DECOR

THE LOFT

I’ve always loved our loft space.  In the past it has always filled our temporary needs.  Whether it was an overflow toy room in the earlier years to teen hang out and an overflow guest room now, it’s a space I’m incredibly thankful for, but its always been lacking in terms of satisfying decor for me.  The below is a picture of the original white boring bookshelves.  One day when we were still renting, bored and desperately needing a creative activity, I decided to paint them.  Our landlord had let us undertake small painting projects before.  If we had not purchased our home I was fully aware that I would have been painting over them near our move-out date.

This is the only “pre” photo of the loft I can find.  How funny is it I took the before photo with an espresso shot on the bookshelves.  Hey…espresso gets me through many projects until its late enough to drink wine!  Haha.  What always bothered me about the bookshelves is that the back is a regular textured wall, sadly not finished wood.  Anyway, I was inspired to paint them.   I spent a long time deciding what I should do, but with me in the end painted stripes always win.

I love painted stripes and I will put them anywhere!  I decided to paint the shelves black with a striped background.  The loft style has slowly evolved over the years, but I really love my stripes to this day.  I’m not at all sick of them, I love them!

Then carpet was removed and hardwood floors were added.  This Pier 1 sleeper sofa has been a lifesaver for us, when it comes to friends and guests sleeping over.  Sometimes our guest room is full.

The armoire behind the sofa I use as my linen closet.  My last house didn’t have a linen closet either….am I cursed?

So the loft has been kinda of blah looking the past year and I had no idea what I wanted to do until one day I was shopping at a little boutique in East Texas and I spotted this adorable pillow.  Its so cute, when I found it, I instantly thought this needs to be in our loft.

Then inspired, I purchased this unfinished side table from Amazon.  The previous tray table I was using was too low and not as user friendly.  It arrived quickly and was easy to put together.  Now I just had to figure out what color to paint it.  I tossed the ideas around of turquoise, hot pink, light blue, or orange.

I decided to check out rug options first before committing on a paint color.  I looked at so many rugs online from all different stores and nothing seemed right.  I stumbled on this  rug and had to have it!  It’s the Oriental Vintage Distressed Abstract Rug.  I purchased the 7’10 x 11 size.

Once I had the rug I decided to paint the side table orange!  The rug had tones of orange, also the new pillow and the Elvis poster also had a little orange.   I decided to go the spray paint route and selected Rustic Orange by Rust-Oleum.

I’m a total spray paint junkie….if you’re looking for spray paint tips, be sure and read How To Spray Paint Furniture.

I LOVE how the side table turned out!  I used a different knob than the wood one that was included.  Luckily I have a knob graveyard which is a box full of old knobs I’ve switched out or bought on sale and I pulled this silver one out.

The media stand is the Linen Gray Pine Wood 50″ TV Stand from Pier 1 and I really like it.  We have baskets to hold all the video game junk, and that knight we bought from TJ Max was for Haley’s room originally.  It didn’t work out, she would wake up and freak out seeing a 5 foot figure in her room, so now his home is in the loft.

Now it was time to add some accessories to the side table.  I remember buying this green object from Hobby Lobby on the 90 percent clearance for $1.  I bought it knowing I could patch and paint it, but I put it away in our guest (aka junk) closet and forgot about it until now.

We patched it up and found some pink spray paint in the garage and the Pottery Barn lamp was $5!!  It was on sale for $74, with a free shipping promo and I had a $75 reward.  So I paid $5 in tax.  I love it when stuff like that happens!!

I’m loving the orange and all the vivid colors!

The drawer is great for small items, like remotes.  Unfortunately the bottom shelf will need to hold lots of blinky flashy ugly plastic boxes that my husband says work our internet.  I hate blinky flashy ugly plastic boxes but what can I say…I also love internet.  At least the sofa kinda hides it a bit.

I really love this rug and all these fun new colors introduced into the room.  Still loving my gel stained stair rails too!

To think all this came from finding that quirky pillow, I’m so glad I stopped into the Pink Leopard Boutique in Lufkin, Texas.

Over in the corner of the loft tucked away is my framed Titanic poster.  Oh this poster has a story and history!  When my husband and I started seriously dating we saw Titanic at the movies and I loved it.  Then at a church auction I got into a bidding war with someone and paid $80 for it.  Seeing the poster made me so happy, it reminded me of our date.  It was a big deal paying $80 being so young and broke I felt dumb paying so much, but I loved it.  It was dropped off to be framed where an unknowably an ex boyfriend was working, who lost contact with me and he taped a love letter to the back (nothing became of that).  Well years later married to my husband with babies I didn’t want it anymore so my mom bought it from me because I needed money and decided to hang it in my sisters room.  Then my sister married and didn’t want it so I begged mom for it back when we moved into this house.  I can’t remember how it went down, money and bribes were exchanged just like the mafia and now it’s back home.  I’m happy to have Rose and Jack back and I will never leave them again.

This Elvis poster also has special meaning to us.  We went to Memphis years ago to explore and check out some blues and barbecue.  Not knowing much about Elvis or being fans we decided to stay at the Heartbreak Hotel and check out Graceland.  My husband entered Graceland not really caring much about Elvis and left a hardcore fan.  The Heartbreak Hotel has a 24 hour Elvis channel and Roustabout was the first Elvis movie we ever watched together.

And on the bookshelves are more memories.  An Eiffel Tower photo I took with my iPhone was enlarged on canvas with a little Modge Podge, I have favorite photos from traveling and my kids plus our Playbills.  We love live theatre and I found these frames off Amazon that specifically are sized to hold playbills.  I get happy when I see them displayed!  Hopefully I can see Waitress on Broadway soon and add that one as well.  Waitress is one of my most favorite movies.

I’m still loving these striped shelves!  No regrets!

Cords!  I never realized all our cords hanging out until I started blogging!  I need to buy a cord cover stat!  I’ll check Amazon…

Thanks Mr. Fox for inspiring me to update the loft!  The black and white pillow is by Kate Spade, from Nordstrom.

Love the colors in this rug!

I used a good topcoat on the side table but I still love books to help protect the furniture from objects.

The Magnolia light is from Shades of Light.  It’s fun, I love any form of flowers.  You can check out my Ceiling Jewelry post for more info on it.

All done!  This was a really fun simple update.  Now when I walk up there I get so happy from all the vibrant colors!  It’s a quirky space and we all really love it.  Thanks for reading!

 

Laura

DIY

HOW TO SPRAY PAINT FURNITURE

I love spray paint.  I especially love how quickly it can transform something.  I’ve spray painted so many furniture items successfully that it’s definitely my favorite painting method.  Spray painting furniture is easy, but proper steps must be taken if you want your piece to come out successfully.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

Face mask

Spray primer

Spray paint of choice

Painters tape if needed

Sand paper

Spray paint trigger handle

Drop cloth

Tack cloth or old damp cloth

Vacuum (optional)

 

STEP 1:  Prepping Your Piece

Prepare unfinished wood by lightly sanding in the direction of the wood with 320-grit sand paper.  Furniture items with old layers of paint need to be sanded a bit more.  You don’t need to sand down to the bare wood, but you do need to sand the surface smooth and eliminate any shine from the old paint.  You want to start with a smooth matte feeling surface.  You also want to remove any necessary hardware and remove drawers, or tape them off.

STEP 2:  Prime Your Piece

If you want to stay the spray paint route, you can use Kilz Original spray primer like I did; however, if you have a can of primer laying around and want to brush it on that’s also an option.  I like to spray paint in my garage with my canvas drop cloth that I love.  It was a great investment that I use over and over.  I just throw it in the washing machine when my paint drips dry.

A word of caution though, with Kilz spray primer you need to shake the can a long time…a long, long time or it will spray out gritty.  If your Kilz primer sprays out gritty, STOP and shake the can longer.

Spray Paint Furniture

My drawer sides are taped off to protect from overspray.  Holding the can 10 inches from the table, lightly spray a coat of primer, let it fully dry, lightly sand, vacuum the dust off, wipe smooth with a barely damp rag (a tact cloth is also ideal) and repeat.  All total, I ended up doing 2 coats of primer and sanded by hand with 320 sandpaper.  If you have any grittiness from the Kilz primer, it can be sanded off very gently by hand.

Once your item is primed and sanded smooth you’re ready to go to the next step.

STEP 3:  Time To Paint

My favorite spray paint (seriously I’ve tried them all) is Rust-oleum.  I find it performs the best in terms of dry time, how smooth it sprays, and I love the color choices.  Again before you start you want to shake the can several minutes .

I’ve used a TON of Rust-oleum spray paint with zero problems except for 1 bad can I used back in the spring.  I could not get the grittiness to shake out, even after 10 minutes of shaking.  It happens, but it’s rare.  If you get a bad can just put it aside and try another.  Don’t risk ruining your piece.

Spray Paint Furniture

My side table is fully prepped and I’m starting by spray painting the bottom legs and underside first.

