Sherwood Drive

$3.00 Chair Makeover

2015-03-23T06:08:00.002-07:00

Well, so much for spring! We are buried again here in the good old W of I. So all of these great outdoor projects I have been wanting to accomplish will have to wait a bit longer!

But I wanted to share this little tid bit with you all this morning! The easiest chairs to reupholster.

This little project cost me $3.00. Yes, $3.00

The chair was free, and the fun fabric was on clearance at Joann's for $6.00 a yard. It only takes a half a yard for one of these chairs and you can find them everywhere! My Mom and I just found some more at the Salvation Army for next to nothing this past week. You can unify a mismatched set with fabric, or jazz up just one chair for a small accent like I did. This chair sits next to our french patio doors. It's nice to sit down and take your shoes off, or set your garden gloves on when you have to take Dr. Pepper break! :)

On chairs like these, you simply remove the screws underneath (mine only had four), and place the new fabric over the old. I tucked it in tight and secured it with just a bit of fabric glue. You can also use a staple gun, but the frame of this chair was so solid, it is holding the fabric nicely. The glue was simply to keep any scraggly bits from hanging underneath and tempting my cat to tear it apart. :)

I also like to polish up the wood with a bit of lemon and olive oil and make it look brand new. Super easy right? I am a bit chair obsessed but at $3.00, it's a reasonably priced infatuation. I might add one of those adorable coral deco pillows from Target for a bit of color, but we'll see!! And as soon as you get bored with this patter, guess what? You can easily do it again!

Happy chair hunting!

Xo, Natasha

Cloth Diaper Organization

2015-03-05T06:16:00.004-08:00

Good morning!! It's a sunny 75 here in the W I.

Just kidding.... Sigh.

But I have been starting my spring cleaning/reorganizing endeavors because we might as well be productive since we are so cooped up! Today I thought I would share with you how I organize my cloth diapers.

I primarily started using cloth diapers with my daughter. I wanted to save money because I had recently left employment at my job at the clinic and quite frankly, things were tight. Aren't they always? I loved the idea of being able to use them again and again, and with the price of paper diapers it seemed like a no=brainer. But that's another post! On to the storage!

Right now for my main organization I am using this unit from Target: Munchkin Nursery Essentials Organizer

It got pretty crappy reviews, but for the price, it's not that awful. One of the dowels did break in one of the legs, but a little wood glue fixed that right up. I really like the number of compartments and the depth and that they have that fabric lip in the front to keep everything from tumbling out.

I also got these seperate containers from Target as a shower gift and they are great as well. So many uses and they match the organizer perfectly: Munchkin Canvas Decorative Bin

After I wash my diapers I stuff them immediately so that they are ready to use when I need them. Then I stick them in the bin on top.

Below, I keep my diaper liners in another small tote I got at Shopko, a local department store. These cuties were only 5 bucks a piece.

I also have another bin for wet bags.

One section is set aside completely for prefolds. These I use as extra stuffing, burp cloths, changing pads, whatever. They are a newborn size so they are definitely not being used in the traditional sense anymore on my toddler!

Not pictured is another small bin where I keep powders, creams, Snappies and wipes.

I have really liked the whole process of cloth diapering my daughter. It can be a bit messy at times, but once you get into the routine of it, it's quite simple. They trick is to stay organized and on top of the chaos! Do you have any other tips for organizing your cloth diapers?

Xoxo,
Natasha

Other products mentioned in this post:

Portrait Painting: Farrah

2015-03-05T05:44:00.002-08:00

Good morning, all!

First off, just adding my most recent painting to the WWW. A sweet little portrait of my darling daughter that I did on some leftover canvas board I had lying around. This was painted in acrylics. Thanks for looking!

On a side note, I feel that this photo of my painting is a bit over-saturated when compared to the real one, but I usually take photos of my paintings outdoors to get the most natural light, and as our current situation in Wisconsin is freeze-your-booty-off, this was the best I could get. I will correct that later when and if I go to add it to my online store. I'm not really sure why anyone would want a print of someone elses baby but, hey, she's cute.

Xoxo,
Natasha

Meet Mercedes!

2015-02-23T12:34:00.001-08:00

Hi, all!

Sorry for the silence over here! I've been fighting with a sore throat for a week now, and just this past week we added another member to our family because I am crazy and apparently not nearly overwhelmed enough!

Meet Mercedes:

Mercedes is an 8 year old Black and Tan Coonhound that we adopted from the local humane society. She had been over bred, starved, and given her manners I seriously doubt she was let in the house very often!

Our Chocolate lab, Moose, like any new big brother, was super excited at their first meeting. Day two, he was exhausted. By day three, he was following me around and staring at me as if wondering when we were taking her back. They have now comfortable settled into a love/hate relationship. If they are not playing together, patrolling the yard, or snoozing, then they are growling over each others treats and toys.

She really is so beautiful, I don't know who could get rid of such a sweet girl. With a little training on household etiquette, she will make a great addition to our family!

Xoxo,

Natasha

Home Tour: Living Room

2015-02-12T17:31:00.002-08:00

It's almost Friday! To kick off the weekend, I finally got around to photographing our living room this morning. Fair warning, it's still coming together. I have a few window treatments to finish, the furniture is a little mis-matched (and not necessarily in a good way, can't get that recliner away from my husband) and I didn't take any photos facing the dining room because I currently have every project I've never finished in my life piled up on the table. But here goes!

