Friday, October 19, 2018
Dark & Moody Vibes
I like to think of this little corner of the internet as my good understanding friend. Though I never intended to take an extended break from the blog, its comforting to know that at the end of the day, it's still here to pick up where I left off. And while it may seem as though I got pregnant and dropped off the face of the earth design-wise, I have actually been working more (and harder) than ever on projects for clients, personal projects, workshops, and re-branding (coming soon!). I had hoped to have a big project to share with you or a new site by the time this blog post rolled around, but as the saying goes- "some things take time". I thought instead I would share with you one space that I am especially excited to share in the coming months.
It's a moody den in this gorgeous Victorian house north of Boston. The client's of this home have exceptional taste and are willing to make some risks that the average client on a tight budget is not. Lucky for me, I am working on the whole house. It's fun and exciting, and is going to be a show stopper. Here is the moodboard for the room:
While there are elements we have changed in this room out of necessity (ceiling height, availability, etc.), this is still the general style direction. My goal is to keep/enhance the Victorian charm while adding modern pieces for an eclectic "old library" feel. Here are some pictures that have served as inspiration for the project:
Ps. It's good to be back.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Favorite Summer Recipe: Fresh Corn Salad
I don't know about you, but I like to keep my summer entertaining simple, with a menu that usually revolves around grilling something or other. I discovered this recipe last year, and it has been a huge hit every time I serve it. This corn salad encompasses everything I love about summer eating; fresh ingredients (with basil from our herb garden), it's simple, and can be served warm or cold (we prefer warm). It's basically summer in a dish, and we have been eating it on repeat about once a week because Connor and I simply cannot get enough of this stuff.
- 5 ears of corn, shucked
-1/2 cup small diced red onion
- 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
-3Tblsp. olive oil
-1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
*In a large pot of boiling water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until starchiness is gone. Drain and immerse in cold water to stop the cooking and set the color. When cool, cut close to the cob and toss with onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper. Add basil just before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature. Original recipe found here.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
A year in Review of Small house living
We are nearing one year in this house......and I thought I would do a recap for you of the things we have loved about living in a smaller house (all 1300sq. ft. of it!) and the challenges we've faced. So many times on the web, it can feel like things are very black and white, amazing or awful, perfect or bad. Really though, most of life is in the in-between.
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(Where we love to entertain most days:)
(Where we love to entertain most days:)
First of all, I should start out saying- we LOVE our house. I still get the feeling of "I get to live here?!" whenever I drive home, and it's also the first home that I've told Connor "I don't want to ever leave". When we bought our first house in Indiana, it was purely mechanical- I did not love it (though I loved things about it), but it made a lot of sense, and Connor and I had peace that it was the right thing to do. After that, I never expected to have a different house buying experience (especially considering the prices in Boston and our smaller budget). So, I was completely taken aback by the blessing that is our current home. Does that mean it's perfect? No, but I am completely in love with it- imperfections and all.
So, let's start with the good. Because we have a small home, the outdoors has basically become a part of our living space. Weather providing, we are outside a ton. Thankfully, our yard has a ton of old trees which provide a lot of shade, so it's even comfortable outside on hot days. I love that our kids get to spend so much time outside in nature like I did as a kid. We also entertain outdoors a lot. It's a work in progress (lots of future plans), but my goal is to make our outdoor space as comfortable and fun as possible (for adults and kids) so that everyone wants to hang out there.
Other things I love about having a small home:
- It's easy to clean and keep up......I can almost vacuum each floor without having to move the plug to another electrical outlet.
- I'm less prone to make impulse purchases or shop out of boredom (because there's no space for things that we don't need)
- I'm surrounded by my favorite things (because there's not room for "filler" items), and having a small home has helped me distinguish what I love from what is simply popular/trendy.
- There is no wasted space. Everything must be practical and optimally serve more than one purpose- the practical and minimal side of me loves this.
- Imaginative play for my kids has taken off. Because there's even less room for big entertaining toys in this house than our last one, I have watched my girls spend hours pretending and creating....and I love this!
- House projects are less overwhelming. Sure I still get overwhelmed by the long list of things I want to do, but it's less overwhelming since I'm not working with a huge amount of square footage that I need to fill up with furniture and then transform.
- Togetherness. I love my little family, and that we are all together all the time.
