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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

i wish for...

...one of these...
...or one of these...
...but what I really wish for is one of these...
...with one of these...
...so I can take pictures like this...

from Smitten Kitchen


or this...
from Sandi Henderson




or this...
from Darby Fly Through My Window




or this...
from Nienie

{who, by the way, is one of the most beautiful, inspiring bloggers i've seen...go visit her!}


and by the way...what is the deal with spacing on posts on blogspot? i can't seem to get it right and it makes me crazy!


Friday, September 25, 2009

i {heart} etsy friday...

Michelle Brusegaard does it again. I just happened to be cruising etsy looking for things orange and aqua for my "library" decor and when I searched "oil painting aqua," this lovely print by Michelle came up. And I had just featured her pretty tea towels in a previous post! It must be love!





Saturday, September 19, 2009

awww...

...look what I just found on my computer:


My son is the best! xoxoxoxo!!!!!!!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

i {heart} etsy friday...

So, I'm approaching my 50th post...should I do a giveaway? Hmmm...

In the meantime, I am loving these dish towels and aprons from etsy sellers:

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

mmmm...macaroons!

My husband has mentioned an intervention. My kids wonder where I've gone when I disappear, then reappear smelling of coconut. I was on Weight Watchers - but they've forgotten my name by now. Yes, I'm obsessed with these macaroons. I know that admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. So there you have it. I admit I have a problem. I'm actually typing this with one hand - there's a macaroon in the other hand. Now I must go...the kitchen timer is buzzing...
{want the recipe? see below...}



So easy and yummy - these are a variation of a recipe from Sam the Cooking Guy (who, if I were the kind of girl to have a celebrity crush, would be my guy).
All quantities are approximate and you may adjust as you see fit!
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 bag flaked (or shredded) coconut (Sam's recipe calls for unsweetened, but I've only been able to find sweetened in my grocery store, which suits me just fine)
handful of chocolate chips
about 10 pecan halves, broken up
Cook for about 10 minutes at about 350 degrees.
Sam recommends that you wait until they cool to eat them, but I say DIG IN!!!!!! ...just try not to burn your tongue.
Bon Apetit!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

kitchen inspiration...

OK...I know...everyone does posts about gorgeous kitchens. So I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I'm dying to redo my kitchen, and would like to do it as economically as possible: maybe laminate flooring (or vinyl wood-look planks...they're supposed to look really real, and they don't make that "clicking" sound like laminate), paint the cabinets, maybe add a couple of pendant lights. And maybe maybe replace the countertops. Inexpensive and impactful. Plus, if you could see the tile that's on my kitchen/nook floor, you would understand my pining for a re-do. So here are my inspirations:
These first two are closest to my actual kitchen as far as layout and potential. In the pic above I love the green accents and glass-front cabinets. I've got the stainless fridge, got the black wire basket with fruit, got the big basket on top of the fridge...so close!

I like this one because all I would need to do is paint the cabinets and do the floors - and we'd be pretty darn close to this one. Too bland, though?
Love love love the soapstone counters and white subway tile behind the stove!

Check out the cool light fixtures over the cabinets. And doesn't IKEA sell wood countertops? Hmmm...


This looks kind of 90's to me, but I love the pops of color - and the gardening gloves hung are the wall are an inspiration!


Just pretty - love the sunflowers in a red pitcher. But where's all their junk???


I know fer shur that I could not pull this off in my space...but it's nice to dream...


Hardly ever see kitchen islands with rounded ends. Love it! Can you tell I'm crazy about farmhouse sinks?


So simple and adorable...

Thursday, September 3, 2009

paper lanterns...

...don't know why, but lately I've been enamoured with paper lanterns. Maybe I'm just going to miss Summer...



from a muse