~This is not a sponsored post~

I discovered Parmida a couple of months ago and I’ve become a huge fan. Being that it’s a luxury home goods store, sure it’s pricey…but creative inspiration is free!

I recently took a photo tour of my local branch at The Greene Town Center, and thought I’d share the wealth.

I love the store because it combines everything I love about decorating and designing: the ability to evoke a mood with the right combination of accessories, lighting, and color.

I love a space that feels warm and comfortable, yet special and pulled together, but not too ‘done.’

The store layout is very open, allowing customers wide berth to discover all the beautiful products without feeling overwhelmed.  The store reminds me of a much less cluttered Pier 1.

I find myself taking a trip to this store whenever I need a little creative pick-me-up.

What fuels your mojo?

I fell in love with savory pancakes about 3 summers ago. Up until that summer it never occurred to me to combine the yummy goodness of breakfast sides into the pancake.  Shut the front door!

It all began when My Mister learned how to make pancakes. He felt so confident in his pancake making skills, he challenged a couple of friends to a pancake-off.  He didn’t count on was Khia! (an old college friend of mine, who jumped into the fray). She totally turned the contest upside down with her suitcase full of magical pancake ingredients. One bite  of her delectable savory pancake and  we all knew who won.

Well played, Khia, well played. My man came in 3rd out of 3 contestants (still a sore subject around here). I gained a new twist on the old pancake.

It would be another 3 years before I attempted a recipe on my own, since I never got around to asking Khia! for her recipe. But I discovered that It really was as simple as adding in my mix-ins into my tried and true pancake recipe.

Although my original pancake recipe is not that sweet, I cut down the usual amount of sugar by 1/3 to further reduce the sweetness. Sugar is still needed in this batter for its browning properties. That’s how you get that golden brown crust.

So here is my recipe:

Pancake:

dry ingredients

1 1/5 Cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt

wet ingredients:

1 3/4 buttermilk (I never have buttermilk on hand, so I mix white vinegar and regular milk to get ‘buttermilk’. Approximately 2Tbsps vinegar in a Pyrex meauring cup, and then topped up with milk to reach the 1 3/4 mark)
2 Eggs
3 Tbsps Butter, melted

mix-ins:

approximately 1/3C each of:
Green Onions
Shiitake Mushrooms
Yellow Grape Tomatoes
Green Peppers
Red Peppers
Smoked Turkey
salt and spices to your taste (I used italian seasoning)

Method

1. Chop/Dice your mix-ins, like so:

2. Sautee the mix-ins in a small stir-fry pot, with EVOO, until just a little tender (about 2 minutes). Set aside.

3. Mix up your batter.
a. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, preferably with a pour spout. Lightly mix with a wire whisk to blend ingredients.

b. Add the eggs to the milk/vinegar mixture (or buttermilk). Whisk with a wire whisk to blend.

c. Add the milk/vinegar (or buttermilk)/egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Just lightly run the whisk through the mixture to combine. Make sure to incorporate all the flour in the corners of the bow.
Do not whip, this will develop the gluten in the flour. You don’t want this, unless you like tough pancakes, in which case, I worry about you…

d. Add in the melted butter and incorporate thoroughly.

e. Add in the sauteed mix-ins and incorporate for even distribution.

f. Cook pancakes like regularly. Flip over when large bubbles form on top, like so:

Serve with fried egg, some fruit, maybe some bruchetta, and hopefully a Mimosa. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch or Dinner, it’s aaaallll good!
Bon Appetit.

I fell in love with one I had seen on pinterest and could not get it out of my mind. The top shelf would be the perfect storage for the oversized and extremely-ugly-microwave-that won’t-die, and it’s cousin the toaster oven.
The lower shelves would be perfect to hold produce in little baskets.
I tried to convince myself that I didn’t need one more piece of furniture, that I could just repurpose something else. A few weeks of living with ‘something else’ proved that I would indeed be building this cart.