(Our "adorable" master closet:)
The challenges with having a small home:
- Entertaining. This has been the number one challenge for me if I'm honest. I can get over the other hurdles fairly easily, but I've had to work harder to get through this one. Day to day, I love living in our smaller home, but when I want to invite friends over I can struggle. I'm the type of person that wants everyone to be having fun and for everyone to be comfortable, so I had to make a decision to not apologize about the size of our home when we entertain friends indoors. I also had to make the decision to not let the size of our home keep us from entertaining.
- Just as a small house is easy to clean- it gets messy super fast. I vacuum almost daily, and have had to learn to let things go on days where the kids are having fun in the living room and therefore the entire house feels like a disaster.
- Closet space. In our last home near downtown Boston, we learned real quick to be fine with switching out our summer/winter clothes, and with Connor taking over the coat closet for his clothes. We have done this again, and store our coats in a makeshift closet in the unfinished basement. We also have plans for adding more shelving in our powder room and living room (more on those later), to help with storage.
- Togetherness. The flip side of this seemingly good coin is that there isn't really a quiet space to retreat to. If Connor or I are taking work calls at home, it can make things difficult........and I'm definitely planning on a sound machine for when the baby comes.
To summarize, the love we have for our little home far outweighs any challenges we've had to figure out. It has really helped that little old houses are very much a part of the norm here in New England. Everyone seems to have a "no big deal, just make it work" mentality, and I've really enjoyed being surrounded by that positive way of thinking.
Friday, May 25, 2018
Friday Favorites
I honestly can't remember the last time I did a "Friday Favorites" post, but I'm bringing it back. Not listed below, is the smell of the lilac bushes on my walks to school with the girls, freshly cut grass, and the overall essence of Spring. There's nothing like the change of seasons to bring about new rounds of inspiration, and this spring is no exception.
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1. I love how this wall is used as a headboard:
2. I'm really into the combination of patterned penny tile in a modern bathroom these days :
3. This. The Scandinavian feel with the windowed wall is just perfection.
Other things I'm loving around the web:
This nightstand
This Scandinavian design book is so promising and has been on my wish list for a while now
Favorite new summer recipe
Connor bought me these in olive green and I'm obsessed (I use these for my non-running workouts).
Now I'm all set for farmer's market season
My favorite way to catch up on the news since I'm always on the go.
Current favorite daytime serum- so moisturizing and so affordable!
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
When Your Home does not reflect you
We've all been there- whether you're a young twenty-something just starting out, or you have been at this decorating thing for years and you feel discouraged because you still aren't in love with the home you've created. So, what do you do? Where do you start? It can be completely overwhelming, especially when you add budgets to the mix.
Most of us hate the idea of bare rooms, and are of the "something is better than nothing" mentality. So, we attempt to fill our houses as quickly as our budget allows. And let's not be too hard on ourselves- we want our homes to be "cozy" after all, and we can't afford the designer furniture after all. But what happens next? We may look around a few years later and realize that we don't actually like any of the"filler items/furniture" that we purchased, and we are back to square one.
This quote by Annie Smith of Euro Trash resonated well with me: "'I think it is important to remove anything you don't like from a home and start with a clean slate. Don't 'do one room' then move on to the next. I would rather live sparsely in a home and have the whole thing come together slowly than have the jarring feeling of a new style against the old.' " ( La la Lovely, by Trina McNeill)
We are creatures of comfort- and things comfort us, whether we love those items or not. Paring down our furniture and house to only the pieces we love has the real danger of making our homes feel sparse and in turn the danger of making us feel as though we are "lacking". It might even make us self conscious when we invite friends over. Patience and contentment, are your friends here- some things take time.
