My cousin's room on Teen Vogue by TORI MELLOT!!

My cute little cousin (a high school freshman) won a room makeover from Teen Vogue designed by Tori Mellot..amazing right?!. And she totally deserves it. I'm so excited for her.
Pictures are finally online and in magazines. Check it out HERE.  Go see the rest  it's so beautiful. The lucite console is outta control. I love it all!

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My cousin's room on Teen Vogue by TORI MELLOT!!

Cool Contest...

Working on stuff. Out of hibernation soon. Promise. In the meantime. How badly do you want one of these bikes? SO. FREAKING. AWESOME. Just click on the link. ◦

Cool Contest...

Best & Easiest Meal EVER.

 Roast, crockpot or buy some chicken...then shred it..this is literally the hardest step. I put mine in the crockpot for just about 4 hours (anymore and it gets dry) with lemon pepper, garlic salt and seasoned salt..way more than you think you should use.

Make No Biggie's Salsa..mmmmm

Make some Guacamole...or just buy it. Whatever is easiest..

Buy some of this cheese. And I beg you. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE (unless it's another mexican cheese) with some hideous shredded cheese.

 Put some of these in the microwave.Corn. let me repeat..corn. NOT flour.

And put it all together....if you must have cream. Buy Mexican Crema. It is so so good and this is coming from a girl with a aversion to white foods.

I could eat this every day.

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Best & Easiest Meal EVER.

pretty...just cause.

(Image)

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pretty...just cause.

I'm Baaaaaack....and other things...

Well first of all....It's Summer Time! YAY. My little boy's last day of school is tomorrow and in a few weeks we will be moving to one of those states in New England (sorry I removed the state because of creepy people), where I will be attending Law School this fall. I'm not exactly sure if I should keep blogging, honestly, I don't really  have anything new or interesting to say and blogging really does take a lot of time--besides..have you seen what other bloggers are doing?! Amazing, creative, original stuff. I really don't need to be yet another blog showing pretty pictures of homes I love. Honestly. We have enough of those already. I guess the only original thing I can offer here is a little slice of my life, which is definitely original, but interesting......I don't know. Anyway. Here I am. I do have a few more thoughts to share--maybe.

so quick and dirty update.
took kid to school. took kids to park. took big kid to piano. big kid had second piano recital recently,awesome.dealt with some serious issues.called a lawyer.sold stuff on craigslist. dieted. worked out.working out. lost 10 lbs. but only because i had gained some lbs and panicked. realized i do like running. but only on the treadmill.bought awesome compressor and paint sprayer attachment. painted a lot.wondered why i ever painted any other way. went to art fair at big kid's school.bought my own kids art at aforementioned art fair.applied to 4 law schools. got into 2 schools got rejected by 2 schools. ouch. went to the beach. a lot. played the wii. got beat by a then 6 yr old at pretty much every game. did laundry at least 300 times.took big kid to basketball games on saturdays. grateful for indoor sports in this florida heat.tutored  friends son for 2 weeks. realized that you don't really know someone until you spend a lot of time with them in their home. realized how amazing my friends are. realized just the other day that florida is kinda home now. realized I will miss it. a little. got a ridiculously expensive ticket in the mail. realized i hate cameras at traffic lights. felt sad i broke my 10 years without a ticket streak. paid ridiculously expensive ticket.planned bridal shower games. realized i don't like party games. took little kid to story time. found awesome sushi place. found awesome pizza place. went to lunch with girlfriends. went to dinner with girlfriends. went to movie with girlfriend. snuck in sushi and ice cream to movies. wondered why I ever watched a movie any other way. went to a wedding. took flowers to a grave. went to a bbq. planned a bday party for big kid. bought an old sewing machine that weighs more than me.made some skirts. made a dress. made a messenger bag for big kid. made gwyneth paltrows shrimp tacos. read love in the time of cholera. read the brief wondorous life of oscar wao. read one L. read eat pray love. reading four other books. went to ikea. went to norstroms half yearly sale. went to the gap. went to the loft. went to target. went to poco patino. went to banana republic. was gifted a suit for law school. bought sperrys. wondered why i put myself through pain in any other shoes. bought tory burch flats for practically nothing. bought kids shoes. bought kids clothes. bought another striped shirt. bought stuff everywhere. realized i may have a bit of shopping problem. realized i will be poor because of law school debt, therefore i should learn to control spending. doing better. called uhaul. said goodbye to some friends.

So there it is friends. I have at least a few more posts in me...at least until I decide if this is for me. If I do. I have to find a way to make this blog cool enough to get on the sponsor bandwagon...what is the deal with that?

Thanks for reading. I have loads of pictures to come. ◦

I'm Baaaaaack....and other things...

Help Haiti Rise

The shirt. I just got mine in the mail today. They're $15 and 100% of the proceeds will go to Partners in Health, and NGO (Non Government Organization) helping the injured Haitian People.

go HERE to order yours.

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Help Haiti Rise

Banana Bread Recipe

This Banana bread is so good it should be called Banana Cake.

 

Found Here.

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Banana Bread Recipe

French Peasant Bread Recipe

I don't have a picture for this one, but trust me you won't care. This bread is so so easy and so incredibly good. Everyone that has tried it has asked me for the recipe.

The ingredients go in a bowl..you mix with a large spoon and let rise..then you flour your hands and take the big blob and separate it into two pieces....set it on a cookie sheet let it rise and bake. Read the recipe for specifics, but really that's about all it takes. It's so so good.

