Designing Domesticity

What We Ate

2013-05-21T18:40:00.001-05:00

Thanks for all the lovely comments about our backyard patio and our first BBQ. It really was a wonderful evening - perfect weather and a perfectly blooming crabtree. Not to mention some seriously good food.

I'm sure you've heard that you're not supposed to try new recipes out on guest, but I say... why not? So we did. And they all turned out great. Of course, I am willing to share so you won't have to risk it! ha.

I ran across this easy, no kneading bread recipe on the Polished Pebble last week. As you know, Mr. DD is the baker around here but when he turned his nose up at this recipe, I decided to try it out myself.

It's so easy, even I could do it. You really must try it. In fact, I've already made my second loaf!

Next on the new recipe trial list was Pork Tenderloins with Balsamic Strawberries, originally featured in Southern Living magazine. Where to even start with this one? Bacon wrapped tenderloins basted with a reduced balsamic and strawberry preserve marinade, topped with fresh strawberries. Best of all, everything can be prepared and cooked in 30 minutes on the grill. Including the beans. Perfection.

And finally, for dessert, we tried this Three Layer Berry and Brown Sugar Pavlova. We're no strangers to pavlovas in these parts, but this is the first multi-layered, cake pan baked, brown sugar pav we're tried and I'll tell you, it did not disappoint.

I hope you try some of these recipes at your next BBQ.

until next time,

Inaugural Patio Party

2013-05-19T17:20:00.000-05:00

It's official. We opened our patio this weekend with an inaugural BBQ. Let the season of al fresco entertaining and cooking begin.

Perfect timing, right?

Considering I just pinned and posted loads of patio images. It's almost like I planned it.
Don't you just love when it all comes together?

Since it was all looking so lovely, I decided to snap a couple pics and show you around.

This year, just like in my inspiration pictures, I am trying to incorporate more bright colors and interesting patterns to give a bit of umph to our traditional patio set.

For the party, I layered the table with two tablecloths - the top one is vinyl, which is so practical for outdoor entertaining. I also brought out a set of wooden folding chairs for additional seating.

In this corner of the patio, I have two spring chairs set up in the shade. It's the perfect spot to sit and sip a bevvy, while you're grilling.

This full sun corner, has two more chairs from our patio set and the firepit. Mr. DD loves a good, open fire and this pit has seen a lot of action over the years.

One day, I'd love to have some proper lounge furniture in this area. A pair of chairs, or loungers or even a sectional - ah, dreams.

When the crabapple tree is in bloom, it provides the most fragrant canopy for our dining table. Truly lovely.

The hanging lanters, are actually nylon (and solar!) and cast a nice subtle light at night. (find similar here.)

We tried a bunch of new recipes for the party and I can't wait to share them with you...tomorrow.

Hope you had a great weekend.

linking in with:

Met Monday

Alderberry Hill

Wow us Wednesday

until next time,

Patio Bliss

2013-05-17T13:34:00.001-05:00

Did you see the post by The Inspired Room, I shared on my Facebook page, discussing the 4 zones of a well planned backyard?

Brilliance in its simplicity. And, it got me thinking about our back patio.

source

Which, of course, led me to Pinterest, where I couldn't help but pin loads of inspirational pics of patios. Tons of ideas for what our little patio will hopefully, one day, grow up to be.

source

I love a covered dining space. Something about dining under a leafy canopy just feels so vacation-y to me. And who wouldn't love their home patio to feel like taking a vacation everyday?

source

A lounge area is a must. I'd love a sofa, with throw cushions. Somewhere to put my feet up and get comfy. This vintage furniture grouping looks so inviting, I could definitely stay awhile here.

source

I'd also love to incorporate more bright, fun and eclectic style to our outdoor space. Easily enough with garden stools, cushions, rugs and accessories.

I'll share our patio next week and hopefully you'll be able to see bits and pieces from these inspirational pics throughout our space.

Have a great weekend.

until next time,

Silver {Grey} Lining

2013-05-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Remember that storm I blogged about a couple of weeks ago...well, like most of the areas around here we experienced "seepage" in our unfinished basement. Nothing a little wet vac and dehumidifier couldn't handle, but still an inconvenience. So, where does the silver lining come in? Well, I'll tell you.

