Love Ya 2 Pieces

Headboard and Footboard Revamp!!!

2012-05-24T08:20:00.001-07:00

A year ago I found a headboard and footboard that was on the curb to be trashed and I decided to rescue them and do something with them. Trash finds can be some of the best out there and they cost $0.00!

I finally got around to painting them so here are some pics. (For paint I used Rustoleum's Heirloom White spray paint and for wax I used both Annie Sloan Clear and Dark Wax.)

Ever wonder what I look like when I am doing these projects.....???? Well I probably look like some sort of ridiculousness.... kinda like in the next picture....

One project down...many more to go.

I have this set listed for sale for $119.00 so if anyone is interested just let me know. It fits a queen bed.

Blessings,

Lauren

The best things in life are FREE

2012-05-15T12:58:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I went home to Greencastle, PA to see my mom and mother-in-law for mothers day. It was a great relaxing weekend. For my mothers day gifts I got both mom's a Bath and Body Works 3-wick Candle. I love those things! They have some great scents right now. Here is one of the candles that I purchased: Summer Boardwalk. It smells so so yummy! I also got one called Lavender Market which also smells equally amazing. Some other scents that look so fun are Ice Cream Shop and Root Beer Float. I am hungry just thinking about those candles.

Okay so on to the free stuff in which I titled my post ; ). My mom got some beautiful sunflowers from Trader Joe's the other day. And while driving around Greencastle I saw some purple wild flowers on the side of the road. So we pulled over and I quickly plucked some stems before anyone noticed and then continued on my way. The flowers smell and look so beautiful...especially with the sunflowers that my mom already had.

After doing a quick search I have determined that they must be Ceanothus or "wild lilac" as pictured below.
So if you see any on the side of the road....GRAB THEM. They are so pretty. And they are FREE!

Dream Home

2012-05-14T08:28:00.002-07:00

Two summers ago I was in North Carolina with my family and was walking around downtown when I spotted a beautiful home that was under construction.

The home had already been sold and the construction crew was busy finishing up the final touches but we asked if we could take a quick walk inside and snap a few quick pictures. The home was so beautiful.

It was not a HUGE home, but it was still plenty big and the layout was open and breezy and had a great casual but yet classy feel to it. The details in the home were so beautiful.

Here are just a couple pictures to wet you pallet. Sorry the pics are so small (server running slow)

Blessings,

Lauren

Lets Be Friends Again

2012-05-10T11:10:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to write a quick post to let you all know that I am still alive and well despite being MIA from this blog for a while. I fell of the bandwagon for a couple months but I have every intention to get back on the horse....
I really have no excuse as to why I took a break from blogging except laziness. I have actually completed a couple new projects, have purchased some new items, and am in the process of working on some bigger more involved projects. So I will be sure to post some pictures soon to let y'all know what I have been up to.

Other than that life has been pretty busy lately. In one month Ryan and I will be moving into a new home in Germantown where I will have more space to work on some of my furniture projects which will be nice. Refurbishing a piece of furniture in a tiny apartment can be challenging....well it is more like impossible. So it will be nice to have some more space. Although I have come to love our current little apartment a lot, the change should be good.

In summary life is going well and I feel blessed every morning when I get to wake up and live a new day.

I want to leave you all with a random cute picture that made me smile today. Yep this is all I got for today ; ) I will do better on my next post!

hehehe

Blessings,

Lauren

+ Prayer Blanket +

2012-03-08T18:15:00.001-08:00

For this post I wanted to share something from my heart. My church, Neelsville Presbyterian Church, in Germantown MD has a great ministry in which some of the women in the church knit "prayer blankets." The blankets are of all different colors and are for anyone in the church to claim if they or someone they know is hurting or in need of special prayer. The blanket is supposed to serve as a reminder of the prayers that are wrapped around that individual who is hurting. Below is a picture of one of the blankets.

You see...this ministry had a very special purpose this week.