The before:

Huge, right? This has been the most challenging for me. The sheer size of this room makes it very difficult to arrange furniture. And while I have a vision in my head of how I want everything set up, I am still missing several key pieces and until such a time as I acquire them... this is what we've come up with:

It's crazy how much smaller the room feels now. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. :) But it's certainly better for conversation and getting closer to the fire! (Excuse the Iron Man clips on the television, Have to keep the little man happy and I was far to lazy to Photoshop it out.)

Moose has claimed this beautiful blue sofa (that my amazing friend Becky found for me - love you Becky!!) as his own. It is ten feet long, people. Ten feet. And unfortunately I did not photograph it because it would mean facing that mound I was telling you about in the dining room... ahem.

Sources:

Grey Sofa: Walmart.Com
Tan Loveseat: Ashley Furniture
Coffee Table: Ashley Furniture
Pink Pillows: DIY
White Pillow: TJ Maxx
Kids Chairs: Ikea
Louis Chair: Thrifted
Mirrors: Target
Black Octagonal Table: Target
Mirrored Table: Michael's

Have a great weekend!
Xoxo, Natasha

DIY: Updating a plain black Hobby Lobby canvas frame.

2015-02-11T11:08:00.001-08:00

Quick and easy DIY (aren't all my DIYs quick and easy) for you today! Updating a simple canvas frame with a little gold spray paint!

I had been meaning to get my son's art framed and finally the week had come when these frames were 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I got the size I needed but it just needed a little something...

I love black and white but this was a little too boring, even for me. So I simply taped off the majority of the frame, except for a little strip lined up with the inner bevel.

Then I hit it with the gold spray paint. I love the result:

Happy Hobby Lobby-ing, everyone!
Xoxo, Natasha

DIY: Marble Photo Frame

2015-02-05T14:57:00.002-08:00

Hey, everyone!

Today I am excited to share this super easy and super chic DIY project with you!

What could be more glam than a marble photo frame? Such a pretty way to display a favorite photo! Let me show you how!

You will need:

Marble Contact Paper, sold here:

Scissors
Scotch Tape
Picture Frame (flat on all sides, not beveled)

Start by measuring your frame against the back of the contact paper. There is a handy grid and ruler on the back so it is super easy!

Figure out the width of the sides plus the front,

and the depth. I had to guess at this, and I gave myself a bit extra, just incase.

Figure out the height you will need and cut out the first strip.

I did the long sides first, and once you have your first strip cut, you can simply trace that piece and cut another.

Lay your first piece, starting at the back and wrapping towards the front. The paper is not super sticky which is good and bad. Good because you can easily adjust it. Bad because it can tend to lift in the corners. That's where the Scotch tape will come in later.

Once you have it smoothed down in the front, grab your scissors and make a small cut in towards the frame. This will allow you to wrap it inside..

like so:

Then do the same at the outside corners. I covered my corners in a bit of Scotch tape to help them hold. You can't see it at all if you're careful!

Both sides completed:

Now I again measured the top and bottom. I just remember my previous width and adjusted the height.

Wrap back to front and snip the corners. Seal any questionable places with Scotch tape and...

Voila!

So pretty! You will have seams, but you can't tell at all!

This took very little contact paper and the roll comes with a LOT. I had this left over from another (several) projects I was working on, so you get a lot of bang for your buck with this paper.

I love how it looks with my other frames! Happy crafting, everyone!

baby photography courtesty of: Thompson Digital Image

Xoxo,
Natasha

How To: Deep Clean Your Shark Navigator

2015-02-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Mid-week is usually a good time to break down and get serious about cleaning my house. I've recovered from the last weekend and Monday, and need to gear up for another one.

When it comes to cleaning, my Mom (who owns her own cleaning company) has me hooked on Shark products, especially the Shark Navigator. It's affordable, lightweight, and cleans like a champ. Another one of my favorite features? It is easy to disassemble to give it a good cleaning, because, let's face it, no matter what brand of vacuum you use, you always need to give it a good cleaning. I would say at least every 6 months, for me it's about every 3 (think two kids, a dog, a cat and a husband).

Here's my process:

Star with a filthy vacuum. Then gather several rags, cleaner of choice, scissors and a screwdriver (or something pointy to get into those tight crannies).

Go ahead and remove the tank and the main filter.

One you remove the dark grey piece that holds the filter, flip it upside down and you will find another.

Pop out the front piece and remove that filter as well. I throw these in the washing machine on speed wash with a teensy tinsy bit of detergent and a little bleach. Do not put them in alone, you don't want to ruin your washing machine with an excess of water. I usually throw in a towel or my other cleaning supplies (mopheads, dusters, etc).

Detach the hose as well.

Lay it on it's back and grab those scissors! The scissors allow you to cut all the hair, strings, etc that have wound around the brush. Keep on clipping and pulling.

Then I grab my screwdriver to scrape all the dust and debris that has plastered itself to the inside.

I washed off the brush bar with my cleaner, and then wrap it around the end of the screwdriver to scrub in the crannies.

Flip it over onto it's front and lets start scrubbing the outside. I start with the wheels as they are usually the dirtiest and then wipe down the rest.

Now stand it back up and clean off the front, top and handles. Make sure to get into the hose openings.

Now onto the sink!

Spray the canisters with cleaner, scrub and rinse.

I lay the main canister out to dry on a kitchen mat.

By this point, my filters have finished washing and I have thrown them in the dryer with a towel to dry. They dry very fast. In fact, they are nearly dry coming out of the wash, but you want to make sure they are completely dry. Otherwise all that dust and dirt you are vacuuming will stick to the filters and you will have a nastier mess than you started with.

Go ahead and reassemble and test it out!

Can you feel the power??

