Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Currently Loving: Antique Storage

Well, we made it to Indiana and are currently living out of a hotel until we officially move into our new home this weekend.  Aside from my short bout of sickness, we have been busy getting to know the area and scouring the local craigslist.  I'm always amazed at the gems I find on craigslist at such a low cost.  I'll share our finds later, but until then here are some images I've found inspiring.  I love the end result when they are styled beautifully and mixed with modern pieces.
  




1/2/3/4/5

Thursday, April 18, 2013

House Tour: Meet Laura

Laura and I originally met in Oklahoma about two years ago while our husbands were attending a military school.  From there, we discovered that not only did we share a lot of common interests, but that both of our husbands were being stationed in upstate New York.  We ended up living in the same neighborhood in a quaint harbor town off base, and eventually we shared a back yard.  Besides having impeccable taste and an eye for detail, Laura is a champion at sourcing- whether it's household items, clothing, or accessories.  She's the girl who will find that Anthropologie rug at a fraction of the cost.  I'm going to miss this friend and our walks to the village coffee shop and sharing our craigslist finds (much to our husband's chagrin).     
Ps. As we are packing/moving and without Internet, I'm signing off until next week.      





Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Weekend in the City

I almost cancelled this post.....it didn't seem appropriate in regards to the Boston bombings.  But, as I was looking through our pictures, no other post seemed more appropriate than one with photos of the statue of liberty and the Freedom Tower.  My heart is broken for the victims and their families from this weekends tragedies.  I have been fighting back tears on and off ever since I first heard the horrible news.  I'm so grateful that good outweighs bad, and that for all the hate in this world there is more love and compassion.  My prayers are with you Boston.    

  I don't think I've mentioned it here, but Red's been gone for the past month training for his new job.  His company has been kind enough to fly him back on the weekends, except this past weekend due to a shorter work week.  So, when Red suggested that I make the 5.5 hour drive down to New Jersey, so we could spend the weekend together in the city, I jumped at the chance.  I definitely questioned my sanity when our trip began with hail and heavy rain Friday morning and I arrived at the kennel drenched with a wet dog and child.  But my little girl and I missed Red, and what better way to spend our last real weekend in NY then all together in the city?
Above: the Freedom Tower
Below: On the Brooklyn Bridge, and me wrestling my little wiggle worm for a picture (keeping it real)
Not pictured is the gelato and the French Macaroons that we scarfed down.....but I like to think the 12 miles we walked took care of that.


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Healthy Living: Kale Chips

Since I've been making R's baby food and trying to give her a wide variety of vegetables, it occurred to me that I could use some variety in my veggie diet as well.  I realize there's nothing new about kale chips, but liking them is new to me.  I always try to give healthy foods a couple of attempts before I completely mark them off my list.  I'm pretty sure that when I had first made them a while back, I had actually over cooked them......and let me tell you that burnt kale chips are disgusting.  I'm including a picture so you can see what they should look like- green with the edges slightly brown.  
Preheat oven to 400.  Wash kale and pat dry.  Break off semi-large pieces (it will shrink when baked) of kale leaving out the stems.  Arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil spritzer ( such as this one here), and season to your preference.  Since I generally try to stay away from salt, I have been  trying out different Mrs. Dash seasonings.  Bake 6-7 minutes (but keep in mind that I have a hot oven, so it may be less for you).  


Friday, April 5, 2013

TGIF & A House Tour

Hey there.  I have a confession.....this Friday finds me utterly exhausted.  I think the craziness of the past month is finally catching up to me.  I hate that I have neglected the blog lately, but between the two house hunting trips, buying a house, trying to sell our car, a teething 9 month old, throwing a baby shower, squeezing in time with friends before our move, and trying to stay on top of my fitness regimen.......I'm done.  So today, I want to keep it simple and share the beautiful San Francisco (500 sq. foot!) apartment of Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day.  The transformation is incredible, so check out her blog for more pics.  Thanks for sticking with me during this crazy couple of months, I promise I'm not going anywhere.....(besides moving to Indiana!).
  




Monday, April 1, 2013

Off-centered

One of the things that I love about really good design, is that it often breaks the rules without us even noticing.  Take the off-centered lighting in these images for example; it's done seamlessly.  I think too often we admire these beautiful rule-breaking designs in magazines and online, and then when it comes to decorating our own homes we feel we have to follow the rules.   It certainly makes a room more interesting when it's not "perfect", don't you think?       





1/2/3/4