I like to use a spray paint gun for 2 reasons.  It’s much less tiring on my fingers, and it keeps spray paint off my nails.  If you don’t use a spray paint gun wear gloves because no matter how careful you are at first it will end up trashing your nails!

Make sure to get the sides and legs with a single coat of spray paint, then move to the top.  Spray paint takes longer to dry than the primer, so be patient.  Once the first layer of paint is completely dry (not a hint of stickiness) lightly sand smooth with 320-grit sandpaper.

I asked Brian to pick me up some sand paper from the hardware and he came home with this flexible sandpaper by 3M.  I thought it was really odd at first, but once I got used to it I loved it!  It really bends and folds easy to sand all the little nooks and crannies.

Each time I lightly sanded my piece smooth I used my hand-held vacuum to remove dust.  Then I used a barely damp cloth to remove fine dust before continuing on to my next layer.  Instead of a damp cloth you can use a tact cloth.  A tact cloth is like a sticky cheese cloth that gets every scrap of dust off your furniture piece.  It’s pretty cool, I just forgot to tell Brian to pick one up, so damp cloth it is.

FYI: A vacuum makes the dust clean up easier, but if you do not have one available just dust over and over by hand until your item is clean and dust free.

I did a total of 4-5 light coats.  The paint will look uneven and blotchy with coats 1-3, that’s normal.  It’s better to have more light coats of spray paint, than just a few heavy coats!  When in doubt spray light and take your time!

STEP 4:  Repeat The Steps

Repeat the steps of lightly spray painting, letting dry, lightly sanding smooth by hand, vacuum dust, and wipe clean with a cloth until your item looks perfectly painted.

Spray painting on rainy or high humidity days is not ideal at all.  Your dry time will be much, much longer.  The weather started off pretty ideal this day, but the late afternoon humidity dramatically increased and my side table felt sticky longer than it should have.  So I very carefully carried it inside to help dry.  It’s risky because sticky finger prints could have ruined my paint job.  I carried it in lifting from the underside.  You can also just let your furniture dry overnight in its humid environment.  I was just in a hurry to finish it up.

STEP 5:  Seal For Best Protection

Once your furniture piece is perfectly painted it’s time for a sealer.  Give your item a good inspection in bright light to see if you missed any spots first!

General Finishes makes incredibly high quality user friendly products!  I can only find their products on Amazon.  General Finishes top coats are the only ones I recommend.  The General Finishes High Performance Water Based Top Coat is the hardest, most durable consumer polyurethane top coat on the market today in my opinion.  I chose satin, but your desired finish is up to you. 

I’ve ruined projects with other brands of sealers and had to start over.  I prefer to brush on sealer because I’ve had bad results from spray sealers.  I feel very confident recommending this sealer.  It also has no odor.  Not every project needs to be sealed necessarily but I like to do so anyway for a few reasons.

First, sealing your piece will protect heavy traffic pieces and keep them looking nice longer, and second, sealing your piece will hide any uneven sheen from your spray paint job.

I ended up using 3 coats of sealer here.  Letting each coat completely dry (it dries fast), I lightly buffed with sandpaper in areas that were not completely smooth.  I did not sand heavy enough to take off any color, though.  If your seal looks smooth and you’re happy with the finished look you can skip this step.  It’s up to you.

I’m very happy with end end result!   If your wondering how long spray painting a piece of furniture will take, it varies.  Smaller pieces can be completed in a day as long as the weather isn’t humid.  If your item is large or the weather isn’t cooperating with you it may take you 2 or 3 days.  When in doubt don’t rush and do not sand or re-coat until all the stickiness is gone!

 

SPRAY PAINT TIPS

Read the directions on the can.

Shake the can well…and I mean well!

Wear a mask.

Spray in a well ventilated area that’s out of the wind.

Use a spray paint gun or wear gloves to keep your nails nice.  (Most Important)

Hold the can 10-12 inches away from your project.

Avoid rainy or high humidity days.

Use a good quality spray paint, I like Rust-oleum.   You may find another favorite brand.

I avoid semi-gloss spray paint on furniture.  I find its streakier.  My favorite is satin.  Flat or matte is also easy to work with but you will definitely need a sealer on furniture.  I always use a sealer on my spray paint furniture pieces anyway.

Always buy more spray paint than you think you will need!  Stopping a project to buy more paint is a major drag.  Keep the receipt and you can return unused cans to the store (or save for future projects).

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Gritty finish– This is usually a result of not shaking the can long enough.  If this happens, stop, shake the can longer, and proceed.  The grittiness can be sanded out by hand once dry.

Drips– Sometimes when we start spray painting stuff it just looks so good we get carried away, the paint builds and it drips.  If this happens I try to instantly wipe the drip away, it’s the easiest way to fix and then re-coat it later.  If a drip goes unnoticed, wait until it dries, sand smooth by hand, and cary on.

Not wearing a mask– Nobody needs to be sniffing paint fumes even in a ventilated area, plus you’ll be blowing orange or whatever color you choose gunk out of your nose for days!

Humid or Rainy weather– Ok so you forgot to check the weather and it’s raining or extremely humid.  Don’t panic just realize your item will take much longer to dry.  Avoid touching anything that feels tacky or you will get the dreaded finger dents.  If you’re able to bring the item inside with out any visible finger dents then go for it, just be careful.

Spray painting outdoors– This is another mistake that’s easy to make at first.  Although you could get lucky and have everything work out just fine, most likely you will waste a lot of spray paint when it blows off in the wind.  Or you will have dried gnats and particles blowing around stick to your finish.  I prefer my garage with the doors open, or another option is creating a spray paint tent out of drop clothes on your balcony or backyard.

Streaky finish– This is why I avoid semi-gloss or gloss for furniture items.  For this reason I prefer flat, matte, or satin finish in spray paint.  Remember to use nice even strokes while painting.  Sometimes streaks in the sheen (not the color) will happen. This is easily fixable with a nice top coat.  Even if your paint sheen is perfect a top coat will just add more protection!

So there you have it!  Go off and spray paint my darlings!  Make your world beautiful and colorful!  If you have any questions leave them in the comment section and I’ll try to answer them the best I can.  If I don’t know the answer I’ll make something up…I’m kidding!

 

Laura

DECOR

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL

Today I’m talking about mirrors.  Seriously,  I just love them!  Mirrors make smart investments when it comes to home decor.   Mirrors trick the eye and reflect light whether the light is natural or artificial, and this gives us the perception of more depth and space.  Not only are they beautiful and functional decor but they give a room energy and sparkle.

With so many styles, you can find mirrors for any home style.  It’s no wonder mirrors are one of my favorite home decorating accessories.  Ugly mirrors can easily become gorgeous with a simple coat of paint.  Mirrors can create the illusion of another window, add balance to a room, and even reflect a beautiful view you wouldn’t mind seeing more of.

So let’s talk about why I love them so much, ways to use them, and how you can never have too many mirrors!

 

ROUND MIRRORS

Round mirrors or oval shaped mirrors are a terrific way to break up a room that has lots of angles and straight edges.  They can soften a rooms masculine edges and bring energy and light into the room.  Our master bedroom has lots of straight lines, so I added round mirrors over each night stand to add balance to the room.  If you have a room with lots of squares, rectangles, or lines consider a round mirror or a mirror with curves to add softness.

 

BATHROOMS

Say goodbye to that plain builder-grade bathroom mirror!  There is no better way to add pizazz to your bathroom than a new mirror.  Updating your bathroom mirror can give you great impact without a lot of expense.  It may take a little effort to pry the old mirror off the wall, and you might need a little touch up paint if your going smaller, but I promise it’s worth the effort.

 

AN ALTERNATIVE TO ART WORK

Sometimes you just can’t decide on art work, or if you’re like me you decorating taste changes a lot.  Luckily, mirrors can help us out in this department.  A mirrored piece can be so versatile and easily changed from one room to another.  If you’re having trouble deciding on art work consider a mirror, you can’t go wrong with this choice.

 

CREATE A GROUPING

A group of mirrors is another fun way to decorate your home.  Small mirrors can be easier on the budget and you can add to your collection gradually.  A grouping of larger mirrors can add a bold statement to your room and give some major pizazz!  Whether big or small, a group of mirrors are a creative way to add style and light to a room.  The possibilities are endless.

 

LARGE MIRRORS

Hands down large mirrors are my favorite, leaning or hung on the wall.   They have a gorgeous visual impact in any room, create light, and give the illusion of a larger room.  You can even layer a large mirror behind furniture.  I have 3 large mirrors in our home, one in my daughter Haley’s room, one in my office, and one in our living room.  If I had space to add another I definitely would!  I love the look of a big mirror leaning against the wall; however, with pets or little kids you should still anchor it to the wall for safety.  Don’t think large mirrors are only for large rooms, they work very well in small spaces as well.