After spending a weekend cleaning up the basement and staring at the painted laundry room floor, {which we painted cream shortly after we moved in - what was I thinking?}, we noticed how badly it had aged. Mostly, from a bad paint job way back when, but also from using this space as a makeshift temporary kitchen during our kitchen remodel.

So, we finally decided to do something about it.

Yeah, it's not a life altering change - we just painted the floor after all, but I am telling you, it has made all the difference. $25 for a can of paint and about the same for this cute new rug and I am really digging a space that I use daily. Multiple times a day.

So, yeah, this is a post about a basement floor and a can of paint - and, I'm ok with that. Because its not only the big changes that help you to love your home.

Go on, get out there and tackle a small change that's been on the list forever. You might just rediscover a love for your home.

until next time,

Rear Garden

2013-05-12T19:29:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommies out there! Hope you had a great weekend - celebrating, enjoying and relaxing. I certainly did...feeling very lucky, loved and relaxed. Which is a nice change from all the back breaking work of last weekend.

Remember how I told you we worked all day, both days in the yard? Well, we weren't just spreading mulch - we were also finally tackling the rear garden.

Feast your eyes on this new section of the yard.

Perhaps you remember what it looked like last Summer? A hearty line of hostas and behind it, not much more than a masssive compost pile. We had big plans to elevate the area and build a pergola, but you know what they say about plans...

So we filled in the area with dirt from the edging the other gardens, smoothed it all out and headed to Home Depot from some plants.

We chose arborvitae, which provide a nice backdrop and foundation to the cuttings garden in front, transplanted some of the hostas to break up the line and filled in the garden with ferns.

Also during this little garden renovation, our once forgotten playset, which is suddenly back in use, received a new foundation of wood chips. No more muddy bums!

All in all, the back garden is looking a lot nicer and more complete - and we couldn't be happier with the results.

What did you get up to this weekend?

linking in with:

Met Monday

Alderberry Hill

until next time,

Loving This Week

2013-05-09T20:01:00.000-05:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks around here. So much so that I haven't shared a, What I am Loving this Week post in quite some time. Fortunately, now seems like the perfect opportunity to share one because of all the little projects (and milestones) we've been tackling as of late.

Like planting seeds in the garden with my big girl. The weather has been kind of hit and miss lately, so we've only planted lettuces thus far. And, I had to give up part of my highly coveted space for cutting flowers this year - at Miss T's request, of course.

source

This week I was also completely, head over heels, inspired by this amazingly creative and eclectic mix of throw pillows in Calling it Home's family room. I mean, I thought I liked to mix it up - but this takes it to a whole new level. It's making me rethink my entire family room scheme...

Last weekend, we spread over 3 yards of mulch in the yard and it was only possible because these two little rascals have finally figured out how to play together.

Speaking of minor milestones, Baby E had her first "jump" on the trampoline and I just have to include the video, because well, it's pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

And finally, that crazy duo over at Young House Love, who make it all look so easy, posted some rather big news that I found quite inspirational and wanted to share. Click here to read more.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks version of, What I am Loving. Have a great weekend and happy early Mother's Day to all.

until next time,

Spring Garden

2013-05-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

Today, I thought I'd share snippets from our Spring garden - seeing as we spent the whole of the weekend outside working on it - that's really all I've got!

Together, Mr. DD and I, plus some very helpful help from Miss T spread over 3 yards of mulch in the yard. Getting up close and personal with our yard allowed me to snap some of these pics and really appreciate all the yard has to offer this time of year.

Like this little lenten rose that is a early bloomer and shade lover.

Remember our little pebble patio from last year? She's all spruced up and ready for action again!

This year, I placed our 3 tier planter on the front patio - it's nice to have a shot of color here by the front door and so far they are loving the early morning light.

My favorite double-blooming almond tree is about to break into full blooming color. Could quite possibly be my favorite tree in the yard - although the cherry trees come a close second. They're about to bloom and I'll be sure to capture it on film for you.

We've got a lot of interesting ground cover in the back garden and I just love when they bloom. The purple flowers on the creeping myrtle are some of my favorites.

And of course, we can't forget about our pachysandra which smells lovely when it's blooming.

If you have any questions about these flowers, I'll do my best to answer them, just shoot me an email or leave a comment.

until next time,

Porch Opening

2013-05-05T20:59:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful weekend! Despite the predicted rainy weather, we managed to have two beautiful days that we spent entirely outside. We made lots of progress in the yard and garden and it's starting to look pretty good, if I do say so myself. I can't wait to share it with you.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share the opening of our screened-in porch. Not much has changed out here since last season, but it's such a happy space that it's one of the few rooms I don't want to change all the time. A new, but nice feeling for me.

