October Morning

Watercolor Banner

2013-08-22T15:03:00.001-04:00

I saw this banner on Pinterest and knew that we needed one for our playroom. The next morning I cut triangles out of coffee filters and set up watercolors for the girls. I left it out all day so they could paint when the mood hit them.

Once we had enough flags, I glued them to yarn and hung the banner in the playroom.

I absolutely love it! I've been wanting a banner for that room but didn't want to sew one. This was a perfect and easy solution.

Miscellany Monday

2013-08-19T08:48:00.002-04:00

1. I can't believe I've been gone for a week. I have lots of fun projects to share with you later this week. Plus an update on freezer group.

2. We had a house guest again this weekend. The girls have loved their time playing and snuggling with the dog. I have to admit having a dog around isn't too bad. Maybe the girls will get a puppy one of these days.

3. I am trying to be more intentional about shopping with the girls. I usually just throw them in the cart and zip through the store. But now I'm giving them a shopping list so they can have an active role in the store. Side note- I.can.not.draw.

4. If I wasn't looking at a calendar I would think it was October. Yesterday, I found myself looking for a sweater and jeans to wear. August has been so mild I have a feeling September is going to be a scorcher.

5. This girl and I went shopping for a first day of school dress. There is no doubt that she knows what she likes and will not compromise. I know that will serve her well in life.

6. I have another big shop update. I now have these fun banners available. They are perfect for a celebration or wall decor. I have the HELLO banner hanging on my mantle and the READ banner hanging above the girls reading nook in their playroom. The banners will also make great photo props.

Miscellany Monday

2013-08-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

1. Two weeks ago I hosted a messy party. It was sooooo much fun. We had a mud pool, paint water balloons, shaving cream slide, cloud dough table and powered donuts hanging from string. Everyone was a hot mess. A friend took the above photo of Emily. She sure can make flour and chocolate look good.

2. Our garden is over flowing with tomatoes. I've been canning tons of salsa over the past two weeks. I love how fresh and colorful it is. I've made a lot of batches of basic salsa and cucumber salsa.

3. I also made a batch of Kelsea's roasted tomato sauce. Oh so yummy!!

4. For the past four days the girls haven't watched any tv. At first it was punishment for not cleaning their playroom, but has time has gone by I've noticed that they've not really needed it. They spend a lot of time playing, using their imagination and creating art. I've found it to be rather peaceful...well until I look at the mess in their playroom.

5. I've updated the shop with new bookmarks. Now they are longer and can accommodate very large hardback books and textbooks. Just in time for the new school year. I also added bookmarks with a less feminine look for those male book lovers.

6. In addition to the bookmarks, I've added plush fabric letter and number sets to the shop. My girls love playing with them. Emily has been learning her letters, while Olivia is learning some very simple sight words. It has been cute watching them come up with their own letter games.

7. On repeat: Video Games by Lana Del Rey. I'm slightly obsessed with this song.

Ten on Ten {August 2013}

2013-08-10T20:35:00.001-04:00

Ten on Ten: take a photo an hour, for ten consecutive hours, capturing the ordinary beauty in your day to day life.

from the garden: jalapeno hot sauce

2013-08-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Our garden has been producing a lot of peppers this year. Hubby loves all things spicy, so it made perfect sense to make my own hot sauce. This sauce is very flavorful with a bit of heat.

Jalapeno Hot Sauce

printable recipe

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

15 jalapeno peppers, tops cut off *

¾ cup water

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes.

2. Add jalapeno peppers and saute for another 5 minutes.

3. Put onions, garlic and peppers to a blender. Add water and vinegar. Blend until everything is liquid.

4. Strain the sauce and put it into a sauce pan.

5. Add mustard, sugar and salt. Bring it to a boil.

6. Let it cool and enjoy!

*for a milder sauce, remove the jalapeno seeds.

Recycled t-shirt dress

2013-08-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend I made this dress out of recycled t-shirts for Olivia. I knew she'd love it because it had Rainbow Dash on it, and I was right. She wore the dress for three days straight. For the win!!

I love the idea of recycling t-shirts. The bottom of this shirt had a stain but now you'll never see it. I followed Cheri's tutorial, but I sewed my seams inside instead of outside. Now I need to make one for sister.

from the garden: cucumber salsa

2013-07-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love this time of year. I love walking out to my garden and picking ingredients for a recipe. I'm proud to say that the cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper and jalapeno pepper for this recipe came from our garden. Yay!

Salsa is the perfect summer food. It's so light and fresh. I could eat it every.single.day. If you like salsa, you'll love this recipe. It is very crisp (thanks cucumbers).

Cucumber Salsa

printable recipe

Make 4 cups

2 medium cucumbers - peeled, seeded, and chopped

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 small red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, parsley, cilantro and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Tips

* If you like heat, add more jalapeno

* Not a fan of onions? Try a sweet onion.