Happy hump-day!
Xo, Natasha

Tips For Setting Up a Successful Party Table Spread

2015-02-01T12:15:00.001-08:00

Greetings from snowy Wisconsin! We are currently being buried in snow here, so what else is there to do but blog?

This weekend we hosted a graduation party for my little sister who just completed her cosmetology license program at Regency Beauty Institute. With that in mind, I thought I'd share a few tips on creating a pleasing food spread at your next gathering!

Because we were hosting the party at my house, we had to be fairly creative with anything "decorative." After all, this isn't some grand banquet hall, it's my dining room! And that means we have to clean up the mess! This is why it's best to simple make the functional pieces pretty.

I picked up these perfect black and white striped napkins at Walmart, along with the paper straws to match. As far as colors go, I used a lot of what I had on hand. I happened to have black, white and pink tissue paper, so I made a simple garland and used that as the jumping off point. Don't go crazy with too many colors and overwhelm yourself, but you definitely don't need to be matchy-matchy with everything.

I attached extra tassels to some pink chopsticks just for fun, and used wine glasses in varying sizes to keep the height of objects varied. You want your eye to move around the table! Flat spaces are boring!

The fabric tablecloth over the buffet table has hints of teal and gold to tie the party decor and my wall color together. Make the party match your house!

Let your food make a statement. The color and arrangements of the food you serve can be just as beautiful as any decoration you could buy, and you get to eat it! A tiered stand isn't just for dessert. It displays this selection of fruit beautifully.

Offer a variety of food choices. Meat, cheese and veggie trays are just important as chips, candy and snacks. Not everyone wants to eat junk all the time, and if you are having small children at your party, parents will appreciate being able to incorporate some healthy items on their child's plate besides just treats. I always make my own cheese trays, it's more cost effective and I can control the quality of the food I'm setting out.

Group your condiments together. Extras and fixin's become beautiful when placed on a gold charger.

We chose to offer a sandwich bar as well as snacks. Guests can build their own with choices of several meats, cheeses and spreads. Keep the food spread over several tables. It allows for better traffic flow.

Use your pretty pieces. Now is the time! This gold ice bucket is beautiful and funtional, and when else will I have an excuse to use it?

I hope you were able to take away a few ideas for your next gathering! Remember to keep it simple. The company is what really counts!
Xoxo,
Natasha

Recipe Quickie: Crock-Pot Italian Beef

2015-01-30T09:33:00.003-08:00

Happy Friday! Sorry for the lack of stimulating and image heavy content this week, but I am getting ready for my little sister's Beauty School ~~Dropout~~ Graduation party this weekend! I also have two new couches being delivered today but that's another story (and another blog post).

But I won't leave you empty-handed! It's Friday after all! You absolutely HAVE to make this incredibly easy and delicious Crock-Pot Italian Beef. I love to make this on weeknights, or for big gatherings. Everyone requests it at every picnic, potluck, etc. My mom originally gave me this recipe and of course I tweaked it for our family. Enough chit chat! I present to you:

Ingredients:

Chuck roast
One 16oz jar of peperoncinis
One or two jalapenos (depending on how spicy you like it!)
One pouch of Good Seasons Zesty Italian dressing mix

Get your crock pot out and start with the peperoncini peppers. Empty half of the juice into the bottom of the crock pot. Place your roast in, same side up that was in the packaging. (This isn't that crucial but I like to do it cause this side always looks nicer). :) Start dropping in those peperoncini peppers! Sprinkle some on top of the meat, around the sides, whatever! Just make sure you empty all the juice out over the top of the meat. Now you can tear open that dressing mix and sprinkle evenly over the top of the meat and peppers. Lastly, we will cut up the jalapenos and toss them in. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, on low for 6 to 8. Before serving, meat will pull apart. I like to do this and give it a good turn through the juices so the seasoning is well mixed. Serve on hoagie rolls and enjoy!!!

Now my mouth is watering. Gotta run!
Xoxo, Natasha

Dollar Tree Drawer Liners

2015-01-27T06:45:00.002-08:00

Good morning! I just wanted to really quickly share with you this little dollar tree gem: these pretty black and white toile drawer liners!

They are adhesive backed and VERY easy to place. They have a grid on the back with measurements so it's a snap to get them right! And I love how they look!

I bought two rolls because I wasn't sure how much one would cover in my kitchen drawers (they are extra wide and deep because they used to be for linens). They actually cover quite a bit! I will have to get one more roll to finish the last two drawers, but I was planning on getting more anyways once I realized how simple they were to use.

I also spray painted the old white knobs gold to match the solid brass knobs that are on the china cabinet. I will eventually just replace these with real brass as well, but in the meantime...

Hopefully you guys can find some great treasures at Dollar Tree, too!

Xoxo, Natasha

Ikea Hack: Gold Terrarium/Green House

2015-01-26T12:03:00.002-08:00

Hi, guys! Sorry for the absence the past few days! I was battling an eye infection and am getting ready for my little sister's beauty school graduation party this coming weekend! But I do have a few new projects to share with you, one of them being this super-simple Ikea hack.

Last time I was at Ikea, I picked up one of these SOCKER Greenhouses:

Not a bad size for $19.99, and I love white, but once I set it up in the kitchen it just felt a little... rustic? Shabby chic? Which is perfect for my mom's house (we actually both love shabby chic), but in the current direction our home is taking, it needed a little glam.

Nothing a $3.00 can of gold spray paint can't fix. I used Rustoleum Bright Metallic (the absolute best gold spray paint out there).

The after:

Much more dramatic and expensive-looking.