The furniture and pillows are basically the same. Green and white, which feels so fresh to me, with a couple pops of coral. Most of the other accents in this space are plants.

I like to bring my house plants out to the screened-in porch this time of year, before it gets too hot. My umbrella tree is really happy in this sunny corner.

I also moved my never-ending centerpiece outside. The primrose are loving the cooler nights and really thriving.

I've had this spider fern for almost 4 years and it's still kicking it. Hard to believe.

I filled the wall planter with succulents, ferns and geraniums. Surprisingly, these are the same succulents I had on the patio last summer. They spent the winter in the living room and I'm trying them on the porch this spring, hopefully they will continue to thrive.

Even though the nights were chilly, we still managed a little cocktail hour on the porch. One of my favorite spots this time of year. Especially tonight while we enjoyed the view out to the yard and all the fruits of our weekends work.

Hope you had a great weekend too!

linking in with:

Met Monday

until next time,

Porch Inspiration

2013-05-02T20:48:00.001-05:00

We've hit a cold snap, right in the middle of my outdoor space spruce up - how dare mother nature! So now, I'm stuck day dreaming about our screened-in porch and all that it could be, one day. Wanna join me?

source

Gotta have a place to really relax, right? A daybed would be lovely, a swinging daybed? Does it get any better?

source

How about a hammock?

source

A fireplace would be ideal for chilly spring and fall evenings.

source

I really love the lighting in this space.

source

And don't even get me started on this vintage bamboo furniture set. Amazing.

source

Any way you slice it, screened-in porches can be a real slice of heaven. And I can't wait to get ours set up and back in action to take advantage of Spring, whenever it decides to show up around here. Thanks for joining me.

Don't forget to check out my Pinterest board for more great inspiration.

until next time,

Spring Front Porch

2013-04-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks everyone for your kind comments on our new entryway. Guess what? Our entryway, isn't the only room that's been getting spruced up for Spring...come check out our new Spring front porch.

You can always tell when the weather starts to warm up because our door mat curls at the edges - but I'm happy to deal with this tripping hazard in exchange for some outdoor time. All of a sudden the house seems twice the size and all our outdoor spaces seem to need attention at the same time.

Starting small and keeping it simple on the front porch this Spring I've created a little seating spot with our thrifted bent-wood chair, wicker planter filled with a boston fern and the pineapple finial. Add in a bright pop of complimentary color in the throw cushion and I'm calling it a day.

How about you - what outdoor spaces are you working on at the moment? This weekend we are tackling the screened-in porch. Can't wait!

linking in with:

Wow us Wednesday

until next time,

Entryway Makeover Reveal

2013-04-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

Thankfully, I'm feeling much better and all that time resting at home left me plenty of opportunity to play in our new entryway. Take a look.

I decided it was finally time to embrace the bench as a bench, instead of a table, and accent it by adding a trio of pillows in my signature eclectic mix of patterns. Next up was reconfiguring the layout to incorporate the coat rack and shoe storage.

Now that all the must haves in any entry point, like a place to sit down, take your shoes off, and hang up your coat, are taken care of, I have the other side of the hall to concentrate on just the pretty stuff.

Enter the little gem I picked up at Alexis Vintiques Design. A perfectly proportioned, delightfully chippy, beautifully boned demilune table.

My main objective for incorporating a table is simply to have a spot to set a lamp. An entryway without mood lighting just doesn't work for me!

A mirror is another must have in any entry/departure point and my old black and gold mirror looks right at home above the chippy table. No surprise I've added an orchid to this spot as well!

I'm pleased as punch with our new entry and I hope you like it too. So much function in such a small space. It doesn't get much better, in my opinion.

Hope you had a great weekend!

linking in with:

Met Monday

The Scoop

until next time,

Sneak Peek

2013-04-25T10:16:00.000-05:00

Whoa doggie, I am sick. I mean really sick. Like 2 sweatshirts, a down coat, 2 pairs of pants shivering under 3 blankets kind of sick. Now, I know what was keeping Baby E up every night last week and making her whine all day long. If I didn't feel so bad, I'd feel worse for her. Fortunately, she's on the mend and I know I will be too. Soon, hopefully.