When Ryan and I attended college at Liberty University we were able to make many special friendships. One of those special friendships was with Joe and Janie. Ryan was Joe's RA at Liberty University and we would often watch Joe play baseball with the Liberty Baseball team. Janie was his girlfriend and biggest fan, so we would always see Janie at the games as well. Often in the evening when Ryan would be walking me to my dorm, we would see Joe and Janie walking as well. They were one of those couples that always radiated joy and they had some of the biggest smiles on campus. We grew to love them so much. Their motto was "love always, no matter what." Joe and Janie were planning to spend the rest of their lives together.

After Ryan and I graduated from Liberty, we found out that Joe was diagnosed with cancer. It was a huge shock to all of us. Joe developed pain in his back and sacroiliac joint which was treated as an orthopedic injury. Given the amount of baseball games played one would expect a few sports injuries. But his pain got progressively worse until nothing brought him relief. After weeks of increasing pain, several trips to doctors, emergency rooms, and several MRI's it became evident that some form of cancer had invaded Joe's body. Joe had a rare form of bone cancer, Metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma.

For two years Ryan and I prayed that Jesus would heal Joe from his cancer. We knew that if anyone could beat a cancer like this that Joe would be the one. Jesus did finally answer our prayer, but it wasn't the way that we expected. On Monday, February 27, 2012 Joe went home to the Lord to receive his eternal healing.

After learning of Joe's death I went to church and claimed a prayer blanket for Janie and gave it to her on the day of Joe's funeral. Right now Janie, Joe's faithful girlfriend and intended of 6 years, and Joe's family need your prayers more than ever as they continue to grieve and heal at this time. Please join us in faithful prayer for this special family. Joe and his family have touched my life in a very special way. Their strength and faith is like none-other. They have a strength that could only come from Jesus.

When Ryan and I attended Joe's memorial earlier this week it was one of those experiences that I will never forget and will forever affect my life.

I want to share Joe's memorial with all of you as well so that you can take part is his amazing story. I want my funeral to be just like his! Just click on the below link to view.

http://glasgowchurch.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=134063&programId=117725

Blessings.

Lauren

Flair for Your Derriere!!!

2012-02-11T06:34:00.000-08:00

This latest project was a long time coming. A couple years ago my husband and I bought a dining room table and chairs from a thrift store in Pennsylvania. The set was cute and at a good price. The only thing I was not crazy about was the fabric on the chair cushions. So the other day I purchased some home decor fabric from Joann Fabrics for $7.00 a yard. The new fabric totally transformed the set!

BEFORE

AND AFTER!

I am so happy with the fabric. I wanted a fabric that was thicker so that it would be able to withstand all of the sitting. I actually contemplated purchasing an outdoor fabric since it is created to be super durable, but I did not want the chairs to feel like lawn furniture when you went to sit on them in shorts. So the home decor fabric was the answer. It is the perfect blend of durability and comfort. I also wanted a fabric that was on the lighter side to pop against the dark metal of the chairs. The fabric I chose gives off a fresh country french vibe.

HERE IS THE OLD FABRIC UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

So to recover the chairs I started out by removing the seats and removing the muslin fabric on the bottom side of the seat. The muslin fabric was in good condition so I decided to reuse it, otherwise you could just purchase some new and cut it to size. After removing the muslin, I laid out my floral fabric and traced around the cushion, leaving 6" of extra fabric on each side. After cutting out the fabric I then started the long process of stapling the fabric to the cushion. This is the method I used.

Step 1. Pull the fabric on one side and hold tight with one staple in the middle. Then do the same for your three remaining sides.

Step 2. Once all of the four sides are security with the one staple you have insured that the fabric will not shift on you. Then pick one of the sides and staple the rest of the way, but stop when you get to the corners. I stapled once every inch. Then staple the rest of your three sides. MAKE SURE THAT THE FABRIC IS TIGHT AS YOU GO AROUND. THE TIGHTER THE BETTER.