 

GALLERY WALL

Gallery walls have really taken off, and for good reason.  It’s a great way to show off different collections of art and photographs you have.  If you have a gallery wall, or are planning one for the future, consider adding a mirror to add a bit of sparkle.  A round mirror as I mentioned above is a perfect way to break up the straight lines, add variety, and soften your collection.

 

LAYERING MIRRORS

A mirror over a mirror, yes you can do it.  Why not?  Layering mirrors is one decorating trick I’m excited to try!  When you  have a large space covered by a mirror you can add a smaller mirror with a gorgeous frame to add interest and drama.  Our master bathroom has large mirrors that go nearly up to the ceiling.  I need these mirrors to brighten and open up our small bathroom, but I still crave the look of a beautifully framed mirror.  So when our remodel starts I know I will be layering a mirror in the center where my vanity is.  The down side is yes you probably need to drill into the larger mirror to anchor the smaller one well.  So if your thinking of layering a mirror make sure you’ll be happy with it for a long time!

CHILDREN’S ROOMS

It can be a challenge to decorate a childs room into one that grows with them.  Trust me I know all about this.  I will say that the countless times I’ve repainted, or redecorated my children’s rooms, the previous mirror always worked.  Adding a mirror to your child’s room can be a wise investment.  So if you want wall decor that can grow with your child, forget wall art with puppies and rainbows and consider a mirror for lasting impact.

 

ADD A TOUCH OF COLOR

Have a room that’s lacking?  It just needs something…a pop of color perhaps?  Consider adding a vibrant, brightly colored mirror.  You can buy one as is or take an old mirror and spray paint the frame!  I have a few mirrors that I repaint all the time depending on my current decor.  Most mirrors unscrew from the frame and can easily be spray painted, but if you can’t take the mirror apart its very easy to tape off the glass and paint around it.

 

MIRRORS OUTSIDE

Mirrors outside on a porch, patio, or fence are a fun, quirky way to add some flair to your backyard.  Consider adding a mirror to an outdoor area that would reflect a beautiful view or create the illusion of another window.  If you have a beautiful outdoor space, flowers, or garden you wouldn’t mind seeing more of, consider hanging a mirror to reflect the view.

If you’re looking for ways to decorate or update your home I hope I’ve inspired you to consider mirrors as an option.  Shopping for mirrors are fun, I hardly ever see one I don’t like!  I love them new or old.  I especially love finding old mirrors at a thrift store, all they need is a a little spray paint and they are new again.  Get creative while mirror shopping and have a blast!

Laura

DECOR

ASHLEY’S ROOM

My daughter Ashley who’s 13 has been ready for a room update for a few months now.   Actually she’s been ready since early spring.  I didn’t want to stress her out with a chaotic room change during the last few months of the school year so we spent this time discussing paint colors and swapping ideas.  We changed our minds a few times but once school was out we went full speed ahead.  We agreed to update her room into something she could grow with for years but still keeping it age appropriate.  She’s still a mix of sweet little girl but ready for a little more young adult mixed in.

If you like this yellow color its Little Dipper by Benjamin Moore.  It’s a pretty yellow color but she was getting tired of it and you know I love any excuse to redecorate a room!

One thing I was sure of is I was going to be very budget conscious.  I was not going to max out my Pottery Barn credit card.  Nope.  Not happening.  We spent a good couple weeks bargain hunting and pricing around getting ideas for her room.

Do you remember that decor show where 2 couples would switch rooms with a designer and makeover 1 room with a budget of $500?  Was it on Lifetime?  I can’t even remember what it was called or what network it was on but I was thinking about that show the other day.  $500 to redecorate a room you say?  It sounds like a lot but in reality sadly it’s not.  Especially when you factor in high quality paint, bedding, furniture, window treatments, and miscellaneous decor.  Put all this together and it’s a challenge.  So I thought I would give myself a $500 budget and see how I did.  I had no idea what would happen but I had a goal and I hoped I would meet it.

The first challenge I had with Ashley was convincing her she didn’t need a tv in her room anymore.  She hardly ever turned it on and when she did it was just to play an occasional video game.   Seriously the upstairs tv loft is steps outside her room.  She finally agreed the tv in her room was unnecessary (especially when she can watch shows on her iPad anyway).  So away the TV went.  Yay!

We decided on Aloe by Sherwin Williams.  I was formerly a hardcore Benjamin Moore paint lover but I’m starting to be pulled in to Sherwin Williams now.  They have fantastic sales and coupons available and remember I’ve got a budget to follow.  Luckily while I was picking up paint samples the manager told me they would be having a 40% percent off sale the next week!  So I waited and I was able to score an incredibly high quality paint at an incredibly low price.  We went with Duration in matte.  I love matte paint, I’m not into shiny walls but I want a durable scrubbable finish and this fit the bill.

The pink princess canopy bed was so adorable I hated to see it go, but we agreed it was time.  We passed it on to my sweet little niece Lilly who’s almost 2.  I love my Lilly so much!!!  She’s not quite ready for it but I hope she loves it when the times comes!

Keeping with the white and pops of turquoise Ashley and I agreed to add some gray and coral tones.  I found this gray tufted headboard for under $100 at Amazon.  It’s really pretty and seems quality, and it arrived in like 2 days!  Gotta love Amazon Prime.  It’s the Modway Annabel Twin Headboard in Gray.  I love the girly curve at the top!

Next up we added shelves from Ikea.  These are the VITTSJO shelf units.  We were able to eliminate her nightstand and do shelves on both sides of the bed.  It fills the wall space nicely and she has much more room to space her items out now.   In the back of my mind I thought we might spray paint these shelves silver or a different color but we were so happy with how the white looked so we happily left them alone.

All 3 of my kids have always loved to sleep in a huge puff of blankets.  Seriously it drives me crazy.  They want to sleep in a mountain of 5 or 6 blankets.  Sometimes they will pull every blanket out of my linen closet.  It’s gotten so bad I’ve been tempted to put a lock on my linen closet.  Out of sheer frustration one solution I’ve found it to keep 2 comforters on their bed at all times.  Ashley’s original comforter was white and we’re still using that, but I found this patterned comforter at Target that worked with her color scheme.  So we compromised.  She sleeps with 2 comforters, she’s still sleeping in a puff ball just a slighty smaller puff ball, and in the mornings she can fold the 2nd comforter back down at the end of the bed.  Hey….I’ll take it!  I’m still considering the linen closet lock though…haha.

We found this pretty coral accent pillow to match from At Home with Foofie happily resting along the pillow.  My baby is growing up but she still loves her Foofie!

No the carpet isn’t dirty and gross, I think it’s your computer monitor.  Your computer must be defective. You should probably get that checked out.

When we took away Ashley’s nightstand we also took away her nightstand junk drawer.  These container store boxes were just so cute I couldn’t pass them up.  They serve to hold her clutter items and fill in space on the shelves.

The ugly tv was replaced with a pretty mirror, remember this mirror was originally hanging in our guest bathroom before the remodel.  I love shopping my own house.  Mixing up stuff from one room to the other is fun!  If you like it it’s from Pier 1.  When  the tv left luckily the video game console clutter left and the fish…well…he unfortunately took a swim into the ceramic sea.

White task lamps from Target were added to each of the shelves.  She loves being able to pick which lamp to turn on and to adjust the light just right to read.

Hey Foofie….wassup??

When it comes to home decorating never underestimate what a difference eliminating clutter makes.  You can have the most gorgeous room ruined simply by clutter and having a room too full of stuff.  Clearing out the previous clutter on the bookshelf, desk and clearing out the dresser top itself alone made a huge impact.

I really love using trays in our decor.  It protects furniture surfaces, but these perfume bottles would look lost without this tray to anchor them.

Her room faces north, so it can be a hard room to photograph.  The light doesn’t always work with me, so in this blog post you see variations of the Aloe paint shade, I think this photo below is a pretty accurate photo of the true paint color.   The ceiling is still White Dove by Benjamin Moore.  Look at that straight ceiling line!  No tape!  My talent from years and years of painting is I can get a straight line just by hand, I hardly ever use tape when I paint.

Luckily we were able to reuse all her wall decor into her new room.  This dream colorfully wall art is from Pottery Barn Teen.  Previously we removed her closet door, the door was never closed and the open door took up lots of wall space.  We love the curtain method….that is as long as the closet stays clean.

13 is a sweet age, its a mix of little girl and young adult.  While updating her room to more of a young adult look we made sure to keep her little girl favorites that she’s not ready to part with.  Her shelves are filled with special items full of memories.

My little girl is a dreamer who loves to create art, play violin, and all things fish and ocean related.  I think this room fits her perfectly.

She likes having shelves in place of a nightstand.  In fact her words were “you took away my nightstand and now it feels like I have 10 nightstands.”  Haha….I guess so.

If you remember in the before room picture we had blinds that were pulled up.  They were always pulled up.  She loves to sit in bed and day dream staring out the window into the neighbors beautiful yard.  So we went with this white roman shade from JC Penney that fits perfectly.  Of course it was on sale.