My view? I think clutter and being surrounded by "filler items" kills the imagination. It's difficult to dream of a room's potential when you're surrounded by things you don't even like. So what am I suggesting? First off- don't buy the "filler items". Odds are, you already have made those impulse purchases- so sell or get rid of all those items that you don't care for until you can buy what you love (keeping the day to day essentials such as your bed, couch, table and chairs etc. ). Lastly, take your time! Go to flea markets, try your hand at DIY projects, and check craigslist regularly. When you see a piece you love at a great price- jump on it.....even if it means buying a piece lower on the priority list first (like a cool vintage mirror before a dining table). The end result will be a home that represents you- and that is the best feeling that too many of us miss out on because we are in such a hurry to fill our homes. All good things take time.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Spring Cleaning- Free Label Printables
Hey there! Pardon the radio silence over here, we've just been hit with sickness from every direction. I've been focusing any remaining energy I have on client projects, hosting company, and trying to get my house back in order. This past week, I suddenly got the urge to clean everything.......walls included. There's still more things to check off on that spring cleaning list, because midway through, I decided to create my own cleaning labels (because what's more motivating than cleaning with pretty bottles and labels?). In case you are lacking in the motivation department, I thought I would share these free printable with you. My multi-purpose cleaner is still a combination of vinegar and water (50/50), but this time I added some lavender essential oil for the smell. It took me forever to join the essential oil club because I was skeptical that it could mask the strong vinegar smell, but it only took 5 drops to completely mask the smell.....I was super impressed. Now I want to try other combinations. I bought these amber bottles - one for the kitchen, and one for a shower spray. I already use these bottles in my kitchen for dish and hand soap.
Before printing, I scaled the label to 27% which was the perfect size for this 2 in. label. I first printed the label on paper so I could see where to tape the label onto the paper, then I ran it through the printer again. Here is the dish soap, hand soap, and multi-purpose cleaner labels.
Ps. Here's an old list of natural cleaning tricks I use. Happy cleaning!
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
The girls' shared room and a stencil collaboration
When we put an offer on our house, one of the rooms I had an immediate vision for was the girls' room ( I love designing kids rooms!). I wanted to infuse pinks and greens, and a pretty neutral wallpaper. I knew I wanted to paint the ceiling green to highlight the unique shape of the room with the dormers, and I did this immediately after closing on the house and before we moved in.
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After we moved in, the rest of the room fell into place, except for the wallpaper element of the design. My girls both have a "picking" habit and have been known to pick paint off of doors/furniture/basboards (not to mention grandma's wallpapered bathroom), and while it has improved substantially, it's still a weakness for both of them. I couldn't help feel like I was setting them (and myself) up for failure by putting wallpaper in their room, yet I could not find a stencil that fit my vision. That's when Stencilit came in and saved the day. I had used one of their stencils in Charlie's nursery in Indianapolis a few years ago, and remembered Merili mentioning that they would love to do a collaboration with me in the future. I reached out to them with pictures of what I was looking for, and a month later this gorgeous stencil showed up at my door that was exactly what I was hoping it would be, and more.
For starters, stenciling a wall is really a two person job, I tried doing it all on my own in the beginning, but in the end really needed Connor for parts. I taped the stencil in the corner with the largest amount of wall and started there.
After each successful stencil application, I wiped off any excess paint on the side going back on the wall. Then I matched the corners to make sure the stencil was straight and in the correct spot before starting again.
In the beginning, I draped the stencil over the baseboards (seen below) and went as close to the baseboard as possible, but later on I ended up cutting the stencil. Before cutting the stencil, I had to make sure the largest parts of the wall were completed, and then finish the wall in that order to make sure I didn't cut the stencil down too small too soon.
Here you can see I cut the stencil into two long strips to get the corners.
I did have some touch-ups to do, which was easy enough. There were a couple spots that didn't line up perfectly, but this was not a problem due to this type of stencil with all of its small elements that make up the pattern.
I used a small roller, and used Behr "white veil" as a back drop (I wanted a creamy white to make it look more like a wallpaper), and then I used a dark gray for the actual stencil.
I love that it is both whimsical and feminine, and yet not too young that they can't grow up with it. It seriously blew my mind how well Merili and her team were able to match my vision! Not to mention the cost benefit, I think we all love the idea of painting over a stenciled wall instead of scraping wallpaper off.
Thursday, March 8, 2018
(A Little) More Color
Admittedly, I'm always reaching for a neutral palette throughout my house. For me, it's always been about the calming effect that comes with it. But lately, I've been finding myself drawn more and more to rooms with color.....mostly on the moody blue spectrum- which may or may not have something to do with it being cold outside and wanting to stay cozy indoors.
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Bianca Sotelo's home is so beautifully eclectic. I love the black fireplace against the blue walls.
This could be black, but I'm seeing hints if a deep blue here, which I'm really digging. (Not to mention that marble and those windows!!)