* Take the bite out of the onion by soaking it in water for 10 minutes after you've chopped it.

PS. more from the garden recipes, plus pasta salad and corn & tomato salad.

Miscellany Monday

2013-07-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

1. Two weeks ago we had a heat wave and last week it was cold!! Our temps were in the mid 70's with lows in the 50's. Crazy July weather.

2. Our tomatoes are starting to ripen. Finally!! I see some salsa, tomato pie and bruschetta in our future this week.

3. This little lady is going to be three in a little over two month. Eeek!!! This week we've gotten serious about potty training. Oh my! Potty training is no fun. It is definitely a thankless job. My mantra: It will get better each day, it will get better each day, it will get better each day. Right?!?

4. "The intensity of spirited kids sizzles and snaps. It can burn you to the core. You breathe deeply trying your best to block the blow. At fist, like drops on a rainproof jacket they roll off. But the torrent grows heavier, the drops more penetrating, roaring in your ear, and piercing your composure until you may find yourself also screaming, threatening and slamming doors". Raising Your Spirited Child

Oh how I love this girl, but oh my she is a daily challenge. Her intensity can be overwhelming. I pray everyday that God gives me the grace and wisdom to raise her to be the woman she is destined to be.

4. This is a beautiful letter. A beautiful reminder to breathe in His grace everyday and to remember that you are not alone.

5. On repeat: Band of Horse- The Funeral

from the garden: sweet pickled banana peppers

2013-07-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Our garden is producing a lot of peppers this year, so I decided to make some sweet pickled peppers. We love them on salads, sandwiches and pizza.

1/2 pound banana pepper, sliced into rings

Pickling Juice

2 cups white vinegar

2/3 cup white sugar*

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

2 garlic cloves, sliced

Directions

1. Sterilize 2- 1/2 pint jars.

2. Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil.

3. Place peppers in the 1/2 pint jars.

4. Pour on the hot pickling juice and bring liquid to within 1/2" of the top. Be sure the edge of the jar has no juice on it.

5. Place lids and screw on bands finger-tip tight.

6. Seal jar and leave in fridge for one week.

*less sweet- 1/3 cup white sugar

After a week enjoy your sweet pickled peppers.

ps. Corn & Tomato Salad

miscellany monday

2013-07-22T07:33:00.001-04:00

1. Emily enjoys eating vegetables straight from the garden.

2. Despite last week's heat wave, we still have a lot of green tomatoes. I think it might be time to ripen some in brown paper bags.

3. Why go down the slide when you can walk up it? This is Olivia's philosophy in life. She's determined to do things her way, regardless of how hard it may be. And that makes me love her even more.

4. Thanks to Netflix (and hubs) I'm obsessed with Sons of Anarchy. I still have one more season to watch before season six starts in the fall. Did you know it is loosely based on Hamlet?

5. On Repeat- Birdy. I love her voice.

Kid Art: Pet Rocks

2013-07-19T09:19:00.001-04:00

One of the activities on our summer bucket list was to make pet rocks. I'm not sure which the girls loved more, painting or drawing faces. In case you can't tell, the purple rock is crying.

Bedtime Friends

2013-07-15T21:57:00.000-04:00

Busy Bag Swap for Toddlers & Preschoolers

2013-07-12T07:02:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine recently hosted a toddler/preschooler busy bag swap. It was some much fun and I loved the variety of the bags. The busy bags were a hit with the girls while traveling to SC.

Block Puzzles

Matching Color Shades

I made the craft stick puzzles. Instead of using photos or clip art, I used flash cards. Super easy and super cheap.

Ten on Ten {July 2013}

2013-07-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

Ten on Ten: take a photo an hour, for ten consecutive hours, capturing the ordinary beauty in your day to day life

I forgot to take my camera to book club. womp womp! So just imagine me drinking sangria and chatting with friends for the next two hours.

We finished another jar of strawberry jam.
The girls were gifted a few bags of dress up clothes.
Quiet time.
Today's harvest.
Making mud cupcakes.
Nature hunt.
Drawing thank you cards.
A new obsession.

catching fireflies

2013-07-08T06:49:00.000-04:00

I call them fireflies and hubs calls them lightening bugs. What do you call them?

Pinwheel Painting {diy}

2013-07-02T07:45:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I saw a pinwheel painting on Oh Joy and knew I needed to make one of my own. So one evening while crafting at a friends house, I got down to business and created my very own.

My edges aren't crisp, but oh well. I think it looks great and it's a perfect addition to our sunroom.