Step 3. Now your fabric should be stapled all the way around except for at the corners. To do the corners, gather the fabric tightly and smooth out the fabric as much as you can on the topside of the cushion. you want all of the gathers to be on the bottom of the cushion as possible. Then secure the fabric with more staples.

Step 4. For the last step add on the muslin to the underside of the seat and secure it with more staples. The muslin covers the bottom of the seat and gives it a finished look.

Place your cushion back on your seat and "Wa la"!!!

I am going to love eating at my table now. Hope you all can find something in your home to recover because the finished product is always so rewarding.

Blessings.

Animal Pic. A Day Makes Your Troubles Melt Away

2012-02-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

So this post has nothing to do with repurposing/renovating but once in a while when I get excited about something I just have to share about it.

Today I stumbled upon a blog that is my new favorite "feel good blog." The site is http://www.cuteoverload.com/. There are pictures and videos about the worlds cutest/funniest animals. Who doesn't like a good picture of a baby animal from time to time???

Here are some of my favorites....

Oh I JUST LOVE IT!!!

Date Night with Muah...

2012-01-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

When Ryan has graduate school classes in the evening you can very often find me having a date night with myself. At first it was hard to be home alone in the evenings....but now I try to embrace it and make the most of the time. For example, I often use my evenings alone to paint my nails, try out new recipes and watch netflix/tv.

So what am I up to this particular evening. I will give you a hint...

PLUS

My sister recently told me that she watched North and South and really liked it. So I am giving it a try. I figure if it resembles anything to the Jane Austin movies I will love it.

Some of the other shows I am really diggin' on netflix right now is:

1. The Wonder Years

2. Take Home Chef

3. American Pickers

Well I better get back to my show ; )

Out with the Old...In with the NEW!!!

2012-01-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

This week has been filled with birthday celebration fun. So this post title kinda has a dual meaning this time, in that I re-purposed an old calendar for something new and I am aging...slowly. On Friday I turned 24!!! That age still sounds very young to me which I am thankful for. However, in many other ways I feel old.

Example # 1. A couple weeks ago someone asked me my age and I seriously could not remember. I know...embarrassing huh?!? In knew it was in the 23, 24, or 25 range I just could not remember which one exactly. I had to do the math in my head. I also texted my husband to make sure I was right, and after a series of "Are you serious?" and "Yes!!!", I was told 24. Of course... right after I was asked the question I just blurted out an age to avoid looking like a complete idiot. Does anybody else out there forget how old they are from time to time? I knew that this would happen eventually, I just didn't think it would be this soon.

Example # 2. To go to work every morning on the MARC train. I could right an entire blog about my commutes to work... but I will spare a lot of those details now. Just know that the commute into DC is one of the worst aspects about working there. It usually takes me an hour to get to work and, believe me, the train is one of the best ways to travel because it avoids the chaotic beltway and you can sleep/read the entire way to work. Of course a "no-commute" is always better than any commute, but I try to make the best of it. Interesting observation: Many of the people that I ride the train with are age 50 and older. The reason is that as people get older they move further away from DC so that they can afford bigger homes and have their children attend better schools.

I prefer living outside of the city, even with an hour commute, because I like the slower pace of life. Plus, we live only a couple of minutes from my husbands's place of employment (he is so spoiled) and my sister and her family are right down the road from us. Regardless, commuting with the aged makes one feel aged. You would think it would make me feel young, which it does on occasion, but more often it makes me feel like I am living an older woman's lifestyle. I just look forward to the day when I will no longer be making this commute ; )

Anyway...I feel blessed to have celebrated another birthday and I look forward to what this year will bring. Hopefully I can become better with remembering my age. "Oh Lauren.....you have so much to work on" ; ) .