The beautiful white molding and lighting with this moody grey/blue wall is so stunning.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
DIY- Painted Tile Floor
Back in November, I posted a picture of our new and improved mudroom floor slyly saying somethings along the lines of "sneak peak, coming soon!", and then I never actually shared anything more than that. The real reason for the delay, was that the actual labor of this project so depleted me, that when it was finished I barely had enough energy to pull off any preparation for the holidays, much less a tutorial. Now a couple months out, I would say that while it was a TON of work, I think it would be a lot less if I did it a second time (now that I've learned some painful lessons). I'm so happy with the results and am already considering doing it again for one of our bathrooms.
First off, why would anyone paint tile? Aside from the fact that the tile was pretty ugly, replacing it was not high on our priorities (kitchen and bathrooms before mudroom, yes?). So the main draw here was budget. This cost me well under $100, and I don't have to hate our mudroom while I wait for our budget to allow for me to buy the tile of my dreams. Who knows, I'm so happy with it right now I might never replace it. Here is what our tile used to look like (I apologize in advance for some of the bad pictures, but I painted any time my kids were sleeping):
As you can see it has that "always dirty" look that everyone loved a while back because it hides the dirt. The tiles are also not lined up very well and there were a few cracked tiles. We still have those issues, but they are more camouflaged now. The first thing we did was caulk the gaps between the tile and the wall because they were significant. Then I cleaned the floor meticulously (and I hate to say I forgot to sand it, but I would do this next time). Then I painted the whole floor white with a garage floor paint. This is where I hit my first set of problems.
The first problem was that the paint was not going on very well. No matter how many coats I did it was blotchy (this could be because I forgot to sand OR because of the paint, we will never know). This was solved by using a white chalk paint. The second problem was that the vision I had with the stencil was the inverse of what I had painted the floor. I should have painted the floor grey, and gone over with a white stencil. Because I was so committed to my vision, I started over (to be sure, after a good venting session with Connor) and painted the entire floor with a grey chalk paint. I found this tutorial extremely helpful and painted the grout lines with a brush and the tiles with a roller. The good news about chalk paint is that it dries very fast. The bad news is that once you start using it, you don't want anyone walking on the floor until you are finished putting the sealant on it, because it scuffs very easily.
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Then I used my custom stencil (Cutting Edge Stencils has the best customer service, they made the stencil for me to fit my exact tile size... an odd 11 5/8 inches I believe it was, and they even made the pattern a smaller scale for me), and I started doing the middle tiles in no apparent order, just so I wouldn't mess it up the wet paint with my knees and feet.
Once I was left with just the border tiles, I started stenciling those tiles (starting with the largest), and cutting my stencil down as needed.
After that, I went in and painted the grout lines white, to make it look neater and brighter. Then came the exhausting part of the project where I got on my hands and knees with a tiny paint brush, and I fixed any blemishes/mistakes from when I was stenciling. Because my pattern was a smaller scale, there were a lot more of these, so I spent a lot of time on this part.
In the final step, I painted on four coats of a garage sealant with a roller. I could not be happier with the results, the mud room went from being a space that was only functional (and a bit embarrassing as an entryway) to one of our favorite rooms.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Getting organized: starting with the toys
Over the years, I have received a lot of questions about how I organize/store our kids toys. In general, we tend to lean towards a more minimal approach with toys......and a small house only encourages this lifestyle. We are also fortunate to have family and friends who understand that if they buy our girls a huge automated toy, we literally have no where to put it. I realize that's not the case for everyone, but I do believe that before figuring out how to store toys, it's best to start with what should be donated (or thrown away in some cases). The very minute after I feel like I have a handle on the amount of toys we've accumulated, I'm back to scratching my head saying "how did we get here again?", so I do not have a perfect handle on things in case you're wondering. But the truth is, the less toys you have, the less storage issues you will have.
Though the girls may have fewer toys than the average kid with a playroom, I'm quick to assure visitors who ask "where are all your toys??" that they are just very well hidden through the house. In a 1300 sq. ft. house it's equally important to me for us adults to enjoy our living room and for the girls to have access to what they love. The living room can quickly become a disaster with blocks and doll accessories strewn about, but at the end of the day when it's all picked up......we don't have to see all the toys, and that does a lot for me. So where do we hide them you ask? Here are some of my favorite solutions:
(left to right)
1. This adorable laundry bag is perfect for storing dress-ups and other "make believe toys".
2. We have a similar credenza in our living room, and rather than being filled with dvds, it stores their magnatiles, lacing cards, and puzzles.
