What a girl wants…

As I pack up our living room, and look around at ALL THAT WHITE, I am dreaming of a more layered living room in our new place.  Here’s what’s on my wish list:

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These footstools are from, wait for it, IKEA!  But I saw them in a Better Homes and Gardens back a few months ago- the homeowner had kids and stacked these in front of the fireplace to block it- the added benefit was that they loved to climb all over these.  We may not have a full-time walker at our house quite yet, but someone sure does love climbing on top of everything. These are not only good looking, but add texture to a room, which I think may be needed.  And I love to throw my feet up at the end of the day, so these can pull double, triple, quadruple duty. And at $29 a pop, that’s pretty good.

We all know I just have to have this rug.  Mixing modern and classic in a nice subtle color- this rug is the bomb.  And I want it. NOW.  Little did I know we would be moving and I would have the perfect canvas.

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If you pulled my arm, I *suppose* I could settle for this Dash and Albert Rug, which I have been eyeing since New Orleans.  Well, actually, since before then, but when I spotted it in person, I fell in love.

And since I can’t help myself (IT’S A DISEASE!), let’s toss in some throw pillows, like this Ikat number from Pottery Barn:

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or this one:

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So there you have it- I want to layer in some texture, color and prints.  Gotta find the silver lining when moving, right?!

‘Round Here….

Anyone else a closet Counting Crows fan like me?  Ah, memories of the 6th grade, lying in bed listening to “Round Here” and  “Anna Begins” on repeat. My life was so tortured, you understand.  Growing up middle class on a cul-de-sac ain’t for wussies.

Moving right along (pun INTENDED), here’s what’s going on at my house:

Fenway’s been a big help with the packing, as you can see. Colin, too. Not. (or should I say, “Psyche!”)

So, we’re moving. Why? Because we haven’t moved in 6 months, you silly!  And we like to keep up with our track record for one move per year.  We missed out last year, so we are making up for it now.

If you were wondering, yes, I do have OCD and am creating mock ups for Colin’s party, which you may see there in the background. But I have a good reason (beyond my OCD).  I need to know what needs to remain unpacked, since we are moving 6 days after his party. What can I say? We like to keep ourselves on our toes around here.

Ten dolla holla

Back when we were up in Maine, our little beach community put on their annual craft fair.  Now, back in the day, I participated in said craft fair with a summer friend and sold my beautiful creations- to be specific, sand dollars decorated with glitter.  We did our best to poke holes in the tops and create gorgeous one of a kind Christmas ornaments.  Not very professional at all, but we did sign our wares just in case we became famous. It could still happen folks. Though my crafting skills have not evolved very much, sadly. But it could *totally* still happen.

Anyway, the craft fair has been turned over to professionals.  Like, people who craft for money all year long.  WHAT?!  I was a bit hurt and offended I was not asked to return. I’m sure I could have scraped up something cute and crafty with two hours notice.  But I went along with my mother one day, you know, to be a good sport.  And look what I found:

I know! So strange that Pottery Barn was at the craft fair!  Just kidding.  There’s no way I would spend $50 on decorative starfish.  But $10?  (to be fair, my mom spotted me the moolah, which I still owe her.  Note to self!) And look how many I got. So many pretty shapes and sizes!  And while they aren’t bedazzled or covered in glitter, they’ll do.  They perfectly match my coral, which I *did* score for $30 on at Crate and Barrel. Boo.

I love cheap finds.  I love them even better when someone else has taken the time to be all crafty. 😉

Lay it on me….

Remember when we used our Malm dressers as bedside tables?  I wish I had known about these then:

Yes, I know the blog world is in a tizzy over O’verlays.  And I was going to write a post about these about three months ago when I discovered them. But, you know. I didn’t. Anyway.  It’s a truly brilliant idea.  For a mere $18 you can totally spruce up a basic Malm. Um, yes please!

Now, as I stare at my Malms, I feel sorry for them. They are so boring.  I mean, really. Very boring. And I hate to feel that way about any of my Ikea babies.  They are the brunette lanky-haired sisters to the bright blonde beauty in the room.  If you just changed one little thing- heads would turn.  I just know they would.  So I think these will go on the list.

Hope everyone has a happy weekend!

Never leave home without it.

Kids crack me up. I know I am not supposed to think my kid is the second coming or anything like that, but I’m pretty sure he’s darn close.  Everyday is something new- and I know all the veteran parents out there are shaking their heads and thinking “oh remember when we thought everything our kid did was just *so* sweet/smart/funny/unique?”.  But indulge me. This is my first kid after all.

Anyway, we were getting ready to leave the house yesterday and the despot decided he couldn’t go anywhere without his Dog Dog.  Or as he calls it, “Gog”. And by George, if he didn’t hold on like hell all the way to the gym, where he just had to take it into the nursery as well. And well, afterwards, as we took a walk?

Let's see the sights, Gog!

