kbn

thrift store stool makeover

2012-06-25T07:07:00.000-06:00

you remember those $8 stools i bought at the thrift store, in this post? well, they were well overdue for a makeover. i decided if i was going to go with spray paint, i might as well go bold! husband's reaction when i told him what color i was painting them was less than enthusiastic. he just doesn't understand that color can be a good thing. i personally think they turned out great!

the before:

they were not only that standard unfinished wood on top and white paint on bottom, but they had seen better days, with staining and fading on the top of the stools.

the during:

when painting, i used a drop cloth and cardboard outside to save the driveway from being painted and save fumes from flying around everywhere. i primed them with valspar primer, using two thin coats, after using deglosser to get all the dirt and grime off. you are supposed to be able to skip sanding when you use this deglosser. it worked great and saved me a step {plus, i'm not a big fan of sanding}. i used a valspar classic red paint in gloss to spruce up these beauties!

the after:

i think they turned out well. we already have pops of red and blues in our kitchen area, so it just helped to bring out some more colors. we obviously don't have the fanciest kitchen in the world, but that is apartment living for you. i would love to get my hands on those cabinets, change out the linoleum floor and put in hardwoods throughout... just day dreaming until we have our own little home one day.

here is another before and after for your monday viewing pleasure:

happy monday everyone! oh, and does anyone out there in blog world know of a good sealer to protect my wonderful paint job with? husband is worried he is going to get a red arse every time he sits down.

love, kbn

thrift store finds makeover

2012-06-22T09:45:00.000-06:00

i spent almost a full day spray painting most of my thrift store finds {and some other things i had lying around the apartment}. i didn't know how much fun spray painting could be! the pier1 trays i bought, found in this post, got an orb paint job and look amazing!

the above photos clockwise from the top left: gluing the splinters down with super glue, the before shot of the trays, trays primed, and trays all finished and orbed {oil-rubbed bronze}.

we don't have a coffee table at the moment in our living area because our couch has two large ottomans, so i figured the trays would be perfect to eat on while husband and i have dinner and watch the game {i'm sure all you ladies can relate with the basketball going on at the moment!}.

they also have some other uses. i can display things on them, like our blue bottle collection.

i will do another post with the rest of my thrift store makeovers, this is just a preview. coming up is lots more color!

have a happy weekend all!

love, kbn

thrift store finds

2012-06-18T07:57:00.001-06:00

i found some great treasures at a local thrift store recently. at first glance, i thought i was out of luck, but with a bit of searching, i came across some things with potential. a little tlc and they will be looking great!

what i brought home:

two stools: $16 total

black wire crate: $2

two ceramic bowls: $1 total

red basket: $.75

tea candle holders: $.50 total

milk bottle vase: $.50

two pier 1 bamboo trays: $3 total

total for all the loot: $23.75

i have bought some red spray paint, orb, and some blue, to transform the stools, bamboo trays, and possibly the vase. i can't decide whether to paint the black wire basket a bright fun color, or leave it black. any thoughts? i might use it as a fruit holder, specifically for all the bananas we have (which is tons!).

the stools aren't really what i imagined for our space, i was thinking more like these beauties...

but for the price, the ones i got will work just fine until we can save up for something more permanent.

my favorite color scheme is blues, reds, and oranges. i love the combo... a little something like this...

i am still trying to figure out what my style is and what colors i like best, but i do know that i gravitate towards neutral with pops of ocean blues and reds, and a bit of orange and mustard yellow mixed in as well.

i will be revealing my stool and tray make overs soon, so stay tuned! what do you think i should do about the black wire crate? paint, no paint... i can't decide!

happy monday loyal readers!

love, kbn

how to series: how to bake beets from scratch

2012-06-14T07:17:00.000-06:00

i decided to do a how-to series of posts. my take on how-to's. it might be a little backwards, but informative, and hopefully helpful to someone. this is how i navigate through new tasks to learn new skills in my life. this is how i do it.

second of my how to's is something i thought was very daunting... cooking beets from scratch. in australia, beet's also known as "beetroot " has it's own container in the fridge, and i learned to love them while i was there. as i was looking up the spelling of beetroot (fact about me: i can't spell! just wasn't sure if it had a space or not...), i learned that beetroot is the proper way to say it, us americans just like to be improper and call them beets.

it is so much easier to just pick up a can of beets and call it a day, but it is cheaper (and probably better for you) to buy them fresh and bake them yourself. i found buying just one bunch of beets and baking them, lasted way longer than buying a can. it is also pretty simple.

