coffee talk

BEFORE:

Let me just start by saying I got this coffee table for $5 at a yard sale.  I love yard sales.  But, ya know, they just don't make 'em like they used to.  Back in the good ol' days, you could find everything and anything at them!  But now (and, maybe I'm just going to the wrong ones?) it seems they are all and only clothes.  Maybe a stray toddler toy... but clothes clothes clothes!  I don't WANT your clothes!  I want your ugly furniture I can make purty!

I already had the stain on hand from the aquarium transformation (which, was a leftover stain my mom had & wasn't using!)  It's a polyurethane finish & stain all in one, in Antique Pine.  I love the color, and ya just can't beat the price (er, free!)  So, after a quick sanding, especially where there was a watermark and discoloration, I got to work.  I would advise if you are doing a similar project to work from the bottom up.  This way, you don't have to flip the table onto it's newly-stained-top to get to the bottom, nor do you have to work around a wet top trying not to get on your arms as you reach underneath.  Second tip?  Think about the easiest way to stain the wood going with the grain,* especially when you have the planks put together at contrasting angles.  I had difficulty getting the outside, border planks stained without messing up the middle ones!  But, if you find you mess up just get some more stain and start over.  No harm no foul.


*ALWAYS GO WITH THE GRAIN!


AFTER:

I'm so loving this table!  The wood really took on the stain nicely and it has such a great deep color while keeping some golden glow shining through.  Absolutely thrilled!  And, kinda neurotic (read: violent) about keeping this sucker protected from now on... COASTERS, PEOPLE!  Coasters...

I have since got two baskets from Ikea to perfectly fit under, on the lower shelf to hide all the miscellaneous items needed on or in a coffee table- video game controls, remote, magazines, etc etc.

So, whatcha think?  Just tell me it's awesome, please?  It will make me happy.

curtain closed closet

One of the first things I did when moving in was remove some HORRIBLE hanging, accordion closet doors in my master bedroom.  Wasn't difficult... they were already 1/2 falling off!  So, for the better part of a year and a half, this is how my closet presented itself to the world:

Other than being too busy with other projects, I really don't have a reason why I didn't just install new, sliding closet doors...

I was REALLY REALLY busy, ok?*

So, I had some extra window scarves that happened to match my bedspread perfectly.  So, after hanging a $5 curtain rod,** VOILA!

It's a good, interim fix.  The curtains are usually open, as life it just easier that way.  But when company comes, I can close them for a more finished, (though not completely sealed off), look.  Whatcha think?

(Oh, and YHL totally has curtain-closed-closets, too... but theirs were installed and make for something of a dramatic built-in-bed look!  Check it out here)


*Yeah, I don't believe it, either.
**Ok, it wasn't nearly that easy or fast!  It's an awkward angle, and you have to prop a flashlight up to see.  And then I kept hitting something that was NOT drillable*** or hitting NOTHING which meant the screws didn't hold, but ya know what?  NO ONE will see these itty bitty mistakes.  So there.
***Why isn't "drillable" a word?

paintin pumpkins

This year the need to decorate hit me like a tidal wave.  Like a ton of bricks. Like a... like a... ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!  So, when I saw these pumpkins, I felt inspired and wanted them all for myself.


They are crazy easy, and crazy cheap.  For under $10, I picked up some ceramic and foam pumpkins from Tuesday Morning and Michaels.  Then, another $5 for spray paint, and VOILA!

So, a layer of plaint white (to kinda smooth the lines.)  Then a layer, or five, of the metallic paint...  

Let dry. Arrange. 

And bask in their glory.  


So, whaddaya think?  I had a moment where I thought it odd to start decorating a house that is 1/2 done, (I mean, come on!  The window behind these decorations is lacking, you know, TRIM.)  But... what the hell.  Tis the season for pumpkins!!!




Oh, and pay no attention to those pine cones.  Their day in the spotlight will come soon enough.

movin' on up to the east side!

Things, my friend, have changed!

1) My beau moved in.  And so did his stuff.  This is a good thing!  ...he has a KitchenAid.*

2) Old roomie moved out.

3) Almost every room in the house has been re-arranged.

4) The beau is hitting the ground running & helping get this place up-to-snuff!  Which means, small little home improvement projects EVERYWHERE!**

5) I am really, REALLY behind on posting about all of these.....

So, what is going to happen is, I will do a room-by-room update- from original condition to pre-bf condition to current.  BUT FIRST!  Take a gander at the mayhem:

waBAM!  That's right.  Solid. Wall. Of. Boxes.  AND this was after some "reorganizing so I can actually get in and out of the house"!

 There was a small aisle to get to the fishies (we realized that the poor buggers actually needed food.  And light-control.***)

Don't even think about getting back there!  ...sadly, the beau would ask where something was and I would immediately remember that it was in the back room.  The furthest room.  The hardest-to-get-to room.  Figures.

Oh, and the reason we didn't move everything straight into their delegated rooms (or at least, to more than ONE room), was that my renter was still in the house for another week.  Yup.  This was a week-long pleasure.  Next house: storage.  

The Sunday after move-in-Saturday, we re-arranged the master bedroom.  Even though the beau sold most of his old furniture, (except for a TV stand and DVD shelving unit,) we did keep his bedroom set.  Liked it more. This meant... 

 .... does anyone else live with a dresser covered in handy items?  Never know when you may need to grab that box-cutter & rush to a DIY emergency!

*KITCHENAID!!!!!

**Yup.  Tons of little projects.  No documentation.  Maybe I should make a New-Fall's Resolution...

***We've since put the fish light on a timer.  This is an excellent idea, if I do say so myself.  Makes life a lot easier for all those times we go out to dinner or sleep in... the fish can count on a regular cycle of "sun".

twist and shout: black pepper & parm twists

It's alive... ALIVE!!!*

So, I am still plagued by my broken keyboard at home, (no "c" or apostophe keys,) which makes my enthusiasm to use the computer increadibly minuscule.  And if I suffer, than so must you!**

I made these Black Pepper & Parmesan Twists (with Dip) for a celebratory party at work.  I loved the crackers (/twists... whatever.)  But, they did have a HUGE pepper kick to them.  It's easy to forget that good ol' table shaker black pepper actually can give a kick, but it does!  Especially, when you use a lot of it or use it as a highlighted flavor.  Anyways, I would say this recipe verged on too much black pepper.  I have cut the required amount in half for the recipe posted below, (though, I admit I have not tried it like this!  Whoops!)  But, I feel this will allow you to be liberal with sprinkling it on top if you taste and find it lacking a punch.  Don't get me wrong!  I loved these.  I liked the spice that, after a moment, left a lingering desire for more!  And was cooled off well with the dip.  Just think this would satisfy a largely crowd if not as intense.

Sadly, I don't have a recipe for the dip.  Because I made it up and didn't think to write it down!  It was sun-dried tomatoes, feta, sour cream and any leftover parmesan.... yup, that's all you get!  AND it was a HUGE HIT!  So, that makes it even worse.  Here's a picture and rave reviews for a dip that I will not tell you how to make.  You're welcome.


*It = the blog.  Not the pictured dip.... that would be weird.
**Yes, in this situation, you "suffer" by not being graced with my blog posts.  I know, I know... make it stop!


Black Pepper and Parmesan Twists
Adapted from Naturally Ella

1c whole wheat flour

1c white flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1/2c parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

1Tbsp black pepper, plus extra for topping*

4Tbsp olive oil

3/4c water

Pre-heat oven to 400degrees.

Combine whole wheat flour, white flour, baking powder, cheese, and black pepper in a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add 3Tbsps of olive oil and pulse until it looks like coarse meal.

Then add 1/2c water and let the processor run.  If the dough does not start coming together, start adding more water tablespoon by tablespoon.  Pulse after each addition until the dough comes together.

Scrape dough out onto a floured surface and roll out until 1/4" thick.  Try to shape into a rectangle as you roll.  Brush dough with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with extra cheese and black pepper.  Cut strips 1/2" wide and ~3” long (or to your desired thickness and length) and twist.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 14-15 minutes, until the twist are golden and crunchy.  You may need to adjust the baking time depending on thickness or size of twists.

*The original recipe called for 2Tbsp.  If you love black pepper, or want a cracker with a kick, up the dosage!  Just make sure not to go over 2Tbsps... or else!

to-may-to, to-mah-to

Wanna know a fun story?  ...you DO?!!  Well, here you are:

I knocked over my water, which in and of itself is nothing to write home about.  In fact, I would say I spill water almost everyday- either knocking it over or, more commonly, a bit of a dribble here and there when I try to drink from the klean kanteen (AWESOME gift, thanks Kray-dawg!)  Embarrassing, I know.  BUT, this time I got some on my lap-top.  And apparently, my reactions aren't what they used to be, because now the "c" and apostrophe keys don't work.  This makes typing VERY difficult, and shocker: to blog you need to type.  Oy.  But fear not!  I will work something out!

Meanwhile, the fella & I made pasta w/ tomato sauce.  Ooooh, Aaaah: the complexity! the excitement! the inventiveness & novelty of it all!  But, before you go, let me clarify!  This isn't just ANY tomato sauce.  Oh no, no no.  It's a tomato sauce with just 3 ingredients.  THREE!  The "recipe," if you can call it that, was all over the food blogs, and caught our interest.  So we made it.  

And the verdict?  It was delicious.  Simple, quick and elegant and all you need.  It is the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket just in case you got a jonesin for tomato sauce.  I think it is fin as it is, though wouldn't hold off on using it as a base for other, more elaborate meals, either.

Tomato Sauce with Butter & Onion

adapted from SmittenKitchen

28oz can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano)

5Tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion

  

Peel & trim the onion and cut it in half.

Put tomatoes, onion & butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, then turn to low- you want a slow but constant simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir now & again, and crush tomatoes against the side of the pan.  When done, remove from heat & throw away the onion.  Salt to taste.  Ta Da!!! Done!


And yes, that is a humongous piece of garlic bread.  And yes, I did have a second helping of bread.  I'm a girl who likes her garlic bread, so what?  Ya wanna fight about it?

grass is always less green...

I read blogs.  Food blogs, Renovation blogs, Decor blogs, Humor blogs.... and it's not often that I feel better about my house than others.  Ok, it's NEVER that I feel better about my house!  There are reasons: I've only been here a year while most everyone else is more established, I'm working on a really tight budget, my help is limited to when others are able to visit, my house was a dump to begin with, etc etc.

Except now, after seeing this post from Remodelaholic, I am feeling SO grateful that my place wasn't that bad!!!

So, while there are some rooms that reminded me of my own place....

.... I would have run away screaming after seeing these other rooms!

Everyone has a line.  I think mine is graffiti.  I get exhausted just thinking about all that work!  Let's hear it for people* willing to take on dilapidated houses!!!!  

*I believe the guy is a house-flipper.  His wife runs a family blog, which showed his awesome transformation.