Family Dinner

It's easy to get caught up in life, but having family dinners are a great way to reconnect. Since my mom was here visiting at the beginning of September, I promised her we'd have family dinners at least a few times a week. Complete with new dishes and serving-ware (which I also use when I host brunch), we've been holding up our end of the deal.



From crockpot roast to taco salads, and most recently some grilled chicken- we turn off the TV and sit down together to talk about our days (oh, and don't forget to pour the wine!)

Make Me Over: Kitchen

Maybe you read my post about painting kitchen cabinets and had an inkling that I might be doing some kitchen projects soon.

Well, guess what- I am!

It all started with one look at this to die for white kitch.

I love the brightness of this room, it just looks so clean and inviting. So I thought maybe I'd like to take my kitchen from its Bistro days to something a little more classic. So what does that involve exactly? Well, let's take a look.

Since my kitchen and dining area open to each other, they really needed to be considered together.

The first step is to continue the light wall color over to the walls painted red. This is "Burnished Clay" by Behr. Because the red is so vibrant, I'll be using Behr's Ultra Paint-and-Primer-In-One to save on time and coats!

Next I'll try my hand at tiling a backsplash- and after much indecision, I've decided on a brick style travertine.

I had been considering a slate tile, but I think when it comes down to it, the travertine has more mass appeal for later resale. Plus, it will be more neutral so I can change up my decor more easily (given my history, you know).

After tiling, I may take a break...but if I still have some motivation, I'll say goodbye to my light maple contractor stock cabinets and hello to creamy white doors with some character. I haven't yet decided if I want to play around with a two tone look (as in, painting the bottom and top differently-or painting the bottom only and leaving the top alone).

And, you know that boring counter I have?

I'll be covering it with some bead board painted to match, and finish with some base molding.

So, are you a white kitchen fan, or does it scream sterile and boring to you? I think the interest comes in the details, whether it's retro hardware, colorful accents, or textures like bead board.

Crafty Friends=Awesome Gifts

I recently had a birthday, and check out these awesome personalized notecards my friend Amy whipped up for me!





I love everything from the pattern to the colors. Thanks so much Amy!

If you want to see more of Amy's crafty-work, check out her blog, Good Day!

Goldi-lamp

When it comes to lamp shades, are there really any rules? What size and shape really makes the difference?

I decided to do a little experiment and find out. We desperately needed a floor lamp in our living room by our new couch, so I brought down the one from our upstairs reading nook and gave it a makeover.

Here's what it looked like.



Try to ignore the crooked-ness, I was going to fix that during the makeover process. Armed with Krylon's Oil Rubbed Bronze rattle can, I gave the painted-white-brass-lamp a new look in less than 10 minutes.



There was a problem though-the lamp shade looked awkward. I wasn't sold on it, but I couldn't put my finger on why. Finally it occurred to me that it seemed just a little too short. Isn't the shade supposed to cover the switch apparatus?



This faux leather shade was neat, but just a little bit long. I felt it was overpowering the swing arm feature, and the exaggerated bell shape was a bit too much.

Ah, just right.

The length is a little shorter than option #2, and the shape is more streamlined. I think this is the best fit (and also cheaper!), but what do you think? Hurry up before I take the plastic off!

To Paint Or Not To Paint

Hmmmm, that is the question I'm asking myself these days with regards to my kitchen cabinets. Although they are in near perfect condition, the light wood veneer and lackluster style screams contractor special.



Adding hardware did help, but I'd really like to add more custom touches. Since I love to cook and entertain, I want it to reflect my style and personality.

Fortunately, the kitchen and dining area really do need to be repainted. I didn't do a great job in the first place, and now that I've repainted most of the other rooms (with improved technique) in the house, the red accent walls stick out as less than stellar.

And then there's the fact that I'm just  bored with the red/black bistro look. It has been 3 1/2 years, maybe it's time for a change. I'd love to do a new wall color and add a tile backsplash. I suppose the colors I choose for these projects will determine whether or not I should paint the cabinets.

I do love a classic white kitchen...

But other colors are appealing as well.

So, what do you think? Should I paint the cabinets? If so, what color? What wall color do you like for the kitchen and dining areas?