This project does require a little patience as far as taking out all of the plexi-glass and getting paint into every nook and cranny, but such a simple thing can have such a big impact!

Xoxo,
Natasha

DIY Acrylic Standoff Frame

2015-01-22T13:49:00.002-08:00

I recently had two issues: One, I needed some original house plans custom framed but custom framing is soooo expensive, and two, I really love acrylic standoff frames but they are also soooo expensive.

Pinterest to the rescue!

I first stumbled across Kristin Jackson of The Hunted Interior's tutorial, which led me to Dina from Honey and Fitz. Dina had the great idea of melting the acrylic to get your hardware in, but as far as the actual hardware used, I felt that what Kristin found was more than I wanted to spend (in fact I'd seen similar frames on Amazon for close to what she spent on hardware), but I really preferred that style over what Dina did. Dilemmas.

Amazon to the rescue!

I bought these:

And then I simply spray painted them gold.

I marked off where my holes were going:

And super heated a flathead screw driver that was the width of my screws. It really does push through like butter! Actually, it's more like margarine...

Get all your holes done (I clamped my pieces of acrylic together and went through both at once) and pop in your art and hardware.

Ta da!

For a more detailed tutorial, I strongly suggest you check out the blogs I linked above!
Xoxo, Natasha

Decorating Your Home on a Budget

2015-01-20T13:26:00.002-08:00

Let's face it, we've all been there. You find a beautiful pin on Pinterest luring you with promises of budget-friendly decor, only to click on said pin and discover that this blogger's budget apparently includes every piece of furniture from Z Gallerie, perfect accessories from Ballard Design, and a thousand dollar rug from Home Decorators. While that may be the dream, the reality for this stay-at-home-mama is that while I love decorating our new home, I have to make every dollar count! That's where this blog post comes in...

You do not need to shop at expensive stores to make your home beautiful. I have found some of my favorite pieces at the cheapest of places.

7 of my favorite stores (in no particular order) for finding super cheap furniture/decor are:

1. Craigslist - Of course! Everyone has scored some great deals on furniture, but make sure you check other areas of the site you might not already (such as general, household and antiques) for great finds!
2. Goodwill - So many gems discovered in Goodwill stores! If you have multiple stores around you, or you live near to one in a big city, all the better!
3. Habitat for Humanity - My H4H recently had beautiful sofas (including a blue velvet one) for $30-$50. They also had a vintage set of bleachers that would have been awesome in a boy's room or basement sports bar for $150.
4. Ikea - If you're not shopping here, you are nuts! There truly is something for everyone, and they have adopted styles outside of just those funky modern pieces they are known for.
5. Target Clearance - I love Target, but I never buy anything full price. I just don't. With the constant rotation of what's on sale, there's no need. Frequent the store often (as if you're not already). They generally drop prices every 2 weeks on items that haven't sold.
6. Walmart, people - Lately they have added a collection of Better Homes and Gardens items that are really very nice. And last time I was there I spotted some gorgeous white faux fur pillows I need to purchase!
7. HM.Com - They are known for their incredibly priced and stylish clothing, but have you SEEN the home store online? Go! NOW!

A lot of times when you shop cheap, you need to think outside of the box or use a little elbow grease, but the savings are so worth it. A few examples in my home:

My daughter's bedside table was purchased from Shopko (a local department store) on clearance for $11.89 down from $129.99 (are they crazy?). It was black and rustic-looking, with some faux distressing on the edges. Too contemporary for me. A couple coats of white glossy spray paint fixed this table right up. I also spray painted this beautiful bed my mother got at a garage sale a metallic gold for some glam. The fluffy white comforter was a Target clearance item for under $20.

My faux cherry blossom tree was $6.99 at Goodwill, and the clock I got for free with some Kohl's cash we earned on purchases we actually needed.

Don't pay a ton of money for art, either. This mirrored frame was clearanced at TJ Maxx for $11.00 and the art is from Vintage Printable.

Another clearance frame and free Vintage Printable art, and a $14.99 marquee light from Old Time Pottery. If you have one any where near you, you need to check it out!

Use your own art! I painted this lion for my son's room, the 'G' was a $4.00 Shopko special that I sprayed gold, and that awesome little black and gold frame was a Goodwill treasure.

Evidence that Walmart does have pretty things: these two mirrored frames I got for $12.00 each. That cute boy's face I made for free. Teehee.

Collecting little things on a tray makes a bigger statement, like this $2.00 art deco glass container from Hobby Lobby and this beautiful necklace. The tray was free with a cosmetic purchase.

When we were forced to re-do our shower because of cracked and leaking tile, we saved money on this gorgeous Pulse shower head from the Amazon Warehouse.

Books = interactive decor. Everything here was Target clearance, except for the book which was for sale for a quarter at our local library. A quarter, people!

25 cent garage sale lucite lamps with simple $4.00 Walmart shades flank our television on the fireplace mantel.

Thinking outside the box: this hamper was on sale at Babies R Us, but it actually looks better in my bedroom.

Bedroom breakdown: The lamp bases (we have one on each side) were Target clearance for under $20.00. The shades are from Shopko. Clearance $6.00. Nightstands were $150.00 a piece at Sam's Club. The headboard is from Joss and Main. I paid $375, so that's more of a stretch for me, but finding a King size headboard does run ya a bit more. Euro shams and cases are from Ikea: about $8 a piece. Quilt was $20.00 at Old Time Pottery. Leopard print comforter set was at Walmart for $50.00 (which is normally more than I'd spend on Walmart decor but come on, it's leopard print). That heavenly bedside rug was $20.00 at TJ Maxx.

