Our Fifth House

Teacher Gifts - 2 Easy, Simple and Inexpensive Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:19:00 +0000

Friday is my kids last day of school! With a first grader and a third grader I'm just as happy to see the end of ~~homework~~ the school year as they are. It's been a tough year! I had to muddle my way through fractions this year - yikes. Without great teachers, I don't know where we would be. They've been tremendous and my kids have learned so much this year. I always love putting together little thank you gifts to show our appreciation.

Gift Idea #1:

Recycling was something my little 1st grader learned a lot about this year, so I thought this idea was also a nice real life learning lesson for her (yes, that's me patting myself on the back). But seriously, this is my favorite salsa that comes in a jar. I prefer fresh but when that's not possible this Green Mountain Gringo salsa is hard to beat. Plus, it keeps me well stocked in mason jars for things like this.

I made these candy jars for teacher appreciation week which was a few weeks ago. Remember those Anthro napkins I used to make the girl's tote bag? I used the orange one to hide all the writing on the lid. Mod Podge is a wonderful thing isn't it?!

* I promise to show you how these labels were created very soon. Just as soon I get the go ahead signal, I will shout it from the rooftops - and you all are going to love it! I can't wait to spill all the deets and show you how I've been making all of these awesome labels!

Gift Idea #2:

I found these marshmallow skewers in the dollar spot at Target a few days ago and was immediately inspired to create a s'more gift basket. After searching both Target and then Walmart for a large plastic bucket and coming up empty hand, I opted to use these plastic crates I found at Walmart. I'm actually glad as these crates would be adorable with flatware corralled in the them for outdoor entertaining and the under $1.50 price tag wasn't bad either.

The frames I already had on hand, and I again I used my magic label maker to create the card inside. The pinwheels I stole from the leftover sleepover party decor, and the little heart stickers were another dollar spot at Target find (at few months ago).

My kids headed off to school with these s'more gift baskets to give to their teachers today! I hope our teachers have a great summer vacation. They most definitely deserve some relaxation!

What is your go-to thank you gift idea? I like to have a few different ideas up my sleeve, so I'm not scrambling around trying to figure out what to give at the last minute.

Here are a few gift ideas from years past:

Teacher Treat Bags from Bath & Body Works

Bucket of Summer Fun

Outdoor Extravaganza - Decorating!

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

It's party time!

Shauna- http://satoridesignforliving.com

Tiffany- http://www.savvydesignwest.com
Dawn- http://inspiredlivinghome.blogspot.com
Barbara- http://www.markovadesign.com

I showed you how I spruced up our potting bench and made our 2013 summer list yesterday.

Be sure to check out all the other outdoor decor projects from your party hosts before you link up your own!

And now it's your turn to show us what you got! I can't wait to see!

2013 Summer List (Potting Bench/Outdoor Buffet)

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

It's become a tradition. For the past three years we've made a summer list. It's been a great way to kick off the summer!

We've already started growing a garden, and I have plans to lay by the pool by myself this week before the kids get out of school this Friday! One last moment of peace before the summer craziness hits!

This work bench turned potting bench doubles as an outdoor buffet for summer get-togethers, so I always have fun sprucing it up for the season. I spray painted a birdhouse from Michaels with my favorite gold paint and slapped some chalkboard paint on a couple of terracotta pots.

I'm so ready for the relaxed schedule that summer brings!

Are you ready for summer? Do you make a summer list? Take a look at our 2012 list here. See how I turned a couple of cabinet doors into shutters here.

Don't forget about the Outdoor Decorating Party tomorrow! Be sure to link up your outdoor decorating ideas and projects! Can't wait to see!

You can check out the plants and flowers party right here!

I Survived the Boy's First Slumber Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

First of all, I apologize in advance for the phone photos - there was no time to bust out the "good camera". I know - I'm a terrible blogger!

As I mentioned last Friday my son had his first slumber party this past weekend. His actual birthday is today, but since this coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend we decided to have his party early. I had originally planned to have a camp out - cook out themed party.

I had grand plans to set up our tent in the backyard, grill hamburgers and roast marshmallows by the fire pit. But the rain put a kink in those plans. The party was moved inside, and I was ever so grateful to have a basement large enough to host 5 rowdy boys!

I went with an all American boy theme, but I kept the party decorations to a minimum.

tablecloth - walmart, plates - dollar store, planes, cups, pinwheels - hobby lobby

I hung up some paper lanterns (Pier 1) and found the coolest glow in the dark balloons at Hobby Lobby. They were a huge hit!

The only organized activity I had planned was a balloon pop. I filled up a bunch of balloons with candy and had the boys use push pins to pop them. Other than that - there were nerf gun battles and air hockey competitions. They also watched a movie (Tron - Legacy). If you can even believe it - these boys partied until almost 4 am! One got sick early in the evening and ended up going home, but the rest of them never ran out of energy. I admit at around 3 am I was a tad cranky and ready for them to settle down. But they are such a sweet group of friends, and at this age (9 years old) they are pretty darn hilarious!

At 7:30 am I found them like this.

I love this picture so much! I hope my boy remembers his first slumber party forever. He had the biggest grin on his face all night. He said it was the best birthday party he's ever had!

For this child I prayed. He's a gift from God, and I'm so blessed to be his mother.