Well here is the finished “after” photo.  I do wish I had straightened the bed skirt better for the finished photo….oopsie.  Hey speaking of that bedskirt I got it for $1 at Dirt Cheap.  If you’ve never been into a Dirt Cheap before you’re in for a crazy ride!  Take lots of hand sanitizer, and have fun.  You never know what you’ll find there.

We kept the same light fixture from Pottery Barn Kids.  It has a dimmer switch on it which she loves.  Ok…your computer screen isn’t broken the carpet really is 10 years old, stained and gross.  I’m looking into new carpet options right now.

So how did I do on my $500 budget goal?

2 gallons of Sherwin Williams paint on sale $70

2 Ikea VITTSJO shelf units @$79 each $160

2 white task lamps from Target $16

Coral pillow from At Home $10

White bed skirt $1 from Dirt Cheap (score!)

Roman shade from JC Penny $59 (on sale)

New comforter from Target $28

Gray tufted headboard from Amazon $94

6 decorative boxes from The Container Store $75 (ok that was bad)

Grand total excluding tax because I’m to lazy to add that up is…. $514.  FAIL.  Well I almost made it.  Those boxes from The Container Store really messed up the budget but they were just so cute we couldn’t pass them up!  We loved the gray pattern.

Ashley’s super happy with her new room…and so is Foofie.  It has a fresh updated mature look that can continue to grow with her!  Her room feels so much bigger now.  What do you think?   Thanks for reading!

Laura

Breakfast

GLUTEN FREE 3 INGREDIENT SAUSAGE BALLS

3 ingredient gluten free sausage balls

I thought I should share our super easy sausage ball recipe.  It’s simple, tastes great, and you can easily throw it together in minutes!  These make an easy breakfast or mid-day snack, and sometimes we’ll add a salad and make a dinner out of them.

I remember early in our marriage I discovered Bisquick and honestly I thought it was the best thing ever.  The Bisquick sausage ball recipe was definitely one of my favorites, that and those fluffy cheddar garlic biscuits!  This 3 ingredient sausage ball recipe still has the same great taste just without the gluten, and bonus, less carbs – plus it’s simple to make.  I usually keep the ingredients on hand, and it’s so easy that my kids can whip up a batch on their own.  Sometimes I hear the sound of the cheese shredder coming from the kitchen and I think… I guess they’re making sausage balls.  We never buy pre-shredded cheese, we always buy a block and shred our own with my trusty salad shooter, it tastes so much better!

gluten free breakfasts

The most important ingredient in this recipe is the sausage.  You want to start with 1 pound of the highest quality great tasting  sausage you can find.  We use Jimmy Dean All Natural Pork Sausage with great tasting results, another favorite when I can find it is Frans Fryers organic chicken sausage.  You can use whatever uncooked sausage you like, chicken or pork.  Just make sure you’re happy with the taste because that’s going to be the main flavor of your sausage balls.

sausage balls

This recipe is so simple, just add 1 cup almond flour, 1 cup sharp shredded cheese, and 1 pound bulk sausage to a bowl.  Just remember 1-1-1 to make this recipe and you’ll have it memorized in no time!  Nothing else is needed unless you feel like playing around and getting fancy.  If so then go for it!  If you hate almond flour you can still use this recipe with 1 cup bisquick or 1 cup of any alternative baking mix.

For the best results you really need to mix this together with your hands.  So wash your hands and get mixing!  Sharp cheddar compliments the flavor of the sausage nicely, but you can experiment with any kind of cheese.  The combinations are endless.  One of my favorite variations is to add 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder and shredded parmesan cheese in place of the cheddar but shhh….that would be 4 ingredients so don’t tell on me.

sausage balls

I like to use a broiler pan or a baking sheet with an oven safe cookie cooling rack on top lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Both pan methods produce great results and all the fat drips down nicely.  You’ll probably only need one pan for this recipe unless you double the recipe.

gluten free 3 ingredient sausage balls

Another favorite thing about this recipe is how freezer friendly it is.  You can freeze these before you cook them or after.  If you opt to freeze these uncooked then you would flash freeze the uncooked sausage balls on a pan for 2-3 hours until solid then place in a ziplock bag.

When your ready to cook just place the frozen sausage balls on the broiler pan or baking sheet and bake, adding about 5-7 minutes of cooking time.  Or if you prefer, freeze after they’ve been cooked and just microwave them for a quick meal or snack.

breakfast recipes

Print Recipe

Gluten Free 3 Ingredient Sausage Balls

Servings: 24 sausage balls

Ingredients

  • 1 lb uncooked breakfast sausage
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees°
  • Spray a broiler pan, or a cooling rack on top of a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray.  Place all 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix together with hands.  Shape mixture into one inch balls and place on pan.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

I hope you like this simple delicious recipe, if you’re like us you’ll be hooked on these in no time!

Shop some of my favorite kitchen items below!

 

Laura

DECOR

ENTRY WAY BEFORE AND AFTER

Today I thought I would talk about our entry way before and after.  I would sit on the sofa often and glance over at our entry way and think how much I hated the area.  I would dissect every part of it trying to figure out exactly how to make the space look better.  I knew the ceramic tile was definitely part of the problem, but the floor was happening months later.  So I started by removing the blinds over the door.  Those windows face east and certain times of the year the sun is blinding.  Blinding sun or not the blinds had to go.  We’ll just have to wear sunglasses every morning.  No, I’m kidding it’s not quite that bad.

So off the blinds went and sure enough I noticed a small improvement.  The white metal door really bothered me.  It just looked cheap.  The front side of the metal door was black so I thought I’d paint the inside black as well.  I think it helped.  I still hated the door though.

The black cabinet really stuck out and it was getting really old, so at Wayfair I found this chest of drawers that was wider but shallower.  The drawers are more user friendly that cabinet doors.

Progress was slowly being made and I made sure to declutter the area by removing the hooks by the door to hold hats and keys.  Those could now go in the drawer.

When I had a birthday after the purchase of our house I asked for a new front door.  It seems like an odd choice for a gift but I didn’t care, I convinced my husband I simply couldn’t go on another day with that old dented metal door.   We purchased the Rustic Knotty Alder 2-Panel door from Home Depot.

The stairs are kinda part of the entry way so I included this horrible photo.  It’s the only photo I can find.  The carpet and tile was definitely a problem but I was focused on just the door.

I was too scared to stain the door myself.  I have no idea what color of stain this is, it’s from Sherwin Williams.  It’s a shade I picked out with the painter.  Speaking about the door installation.  It was a nightmare to replace, just like our patio door was.  Doors for us never go smoothly but with persistence it eventually was installed.

Here’s a close up photo of my black chest of drawers I purchased.  I really loved it but one day we moved the ladder one day it look a gash out of the edge.  So I decided to just repaint the entire thing.

I filled in the gash and sanded it smooth.  I lightly sanded, primed and used Amy Howards at Home High Performance Furniture Lacquer in black  you can usually find her products at Amazon or Ace Hardware.  I also purchased gold knobs from Home Depot.

To protect the new finish I then used General Finishes High Performance water based top coat in satin.  General Finishes poly is awesome!  You can trust this product.  I’ve had horrible results with other brands like Minwax.  Seriously, I’ve had to redo furniture pieces before after using Minwax poly.  General Finishes polyurethane top coat costs more but the results are worth it.  It’s fool proof and it’s the hardest most durable polyurethane top coat on the market.  I can’t find the stuff locally, so I always order from Amazon.  It’s worth it.  Not only does this protect your furniture piece but it will hide any streaks you have made from spray paint.

One day I got the urge to paint stripes and I loved them.  I love painting stripes, stripes are so dang cute.  Shortly after painting the stripes the new floors were put in….oh yeah!!

Because this was our workout room I always kept the doors closed, it wasn’t a very attractive space.

I switched out the wall art over the chest of drawers so many times.  The clock had a terrible glare always from the window across from it.  I used an old mirror temporarily until I tired of it then I finally framed one of my favorite prints Chat Noir.

This art print like many others I have is from Art.com.  I love Art.com because I can always find exactly what I’m looking for.  I framed the print with non-glare glass since it was hanging across from a window.

Chat Noir has a secret behind it.   It’s hiding an odd placed light switch.  The light switch has always been a problem for me with wall hangings here.  The wall needs something but usually every time I hung something up it would hit right at the light switch and look stupid.  So I choose a 5 inch mat so the frame would be wide enough to cover the never used light switch.  I love this big mat trend.  I don’t know if it’s here to stay, but it’s here now and I love it.

One day I woke up and decided I was so sick of the stripes.  This is normal for me.  I’ll want something so bad and poof one day I’ll be incredibly sick of it and want it gone immediately.  I loved painting those stripes and had them up about a year, then I got just as much joy painting over them.  Funny how things like that happen.  You could see where the paint had collected near the tape edge.  So I had to sand the walls by hand in spots.  That was a bit of a downer.