Despite my lack of posts, I have been working behind the scenes on my front hall makeover. It's actually come together much quicker than anticipated thanks to a great find at a local shop.

Alexis Vintiques Design is a wonderful source for custom painted furniture, antiques and vintage pieces. Not to mention, inspiration galore. Admittedly, it isn't the most affordable of options but if you are lucky Alexis might just take you into her studio to sort through the "as is" stock.

That's the beginning of the story behind this little entry table. It had to be special, small, and narrow. With nothing on the main floor, we checked out the studio for other options and that's when we came across this little gem. Perfect for our entry.

Can't wait to show you the rest.

until next time,

Forsythia Wreath How to

2013-04-21T19:50:00.001-05:00

We, like most of our neighbors, spent the better part of the weekend cleaning up after the floods. I'm happy to say that things are getting back to normal around here.

So much so, that we actually had some decent weather today - which got me to thinking about sprucing up our front door for Spring. Maybe you remember my inspiration wreath I posted a couple of weeks ago. I had every intention of following through with this idea - I went to Michael's and picked up the stems. At 50% they were a relative bargain.

Then, I came home and held the stems up to the door to show Mr. DD and he said, I like it like that - everyone does wreaths, why don't you do something different. And so, this idea was born. Sounds so dramatic, right?!? Well, the reality is this couldn't have been simpler.

Step 1. Collect your stems, group together and attached with floral wire.

Step 2. Wrap base of stems with burlap ribbon.

Step 3: Create a burlap bow (loved this tutorial from Thistlewood Farms). Attach to stems with floral wire.

Step 4: Form hook out of floral wire and attach to the back of the arrangement. Hang!

Loving this bright pop of color against our green door. It just screams Spring and I'm embracing it.

Hope you had a nice weekend.

linking in with:

Met Monday

until next time,

Florida Flashback

2013-04-18T20:09:00.000-05:00

Wowzers, that was one heck of a storm we just enjoyed here in the Midwest. Needless to say, it left me craving the beautiful weather we had over Spring break in Florida. So I thought I'd share some of the highlights from our trip with you.

This year, we were lucky enough to share our holiday with my brother and his family. Our kids are really close in age and play wonderfully together making it a real vacation for the parents on a lot of levels :)

Our mode of transportation for the week. Two bikes fitted with weehoo trailers for the big girls, one chariot tailer for the babies and a spare adult bike so the ladies could switch off hauling the 80lbs of babies.

Fortunately, we had spectacular weather. We split our time fairly evenly between the pool and the beach. I think its safe to say that we all enjoyed ourselves.

And we even had a great flight home curtesy of our own jr. pilot!

Thanks for joining me on my Florida flashback. Now, I can only hope that the weather in the Midwest starts to match the date on the calendar.

until next time,

Entryway Plans and Inspiration

2013-04-16T14:13:00.001-05:00

Before I get into my plans and inspiration for our next project, I just want to take a moment to say how saddened I am by the events that took place at the Boston Marathon. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to all that were effected.

***

Thanks for all the sweet comments left about Katy's 'G' collection in her entryway. I knew you'd love it as much as I did. Everyone knows the entry is your first chance to set the tone for the whole house...that's why I love what Katy's says about her and her family. So much so, that it got me thinking about our entryway.

Christmas 2012

Our entryway has undergone quite a few changes over the years. Just before our dining room remodel, I moved our large sideboard to the front hall - I loved it here, but the consensus was that it was too big for the space. After the remodel, we moved the harvest table (which had been our media stand) into the dining room, and the sideboard became the new media stand.

Once again, I found myself scrambling to fill the empty space in the front hall. This is what I came up with....interesting, to say the least. A bench and a chair, a bit redundant don't you think? Plus, I was using the bench as a makeshift table because I couldn't bare the thought of not using a table lamp. I'm sure you know my feelings on overhead light - avoid at all costs!

Pottery Barn

Needless to say, it's time to give this space some attention. Naturally, it's off to Pinterest I went (you can check out my board here).