And this brings me to my most recent "re-purpose." I look a 2011 calendar that I had at work and decided to frame one of the monthly pictures. I loved the pictures in this calendar, especially the one pictured below. So I decided to save it from its impending doom and frame it instead! Awe, how sweet of me!

So here is the picture that I decided to save.

It came from this calendar in case you want to look for one like it in the future. It was a great calendar.

And here it is after I framed it in a simple IKEA frame. I think it turned out really cute.

And these are some lovely flowers that my nephew got me for my birthday. I am enjoying their bright colors and sweet fragrance. Oh, how I love flowers!

God Bless.

Perfectionist at Heart

2012-01-24T17:57:00.000-08:00

So remember in my former post Chalk Paint Fun when I said I was a little unhappy with the final finish. I liked the table, I just wanted the color to be a little more uniform and to look a little less "distressed." To change the paint color I just combined the blue with a little white and watered it down with a couple tablespoons of water and applied it with a sponge brush.

Here it is before...

And here it is after... Can you tell a slight difference???? It is a subtle change but it makes a big difference to me.

Saturday Snapshot

2012-01-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

Last night I arrived home from work and drove to Pennsylvania to stay the weekend at my parents house. And in the morning I woke up to the view below.......SNOW!!!! I was beginning to think I wouldn't see any snow this year. I am emotionally already for Spring but I did want to see a good snow before the seasons change. The snow looks beautiful and I am starting to hear the sound of snowplows outside. This evening Ryan's parents are celebrating my birthday with me a little early and are cooking me my birthday meal. I am so excited!!! This is my kinda weekend ; )

FYI....I already changed the night stand from my last post. It was a little dark for me so I decided to lightened the finish to a misty blue shade. To do that I combined my Old White Paint and the Aubusson Blue and watered it down a little to get the exact shade I wanted. It looks so much better! I will post updated pictures as soon as I can.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

mmmmm....toasty fire

Chalk Paint Fun

2012-01-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

A couple months ago, I bought a small end table from a guy on Craigslist and I knew immediately that it would make a great project. I loved the simple lines on the piece. But it sure needed some help as you can see in the below picture.

The piece originally had a canvas inlay on the top, which for obvious reasons I decided to remove. : )

Just as I did in my lamp renovation project, I used rub' n Buff to make the brass lattice work on the side of the piece look more like antique gold. This product works wonders. I love it!!!!

For the paint I decided to try an Annie Sloan chalk paint for the first time. I have heard so many wonderful things about this product that I decided I needed to try it for myself. And surprise...surprise...I LOVED the stuff. I used a dark blue underneath and used a watered down Old White color on top which I applied with a sponge. Lastly, I finished the piece with a clear wax. The paint is pricier then the average paint, but you don't have to prime your piece before painting, so in that way it saves time and money. I must say I am very happy with the piece but I am contemplating adding another coat of the whitewash to lighted the blue a little more to a robins egg shade. Until I get the energy to do that, I am just going to enjoy it the way that it is. Without any further adieu', here are some of the before and after reveals.

BEFORE........

AND AFTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saved the best picture for last. This is my nephew Ryland who kept me company for most of this project. While I was painting in the basement, he was watching Charles Schultz' Peanuts videos. He was my buddy!!!

I hope that you enjoyed viewing this project. Take Care Everyone!

Wednesday Craft Funnies!!!

2012-01-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a little craft humor to make you smile.... : o P

Pictures taken from Pinterest

Hahahah...thought these were funny. The last picture is the one that I find particularly humor some because my husband, ~~Ryan Gosslin,~~ I mean Ryan Mowen, regularly complains about all of the random crafts/pieces of furniture laying around our home : )

Taste of Spring!!!