now, the how to's of it all...

you will need:

a bunch of beets

baking dish (pyrex kind)

foil

an oven

how to do it:

pre-heat your oven to 375 F (190 C)

use a damp paper towel to scrub the beets (no need to peel ahead of time)

place your beets in the baking dish

cover tightly with foil

bake for one hour

when finished, the skin will peel off pretty easy, just use a sharp knife to get it started

be sure to poke your beets to check that they are tender after the hour, and cook longer if necessary.

you can use your beets in plenty of recipes. they are great by themselves, roasted with some olive oil and sea salt. i made a delicious quinoa salad, using chopped beets, cucumber, and black beans. eat them on a burger (yum!)... the possibilities are endless! maybe ill try a beet smoothie next...

do you have any good beet recipes you would like to share? do you cook your beets using a different method?

love, kbn

let's cool down

2012-06-04T07:31:00.002-06:00

summer has arrived in utah, and i couldn't be happier! after spending a year in seattle, and feeling like i didn't have a summer at all, i was ready for some sunshine.

i realize i have been very slack with my blog. i was trying to think about why that is, and i don't think it is lack of inspiration, but just plan lack of time. a lot has been going on in the life of me... a new job, amping up my stationery biz, some hard core yoga classes, and planning summer trips. i have so many diy projects and recipes i want to try. once i get settled in my new job, i hope to not be so slack.

if you are in the slc area, head over to zen living yoga in the sugarhouse area, for a good sweaty yoga session. seriously... i think i lost about 5 lbs worth of sweat yesterday {never knew i could sweat so much in yoga}.

the best thing after a hardcore workout in the summer heat... a smoothie of course! {not sure how many more smoothies my blender can handle}.

watermelon smoothie:

what you need:

1 small banana {fresh or frozen}

1/2 small watermelon, chopped

2 tbsp plain non-fat greek yogurt {omit or use soy to make it vegan}

1/2 cup almond milk

blend together and enjoy! it should make about 2 large smoothies. feel free to add berries or more banana for a thicker smoothie.

cantaloupe, banana and avocado smoothie:

what you need:

1/2 banana

1/2 small cantaloupe

slice of avocado

2 tbsp plain non-fat greek yogurt {omit or use soy to make it vegan}

1/2 cup almond milk

blend together and enjoy! this is so tasty - i wasn't sure how the flavors would mix, but it turned out great. it makes one very big smoothie.

have you been creating any unique smoothies lately? i love hearing about new flavors to mix together.

hope you have a good monday!

love, kbn

what did you pin today?

2012-05-28T09:33:00.001-06:00

i have been online shopping a lot lately {okay... maybe more like online browsing}... here are just a few of the things i have been admiring {and pinning} lately...

for me:

fabulous cut-out flats from h&m

cute initial necklace from lala design studio on etsy

silky printed blouse from h&m

printed dress from tobi.com

tom's ballet flats

for my home:

shelves for our bedroom from urban outfitters

cute summer sheet set from anthropologie

sheer chevron curtains from urban outfitters

andres nightstand from target

blue glass lamp from target for the nightstand

for my friends:

cute art prints from

quirky bandages from urban outfitters

nesting owls measuring cup set from urban outfitters

personalized mugs from anthropologie

cute tote from whiteapple threads on etsy

what have you been shopping for {or pinning} lately?

happy monday everyone... have a great week!

love, kbn

late 20's are the best, happy birthday to me

2012-05-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

this post is really just a picture story of how fabulous my birthday was! i started the morning with a hallway full of balloons and presents from husband {so sweet!}. i enjoyed my birthday flowers and birthday plant from friends while opening presents. husband and i biked to brunch at ruth's diner {check it out if you are in the slc area, so good!}. i got a beautiful watch from my parents. we drove up to park city to meet with friends, stopping on the way to enjoy the scenery. had delicious dinner and cupcakes to top off the night. a very happy birthday indeed!

the pictures are a mix of phone pics, and camera pics, not the best quality, but good enough.

happy friday everyone!

love, kbn

{oh, and sorry for the small font on my last post... complete blog fail on my part, i'm still learning!}

organizing my life

2012-05-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

organization - something i always strive for, but never seem to get around to doing in my personal life. i am always making lists... list after list of things to get done every day, they get crumpled into my bag, my planner, the kitchen drawers... i found this idea on pinterest, there are even free printables if you go to this site. i figured i could make one myself, that would suite my needs a bit better as well.

