

Light it up

2014-02-03T20:18:00.003-05:00

The hunt for new lighting has begun. I feel like we've been down this road before. Again. And again. Aaaaand again. But new digs usually mean new lighting fixtures. Being the bargain-hunting penny pincher I am though, I can't bear to shell out the dough for what I really want.

First, here's what we're dealing with in the dining room currently. A bit "rural", no? It's actually a nice fixture, just not our style.

This is obviously not a current picture- hello, Christmas decor. I couldn't post a recent shot just yet though,
because I've got some new changes to share, first (and soon)!

A House Update: Details

2014-01-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

Seeing as I haven't given a house update since right after we moved in, I think it's time for another peek. Now that the Christmas decor has made its way up to the attic, some of our standard decor is coming out, and the Carnival Season creations are making their debut. The Arvins' "tourist season", as I've started to call it, is just beginning. The guest rooms are booked most weekends through the end of March! I won't have as much time to work on little projects around here, but we're so excited to host great friends and family for the next 2 months!

In the meantime though, let's focus on a bit of normalcy, shall we? Before things get too purple, gold, and green around here, I'll share some pictures of the little details I've been loving so much.

We'll start in the living room. I made the garland for about 5 bucks with wood beads and twine.

Bywater Musings

2014-01-23T19:07:00.000-05:00

It's that time. Time for another neighborhood tour! Woop woop! I feel like I've done this before... again... and again... But when you're a serial mover, you have a lot of 'hoods to explore. So let's get this show on the road.

The Bywater is a historic neighborhood (Surprise surprise, right? Apparently we dig the old houses.) that butts up between the Industrial Canal, the Marigny, and the Mississippi River. Getting accustomed to directions in the city is tricky... it's shaped like a crescent, so the usual grid-style setup in which most cities are arranged doesn't apply here.

As a native New Orleanian book shop owner put it during a discussion the other day, the Bywater has only become a "celebrated" area of the city within the last few years. For a large amount of time it was primarily inhabited by families of low socioeconomic status, which emphasizes my interest in learning the history of the buildings and families that resided here. Unfortunately, it makes it really difficult to actually find any information or photos of the Bywater from its early days. No one wanted to take pictures of (or even write about) a poor neighborhood. It's a shame.

Here's one awesome one from a market that was just down the street from us in 1895:

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Stripping 101: I'm Taking it All Off

2014-01-20T20:04:00.001-05:00

...of the front door, that is. My mother just breathed a sigh of relief.

Ever since we bought this house, we've talked about changing the exterior paint colors. I don't mind the current colors, but once the house tells us it's time for a paint job, we'll probably pick something brighter. My first goal was to paint the front doors a bright red.

Like this place around the corner from us:

The Table Tale

2014-01-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

I sneaked in a shot of our new dining room table in this post about our Christmas decor, but didn't get to share the story of where we found it.

It started with an endless search for an inexpensive table... Okay, it only took about a month, but I had a burning desire to fill that empty space in the dining room. This is the "dining room" sans dining room table and plus desk and office chair, from when we first started settling in.

Having it My (hall)Way

2014-01-06T18:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Twelfth Night, friends! This marks the beginning of the Arvins' first Carnival Season. Naturally, we're observing the holiday with a parade and King Cake tonight. Hope you all can celebrate a little, even if you're snuggled inside trying to avoid the frigid temperatures up north!

Okay, let's cut to the chase.

I have a horrible habit. I love books and am, in fact, a frequent book-purchaser. But I have this tendency to get all excited and buy way more books than I can read. Then most of them just sit there with their stiff binding and untouched pages. I know. It's shameful. I blame it on my obsessive need to multitask.

What makes things more challenging is that Will loves books, too (Except he actually reads what he buys. Overachiever.). Long story short, over the past few years, we've developed quite a collection. We actually had several giant boxes of books that lived in our basement in Indy, because we had nowhere to put them. The same situation applied when we moved into our current house.

Then, a couple weeks ago we stumbled upon Maple Street Bookshop Uptown. We're suckers for used book stores (especially the cute and tiny ones). And this particular one was closing down (sniffle). When we visited, they were having a final sale... paperbacks $1, hardcovers $2. Whaaaaat?! We bought... oh... about 20 books. Yea.

Here are a few of the new (old) additions in Instagram style:

2013: How did we do all that?

2014-01-01T16:41:00.004-05:00

Like many others, it seems, I've been reflecting on 2013 and all it offered us. It's hard to believe that we were sitting in our home in Indianapolis a year ago today, ~~knee-deep~~ waist-deep in renovation projects with no knowledge of the big changes that would be coming our way.

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A New Orleans Christmas

2013-12-23T17:40:00.000-05:00

T-48 hours until Christmas. I don't know about you, but I'm working on cramming as much Christmas into 2 days as possible. Back-to-back Christmas movies with Christmas music in the background and eggnog until I barf. I'm even wearing my Christmas socks. This is serious business.

So I thought I would wrap up the season with some New Orleans cheer! Here are a few highlights from December.

Kirb met some new, fancy friends after the Santa Paws costume contest and second line. Yes. Kirby participated in a second line.