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!

Paleo Baking Company - Yummy, Healthy and Easy Baking Plus A Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Remember that paleo brownie pie I shared with you a few months ago?

I used a recipe from the Paleo Baking Company to make that delicious chocolate frosting. Not long after, those generous Paleo Baking folks asked me to review their baking mixes. Taste test sweets? Ummmm......sure......I'll do it!!!

I was so beyond thrilled to get these little packages of yumminess in the mail!

Finding gluten free cakes mixes is pretty easy. I've even seen them at Big Lots, of all places! But, paleo cake mixes are pretty much non-existent. So when I found out that the Paleo Baking Company made cake mixes that were gluten, grain, dairy, refined sugar, and soy free I was pretty excited to try them! Sometimes you just don't want to dirty up every dish in your kitchen or spend an hour prepping to bake something paleo approved. And that's when these paleo mixes really come in handy.

Being the chocolate lover that I am, I obviously tried the chocolate mix first! Oh my holy yumminess - I can't even convey in words how ridiculously yummy these little cakes of chocolate are!!! Seriously, my hub said they were the best chocolate cupcakes he's ever had - ever -like even compared to regular chocolate cupcakes! Now that's saying something y'all!

I loved how quick they were to make too! Using the Paleo Baking Company's vanilla frosting recipe as a guide I made a vanilla glaze to top these cupcakes.

Vanilla Glaze

- 3/4 cup + 1 tsp coconut oil

- 3/4 cup raw honey

- 1 tbsp vanilla

whip all ingredients with a whisk

The glaze kind of seeps into the cake. It would be so great as a topping over a bundt cake, which is how I plan to make this chocolate cake mix next time.

These chocolate cupcakes were a huge hit with my family. I really love that these mixes aren't sweetened. They call for you to add 1 cup of honey. I like that you can adjust this - maybe you want to use less honey or more - or maybe you'd rather use another form of sweetener - that's totally up to you and I like that with these mixes you have that option.

For the next test - I tried the spice mix. This time I changed things up and instead of following the directions on the back of the package, I made up my own rules. I opted to try an egg free version.

As I started mixing I realized I was going to need another can of pumpkin.

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Muffins

- 1 package Paleo Baking Company Spice Mix

- 2 cans pumpkin

- 3/4 cup raw honey

- 1/2 bag of enjoy life mini chips (optional)

My kids went crazy for these! And again, I really loved how quick and easy they were to make! I added the chocolate chips because I've always loved the combination of pumpkin with chocolate - however weird that might sound - but adding them is totally optional. These would be great with chopped walnuts too. I let my kids have them for breakfast and also in their lunches at school for a little treat. I made them on the small side and had about 24 little muffins - they didn't even last 2 days in my house!

There a few other egg free recipes from the Paleo Baking Company that I would really like try. In fact I have one package left to try - the hazelnut mix - and I'm planning to make this recipe for Paleo Banana Hazelnut Muffins for my son's birthday tomorrow!

And now for the best part! One of you lucky Our Fifth House readers is going to win a variety pack of Paleo Cake and Muffin Mixes (chocolate, hazelnut and spice)!

To enter this giveaway:

Visit Paleo Baking Company and let me know which frosting recipe you think I should make to top the Banana Hazelnut Muffins I'm making for my boy's birthday tomorrow.

and / or

Let me know which paleo cake & muffin mix you'd like to try first!

Good luck! I'll announce the winner on my Facebook page this Friday!

*I was provided the baking mixes but the opinions are 100% my own.

What's On My Mind This Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:36:00 +0000

1. I often feel like I should be doing more - like I should get a "real" job - or like I should commit more time to blogging to really take my blog to the next level. It's a tug of war inside of me. On one hand I want to dream big and accomplish so many of my personal goals, but on the other hand I want to cherish my time as a mother. In a world where we are hell bent on this make believe idea of doing and having it all, I often feel like I'm lacking. But deep down inside of me I know the truth. Having it all means having a little bit of everything but not really having everything of everything. Am I making any sense? I just don't ever want my personal goals to get in the way of my life goals - and finding the balance isn't always easy. While I might want to write a book (not about decorating) or become a real deal photographer, I'm not willing to sacrifice my time with my littles - because their time as littles is fleeting. And while I've been wrestling with these thoughts, my friend Courtney put it all into perspective here. It was a great reminder for me that what I'm doing and how I'm doing it, really is the right decision for me.

I may never write a novel or a children's book, may never become a photographer, but I'm pretty darn good at doing this mom thing - and in the end - that's what they'll remember about me anyway.

That's me and my girl on the new swing set and look how she dressed me in polka dots! She knows me so well!

2. I'm apparently going for Mother of the Year.

Ummmm......did you see those two little words - SLUMBER PARTY?!?!?!? Yeah, I'm hosting a birthday slumber party for my almost 9 year old boy tonight. Please pray for me. My whole camp out/ cook out theme has been totally shot down because of the rain - so I'm in frantic mode as I try to re- plan the whole dang party - geesh! I'll be so happy to see Monday morning. Follow me on instagram for sneak peeks - Carmel_ourfifthhouse.

3. The winner of the Kidecals giveaway was announced on my Facebook page!

Have a great weekend! Lots of good stuff coming next week! See you on Monday!