now i am able to write down my weekly goals and daily to-do's and keep them nice and neat on a clipboard so they don't get lost, crumpled up, or thrown away.

i started this week, to write my weekly and daily goals down at the beginning of the week for each day, and i can check them off as i get them done. if i don't have the time to get a daily goal finished, i can re-write it for the next day, until i actually complete it.

we will see how long this lasts, but since it is also pretty, i can keep it on our desk, so that i don't have an excuse not to use it.

you can easily make your own:

you can use pages {on mac} or word, and write {your families} weekly to-do list at the top. i write the days of the week, followed by a few lines next to each and insert a shape {box, circle, star...whatever shape you want} to use to check off as you complete.

you can personalize your own by then adding lists at the bottom of the page, i added have to do, want to do, and weekly goal to mine. you can also make yours personal by playing around with your fonts and making some bold, italic, underlined. you can print one off each week and consolidate all your crumpled lists into one nice looking one!

another organization thing i have done lately is organizing my receipts. it is easy to do, and something that i never usually get around to, until now. i made it easy, by getting two small kassett bins from ikea... they are made from cardboard, only costing $10 for a set of 2. you put them together yourself and can write on the labels {or leave them blank}. i wrote receipts on mine and specified which receipts go where to make it easy for me and husband to organize. we just throw our receipts in the bins when we get home and they organize themselves by date since they get placed on top of each other. it is nice to have a box dedicated to travel receipts since husband gets reimbursed for travel expenses when he travels for his cycling.

two easy and useful organization ideas that i think anyone can handle.... one step at a time, and soon i'll have my whole life organized {wishful thinking!}.

happy wednesday!

i celebrated my birthday yesterday, so on friday i will update on that with photos of all our adventures.

love, kbn

how to series: how to drive a stick/manual

2012-05-18T07:57:00.000-06:00

i have been mia... in vegas, for a friends bachelorette party. now that i am back, and have caught up on the hours of sleep i lost, i thought i should catch up on my blog.

first, and most daunting of my how-to's... how to drive a stick {or manual if you are reading and are not from the us of a}.

me in our new {old} car, before realizing just how hard learning to drive it would be... this smile didn't last for long

first you will have to buy {or borrow} a manual car. if borrowing, make sure that person isn't too attached to their car... you never know.

brace yourself, and find a very patient person to get in the car with you {preferably someone who knows how to drive a manual, and preferably not your significant other, for the sake of your relationship}.

apologize ahead of time to that very patient person. you will yell, cry, and probably drive them to tears... they deserve an apology.

start your car with your left foot on the clutch, right foot on the brake {don't mix up your brake and gas - it is easy to do if you are used to using one foot to drive, and could cause some serious damage}.

make sure you push the clutch in {with your left foot} whenever you put the car into gear, your car will let you know if you aren't doing this by letting out a loud screeching noise... it isn't pretty.

slowly take your foot off the clutch {left foot} while lightly pressing on the gas {right foot}, if you take your foot off the clutch too quickly or press on the gas too hard, you will stall.

after you get the initial start, stop action down, spare that person who was helping you and practice by yourself {they might even still want to be friends with you}.

try not to cry too much or panic every time you come to a stop light on a slight hill {you will role backwards, and you will most likely not hit the person behind you}.

if all else fails, and you feel like you might hurt someone every time you step into your car, stick your head out the window and give everyone fair warning that you will be rolling back about 5 feet before you go forward {they will thank you later, most likely after giving you an obscene hand gesture}.

you will get it eventually, be patient. it took me a good couple months before i felt completely comfortable driving around. all of the above tips are brought to you by personal experience. i had been driving for about 10 years in an auto before i took the plunge {and i literally did take a plunge, by buying a manual with the husband}. i felt like i was completely re-learning how to drive at 26 years of age. i think it would be a lot easier if you learned how to drive a manual from the get go.

good luck to you {and your driving teacher}, you will both need it!

love, kbn

recipe wednesday: very berry creamy smoothie

2012-05-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

how good does this look?! it tasted just as good as it looks.

with summer right around the corner, there isn't much better than a cool, creamy, berry smoothie, on a hot day.

anyone can throw a bunch of fruit into a blender and make a smoothie, and it will usually turn out pretty well, you can't really screw it up...

but you can make it better!

my tricks for a creamy, almost-ice-cream-like, delicious smoothie...

