Happy Friday!

Probably not the best picture of the girls, but they were (gasp!) chewing bubble gum! The only way I would let them have any was if we all sat in the floor together and chewed it. That was the only way I could keep a close eye on them. I normally don't allow gum (they're way too young) but it was a special treat from their "gamma" and they were so cute while chewing it...it's the simple things! Happy Day to you all!

Whipped Up Some New Pillow Covers

If I think of this house as a whole when it comes to decorating, it totally overwhelms me. My head starts to spin. It's hard to organize my thoughts at times because there are so many projects I need to tackle. Therefore, I'm trying to take it room by room. Starting with the rooms that we spend the most time in. That leads us to the den, right off the kitchen. This room has become the "main hub" for the house. It's our daytime living room. The girls play in there most of time even though they have a HUGE playroom...ugh! and watch cartoons there. I love the den. It's the main entry to the house for us 99% of the time. It needs to make a statement...you know that whole "first impression is the lasting impression" thing. When we got the house, it had floor to ceiling dark wood paneling. Not the cheap stuff, the real deal. Lots of people told me I was crazy to want to paint it, but it was entirely too dark for our taste. It was one bear skin rug away from looking exactly like a ski lodge. There is nothing wrong with that, but I didn't want it to feel dark and sleepy all the time, nor did I want to feel the need to hang dead animals all over the walls. It was a bear (no pun intended) to paint. We had to use an oil based primer (which stinks to high heavens if you didn't already know) and put 3 coats of paint. I chose Valspar's Antique White in a Satin Finish. We love the way it turned out! So happy we stood our ground on that decision. For some reason, I can't find any of my before pics. I'll work on that. However, here's a glimpse of the den now.

                       

We still have LOTS to do, but at least it got a fresh coat of paint.

As far as the throw pillows go, here's what I came up with. It literally took me less than an hour to sew these.

I always LOVE stripes...even in clothing!!

Love this print! Found the fabric at good ole' Hobby Lobby.

I did an easy envelope closure on the back.

I didn't want to hassle with a zipper.



New pillow paired with a starburst pattern pillow I got at Target last summer.

I've been sewing lots of pillow covers lately because

I'm trying to get an Etsy shop up and running.

I want a good inventory first. (I'll post more on that later). Isn't it great how something as simple as a pillow cover can light up a space!?

The Family Jewels

I've been looking at the biggest mess on top of my dresser for 3 months. Necklaces and bracelets scattered everywhere and earrings overflowing out of a Tiffany's box. (Hadley insists on us keeping all the little blue Tiffany's bags and boxes...hey, the girls knows what she likes.) Simply no order to any of it and that drives me crazy. To top it off, I just picked up some fun new things for springtime (if it ever arrives) and now I really have a shortage of space for it all. What's a OCD girl to do for fashion?! Here's what I came up with for the necklaces. Mind you, these are "fun" necklaces. The good stuff is put away safe and sound where my two little burglars won't snatch them.

I had this shadow box frame which I've had for years. It had some honeymoon memorabilia in it. Well, the honeymoon is over.   Joking. I can toss that stuff in a photo album and use 

the box for something a little more practical and lot more functional. I emptied the contents, cleaned the glass and dusted it off. Next, I rounded up some really big, metallic covered thumb tacks. I placed the tacks staggered at various heights....and this is what I came up with:

Happy in their new home. Keep reading for where its final destination will be.

Next, onto the earrings. I weeded out the ones I don't wear much anymore. I really just wanted a place for the bigger earrings to hang. They tend to be awkard in a jewelry box. I'll keep the nicer, everyday earrings in a safe spot away from little sticky fingers....Here's what I came up with:



 I happened to have all these Supplies on hand:

Corkboard (purchased from Target)

Hot Glue Gun (imagine that)

Fabric ( I had some scrap pieces from where I cut some curtains off. It was neutral linen, which I liked)

Old frame

Scissors

Pen

Straight Pins

First, I measured how big the corkboard needed to be.

I used the glass from the old frame and traced a line to cut on.

Cut your corkboard to size.

Cut your fabric to fit the corkboard with about 1 inch all around for overhang.

Apply the hot glue and secure the fabric to the back of the board. Pull it tight so it will come out smooth.

This is what the front will look like after it is glued on the cork.

Pop it into your old frame (without putting the glass back) and put the back on the frame.

Put your straight pins in the cork and hang your lovely jewels!

Conveniently, hanging on the wall beside my dresser.

Here's a shot with the door open. It's nice that you can enclose them away from those little grabby hands.

I hung the earrings higher so the girlies couldn't reach them.

I feel certain all this effort will go to waste. They'll find a way to get into this.

Pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Tidy dresser with all my jewels secure, safe and sound...for now.

Valentines Arts and Crafts with the Hadster

Baby, it's cold outside. What's a mom to do? While Abby naps, Hadley and I get our Martha Stewart on!!
Look what we came up with!

The only time in my life I would use a doile of any kind. Cute taped to the mirror.

The heart on the left side is made of conversation hearts hot glued to scrapbook

paper, then placed on a board. The frame is cute ribbon. XOXO blocks are from

Target...of course.

Scrapbook paper hearts threaded with pretty pink ribbon.

1. Trace your hearts onto paper.

2. Cut the hearts.

3. Fold the hearts

4. Hole punch the hearts.

5. Thread with ribbon.

6. Hang and enjoy!

Candy hearts up close and personal.

Hot glued some polka dot wide ribbon to the big vase. Boy, I love a hot glue gun!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Eggplant and Pesto Pasta!

Quick, easy, vegetarian dinner!

Ingredients:
1 Medium size eggplant, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt/Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Pesto ( i used some I had made last summer, but you can used store bought just the same)
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 pound Penne Pasta (or any other small pasta like rigatoni, orechhiete, etc)

First, dice the eggplant.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add eggplant, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low.

It will look like the eggplant is drinking up the oil, you can add a tad more, but eventually the salt

will draw the moisture out of the eggplant. Saute for about 8 minutes until golden and wilted. Meanwhile,

bring your water for the pasta to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to directions.

Grate your parmesan cheese while the pasta/eggplant are doing their thing.

Add the pesto to the eggplant over low heat. All you're doing is heating it up. Next, drain pasta but reserve

1 cup of the cooking liquid in case you need it later. Add 3/4 cup of the parmesan to the drained pasta. Mix well.

Add the eggplant/pesto mixture to the pasta. Toss together and add some of the reserved cooking liquid

if it looks too dry. Just add a little at a time.

Add remaining parmesan cheese on top and voila! Dinner is served! Took maybe 20 minutes at the most!