Vintage Pretties

Hometown Postcards

I'm a little behind on blogging this week.  Or, rather, last week.  I was either working on a grad school project or running errands, it seemed.  Oh, and I went to my first librarian conference!  It was great -- so inspirational.  I can't wait to be a librarian and use all of the good ideas that I'm collecting.

I'm making progress on decorating projects.  I sewed and hung the shower curtain for Hope's bathroom and purchased the paint.  I'll be painting this week and will hopefully get up the new fixtures next week.  I'm sure that I'll be able to buy them next week, but whether Glenn will put them up is another story....

I finished up a small decorating project that I've been working on.  I've been seeing photos on blogs in which couples will frame a map that shows where each of them is from & where they live now. Jumping off of that idea, I decided to track down vintage postcards of Glenn & my hometowns and frame them with an old postcard of D.C. that I already had. ( I thought of getting a postcard of our actual current location, a town in Northern Virginia, outside of D.C., but apparently, prior to the 1970s, our town contained a motel. And nothing else.)

Here is the finished project:

The Carnegie Library in Salem, Indiana (Glenn's hometown),the White House in D.C, and College Avenue circa 1920s in State College, PA (my hometown). 

It took me several months to find the perfect hometown postcards.  For Glenn's hometown, I was specifically looking for a photo of the library, which is one of the nicest buildings in town and holds many fond memories for Glenn.  Finding a postcard of State College was far more difficult, though.  Since State College is home to Penn State, most of what I found were photos of the university.  Although I love Penn State and it was integral in my childhood, I really wanted a photo of the town.  I finally found this one, which shows the street on which my parents owned our candy store when I was a little girl.

I'm very happy with how it turned out.  I'm working on several projects for the family room, so I hope that I'll be able to show you this picture as part of the room soon.

Spring & Easter Table Settings

The weather here has turned decidedly spring-like and I'm starting to think about Easter.  I'd like to have a nice Easter dinner & set a pretty table that feels like spring. I'm drawn to table settings that are simple and natural but elegant. 

I just love the fresh spring colors with the natural grasses & wicker. Which is your favorite?

sources: My Culinary Canvas, Pottery Barn, Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart, Between You & Me

Menu Planning Early March

sources: Jenny Steffens Hobick, Eating Well, An Edible Mosaic

Over the next few weeks, I'm mixing up very easy meals with just one or two meals that are little more time consuming.  I've reached the point in the semester when I need to buckle down and get cracking on papers and projects, so quick but yummy will be key for dinner. 

This is the last stretch of winter before the farmers markets start to open around here.  I'm hoping that April will bring fresh asparagus and broccoli...and give me an excuse to bring home a loaf of artisan bread from a baker whose stall always beckons.

The menu for the next week or so:

Sloppy Joes

Zucchini Fries

Kaytucky Chicken

Mashed Potatoes

Mixed Salad with Oranges & Cranberries

 

Trader Joe's Masala Sauce with Chicken

Steamed Broccoli

Rice and/or Naan Bread

 

Parmesan Crusted Fish

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Wild Rice

 

Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce

Garlic Mashed Potato Cakes

Broccoli with Pine Nuts & Lemon

 

French Dip Sandwiches

Carrots with Dill

 

French Dip Sandwiches are one of my family's favorite winter recipes -- soooo easy & soooo good!

French Dip Sandwiches

3 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed

1 can each: French onion soup, condensed beef consomme, condensed beef broth

 

Halve roast & place in crockpot.  Pour the soups over the roast.  Cover & cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred meat with forks & serve on rolls.  Serving cooking juice as a dipping sauce in small bowls.

I am sharing this post at Stone Gable's On The Menu Monday

Personalized Towel Set -- Yellow & Pink Bathroom

It's funny how publicly announcing that you will start a project really motivates you to actually start the project.  Case in point: Hope's bathroom.  I posted about it here and the next day decided that I should get started.  I'm still waiting on the fabric for the shower curtain to come in the mail, so I made one of the key accessories for the space, personalized towels.