-add a very ripe frozen banana {those brown bananas you would normally throw away now have a good use, the more ripe, the better}

-add a tablespoon of thick greek yogurt {it thickens it up without taking away from the flavor}

-add a tablespoon of nut butter {this is especially good with a banana oatmeal smoothie}

-don't mix too many types of fruit together {sometimes less is better, banana and blueberry is one of my favorites}

-add only a touch of liquid at a time, to keep it thick and creamy {i use vanilla almond milk for a bit of sweetness}

-eat it with a spoon! {it will feel a lot naughtier than it actually is}

ingredients for this berry smoothie:

1 very very ripe frozen banana

handful of frozen blueberries

1 T of plain non-fat greek yogurt

1 T peanut butter

a splash of vanilla almond milk

blend well and enjoy!

here is an example of the perfect day to enjoy this kind of sweet treat...

utah has been beautiful lately, i love spring, it is my favorite season of all! the cool, crisp mornings, and sunny warm afternoons. i also love the flowers blooming and oh-so green grass. it might also be my favorite because my birthday is in spring, and right around the corner.

gone are the days when a birthday meant a milestone, now i just feel old as each year goes by. but that's okay, because it also means cake and champagne! happy spring to you!

love, kbn

monday diy: lamp shade make-over

2012-05-07T12:11:00.000-06:00

the ugly before:

the better after:

as soon as i moved into my apartment and had one look at the ugly light covers in the bedroom, i knew they needed a quick fix. i shopped around for a drum lamp shade that would work with my fixture. i ended up buying one at home depot for about $15 in a nice beige color that would go with anything.

i only encountered a couple issues. first was finding a shade that was wide enough to fit the original fixture. i had a bit of trial and error at first with a shade that didn't fit, but did my homework before heading back out to buy another by taking measurements, be sure yours is about 1-2 inches larger than the fixture you are trying to make-over. i also had to make sure i got a shade with a harp and fitter that would enable me to connect it to the ceiling fixture. if you don't know what i am talking about, visit this site for some helpful tips on lamp vocabulary.

i would still like to get a piece of plastic to glue onto the bottom to act as a filter, so the brass findings aren't showing. i figured since it is an apartment, i might use the drum shade in the future on a standalone lamp, so i didn't want to alter it too much to begin with.

it is so much nicer not having those ugly light bulbs showing through the top and it brings a bit more character to an otherwise boring apartment light fixture.

here is the before and after once again. so much better!

has anyone else done some quick-fix light fixture make-overs? it is a great way to amp up your apartment without paint, or permanent changes.

love, kbn

6 years, 3 continents, 1 happy marriage

2012-05-04T06:57:00.000-06:00

our first picture together

how i met my husband

tommy and i met 6 years ago at the athens twilight cycling race in athens, ga {which was this past weekend}. tommy was racing and i was a student at uga. a friend of mine was working at karma salon. she asked if a group of us wanted to work at the race, and in return we got our hair done for free. i wasn't going to turn down a free hair cut, being a poor college student, so we got all dolled up and headed to the computrainer race. little did i know that i would be meeting my future husband there.

i was a podium girl at the race {feel free to have a giggle}, and i was assigned to walk up on stage with tommy's teammate. i was jealous of my friend brittany, that got to walk up with the good looking australian guy. during the race, i kept an eye on that good looking guy and he yelled out to us asking where we were headed off to after the race. he says it was by coincidence that he happened to wander right in front of the one bar {out of the 120+}, that we were in. we had a chat and he got my number before heading off to bed to rest up for the race the next day.

the phone rang early in the evening the next day, before the race, and it was him. i met up with him before the race so he could give me one of the team shirts. i got front row seats, right by the stage to cheer on my new crush while they flew by, lap after lap. it was the first cycling race i had ever seen in person. after the race, we talked over more than a few beers and ending the night with a kiss.

britt, britt, brooke, meg, kaysh and me at twilight

we spent many hours on the phone getting to know each other from afar, flights between michigan and georgia to visit, car trips with friends to go to his races... since then we have lived in georgia, belgium, australia, seattle, and now salt lake.

i am lucky to call him my husband and looking forward to many more adventures with him for years to come. the night we met is probably one of the most memorable nights for me so far. we hit it off from the beginning and i am lucky to still be with my best friend.

our wedding: photo credit whittenberg photography

happy 6 years husband!

recipe wednesday: soft boiled egg

2012-05-02T09:39:00.003-06:00

this is more of a how to than a recipe... but it is one of my favorite meals, that took a while to perfect.