Painting over the stripes took place near the beginning of my blog and you probably remember me deciding to scrap the workout room we never used and added my office, or girl cave…haha.  I can now leave the doors open since I like the space.

Clearly the floors made a huge impact on the space, as I knew they would but it’s also in all the extra little details that makes me now enjoy this area.  I eliminated unnecessary clutter, I removed awkward blinds, with the double doors open the space seems brighter and larger, I have a better proportional furniture item that works for the space that’s been repainted exactly they way I want it and THE DOOR!!!  Mama loves that door.  It feels so solid, it gave me the style and rich color I crave.  Chat Noir puts a big smile on my face when I walk by.  Always choose art that makes you happy!

I hope you enjoyed our entry way before and after!  Thanks for reading.

 

Laura

DECOR

COVERED PATIO

Today I want to talk about one of my favorite home improvement projects we’ve ever done, our covered patio.  Actually as far as life changing projects the patio probably surpasses the kitchen, and our kitchen remodel was pretty awesome.  We didn’t build the covered patio ourselves, at the time it seemed a little out of our league and we wanted it done right, but we were heavily involved in the design, and Brian did the electrical work himself.

In this photo you see we added on to the concrete patio and also a metal pergola structure, and it really served us well for a few years while we rented.  If you look closely, just outside the door is original concrete patio.  It was so small that you could barely fit a small table and four patio chairs on it.  Forget about adding a grill or any flower pots.

I thought I had a photo of the original tiny concrete slab but I can’t find it.  In the next photo, if you look at the darker colored concrete near the door that was the original concrete, about 8′ x 12′.

We knew we would be renting for a while so we decided that extending the patio on our dime was worth it.  Whether we were to stay here or move on we knew we loved outdoor time and it would greatly improve the quality of our lives so we paid for it ourselves.  Then we purchased our pergola from Lowe’s, and bolted it into the concrete.  The metal pergola was really nice about shielding the sun, and it also helped define the space.  Even though it wasn’t waterproof we really liked it at the time.  I had potted plants and some small furniture out, we spent many days and nights enjoying the patio.

Even if we had moved the investment would of been worth it in our eyes with all the joy it gave us, but as you know we stayed here and ended up buying our rental home.  Once the inside updates were coming along I immediately turned my focus outside.  We love being outside when the weather cooperates, and I’ve always wanted a large covered patio to sit out in the rain.  So I listed the metal pergola free on Craigslist, free as long as they disassembled it themselves.  A day or 2 later it was gone.

This picture was taken just a few months after Brian had built our new wood pergola, we had to wait a bit to get on our contractors schedule.  The concrete patio looked huge with the old metal Lowe’s pergola gone, but the space was overwhelmingly open and had no shelter from the rain and harsh west sun.  Here below you can see all the changes Brian had to make to our sprinkler system.

Once our contractors schedule opened up and they started working I was amazed how fast everything happened.  I would look out the window watching the patio being built in awe.  I was just so happy it was finally happening after wanting this for so long!

We have a weird roof line along the back of our house,  it was difficult to plan the edges of the covered patio.  The contractor wanted to leave the sides open or start the covered area to the left of the door, meaning if we were to walk outside while raining we would still get wet.  I stood my ground, weird roof line or not I wanted the entire concrete area covered.

So what ended up happening is the 2 awkward edges past the roof line peak became small pergola areas and topped with Polygal roofing.  When properly installed Polygal should not leak water and will hold up to harsh weather just fine.

The right side of the patio ended up being a larger portion of pergola and polygal with the left side being much smaller.

Polygal is a great solution if you have an existing pergola that you would like to keep dry but still let light through.  Several color options are available and I can’t remember the name of ours.  Sometimes it can look clear, but it’s not.  It has a bit of a smokey tint to it.

When planning our patio I knew it had to have a pitched roof.  Luckily this went along with our roof line anyway.  I knew I would want a rustic chandelier hanging in the center.

This chandelier is from Overstock.  Its not the highest quality item, but for outside I think its just fine.  It looks nice though and it’s held up well with high winds and storms.  If you’re interested it’s the Design Craft Alma 6 Light Chandelier.

We ended up tiling our floor with a slate tile.  I wanted a finished look for the floor and bonus, it covered up our mis-matched concrete add on.  We bought the Adoni Black Large Versailles Pattern from The Tile Shop.  It looked really dark in the store, but we purchased a sample and in the outdoor light it had the blueish gray tone I was looking for.

I ended up purchasing a Pottery Barn outdoor sectional.  Even with the sale price it was a large, scary purchase.  I looked around for reviews and I couldn’t find any.  I absolutely love our sectional so much and I know purchasing large items like this are stressful so I reviewed our sectional.  If you are interested in purchasing the Torrey All Weather Wicker Sectional you can read more details about it HERE.

Sunbrella curtains were added to block the sun.  I love Sunbrella fabrics, they do not fade and are very stain resistant.  I read somewhere Sunbrella fabric is so tough you could even pour bleach on it and it would be fine, but I won’t be trying that.  Sunbrella is machine washable and can handle anything except the dryer.  The curtains get wet all the time when it rains.  They dry very quickly so mildew isn’t a problem.

We used pipe to make our curtain rod and I spray painted it bronze.  Not only did the pipe curtain rod save us money we were able to get the perfect rod size.  Brian just measured the space, went to Home Depot and had the pipe cut to the exact length.

Our contractor had our wood stained in Ready Seal Pecan.  You can buy it from Lowes, Home Depot, or Amazon.  I love it so much that I now use it on everything.

The electrical work was really simple.  We already had a porch light outside the door, and the switch was just inside.  Brian just removed it, added the junction box, and ran wire and conduit up to a new chandelier box on the ceiling.

That green cord coming our of the electric box goes to our string lights.  I love lights strung from the trees, it’s so charming.  It was a dark corner of our yard that needed light anyway.

Brian also added a new junction box and outlet where an existing flush-mount outlet already was.  Then he added this this timer from Amazon into the circuit, so now our fountains and speakers don’t run all the time.

We purchased Bluetooth Outdoor Rock Speakers from Amazon and they’ve been so awesome!!    Music enhances every experience, so if you want to have a great relaxing outdoor experience music is a must.  These speakers have great sound and they’re waterproof so you do not need to keep them under a covered area.  I play a lot of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, they’re my wine drinking tunes.

When designing the patio I didn’t want a full size table and chairs on it.  I wanted just a lounging area, or an outdoor living room.  I did want a bistro bar style table for sipping wine or coffee and I had just the right spot over on the end of the patio.  If you’re interested in the 3 piece Bistro Bar Set you can find it on Amazon.

Instead of 1 long coffee table I purchased 2 square ones and they perfectly fit the space.   These are indoor coffee tables and on the few occasions they have gotten wet from storms  and sideways rain they have dried and recovered nicely.

Surprise surprise they’re from Amazon.  With Prime it’s just so quick and easy to purchase what we need, plus we get a lot of Amazon gift cards.  You can purchase these HERE from Amazon, my tables are the natural 27 inch ones.

You can see our grass is still in recovery from adjusting the sprinkler system.  The grass seed is starting to come out and it’s slowly filling in.

Over to the right I added a serving cart for drinks or to hold gardening items.

I spent a lot of time searching for the perfect outdoor wall art.  I just stumbled upon this owl canvas art from Pier 1 one day and it’s perfect for the spot.  It’s regular indoor wall art.  It gets sun and during some storms with high wind it’s flown off the wall a couple times, but it’s still in great condition.  This owl is tough.  Yay!

Day or night, rain or shine, we love our patio so much!  Sitting out during the rain is so much fun!  Everything stays pretty dry except when we get our sideways rain.  We haven’t had any hail storms yet, but I would love to sit out in a hail storm.  As long as its not sideways hail….ouch.

If you live in Tarrant Country or the DFW area and are interested in using our contractor leave me a comment and I’ll get you his contact information.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the story of our patio, and if you are planning an outdoor patio space I wish you the best of luck!  It’s totally worth it!  If you have any questions leave them in the comments section and I’ll try to answer them the best I can.  You can read more of our outdoor related blog posts here under the OUTDOOR section.

Laura

TRAVEL

GALVESTON ISLAND

Hello everybody, last week we had a fabulous trip to Galveston Island and I wanted to share our adventures with you!  Galveston Island, only being 5 hours away from us, is a fun, quick getaway, beach spot for us.  Thanks to the Mississippi River, Texas beaches may not have crystal clear aqua water, but make no mistake Texas beaches are still beautiful fun beach getaways!  Galveston Island is a great destination with more to offer than just its beaches.

Day 1 

When we first arrived to Galveston I was excited to check out Bishop’s Palace, also known as Gresham Castle, which is located in the historic district of town.  I love touring beautiful historic homes and this one certainly lived up to my expectations!  This beautiful mansion’s construction was completed in 1893, where Walter and Josephine Gresham and their 9 children lived.