More Target clearance (small frame and mirror set) and a larger Hobby Lobby frame. I save money by printing my own pictures. Pennies, I know, but they add up!

Testing the softness of the Walmart comforter.

And just generally distracting me.

So my TOP tips for budget decorating would be as follows:

1. Think outside the box - These angel wings were on clearance for $6.00 at Hot Topic. Left over from Halloween. But they fit in perfectly tucked behind my daughter's vanity mirror. Want to feel like a swan princess, anyone?

2. Use what you have - This spot was empty on my Ikea shelving system and I had no idea what else to do. Then that aha! moment came. A couple of wine bottles and glasses and this space looks for intentional. Which brings me to my next tip...

3. Collections work wonders - This set of books from Goodwill does double-duty. Not only do I want to read them, but as a collection, they make a statement on my bookshelf. I plan to pair them with a gold urchin DIY to emphasize the gold lettering on the spines.

4. Use your clothes and jewelry as accents - My daughter's dress makes a statement in this spray painted Ikea frame, and my bold necklace adds more bling to a blingy tray in the bathroom.

5. For big purchases, check the Amazon Warehouse - Checking Amazon is generally a good idea anyways, but many of there products are available even cheaper through their open-box warehouse deals, like our Pulse Shower Spa.

Now use all that money you save on something truly valuable: worship, charity or your family!

Xoxo, Natasha

Linked up at: Real HouseMoms Simply Designing The Thrifty Home

DIY Abstract Art (with the kids!) & My New Velvet Curtains

2015-01-19T08:12:00.003-08:00

Hey, all! Just a little somethin' somethin' for this morning's blog post: Some examples of DIY abstract art that your kids can do that looks like you spent a ton on a great art piece! Also I thought I'd share a pic or two of the velvet panels we just hung the other night! Hope you all have a great day!!

There are so many Kelly Wearstler inspired/black&white abstract art pieces floating around out there right now, and while I love them all, I just can't shell out that chunk of change. Especially when I have a budding artist right here in my own home! My 3 year old son, Graham, painted this beauty for me:

Isn't it great? I can not wait to get it framed (another DIY project I will soon be sharing). I simply let him go to town with a little black paint on a primed canvas I bought from Hobby Lobby.

This one his sister got involved in and I let them get a little crazy with color, too:

I love how bold it is! I also let me son have some fun with gold leaf. They sell a kit at Michael's that includes the adhesive pen and several sheets of gold leaf.

Not only does this art look fabulous, but it has way more meaning to me than something that happened to be a trend. It's a piece I will truly cherish forever and is definitely one of a kind!

And here's a little peek at the black velvet panels I whipped out this weekend:

That's Moose enjoying the first sliver of sun we have had all winter!

I love how it really pulls you in from the black entryway.

Thanks for looking!
Xoxo, Natasha

Linked up at: Makeovers and Motherhood A Bowl Full of Lemons
The Gunny Sack
NapTime Creations

Black Walls

2015-01-17T07:57:00.001-08:00

As I've mentioned before, our home was built in 1937. It has tons of cool art deco features such as curved walls and an extremely deco molding above the front door. I knew immediately I really wanted to keep that feeling going, and what could be more art deco than black and white?

I had already painted the front hallway twice, but it just never felt perfect. I wanted to make a dramatic statement when you first enter, so I finally decided to take the plunge. This is why we own a home, after all. So we can make it what we want.

The color I used is called Gargoyle Shadow by Dutch Boy. Although I love Dutch Boy colors, I always have them mixed in Pittsburgh Paint. I really love the coverage they offer.

Alright, enough blabber! The reveal:

I'm really please with the heavy contrast. And my husband didn't freak out, either, so that's a plus! He actually really loves how formal our entry now feels.

With so much white. a bold color can be pulled off with ease.

What could be more trendy right now than a black and gold color scheme? Our old door bell pops against the dark walls.

I moved my $6.99 Goodwill cherry blossom tree into the front hallway and now I feel like an extra in the recent Great Gatsby movie. (Still waiting for Leo to make his appearance. Ahem.)

More black and gold rears it's *trendy* head: our antique Ansonia clock that once belonged to my husband's grandparents.

And it frames our front door beautifully. We have mega-light coming in right now with the sun gleaming off of the snow, but had I taken a better photo, you could see how the leaded windows really pop with the black walls drawing your eye to them. Just take my word for it, ok??

I now need to get moving on some black velvet curtains that are going to frame our french doors. I need to tie all of this black paint into the living room somehow. A great excuse to use more black velvet fabric!! Thanks for looking!

Recipe Quickie: Zesty Tuna Quesadillas

2015-01-14T11:36:00.003-08:00

Something a little simple after all of that work changing up my blog: lunch!

Zesty Tuna Quesadillas!

My family loves quesadillas because they are so easy to make and so much fun to eat! (We like using our hands with our food).

The recipe:
2 soft tortilla shells
I package of Starkist Tuna Creations: Hickory Smoked
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced
About a cup and a half of monterey jack cheese, shredded
A little margarine

Get just a dab of margarine melting in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Throw on your tortilla shell and let it start to crisp up. Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl until combined. Spread mixture out onto your tortilla and add the second shell on top. To avoid overcrisping, I usually scale the heat down at this point. Go ahead and flip it over once the cheese starts to melt. Let the other side crisp up and the cheese bind the shells together.

Cut into wedges and serve!

Xoxo,
Natasha

Ch-ch-ch-changes! Adjusting my focus.

