Today's Inspiration

Today I've been eyeing a lot of new projects. So, I've spent a good bit of the day looking at this BLOG and getting ideas and inspiration for new projects.

Here are some inspiring things:

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This really isn't a project, but I NEED that bathtub in my home someday. It must happen!

(photo via Desing*Sponge)

So I saw this chalkboard in the kitchen today and thought it was so genius! I imagined it saying "Today's Menu: Roasted veggie pasta" or something of that effect. Ironically, after some searing on Design Sponge, I decided to go do some thrifting. I went to Salvation Army and Goodwill. I found NOTHING at S&A Boutique (what my mom calls Salvation Army, she is amazing at finding good stuff there. One of the best thrifters I know-MOM). Anyways, I was browsing Goodwill and found a retro napkin holder like this:

(photo via Google Images)

I was pretty excited about this for some reason. I thought it was pretty cool and went with our dining room "theme" at this point. If there is such a thing.

I ALSO found an adorable wall hanging with a light pink framing a CHALKBOARD!!!! It's adorable! I however am not a huge fan of anything PINK. So, I bought a can of Gray spray paint and went at it! It's currently drying and I will post a photo tomorrow! ;-)

Here are some other inspiring things I've been eyeing.

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This girl MADE these for her wedding just from plates she bought and painted from Goodwill and candle stands. Amazing! I have to do this!
No fireplace? Okay, why not make one?! Genius idea!

That's all for now. Goodnight!

The Yellow Hutch (of my dreams!)

It's finally done!!!! I finished the hutch I bought last Saturday. I finished this bad boy in 1 week! I'm pretty proud of myself.

Here is the finished product!!!


I am now able to get all of my serving wear out of their boxes and store them in this hutch! I have some vintage Pyrex dishes at my parents house I want to get to put in the top glass part. I am super excited about the finished product!

Granted, I am a perfectionist and this piece up close is anything but perfect, but Matt told me that it gives it "character" and makes it look more "antique" like it's been used and we didn't just purchase it from Ikea or Crate & Barrel.

So, there it is! My Birthday present from My husband (and kind of to myself since I chose to do all the work even though he graciously offered several times) :-)

What do you think?!

Weekend Ahead

Well, my husband has class all night tonight 3-9:30 and then all morning/ afternoon tomorrow.... so looks like tonight will be spent on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy reruns and eating snacks I shouldn't be eating. Maybe I will go do some (window) shopping?! Maybe I will work on my knitting project I started 2 weeks ago?! We'll see I guess.


What are you doing this weekend?!?!

Making Progress

Sanding--- I HATE IT!!!!!!

and more sanding...


and DONE! Time to PAINT! :-)

Coat #1-- waiting for it to dry really wall and then on to coat #2 !!!

Stay tuned for the finished product! yay!!!!

Holy Moly I Found It!!!! :-)

I found a vintage hutch that I like for a reasonable price!!!! I found it at a garage sale yesterday! It is definitely from the 1950s. They man who sold it told me that his parents had it before he was born. It was my birthday present (early) from my husband.

Here it is::

So I debated about leaving it it's natural wood color, however, there were quite a few scratches and it wasn't in the best shape. So, I'm in the process of sanding it right now. I HATE sanding! This project took me back to Tech Ed (did you have tech ed in middle school? we did and it sucked!) Anyways, I hate sanding. My whole body aches from leaning over and my arm and hand feel like they may fall off from sanding with sand paper...

I am going to paint it a darker YELLOW color (like the one in my previous post but a little darker I believe). I am so excited for it to be done and to get my vintage Pyrex dishes from my mom when I go home again! ;-) It's going to be just what I wanted!!!

It's perfect with our retro dining room table and chairs as well! ;-)

Stay tuned for the finished product!

Inspirational Saturday

These are some of the people and images that are inspiring me lately:

1.) THIS GIRL: From Scratch has been inspiring me to bake more. Her cupcakes and recipes are so amazing! I think some cupcake baking is in my near future ;-)

2.)

those knee high's on the right. I wish I could pull that look off. maybe i'll just go for it...

3.) Pretty crafting nooks: HERE,

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4.) Vintage Hutch's

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I REALLY REALLY want a vintage hutch for our dining room. This would be PERFECT for our little apartment! I keep checking craigslist.com and ebay and thrift stores in our area.... nothing yet.



Today is a lazy day so far. I'm about to go out to do some thrifting, garage sale shopping in the area! :-) wish me luck!

What are you up to this weekend?

Little Homemaker

I am quite the little house wife lately. Not having a job does that to a woman I suppose. I am enjoying it as long as I possibly can! Although I spend most of my days filling out job applications online (pretty sure I could do that blindfolded at this point), my evenings are spent crafting and baking (but not baking too much, not trying to gain the newlywed 15 (or 50) lbs!
hehe!

I baked some orange chocolate almond biscotti a couple nights ago. Good thing biscotti is considered the "healthy cookie" because we've been killing it in this tiny apartment lately!

This is the recipe I used: HERE I altered it a little and added 1/4 cup of Hershey's cocoa to add a little chocolate delightfulness. :-)

Here are some photos:

I love that kitchenaid mixer! :-)


Roasting the almond slivers.



Loaves in the over for round 1 of baking (please ignore the bottom of my oven it was that way when we moved in).

The finished product. I drizzled some melted chocolate chips over the top for a little extra goodness.

Another project I have going... I'm knitting my first HAT! I've knitted a few scarves so far,
This was my first ever knitting project! ;-)
So, knitting a hat involves a lot more than just knitting a straight scarf. We'll see how it goes. Here's what I have so far:



That's what I've been up to the past few days!

September is Here. Which means FALL IS COMING!

YAY for FALL!!! These are some of the things I'm looking forward to about fall.

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Pumpkin spice lattes! I've only had 1 so far, which my husband surprised me with when he came home from a study session one night last week! :-)

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I am loving these calf high boots this year! I am thinking I am going to use some birthday money to purchase a pair next month! :-)

My FALL music playlist:

which consists of ::

*David Gray-- I've recently discovered him and I am loving his music
^Iron & Wine
^Ray Lamontagne (of course. he's my favorite)^ Damien Rice
^The Decemberists

and many many more....

Basically Matt and I have been enjoying the fall weather and trying to be outside some when we can. Throughout the week I am basically on job hunt patrol/obsession and making phone calls every day to try to talk to nurse recruiters. Matt is pretty busy with school. We're getting into the routine of making time for one another though. It's been really good.

Last weekend we went to Lake Bluff, IL for the afternoon and laid on a blanket by the lake. I took a nap and Matt read for school.

We also went to World Market (one of my new favorite stores) and I found a new throw pillow for our bed, which I love!
My brother also made us a smaller painting for our dining room. We're going to have him paint us a larger image for above our couch when we get the chance... here is the one in our dining room.

Yesterday I went to the Renegade Craft Fair in Wicker Park. It was inspiring! I am going to start knitting again and doing some crafty things. I may even open an ETSY shop.... who knows!! :-)
We'll see what I can come up with! ;-) In the meantime here is something I came up with a couple weeks ago. We needed some frames in our apartment. So, we had this one lying around and I had some leftover scrapbook paper that i loved from our wedding stationary. So, I put together some of that, some random buttons and yarn... and here is what we got. I am loving it! It's just so different and cute. huh?!

Those are just some updates for now! Hope everyone is doing fantastic!