3. vintage crates are the best for storing books (as well as arts and crafts)
4. I love these indestructible baskets. I store the girls dolls and stuffed animals in similar ones, and have been known to stuff the ugly ones in the bottom.
5.This little zip up bag is great for all those small pieces like doll accessories. I like that it's flimsy, so I can also stuff it in one of the above baskets.
6. This woven ottoman is amazing. You could use it as a side table or an ottoman, but it literally fits my girls toy farm, a horse stable, and tons of animal figurines with room to spare.
7. We have a similar storage bench in our sun room that we bought from Ikea our first year of marriage, and while it's seen better days- it is an amazing place to store toys while also providing seating.
8. We use this basket as a laundry hamper, but it would also be a great option for toy storage.
9. This skinny Ikea cabinet (intended for shoe storage) takes up basically no space and would be great way to store arts and crafts.
Friday, January 5, 2018
The In-Between
It's that time of year where everyone is talking about goals, calendars, and planners. This year, my focus is a little less on goals and a little more around the idea of "the in-between". Though I first heard this term on one of the podcasts I regularly listen to, I have been having conversations around the subject for years. So what is "the in-between"? It's the space between "all or nothing". It's working with what you have, whether it's time, skills, or money. Years ago, Connor first noticed my tendency to either workout for a full 45 minute minimum or not at all. If I couldn't get abs,cardio, and weights in, it wasn't worth it. As I type it out, that sounds crazy.....but the truth is I can still be like that on a much smaller scale. These days it looks like "10 minutes for a workout? Not worth it."
It's not just my fitness regimen that has been affected by this "all or nothing" mentality. It can touch all areas of life, such as: reading, meditation, cooking, traveling, health, sleep, friendships/relationships, etc. We say "she and I will never be best friends", so we don't invest in that relationship, or "I only have 30 minutes, that's not enough time for a nap" when simply closing our eyes help. We pad the "all or nothing" mentality with phrases like "it doesn't make sense", "it's not worth it", or "it's not practical".
While there are many areas I want to work on in this area, there are some areas in my life where we definitely live in the "in-between" and I can vouch for it's life giving components. Those areas can bring about an eye-roll from folks ("so impractical!" they say) who don't understand, and that's ok. One area that we live this way is with our travel. We frequently do long day trips (up to 3hrs away) to meet up with friends or just to check out a cool destination we've been wanting to see. If we waited to make every day trip into a weekend trip, we would miss out on a lot. When we come back from one of those day trips, sure we are tired- but our hearts are full because of the adventure we had or the friends we saw.....worth it.
(pic from a day trip to Vermont this fall)
I'm the same with interior design. Can't afford tile right now? I'll paint it. It also sometimes means designing a room halfway and waiting for budget to allow me to finish it (instead of not starting at all). While I want to make sure my house is safe for my kids and it's designed with them in mind, like any designer, I also am willing to put in extra work so that I can enjoy it too, knowing full well it could get ruined. The truth is, we would all cringe if a child took scissors to a couch or rug, no matter what- so why not buy one that you love (within a reasonable price point of course), knowing in the back of your mind it could get ruined. Meanwhile, you live there....spend years there, and that well designed space brings life and joy.
(I hate that dining room lighting, but this is me living in the in-between - a half designed room)
So what is so important about the in-between? In short- it gives life. Before you label something as "impractical", stop for a second and consider if that thing could bring a lot of joy to your life. If it does, maybe it's worth it.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
2017 Favorites
It's snowing/sleeting in Boston, and like most of you- the gifts are bought, the fridge is full, and I've transitioned to cozy clothes, completely satisfied to not leave the house for a few days. Any other homebodies out there? I love this time of year. I don't often get a chance to catch up on blogs these days, but you're going to bet that I will be doing a ton of reading from books to online articles this weekend. I thought I would share my highlights of 2017 with you- from my favorite moments to my favorites podcasts and beauty finds. Merry Christmas, and see you in 2018!
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Having our home featured on Homepolish Magazine:
Instead of buying bread, I started making it from scratch every week , and haven't looked back since. This is the easiest recipe you will find.