DIY Swing Set & Playhouse

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

An alternate title for this post could be - "P.S. My Dad Is Awesome!" but I'm not one to brag.

Oh wait, I am. ;)

Ummmmm......

yeah.......

my dad.......

built this thing........

from his own plans............

math - no problem - spelling - uh? not so much

in less than 2 weeks...........

working practically by himself!!!!

I mean, I did all the really hard work..........like painting...........

decorating............

and picture taking.

Yep, that's me - a hard working diy'er up in here.

The Story:
I believe kids need grass and air......... and room to play and scream and.......... dream and giggle and tell secrets and......... move and bounce and climb......... and swing and laugh and twist. Yep, they definitely need to be able to twist - because we all know twisting on a swing can be way more fun than just plain old swinging.

I believe they need a place where they can grow - away from the tv, computer and all other electronic devices. I told my dad I wanted my kids to have what I had when I was a kid - a beautiful backyard setting for their childhood memories - a place they will remember fondly when they're grown. Basically, I dreamed it - my dad built it. We make a killer team - his know how and my dreams - they work well together.

The Deets:
It's made from weather treated wood - the same wood you would use to build a deck - all from The Home Depot. I had to rent one of their trucks to get it all home.

It's hard to really give a set of plans or a how to because this was built very specific to my backyard. This area of the yard is sloped, so some of the posts are dug in deeper than others. The playhouse/clubhouse/miniature deck (whatever you want to call it) is almost 8 feet wide and 6 feet deep. The sides of the deck are 38 inches from the floor to the top of the hand rail. I had just one hand rail added going up the stairs instead of two for aesthetic reasons. I like the way it looks with one side open. My kids are 6 and 8, so one handrail is perfectly fine for safety reasons and the side that has no hand rail isn't as far from the ground as the other because of the way our yard slopes. Obviously for younger kids 2 hand rails would probably be a safety necessity. The whole thing is just under 5 ft above the ground, but it's only about 3 and half feet from the ground on the side that doesn't have a hand rail. We've had no issues at all with just the one hand rail so far, but adding another could be done easily if this becomes a problem.

The chairs, pillows, table, rug and ottoman all came from my second home - Target - the Threshold line rocks -you know this.

The red lantern is from Pier 1 Imports.

The polka dot window boxes were a diy project- more on them coming soon.

The flag is my favorite part. I bought it at Michael's.

The blue swings are from Lowe's.

I had originally wanted a roof over the clubhouse, but I changed my mind. The way it sits under this tree makes it feel like a treehouse, and I felt like a roof would take away from that feeling.

Soup to nuts - the whole thing was built for just under $500 which includes the wood, the screws and other hardware, the swings, the concrete mix, the paint (I only had to buy a gallon as I already had some on hand. I used the colors from the exterior of my home.), and the truck rental. Considering that most of the put-it-together-yourself sets cost almost double and still take loads of time to "build", I think we came out pretty darn good.

Having this in my backyard definitely doesn't suck.

Dear Dad,

Thanks for everything! Thanks for helping me build a patio and fire pit, for building me a raised garden box, and for never rolling your eyes whenever I come up with another project ~~for us to do together~~ for you to do for me. Thanks doesn't really seem like enough, but I know you know what I mean.

Outdoor Extravaganza - Plants & Flowers Link Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

There's something special about this time of year. As the days last longer and the weather warms up I enjoy spending more time outside. I showed you yesterday how I cleaned up and replanted (for the second year) a vegetable garden.

And now today I'm co-hosting the first of our Outdoor Extravaganza Parties!

It's all about Plants and Flowers - so show us what you've got growing and blooming around your home!

Be sure to check out all of the hostess projects before you link up your own.

Shauna- http://satoridesignforliving.com

Tiffany- http://www.savvydesignwest.com
Dawn- http://inspiredlivinghome.blogspot.com
Barbara- http://www.markovadesign.com

Can't wait to see what you've got going on in your outdoor spaces!

DIY No-Sew Tote Bag (Kate Spade Style Soiree Link Party)

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It's time to party! Or should I say time to soiree?!

Today is the first day of our Summer Soiree Link Party Series, and I'm thrilled to see all of your Kate Spade inspired projects - outfits - decor - whatever you did that was inspired by the queen of polka dots herself.

I had so much fun with this super-simple-ridiculously-easy project! It's hard not to love a diy project that takes less than 5 minutes to make - especially when it's covered in gold polka dots. I was tipped off by my friend Courtney that these Anthropologie napkins were on sale, so I had to bust it over to the store to grab some before they were gone.

At $4.95 for a set of 4, I had to pick up an extra set to use for a few fun diy projects. My little girlfriend is really into carrying her own handbag, and she's especially fond of the tote. With the help of some fabric glue and leopard grosgrain ribbon, craft supplies I already had on hand, I whipped up this sweet little fabric tote bag for my little girlie.

It's so simple!

Just glue the wrong sides together starting with the bottom. Lay your ribbon down the sides before you glue them together. Then let the glue dry completely (about an hour) before attempting to use it. It's pretty strong for being glued together - perfect for all my little girl's essentials - sunglasses, chapstick, a pack of crayons - you know the stuff she must have with her at all times.

It's really fun having two different sides - pink and orange.