2012-01-09T16:11:00.000-08:00

January can be one of those long....dreary...cold months that feels like forever to get through. Besides being my birthday month...it can be otherwise pretty depressing ; )

This past weekend was one of those unexpectedly amazing weather weekends for the month of January. It got up to 60 degrees on Friday and Saturday. It was so warm outside that I went on a run....and that is a big achievement for me...more than you will ever know : ) The air felt and smelled like Spring. It gave me a taste of spring and got me excited for the seasons to change in a couple months. After a long winter I am always so excited to finally see tulips and bright colors again! So I thought I would post an inspirational project that I saw the other day that is sure to make your home look and feel more bright!

I saw this pillow the other day on http://www.thehandmadehome.net/ I am so excited to make this project sometime soon. I love the bright colors and the fact that the pillow could make a dramatic statement on any bed. I am a sucker for pillows....lots and LOTS of pillows. I have been known to have as many as SEVEN decorative pillows on my bed at one time....I know that is excessive, but I love the look of lots of pillows.
However, it does get pretty annoying when at the end of the day I finally manage to drag my lazy self to bed (the bed that I have been dreaming about all day) and am faced with the reality that I have to undo the bed....along with the avalanche of pillows before I can finally crawl in. Not to mention how Ryan loathes the plethora of pillows he's not allow to lay on. But this pillow solves all those problems. It has all the colors and dramatic effect of seven pillows in one!!!! How exciting!!!!

So Pretty...

So now that we have a new project to make our homes feel more like spring, what about eating a little something that tastes like spring/summer. Tonight, I wanted to make a dinner that was light and refreshing. So I decided to make summer Kabobs. Even though it is still not warm enough to grill outside (it is currently snowing outside as I type this...how does the weather change that fast...CRAZY)....these kabobs still give you the feeling that you are eating a meal off the grill. All you have to do is marinate your chicken...add peppers, onions, tomato, and pineapple to some skewers and bake/broil them in the oven. Make some rice....and you are done! So easy, so tasty.

YUMMY!!!

I hope these two ideas brighten your winter blues and get you excited for the seasons to come!!!

Starting 2012 with a Clean Slate

2012-01-03T10:47:00.000-08:00

On January 1st I spent the day organizing the apartment and purging it of unnecessary items that were resulting in clutter and a lack of storage space. If feels so refreshing to start out the new year on a clean slate. Organizing and de-cluttering helps me to breath lighter and think clearer....and it is even a little fun (because I am weird like that). So when I came home from spending Christmas with the family I got to work. I had to make room for all of the new gifts we brought home :) So, there are a couple of rules that I used when determining how to go about de-cluttering.

1. Use the help of a spouse. (I do not always have Ryan help me, but on this occasion it was kinda necessary because a lot of the items that we got rid of were old electronics). I am not a techie person by any means so the only person that can determine if we can get rid of those items is Ryan himself :) I hate going through boxes and finding old cords and gadgets because I always want to throw them away, but I never know what they are exactly for. So Ryan helped out a lot in this part of the process and was willing to do away with a lot of old items.

2. If you haven't touched something in the last 6 months then chances are you don't need it. I had a lot of items from my college days that were still in boxes. They have remained in those boxes for a good two years now, so it knew it was time for them to get the boot.

3. Throw away/Donate old clothing. Rotate seasonal items so that your closet doesn't get overwhelmed. Store the clothing your not currently wearing in clear plastic bins.

3. Old books can take up lots of room. So donate any books that you have lost interest in/have no use for.

4. Get rid of CD cases. Even though they are small, they can take up lots of storage space. Throw out the cases and store your CD's in something like this:

5. Get rid of old boxes that items come in. (I noticed when I was going through some of our closets that we tend to hang onto old boxes a lot.) We would keep them out of fear of needing to return the item in the future. This is fine to do for the first month or so, but after that the box needs pitched. Just store the warranty info and the product registration and you are good to go.

6. Finally, try to organize your home at least once a year. This is the best way to ensure that you are not holding onto old items that you no longer need. Sometimes we just forget what we have, so the best think to do is just go through your items and get rid of items you don't need periodically.