Because I'm always keeping budget in mind, my plan is to use a lot of the existing pieces in place - namely, the bench, rug and coat rack. The big changes will come in through placement, fabrics and patterns.

source

I want my new space to say something about me, specifically, and what I am loving now. A great mix of unexpected patterns and colors. Working to bring a youthful edge to a lot of my existing, very traditional items.

source unknown

I have no idea how long this project will take because it comes down to finding just the right pieces. Wish me luck! I'm excited to get started and make this space my own.

source

until next time,

Collections {Guest Post}

2013-04-14T17:27:00.000-05:00

I'm back...

While I continue to wrap my head around leaving the beach and arriving back to more non-Spring like weather in the midwest, I've organized a little guest post for you.

Have you ever wondered the story or meaning behind a collection? My good friend, Katy, has a beautifully curated collection that I have always admired - today, she has agreed to share the story behind it. I hope you enjoy!

****

col·lec·tion

/kəˈlekSHən/

A group of objects or works to be seen, studied, or kept together.

For me, decorating has a lot to do with collection. Our home is my place to display my collections.

When we moved to our house a year and a half ago, I promised myself that I would not decorate with anything that I wasn't in love with. It was my way of preventing our new home - one that we planned on living in for a while - from becoming a house full of knickknacks that never really had meaning to me. "Just pick your favorite things," I told myself. And in time, it will fill.

When we first moved in, decorating was difficult. Lots of empty walls and shelves…I wanted to make sure whatever I chose, was right.

One of the first walls I tackled, an important one at that, was our entryway. And luckily, I had just the right collection to fill it.

When I was newly married - 12 years ago - I was excited about the prospect of decorating our first apartment together, but didn't know where to start. I needed a collection - some sort of theme if you will, to get me going.

I was a graphic designer, and my love of typography developed in college. The shape of a letter in different typefaces was fascinating to me, and being newly married, I was excited about my new last name. The letter it started with was a good one - G.

And so my collection of Gs began to form.

The first few I started with were simple Gs that I found in catalogs:

I continued to pick some up at shops along the way:

Some were given to me as gifts:

My most prized letter G is from London. From a favorite antique shop on Portobello Road. It's not only special because of its origin and a token our time spent there, but I also love it because it is actually from a real shop sign. Totally authentic.

Sure enough, I had found my collection.

As it has grown, my collection has found its spot in different places in different homes. But here, our forever home, the entry hall seemed best.

To me it says:

Welcome to our home. I am: creative, clean, unique. Not unlike the first letter of our last name - the name of my family that lives here.

A collection that can represent all of that must be right. No wonder it's a favorite.

***

Thanks, Katy, for opening up your home and sharing the story of your prized collection.

I'll be back later in the week to share a bit about our getaway and how Katy's entryway has inspired my next project. Hope to see you then.

linking in with:

Met Monday

until next time,

What I Am Loving this Week

2013-04-04T13:32:00.000-05:00

Wow, I never knew how much I'd like this new series, What I'm loving this week. There are so many small details, events, things, etc that I want to share with everyone, but they never quite made it to whole post status. This has turned into the perfect way to gather and share them. So, I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am.

This week I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest looking for inspiration, for both client work and myself. Spring is almost here and I've got a few projects up my sleeve.

Williams Sonoma

I'd love to re-create a wreath similar to this one from William-Sonoma. The bright yellow Spring flowers only stick around for so long and they would provide just the right pop of color on our green front door. Time to start planning...

Centstational Girl

I loved this post that came out from one of my favorite bloggers, Centsational Girl, late this week highlighting simple steps to mixing patterns. An interesting mix of styles and patterns is a great way to add a youthful vibe to any space.

Houzz

I shared this article on great go-to wall colors on my Facebook page earlier this week. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so I thought I'd share it here as well. Who doesn't appreciate a good wall color recommendation, after all?

BBC GoodFood

Mr. DD made this Amaretti and Sultana cheesecake for our Easter feast. Let me just tell you, it was SO good. Everyone at the table said it was quite possibly the best cheesecake they had ever had. I felt real withdrawal after we left it with our dinner host and hostess. But, I take comfort in the fact that I know it was well loved at their house.

Apartment Therapy

Speaking of updates for Spring, I'm also thinking of updating our entry foyer again. Ever since I moved out the sideboard and replaced it with a painted bench, the room hasn't really felt complete. Time to address that, I think. I love this inspirational image from Apartment therapy. I like the idea of walking in the front door and seeing a really unique and fun fabric to set the mood for the whole house. Project planning commence...