I cut the ribbon long enough so she can wear it as a shoulder or messenger bag.

My little model is a happy customer. She really loves her bag, and I love how easy this was to make! #kindawishitwasmine #whodoesntlovegoldpolkadots

I did some other fun projects with these gold polka dot napkins that I'll be sharing later, but first it's your turn to show off what Kate Spade inspired you to do!

When you link up with just one of us, your project will be seen on all of our blogs!

Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To}

Camila {Effortless Style}

Jenna {Rain On A Tin Roof}

Heather {Southern State of Mind}

Raised Bed Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Last spring my dad helped me build a raised garden box , and I really enjoyed growing my own herbs and veggies. It was my first time growing a vegetable garden, and I was pretty surprised at how simple it was. I have a tendency to kill anything green, but by some miracle I managed to keep my garden alive and thriving until winter came.

With warmer temps pretty much here to stay, I decided it was time to clean things up and replant. I'm trying a few new things this year - like zucchini, cucumber and spinach. I was pretty shocked that the oregano and mint came back after the winter and is already in full force! My hub made a pitcher of mint juleps on derby day using mint from our garden, and I swear they were the best mint juleps I've ever tasted!

I found these wooden garden markers at Michael's - in the dollar spot.

I sprayed the part that would be above the ground with white outdoor paint and then used a sharpie to label.

I'm excited to watch this little garden grow.

Have you tried growing your own vegetables? Raised box gardens are pretty easy to maintain. I mean, c'mon, if I can do it - anyone can!

Our plants and flowers party is tomorrow! Have you started planting and sprucing up your outdoor spaces? Come show them off at our party tomorrow!

*Sharing with Savvy Southern Style

Kidecals Review and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! I'm excited to start this Monday off with a fabulous giveaway from Kidecals!

You all already know how much I love me some labels. Put a label on it may as well be my personal motto. Check out the organization tab up above to see just how much of a label lover I really am.

So obviously, when Kidecals asked me to do a review and host a giveaway for their awesome custom labels I was down by law - as my hub would say.
Kidecals specializes in custom labels that stick to any surface - including clothing - and are waterproof, dishwasher and washing machine safe! Better yet, they offer a huge selection of adorable styles!

There are so many fun styles to choose from it's hard to find a favorite.

With summer coming I love the idea of adding a custom label to things like beach towels, pool bags and luggage.

I'm especially a fan of the allergy alert labels, of which they offer a few different styles. Adding a label like this to the back of a kids t-shirt at a summer day camp would really help to make sure no one forgets about your child's allergy issues.

They even make keyboard decals!

There are so many styles of labels to choose from I had a hard time selecting one to review. I chose a pack of these multicolored chevron labels for my little girlfriend.

The everyday set of labels comes with 12 two inch labels and 24 one inch labels, a total of 36 labels for $21 and shipping is always free!

Honestly, I was a little skeptical on the dishwasher and washing machine safe claim - but after testing them - I'm pretty impressed! They are as good as they claim. I really love that they are washing machine safe as I always like to label the inside of my children's jackets and coats (to keep them from getting lost at school and church).

Kidecals is graciously offering one lucky Our Fifth House reader a $21 voucher towards a custom label design of your choosing! Perfect timing right?! Just in time to get all the pool toys, vacation bags, and summer sports equipment labeled!

No more getting your child's tennis racket mixed up with some other kids - or maybe that just happens to me.

To enter this giveaway:

- Visit Kidecals.com and let me know your favorite label style

For another chance to win:

Like Our Fifth House on Facebook

and

Like Kidecals on Facebook

Good luck! I'll announce the winner this Friday!

P.S. This little goodie I instagrammed over the weekend is also from Kidecals.

carmel_ourfifthhouse

** I was given these labels to review, but the opinions are 100% my own.

What's On My Mind This Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

1. I hope you haven't forgotten about our first soiree - inspired by Kate Spade - coming up next Tuesday. I can't wait to see what you were inspired to do/create/style!

2. Abby launched a new site - Abby M. Interiors. I've been following her blog - A Delightful Design - for quite some time, and it's amazing to see her following her dreams! I'm absolutely thrilled for her growing design business as she is quite a talented lady.

3. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and for sharing your own stories on my storms and rainbows post. I appreciate you all so much more than you know.

4. The thing about Mother's Day is - there's no way to really show just how thankful I am to be blessed with such an awesome woman for a mom. Since becoming a mother myself I've realized even more just how special my mom is and there are no words or gifts I could send her way to truly express just how much I appreciate her love - and most of all her friendship. I won't get to see my mom on Mother's Day - as she lives in California, but I will be thinking of her all day long.

5. I got the Paleo tab up and running - woohoo! Watch out now - I might actual be turning into a real deal organized blogger........probably not .......but maybe.

Have a great weekend!

Cauliflower Hummus - Yummy Paleo Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:16:00 +0000

Before I was a paleo chick, one of my favorite healthy snacks was hummus and veggies. Unfortunately, traditional hummus is made from chickpeas, and chickpeas are legumes - which are a no-go in the paleo world. After doing a little research, I learned that you could make hummus from - cauliflower! And PS - it tastes so much like the chickpea version you will totally fool your friends!

I played around in the kitchen until I created a recipe that I love!