Costing $250,000 to build, its estimated value is now 5.5 million.  This gorgeous home is filled with ornate carved wood, gorgeous painted ceilings, stained glass windows, as well as antique furnishings and chandeliers.

Being built completely out of stone, this house withstood the devastating 1900 Galveston hurricane.  The Greshams graciously opened their home to many survivors who were homeless.  Eventually the family moved, and in 1923 the Roman Cathoic Diocese of Galveston bought the house which served as residence for Bishop Christopher Byrne.  In 1963 the mansion became open for tours to the public.  It’s definitely a lovely stop that the entire family should enjoy.

After Bishop’s Palace, we went over to the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa.

Built in Scotland, Elissa was originally launched in October of 1877.  She also sailed under the Swedish and Norwegian flags and eventually made her way to the Texas coast in 1985.  In 2011 the U.S. Coast guard deemed her not seaworthy anymore.  So $3 million was raised by the Texas Seaport Museum for her renovation.  In 2013 the renovation was complete and she returned to her sailing adventures in 2014.  When she’s not at her port she runs a series of sails and is currently one of the oldest sailing hulls in operation today.

Its fun to walk around on a ship with such great history, you can also go below deck and check out all the ship’s features.  Be sure to explore the Texas Seaport Museum next door which is full of interesting history.

With several restaurants near Elissa we settled on Willie G’s Seafood and Steaks.  We loved the big windows overlooking the water, the modern atmosphere, attentive waitstaff, and the incredible seafood!  I recommend the Texas shrimp cocktail for sure!

After the kids were tucked away into their hotel bed we went to the bar in the Hotel Galvez.  Opening in 1911 this hotel is stunning inside and out!

This cozy little bar has a great wine list, cocktails, and upscale bar food.

Besides the bar, the hotel has lots of nooks to sit and relax, but eventually we went outside.  With lush green grass, adirondack chairs, and just past the sea wall a great ocean view, it’s an incredible spot to sip a drink and stare off into the beautiful sea.

Day 2 

The next morning we woke up bright and perky, ready for a beach day.  We started with a walk along the sea wall and began to plan our day.

The sea wall runs along a large portion of the beach.  Its construction was complete in 1904, 4 years after the devastating 1900 hurricane that destroyed the island and was the worst hurricane in all of U.S. history.  An estimated 8,000 people lost their lives with some saying the death toll was closer to 12,000.

I remember visiting Galveston Beach as a child being annoyed by the road and the sea wall.  Now I’ve grown to love it.  The sea wall protects the city, is full of history, and walking along the sea wall you get incredible views of the Gulf.  You see lots of people out and about, walking, jogging, and biking, having fun, enjoying the view.  It’s part of Galveston’s charm.

Skipping breakfast, we decided on an early lunch to kick off our fun day at Bubba Gump which is located on Pleasure Pier.

 We ate upstairs on the patio with beautiful beach views!

My beach babies barely finished their lunch and left us at the table to run down to the beach.  They were excited for salty sandy fun!

I want to give Galveston a big shout out for the amazing condition of the beach.  I mean it looked so good!  Brian was amazed, we didn’t ever remember the beaches looking this good.  I googled and sure enough Galveston just completed a $19.5 million beach renovation.  They dredged out extra sand from the Galveston shipping channel and pumped it along the beach, giving us nice fluffy sand to play in and creating a much longer shoreline.  What a real treat the beaches were!

Above, another fantastic view taken from the patio of Bubba Gump Shrimp.  You can tell how lovely the beaches looked.  With the seawall to your left the amount of beach will vary.  This is a great spot.  In the distance the blue building is Murdoch’s, a souvineer and snack shop…I’ll tell ya more about that in a bit.

We finished lunch and ran down to the beach to meet our kids.  That’s Brian way back in this photo, taking a photo of Ashley.  Haley also loves the beach but is not a fan of my camera.  You can see her all the way to the right in her pink UV shirt.  Her UV shirt is like SPF 500 or something.  Chance of getting a tan zero.

We splashed and had fun!

We soaked up the sun and I annoyed Ashley by taking lots of photos.  She’s trying to build a sand castle here…go away you annoying mom!

After lots of beach fun Ashley, who is obsessed with all sea creatures started begging for a pet crab.

She eventually wore us down so we headed over to Murdoch’s which is just a short walk down the beach.   No trip to Galveston is ever complete without going to Murdochs!  They have great souvineers and beautiful beach views!

So we walked into Murdoch’s looking like sea monsters, frizzy tangled hair, covered in sand and salt water, trying to look as classy as we can.

We bought these 2 cuties.  This is Shelly on the left and Pearl on the right.  We took the kids back to the hotel and Ashley researched everything known to man about Hermit crabs while we left for dinner.

It’s not a blog post unless I forget to take a photo of something right?

Well this is us heading up the stairs at the San Luis Hotel to The Steakhouse restaurant.  We walked inside, it was dark, quiet, and I started stuffing my face with wine and food and completely forgot to take any photos.  I will say it was a great dining experience and I’d love to stay at this hotel next time, the pool looks incredible!!

Day 3

The next morning the girls begged to ride rides at Pleasure Pier.

You can walk on a small portion of Pleasure Pier without paying, but to actually go inside you will need an arm band.  For those like me who have no interest riding rides you can get a walk-on bracelet for pretty cheap.  I recommend this, even if you hate rides the pier is fun!  Plus there are snacks and great ocean views!

There are rides for all ages.  Bumper cars, swings, a log ride, roller coasters, a carousel and more.

You can grab a snack and watch your kids from these awesome Texas rocking chairs…

or take selfies with the beach in the background!

Once my kids finished spinning and spinning (seriously why do kids want to spin in circles so much?) we headed to lunch at our favorite spot. The Spot!

The Spot is a relaxed counter service restaurant with yummy food and amazing beach views!

We had fish tacos and shrimp kisses.  Shrimp kisses are a big thing in Galveston.  Seriously they’re in so many restaurants here.  I think it’s just bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with cheese.  We’re major bacon addicts, so being at the beach we ordered these at multiple places…at least 3 places I remember.

Having no solid plan we walked a few minutes back down to Murdoch’s.  We just like the place!  Murdoch’s has 2 shops connected by a covered patio with beach views.

And what do ya know available adirondack rocking chairs over looking the ocean.  Score!!

This was just one of those perfect unexpected moments ya know?  Sometimes the things you don’t plan end up being the best moments you cherish.  We probably sat in these chairs 2 hours.  It was just so nice and Brian got us some slushy margaritas and it got even better!

Finally I was pried up from my rocking chair and we decided to look for a new adventure.  That adventure would be Schlitterbahn.  Half-day admission starts at 3:00 PM and that gave us more than enough time to have waterpark fun.  3-4 hours at Schlitterbahn and I’m good, especially with no lines.

Dinner was at Fish Tales, another favorite of ours.  You can dine inside or out, both experiences are great.  FYI Fish Tales is located directly across the street from Pleasure Pier.

We still had our Pier arm bands from earlier in the day, so after dinner we spent a little more time at Pleasure Pier before heading back to the hotel.  Pleasure Pier at night is a really cool experience!

Day 4

Our last day we packed up and spent some time viewing the beach but staying dry and sand free this time.

The rip currents along the Galveston beach can be strong, these jetties help break up the current.  Interesting fact I learned on this trip is the rocks that form the jetties are made of pink granite from Marble Falls, which is in central Texas which we love so much.

We said bye bye to the beach and sea birds and went inland to breakfast at the Mosquito Cafe.

I loved the food here!  It was creative and healthy yet still felt indulgent.  We ordered these incredible breakfast bowls and cough cough a few mimosas.

Look below at the water level during Hurricane Ike!  That’s crazy!!

We needed to get on the road, but not quite ready leave we drove to the end of the island.

With lots of exciting history here, you can sit along the rocks and view barges and ships entering the channel.  Other people were around viewing as well but it still felt quiet and peaceful.  After relaxing here a bit rain eventually started to come down and we had to say goodbye to the ocean.

We did end up stopping for a little lunch at the Kemah Boardwalk which is sort of on the way home between Galveston and Houston.  Kemah is a fun stop that we have been to many many times.  But I won’t go into it now too much as it deserves its own blog post.

We had to bring our crabs with us to lunch, they could’t stay in the hot car.  We want pet crabs, not cooked crabs.  So this might be the first time crabs have ever dined at a nice seafood restaurant without being on the menu!  They were a hit at the restaurant….and we kept them away from the chef.

You’ll be happy to know the crabs have been upgraded to a larger cage.  Ashley was concerned the shells were too small for the crabs so she bought larger shells.  I’m excited to announce Shelly has already switched to the larger shell when were weren’t looking, and Pearl seems ok in her small efficiency shell for now.  Hey.. if you have any hermit crab tips for Ashley leave them in the comments!

There is actually lots more to do in Galveston we just ran out of time.  Ride the free ferry, visit Moody Gardens, take a cruise, visit the many awesome restaurants, and explore the beautiful beaches farther from the sea wall. Thank you Galveston, we had a wonderful time and your beaches looked beautiful!!  Until next time!