2017 Beauty Finds:
- Caudalie Beauty Elixir- After raving about it to me for months, one of my friends bought this for me last Christmas, and I have been a faithful follower ever since. I put it on right after I moisturize and my face feels so fresh and amazing and ready for makeup.
- Ok, so I didn't discover it this year, but it's still worthy of mention because it's made such a difference for me. This is my favorite body scrub during these dry months.....mm frankincense. My skin is so soft after I use it.
- NYX soft matte lip cream - this is my "lipstick on the go", it applies so smoothly. I'm not without the color Stockholm- it's my natural lip color, and makes me look polished in a pinch.
- IT cosmetics CC cream foundation - This might be my favorite beauty buy from the whole year ( I use shade "light"). It's the only foundation I have ever used where I can see a notable difference in my makeup. I only dab a little on my (usually rosy) cheeks and a couple other spots, and then use my watered down beauty blender to keep it light and minimal.
- Glossier Cloud Paint- As one who naturally has rosy cheeks, I have steered clear of any form of blush until now. I love this stuff. It's easy to apply, and with my beauty blender it gives a "barely there" look. I like "beam" for summer and "dusk" for winter months.
- Glossier Boy Brow- Not to jump on the Glossier band wagon or anything, but this is another product that I'm really loving. I love the subtle texture it adds (more realistic looking than any other brow product I've used) to my thinner brows, and the color is spot on. The Blonde color does not have any red in it thankfully which is always my issue with brow products.
New(er)-to-me Instagram accounts to follow:
I've really scaled back on the number of people I follow, but these are new(er)-to-me follows that made the cut:
- Mathilde Lacombe- This French lady is so chic, and does a lot of makeup tutorials in her IG stories. The catch? It's all in French. I like her because she has great taste, has a similar complexion to myself (helpful with makeup tutorials), and gives great tips like white eye liner on the lower lash line (genius!)
- theannaedit- makes me laugh, her style sense if very similar to mine, and (I mention her later in this post) basically I want to be best friends with her.
- Jessica Anteby - makes me laugh
- Jessannkirby- love her take on New England style.
- Gaby Burger - I love her mixture of edgy and classic styles. I think I may have been following her longer than a year?
Podcasts I discovered this year:
- "Off the Camera with Sam Jones" - interviews with actors/directors/people in the movie industry. Why do I love it? It's easy to see successful people and to make the assumption that their path didn't include failures or that they didn't second guess themselves. If you're a creative, you will love this podcast....and you will realize we are all in it together. Ps. I especially loved the episode with Jeff Daniels.
- "The Simple Show"- All about slow living, simple pleasures, and what that looks like to different people.
- "How I built This" - Popular for good reason, if you haven't checked it out already- you need to.
- "The Shauna Niequist Podcast" - Interviews that will inspire and teach you something new.
Favorite Books from 2017
I kept to my goal of 12 books this year, I really tried to narrow it down (because I really loved them all!), but here are my favorites from the year:
- "The Curated Closet" by Anuschka Rees- Helped me to not only purge from my closet, but also more clearly define my style. I can't say enough about this book.
- "Chasing Slow" by Erin Loechner- Most interesting memoire, and so many good take aways.
- "I thought it was just me (but it wasn't)" by Brene Brown - I know everyone is jumping on the Brene Brown wagon these days, but I literally was taking notes and am still referring back to them.
- "The Four Tendencies" by Gretchen Rubin- Not the most grabby title, but this is such an interesting book on how different people are wired to respond to expectations. It's changed my outlook so much in how I see myself (and my failures and successes) as well as those close to me. Another one I want to keep around to refer back to.
Blogs I started following in 2017
- The Anna Edit- Ok. My friend introduced me to her blog about a year ago, and I have been unapologetically obsessed since. I love her makeup tutorials, any and all of her product recommendations, her sense of humor and personality, and her capsule wardrobe. My only regret is that we can't be best friends in real life.