It's easy to get creative with this recipe - serve it as a dip - or use it as a spread! It's really delicious and a great one to take to a party!

I shared this recipe a few months ago over at Honey We're Healthy. While it's not a paleo blog it's definitely one of my favorite healthy living blogs! Reading keeps me inspired to keep up with my regular workouts. It's so easy for me to get into a rut and not feel motivated to exercise but Honey We're Healthy gets me energized to stay committed. And there are lots of great recipes over there too - many that are easy to tweek for a paleo lifestyle. I'm planning to make these yummy kale chips tonight!

Head over to say hello and get inspired to live healthy!

The Rainbow After The Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

My parents got divorced when I was 13.

There's a special place in my heart for those who were teenagers when their parents got divorced. As if just being a teenager wasn't hard enough. I know what's like to have your whole life change. I know what it's like to remember with a little nostalgia what your life was like before your parents got divorced. Not to say, that divorce isn't hard on small children. But it is very different when your old enough to understand what's going on - when you have to be apart of certain decisions - decisions that a teenager shouldn't have to make - like which parent do you want to live with - those are hard decisions to make when your just 13.

But I don't regret - any of it. The hard parts - the decisions made - they have all shaped the person I am today as well as the great relationship I have with both of my parents.

It's funny how when you're in the midst of the storm you can't see the rainbow.

But when you look back, when the storm has settled, you see it - and it's so beautiful.

I lived with my dad after my parents got divorced. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but at the time I was in survival mode. What I wanted most at that time in my life was stability and living with my dad meant not having to change schools. It meant I could stay in the same house - with the same friends - while everything else in my life was no longer the same. So basically I didn't choose my dad over my mom - I chose my friends. Many of which I'm still friends with today. They rescued me - this group of silly 13 and 14 year old girls. They kept me up - and they really don't even know how much they saved me.

Living with my dad wasn't easy, especially at first. I was a teenager - with a pretty bad, very sassy attitude. I was selfish - as most teenagers typically are - add to that I was a little angry at the new circumstances that were thrown at me. But we made it work.

I got to know to my dad - to really know him. The funny thing is - I don't really remember much about him or my relationship with him before my parents divorced. Sure he taught me how to tell time and made sure I memorized my multiplication tables, but I don't remember much else. I spent more time with mom as daughters do I guess. I remember doing all sorts of things with her - baking and crafting - watching her put on her makeup - playing dress up with her high heels - going to the movies - and on and on. But one-on-one memories with my dad before the age of 13 - there aren't many of them.

And then, by default, at age 13 my dad became my roommate.

We did stuff together - just him and I. We talked. We went to the movies. We went grocery shopping together. He taught me how to drive, and he hosted a sweet 16 birthday party for me in our backyard, with a DJ and a disco ball. We built a relationship. That was our first diy project together.

I remember my wedding day as he walked me down the aisle I was filled with so many emotions. I was a little nervous about another big life change - and there he was walking me through it yet again - not in front of me or behind me but right beside me until I could do it alone.

The relationship I built with my dad is my rainbow after the storm of my parents divorce. I couldn't see it at the time, but I can see now that God had a plan all along.

My dad was just here visiting for the past two weeks, and we (mainly him) built a swing set/ playhouse for my kiddos. While building I couldn't help but think - we've been building together for 21 years now. He left this morning, and my heart hurts just a little. It's never easy to say goodbye, but as I sit by the window looking out at the play set we built together I realize I get to keep a little bit of him here with me.

I don't know what the storms have been like in your life or if you're going through a storm now - but I do know there's a rainbow coming!

Source: welcomingspirit.blogspot.com via Paula Jenkins on Pinterest

Design Idea: Painting Furniture The Same Color As Your Walls

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

This image has been at the front of my mind for quite some time.

Jamie Meares

I mean seriously, the red wall had me at hello. But what really stuck out for me the first time I saw this image was the red dresser against the red wall. I love the modern touch it adds!

If it were up to me, I'd paint this dresser in my living room the same red as my walls, like yesterday.

But this piece is a family heirloom - on my hubs side - and he's against painting it - and I totally respect that - if it had belonged to my grandmother I wouldn't want to paint it either.

Vignette

While I respect that he doesn't want me to touch this dresser with a paint brush, I still want to slap some red paint on a piece of furniture against the walls in this room.

Ummmm, wine bar, I'm looking at you kid.

Though that might mean changing the knobs.

Or not. I could always go for a full tone on tone look. I don't know. I haven't really decided for sure. Right now I'm just thinking........but we all know where that leads. Painting this piece red could solve the issue I mentioned here too. Hmmmm......lots to think about.

What do you think about the idea of painting furniture the same color as the walls? Jenny just did it with grey, and the results are fantabulous!

Want to know what color red is on my walls? - check this post here.
The curtain panels pictured above are an old diy project involving drop cloths and a stencil - click here for all the deets.

Design Thoughts: Why Not A Bold Wall Color?

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Sometimes choosing a neutral wall color and adding in color/personality to a room through fabric and accessories seems like the safe choice. And many times the idea of keeping the wall color neutral is seen as an easier option - when you want to change the look of the room you don't have to repaint, just change your accessories.