hard boiled eggs are easy, you just stick the eggs in and boil the water, you don't really have to think about the time {as long as you boil them long enough}. soft boiled are a little more tricky. i like mine not too runny and not too firm. i also enjoy mine on very crispy toast with a slice of avocado. yum!

how to make the perfect soft boiled egg:

-place your egg in a pot of cool water {be sure it is fully emerged}

-turn stove top on high heat and wait until water starts boiling

-as soon as the water starts to boil, set your timer to 5 minutes

-run your egg under cool water after 5 minutes is up

-don't wait too long to crack your egg

enjoy!

if all else fails, go buy yourself an egg timer. i had one for a while, and it works great. i must have left one in australia, and one in seattle, so i have had to learn how to perfect my soft boiled eggs sans timer.

love, kbn

diy monday: art with paint chips

2012-04-30T07:50:00.001-06:00

it is easy to be creative and artistic, even if you don't think you are either of those things. i shared my easter decorations that i found inspiration from on pinterest {which is still hanging up by the way}. after i made the easter art, i had scraps left over from the paint chips and thought i could easily make something out of them.

they almost got thrown away by husband a few times, so i thought i should get to it before they became trash. i took a piece of white A4 computer paper, double sided tape, and my paint chip scraps. i cut them into triangles and squares of varied sizes and started playing until i came up with some designs i liked.

wouldn't this be cute in a kids room? or as decor for a kids party?

i just used a frame i already had that was the same size as the paper.

i also can imagine using paint chips to make a larger piece of art, or something more sophisticated to use as art in our place. the possibilities are endless for, free, cute art, so get to it!

my husband and i just had our 6 year anniversary of the day we met! i have been reminiscing over old photos, and ill be sharing that story with you soon.

love, kbn

recipe wednesday: cinnamon roll oats

2012-04-25T10:46:00.000-06:00

i made this recipe a while back, when i was on an oatmeal kick. i realized that too much of any good thing, isn't so good... so, i cut back on my oatmeal intake. i do still enjoy a nice big bowl of oats though every now and then.

for those of you who don't like oats, give them another chance. i promise, you can dress them up, and they don't even taste like oats.

without further ado...

cinnamon roll oats - what you need:

30 g whole rolled {or quick} oats

a dash of cinnamon

1 ripe banana

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 T nut butter {i used peanut butter}

blend your banana, cinnamon, almond milk, vanilla, and nut butter in a blender or food processor {i only have a blender, and it works fine}. i use chocolate covered katies voluminous oatmeal trick to have my oats ready to go in the morning. all you have to do is add your oats to a measuring cup, add more water than usual, with a pinch of salt. microwave for about 1.5 minutes and put in fridge until morning. it is easy to do right before bed, and let's you sleep in a little longer in the morning. you can always quickly microwave your oats in the morning to take the chill off.

pour your healthy cream mixture on to your oats and sprinkle with more cinnamon. enjoy!

i think these would also be great using rice or quinoa, if oats aren't your cup of tea. i have been eating a lot of rice lately, because it agrees with my stomach more than oats, so it's worth a try. husband also bought a rice cooker recently, so expect lots of delicious rice recipes coming up!

tommy and i went to the jazz vs. suns games last night. it was so much fun, and the jazz are going to the playoffs!! also, my legs are starting to recover from running 13.1 miles on saturday :)

love, kbn

half marathon recap

2012-04-23T10:59:00.002-06:00

i woke up at 4:00 am, ate rice mashed with bananas and agave nectar {weird, but good, and agrees with my belly}, a piece of toast with almond butter and drank a big glass of water and a coffee. i went back to bed for about an hour and a half, though i couldn't sleep because i was getting nervous. i got back up, got dressed, stretched, and waited for husband to wake up and drive me to the race start at 6:30.

i found a friend at the start. hi kelsey!

we luckily found an open building while we jogged to the start to stop in for a toilet break. good thing, because the lines for the porta-potty's were ridiculous! she was planning on finishing in about 1:30 and i figured i would come in about and hour after that, so i made my way to the middle of the masses and she made her way to the front.

the weather was perfect! flowers blooming, blue skies, about 55 F at the start. i was feeling great and found a pacer that was doing a 9:55 minute mile, planning on finishing in 2:10. i started running along side him and felt like i could keep that pace. the first 10 miles, i felt great. my legs started getting tired as we were running out of sugarhouse park, but a girl named grace, who also had an injured leg, was encouraging me to keep going... thanks grace!