In other news, we are finally off on holiday next week. I can't wait to get a bit of R&R (yeah right, with kids!?!?) and do lots of brainstorming on these upcoming projects. See you in a week.

until next time,

An East Coast Inspired Family Room {Client Work}

2013-04-02T14:39:00.001-05:00

The story behind this project is just too funny to not share. Ok, maybe it's just funny to me because lately it seems to be the story of my life. Hopefully, you'll see what I mean.

We recently had some new neighbors move into the 'hood. We got the kids together for a little get-to-know you playdate, which included the standard get-to-know you stuff: what do you do, tour the house, etc. You know what I mean, right?

As the kids are running around playing, we get to chatting about her family room and how she just moved from a much smaller home and needed some inspiration to get their family room started. Of course, I offered my services. Who wouldn't?

So without a lot of direction (I know she loves the East Coast and that she likes blue and wants to reuse the leather chair and striped couch in her family room) I came up with this mood board. I'm calling it an East Coast inspired family room. Feels slightly preppy and beachy and even a bit shabby, if you will. Like a coastal holiday at a well loved family cottage by the sea.

What, too much of a stretch for you?

I've been itching to use this classic awning stripe dhurrie rug somewhere and I think their family room is the perfect opportunity. It's traditional, but youthful and certainly sets the tone for the rest of the room.

Fortunately, for Emily and me, she wants to slip cover her existing sofa and incorporate her husbands favorite leather chair. White slipcovers may seem scary with little kids around, but they are the easiest to clean, I promise. To round out the seating, I am completely loving these blue paisley club chairs from Ballard's. As well as the backless bench as occasional seating in front of the patio doors.

Because the room is fairly angular, I'd recommend breaking up all the hard lines with circular tables. I'm loving the weathered wood look of this table. Classic and a bit of wear and tear will only enhance it.

To keep the room from feeling too predictably monochromatic, I recommend adding a couple pops of green. The blue and green floral pillow from Pottery Barn provides the perfect jumping off point to incorporate the avocado toned throw.

So, there you have it - my interpretation of an East Coast inspired family room. Thanks, Emily, for allowing me to throw a bit of inspiration your way!

To check out more of my Design Services and reserve your spot now, click here.

product images and sources

Rug: Pottery Barn

white sofa: Pottery Barn

floral pillow: Pottery Barn

navy lattice pillow: Etsy, no longer available, similar

green lamp: Overstock

blue chairs: Ballard Designs

circular accent table: Ballard Designs

bench: Ballard Designs

coffee table: Ballard Designs

throw: World Market

leather chair: Pottery Barn

navy greek key pillow: etsy

floor lamp: Ballard Designs

until next time,

Fireplace Makeover Reveal

2013-03-31T13:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter! I know this is technically a day of rest, but I am just too excited to share our fireplace makeover reveal. Can you blame me, really? This is three years in the making, people. Three years of this awful eye sore, finally covered. I am a happy girl.

In the end, we opted for simple boards to cover the gap between the wood paneling and the brick of the chimney breast and topped it off with a simple box style mantel. Then we primed and painted the whole thing. Amazing what a coat of paint can do, right? It's like night and day.

Please disregard the boiler exhaust pipe in the upper left corner. We have plans to prime and paint it, but it hasn't happened quite yet. Baby steps.

Of course, I had to do a little staging. This is me, after all.

The mirror has been patiently waiting to adorn the new mantel ever since it got the boot from the front hall. Mirrors are a great way to bounce a little light around a dark corner. Just the trick for the lower level.

Our faux topiaries also found a new home on the mantel. It's always nice to have a little green on the mantel - in one form or another.

I know everyone loves a good before and after, so here it is. Our lower level fireplace surround prior to the makeover. Zoinks, that's bad.

After. Further staged with a couple bits and bobs...like our personalized walking sticks from our trip to the Swag a couple of years ago.

Ah, sweet relief to have this project checked off the proverbial to-do list. Just in time for us to enjoy Spring. ha!

Want more info on this project? Inspiration, plans, and progress.

Hope you had a great weekend!

linking in with:

Met Monday

Farmhouse Porch - the Scoop

Tuesdays Treasures

until next time,

Quinoa, Beet, Squash and Feta Salad

2013-03-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

Aye, I don't know about where you are, but I can tell you, that here the weather is not equalling the date. It's Spring, but we still have snow on the ground and temperatures too low to admit. Meanwhile, I'm ready to put aside the Winter stews and roasts and starting to crave lighter Spring and Summer foods. But, you must agree it's sometimes hard to enjoy a cold Summer soup like gazpacho when there is snow on the ground. So, this time of year, it's all about finding that recipe that bridges the gap.