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens

House Beautiful - design by Amanda Nisbet

Though, I can't help but wonder - is a neutral wall color really a safer choice? Is it really easier to change the accessories rather than repainting the room? In many of the rooms above a design change may call for reupholstery. For those of us who lack reupholstery skills that can, depending on the cost of fabric and labor, be just as expensive as a brand new piece of furniture. Whereas a gallon of paint and an afternoon of work, can yield major room change results with very little expense - unless you decide to hire a painter.

If you've been following this blog for any length of time I think you already know what side of the fence I typically fall on - I'm a bold wall color girl - not all of the time but most of the time.

living room

striped hallway

master bedroom

Even my neutrals aren't really neutral.

breakfast room - in Macadamia by Martha Stewart

I typically go for colorful walls and neutral furniture with easy to change accents (like pillows that I don't typically invest too much money in). I tend to buy furniture with a "long haul" mentality so I stick to leather and other neutral upholstery fabrics. Many of the pieces we have - we've had for quite some time and they have worked in the design of many of our homes.

Our leather couch, for instance, is from Restoration Hardware.

We bought it on sale and have had it for years. It's easy to care for, looks as good today as the day we bought it, and will probably live in our home for many, many more years to come. Even when the day comes that I tire of the red walls, the leather couch will stay. The same is true for our master bedroom furniture (pictured above) which we have had for many years and through 3 of our homes.

I marry the furniture - but just date the wall color. ;) I have found for myself that this not only works for my design budget, but it also gives me the most design freedom.

While white and grey walls are having their day in the sun, bold colorful walls are making more of an appearance in the design world lately. And I for one am loving every delicious color.

Ballard Designs

House Beautiful - design by Ann Wolf

Better Homes and Gardens

If neutral walls are really your thing - than rock them, own them and love them! But if you've chosen a neutral color out of fear or because you think it's a safer choice, I challenge you to rethink your choice, let go of the fear - and paint a color on your walls! Don't be afraid to go for a bold wall color in your home. After all, it's just paint - it's easy to change!

What are your thoughts on selecting wall colors?

Here's a rundown of my house colors, and you can take a full house tour here.

What's On My Mind This Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

1. Mad Men has been majorly disappointing to me so far. What do you all think?

2. I got one of my new tabs/pages completed - check out the Inspired By tab up above to see all the blogs I follow - from diy, design and fashion to paleo and healthy living.

3. If you follow me on instagram (Carmel_ourfifthhouse) you already saw this little sneak peek.

This is just one of the diy projects my dad has helped me with during his visit. Well, okay, "help me with" isn't really an accurate description - it's more like - he's done it all on his own while I've been playing the role of supervisor, painter and water girl. ;) It's almost done, and I can't wait! I think I may be more excited about it than the kids! #wheresmyswing #moveoverkids #myturn

Have a great weekend peeps!

In Honor of the Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Horseshoe Art

Master Bedroom Reading Nook

Spring Mantel

This first Saturday of May is a special one for Kentucky. Derby Day is a kind of a big deal. I'll be wearing a baseball cap on a soccer field, but if I were headed to the derby I'd be wearing something like this.

Nordstrom

This one is a not a typical derby hat - it's not large and in charge - but I do love it!

Are you headed to the derby? Will you be watching?

April - The Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I can't even believe that April is over! My kids get out of school in a few weeks, and I can hardly believe we're already at summer's door step. Spring? Where did you go?

April was a great month!

I added gold dots to the girl's ceiling and built her an art desk. I also shared some personal stuff about my journey to reclaim my health.

I shared my super-fast homemade, healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe! And the best news is I've received so much positive feedback from those of you who have tried this recipe for yourself! So glad you all like it - and isn't it just crazy how simple these are to make?! I also declared my love for gold spray paint and told you all which one is my absolute favorite. And of course, it wouldn't be spring without being bitten with the spring cleaning bug. First on the hit list was the medicine/cookbook cabinet.

Last but not least I gave you an updated tour of the guest bedroom and shared the new gallery wall. I also cleaned out the craft closet and reorganized all of my craft supplies.

I'm looking forward to May and can't wait to show you what my dad and I have been working on over the past week!

Thanks so much to my sponsors who keep the good-diy-project times rolling!

My amazing blog designer is offering a 15% off discount code to her etsy shop just for Our Fifth House readers! Her shop is filled with lots of pre-made things (layouts, social media icons, logos etc) and of course she does custom work too!

If you're looking for Mother's Day gift ideas - jewelry always works! And the prices at Charles Emerson can't be beat so go ahead and treat yourself too!

Getting ready to start a home improvement project - check out National Builder Supply - it's a diy'ers dream come true!

If you have a tile project on the horizon you need to check out The Tile Shop!

Creative, Stylish Storage Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

My craft supplies got evicted from the guest room closet.

So I had to find a creative, stylish new storage solution.

Let me explain. I've recently hatched a nefarious plan to remove the closet doors and put a desk/vanity area in the guest room closet space (where all my supplies used to live), so the crafty stuff had to find a new home. It felt good to sort, purge and drop off the unwanted items at the Goodwill.

With the closet now off limits for storage, I had to get creative. I turned to these three key pieces: 1. The sideboard (an old ZGallerie purchase) that used to live in my hubs office and is now acting as a dresser in the guest bedroom. 2. The tufted storage ottoman I scored at HomeGoods. and 3. The vintage under the bed metal storage case I found at a local thrift shop. These three are secretly storing all of my craft supplies as well as everything our guests need while visiting.