This is the kind of project that I love: quick and easy!
It is made of:

3 – 2×12  (4ft lengths) pine boards
8 – 1/2” x 12” Galvanized pipe nipples
16 – 1/2” galvanized pipe flanges
4 – casters
about a million screws
Total Cost without the casters (already had on hand): $80

Four of these these things are not like the other… Why? because they came from a previous project.
Aaaand I was
a)too cheap to buy new ones (have you priced out metal lately? Gawd!)
b)too lazy to strip off the old paint. But wuteva.

I think we’ve established that I’m lazy, impatient, and prone to shortcuts,  especially when it comes to things like, say, waiting for paint to dry.
I wanted to age the wood because plain new wood= yawn…

I didn’t have the patience to make my special aging mix…that takes days. 
I certainly didn’t want to paint this piece. I wanted an aged look to the wood. Lately I find myself in lust with aged wood.
(I have real aged wood in one of my upcoming projects, so stay tuned.)

So, like I was saying I wanted an aged wood look to this piece, so I came up with something pretty simple using my favorite wax and stain combo.

I went to work mixing a good amount of both together. Now, I don’t have a scientific formula for this, just eyeball measurements. I mixed a certain amount of wax, with a certain amount of stain, till I got what you see in the jar on the right. Experiment till you find a saturation of color you like.

I then applied one coat of the wax/stain combo to the wood, using an old trouser sock (yeah I hate those, but they’re handy for staining wood) I made sure to really rub the stain into the wood so it would sink into the nooks and crannies instead of just glossing over them. That’s what makes the wood look more aged.

Seethe difference? The best part of this? I could go right into my favorite part, the build. No waiting for the stain to dry, no waiting to apply the wax.  Mission accomplished in one easy step.

After staining/waxing all 3 boards, then came the fun part: Assembly.

1. Work from the bottom up, start with the casters.

2. Flip over the board, so the casters are on the bottom, then attach he first set of flanges and pipes.

The threads can be a little tricky on the pipes, so check for square.

3. Layer on the shelves, lather, rinse, repeat…

et voila!

When I planned this shelf, I thought 2 shelves would be plenty. I very quickly discovered that I need at least one more, so the plan is to add add 4 foot pipe sections to make an extra tall shelf to have enough clearance for the microwave and a shelf basket I plan to put under the top shelf.

And there ya have it folks, an easy peasy shelf that can be built in one afternoon.

Exhibit A: ooogggleeee dresser.

Apologies for the before pic y’all…I know I took  a good one, I just can’t find the durn SD card it’s on.

Anywhoos, this is a dresser I have had going on 10years. I picked it up at a yard sale in Virginia Beach almost 10 years ago. It holds Mr. R’s clothes (thank goodness since no one else in my household would be tall enough to see anything past the second drawer from the top.)

Can you  believe it has lasted this long in my hands without some sort of re-do? Yeah, me either.

I finally got sick of looking at it in all its naked-raw-wood glory and decided to do something about it.

All it took was a can of my favorite Gel Stain, General Finishes Java, and Annie Sloan Wax. Like so:

Lightly sand and wipe down the piece of furniture.

I applied one coat of gel stain with a foam brush.

Here it is after one coat:

Got that? 1 Coat.

Normally I would do 2-3 coats for a more opaque finish, but because this was raw wood, the stain went on very richly. It still had some red undertones, but I decided I liked the red undertones and the way the texture of the wood peeks through.

(I’m sure that being tired and pressed for time had nothing to do with that decision, hhhmmmkay?)

After the stain comes the wax. I cannot say enough about this wax.

It is definitely a splurge at almost $30 a can, but it is well worth it. I considered cheaping out, but after wasting a day (or 3) researching alternatives, I bit the bullet. So glad I did. Unlike some of the other so-called furniture waxes at your local big-box, this one has not been watered down beyond recognition with mineral oil. It is a thick luscious wax that goes on thick and buffs out smooth and velvety.

I have used this same can for multiple projects, and I’m yet to run out. I have found it be a great substitute for Polyurethane, with just as good waterproofing property and the added bonus of eliminating the horrible drying time of Poly.

Schmeer it on like so, and then buff it in just like spit shining your chukka boot (minus  the spit, duh!) My fellow military folks, you know what I’m talkin’ about!

