Happy Leap Day!

Sounds odd but I get excited about things like Leap Day! I feel you should do something special or fun. Hey it only comes around every four years. I have a friend who was born on this day and another that might be having her baby today.

Since I have kids any excuse to have a fun is welcome by them. What are you going to do for leap day?

If you have run out of ideas....there is always a clip from the recent episode of 30 rock... enjoy.

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Gallery wall progress....

I am still working on my gallery wall but I thought I would take a picture of the progress in the room. The circle (sunburst mirror) needs to be moved up higher but that was as high as I could reach at the time. The blank area on the right is for the deer head.

I took this picture this past weekend but there have been some changes since then (we sold the rattan/glass coffee table) Little by little the rooms in my home will come together. 

I have been toying with the idea of going a lot simpler with the arraignment. Mostly because I have a couple items I want to use, but I don't know how to incorporate the pieces without having the wall look like a hot mess.



Both of these were my grandmothers (the orange one she did herself) and I know they will have a place in  my home, somewhere...

I am considering using some rub and buff to get rid of the red border on the frame on the right. The art is chalk done on a fine velvet so I don't want to risk damaging it by getting a whole new frame.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments!

What are some pieces of art in your home that bring you joy? Pin It

Supermarket tricks...

In my whole foods group this coming month we are discussing the books In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan and The China Study by Thomas M. Campbell II .


I don't post much on things like this but in our attempts to eat healthier here are some supermarket tricks for you.

What are some of your supermarket tricks? I always have to make sure I have eaten recently and am hydrated before I go.

Have a healthy and fun filled weekend! Pin It

Girls room....with room to grow

My daughter is going to kindergarten this fall. I swear I just had her yesterday....where did the time go?
It's about time she had a cute room of her own. Hopefully she will love it till her early teens then we can do some tweaks and redesign if needed.

I was waiting till our next baby (no that is not an announcement) to see if there would be another girl but decided just to go with it and get the ball rolling.

My daughter is a Type 1 which is light, bright, animated, fun, fresh, cute and playful. I felt her room should reflect that.

I am sure things will change as we work on this but this is what I was thinking about for now...

She loves the color blue and is always picking out paint colors when we are at Home Depot or Lowes.
I added a regular sized desk and chair for her to draw or play on and someday apply makeup...eeek!

This is a good time to mention that it is best to buy regular sized furniture for kids rooms, they grow up quickly and will get more use out of the items.

We have to have fans here in Arizona so no cute chandelier, but I have been thinking of ways to perhaps retro fit a funky DIY bird cage to maybe give the room something unexpected. We will see...

In the gallery wall I am excited to use this frame from Target 

via Young House Love

You can open it and change out the frame without taking it off the wall. Genius.

Hmm... I may have to put one or more of these in my gallery wall. It would be nice to change things up once in a while.

Need some help with a room in your home? Contact me on my services page, I'd love to work with you!

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Family time...

We have been pretty busy lately so we are taking some family time today. Happy President's Day! Hope you enjoy today and everyday! Pin It

Thoughts about gallery walls...

I am seriously contemplating having a gallery wall in my living room. I have some great pieces of art I would like to showcase. The problem I have been having is putting it all together! It will definitely have to be an eclectic mix filled with some mixed media. So I rounded up some of my favorite gallery wall pictures.

via kristen panitch interiors

via architectural digest

via photographer Annie Schlechter

via pinterest

Interested to see what else I am planning on for my living room? Follow me here

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Making a trend your own.

Trends. They are everywhere from fashion to home decor. The great thing is that you can take them and make them your own!

I found a great blog over the weekend of someone who did just that.  Her name is Julia at 551 East Furniture Design.  She also happens to be a local Arizona girl, I love hearing about local talent!

A trend in fashion and home decor has been the ombre trend

via green wedding shoes

via 6th Street Design School

via Natty by Design

There are several ways bloggers have made this trend their own, Julia took it a little further by using different color stain!

The result is traditional but with a great eclectic vibe!

via 551 East Design


I think it is a great take on this trend for those who want something a little different!

Thanks Julia for sharing your talent with us!

How have you made a trend your own?

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A bedroom and La Fiorentina!

 I had an e-design client contact me for help on her master bedroom. She obviously has fabulous taste because she already has a wall of curtains in this fabric!

"La Fiorentina" in coral by David Hicks

Swoon... Let's hope I do this glorious fabric justice!

I'll be sure to show you all the design board, and if we are lucky some before and after pics!

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Have you heard of Pinzy?

If you haven't noticed from my previous posts I am in love with pinterest. If you have become addicted to this site then you will love this...  Pinzy. It is for people that have installed the google chrome browser and allows you to simply hover over the pin (instead of clicking on them) and view the full version of what has been pinned. To close just click on the enlarged version and you can then repin, comment or like.

It makes going through pinterest so much quicker!

If you would like to join pinterest leave me your email in the comment section and I will send you an invite!

If you would like to follow me on pinterest please click here.

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Asian Cabbage Salad

Today's recipe is quick, easy,delicious and it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. And it is perfect to help get you back on track if you happened to overindulge in all the Super Bowl food this past weekend. I originally made it for a light dinner but it works just as well for lunch the next day or two.

via our best bites

Here is the recipe, I made a few substitutions.

Asian Cabbage Salad Recipe by Our Best Bites Ingredients: 




1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix
(I doubled the rest of the veggies)
 1 rib celery, sliced
 1/2 cucumber, sliced 
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones) 
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced 
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced 
1 T toasted sesame seeds* I omitted this
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted * I used raw ones


Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken 


Dressing: 
2 T canola oil 
2 T cider vinegar 
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar 
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute) * I did half this amount
1 t kosher salt 
2 t soy sauce 
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced 
1/4 t black pepper 1/2 t sesame oil 


Instructions: *If using toasted almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using. 


Begin by making dressing. Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake shake shake. Store in the fridge until ready to use. You can definitely do this part a few days ahead of time. Place all salad ingredients in a bowl You need to pour on the dressing and toss to coat at least 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve. When you pour the dressing on you might think it’s not quite enough, but just wait. When it sits and marinates, it combines with the veggies and draws out liquid and there will be more than plenty of dressing after it sits. After you’ve poured on the dressing, place salad in the fridge to sit for 30-60 minutes. Right before serving mix in toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

Enjoy! Pin It

What are you bringing to the Superbowl?

It's Superbowl weekend. Whether your team is playing or not, it's a great time to get together with family and friends!

Here is a delicious and easy appetizer I got from a friend. She called them jalapeno poppers, but don't worry they aren't fried. But you will be popping them into your mouth over and over again!

 

via blogchef

24 jalapenos

1 brick cream cheese

1 pkg bacon, strips cut in half

pinch of brown sugar

Cut jalapenos in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and veins. Fill each little jalapeno boat with softened cream cheese. Wrap one piece of bacon around the jalapeno, securing the bacon with a toothpick. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the jalapenos and bake them at 350 degrees for 20 min, or until the jalapeno starts to shrivel on the ends.

Enjoy!

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Family tree as art!

I think having personal art in your home can make the difference between a beautiful house and a beautiful home. Whether that means hanging your children's artwork, or being a bit more literal like Liz at decorating the ville.

The idea is originally from (The Giving Tree Family Tree) in Martha Stewart Living. She did a wonderful job and has a tutorial with extra tips on  her blog. I would consider doing one for my own home, but we would have large chunks of our family tree missing! 

I am currently working on a gallery wall for my living room and can't wait to put up some of our treasured  family art into the mix.

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