i was way ahead of my planned pace and looked for my husband along the way, but figured he might not be expecting me to come in to the finish when i did. the uphill along state street was brutal! it seemed a lot steeper than it was, and my pace really slowed down at that point. i turned the left at the top of the hill and saw the finish in the distance, i knew at that point that i did it, and slowly enjoyed my last bit of the run into the finish. the salt lake city half marathon was organized so well, lots of support, and a band playing at the finish. it took a while for me to find husband, but i was enjoying the warm weather and atmosphere while i waited. i did it in 2:12, not the fasted, but faster than i expected.

happy first half marathon to me!!

after the finish, we headed up to park city. it was husband's turn to race! some friends of ours organized a training bike race, and kelsey and i got to be the support.

here is the group at the montage at deer valley.

evan and tommy riding up to the finish.

me and husband, both happy to be finished with our workouts for the day.

my legs are killing me! it might take a week to recover, but i am so glad i did it.

has anyone else done their first half or marathon recently? are you planning to do one?

if i can do it, so can you!

love, kbn

half marathon prep day

2012-04-20T12:37:00.000-06:00

i am running my first half marathon tomorrow. i am surprisingly not too nervous, and just taking it easy so my legs are well rested. this photo sums up my morning...

i am about to head down to pick up my race packet, the nerves might start kicking in after that. being a total half marathon rookie, i don't really know what to expect, but i have spent a lot of time reading running blogs, like fit chick in the city, and walk to the mail box. thanks for all the advise ladies!

here is the schedule i have put together for myself for tomorrow:

4:00 am - wake up and eat breakfast, then go back to sleep

5:30/5:45 am - wake up {again} and prepare for the race

6:30 am - head to the start

7:00 am - start the race!

i want my stomach to have plenty of time to digest before the race, and also want to be well rested... who knows how i will be feeling come morning, but we will see! i also mentioned before that i lost a week and a half of training due to an injured leg. well, the leg is feeling okay and i am hoping i can make it thought the 13.1 miles with out too much pain or suffering. i believe i can do it! wish me luck!

i found this idea recently, called the smile project. i decided to put together my own, here is what i have so far!

keally's smile project:

April

1st lazy, rainy sunday and a delicious dinner at a friends house

2nd FREE sports injury consultation (anything free makes me smile)

3rd giving husband a late night haircut in our kitchen (it was a success!)

4th picking up our beautifully painted scooter and a quick late night visit to friends

5th sunny morning walk, and trying a new dinner recipe

6th snow on my way to work, sun on my way home (two of my favorite things)

7th morning jog in the mountains with gorgeous views

8th lovely warm easter, celebrated with friends in park city

9th news of a potential new career

10th coming home to dinner cooked by husband and a beer

11th meeting my husband for lunch during an afternoon run

12th my first time being a grown up and doing my own taxes (and getting money back)

13th caine’s arcade (watch it, it will make you smile too)

14th running 5 miles straight without my leg hurting & a $10 trial gym membership

15th husband home from being away!!

16th shopping day with husband

17th impromptu late afternoon nap

18th impromptu dinner with friends

19th using the new rice cooker to make recipes with husbands help

20th lazy day off, getting ready for my first half marathon!!

i will keep updating my smile project every day. it is a great idea to remember the simple pleasures in life.

love, kbn

recipe wednesday: lemon oatmeal cakes

2012-04-18T08:40:00.000-06:00

husband and i were invited to a friends house for easter dinner. i wanted to bring a dessert, but knew that enough chocolate would be consumed {at least by my husband}, so i wanted to make something a bit more refreshing.

i found this delicious looking recipe on pinterest {originally found here}, and decided it was easy enough to recreate. other than the butter, it isn't too bad for you. mine made 12 individual servings. i decided to use a cupcake pan instead of making them into bars and it worked great! this would also be great with a mini cupcake pan for smaller servings.

what you need:

oatmeal cookie mix {i used betty crocker ®}

1 can condensed milk

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

2 tsp lemon zest

juice of about 2 lemons

step by step:

1. cut cold butter into the cookie mix with a fork {just cut into small pieces and mash with fork until crumbled}

2. crack the egg into mixture and stir

3. press half the mixture into cupcake pan sprayed with cooking oil

4. bake for 15 minutes at 350 F {180 C}

5. mix condensed milk with lemon juice and lemon zest until blended well

6. pour the lemon mix evenly onto the baked cookie mixture

7. crumble the remaining cookie mix on top

8. bake for another 20-25 minutes and let cool for at least 30 mins before serving {it stores well in the fridge for up to a week}

have you made any pinterest inspired recipes lately? i have many more, as well as some originals to share with you soon!