2015-01-14T07:47:00.003-08:00

Sorry for the switch-up, ladies and gents. Figured it was better to tweak early on as opposed to later.

I've pretty quickly come to realize what my central focus with this blog is going to be. As I have organized photos, future blog posts and ideas, it has become apparent that the central theme always returns to our home. And yes, I am still, obviously, mismanaged, but instead of focusing on the flaws of everything I do (which is quite a bit), I want to take this time early in my blogging life to simplify and adjust my brand. I have many passions, and this doesn't mean I won't represent them all here, it simply removes the pressure of having to do EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. And I need a little less pressure.

It also lets me focus on the one recurring theme and the overall most important thing to our family: our home. And while I absolutely love decorating and all things beautiful, I would like to point out that I am not talking solely in a material sense, here.

This whole switch finally clicked with me when I was leaving with the two kiddos to run errands yesterday. My 3 year old shouted, "Bye house!" as we pulled out of the driveway. He blew it a big kiss and said, "Mom, I love our house." When I asked him what he loved about it so much he told mr it was because that is where we all play together. Tugged on my little heartstrings, he did. Isn't it funny how we as adults can glean something so profound from what is really a simple matter to a child?

So there you have it. Decision was made. Re-focus, re-brand. Home. In all of it's forms.

DIY: Louis XV Chair Makeover

2015-01-13T12:18:00.001-08:00

Hello, everyone! I am back with a DIY decor project I have been SUPER excited to tackle: recovering some Louis XV chairs I got for a song on Craigslist.

I will briefly give some tips on how I went about this DIY project, but I am not going to go into to much detail because it's pretty straightforward, and let's just be honest: if you're like me, you just browse through the pictures.

So let's get on with it! The before:

Great, right? Eh, not so much. I got a set of two chairs, one is a side chair and the other has arms.

First we need to remove all of those nail heads! Tedious work, but sometimes I like busy work while I listen to Judge Judy,

The fabric should come off cleanly. Make sure you save the inner padding to re-use later.

Then all of the little staples in the cardboard backing need to come out. Save this piece as well.

Do the same for the seat. I removed the ugly floral fabric but was able to keep everything else underneath. it had been upholstered nicely and covered with a plain vanilla covering. Small blessings!

Use the old pieces of fabric to trace your new panels.

Make sure to leave extra around the edges, just incase.

Now drape your new fabric over the seat to make sure you have enough.

Tool time! This is what my husband had, so this is what I used. A little overkill, but whatever.

I started stapling in the back. I simple tucked he raw edge under itself to give it a "hem" and stapled as close to the edge as possible.

Just keep tucking and stapling.

Little pleats will happen, I just try to put a staple in those areas.

If you plan to use nail heads to finish, you do not need to place as many staples.

Next I moved torwards the arms.

Always be sure to keep checking that you still have your fabric evenly distributed. You don't want it to get wonky and end up short on one side. My fabric had a great amount of stretch which helped. I didn't need to pull as hard.

Seat is done!

Trace the back panel next.

Make sure the right side of your fabric is facing out on the back of a Louis Chair.

Start stapling at the top.

Then down the sides.

After you've stapled all the way around the back, go ahead and place your cardboard and padding back in and staple in place.
Repeat the same process of rolling the edge under and stapling over the back cushion.

Ta da! Now you're ready for piping, trimmings or more nail heads if you choose!

Isn't she a beaut??

"Black velvet in that little boy's smiiiiillleee... black velvet in that-" ok I will stop there.

This was an incredibly cheap DIY decor prjoect with a huge impact. The chairs were only $30.00 a piece and I got the fabric from Fabric.Com for $3.82 a yard! So go forth and make some ugly chairs pretty!

Fabric Love: Michael Miller

2015-01-07T13:25:00.002-08:00

Hello, again!

Are any of you Fabric.Com trolls like me? If not, you should be. They are incredibly affordable and have a great selection. I have used them countless times.

After trolling again this morning I came across some picks from one of my favorite designers they feature, Michael Miller, and wanted to share!

His fabrics are cute, whimsical, colorful, and oh so fun! I have used them for curtains, pillows, bedding, you name it! I also think the designs are perfect for quilting, especially for children/baby minded crafters.

Some of my Michael Miller children's fabric picks:

1. Children at Play On Parade Double Border Multi - This sweet and airy scene would make an adorable bolster in a little girl's room!
2. Gnomeville Border Red - I love the vintage Hobbit feel.
3. Trailer Travel Camp Multi - In the vintage Airstream Trailer I own in my head, this would be used in a quilt for cozy nights camping with the kiddos.
4. Retro Rocket Rascals Multi - I love the retro Jetsons vibe.
5. Retro Candy Shop Cream - Someone please put this in a retro kitchen! Maybe a covered high chair or child's seat?
6. Flamingo Love Flamingo - Flamingos are very trendy right now, which is great because they are PINK!

Michael Miller decor fabric picks:

1. Bekko Home Decor Parquet Navy - Love the graphic blue and white!
2. Bekko Home Decor Pagoda Garden Blue - A very classic-feeling print.
3. Laminates Neon Pink - It's laminate pink fabric. I need it.
4. Rouge Et Noir Freckled White - Very on-trend spots - they're everywhere!
5. Sultana Deco Geo Black - Our home was built in 1937 so I am into all things deco.
6. Kiss Dot Clementine - Polka dots plus this hot color? Yes, please.

These fabrics are incredibly affordable to boot! So become a Fabric.Com addict and get DIY-ing!!

Home Tour Sneak Peek: Graham's Room

2015-01-06T06:52:00.002-08:00

Onto my son's room!

