It's in the Closet {Jewlery Organization}

January 30, 2014

Hi all!!
 
Hope your having a great week.... Seems like this winter is never ending!!
 
Can't complain too much because all this freezing, must remain in doors
 
weather is actually keeping me busy in doors!
 
I recently purchased this adorable framed burlap cork board from
 
Home Goods even though I had not a clue where I was going to put it.
 
 
Then just the other day I was looking for a pair of earrings I had ordered
 
online over the summer and I just couldn't seem to find them.... which gave
 
me an idea...
 
 
 I decided to hang it up in my mess of a closet to some what organize all my
 earrings.... It actually works great for my large statement necklaces too!!


This adorable necklace holder was also a non-planned Home Goods find!
I really love how it compliments the burlap cork board!




 I love how I also have some space for sentimental items... I'm using the one and only perfume fragrance my mom used to wear as a bracelet holder as well as a teddy bear angel a dear old friend gave me years ago for a birthday gift.... I love using sentimental items for décor... Makes them all the more special to look at.




This cute little box was given to me by my Gracie.... It was her very first "school" gift. I love that it has a place now where I can see it everyday!




I had planned on actually putting up this little mirror a while ago in this exact spot, but I'm glad I waited and found the perfect piece that is actually useful! I will have to find a small standing mirror to put in here... Back to Home Goods I go!! That's really not such a bad thing!


 
Cute right?
 
Sometimes the best décor and organization ideas are not planned and just
 
happen!! That is exactly what happened in this case! I always say if you see
 
something you absolutely love in a store and keep going back to it don't
 
pass it up!! Even if you have no idea what to do with it... You can always
 
return it, gift it or in this case wait it out and find the prefect place for it!!
 
Come back soon, I will be posting picks of our master bedroom as soon as
 
I can decide on a paint color!
 
Hint.... The color behind the burlap frame is one of them!!
 
Stay warm!!
 
 

It's Tuesday {I'm in Love!!}

January 28, 2014

Hi Friends!!
 
Still trying to keep warm over here... Yesterday we had a heat wave and
 
it got to just about forty degrees for about an hour or two!!
 
WHOOT!! WHOOT!!
 
Anyway... Needless to say I have been on the computer way to much.
 
Just today I came across this blog thanks to Melanie over at
 
My Sweet Savannah who featured it her blog and OMG what a home!!
 
I literally pretty much fell off my chair when I saw this picture
 
 
 
Can you say dream kitchen??
 
Check out the post here from
 
My Sweet Savannah!!
 
Happy Tuesday!!
 
 

Gracie's Room Update {New for Spring}

January 25, 2014

Ok, so I'm still freezing my bones off here and for sure have a bit of
 
spring fever!! Being cooped up in the house all day has me going stir
 
crazy!! I really need to get out! I have re-painted my hallway (again) and
 
I'm already starting on my spring projects! Something has got to get me out
 
of this freezing funk!!
 
Many of my home projects involve a ton of painting so I thought I would
 
work on giving our daughters room a little spring update with new bedding,
 
 and wall décor and it is time to deal with her small awkward closet!
 
 
My inspiration came from this stunning little girls room by Kristin over at
 
The Hunted Interior. You must check out how she converted her dining
 
room (yes I said dining room!!) into the most whimsy and adorable little
 
girls room!!
 
I will post sources and pictures once I get going on making updates!!
 
Happy Weekend all!!
 
 

Healthy Me {turkey chili}

January 24, 2014

Hi all!!
 
Still trying to keep warm here in Connecticut but it seems like it's a never
 
ending battle of single digit days!! I'd like to say that it truly bothers me
 
and that I would love the warm summer weather, but I'm not going to lie
 
I like to think of this weather as the "prelude" to summer days! What I'm
 
trying to say is I like to see these type of cold winter days as the
 
preparation for the warmer months.... I eat right, workout at least every
 
other day and just keep thinking that six months from now I'm going
 
to be glad I did as I sit at the pool (in my bikini) and actually enjoy
 
the summer months!!
 
Let's face it being in great shape all year long is hard work and takes time,
 
consistency and effort. Why not put in all that effort now while its freezing
 
 (literally) and enjoy the warmer months without having to worry about  that
 
 day when  "OMG its 80 degrees
 
and nothing fits!!"
 
So to help make it a little easier for you I'm going to share my "healthy"
 
turkey chili recipe with you... Ok, so it's not exactly a "chili", but it's
 
yummy, low in fat & carbs and high in protein! Just what you need to
 
be healthy and help shed those "winter" pounds!
 
Healthy ME ~ Turkey Chili
 
 
 
Ingredients
 
Non-fat Cooking spay
 
2 tbs olive oil
 
1 large onion ~ chopped
 
2 tsp Goya minced garlic (or two fresh garlic cloves minced)
 
1.5 lbs Lean Ground Turkey
 
1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
 
1 tbs Dijon Mustard
 
1tbs Tomato Paste
 
Goya Adobo Light Seasoning mix ~ to taste (about 2  or 3 tsp)
 
Italian Seasoning ~ to taste (two or three shakes from the bottle)
 
Salt & Pepper ~ to taste
 
Directions:
 
Spray large sauce pan with non-stick spray add olive oil and heat.
 
Chop onions and sauté about 3 or 4 minutes.
 
Add minced garlic sauté about 2 minutes (do not burn).
 
Add ground turkey to pan and cook through.
 
Once turkey is no longer pink, drain excess fat and add tomato sauce and
 
the tomato paste. Stir through and add all seasonings and Dijon mustard.
 
Cook and let tomato sauce reduce ~ about 5 to 10 min.
 
Serve with sour cream and cheddar cheese and enjoy!
 