- The Vault Files - I love Gaby's effortless everyday style as well as workout looks.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Homemade hot chocolate and Marshmallows
In Decembers past, I have quickly burnt out over too much on the calendar, too much on my list, and too much sugar. This year I tried a different approach: I made a conscious list of the "memory making essentials" that were really important to me and my family. This includes a few activities and foods that I don't want to miss out on. Everything else can go. This has really helped me to not feel bad about having to say no- whether it's to activities or events we are invited to, or rich foods that aren't on my list. At the very top of that list though, is our December first tradition. We started the tradition of decorating the tree and house on December first years ago when Connor and I were newlyweds, and about five years ago we added in homemade hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows to the mix and have not looked back. The hot chocolate is good, but the real winner is the combination of the two, with the homemade marshmallows melting inside. If I'm going to give myself one pass on sugar, this would be it.....not just because it's amazing (I have only had one hot chocolate from a gourmet chocolate shop that rivals it), but because of the memories surrounding it.
Ps. This tastes best with board games or a christmas movie.
~
Creamy Hot Cocoa
-1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 pinch salt
-1/3 cup boiling water
- 3 1/2 cups of milk
-3/4 tsp. vanilla
-1/2 cup half & half (only if you are omitting the marshmallows)
*Combine cocoa, sugar, & salt. Blend in boiling water. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring. Simmer for 2 min (still stirring). Stir in milk until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into 4 mugs. (add cream if not using marshmallows)
Homemade Marshmallows (via Smitten Kitchen)
- 3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (2 TBLSp. + 2 1/2 tsp)
- 1 cup cold water, divided
-2 cups sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp. salt
-2 large egg whites
-1Tblsp. vanilla (or mint/almond extract, but I prefer vanilla)
-1/4 cup powdered sugar
* Oil Bottom of a 13x9 pan and dust with powdered sugar. In a large saucepan cook sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup of cold water, & salt over low heat (stirring) until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil mixture (stirring) until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F (takes about 12 minutes). Remove from heat and pour over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Beat the mixture on high until white & thick and has tripled in volume (6 minutes for a standing mixer and 10 minutes for a hand held). In a operate bowl (with clean beaters), beat egg whites until stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined. Pour into the baking pan. Sift 1/4 cup of powdered sugar on top. Chill until firm (3hrs- 1 day). Use cookie cutters for shapes, or cut into 1 in. cubes. Last up to 1 week in cool room temp.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
The Advent Calendar
Until this year, I haven't officially done an advent calendar with my family. Fall is a busy time for my us with lots of visitors, and there's something about going from halloween costumes, to menu planning for Thanksgiving, to birthday planning for my daughter, to getting ready for Christmas. By the time December rolls around, I'm just tired and this is one of those things that usually slips through the cracks. This year I decided to do an "activity" advent (in the loosest sense). I've filled it with simple things like "reading the Christmas story" and "watching 'White Christmas' ", and a few bigger activities that we are already planning on doing. There's something about having it written down that is fun and exciting for the girls. In an effort to not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this season, I also reserve the right to rearrange and substitute as necessary. Feeling exhausted? Maybe today's activity is to watch a "Elf" instead of going ice skating. Here are some of the things we are doing:
1. decorate the tree & house
2. drink hot chocolate & play board games
3. watch White Christmas
4. make cookies for the neighbors
5. go to the Nutcracker ballet (a favorite tradition every year)
6. watch Elf
7. pick out a toy to donate to a child
8. decorate christmas cookies with friends (already on the calendar)
9. read The Nutcracker
10. make christmas ornaments
11. leave something special in the mailboxfor the mailman
12. watch Miracle on 34th Street
13. make gingerbread houses
14. eat santa pancakes
15. make a gift box for a child in need
16. make gingersnap cookies
17. make paper snowflakes
18. choose nonperishable items for a food drive
19. go to the christmas tree lighting downtown
20. go ice skating
21. visit NYC and see the Christmas tree and lights (we are already doing this)
22.make paper chains (my girls were obsessed with this last year)
23. watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
24. Read The Christmas Story
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
With Thanksgiving around the corner
If you're like me, you had the sudden realization that Thanksgiving is next week (and you're hosting!). I've compiled a few things to get you in the holiday mood, whether you are up for a project or prefer to keep things simple.
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DIY paint splattered napkins OR these are adorable (link):
DIY wooden chargers OR these are pretty:
Also:
5 simple table design tips for the person who would rather be meal planning
I made this homemade stuffing last year and had requests for it again
12 tips to help you be a good host over the holidays
Not this year, but I'm dying for some matte black dishes
9 healthy holiday eating strategies
Along those lines- apple chutney & brie puff pastry pockets
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