Fortunately, for you, I ran across just this type of recipe earlier this week. A hearty salad, full of roasted veggies with a wide array of flavors to keep you going back for more. Sweet and spicy, salty and sour. Everything you could ask for and so much more.

Insprired by the Quinoa, beetroot, squash, & feta salad, BBC Good Food, April 2013.

For the salad:
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite sized pieces
4 raw beets, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbs olive oil
2 oz hazelnuts
4 oz quinoa
5 oz baby spinach leaves
small bunch of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
1/2 jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped
6 oz feta, crumbled
For the dressing:
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs clear honey
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs dijon mustard
zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Mix the beets, squash and oil on a baking sheet and season well. Roast about 45 minutes or until soft. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast about 8 mins or until toasted. Once toasted, cool slightly, roughly chop and set aside.
3. Rinse the quinoa in cold water, then put in a saucepan with 1 1/4c water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Leave to cool.
4. For the dressing: combine all ingredients in a screw top jar, shake well, set aside.
5. For the salad: put everything, except the hazelnuts and feta in a bowl, pour over the dressing. Toss well. Sprinkle with feta and hazelnuts.
Serves 4 adults.

Yeah, maybe it's a bit time consuming, but I'm telling you - it's worth it. {Side note: the veggies, dressing and quinoa can be made in advance.} I served mine with a piece of simple roasted salmon, but it could definitely stand alone or go well with any protein of choice.

I hope you try it and love it as much as we did.

linking in with:
Stone Gable

until next time,

The Centerpiece that Just Won't Quit

2013-03-26T08:29:00.000-05:00

Remember this centerpiece I created late last year before our dining room remodel? You may not believe it, but it's actually still going strong. With a couple of alterations, of course.

During the dining room renovation, I moved the planter to living room coffee table. Once the orchid finished blooming, I removed it and filled in the space with pinecones and such for the holiday season. Some simple changes helped stretch the arrangement for another couple of months.

This past weekend, I purchased three yellow primrose to make a simple Spring centerpiece for our family birthday celebrations. The harvest table is narrow, so small low profile plants or flowers are a great accent when we set a full table. But, now that it's just the four of us again, I have plenty of room for a big arrangement.

Once again, the big arrangement is back in its rightful home on the harvest table. I moved a couple of plants around, removed the pinecones and added in the three primrose.

I love the bright pop of color from the yellow blooms.

So Springy - it just makes me smile!

So, what about you? Made any little Spring changes around your house?

linking in with:

Brambleberry Cottage

Beyond the Picket Fence

until next time,

Fireplace Surround Update

2013-03-24T12:52:00.003-05:00

It's the beginning of Spring break in these parts, but we are waiting to vacation later in April. Instead we're visiting with family and taking some time to work on projects around the house. Last I left you, this was the status of our family room fireplace. Lots of plans, little progress.

Enter Mr. DD and his big plans. Yup, that's graph paper and a scale ruler, people. He means business. Time to get to work.

Plus, having his handy father visit certainly upped the productivity factor.

Check out that pile of wood. And, that happy shopper. Amazing the amount of motivation to make something happen when your parents are in town. Gotta take advantage.

Once the work actually got started, it was clear that it wasn't going to be as easy as we had hoped. The brick chimney breast wasn't straight. The walls weren't level. There was a lot of tweaking that needed to happen.

First, we chiseled away the brick to make a somewhat straight line to work with. Then, cut away the baseboard to make room for the new boards that will cover the unfinished line between the wood paneling and the brick chimney breast.

10" boards were cut to shape with the use of templets fitted to the existing structure of the fire box. Then attached to the brick with tapcon screws.

This is where it all started to go a little pear shaped. We knew we wanted a floating rustic looking shelf, and thought maybe we could take the easy way out with a pre-existing, store bought mantel. It looked ok in the box, in the store, but in the actual space, not so much. Back to the drawing board.

Time to build a box!

We attached a center support to the brick, to hang the box on.

And hung the box. Sounds so easy, right?

Yeah, not really. Hence the total lack of a tutorial.

But, the good news is, it's done. Now we just need to paint it. More to come on that later.