It's not really a secret.

This sideboard is divided into 3 sections. One section is just for guest room essentials - everything from sheets and towels to toiletries are all packed in neatly.

I used my rolling the sheets trick once again and the extra set fit inside one of these fabric bins perfectly. All of these storage containers came from my home away from home- Target. I painted some wooden cutouts, glued grosgrain ribbon over the handles and used a secret weapon (I'll be sharing more deets on this in the very near future) to make labels. I wanted the storage inside to coordinate with the gallery wall above, so when the doors are open it all flows nicely.

The other two sections are for ME and my crafty supplies - aka where I hoard grosgrain ribbon.

I fell head over heals for these floral fabric storage containers at Target. How pretty are they?! I picked up a pack of the silver Martha Stewart label holders at Staples. They stick to practically anything - including these fabric bins. And yes, my labels have little polka dots (#obsessedmuch) on them! I heart them so and can. not. wait. to show you all how easy they were to make!!

The tufted storage ottoman is where I crammed all of my fabric samples. They're all so much easier to get to now as I used to have them stacked on a fairly high shelf in the closet. No need for a step stool to reach them anymore, and no one but me knows they're in there.

The vintage under the bed storage container that fits perfectly underneath the sideboard-turned-dresser has been converted into a gift wrap storage box.

Everything I need to wrap a gift is right here in one easy-to-find-easy-to-access place!

Thrift stores are great places to find storage containers that marry form and function. I use a few vintage pieces to store out of season clothing in my master bedroom.

Have you found any creative, stylish ways to store your stuff? Repurposed any vintage treasures to use for storage/organization?

For more organization projects click here.

*Sharing with Home Stories A to Z , Savvy Southern Style

Style Soiree! - Link Party Summer Series

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday lovelies! I am so excited to announce this summer link party series that I'm co-hosting with some seriously fabulous bloggers!

Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To}

Camila {Effortless Style}

Jenna {Rain On A Tin Roof}

Heather {Southern State of Mind}

This style soiree is the brain child of Heather from Southern State of Mind. When she asked me if I wanted to co-host a summer link party series in which we draw inspiration from some of the most amazing style icons of our time to create/style/diy anything under the sun I couldn't say YES fast enough! I mean how do you turn down an invitation to co-host anything called a soiree?!

And it doesn't hurt that this list of style icons has inspiration bursting at the seams!!

First up is the polka dot queen of the world - aka the always fabulous Kate Spade!

Next up is the lady who made the shift dress famous- Lilly Pulitzer!

Then we'll be pulling inspiration from my all time favorite - Ralph Lauren!

Last but not least, is the guy who always makes design fun- Jonathon Adler.

Drawing inspiration from these style icons won't be hard. They've all made a major impact on the design and fashion world. Use the inspiration you've gathered to create/style/diy anything you'd like - the sky's the limit - then come back here on the day of the party to link up your projects with us. When you link up with just one of us, your project will be seen on all of our blogs.

So go get your inspiration on and come back to strut your stuff/ show off your projects at our style soiree!

I had a little Kate Spade inspired fun this weekend. I got my polka dot love on - it's become an obsession - I can't get enough polkas dots in my life right now!

Let's not forget my other recent polka dot adventures:

The girl's ceiling..........

And the girl's new desk chair.........

Like I said, it's an obsession. ;) Who wants to bet that my Kate Spade project for this soiree will probably be covered in dots?!

What's On My Mind This Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

1. Shannon Loves Design ,one of my amazing blog sponsors, is helping me to streamline the ol' blog. I've made a few little changes -- (like the tabs up above and I'm still working to get all those new pages filled with content to make things easier to find over here). She's so great to work with! I highly recommend her!

2. Are you a no-reply commenter? If you've ever left me a comment - especially a question and haven't heard back from me - this could be why. Here's how you can change that so I can respond - click here.

3. Some of my favorite bloggers participated in a patio style challenge issued by Home Depot. Cassie's patio reveal has me dreaming of warm summer days!

4. Do you watch Game of Thrones? Oh my - it is totally addicting! I'm thinking of reading the books, but I'm not sure that my diy schedule has room for me to start such an intense series. It's kind of hard to paint and read at the same time. ;)

5. My dad flew in from California on Tuesday night. He'll be here for about 2 weeks. I so enjoy our visits as I only get to see him maybe twice a year. Last night during dinner he told me the story of how he celebrated his 21st birthday. He was a marine serving in Vietnam. I had never heard this story before and hadn't realized that he had celebrated a birthday while he was there. At one point during his story tears started rolling down his face. I can't even imagine celebrating my 21st birthday, or any birthday for that matter, while in the middle of a war.

After hearing my dad's story - I now understand why he made such a big deal about my 21st birthday. He thinks I had my first tequila shot that day (let's let him continue to think that). He took all my girlfriends out to dinner. We had such a great time, and he was so happy that day - I'll never forget it - and now that day is even more special because I know how he celebrated his 21st.

Call someone you love this weekend and find out something you don't already know about them!

See you on Monday! Have a great one!