 

Laura

Everything Else

MAKE YOUR OWN VANILLA EXTRACT


I can’t believe that summer is coming to an end.  Where has the summer gone?  Oh yes…I remember…watching Netflix , taking my kids to the pool, and drinking wine.  Ok, maybe I can believe it.  I love summer but the heat always makes me excited for fall.  With fall baking around the corner it’s time to get a batch of homemade vanilla extract going.  You can do this, it’s super easy.  Your inner Martha Stewart is dying to come out.  You want to give your vanilla extract a good 2 months to be ready, so grab your supplies and let’s get going so we’re ready for fall.

Supplies you need:

vodka

glass bottle or jar

vanilla beans

Any cheap vodka will do as long as it’s unflavored.  By all means save your money and use the cheapest.  Using a higher quality vodka isn’t necessary but it’s what I had on hand.  We aren’t big vodka drinkers so I’m using a higher quality because otherwise it will just sit in my cabinet…I don’t even remember why I bought this vodka.  It was probably that time I made Moscow Mules.   You want to use a glass jar or bottle, size-wise it should hold at least 8 ounces.  I bought the Hermetic Glass Flask from The Container Store, it holds 17 ounces.  That store is my drug!  I love everything in there, it seems I can’t stay out of that store!!  They also sell smaller bottles that are perfect for giving smaller amounts away as gifts.  You can also probably find a variety of glass bottles on Amazon.

 

Besides vodka the next step is to track down some vanilla beans.  I almost ordered some off Amazon but with some negative reviews I chickened out last minute.  I’ve made my own vanilla extract for years and I’ve always been very pleased with the quality of the Madagascar vanilla beans from Beanilla.  So I went back to my trusty source.

I have seen vanilla beans sold at a grocery store, but they seem very overpriced, thin, and hard.  A speciality grocery store could have better quality than the ones I found.  These beans from Beanilla are plump and soft, similar to raisins.  This is not a sponsored or affiliated post, I just really like the quality you get at Beanilla.  Shipping is pretty quick as well.  When you open the sealed package of vanilla beans the smell is incredible!

How many beans should you use?

There are so many different formulas for this.  Beanilla recommends 7 beans per cup of vodka.  You can certainly use their formula but I find that a bit high so I’ve always use less.  A good rule of thumb is at least 3-5 beans per cup of vodka for the best result.  Some people use more and some use less.   I used 7 beans for 12 ounces of vodka.  I try always try to use less to make it more cost effective.  So always use at least 3 beans per cup of vodka and 5 or more is icing on the cake.  If you use less you may just need it to age a little longer.   My 7 vanilla beans from Beanilla were $36.95 plus the cost of the vodka whatever that was.  I know this can seem high but seriously I have vanilla extract that will last me for years.  Plus you can top if off with a little extra vodka as you use it up.  Your homemade vanilla extract will be higher quality than any grocery store vanilla you can find I promise!

What kind of beans should you use?

Madagascar has that smooth classic vanilla flavor.  Mexican has a slight spice to it while Tahitian beans have a more floral fruity flavor.  My usual go to beans are Madagascar but you can certainly experiment and create different blends. Vanilla beans can seem expensive  but then again so is a small bottle of vanilla extract.  You’re making such a large and high quality batch of vanilla extract the cost of the beans is still economical, especially when you realize how long it will last you!

Exactly how long should it age?

Many people will recommend 2 months at least, in my experience for the best flavor I always go a minimum of 3 months.  I feel at 3 months my vanilla is ready for use.  However some say up to 6 months is best.  Honestly the longer it sits the better it tastes but you can absolutely use it at the 2 or 3 month mark.  You can start using it at the 3 month mark for great flavor and it will continue to age to perfection.

With a knife carefully slice along the bean leaving the ends intact.  Cut deep enough so the beans open up and you can see the squishy seed part but try not to cut all the way through the bean.

Measure your vodka out per how many beans your using and pour it into your jar or bottle.

My husband came home to a nearly empty vodka bottle on the counter.  Haha…I had to explain to him that I didn’t need rehab I was just making vanilla extract.

Add your vanilla beans to the vodka filled bottle or jar, add the lid and give it a good shake.  Oh by the way while slicing your beans if you had any vanilla bean goo leak out you can add that to the vodka as well.  You can even have a little taste, I personally love it!

The presence of the vanilla bean flakes is just fine, it adds a homemade touch and says yes I’m the real deal.  Plus those little vanilla flakes will only make your food better I promise.  While your vanilla is aging over the next couple months you can occasionally check on it and shake it up.

Be sure to date your vanilla because I’m telling you, you think you’ll remember when you started but you probably won’t.  You’ll be scratching your head trying to remember how long your vanilla has aged.

When storing vanilla extract it should be kept in a dark cool space.  So no storing above your oven, near the dishwasher, or in a sunny spot.  My vanilla is hanging out in a dark spot in my pantry and has made friends with the almonds and peanuts so luckily it’s not lonely and won’t mind chilling for a while.

 How long does vanilla extract last?

Store bought imitation vanilla extract can last you about 2-4 years.  Homemade vanilla extract should last indefinitely.  So make a big batch and rest assured you’re covered with amazing vanilla for years!

Look at this, we have a big bottle of vanilla extract!  We’re ready to bake pies, cookies, cakes….anything your heart desires!  Plus as it ages you’ll get even more rich vanilla goodness!

Gift giving

In terms of gift giving I recommend giving vanilla extract that has aged 3 months.    At this point it has a nice rich color and full flavor.  If you started late then at least wait 2 months before gifting.  I’ve seen some people that give small bottles of freshly made (clear) unaged vanilla as gifts with instructions to let it age before use.  I think if you want to make the best impression for a gift it should be ready to use immediately.  When gifting your aged vanilla extract I recommend adding a bean or half a bean.  Not only does adding a vanilla bean give a really great visual and a decorative homemade touch,  it lets the vanilla aging process continue.  You do not need to use a new bean, a previous soaked bean from your larger bottle is just fine.  Pour your extract in a smaller bottle, add a ribbon and a tag and what an adorable gift you have!  It’s very cost effective for you and it’s a very useful fun gift to receive!

You can absolutely bargain shop other places for beans and try to get your vanilla extract cost even lower.  Regardless of cost, any time I make my own vanilla extract my desserts, cocktails and baked goods tastes amazingly better compared to store bought extract!  As you use your vanilla you can gradually add little bits of vodka to replenish your stash.  Just make sure it maintains its rich color.  You can even add a bean here and there if needed.

If you’ve experimented with different beans and blends or know of other recommend vanilla bean suppliers leave me a comment and let me know.  I love to share and I love to learn through others!  Happy baking!

Laura

RECIPES

GREEK CHICKPEA SALAD

My Mom came to visit over the weekend.  We had lots of girly fun and backyard relaxing time.   She’s like me and loves to eat fresh amazing salads.  Seriously I love salads.  Childhood Laura is cringing.  Childhood Laura used to scream at the sight of vegetables.  Oh, how times have changed.  Veggies are so good and they make my butt look smaller.  So it’s a win-win!

Saturday was hot and we were getting hungry for lunch.  So I thought it was a perfect time to make this Greek Chickpea Salad recipe that I had my eye on.  Luckily, I have a ton of ripe cherry tomatoes and basil in my garden.  As my garden starts to grow and produce I start looking for recipes or create my own to use everything up.  I can’t let any yummy garden goodness go to waste!

Mom was super excited to try this recipe with me.

We started with our vinaigrette.  You can whisk these ingredients together in a bowl, but I love my salad dressing shaker.  It makes making dressings so easy with the measurements marked on the container.  We added red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt, closed the lid and shook away.

Those of you who aren’t wild about the taste of mustard go ahead and add it, don’t be scared.  You can’t taste the mustard, and it works as an emulsifier to blend the oil and vinegar together to a creamy state.

Next, I added some minced shallot to the dressing container, about a tablespoon, and shook again.

All done with the vinaigrette, let’s start the salad.

Take 2 cans of chickpeas, rinse them well, and add them to your salad bowl.  I love this salad bowl by the way.  Its $3.99 at IKEA and so handy!

Add 2 cups of cherry tomatoes sliced in half.  These tomatoes came from my garden.  I’m so proud of these little cuties.  Everything tastes better when you grow it yourself.

Next, add a 1/2 cup of sliced pitted kalamata olives, then add 2 cups of cucumber quartered and sliced.

An English cucumber is ideal because of its thin skin and less noticeable seeds.  They are usually about a foot long which is about 2 cups sliced up & perfect for this recipe.  You can find English cucumbers at the grocery store usually in shrink wrap.  If you can’t find an English cucumber you can go with a regular cucumber, but you might get a more watery result with more seeds.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and gently toss it all together.