I mean, don’t get me wrong. He likes his stuffies. And we put Gog into bed with him each night and he will cuddle up for a minute or two. But usually the despot is so eager to get the hell out of dodge (his crib) in the AM that he has no qualms leaving a good soldier behind. And the good soldier is usually on the floor, where he has been tossed along with any other item not nailed down.  Until yesterday.  You see, though Gog had been unceremoniously tossed at some point during his AM nap, when I went to take Colin upstairs, he lunged toward the floor, screaming, “GOG!” And after that?  Inseperable. I felt kinda bad for Gog.  He could probably use a nap.

So it took 11 months, but I think the despot has a security stuffy, which warms my icy cold heart. Nothing like a little blond haired boy holding onto his Gog.

Fat Tuesday [Cheesy Corn Bake]

Happy Fatty!

Last Tuesday I gave you all a little sneak peek into this week’s Fat recipe. And trust me, this one is fat.  Which means it’s goooood.  It’s called Cheesy Corn Bake, and it’s brought to you by TheKitchn.com.

I liken this recipe to Mac N’ Cheese, but with corn.  So it’s pretty rich for a vegetable side dish, but in our house, we take our vegetables whatever way we can. Like, with cheese.  The more cheese, the better. Know what I’m sayin? Word.

Ingredientses:

1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
1 ounce cream cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 cups corn, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, thaw and drain first)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Sauté bell pepper in a little bit of olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Set aside.

In a sauce pan, melt butter on medium-low to medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth (and the flour taste is cooked out)

Pour in the milk and cook, constantly stirring, until very thick. Mix in cheddar and cream cheese and stir until melted and creamy.

Remove from the heat and season with salt and cayenne.

Combine the cheese sauce, red pepper, and corn in a large bowl. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Pour into a baking dish and bake until hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes.

Ready for some before and afters? Okey dokey!

Before

After

Step away from the Etsy

It’s no secret here that I love me some Etsy. It’s a major time suck. In a good way. But when I opened up my account recently, I had to say to myself, “Girl, step away from the Etsy!”  See what I’m talking about?

None of it is too expensive, and the majority of it is printable, which means I now own the file and can print away to my heart’s content. And trust me, I do. Except the bow tie. Can’t print that. And I can rationalize by saying my little despot only turns 1 once, right? Right?!

Still have a few more purchases to make, but maybe I’ll just take it easy for a week or six.

T Minus 23 Days….

Till the despot’s birthday party……

Only 532 more to go.....

Well, I think it’s clear what I’ll be up to this weekend.  Happy Friday, y’all!

Every call you take, I’ll be watching you……

The despot and I are up in Maine, taking one last opportunity to visit with the parental units while they are on vacation. Some might say we are crashing their vacation, but I am sure they appreciate a nice wake-up call at 5:30am.  Can’t be sleeping in on vacation!  There’s stuff to do! Like take conference calls. Hopefully *someone* has not been scheduled for any more of those (taken from the porch, naturally):

'Scuse me, Grandpa. You're late for your 1:30. (Pssst! It's me!)"

The despot loves loves loves my parents and likes to keep a close eye on them at all times, which isn’t too hard in the cottage since it’s only three rooms. He loves to mimic my mom singing and every now and then, likes to join a conference call with my dad.  Fortunately, he can’t quite understand the confidential nature of most calls.  Don’t worry though, we had him sign an NDA just in case.

The Fox and the Hound(stooth)

Houndstooth is so very in right now. Just ask Lady Gaga:

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Not overdone at all. Not even the nails, or the special cue cards she had made for her use while hosting the view.  There can never be enough houndstooth. On this, the Lady and I agree.

Especially when it shows up in an unexpected place. Like your floor:

Or even better for those of us who like a nice subtle print?

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Be still my taupe-loving heart. I want it. I think I am totally due for a “Thanks for being such an amazing wife present”, don’t you? I mean, this is sweet and all, but let’s think beyond leaving me sweet little nothings on the fridge using chewed on magnetic letters, kay?

Awww, that's sweet honey. But say it with a new rug.

If you are into the traditional and very graphic black and white houndstooth, I found this one on sale. Jonathan Adler also has his own design, too. God help me.

Fat Tuesday [Sloppy Joes]

Sometimes when it’s not so nice out, a girl just wants some comfort food, the same kind she grew up on.  And sometimes, when she is strolling the aisles at the grocery store and comes across a McCormick’s Sloppy Joe seasoning pack, she is transported back to a kitchen with linoleum tile and formica counters, and she thinks, “yes, we shall eat the sloppiest of all joes”.

I found this other recipe and so I combined the instructions on the packet and added in the extra goodies, like corn and red peppers.  Yum!  So delicious and very, very Fatty.

Here ya go:

Ingredientses:

(raw meat not shown, cuz....it's gross)

1 package of hamburger buns

1 package of lean ground turkey

1 McCormick’s Sloppy Joe Seasoning packet

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup corn (can use frozen)

1 can tomato paste

1 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Brown meat in frying pan.  Remove meat and drain. Replace meat in frying pan and add tomato paste, seasoning packet, water, red bell peppers and corn. Bring to boil, and then allow to simmer, about 10-15 minutes.