I'm very fortunate to have recently gotten an embroidery sewing machine on which I can applique and embroider designs.  I picked up a nice white towel set and made up the design as I went along, using embroidery designs that I purchased online. 

A few close ups of the design. 

I would love to tell you that I just whipped this up in no time, but it actually took me two afternoons to complete the set.  I'm sure that someone who had a) a plan laid out ahead of time b) more experience c) an extremely fancy machine that would have sewn the entire design all at once could have done it more quickly.

They turned out to be so cheerful, it makes me excited to move forward on the rest of the room.  The fabric for the shower curtain in on order & I have a folder full of paint chips, ready to be matched up.  I will, of course, keep you updated.

Hope's Bathroom -- Pink & Yellow Bathroom

My next house project is Hope's bathroom (aka the main bath).  There is nothing that I love better than a new decorating project, as you well know.

What Hope wants: She has requested yellow walls, mostly, I suspect because she had yellow walls in her bath in the old house & she is a creature of habit. Also, we've got to have pink in there because it's her FAVORITE color. 

What I want: A cheerful room that is fun but not too kiddy because guests also use this bathroom.  Girly but a little sophisticated.

What we are working with: Basicly, a blank slate.  White walls, white tile & cherry cabinets.  Builder grade lighting & fixtures.  Standard cream colored cultured marble counters.  At the moment, the counters & faucets will remain the same.  Down the road, I definitely want to change out the faucets and possibly the counters.

I've spent a long time online searching for the perfect pieces to fit my vision and I think that I've finally found them.  A nice pale yellow for the walls (lighter than the one shown above).  This gorgeous Heather Bailey fabric for the shower curtain:

source: Heather Bailey

 
And, I'm in love with this print that I found on Etsy, featuring the words to one of my favorite songs:

source: YassisPlace on Etsy

I'll add glass knobs to the cabinets and choose upgraded lights and fixtures similar to the ones that I show above.  I'm excited to start on this project -- I will definitely keep you updated!

 

Field Trip!

Today was a first for me -- chaperoning a school field trip.  The entire first grade traveled to the Smithsonian American History Museum to coincide with their recent unit on famous Americans.  We first stopped by the Presidents Room (where George Washington & Abraham Lincoln were of particular interest) and then onto the First Lady's Room, where we were required to find Eleanor Roosevelt's inaugural gown (which was surprisingly pretty). We also checked out the White House china, where the girls were pretty impressed by the gold flatware on display (I wish I could remember which administration it was from).


Then, we were free to wander about with our little groups of 2-3 kids.  Here is Hope & another student checking out a real piece of history -- a View Master! 

I was really surprised to see what Hope found interesting -- the First Lady dresses? Nope.  Dumbo from a Disneyland ride? Only OK.  The Star Spangled Banner?  Mommy, can we go back & see it again??!!  I guess that I have a little patriot on my hands.

Ballard Design Cord Cover Knock Off Tutorial

source: Ballard Designs

I have a little lamp in our kitchen that has a cord that hangs down off the side of the counter.  That cord has always irritated me.  Then, I saw Ballard Design's cord covers.  What an elegant solution!  However, $25-$35 seemed a bit steep to me.  I pulled out some fabric leftover from the living room curtains & whipped up a cord cover that I think looks very much like the Ballard version!

It was super easy too.  Here is what you do:

Measure the circumference of the plug at it's widest point, as well as the length of the cord.  Cut out a long piece of fabric that is about double the length of the cord and about 1/4 inch wider than the circumference of the plug.  Pin a hem on each short end of the fabric & sew.

Fold the fabric in half longways & pin.  Sew a 1/4 inch seam down the side.

Take one end & turn the tube right side out.  It's not hard, but takes awhile, so you might want to watch TV while doing this.

Pull the cover over the cord, scrunching up the fabric to give it a gathered look.  Ta Da!  You now have a Ballard Design look alike for practically free!