love, kbn

diy monday: coin key ring

2012-04-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

i wanted to do something special for my husband for our 1 year anniversary back in october, but i didn't want to spend too much money. i got some inspiration from etsy, to make a key chain out of coins. instead of picking up any old coins, i wanted to make them meaningful. i chose a 2010 penny for the year we got married, and for living in the US together. a five cent australian coin for 5 years together, and getting engaged in australia. a one cent euro coin for 1 year married, and living in belgium together the year we got married.

you will need:

coins of various sizes and colors

a drill bit for metal

a drill press

scrap wood for drilling into

key ring

to drill your holes, place a piece of scrap wood under your coins and mark the area you want to drill. be safe while drilling, wear appropriate safety gear.

i found an old key ring i had lying around the house.

use coins that have meaning to personalize your diy project.

use pliers if needed to attach your coins to your key ring. you can polish your coins for a crisper look, but i liked the worn look of these coins.

ta-da! these would be super cute to make earrings, a bracelet... etc... speaking of bracelets, i recently stumbled upon the amazing blog, whatiwore. she mad a very adorable charm bracelet out of coins, using a similar method! i was reading it today after i put together this post, very weird coincidence {pun not intended}.

i gave my blog a face lift, do you like it!? it still is a work in progress, but i am liking this cleaner layout better.

love, kbn

clucky much?

2012-04-13T07:17:00.000-06:00

for those of you out there that don't know what clucky means...

Australian informal (of a woman)

wishing to have a baby
excessively protective towards her children

via collinsdictionary.com

i'm not ready for a baby yet, but looking at my stationary lately, i think i have babies on the brain. when you reach your mid-twenties, babies start popping up everywhere! no matter how much you try to deny your baby desires, it's hard to hide when your friends start having gorgeous, squishy, squeezable babies. i had the honor of creating my namesakes baptism invites, shown below. please visit my etsy shop to view a full collection. i love custom orders, so let me know if you have an idea i can help you with.

below are some recent orders printed out and getting them all ready to ship!

i recently found a great idea called the smile project. i challenge you all to play along. write down something that makes you smile every day for one year. i will be updating mine every week or so here on my blog.

love,

kbn

how to deal with training injuries

2012-04-11T09:32:00.000-06:00

i was following a nice half marathon training schedule, found here. i had gotten up to a 10 mile run, my shorter runs were getting faster... i figured i was on the right track for meeting my half marathon goal of 2 hours.

that was until i hurt my leg. i went out for a leisurely 6 mile run, and as soon as i put pressure on my right leg, i was in agonizing pain.

due to timing at work, i don't have health insurance set up yet, so i went to salt lake regional sports medicine and had a free sports injury consultation. they weren't able to tell me exactly what was wrong without doing scans and imaging, but they believe i either partially tore or badly strained my acl... no fun!

i took about a week and a half off of training due to my pain. rested, iced and compressed my leg and slowly eased back into training. i now only have 10 days until my half marathon and missed out on quiet a bit of training. i have decided to still try to run {or walk} the half marathon. i will probably have to walk part of it and i'm okay with that.

at least i found an amazing running spot for my first run/jog back after my week and a half hiatus.

i am already looking into signing up for another half marathon to do once my leg is fully healed.

i am no expert on sports, sports injuries or running, but i have learned a lot along my journey. check out fit chick in the city and walk to the mailbox for great running inspiration and tips.

love, kbn

mustache anyone?

2012-04-09T07:32:00.000-06:00

i hope everyone had a happy easter weekend. husband and i had a lazy morning. he woke up early to watch perry roubaix, i slept in, and then we enjoyed a lazy morning on the couch with coffee and easter eggs. i also had a nice long walk in the sun, while husband went for a bike ride. we then had a delicious meal at a friends house up in park city. happy easter for sure!

now, let's talk about the mustache... i'm not sure what the obsession is with facial hair these days, but i like it. i don't really want to see husband with a mustache, but the fake variety is just lovely.

husband did try a faint mustache out for a little while, but i felt like he looked like a lumberjack with his red 'stache. i wish i had a photo of it!

i took more inspiration from pinterest to paint myself some mustache mugs. remember these mugs that i painted a while back? i had two extra plain old boring white mugs, and decided to do something different with them.

step by step:

1. clean your mugs with soap and water and let dry

2. free hand any mustache you desire with the pebeo paint in black (found at most craft stores)

3. let dry for 24 hours

4. bake your mugs at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes (let sit in the oven until cool)

5. enjoy your new morning mustache!

love, kbn

how to paint a scooter

2012-04-05T12:09:00.002-06:00

husband brought home a lovely pink scooter a while back... here she is in all her glory...

we decided right away that she needed a make over. as beautiful she was barbie pink, we didn't really think we would enjoy riding around town on a bright pink scooter.

we didn't pay too much for it and thought we didn't want to invest too much in painting it either. we took a trip to our local lowes and bought some spray paint. after doing some research (and some trial and error) we found it was best to buy the nicer stuff. we got the rust-oleum universal paint & primer in one, any surface (look for one that includes plastic) in flat black. we also bought some tape in two different widths to add a bit of detail. we didn't spend more than $20 on the whole project and we think it turned out great!

step by step:

1st - wash your scooter and dry it very well

2nd - tape off any areas that you want to leave un-painted

3rd - take off any areas that can easily be removed and put back on later

4th - use a fine grade sandpaper to rough up the areas you are painting (250-300 grade)

5th - wipe your scooter with a damp cloth and dry again, after sanding

6th - spray away! hold the spray can about 12" away and move back and forth, do not spray too thick in any area, do 2-3 light coats, waiting about 20-30 minutes in between coats.

we decided on pink racing stripes

my reflection while taping off the mirrored areas

the guys, working on removing all the bits and pieces

taken apart and ready to paint

our naked scooter, how embarrassing!

about to start the painting, bye bye pink!

here she is! all new and ready to ride!

flat black with shiny pink racing stripes

detail of the flat black paint color

we still may paint the pink stripes another color, any suggestions? i was thinking chrome silver, or yellow!

can't wait to ride around town on our custom ride

here is a before and after shot of our new and improved scooter

how do you think it turned out? any color suggestions if we decide to change the pink?

easter decor

2012-04-02T21:24:00.000-06:00

i thought our little apartment needed a little easter cheer. i found on pinterest {surprise, surprise}, some easter egg decor made out of paint chips. they are free to make and super easy, right up my alley!

husband and i were at lowes picking up some spray paint for our scooter makeover {a post on that to come}, so i picked up some paint chips in various colors to create some easter eggs while we were there.

i drew an egg shape on the back of a paint chip and cut it out. i then used it as a guide to trace the shape onto all the other paint chips. i decided to leave the white line in various shapes on each egg to add a bit of a pattern.

i couldn't find any clear fishing line to hang these eggs up, but i did have some pink thread that i figured wouldn't get used otherwise to "sew" onto each egg.

i hung them on a bare wall to take some photos, then decided to give them a home up in our kitchen window above the sink. it was the perfect quick project to do, that i won't feel bad taking back down in a week.

more to come soon on our big scooter re-do... it was pink, like pepto bismol pink, and although some people might like pink vehicles, we were not too enthusiastic about cruising around town on a barbie pink scooter. i will give all the juicy details and tips on how to paint a scooter {or anything plastic for that matter} in my next post.

happy easter week everyone!

some of the first signs of spring outside of our apartment.

banana+peanut butter=delicious!

2012-03-27T09:46:00.000-06:00

anything that combines peanut butter and bananas makes me happy and if you mix chocolate in as well, it can't get much better. sometimes i think i could live off of those three ingredients.

i found on pinterest some chocolate covered banana bites. after reading the recipe closer, i realized peanut butter was also on the ingredient list and i had to make them asap! you can find the original recipe here.

i adjusted the recipe a little to fit my taste and they turned out perfect.

banana bites

2 bananas sliced into bite size pieces

1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 T peanut butter

crushed peanuts, coconut, sprinkles... to garnish

melt chocolate and peanut butter for 1 minute in the microwave, mix until nice and smooth. dip sliced bananas in the chocolate mixture {they don't have to look perfect}. garnish with whatever you feel like, i used crushed up peanuts, which turned out great. i placed mine on a plate covered in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer for an hour until hardened. i then placed them in a plastic bag and put back in the freezer until ready to eat.

here is the banana butter from chocolate covered katie that i decided to make. i eat a lot of peanut butter, i think i have an addiction. i thought it might be better for my waste line to make some banana butter to cut some calories. it is a fantastic hint of banana to my peanut butter fix, you should try it! find the recipe here. you can store it in the fridge and it is wonderful on a slice of toast.

enjoy!