July goals

2013-07-01T07:27:00.001-04:00

In July 2013 I will:

~start couch to 5k

~program my coffee maker each night

~finish three unfinished projects

I can't believe July is already here. June went by in a flash. I plan to start a couch to 5k program this month and end the program running the Fallen Solider 5K.

I've recently discovered the joy of waking up to a freshly made coffee. No more waiting for the Keurig to warm up in the morning. It is such a simple thing to prep the night before. I hope it is a habit that stays with me.

I have at least 5-6 unfinished projects. I don't know why I haven't finished them. They aren't hard and they are super cute. So this is the month of clear out those neglected projects. At the top of my list is a dress, a map and an embroidery hoop.

What are your goals this month?

Linking with Hello Monday and Miscellany Monday.

Crib turned Porch Daybed

2013-06-13T01:00:00.000-04:00

I cannot tell you how happy I am to have this daybed complete. It's been over a year since I decided to do it and I don't know what took me so long.

I followed these suggestions and sawed about 9 inches off the legs. We also added a piece of plywood under the mattress to reinforce the seat so adults could ~~sleep~~ sit on the daybed. Instead of making a cover for the mattress, I decided to use a crib sheet. Thank you, Target.

The daybed is in our sunroom and it is the perfect place to curl up with a book. The girls love playing on it, and I'm sure there will be a few naps on it this summer. All we need is a few more pillows.

Linking to Nest of Posies.

Herringbone Painting {diy}

2013-06-11T07:13:00.000-04:00

I saw this painting on Pinterest knew that I wanted to make one of my own. The girls helped me paint the canvas and I used this tutorial as a taping guide. I love the bright colors on my dark wall.

Have you ever been inspired by a painting on Pinterest?

P.S.Some of my other Pinterest inspired projects, washi tape birdhouse and fabric pumpkin.

Ten on Ten {June 2013}

2013-06-10T19:06:00.000-04:00

Ten on Ten: take a photo an hour for ten consecutive hours capturing the ordinary beauty in your day to day life.

{light and delicious} Strawberry Cake

2013-06-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Strawberry season is in full swing here in Pennsylvania and it makes me so happy. They are a family favorite. After strawberry picking yesterday, the girls and I made a light and delicious strawberry cake.

I make this cake every summer because it is simple and I always have the ingredients on hand. I love the cake plain, but it is great with ice cream too.

Strawberry Cake
adapted from Martha Stewart

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate.

Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Cool, serve and enjoy.

Do you have a favorite strawberry cake recipe?

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini {freezer meal}

2013-06-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I shared a freezer exchange meal. So I thought I'd share one of my favorite meals from our May meal exchange. It is a simple freeze and dump crock pot meal that fills you up.

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini

1 small bag of fresh spinach

2-14.5 oz cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

8 oz cream cheese, diced

1 pound ground sausage or chicken/turkey sausage

4 cups chicken broth

1- 19 oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini

1. Brown the sausage and put the first five ingredients in crockpot or bowl and stir.

*If freezing, put the sausage mixture in a freezer bag and freeze. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.*

2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

3. Add the tortellini during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

4. Enjoy!

June goals

2013-06-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

In June 2013 I will:

~Enjoy time with family

~Read five books

~Be happy

Hello June! I'm so excited that summer is finally here. Next week the girls and I are heading down south to visit family. My sister and I have tons of Pinterest projects we want to accomplish. Since I only get to see my family a few times a year, so I want to savor every moment with them.

I typically read 2-3 books a month, but I'm hoping to read a bit more during our vacation. My reading list: Rules of Inheritance, The Secret History, Drowning Ruth, Delirium and...well I haven't decided yet. Any suggestions? Have you read any of these books?

I'm generally a positive person, but this month I want to make an effort not to complain or yell or speak negatively about anyone. To help with this goal, I've decided to do the Orange Rhino Challenge this month. Wish me luck!

Linking with Hello Monday and Miscellany Monday.

Bloom Bookmark {sale}

2013-05-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

Bloom Bookmarks are getting a new design. So that means it's time for a retirement sale. All Bloom Bookmarks that are in stock are 30% off this week

Happy Yellow Door

2013-05-16T13:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Pinterest I've started having a love affair with yellow doors. They are just so bright and cheerful. Since our backdoor/porch needed some cheering up, I decided yellow was the perfect color. And I was right. It's perfect.

When I decided to paint my door, I read a lot of blog tutorials and felt a bit overwhelmed. In the end I just used my instincts and painted the door. The door was already painted with latex paint so I didn't have to do much prep work.

I'm also in love with the wreath I made for the door. The hardest part was deciding which fabric to use. I was inspired by this wreath.

Later this summer I'm going to paint our front door, red. Or maybe orange. What color is your door painted?

Details:
Paint- Golden Yellow by Valspar
Hello sign- Say Hello Shop