When we purchased the home, this room was functioning as a bedroom already, but horribly outdated and so, so BLUE. Blue walls, blue carpet, blue.

The space seemed so small and cramped.

Now it feels cramped with toys! But much more suitable for a toddler (who loves toys).

I ripped out the carpet myself, painted walls and trim. My husband added a brass light fixture to the existing fan to at least make it functional for now. Hubby also made that amazing reclaimed wood bookshelf, full of thrifted treasures.

A closer shot of his shelving unit.

Oh, look! More toys! That rocking horse belonged to his great-grandfather when HE was just a child so it is priceless! And yet it's still sturdy enough that I have no fears about my wild man damaging it.

These built-ins came in handy when Graham's dresser literally snapped in half on the moving trailer.

Still lots of work to be done here. I have since started adding window treatments, cleared many of the toys, and switched up the bed for a toddler bed from Ikea. It gives him more room to run around and set up his Thomas Tracks. Because really, isn't that what kids' rooms are for?

Target Treasures Tuesday

2014-12-30T10:50:00.002-08:00

Yesterday my Mom, sister and I did a little Target Treasure Hunt.

I'll be honest, we mostly ended up with food.

All of their holiday items were marked down 50% and that included food. Yeah.

But I thought I'd share a few recent Target finds as well as some of my new Hobby Lobby goodies.

I just got these adorable velvet and brass Nate Berkus frames from Target on clearance for $7.49 for the pair! Paired with my flamingo print I scored at Hobby Lobby while it was 60 (yes 60) percent off, and my $5.00 orchid steal from Home Depot, I am feeling very Palm Beach.

Some close-ups. I just love them! I was really torn between putting the green one in the living room or in my bedroom, but I guess that just means this little frame has flexibility! I love buying things that can go in multiple rooms. When I get in a re-decorating move, I can transition those pieces easily and shop what I already own.

Yep, that's another VITTSJO hack. But it's such a good hack! Look how pretty and shiny that is!

I got the pink storage box with the metal corners for a few bucks from Hobby Lobby, as well as the gold foil art print. 8 bucks!

The painting is by yours truly, you can purchase a print at my shop, here.
The books are from Shutterfly.

My beautiful ampersand mirror is another Hobby Lobby treasure. Only 20 bucks for that baby! And yes, that is a half-empty bottle of wine back there. No judging. It's still half full.

So this really ended up being mostly Hobbly Lobby treasures, but like I said.. most of my hard earned Target money was spent on all that clearance food! And I'd take photos of all my deals but I totally ate it all.

What have you found that you are loving lately?

Chicken and Homemade Noodles

2014-12-22T10:08:00.001-08:00

This is one of the most popular recipes in our household. It's delicious, simple, and I love that it is very cost-effective. My Mom compares it to meals served at Cracker Barrel.

You will need:
2 large chicken breasts
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 large egg
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp onion powder
Garlic salt
1 cup of flour
EVOO

First let's start with the noodles.

You can certainly buy store bought fettuccine if that is easier for you, but I like to make mine from scratch. It's much healthier, it's cost-effective and it's super easy!

You do not need a food processor for this, you can use a KitchenAid, a bowl and spoon, or (in true Italian fashion) your bare hands! But for ease and speed of cleanup, I am using the food processor.

Crack open that egg into the food processor and add a cup of flour. Start processing! While it's going, I add a splash of EVOO.

Once it's combined (usually only takes a few seconds) it will look like little crumbles but still be tacky. Here is where I fail because I can't find a picture of this... sigh. But really, it only takes a few moments to get there.

Scoop it out with your hands and mash it into a ball.

You now have some simple pasta dough!

Flour your work surface and a rolling pin and let's roll this baby out!

Just get it fairly smooth and try to keep it rectangular in shape, not round like a pie crust.

Enter the Norpro Pasta Machine!

I know, right? Shiiiiny...

You can get one here.

I paid around $35.00 for mine, but right now it's under $30.00. So snatch one up!

Put the crank in the main body of the machine and turn the dial to the thinnest setting, no. 1.

Slip the end of your dough into the machine and get cranking!

Once you've gotten it through, fold it in half and run it through again. If your dough is too tacky, rub a little more flour on it.

Fold and run it through 2-3 times.

If it starts to get too wide, go ahead and cut it down the middle.

At some point in here, I get my pot of water going up to a boil. Salt the water generously!

The outside of my pot looks a mess. Let's pretend it's a beautiful, shiny pot, shall we?

After you've smooshed your dough out 2-3 times, we are going to turn our knobbie to the next smallest setting, no. 2.

That's a 2, I promise.

Go ahead and run it through once, and turn the knob again. This time to number 3. Run it through once.

I don't like to go too thin with this recipe. I prefer a nice thick and hearty noodle. So let's stop at setting no. 3.

Now move your crank into the fettuccine cutter.

Slip the end of the dough into the fettuccine cutter and start cranking!

Once I've gotten them all cut, I slice them into smaller pieces with a kitchen knife. Usually they want to stick together at this point, so to avoid tearing your noodles, sprinkle them generously with flour and shake it through. Go ahead and drop them in your boiling pot of water.

Fresh pasta only needs to boil for a minute and a half! Super fast, right? So don't walk away, you'll come back to mushy noodles.

Now for the good stuff. In a mixing bowl (or right in your Pyrex baking dish if you are like me and hate wasting clean dishes), mix up your 3 cans of soup. Plop your chicken breasts in there and turn them around to get them good and coated in the soup.