Brunch Entertaining

Sure, everyone loves a good dinner party, but what I really love is having a group of people over for brunch. It's casual, and people just seem to be more relaxed when you catch them in the morning-before life has a chance to get stressful. So, I decided a few weeks ago to host regular brunches at my house and see how they went. The first one was wonderful!

Here was the menu:

Breakfast Bread Pudding (sort of a baked French Toast)

Noodle Kugel

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Topping Bar

Bacon (Turkey and Pork) and Turkey Sausage

Smoked Gouda and Spinach Crustless Quiche

Fresh Fruit

Mimosas

I know, it sounds complicated. But let me let you in on a little secret- I made most of the items the night before!

The noodle kugel and crustless quiche warmed up beautifully the next morning, and the overnight crockpot oatmeal was a snap to set up. If you love oatmeal in the cooler months, try this super easy method for the steel cut (also called rolled) variety.

Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

Read your package of steel cut oats for proportions, but it's usually 2:1 water to oats.

Combine water and oats in a glass bowl that will fit inside your crockpot. Fill the crockpot with water so it reaches about halfway up the bowl containing the oats. Basically you're cooking the oatmeal in a water bath. Turn your crockpot on low and leave overnight. Wake up, top with your favorite foodstuffs, and enjoy!



With most of the food prepared the night before, all I had to do the morning of was make the bread pudding, bacon, and slice fruit. All of the food turned out fantastic (except for an uncooperative honeydew melon which refused to ripen, and when I actually burnt some of the bacon in the oven-hey, it happens to the best of us!).

Now if you've read through the recipes and are thinking they sound delicious but unhealthy-don't fret! I heavily modified most of them using things like egg beaters and fat free half and half. If you'd like to see any of my substitutions, shoot me an email or comment and I'd be happy to share them with you.

Overall, brunch was a success. We had a great time, and I'll be hosting another one soon (I promise to take pictures this time).

If you're thinking about hosting a brunch for your friends, let me share some tips.

1. Keep it casual, no need for culinary gymnastics-make food you are comfortable with (unless you enjoy experimentation!)

2. Consider how many people you can comfortably entertain in your home, it could be 4-20, just make sure you think it through!

3. Invite people from different "groups" of friends (maybe single girls and single guys :P), we all could use more friends!

4. Provide different types of food, sticking with the basics like egg, carbs, and meat. I guarantee you will have a friend who hates eggs!

5. Have fun! Don't get so wrapped up in entertaining that you forget to eat :)

Neutral Hues

There is definitely something to be said for neutrals. I have learned over the past few years of decorating the house that neutrals can be just as interesting as big bold colors. Over time, your tastes may change, and that once oh-so-lovable bright colored piece of furniture will now stick out like a sore thumb.

Remember our big red couch?



I had grown tired of its subtle chenille pattern, and it had grown tired of us. Abused by our animals when they were little, it had turned into nothing more than a large dog bed. I was yearning for something more sophisticated to fit in with our newly redecorated room. I still wanted to maintain a relaxing casual space (as opposed to a formal sitting room), so I turned to Craigslist to find a replacement.

After a few weeks of hunting and inquiries (and some disappointments), I came across an ad for a queen size sleeper couch. I was immediately interested since I had always wanted to have a sleeper sofa, you know, just in case. I was lucky the seller had a attached a picture, which looked nice, so I emailed straight away for approximate dimensions.

The couch was a little shorter than our red one, which is a bonus since the extra floor space would allow room for a reading light. I was getting pretty excited about getting a new couch, so I made an appointment to see it. In person it was just as lovely, it even has nail head detailing. I loved that the back cushions are attached, a feature I never would have thought about before. It's amazing how you can really learn what works and what doesn't! I was really digging the couch and ready to take it home, but we needed a pickup truck. Thanks to a friend, we came back the next day for it in her dad's truck.

$150 later, we have a whole new look.



From far away it looks like a textured tan color, but up close you can see a subtle pattern which includes some navy and olive. Sure I might have preferred a plain tan microfiber couch, but for $150 this sleeper sofa was a clear winner.

Now to keep my pack of unruly beasts from destroying it!