The decision...and other weekend happenings

What decision, you ask?  After four long years, we've finally selected our kitchen hardware.  Ok, maybe it isn't that exciting for you, but it is for me! 

What hardware made the cut?  Could it possibly be that special?!?!  No, probably not.  But for a decision as permanent as this one, which requires holes drilled into our cabinets...I get nervous.  These pulls, however, have me ready to make the commitment.....

They arrived in this box....

Just the name of the store alone makes me happy.

...and here they are...

The best fajita seasoning...ever...

...I know, it's a bold claim, but it's true!!!  My mom first shared this recipe with me a year or so ago...and I make fajitas all the time ever since than.

Time Saving Tip: Home Made Spice Blends

I like to keep my meals simple, healthy, and tasty.  Therefore, I keep a well stocked freezer and pantry filled with wholesome foods: salmon, lean meats and chicken, frozen veggies, and healthy grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat breads.  I also cut down meal prep time by creating my own home made spice blends for often cooked meals: grilled chicken with seasoned veggies, chicken fajitas, and lean, slow cooked burrito bowls. 

My New Coat Hooks and a Mudroom Makeover

The back entry to our house - or mudroom, let's call it - is most used since it is closest to the garage, backyard, and driveway.  So while we have a nice large closet in the front entry, it doesn't do us too much good since we are constantly coming in and out the back way. 

Our coats landed everywhere, from the floor to the stairs to the couch just off the stairs.  It drove me crazy for years.  But lucky for me, it recently started driving my husband crazy, too!!!  Once that happens, I usually get the ok to spend a little money to make the space more functional. 

Here is a peek at my new coat hooks:

I'm so loving these Equestrian-inspired Stable Hooks from Anthropology.  This room has a really tall ceiling, so these 9.5" tall hooks were the right scale and worked with the color of our light fixture, as you will see.  I found this hook while searching google images for Stable Hooks.   I was so happy to find them, and then sad to see that Anthropology no longer sells them.  Not to be deterred, I found five available on Ebay from two separate sellers, yeah!

Voting Has Begun!

Voting at Cinsarah, for the Pimp My Blog Giveaway, has begun!

I would so appreciate it if you could head on over and vote for my blog to receive a makeover!!!
You don't have to be a reader of her site, or a blogger at all, to vote!  Anyone can head on over to vote.  To make it easy, I've pasted the link here:

http://www.cinsarah.com/2013/03/pimp-my-blog-giveaway-2013.html

I've just spent nap time trying to set up my very own Facebook page, and it has just re-iterated for me the fact that I'm so not tech savvy enough for this stuff!!!  Thanks in advance for your support!  I so appreciate all of the support my readers show me through their visits and comments every day! 

In case you missed my first post and wonder what is going on, you can read about it here. 

More IKEA Lovin' (& Bloglovin'!!)

It's no secret.  I love IKEA.  I'll admit it, I shop there monthly.   

I first admitted my IKEA love here on my blog, when I shared how I would re-create my designer inspired dining rooms with IKEA products.

Today's IKEA isn't the one I remember from my college days; it's where I shopped to buy storage and accessories for my first room away from home.  I shopped there simply for it's low cost.  Of course, back then, I thought more about a room from a functional standpoint - on a good day - and not from a "pretty" design standpoint.  So who knows, maybe they were already a place were function meets good design on a budget.  Anyone? 

I'm not breaking any ground here, posting about IKEA finds.   I know this.   (And I'm not insinuating that I'm ever posting "ground breaking" ideas here, although I'd like to think so :)).  However, I thought I'd share my take on some of my favorite IKEA finds, lately. 

Our Living Room (more pics here):

#1 IKEA STOCKHOLM Cushion, $12.99/ #2 BIGARRÅ  5 1/2" plant pot with saucer, $14.99 / #3 FICUS LYRATA, aka Fiddle Leaf Fig, $12.99

IKEA FAMILY member price

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Regular price

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Living Room Before and Afters

Finally, I'm ready to share more detailed before and afters of our home.  Today, I'm starting with the living room and entryway:

For those of you just joining me, let me explain.  My husband and I purchased our home in 2008 from the first and only family to own this 1924 bungalow.  The home was out of date, and had to be taken down to the studs to be habitable (by today's standards)! 

I want a facelift!!!

No...not for me!  For my blog, of course.
Mom, were you scared when you saw that one?  :)

Cindy over at Cinsarah is giving away a Deluxe Blog Design Package for her blogs two year anniversary!

GRAND PRIZE:

Deuxe Blog Design Package ($160 Value) Includes: 2 or 3 column design, custom header, simple or pattern background, color matching, up to 2 blog buttons, signature, favicon, about me graphic, social network buttons, navigation bar (with page installation) & sidebar titles (unlimited).

Happy Friday...and other random-ness

I'm finally getting into a groove with my new camera.  No, I still have yet to sit down and read through that owners manual; but I will soon, I promise myself.  We have several exciting road trips planned for this year and I don't want to be unprepared and miss any treasured moments.

 

Nautical Nursery Tour

My youngest son recently turned one....the year has flown by!  While I've shared pieces of the nursery here, I have yet to post an official nursery tour.  The nursery has been done for some time now, but usually my time to take pictures for the blog is while the boys nap.....so....I just haven't had the opportunity to get in the nursery for some decent pics.  This week, I had the chance.  Hope you enjoy!

As soon as I decided to re-do the nursery, I knew I wanted to create a nautical theme.  I'm very drawn to the ocean and beach-y interiors.  However, since we live in the Midwest, I don't tend to add many beach-y touches to our home.  I felt, though, that if I can create a themed room anywhere, it would be the nursery.  You can read about my room inspiration and see the inspiration board here. 

Tissue Paper Flower Tutorial

I realize I'm ahead of the season, but I can't wait for spring to arrive.  I'm ready for the cold and dreary weather to be over so that I can once again step out onto our deck with a cup of coffee on a sunny morning and be outside with the boys.  I'm also really hoping to build raised vegetable beds this spring and can't wait to get to plant my garden!

Until that first spring morning arrives, I've decided to bring spring inside.  I've add indoor plants and bright accent colors in our house.  Yesterday, I shared my Pink and Green Spring Tablescape (see it here).  Since our peonies are not even near sprouting yet - and even when they are in bloom, they are overrun from ants, how do I get rid of the ants?!?! - I decided to make my own pink "peonies."

Pink and Green Spring Tablescape

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Today, I'm joining in on the 6 Day's of Spring link party in hopes of winning a $250 Pottery Barn Gift Card!  I'm linking up at Jennifer Rizzo's blog, and you can check out all of her projects - as well as those of 5 other bloggers - who posted spring projects all week long.