Sprinkle on the onion powder.

And give it a good sprinkling of garlic salt.

Toss in your noodles and make sure they are well coated in the soup.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for an hour and a half. Once it comes out, I cut the chicken down into chunks right in the dish.

Serve up with some Grand's Flaky Layers (my favorite biscuit EVER) and enjoy!!!

Amazon products mentioned in this post:

Linked up at: CornerstoneCofessions

The Mismanaged Mom's guide to catching up on laundry! When you're way behind!

2014-12-21T11:55:00.002-08:00

Ahh, laundry.. my old nemesis. My mother loves to tell me how "it only takes five minutes to go downstairs and throw in a load of laundry!" Yeah, yeah, but it takes so much longer to fold said laundry, and then to put it all away. Especially with a mischievous little year-and-a-half old who loves to "help."

And so I bring to you...

Now the first thing to understand about my process (besides that it is completely mismanaged) is that it might take a day or two. But I promise it is so much easier than folding load after load of laundry and running all over the house putting it away, only to go back for more loads (because you're way behind).

The first thing I do is to gather every laundry basket, hamper, wicker basket (whatever!) that I own. Get those next to your washer.dryer to get them all ready. This is a good time to make a huge mountain of clothes next to the washing machine. Just make sure you have all of your washables and baskets near your machine.

Now start washing!!!

The secret to my stress-free process is to keep washing/drying my loads of laundry, filling up my baskets and hampers with the clean clothes, and then NOT FOLDING THEM until I am completely done. Like I said, it may take all day to get all of the washing and drying done, but really this is the easy part because the machine does all the work!! Now let's get on with it.

When your folding area looks like this...

And this... (I have a total of six baskets/hampers full)

Then we can start folding it all all at once.

When my Mom taught me to do laundry, she always stacked the folded clothes by person. This works, but because my least favorite part is the putting away, it always bugged me to have to disassemble the pile once I got to my room to sort out the pajamas, pants, shirts, etc.

So while it might take up way more room on the dining table (or wherever you fold), I try to sort not just by person, but by the drawers they go in:

Here you see my piles starting to add up. Yes, there is underwear in this photo. Get over it.

By the time you're really getting under way you're space will look like this:

Phew! We're getting there!!

Now you can start sorting them out into those baskets!

I grab one basket for each person and start stacking my piles in there, making sure I keep those items orderly to make the putting-away process smooth.

My husband's basket:

His piles are separated by the way his dresser is organized. A drawer for workout clothing, underwear, muscle shirts, etc...

If your kids are old enough, you can get them to put their own baskets away! For me, with two toddlers, I am responsible for three out of the four baskets. But now all I have to do is take each basket to the child's room and I am already organized by drawer. Pop, pop, pop! Into the drawers my pre-arranged piles go!

I also set aside baskets for things like bathroom items (towels, washcloths, etc..) that I can carry around to each bathroom, and another basket for things that need to be hung.

Ahh, empty baskets!!

This process has worked really well for me when I get behind because once the washing/drying is done, I can wait until my youngest is sleeping, or until Daddy is home to tend to her, to power-fold.

What has worked well for you??

Linked up at: CornerstoneConfessions
A Bowl Full of Lemons

French Macarons

2014-12-17T11:27:00.001-08:00

Mmmm.. the sinfully sweet French Macaron! Perfect for tea parties and sweet tooths! Often recognized as the hardest cookie to make. To that I say, pah! We can do it!!

I love making these for special occassions. They are a workout to make, especially if you are poor like me and have no KitchenAid stand mixer {sob}, but after much study and trial and error, I have come up with a fairly fool-proof plan to make these adorable little treats!

You will need:

3 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup of white sugar

2 cups of confectioner's sugar

1 cup of almond flour

A pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Food coloring of choice

Now, I am not an excellent food-blogger yet so I have no step-by-step photos. I know... this seems pointless. But trust me. You can do it!! And when I make these again for my sister's graduation next month, I will remember to take those darned in-between photos!

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. If you did not set your eggs out ahead of time, you can place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes to bring them up to room temperature. Once that's done, seperate the three egg whites into a mixing bowl and beat until foamy.

Next add salt, cream of tartat and white sugar. Beat 10 to 15 minutes until shiny and stiff peak forms.

To check for a "stiff peak" you simply run your beater around the batter a few times and lift straight up. Flip it upside down so the batter is pointing at the ceiling. If the point of your batter flops over, it's not stiff!

Once you've achieved a stiff peak, add in food coloring. My tip you be to add more than you think you need because the color will dull upon baking.

In a seperate bowl, sift almond flour and and confectioner's sugar. Discard the lumps. If you do not have a sifter, run your almond flour and confectioner's sugar through a food processor thouroughly.

Fold the flour/sugar mixture into the egg white batter. For me, it's usually about 80 turns.

Hello, biceps!

Transfer your batter to a a pastry bag and pipe out one inch rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Pro-tip: Amazon sells some amazing little products that can help you with the sizing of your rounds. Or if you're like me, you can wing it and match up the sizes later.

Now you need to pick up your baking sheet and slam it down on the counter a few times. This will release any air bubbles inside the batter.

Now... LEAVE IT ALONE!! yep, you heard me. DON'T TOUCH IT. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so before putting it into the oven. The edges need to stiffen before baking.

Once the sides are nice and stiff to the touch, pop them in for 20 minutes, but keep an eye on them for the last five minutes or so. You don't want them turning brown.

They will be very delicate so be careful! Sandwhich them with whatever filling you like! I prefer just a simple buttercream.

Want a macaron?

Oui.