The Guest Room Gallery Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Slowly but surely I've been working on the guest room for oh, say about 3 years now. Yes, 3 - is that a problem? I have a hard time focusing on any one project for too long. It is what it is. Anywho, let me start by jogging your memory just a bit to get you up to speed because it's been quite a while between projects in this room.

First I turned an old door into a headboard with the help of a hot glue gun and 25,000 yards of manila rope - not really that much - but kind of - you can find that tutorial here.

Then Martha Stewart rocked my world and saved me the trouble of diy'ing a sunburst mirror for over the bed. Next up, the good folks at Hobby Lobby got smart and started selling 96 inch curtain panels at an affordable price! And all I can think is - dude, Target get on that would ya?!

Then I shared the sentimental trays turned memo boards over at Infarrantly Creative.

I heart these boards so much! I used a bunch of vintage earrings to make push pins.

And now that we're all caught up, here's what I've been working on most recently - the gallery wall.

I've been collecting things for this wall for a while. I really love vintage paint by numbers. These were found in thrift stores and on Etsy.

The big framed chalkboard over the leopard print covered canvas board is an old diy project.

The chalkboard hooks I found at Anthropologie.

Our guests come to stay with us from out of town, mostly other states, so I wanted to give this gallery wall a bit of a welcome-to-kentucky feel.

Maybe someday this room will be "done", but for now I'm just enjoying the process.

(The color on the walls is Waverly lambs wool.)

And the happy green chair makeover story can be found here.

Quick Paleo Breakfasts (Freezer Meals)

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I'm not a morning person. Waking up before 8 am is painful. But waking up at 6:30 am to get 2 kids dressed and ready for school and making them a healthy breakfast is full on torture. It's not that I don't want to feed my kids a good healthy breakfast or that I don't like to cook. But doing it that early in the morning is rough. Before we were paleo peeps I was the queen of the toaster waffle with peanut butter, but that isn't going to cut it in the paleo world. So, I had to rethink breakfast. At first I tried to force myself to be a morning person. I tried waking up even earlier to prepare a fresh breakfast of something like scrambled eggs, pumpkin pancakes and sausage. That didn't last long because once again - I'm just not a morning person.

I decided instead of trying to change that about myself that I would work smarter not harder. So about once every two weeks on a Saturday or Sunday morning when I can leisurely start my day at a reasonable hour I make two weeks worth of breakfast meals and freeze them. Then Monday through Friday it's virtually as simple as popping a waffle in the toaster as I pull out a bag and reheat!

It's so simple. I have no idea why I didn't think to do this sooner! I basically take some type of meat (usually ground) and cook it with a shredded veggie. Combinations we like - chorizo with sweet potato - ground pork or lamb with zucchini or yellow squash or carrots.

This is chopped chorizo with shredded sweet potato.

I cook the meat and then add the shredded veggies - sprinkle a little salt and pepper - maybe a little garlic powder and boom - it's done. Then I put it into freezer bags- just enough for one days breakfast. When it's time to reheat I can either microwave the contents or reheat on the stove - sometimes (not every day) I scramble an egg or two in while I'm reheating on the stove or I fry an egg. It's also easy to add a little fresh fruit on the side as well.

The combinations are endless, so get creative! For all my mom friends - the power of the sneaky shredded veggie is amazing! My kids eat their veggies for breakfast every morning without complaint. Shredding them sneaks them in without my kids really even noticing.

These meals will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Make sure you use a freezer bag or some other type of container that is made for use in a freezer.

It's hard to think of quick grain free - dairy free breakfast options, so freezing these meals has been a major life saver for me! I wish I had thought to do this sooner.

Hope this helps all the other not morning people out there!

My Favorite Gold Spray Paint

noreply@blogger.com (Carmel - Our Fifth House) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Can I get a "holla" for spray paint weather?!?!?!? When you live in an area where you can only use spray paint at certain times of the year, you get a little over-excited when warm weather finally arrives.

Some people are all like, gold is back. I'm like, wait, gold went out? I'm not sure I ever got that memo. I've always loved gold. I think brass is timeless, but I'm not talking about 80's brass. Antique gold hardware is always "in" in my opinion, and mixing metals is always a good idea in my book.

That being said, with warm-perfect-for-spray-painting weather, I busted out my favorite gold spray paint.

Oh yeah, I'm talking about Rustoleum's Metallic Gold - without a doubt, it's my favorite gold spray paint.

This was a total 3 for one deal. I mean, let's get serious, if I have a can of gold spray paint in my hand nothing is safe.

This sweet little glass vase is an Ikea find from over a year ago.

And the pedestal was a Goodwill find for 25 cents. I totally popped that tag. ;)

That polka dotted chair you've seen before. It's my girl's new desk chair. It was a Big Lots find if you can even believe it, and in addition to gold legs I gave her a gold edge with my trusty rub n' buff in gold leaf.

I just love how a little gold goes such a long way. It always adds the perfect amount of chicness - yes, that's totally a word. Are you a fan of Rustoleum's metallic gold spray paint or is there another brand you're addicted to? Is your trigger finger ready for spray paint season? If loving spray paint is wrong, I don't want to be right.

P.S. There's still time to vote for my diy art desk in the Homes.com Crafting for Charity Contest - click right here to cast your vote now. And thanks so much for all your support! You all are the best!