I mean, just look at it! The wax brings out the richness of any finish it coats, provides a water proof finish and a velvety soft touch.  On the right you can see where I’ve applied the wax, and on the left, not. (ps, I was not paid to endorse this product, I just really like it.)

And so of course, my dresser redo would be incomplete without a fabulously stylish but not overly feminine drawer lining for The Mister’s unmentionables.

I think you all already know about my love of stylish contact paper. And if you don’t know, well now you know.

All done!

clockwise from the top left: Image credits Images courtesy of:
www.lynneknowlton.com
Gbenga Orimoloye’s art: http://orimoloye.blogspot.com
http://anythingologyblog.blogspot.com
http://www.afrodesiacworldwide.com

 I am simultaneously inspired by bold bright colors and soft muted earthy tones.

I used to think it had to be all or nothing: either all out bold and bright or soft and quiet.

But why not both? Why not incorporate these two looks in harmony?

For instance, your living room could be bold and boho:

everything about this room makes me happy. (image courtesy of blog.justinablakeney.com)

And your private spaces soft and soothing, like so:

I   W I S H.  (image courtesy of www.lynneknowlton.com)

A respite from all the fun and excitement of all that color in the public spaces.

Conversely, Party in the back, business in the front.

Your private spaces could be bold and bright, like this:

good luck falling asleep in all that YUM. (image source unknown)

And your public space soft and earthy:

So soothing and pleasant. (image courtesy of flickr)

Looking at this curated collection, you can see that underneath it all is the same bohemian aesthetic. The same passion for slightly irregular edges, just a little unrefined and just shy of imperfectly beautiful.

That underlying theme is what will pull the whole house together.

Since I ditched the the idea that everything had to be perfectly coordinated, I have discovered a whole other world where everything could be just a litle unmatchy-matchy, and fun.

Matchy-matchy perfection is the new blah-blah-blah boring.

The lesson? Go with your gut. If you love it, it will work with everything else.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mother’s out there! I hope your day was full of love, laugher and *ahem* rest. If you’re anything like me, you probably didn’t relax for too long…

I got to work on some projects that I will be posting shortly (wheee!) and tried really hard not to run away from home to my local Ikea for a little light window shopping.

All in all, it was a wonderful day.

My older son (pictured above on the left) presented me with a handmade greeting card.

But wait, this wasn’t just any handmade card, this was an Olu original, limited edition, epic novel called “The adventures of Builder M.”

It depicts a superheroine who happens to be a mom, whose superpower is fixing things with her super-power tools!

Got  that? My kid thinks I have super-powers!

What I love the most about this?

That children pay attention.

They really see you,  sometimes even better than you see yourself.

Sometimes it’s easy to believe that your children don’t know or appreciate all that you do. This is a reminder that they do, and they do.

The babies are the greatest.

Play the video below to see the rest of my son’s artistic stylings.

Being the owner of a Century old home has had it’s ups and downs, I must say.

My home has so many *ahem* character flaws charms I’ve often wondered if the previous sprayed some magic dust in the air in preparation for our viewing of the house. Surely that must be the only way they got us to agree to buy this house.

In the 5 years we have lived in our home, I have solved many a design dilemma. From an impossibly tiny only bathroom with a half wall that made a shower next to impossible, to an unworkable bedroom floor plan, I have seen it all. Well maybe. Knock on wood.

I will admit I’ve made lots of mistakes along the way (fiery orange living room, anyone?). But I’ve also learned A LOT. More than I would’ve ever thought was possible. There’s still a lot to do. It is debatable as to whether I will ever get to the top of the mountain on the subject of improving my home.

It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of perfection, especially with the multitude of stunningly beautiful home decor blogs at our disposal. It is easy to feel inferior when your home looks nothing like these perfectly stylized pictures. It’s easy to forget that this is your home, quirks and all. That you are much luckier than a lot of people in the world who don’t even have 4 walls around them, much less 4 beautiful walls. It is very easy to get caught up in our first-world problems and forget to count our blessings.

One of those blessings I choose to count is my natural talent for problem solving and solution finding. My home is far from perfectly beautiful, but I have managed to make it work. I have found unique solutions to unique problems.