Like I said, not your usual "chili" recipe, but it takes delicious and it's
 
totally good for you!! I like to eat mine with green beans, but for you carb
 
lovers and some brown rice and you have a perfectly balanced meal!!
 
Enjoy and be healthy!!
 
 

Currently Obsessed {Board & Batten}

January 22, 2014

Hi Friends...
 
Not sure about you but I am pretty much done with this weather!
 
As much as I love the coziness of winter I'm pretty much done with
 
these freezing cold temperatures!!
 
With all this in door time on my hands I've been obsessing on the living
 
rooms wall again.... There are still a few wall that remain empty for the
 
simple fact that I really just can't make up my mind as to what exactly
 
to do with them... Do I put up shelves, a mirror, art??? I'm just torn
 
and rather than just get it done I obsess!!
 
So... while day dreaming on Pinterest (a small hobby of mine)
 
I came across these photos from Milk and Honey Home and now I am
 
obsessed and can't stop
 
thinking about updating the living room.... again.
 
We just repainted last spring but I really think I need to do this
 
to our living room!! You be the judge!!
 
 
Cottage livingroom
living room - spaces - Julie Holloway
Birmingham Highway - farmhouse - living room - atlanta - Julie Holloway
Modern Country Living Room - eclectic - living room - atlanta - Julie Holloway
Totally need to do this!!
 
Here is a picture of our current living room....
 
 
 
 
 
I think it needs an update! Don't you agree??
 
 
 

Be Mine {Valentine DIY}

January 17, 2014

Hi friends!!
 
Happy Friday! I can't believe another week is almost been and gone!
 
Time really does pass us by and it's so important to just take a moment
 
and live in it.... Forget about the bills, the dishes, the laundry, that fact that
 
you haven't workout yet today (or the week for that matter), forget
 
all the things that you need to get done and take the moment and enjoy it!
 
This particular thought sticks with me always... "Enjoy every moment with
 
your children because today is the youngest they will ever be again!!"
 
And how true it is!! The truth is the same for each day. Today is a gift
 
don't take it for grated and do something special with it!!
 
Ok, ok!! Enough of the sappy message and on to a very cute and simple
 
Valentine DIY. This valentine is great for young kids who can't write yet
 
 and it's also candy free which is a bonus too!!
Great Valentine idea! Just add a heart tag that says, "I CEREALsly like you!"
I found this idea on Pinterest went with it!!
 
 
 
All I did was wrap up the cereal boxes and spoon in a clear plastic
 
party bag and added this image that I created on PicMonkey and tied it with
 
a cute red bow!! When I printed the picture out I used wallet sized which
 
worked out perfectly! Super easy and adorable!! This picture worked out
 
great because Gracie had her face painted with a heart for her birthday
 
 party. It was just a photo I had and it was perfect for this Valentine idea!
 
For more Valentine inspiration, check out my Valentines Day board on
 
Pinterest with hundreds of cute ideas.... I will be back soon with this years
 
Valentine so stayed tuned!
 
Have a great weekend!!
 
 

Not Too Shabby Bakes {my other hobby}

January 12, 2014

Hi friends!
 
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!
 
I myself spent the majority of my weekend baking. For those that don't
 
know I have a small baking business out of my home,
 
 Not Too Shabby Bakes.  I am not chef, just a self taught baker that
 
enjoys baking and creating beautiful confections. It makes me feel
 
accomplished to create some thing out of simple things like eggs, butter and
 
sugar! Not to mention I get to taste all of them so that's a plus too!!
 
So here is what I was up to!!
 
Hope you like them!!
 
 
This cake was a first for me creating a high heel shoe.... Sadly I didn't
 
allow the show to dry properly (takes about 5 days, I gave it 2!) so needless
 
to say the heel broke in half about 4 hours later!! Live & learn and let it dry!!
 
 
Here is the matching cupcake. These heels stood the test of time, hence
 
I let them dry 5 days!!
 

 
And last but not least... My Minions.
 
These were super easy and so much fun, though I feel bad that they are
 
yummy enough to eat!!
 
So that's what I did this weekend!
 
What are you up to??
 
 

Holy Cow!! {new kitchen decor}

January 8, 2014

Burrrr  it is cold or what???
 
Hello all.... Hope everyone is keeping warm!! It's been to cold to even think
 
about going anywhere or doing anything. I think that may explain why I
 
still have yet to start on my 2014
 
"To Do" list!!  I'll get to in eventually.... when it gets warmer for sure!
 
Today I would like to share a little project I did on a wall hanging for
 
my kitchen that I wasn't to fond of....
 
I recently  purchased this adorable butcher charts wall hanging from
 
Antique Farm House. I was drawn to the cow so I went with that one.
 
 I'm pretty sure they aren't available any longer but
 
you can find yours here if you like!
 
 
 
Pretty neat right?
 
Well.... when I got in and opened the box I really wasn't impressed with the
 
parts of the cow all charted out and to my dismay, it is a sticker and not
 
actually painted on as it appears in the picture.
 
Personally, I just wasn't fond of it and I
 
was going to return it and then I had an idea... Since I am obsessed with
 
chalkboards and chalk paint I decided to paint it with regular chalkboard
 
paint I  had lying around from other projects... I love the rustic look of the
 
clips so I just unscrewed them and painted away. I did three good coats to
 
be sure and cover that chart and so that I wouldn't be able to see when I
 
wrote on it and then screwed the clips back on and whaaala... Done!
 
 




 
So?? What do you think? Cute right? And It really comes in handy to clip
 
on recipes and of course our favorite pizza delivery number is on there too!!
 
Next time you order something that you really aren't fond of, try changing it
 
or give it an "up cycle" and see how it goes!!
 
Stay warm & order out tonight!!