A Cozy Night In

This time of year always seems so busy, so last evening my husband and I were thankful for a cozy night in. This coming week will be filled with Christmas festivities, and it was nice to have a quiet, relaxing evening. We had been given a fresh pineapple, and I had some bananas on hand - so I thought I would whip up a little snack for our evening. I melted some milk chocolate with a little bit of oil, cut up our fruit, and we enjoyed some yummy fondue while watching Jack Frost. Perfect night in!

By the way, I'm loving this little clay dish I recently purchased at TJ Maxx. It was perfect for the fondue. I was able to use it on the stove top to melt the chocolate, and it made a very cute dipping dish!

Homemade Gift

Last weekend I went to a Christmas party, and we were told to bring a handmade gift for an exchange. I had seen on Pinterest the idea to add hardware to a crate to dress it up a little. I asked my wonderful husband to make me a crate and to then attach these handles. I'm thankful he's so talented, and I was very happy with how it turned out! I filled it with a tartan scarf, and some homemade goodies (including one of our loofah scrubbers!) I've requested that he make me yet another crate (for myself). I think it would look lovely with some fresh greens and berries arranged inside of it - rustic Christmas!

Loofah Sponges

 In the Spring, I had read in a gardening magazine about home grown loofahs, and I was amazed as I had never realized a loofah was actually a plant. Of course, with this new realization, we had to give it a try! 

We had one loofah plant that did really well, and produced several of the squash. Unfortunately, we planted it a little late, and the typical process to harvest our loofahs could not be followed. It did not mature enough by the time cold weather started creeping in, so it could not dry on the vine. I picked the loofahs in the beginning of November, and expected them to just rot. I still thought I'd try and salvage them, as I had been so excited about having these.

 I first cut off the ends of the loofah squash, and then peeled the green skin off. I  filled the sink with hot and soapy water, and worked on getting the seeds and other "gunky" matter out. Once the loofahs were clean, I placed them on a dish towel to dry for several days. I am so excited that they actually turned out perfect! My husband added some handles to them, and they are going to make some great Christmas gifts this year! Pair them with some homemade soap, or a body scrub. We plan to grow a lot more next year!

Herringbone Throw

While I don't so much like cold weather, I do love that autumn brings a bit of coziness into my home. Who doesn't love snuggling up with a blanket on a crisp fall evening? I have somewhat of an obsession with throws - especially those in neutral colors. I also happen to adore all things herringbone. I came across a herringbone throw on a site called Linen and Boxwoods (side note: when I first heard the name of the shop, I knew I would be in love with all of their products.) Anyway! I saw this throw and wanted it badly, but the price (+ shipping costs) was more than I wanted to pay. I seem to run into this problem a lot! When this happens, I often go to Amazon.com to see if I can find a similar item for a lot less. Amazon.com pulled through for me - not only did they have a similar one, they had the EXACT same one available (Herringbone Throw). I chose the gray color because it went best with our living room colors, but I'm still lusting a little after the camel color. It arrived several days ago, and I'm so happy with it. It's beautiful and cozy. Great gift idea too!

 

 

Olive Topiary Tree

I'm pretty excited about this little gem I found! I recently saw, in a Ballard Designs catalog, an olive topiary. I loved it, but I just have a slight issue purchasing fake plants. I'd much rather have the live plant in my home. I think it adds character, and there is a sense of satisfaction in keeping it alive and looking nice. I was browsing etsy, and found an awesome little etsy shop that had an olive tree topiary for sale! (TuscanyTopiary)

It was fairly cheap - $30 plus shipping, and it is absolutely perfect. The terracotta pot it arrived in gives it such a Mediterranean feel. If you have a green thumb, and love topiaries, I highly recommend this little shop.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Right now my kitchen smells so amazing. I just pulled out two loaves of freshly baked chocolate zucchini bread. I've been freezing lots of shredded zucchini just so I can make this throughout the year. Earlier in the summer we were at a picnic and had this bread. It was delicious - the best zucchini bread I've ever tasted! The recipe comes from Taste of Home, and it is very simple. It makes a great hostess gift for all of those summer get togethers, and it is yet another great recipe for all that zucchini growing in your garden. I know in the fall and winter when I'm craving some comfort foods, this will absolutely satisfy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Sunday Baking - New Bowls!

For months I regularly looked at these mixing bowls on Pottery Barn's website wishing they were in my kitchen. I kept hoping they'd run a sale or go on clearance - I loved these bowls. I tried to forget about them and tell myself I really didn't need them -but they're just so pretty! And it is of those purchases that I don't regret at all! After talking with my husband about how wonderful it would be to have them, he said " buy them." I was a bit surprised at his response, because he doesn't often encourage me to buy stuff (he usually talks me out of it!) After thinking about it though, I bake A LOT. At least 2-3 times a week! I'd get plenty of use out of these bowls, and my other plastic mixing bowl set was cracked. I felt I could justify this purchase, even if it was a bit more than I'd normally spend for mixing bowls. I finally caved in the beginning of July and ordered these mixing bowls (with a free shipping coupon to save a little bit of money). Then I waited, and waited. They went on back order for like three weeks. As soon as I got the "shipped" email, I checked the tracking information like 10 times a day. Finally, the day they were at my front door, I was so excited - only to open a package filled with broken and chipped bowls; what a let down! Pottery Barn was quick to replace my order though, and a week (a very loong week) later they arrived in tact. This time perfect! 

Rhodes Mixing Bowls - Pottery Barn

This Sunday evening was a perfect night to get some use out of them. I was craving some chocolate, so I used my favorite Brownie Recipe. Mmm, great way to end the weekend!

Honey

I love the simple things in life, and one of those simple things that brings me joy is honey. Starting my day with a hot cup of tea with honey makes me smile. One day I hope to have my own hives, and be able to harvest my own honey, but for now the store bought kind will do. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I've discovered one of the most amazing honeys out there by the Savannah Bee Company. For my birthday this year, a friend got me a gift box full of honey related items - body lotion, lip balm, a honey pot, and of course a jar of honey! The flavor of this Tupelo honey is great! Anything I bake with it tastes extra delicious. Tonight, I made a honey corn bread (recipe from the taylor house), and it tasted so sweet. The most amazing corn bread, made with the most amazing honey!

Svannah Bee Company

Sweet Honey Corn Bread

Homemade Soap

On my day off yesterday, I finally tackled a project I've been wanting to do for quite some time - make homemade soap. For my birthday this winter, my husband bought me some supplies. I've been patiently waiting to plant and grow my herbs ever since. I've never made soap before, so I started off the easy way - with a soap base. I have purchased lye, but I'm not confident enough yet to try it out. I've got a bit more researching to do :).

This turned out to be really fun. If you have kids, it's an easy project I'm sure they would love to help you with. 

To make this soap I used:

1lb of goats milk glycerin soap base

1/2 tsp lavender essential oil

4-5 sprigs of dried lavender flowers

4-5 sprigs of fresh lavender stems

Rubbing alcohol

Soap mold

First, I removed the dried buds from my lavender stalks, and chopped up my fresh stems. Then I chopped up my soap base into one inch cubes. I microwaved the soap base in a Pyrex measuring cup for 15 second intervals stirring in between. 

When my soap was fully melted, I added in my chopped lavender and essential oil.

Then I poured it into my soap molds, and sprayed with rubbing alcohol to remove the tiny bubbles. I let it cool for about 3-4 hours on the counter before popping them out of the molds.

Then I just had to make cute little labels for them. I'm so pleased with how they turned out!  You can incorporate any essential oil and herbs you'd like. My next scent is going to be lemongrass and rosemary. 

These homemade soaps would make perfect hostess gifts paired with a linen tea towels. 

Berry Box Colander

I'm in love with these ceramic berry boxes. I first saw beautiful handmade ones at a cute shop in Glenside, PA while visiting some friends - but they were a little pricey. I happened to come across a similar style on pinterest, and it was linked to Crate and Barrel. I was so excited when I saw these lovely berry colanders were only $4.95 each! I picked up three of them, and I couldn't be happier with this product. Add a little charm to your brunch and serve fresh fruit in these! And, how cute of gift would this be to fill with berries from your garden?

Crate and Barrel Berry Box

Strawberry Pie with Short Bread Crust

The first week of June is my favorite. My husband and I get to celebrate our anniversary and usually take a few days off, the weather is always perfect, and I can expect fresh strawberries about this time. Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits, and with them I make my favorite summer dessert - Fresh Strawberry Pie!

I always make my strawberry pie with a short bread crust - a very simple recipe.

Mix together 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of flour, and 1 TBSP of sugar. Then you press the dough into a pie plate and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. 

After your pie shell is cool, cut into halves about a quart of fresh strawberries

Next, mix 3/4 cup sugar, 2 TBSP of corn starch, and 1 1/2 cups of water together in a saucepan. Cook this mixture on medium heat until it becomes thick and clear. Remove the pan from the heat, and mix in (1) 3 oz box of strawberry jello. Place your fresh strawberries onto your cooled pie crust, and then pour the jello mixture over the top. Refrigerate until the jello sets.

Can't wait to enjoy a piece of this deliciousness! 

Garden Harvest Baskets

Recently, my husband has taken an interest in woodworking. For months he has been watching instructional Youtube videos, reading books, and looking at tools. Within the last few weeks he purchased some tools and set out to try a few projects. He turned out to be pretty good at it!

Yesterday was our 3rd anniversary, and he gave me his first completed project - Garden Harvest Baskets! I've been wanting one of these for so long, but they are so expensive. I am super excited to have these beautiful baskets, and they're extra special because he put a lot of time and effort into making them for me :)

They are great for collecting eggs and gathering produce from the garden! I'm so thankful for a talented husband.

Herb Garden

It's been a while since I've posted, and that is because it's so hard to be inside with all of this gorgeous Spring weather. My free time has been spent taking walks, going for runs, kayaking, and of course gardening! I thought for this post I would share a little bit of my fun! 

Last year around the time of my birthday, I saw this amazing planter on Pinterest that I knew would be perfect for my herb garden. It was listed for several hundred dollars online, so I knew I wouldn't be purchasing it! I went to my wonderfully, talented dad and showed him a picture. For my birthday, he made an exact replica (I actually like the one he made even better than the online version), and I stained it. Not only was it less than $50 in materials to make, but it also has sentimental value and a handwritten note from my dad on the bottom. He used black locust wood as it lasts a long time and is not quick to decay. Below is a picture of my handmade planter.

Last weekend, I was able to get some of my herbs planted in it! I love cooking with fresh herbs throughout the summer. I planted some oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, chives, and sage in my planter. I also have a container of spearmint, and multiple lavender herbs along the side of our house. I cannot wait to can our dill pickles, make lavender biscotti, and cook up some delicious Italian food! Recipes to come throughout the summer months :) 

Turkish Towel

Last Spring I was searching for the perfect blanket for our ottoman. I didn't want something too heavy that looked sloppy, or something that left a lot of lint on light colored furniture. I searched Amazon.com for something in our price range, and I came across some Turkish Towels. They were linen... so of course I immediately was attached, and I loved the look of them.  When it came in the mail, it was lightweight and shed-free. Best of all, it was a great price! Recently, I've seen these towels around a lot in magazines and online. Even though they're called "towels", they can really have other uses. They do not resemble your typical towel at all.  I've heard they do make great bath towels, but I have yet to try that. If you are looking for the perfect gift, I highly recommend these Turkish towels :)

Turkish Towel

Le Cruset Dutch Oven

Whew! It's been a busy last two weeks - not a whole lot of time to sit down and blog! Today, I'm excited to post about a new kitchen toy I've picked up :) For the last year I've had my eye on a Le Cruset dutch oven... but they're sooo expensive! I would regularly check random places looking for a deal, and I finally found one! If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be this excited about a dutch oven, I would have laughed at you. They have so many lovely colors to choose from, but I've had my eye on the dijon color from their classic line. The new yellow (soleil) is also pretty, but its a bit to bright for me! I like that this one is more mustard colored. It fits in a little better with my kitchen. I also love their caribbean blue and the palm green, but those two colors didn't go as nicely with the rest of my kitchen decor. I have yet to make anything in my dutch oven because we've been so busy, but I cannot wait to finally scratch out some time to make a delicious soup. 

Le Cruset Dutch Oven

artichokes

The past few months I've developed a liking for artichokes. It started with the artichoke napkins I made (see previous post), then decorating with dried artichokes, and now this beautiful ceramic white artichoke. (I actually purchased it for my friend for her birthday, and I loved it so much that I added it to my birthday wishlist). I've also purchased artichoke seeds to add to our garden this year! Apparently, I'm not alone in this new artichoke obsession. As I've been paging through all of my home decor magazines and venture into stores, I spot random artichokes all over the place. I've seen artichoke lamps, artichoke salt and pepper shakers, and numerous other things with artichokes.

Below is a picture of my new ceramic artichoke. I love it, and I love that it's white. I'm not usually one to purchase nic nacs... but I caved for this one. 

This is a Home Decorator's Collection item purchased from Amazon.

I've loved decorating with artichokes, but I've never actually eaten an artichoke. Right now as I'm typing, I have one steaming on the stove top. Hopefully I love to eat them as much as I love decorating with them!

flower painted measuring cups

Who knew that my favorite wedding gift would be something so small and something I hadn't even registered for.  When I opened these beautiful measuring cups I was pretty excited. Out of the mountains of gifts we received, this tiny package held a lovely surprise. I admit though, I don't use them as measuring cups. They are just too pretty to use as a kitchen tool, and I fear I may chip one of them. I have them on display in my kitchen on the window sill, and occasionally I'll use them for entertaining. They are great for putting sugar in to serve with coffee, used as dip bowls, and they would make a great display for an ice cream topping bar! Later this year we are having a garden themed party, and I'm sure these will make an appearance. 

I believe that they were purchased from anthropologie, but they are no longer an available product. They do have similar ones for sale here - Anthropologie Measuring Cups

Southern Living

Southern Living is my favorite magazine... especially this time of year! It gets me excited for Spring gardening and decorating. I've always wanted to live in the south, and I love all the recipes, decorating tips, and stories this magazine shares. Southern Living has a product line through Ballard Designs, and everything is amazing. Whenever I think about the South, I think warm weather, beautiful flowers, southern hospitality, sweet tea, and great food. This magazine reflects all of that! I get an instant mood boost whenever it arrives in the mail, and I know exactly how my evening will be spent :) 

Garden Seat

Recently, garden seats have been in all the home decor magazines. At first, I wasn't completely sold, but now I love them! I received this garden seat (below) from a friend for my birthday last year. She purchased it at TJMaxx, and the same one can also be purchased from Ballard Designs. They look great both indoors and outdoors. The stool can be used for extra seating, a table for drinks, or as a plant stand as I have here. I've seen so many unique designs with these stools. Here's a link to another seat that I love (on sale now!) Elise Garden Stool

Searching online for these garden seats can be frustrating-most of them cost $100 or more.  For cheaper options, look in stores like TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods. I saw this exact stool (above) at TJMaxx a few months ago for $40. -Ballard Designs sells it for $129! I'm all about a good deal :)

Entertaining Pieces

I love entertaining pieces. I especially love the styles of Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs. Having friends over for meals can be a bit stressful at times due to all the preparations, but I love it because I get to use my favorite tabletop dishes! White/Cream entertaining dishes always catch my eye when I'm browsing. They go well with 

anything, and I love the clean and simple look. 

In the picture below, I pulled out a few of my favorites. I got the trifle bowl as a gift, so I'm not sure exactly where it came from. It adds a lot of elegance to a simple dessert! I have made numerous trifles and desserts in this dish, and it always looks great. 

I also love my beverage containers. In the very back  of the picture there is a large glass jar with a ladle for serving. I prefer this style over a standard punch bowl. You can't see it - but the lid and ladle are hammered, and I love that extra detail. You can fill it up with your favorite punch recipe, and I like to add in some fresh fruit. I also love my juice jars. These are perfect for brunches. I've seen so many versions of the juice jar, and I love them all. Next to my juice jar is my milk carafe. Another great piece for brunches!  I purchased all three of these beverage dispensers at Pottery Barn.

It is difficult to see in the photo, but on my serving trays are three miniature pitchers. I received these as a gift, and they are part of the Southern Living Collection from Ballard Designs. They are the cutest little pitchers ever. They work great for salad dressing and sauces. I hate having a salad dressing bottle on the table when hosting a meal, and these were absolutely perfect for it!

These are just a few of my favorite pieces, I could go on and on! Entertaining pieces are probably my favorite thing to shop for! We don't have a whole lot of space in our home, so I try and purchase pieces that are versatile and that coordinate well with the rest of my collection.