There are a lot of cleaning/storage tips out there, but these were the points that I focused on the most during this last apartment purge. When all was said and done, Ryan and I were able to get rid of 5 large black trashbags worth of stuff!!!! Now the closets are clean and neat and have lots of room to spare.

Happy purging!!! : o )

These moments are what life is all about

2011-12-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

It is my pleasure to introduce you to my nephew, Sawyer Brooks Connally. He was born a couple days before Christmas... and oh what a wonderful Christmas present he was. I am so in love with him!

In this photo he is wearing a precious little hat that I purchased for him from Baby Gap in Pentagon City.

Quickie Project

2011-12-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

Pheww....I just survived one of the worst stomach flu's I think I have every experienced. It was one of those sicknesses where, at the time, death sounded like a sweet release....(*slight sarcasm*)....but I do remember having that thought. As soon as I recouped a little, and could stand up straight again, I grabbed my staple gun and did a quick craft project.

So...Ryan and I bought two old coffee bags a couple years ago when the original Greencastle Coffee Roasters was closing...and I got very close to throwing them away a couple times. But then it dawned on me that I should just staple them to a canvas. The coffee bags make a great statement piece and would look great on a wall in a coffee shop (or just in a home).

This project was one of the easiest projects ever. The hardest part was just trying to keep the coffee bags aligned correctly on the canvas before stapling them into place.

These canvas' are up for sale for $25 buckaroos a piece so feel free to contact me if interested. The dimensions are 24'' x 30''.

I hope that this project inspires you.

Stay healthy ya' here ; )

Want to follow this blog?

2011-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

For those of you that are obsessed with my little blog...cough...cough... you can now follow this blog on www.bloglovin.com. : )

Just click on the "Follow this blog with Bloglovin" button on the sidebar.

Have fun!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3317883/love-ya-2-pieces?claim=gmbkjz2z9m6">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Sweet Sweater Pillow!

2011-12-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

This year for my mom's christmas present, I designed a pillow made from a thrift store sweater. The sweater was an XL mens sweater that had never been worn. The BIGGER the sweater the better because you get more material to play around with. For this pillow I was using a 24" square pillow insert I purchased from Ikea.

First, cut your out your sweater, and sew the sides together, leaving an opening on the bottom so that you can later on insert your pillow filler.

For the finishing touch I added a rosette pin. To create the rosette pin you cut your fabric into about a 5'' strip, and make a small knot at the end of the fabric. You then fold your fabric and wrap it around the knot and glue and twist until you have your rosette. Add fabric on the back to secure it and and add a pin and your are done. The whole project took just about an hour to complete. Super simple and super cute.

Here are some pictures of the finished product.

Merry Christmas Eve EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

2011-12-24T05:33:00.000-08:00

I know this is a last minute post but I wanted to really quickly wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to also share an awesome movie suggestion to watch with your family over the Christmas break. Of course Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life are the classics....but this year in addition to those classics I am taking Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to watch with my family this year. It is a great older movie with lots of humor and and in the end they all get snowed in together so it is a great Christmas movie : ) You will love it. So this year if you are looking for a new movie to watch with your family as you are cuddled up on the couch with your new fuzzy reindeer socks that your aunt got you for Christmas....maybe watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?!?!...ok...haha.

Merry Christmas Everyone and God Bless you as you enter the new year!!!

Stiffel Lamp Renovation- For Sale

2011-12-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

This is my second lamp renovation within a 2 month time span. For some reason I just keep finding old lamps with great potential pleading for a makeover!!! And me being the nice...thoughtful person that I am...I just can't refuse :) This new lamp renovation is one of my favorites. It is a little more involved than the first one I did, but the results make the extra work so worth it.

First off, I found an old Stiffel lamp at a local store in Frederick, MD for a great price. I loved the details on the lamp base and the shape of the shade. Some of the things I did not like was:

1. The lamp shade fabric was old and yellowing
2. The brass on the lamp looked dingy and dark
3. The wiring in the lamp was old and no longer worked.

I know this is a long list of negatives.....however, I was willing to take on the challenge because I really wanted to learn how to rewire a lamp, and I also wanted to try a new idea I had for a lampshade. This lamp was a perfect candidate!

Once I got home I researched the Stiffel lamp and found out that they are a collectors item and are worth anywhere from $180.00 to $300.00 on ebay. How exciting! I had no idea it was worth that much when I bought it. I knew then that instead on painting over the brass I wanted to just enhance the finish so that the lamp still retained its signature look.

So here is the reveal.........

Before:

Not quite the looker!!

Dark Brass....ewe.

AND AFTER!!!!!

The first change I did with the help of my husband Ryan was to re-wire the lamp. The old cord not only did not work, but it looked like a fire hazard. So I bought a rewiring kit from Home Depot. You can find them in the lighting section.

I then added a new 3-way bulb and held my breath as I turned the knob....and it WORKED!!!!!

So now I have a functioning 3-way lamp!

Second, I refinished the lamp. To do this I used a little product called rub'n buff, in the color: Antique Gold. The antique gold color gives a warm finish as apposed to the cold brass. This stuff works great! You buy it in a little tube but one tube could refinish two floor lamps!

I applied mine with a paint brush as apposed to a rag. I liked the texture that the paint brush gave.

The last step was to transform the lamp shade. I cut off all of the former fabric to reveal the inside frame. I then sewed a linen fabric with a lining underneath to fit around the frame. Be sure to allow some extra fabric to be able to create the gathers. Then I added the grommets to the top and in the middle. To create the gathers you insert ribbon through the grommets in the middle and tie them around the fabric with a bow. I love the look of this shade. Plus the shade is completely adjustable due to the ribbon which is another great aspect of this design. The shade is fun and flirty and takes away some of the formalness of the lamp!

I am putting this lamp up for sale so if you are interested in buying it please send me a message. Until then I am going to enjoy it in my own home.

Thanks for reading!!!!! And Merry Christmas!!!!!

Kiss Cookies (Smoochy...Smoochy!?!)

2011-12-08T08:35:00.001-08:00

Okay...I am about to share one of my most favoritest cookie recipes in the whole world. The cookies taste sooooo amazing and the recipe is very simple. Once you eat your first coookie you will be so overcome with joy and happiness that you are going to kiss the first person you see...haha. Maybe that is why thay are called Kiss Cookies....of course it has nothing to do with the fact that there is a hershey kiss in the center ; )!!!!

So here is the recipe...

1 c. butter, softened
1/8 tsp. salt, scant
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts, optional (I never put nuts in mine : ) )
5 3/4 oz. chocolate kisses

Cream together butter, salt, sugar, vanilla. Add 2 cups flour, nuts. Chill dough 3 - 4 hours or overnight. Unwrap the chocolate kisses. Press 1 tablespoon of chilled dough around each kiss. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, 350 degrees for 12 mintues. Cover cookies in powder sugar once they come out of the oven and have cooled...and enjoy!

Hope you love the cookies! Oh and FYI, I am working on lots of craft projects right now. They are all currently in the spare room of my apartment so it looks like I am a hoarder. Can't wait to complete the projects...blog about them...and then sell them so I have more space : )

Rockin and "Rollin" Roll Recipes

2011-11-30T18:28:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving filled with great food and family time! So I don't know about you...but the dinner roll is one of my favorite staples of the Thanksgiving meal. I LOVE the turkey and the cranberry sauce, but if there are no homemade rolls Thanksgiving just does not feel the same. I know I am shallow.... : ) And yes....I love carbs a little bit too much, but nothing beats a fantastic homemade roll recipe. So in order to contribute to my in-law's Thanksgiving meal this year I decided to make my grandmother's roll recipe. Growing up my "Mamaw" would always make these rolls and I looked forward to them every year. This year was the first year I made them for myself with the help of my mom and Ryan.