Menu Planning

sources: southern living, savorysweet life, skinnytaste

Getting hungry?  So was I.  I've been really bored with cooking and what we've been eating recently. Last year was so busy with the move & starting school that I really slid into a cooking rut. 

Recently I realised that I love the feeling of coming up with a really good dinner. I feel so satisfied when we sit down together and I've put together a table full of goodness. It's like a little celebration on a regular night.

Taking time to plan a menu has really helped me get creative and devise great meals.  I've been trying a lot of new recipes as well.  Some are great, some won't get a second go-around. 

I'm sharing my menu for the current two weeks -- it helps keep me organized and maybe you'll take away a few ideas!

Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes and  Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Shallots

Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce, Steamed Broccoli and Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Ginger-Cilantro Pork Chops, Wild Rice and Squash and Chive Pancakes

Ham & Bean Soup and Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts, Shaved Parmesan and Poppy Seed Dressing

Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken, Balsamic Asparagus and Buttered Noodles

Herb and Potato Chip Crusted Beef Tenderloin, Brussel Sprouts Braised in Butter and Orzo

My friend Cindy told me how to make balsamic asparagus and it is now one of my favorite ways to prepare asparagus.  And, it's so easy!

Balsamic Asparagus

1 pound asparagus

1 T. balsamic vinegar

kosher salt

olive oil (about 1 teaspoon)

Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces and place in a skillet that has been sprayed with olive oil (or about 1 teaspoon oil).  Sprinkle on balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.  Saute on medium for about 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp but can be pierced easily with a fork. 

You can also make this on the grill by leaving the asparagus stems whole and tossing them with the vinegar & salt before grilling.

The Weekend That Was

I'm getting back to work after spending long weekend with Hope & Glenn.  We'd hoped that we would finally get snow this weekend, but the storm passed us by, again.  So, we had to think of other fun activities in lieu of sledding and snowball fights.

Hope has been a voracious reader for the past few months, so on Saturday we went to both the library & a used bookstore to load up on her favorite series, The Rainbow Fairies.  She lined them all up on a chair & dug right in.  On Monday, she declared that she wanted to build a library, so I helped her construct a "bookshelf" out of a cardboard box. She issued Glenn & I library cards and started calling herself "The Junior Librarian". She "checked out" our books by "scanning the barcodes" (complete with a beeping sound) & informed us of the due dates. I swear, I did not suggest any of this to her.

On Sunday, I took her over to the pool for her lessons.  She has really improved in swimming since we went to the pool so often last summer. Almost every day, she tells me that she can't wait until the summer, when she can go back to the pool.  As far as lessons go, I'm hoping that she will finally get the hang of it soon & we can be done with them.  But, whatever it takes.

On Sunday, I spent a few hours sewing new pillow covers for the family room.  I'm loving the crimson & polka dots. In the evening, I watched the season finale of Downton Abbey. Every Sunday night since the beginning of the year, I've sat in front of the fire with a candle burning & escaped to Edwardian England.  What shall I do until Season 3 starts?  Thank goodness Mad Men will be starting in just a month!

Girl's Night Out Book Exchange Party

It's been a busy week so far, with Valentine's Day on Tuesday, Hope's picture day on Wednesday, two grad school projects and volunteering.  It's good, though.  It's so wonderful to see Hope so excited about holidays and creating memories that I know that she will have for a lifetime.

Last weekend, I hosted a girl's night out book exchange at my house.  Everyone brought a few books or magazines that they no longer wanted and everyone got to take a few home.  I provided a buffett of mini desserts (so that everyone could try a bit of everything!) and a coffee and cocoa bar with a variety of add-ins. As a favor, I made up simple bookmarks with an image of a Victorian woman reading. 

The best part was being able to share time with my girlfriends without the obligation of children or distraction of spouses/boyfriends.  We laughed so hard and everyone agreed that we need to have more girls nights.