French Peasant Bread

1 Package Dry Yeast

2 Cups Warm Water

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

4 Cups Flour

Oil

Corn Meal

Melted Butter


Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in warm bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do no knead. Cover and let rise one hour or until doubled in size. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Let rise an additional hour. Brush the top with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

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French Peasant Bread Recipe

So True...

Print found here. ◦

So True...

Cupcake Tower Idea.

Very pretty and seems do-able.

Found on Martha Stewart of course. Click here for instructions. ◦

Cupcake Tower Idea.

Elizabeth Gilbert on being Creative....BRILLIANT!!

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Elizabeth Gilbert on being Creative....BRILLIANT!!

Chairs Chairs Chairs

Chairs I do adore...
Name that song...except it's not chairs.
I have a problem.
An addiction.
To chairs.
Besides a massive sofa, two smaller matching sofas and a settee, I own.....10 chairs (not counting dining chairs, two awesome outdoor chairs I should show you sometime..two kids chairs currently not in the house since they're being painted..and the 5 at my mom's)
settle in for a long post..
*Disclaimer: I am NOT a hoarder. In fact I get rid of things too easily. There are a few things I have a lot of beauty products, lamps, picture frames, shoes, books..ok maybe more than a few things..but they're organized and I can stop whenever I want. I can. Becca, Summer,,help me out here you read the blog and you've seen every inch of my house..

My latest. My mom bought me these two channel back chairs...Love them, and I love that they're not super popular. The wood will get painted and the fabric will be one of the above or charcoal velvet and white for the wood..not sure....maybe...opinions welcome..

This red one is and old Ethan Allen chair...I've had it for a long long time. It is super comfortable and sits in our little reading area. My kids sit on it almost everyday.I got it from the girl  used to do my slipcovers in Utah..she was amazing. If I could remember her name..I'd get a group of friends together and fly her out to do all our slipcovers. Her Slipcovers are perfect!

This little one is adorable..also Ethan Allen. I got a good deal (at least I think so). This chair is small but mighty.. I sit on it all the time..the kids watch TV on it or scoot it up to their table.. needs a slipcover though.I'm thinking blue &and white ticking.

The Rocking Chair. Because every house needs one. This is where I sit while my daughter screams..don't leave my room mommy..almost every night.

You've seen theses two many times. Love them. One day will have them reupholstered and will only use the white slipcovers in the Spring and Summer. One day. BTW..i know that picture on the wall is lonely..I've had  a box full of frames waiting to be hung for the last oh..5 months..and I'm already planning the next move. Maybe in my next place.

I just got this one...$5. Vintage and has a sticker that says Stendig. I think that's supposed to mean something except I really don't care. It's adorable and just got painted black. So far my little girl likes to drag it in the kitchen and climb on it to help me cook. today it's holding pretty books.

This one I could do without honestly. Although my daughter uses it to climb my bed..and one day could sit near an entry table for tying shoes or putting my purse on.....This was a dining chair. I bought the wrong model...it's a little too small in scale for what I wanted. I'm thinking I may die the slipcover dark (black or Navy) and add some detail with grosgrain ribbon..someday maybe.

This is my desk chair in the master bedroom. I love it. But not the frou frouness of it all. This will also be redone sometime very soon in a simple solid fabric.

So..I have a lot of reupholstering in the coming months and I don't want to be super neutral and boring but I don't want a a cartoonish look either.
Anyway...
In conclusion, although it may seem like a lot. All my chairs serve a purpose and are well loved and well used. Less isn't always more. Chairs are so verstatile, they can be moved from room to room, they serve more than one purpose and they are so much cheaper to redo than the big pieces.. ◦

Chairs Chairs Chairs

Happy New Year..

Image by Paul Costello

And more importantly..happy new century. And what will you accomplish in the next 10 years. Here's my list of the top ten highlights of my last ten.

1.Became a Mom--had two kids. Learned I love the way I look pregnant, babies are miraculous, kids are born with their personalities, and most of all that I have a lot of love but little patience. Will improve.

2.Graduated From University of Utah..(exactly 1 month before becoming a mom)

3.Learned to cook, blog, make bread from scratch, sew (poorly), party plan, improvise,jump a car battery, run, and became dare I say it: ew Crafty ew.

4.Moved across the country--made new friends--became a beach bum.

5.Wrote...and got published...or almost...I guess when the magazine is printed it'll be official..cannot wait.

6.Taught English in Middle School and still feel shame and shock to find so many grammatical errors in my writing.

7.Learned to say No. To be honest with myself, and to spend as little time as possible with projects that will not make anyone's life better. Also learned to spend time on projects that make my life better-even if it's only my life they improve..because that's ok too. Still learning all this..

8..Learned (and still practicing) the art of gratitude and forgiveness.

9. Learned that what I love most of all are: motherhood, books, NYC, Spring & Summer, A good workout, a good movie, good food, family & friends, the ocean and music... and that what I hate the most is the LSAT.

10.Celebrated a 10 year wedding anniversary and turned 30..that seems crazy doesn't it. I was a child bride.

As for the next 10...still thinking..

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Happy New Year..

Do you YUDU?

Mrs. Limestone has floored me with this project. I don't even know where to begin with how fabulous it is and how everything she does is so beautiful.

All done with a YUDU. A fabulous new machine that has brought screenprinting to the masses. YAY! I'm Obsessed. I have to have one.
This girl has tons of info.
And this website has the actual product.
Very cool Provo Craft. Very cool. ◦

Do you YUDU?

Poetry.

The Sun

Mary Oliver

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone--
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance--
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love--
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed--
or have you too
turned from this world--

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?

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Poetry.