Here is Mamaw's Recipe: (The secret to the recipe is lots of butter...Paula Deen WATCH OUT!!!)

2 packages active dry yeast
1 c. water (warm to touch)
1 tsp. sugar
2 c. milk (can be cold)
2/3 c. melted shortening
3/4 c. sugar (-2T)
4 tsp. salt (use 3-4 tsp.)
2 beaten eggs
10-11 c. sifted enriched flour

Directions: Soften yeast in warm water, add 1 tsp. sugar to yeast mixture. In kitchen aid mixer, add milk, shortening, 3/4 c sugar and salt. Then add yeast mixture to kitchen aid bowl. Add eggs, beat well. Add 4 cups flour and use hand mixture to just get the clumps out then change over to bread hook and add rest of flour, 2 cups at a time till it makes a soft dough. Knead in the mixing bowl with butter (on hands) till smooth and elastic. Cover with wax paper and keep sitting in warm place approximately 2 hours till risen. Punch down to size then divide in halves until you get golf ball sized rolls. Flatten and add a sliver of butter in center and fold on top of itself. Place in 9x13 glass container with raised sides with parchment paper. Bake at 400-425 for 15-20 minutes.

These rolls will not disappoint. The only drawback of this recipe is that the rolls tend to dry out significantly by day 3 and are not the best for making Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches (Does anybody else out there love themselves a good Thanksgiving meal sandwich?)hahah. Anyways, this year my mom made some of her own rolls off of a recipe she got from allrecipes.com. I was hesitant at first because they were not what I grew up eating but the rolls she made were AMAZING! They tasted significantly similar to my grandmother's recipe, however, these rolls stayed moist for days and days. They are some of the best rolls I have ever had!

Here is the recipe which can also be found on allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups warm milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons salt
7 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Beat in the sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup butter, and salt; blend thoroughly. Gradually stir in the flour to make a soft dough. Cover bowl, and set in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough, cover the bowl, and allow to rise again. Repeat this step two more times.
Break off 2 to 3 inch size pieces of dough, roll lightly into round shape, and place in prepared baking dish, edges touching. Repeat to make 36 dough balls. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake rolls in preheated oven until tops turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. When rolls are finished baking, drizzle melted butter over the top, and serve warm.

The next time I make rolls I might just have to use this new recipe. I hope you get to try these recipes for yourself sometime! Take care everyone.

Reclaimed Window

2011-11-21T18:29:00.001-08:00

For a while now I have been on the search for something that could function as a coat rack for the entryway in my home. I wanted something that was unique and unexpected. The last time that I went to North Carolina to visit my sister and her family I stopped by a cute antique store/gift shop that had a plethora of those old reclaimed windows...similar to these:

In order to make the window function as a coat rack I wanted to add vintage knobs. I got my knobs from World Market because they were inexpensive and had that antique look. I also wanted to paint the glass with chalkboard paint so that we could write cute messages on it like "love you snuggle muffin" and "I went SHOPPING...so could you clean the house while I'm gone?"...haha. But anyways back to my point, I ended up falling in love with the glass as it was so I decided against painting it.

The following are some pictures of our entryway now. I love hanging dried flowers from the window in the summer and spring, and coats and scarfs in the fall and winter.

*Caution* Prepare yourself for WAY too many Pictures!!!!

And this is what the window looks like with a little Christmas Cheer!

Oh and speaking of Christmas this is a new Christmas Decoration that I purchased from Chartreuse and Co in Frederick, MD. It has two scrolls on the sides so that you can change the numbers. I just love it!!!

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Are those for ME?!?

2011-11-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for spontaneous surprises from my "hubbans" (otherwise referred to as husband) : ). When I came home from work tonight Ryan surprised me with flowers for no reason other than because he loves me...awe (gushy)!

You are the bestest "hubbans" there is!

Thank You Ryan! I have love flutters for you!