Extreme Sloppy Joe Closeup

Done-zo!!! You can plop that goodness onto some hamburger buns if you want, or just leave it as is.  It’s that good.  And here’s a sneak peak for next week’s Fat Tuesday (if you follow me on Pinterest, you probably can take a very edumacated guess as to what that is on the left there):

Happy Birthday, Hoda woman!

Happy B-Day, Hoda!

Let’s grab a drink later and talk about what a loon that KLG is!  Can you imagine a better b-day present?  Fine, and we can jam out to your Ipod.  It’s a date!

XOXO,

Kate

Painted Floors

Back in July when Kase and I were at the cottage in Maine, we purchased a new rug for the living room.  We thought we had taken the correct measurements, but as you can see below, notsomuch:

Your eyes do not deceive you. Whoever decided to paint the floor maroon, decided to do so *around* the existing rug.  And I thought I was the laziest person in my family. Guess not. (Also, your eyes do not deceive you. That *is* a brown plaid couch. At a beach cottage.)

When my aunt and uncle stayed at the cottage after we left, they took a sample board to the paint store and had that 50 year old maroon paint matched in order to finish off the floor, so no more floorboards peeking through. It’s nice and crisp now, and even though it’s maroon, it works.

Which got me to thinking about the popularity of painted floorboards nowadays. Check these out:

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So the floors are done, but we still have a fugly couch. Er, what I mean to say is, when I was up in Maine at the tail end of last week visiting my parents, my mom and I picked out a new couch to replace the gorgeous brown plaid pull out. Shocking, I know. First things first, we need to get rid of the existing couch before the new couch can come and live with us and keep the maroon floor company.  New kids need to stick together, right?

Lucky you though, if you live in Maine, you can pick that puppy up for FREE!  We listed it under Free on Craigslist, but if you have any other ideas of how to get rid of that beast (other than paying $100 for 1-800 Got Junk to come and take it away) do let me know!  The new couch comes Wednesday!

Trailer Trash

When I was growing up, my older brothers and sisters liked to joke that I was picked up at a K-Mart as a “Blue Light Special” – which I thought was awesome. I mean K-Mart is rad. It’s where I got my jellies every summer. And my Lee Press-On Nails. It’s also family lore that when I was about 6 years old, I told my parents that when I grew up I was going to drive a Fiero. That, or a Trans-Am. No Beamers for this chickadee. Only fine American-made autos for me, thanks.  And I had a belly button ring at one point as well (though, that was when I was a bit older. Not during the jelly -wearing, Fiero-dreaming years). You can go ahead and say it: I was trashy. And yes, I did grow up in New Jersey. How did you know?

But the point is, ain’t no shame in the trashy game.

I could totally see myself living in a trailer, for example. I’d fix it up real nice-like.  And I will admit, I like the inherent ability to just pick up and move whenever the fancy strikes me. After all, we have moved at least 5 times in as many years. Now, don’t get me wrong, my particular mode of transport would have to be an Airstream. I’m no dummy and appreciate classic style.  But I mean, it’s still living in a trailer.

But I believe you need a special license to drive a trailer, right?  And since I just took my fourth trip to the DMV within a month, I am loathe to return just to grab myself a special C-Class license, or whatever trailers require.  So when I spotted this hotel, I knew I could get down. It combines two things I like- Travel and Trailers.

Do you see what I see? I spy with my little eye……

Dudes, it’s a friggin Rooftop Trailer Park!!! And it’s in Capetown South Africa, at a little hotel known as “The Grand Daddy”.  I’m. In. Love. Sorry, Kase. Move on over. There’s a new Daddy in town. (Gross….)

Check out more of the eye candy:

Yes, I’d like to go to there.

Fat Tuesday: Watermelon Basil & Feta Salad

Hey there fatty!  I got my butt back in the old kitchen and whipped up a tasty little dish this weekend.  We are basically homesteading on our patio- we are swimming in basil, people. Swimming in it.  And I love a pesto as much as the next girl, but in 90 degree heat? Pasta isn’t really up my alley in that kind of weather. But you know what is? WATERMELON.

I love me some watermelon.  We joke around that Colin is 75% Yogiberry (a self serve soft serve yogurt store in Shirlington) and 25% Watermelon. I lived on the stuff last summer while pregnant.  Strangely enough, I haven’t partaken in it too much since he was born.  But I whipped up this salad and ate the entire thing. Man, I forgot how much I love watermelon. Yummy! So here ya go:

Watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes

Feta cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

Basil, julienned, to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

This is going to be filed under “Recipes so easy, even Kate can make it!”

"Hey bud, grab me a cutting board, would ya?"

And…yeah, that’s it. Easy peasy.  And oh so yummy. Trust.

Here’s a sneak peak for next week’s Fat Tuesday. Get excited, cuz it’s TASTY: