Pergola furniture, finally! :-) YAY!!!

We've been wanting furniture for our Pergola for several years now.  Since we built it actually but it wasn't on the radar. Luckily, Home Depot and our good friend Martha Stewart had a fabulous sale on a set that we liked and wasn't too hard on the wallet!  Here it is!  BTW, if my terracotta pots look yucky it's because I've coated them in a moss milkshake.  Be on the look out for that post if you want your brand new pots to look divinely aged!!

NEW Terracotta with MOSS Milkshake painted on the side, Day 1!

Living in the living room

We are still in the process of turning our living room into a LIVING ROOM but since our current furniture budget is a big fat 0 I'll have to resort to daydreaming.  My favorite daydreaming/window shopping site is HOUZZ.  When we actually get to furnish the living room, we actually want to LIVE in it.  With 3 kids that we claim on our taxes and a multitude of other hungry young mouths to feed, we NEED a room to house them all in were we don't have to worry about them breaking something.  A room where they can kick their stinky feet up and feel at home.  Because believe me, when you have a house-full of 16 year olds and some 10 year olds too, you LEARN a lot.  AND you realize buying a couple extra pizzas and a few 2 liters of Coke is a small price to pay for what you get back in return!  Here are some of my inspiration living rooms from HOUZZ.  The first room is the actual paint color we used.

traditional living room design by charleston photographer Julia Ryan

traditional living room design by los angeles interior designer Kim Woods

traditional living room design by los angeles interior designer Kim Woods

traditional living room design by kansas city interior designer McCroskey Interiors

traditional living room design by other metros kitchen and bath Wildwood Cabinetry

traditional living room design by nashville architect Norris Architecture

eclectic living room design by orange county interior designer Fluegge Interior Design, Inc.

eclectic living room design by other metros interior designer Seaside Interiors

eclectic living room design by other metros design-build Farinelli Construction Inc

eclectic living room design by minneapolis general contractor John Kraemer & Sons

Party Hats and Comfort Food

The other day, a friend of mine's sweet little lady turned 1 and celebrated with a fabulous pink and green lady bug birthday party!  Turning 1 is a big deal so I decided to make Ms. Paige a birthday hat to go with her pretty party.  I've made these hats several times before, if you'd like to check out the tutorial, it's HERE!

These are so fun to make!  Try it if you haven't already!  I would LOVE to see what you make!


What is it about comfort food that seems to soothe your soul?   Have you ever noticed that certain food sort of goes with certain people.  For example, when you think of your Great Uncle Fred, you might immediately think of beer. Or wings.  Or wings and beer.  I often associate specific food with specific people.  Grandma's and comfort food go together.  I had seen a recipe for a jello salad on Pinterest called Orange Fluff and it totally made me think of my husband's grandmother.  Something about Jello salads just scream "GRANDMOM" to me!  We had dear little Nana over for dinner so it was the perfect occasion to try out the recipe.  It's full of mini marshmallows, cool whip and orange jello all mixed up into a creamy concoction of dreamsicle yumminess!  You totally have to make it!  The recipe is originally from the delightful blog Six Sisters Stuff  Here's the recipe:

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe:

1 large package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
1 large package orange jell-o
2 cups water
1 16 oz Cool-Whip (lite or fat-free is fine)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows 

1 can (drained) pineapple tidbits (Any size, depending on your preference)

2 cans (drained) mandarin oranges (Any size, depending on your preference)

Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has set (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

On to other schtuff...  I haven't shared a Peytonism in a while.  She's getting older (very sad face) so they are getting fewer and farther between but this is a GOOD one so I thought I had to share!  While early for the bus one morning last week, I decided we had just enough time to squeeze in some additional last minute studying before Peyton's Social Study test that day.  They had been learning about some early history of Maryland.  We pulled out her review sheet and I began asking her the questions.  Luckily, she was whizzing through them and giving perfect answers.  I finally asked the last question on the sheet.   This is how it went:   Me: "Name some of the founding fathers of Maryland."  Peyton: "John Calvert, ummm...Lord Baltimore and OH, what's that guy that played Jack in the TITANTIC?"  OK, so I'm a bit incredulous at this point not sure where this is going. Me:  "Leonardo DiCaprio?" Peyton:  "YES! Him!"   Before I can correct her, the bus pulls up, she quickly gives me a kiss and hops out of the car.  I can't wait to get this test back!?!

Early Spring at Terrain-stunning!

 TERRAIN at Styers.  If you live at all in a reasonably drive-able distance to Philadelphia then you simply must make the trip to Terrain.  In love with Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters?  Then you will lust the enchantment that is Terrain, a charter store owned by the two previous companies.  It's located in the pastoral Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, nestled nicely between antique stores set up in period homes and shopping centers with Home Goods and DSW Shoe Warehouse and the like.  This is a shopping MECCA!  I've blogged about Terrain once before, see that post here.

The store changes with each Season, perfectly displaying everything appropriate for that time of year.  This was my second early Spring trip and I was captivated as always.  Every single display is complete perfection!  I could LIVE in this store!  On the outside, the complex is made up of ramshackle barns and green houses seperated by gravel paths that have displays of their own.  There is also a large nursery area that carries obviously well tended, high quality plants, shrubs and trees.  

The real magic happens when you step foot into the main building. It's bucolic and elegant all in one with fabulous antiques and vintage furniture hold intricate displays of all sorts of goodies that you feel you must have!  Reclaimed wood and zinc topped tables showcase gorgeous table settings with ideas that you are going to want to remember!  There were pretty hickory cutting boards used as chargers and glazed terracotta saucers that I wanted to snatch up.  This store makes you wish you didn't have a budget!  After you finish shopping, there is a lovely cafe set up in an antique greenhouse bursting with lush plants and flowers. They have a huge collection of various teas, hot and cold and a tea of the day.  Hot bread is served in a sweet terracotta pot with a bit of whipped butter topped with sea salt.  The bread was so good, I ordered an extra loaf to bring home to my kids! Enjoy the photos!

Rainbow Birthday Party

My youngest, Peyton is addicted to Pinterest just as much as the rest of us.  I've probably mentioned that once or 5 times before.  It's so cute because she has some boards that make me giggle: makeup (she just turned 10), nursery, 3 different party boards, cute babies, etc. When it came time to party planning for her 10th Birthday, she had definite ideas about what she wanted.  I think she's happy that she has a Momma crazy enough to TRY to accommodate some of them!  EDIT: The Rainbow invites are here if you'd like to check them out!

A little over 2 months ago she decided on a Rainbow theme.  As much as I love pastels for little girls and the pink and white shabby colors we've had the past couple birthday parties, I was excited for a bunch of bright colors.  The theme was set so the fun began!  I started picking up clear containers for the candy at Goodwill.  I already had a bunch of milk glass(from GW too!) that I figured that I would use sparingly.  The only containers that I didn't get there were the 3 apothecary jars.  I already had one, purchased the tall one(peeps) and borrowed one.  I bargained shopped candy everywhere I went and online and hid it all over the house.  We are a family of sweet thooth's so having candy around meant that we wouldn't have any for the party!  I will say when I got it all out a couple days before the party, I was surprised at how much I had!  This also happens to me with stocking stuffers every year!

 Armed with oodles of coupons, I attacked JoAnn's for fabric and ribbon.  First I sewed the felt garland.  I had seen a similar one on Pinterest.  It was EASY, CHEAP and I will definitely make it again in whatever color I need!  I then started on the buntings.  I am addicted to them after last years pretty pink one.  If I were to do it over again for this party, I would have changed the fabric to small patterned fabric in the rainbow colors instead.  Peyton helped sew these and had a blast and did a great job.  They are hung high toward the ceiling, you'll have to look for them to see.  I used 3M "Command" strips and they took off the paint and drywall paper in two spots on my ceiling.  Good thing the kitchen needed it's ceiling painted!  From the ceiling we hung the buntings, swirly streamer thingies, pretty tulle poufs, honeycomb balls and paper lanterns. The last "project" for this part was the rainbow tablecloth that is all over Pinterest.  I will be the first person to tell you that I am "sewing" challenged.  I sew much better on paper for scrapping then I do on any cloth.  This project totally put me to the test.  It was HARD.  As in I'm NEVER doing that again, hard.  If I had drawn lines the proper width apart where the rows of colored stripes were to go I probably would have enjoyed the process and liked my final project much better.  You live you learn.  I MAY do this again in an ombre effect for the twins b-day but now I no what NOT to do!

P and I both wanted to have a rainbow cake (again I know you've seen these too allover you know where) and it was fun to do!  Lot's of food coloring but kids and food coloring go hand in hand.  Well not always but at parties!  Peyton also wanted the cute little rainbow cupcakes using candy sour belts as the rainbow.  These were easy but I won't buy these Wilton cupcake cups again.  They darkened a LOT in the oven and the cupcakes themselves were really shallow and the frosting pulled away from the wrappers leaving them not very pretty.  Sorry Wilton, but as pretty as they were in the box, I think they are a FAIL for me. ;-(  

Back to the fun stuff...Here are a few tips I picked up from this party.1. The glasses are recycled TARGET bottled cappuchino.  The Starbucks ones no longer work because the label isn't pull off like the Target ones.  Cheaper too although this year, I'm saving them for the next party.  Even though Cole loves to have to empty the new ones. 2. The little flags on the straws are just strips of scrapbook paper, double sided tape and the ends are cut with the corner of a square punch. EASY!  3. Buy swirly lollipops from Oriental Trading, soooo much cheaper, then add a scrap of ribbon for some flair.  Oriental trading will then send you a coupon for 25% your next purchase, then buy the rest of the supplies you need!  4. GW is the best place for clear glass containers!  5. Don't make a rainbow tablecloth without penciling it out. ;-)

I've been long winded enough, here are the rest of the photos!   ...oh and one last little tidbit 'bout Peyton.  She likes to not be home while I'm setting up her party and then arrive about a half hour before the party starts so she can "be surprised" -those are her words.  It's a bit of a lot of pressure!  That's her happy little face when she first walked in.  I love it!

Here's the birthday girl during her "photo shoot" for her birthday invites you can see here!