It’s funny how it never occurred to me to share those solutions. I have taken for granted my talents, choosing instead to lament the fact that I don’t have a picture perfect home. It didn’t occur to me that other people might be looking for ideas on solving these same dilemmas that I have solved.

Until Now. 

I am introducing to you a new series on AfroMartha called Case Studies. I will show you, through videos, photos and posts some of the challenges that I’ve tackled. You may not necessarily solve the problem as I have, but you may get an idea, just as I’ve gotten ideas from others.

So, I humbly present to you: Case Studies by AfroMartha.

Here is a fun little video produced and directed by my Mister. I am thinking of using this as an intro to my upcoming youtube videos.

What do you think?

In an effort to conserve our gas consumption, I’ve been riding the bus to work in the morning. I must say at first i was a bit nervous, but its been rather pleasant. It’s amazing what you miss when you drive everywhere. Things like when you notice that a building has been torn down. A building you have zoomed past a million times, too harried and rushed on your way to your next what-ever. But now you can not, for the life of you remember what that building was

I love being downtown watching all the people shuttling around trying to get to work/school/what-have-you. And the people watching…oh the people watching!

The beautiful spring weather has also caused me spend all my work breaks walking the parking lot , which is where I took these gorgeous shots.

It’s been so lovely being outside in the sunny-cool-crisp morning that I’m already wistfully stashing the memories for when its hot and sticky. Or worse yet, cold and snowy.

It is then that I have to tell myself to slow down. Enjoy the moment while it is still here.

So how about you? What is your favorite thing about spring? What have you done differently lately?

She was not just some random Aunt.

Despite the fact that she was only 14 years older than me, she was my mother-figure of sorts. She helped raise me since I was 13 years old, 4 years after my own mother unexpectedly and tragically passed away. She was my Mother’s youngest and closest sister. In a way I resumed that role with her in my adult years.

It was with her, along with my father and brother, that I arrived in Morgantown West Virginia from Nigeria in 1985. For most of my life she was my only link to home (at least as it related to being a Naija woman)

It was exactly 3 years ago during one of my many visits to her home in southern California that I created AfroMartha. It was there in the guest room of her sprawling estate that I introduced myself to the world for the first time on this blog.

Like most family relationships, ours was a complicated one. In spite of the ups and down, we were close. Whenever either one of us was in a position to help the other, we never hesitated, not even for a second. In recent years, our relationship really solidified as an adult to adult relationship.

Although I was not able to be present at the last moment, I was able to spend time with her just 2 weeks before she passed away. The unfortunate occasion became a reunion with my long lost cousins from as far away as London. We reminisced about old times, and even broke out some Yoruba hymn books and sang long forgotten songs. We skyped to London and Nigeria with relatives who could not be present, but wished to be a part of it all, even if just one last time. Those moments are precious to me and I will never bee replaced.

No matter how prepared you are for that moment when you get the phone call, it is still surreal.
On April 17, 2013, 1 month after her 55th birthday, and 32 years and 7 days after my Mother, my beloved Aunt departed this world.
She fought long, and she fought hard, even to the bitter end. I believe she made it that far just by the sheer force of the will of her indomitable spirit. As with any challenge she faced, she was not backing down. She simply ran out of steam, and in the end, she was simply taken.

She leaves behind her sweet and wonderful husband of 20 years and 2 lovely daughters.

Although she was gone from us way too soon, I am happy she is no longer suffering and has moved on to a better place. I will continue to miss her.

Rest well, Auntie.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Jobs at Curbly. Click on image to go directly to the source.

From the look of it, it should be a fairly simple DIY, especially if you are handy with tools

If however, you’re not, I have a work-around for you. The design of this is very similar to those old fashioned coat hooks that are so commonly found in your average thrift store.

You could pick one up, and use as is, or freshen it up with a coat of paint or stain, and you’re good to go, no cutting, no drilling!

Even better yet, you might already have one of these at home and didn’t realize you could use it for your bangles/bracelets/necklaces/scarves. How clever, huh?

 Now that’s stuff I like, use-whatcha-got solutions!