Hope you had a great weekend and if you're Spring breaking it - you are enjoying!

linking in with:

Met Monday

until next time,

What I Am Loving This Week

2013-03-21T10:56:00.003-05:00

It's time for another installment of, What I'm loving! The last couple of weeks have been as busy as ever around here. Meaning, I have loads to share. And, with Spring break right around the corner, we've been focusing on all sorts of things.

From Mr. DD's birthday, which we celebrated family style with an early morning breakfast. Where Mr. DD patiently opened all of these hand-wrapped, with Christmas paper, drawings from Miss T. So cute. I'm not sure who was more excited!

We indulged at the weekend, with family in town, in a yummy carrot cake. But, on the actual birthday we enjoyed a low-guilt dessert that I hadn't had in a while. I am sure you remember when pineapple angelfood cake that was all the rage.

Speaking of low-guilt and Spring break, I ran across these beauties from H&M when they were posted on Instagram by Holly (of Decor8 fame). Thinking I need to try these guys on, for sure.

Of course, I won't be the only one sporting something new for Spring break. Check out these babiators, complete with a lost and found guarantee. You remember how Baby E loves her sunnies, well unfortuabately, her flower sunglasses couldn't withstand her hardcore love and came to an early end. Babiators are flexible rubber and should hold up to her. I'll let you know when they arrive.

And finally, I ran across this post by The Pennington Point where she shared how she made her own patio furniture. Seriously? What a great idea. Custom, made to fit her space and totally her style and probably for a fraction of the cost of store bought furniture.

We're still months away from Spring here in Chicagoland, but that's ok because my inspiration is already building.

Have a great rest of the week. Serious progress has been made on the fireplace surround, so I'll be sharing that next.

until next time,

What to Wear this Spring Break

2013-03-19T16:25:00.000-05:00

With Spring Break just around the corner, literally, I thought it would be an ideal time to partner with Ashlee, my favorite fashion guru, to bring you some simple fashion ideas for your next get-a-way.

We happen to be vacationing together in a couple of weeks so this is perfect. No duplicate outfits, but still loads of inspiration.

We've decided to feature a typical tropical get-a-way, day to night look.

Day: A beautiful, and flattering, bright swimsuit with coordinating tunic could be worn to the beach or pool. Paired with a fun sandal and a multi-purpose tote, you're ready to take the day on. Whether it involves sippy cups or margaritas, or both!

Night: Using the same versatile tunic, throw on a pair of skinny jeans, a wedge, and some statement jewelry and you have a whole new look. When the sun drops and the temps cool off, try a light weight leather jacket. This fitted style with, hot right now, ruffled peplum waist detail is a great piece.

Ashlee's tip: the ideal way to wear a tunic at night is with skinny jeans, that are cut just above the ankle. Contrary to popular belief, this look can be flattering on all body types. Throw on a fitted jacket that hits just above the waist and you have a very slimming and flattering look. Wedges will help to elongate the leg!

I hope this provides you with a bit of inspiration while you tackle the dreaded packing stage of Spring Break. Even though our Spring Break is still a couple of weeks away, I'm thinking I might have to start evaluating my stock to see where the holes are and hit the shops. A little retail therapy always helps with the Winter blues :)

sources and images:

swimsuit

until next time,

Fireplace Inspiration

2013-03-17T12:58:00.000-05:00

Another cold, wet, and grey weekend here coupled with two extra sets of hands led to a lot of progress on our unfinished lower-level fireplace surround. But, before I get ahead of myself, I thought I'd share some of the inspirational images I've come across lately.

Source

This fireplace update from The Lettered Cottage is definitely the biggest inspiration for the project as a whole. Simply stunning. Although they started with a much more "finished" look than we will, it still includes the same type of brick foundation. Both in need of some seriously updated covering up!

In this case they covered all of the brick other than the immediate surround, which has given it a really fresh and light look.

Source

This fireplace offers a different direction entirely. The white mantel atop the red brick hearth makes for a really cozy feel. Unfortunately, for us, this would require stripping the already painted brick and we would still have to deal with the scraggly edges of our hearth. Love the stacked wood in the firebox.

source

This is also a contender. I love the rustic quality. Brick surround, natural wood mantel, planked hearth - What more could you ask for?

More updates coming up. Hope you had a great weekend!

linking in with:

Met Monday

until next time,