Now add some crumbled feta cheese.  At least a half of cup, but more if you love feta!!  Slice or tear up a bunch of fresh basil leaves.  I used 15-20 leaves because we LOVE basil and my basil is growing like crazy in my garden!

Now give the salad another stir and add some fresh ground pepper.  I love fresh ground pepper on everything.

This salad is so quick and easy to make and not to mention filling!  It’s a perfect summer vegetarian meal.  I love healthy food like this, you feel satisfied but still clean and good afterwards.  This recipe is summer in a bowl.

Print Recipe

Greek Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

Instructions for the Greek vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbs Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbs minced shallot
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • pinch of salt

Ingredients for the salad:

  • 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cups kalamata olives, sliced in half
  • 2 cups cucumber, quartered and sliced
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta -feel free to use more!

Instructions

Instructions for the dressing:

  • In a small bowl whisk vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, oregano, shallot, and salt together, or shake ingredients together in a salad dressing shaker.

Instructions for the salad:

  • Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives to a bowl, pour in dressing, and gently mix together.  
  • Tear or slice basil leaves and add to the bowl along with crumbled feta cheese, and gently mix again.  Season with fresh ground pepper and more salt to taste if necessary.
     

Enjoy this salad, it’s so filling and refreshing!

 

Laura

TRAVEL

THINGS TO DO IN FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS

Fredericksburg is one of my favorite Texas Hill Country destinations.  Considering Fredericksburg is a small town, there is a lot to see and do.  The area is full of charming bed and breakfasts and wineries, not to mention cute shops and lots of restaurants.  We’ve visited Fredericksburg and the surrounding Hill Country area dozens of times, with and without our children.  We’ve never stayed at the same place twice and are always thrilled to discover new bed and breakfasts.  As for the wineries, many are in the actual city of Fredericksburg, other wineries are located in the towns just outside of Fredericksburg, such as Hye, or Stonewall, most are located along U. S. Highway 290, a.k.a. Wine Road 290.

Our first stop arriving into town was the stunningly gorgeous Grape Creek Vineyards.  This place continuously wows us every time, and becoming wine club members here was one of our best decisions.  We were ready for a glass of wine but I was also starving.  The new restaurant at Grape Creek made this a perfect choice.  Trattoria is their newly upgraded restaurant.  Formerly it was an outdoor restaurant with counter service, now Trattoria is fully enclosed and air-conditioned with large picture windows overlooking the vineyards and a full wait staff.

I ordered a yummy salad and started with one of my favorite whites, the Viognier.   You can still find areas to dine outside and the members only patio is fantastic.  If you aren’t a wine club member there are other nice tables outside to relax at with large trees and a fountain.  If you love wine Grape Creek is an excellent choice and I really love being in their wine club.  They also have a smaller location right on Main Street in Fredericksburg.

Our next stop was Torri di Pietra Vineyards.  I’ve been a little mad at Torri di Pietra for being out of my favorite Dirty Girl wine for a very long time.

I guess I drank their entire stock last time.  Haha…but finally they have stock again, so we’ve made up.  I’m glad because I’ve really missed their cat Bella.

Not only do I love this wine, I think the bottles are adorable and I have one I keep my laundry detergent in, I added a pour spout on top.  You know I can’t have an ugly bottle of  Tide sitting out in my laundry room…I’m way to neurotic for that.

No, I wasn’t letting Bella drink my wine, that would be less for me.  But she’s a wine kitty and I value her opinion, she’s just smelling the aroma of my wine.  Dirty Girl is a Chardonnay with hints of apples and pineapples.  Bella approves of my selection and lets me drink it.

After my cat cuddle party we head to our bed and breakfast, where I start to remember I’m allergic to cats.  I seem to always forget that when drinking wine.

This time we decided to stay at the Sugarberry Inn.  This adorable bed and breakfast is located just off Main Street and it’s very convenient.

I love these adorable little cottages surrounded by charming gardens.

The room inside was cozy and charming but also felt spacious at the same time.  The bed linens were so incredibly soft and luxurious that I’m still thinking about them.

I’ve never showered outdoors before, but it’s really cool to do so privately in nature.  Don’t worry if you find yourself staying in the middle of winter there is also an indoor shower.  In fact the entire bathroom was huge with a gorgeous free standing tub.

The back of the property has lots of trees, a small creek, a fireplace, and lots of little nooks to relax, read, or sip wine.

One thing to be aware of when you visit Fredericksburg and some nearby towns is that on Monday and Tuesdays a few places will be closed.  It wasn’t that big of a deal to us, but first timers may want to avoid Mondays and Tuesdays just so you have all your options open.  Otto’s German Bistro was open and luckily I love this restaurant and was planning to eat there anyway.

Tucked a few blocks off Main Street, Otto’s offers upscale food with a German flair.  It has excellent service and a terrific wine list, I definitely recommend it.

The next morning after coffee in my rocking chair and a few selfies we headed out to breakfast.

What?  We’re going out to breakfast when were staying at a bed and breakfast?  Yes, that’s right.  The Sugarberry Inn provides breakfast only on the weekends in the main house.  No worries, they provided us with breakfast vouchers and a list of restaurants to choose from and that was just as fun!

We decided to stop at a trusted favorite, the Fredericksburg Herb Farm.  Tucked in a charming little house, the Farm Haus Bistro offers yummy breakfasts and is a favorite of ours.  I’ve always wanted to come here for dinner but I seem to forget it’s an option.  Either way it has great food and drinks.

Not only is there a restaurant but they also offer adorable cottages to stay in, and they have a spa and really charming gardens to walk around.   When I dine in the restaurant I love sitting at the tables by the large picture window overlooking their gardens.  They even have a little gift shop to explore.   It’s a neat place.  We’ve never stayed at their cottages but we should.  There are just so many to pick from!

After our late breakfast we headed over to Becker Vineyards.

Becker is located just outside Fredericksburg in Stonewall, Texas.  Another favorite of ours, they offer excellent wines and lavender products grown from the fields right there on the estate.  You’ll find amazing soaps, oils, lotions, even some lavender syrup, and honey.

With  so many excellent wines, you’ll definitely need to have a tasting.  We really love the red wines here, we grab a glass and relax on the shaded patio overlooking the bright green grass and lavender fields.  Brian choose the Cabernet Sauvignon and I selected the Prarie Rotie.

After that we went over to Wildseed Farms.  This is a really a neat place.  It has a nice sized nursery area to purchase plants, with a huge giftshop, a winery, and a snack area.

There are lots of garden paths and little trails where you can sit and admire the wild flowers.  Plus lots of shaded seating areas that have live music on the weekends and surprise surprise there is a winery!

So we venture in to Wedding Oak Winery, it’s a new stop for us.

Wedding Oak Winery has their main location in downtown in San Saba, but I really like this cute location inside Wildseed Farms.  Be sure to stop in for a tasting, try their wines and you can learn the story behind the winery’s name.  We had a tasting and selected a delicious wine to enjoy on the shaded patio.

Before heading out I grabbed a peach ice cream cone.  This is starting to become a tradition for me.  I like my peach ice cream,  I need it every time I visit.  Somebody who shall remain nameless doesn’t like peaches and had to order vanilla.  Hmm….

Circle E Candles made right here in Fredericksburg have always been some of my favorite candles to burn.

Birds of Paradise is their #1 scent but they have lots of incredible scents to choose from!  Besides Birds of Paradise, Cream Brûlée, Bed of Roses, and Earl Gray Tea are some of my favorites.

For dinner we went with another trusty fave of ours August E’s.  I love the open modern look inside with art from locals hanging on the walls.  The food here is creative and excellent, you can get anything from steak to sushi.  They also have a very impressive wine list and creative cocktails.

The next morning and sadly our last day we tried a new breakfast place.  The Rathskeller is located in the basement of the old hospital on Main street.

I find underground restaurants so cool.  This small cozy place had great breakfasts with many options to choose from.

After breakfast we did a little more last minute shopping on Main Street.   Here you’ll find several blocks of shops, restaurants, and a few wine options.

Before heading out of town we had a quick stop at Vaudeville.   This restaurant is also located in the basement of this vintage building right on Main Street.

They are open for breakfast and lunch, with limited dinner hours. Here you can find a wide variety of upscale meals, including wine, espresso, and my favorite thing in the world….MACARONS!

The green one is pistachio flavor, a flavor I always order and the other one was lavender honey.  I love eating lavender or rose flavored food or drinks and I’m always on the look out for them.  It tasted incredible!

We finished with a strong cup of espresso, which is really what I needed!  All packed up, we were driving out of town when we saw a couple new small wineries.  We can’t hurt their feelings so we had to stop.

This nook has several smaller wineries.  The Vintage Cellar, Armadillo’s Leap Winery, Six Shooter and Fiesta Winery.  Every time we drive by this area it seems another has popped up.

We loved the patio at Armadillo’s Leap Winery.  It was quiet and peaceful.  The thing about Fredericksburg is during weekdays it’s quiet, but that can also equal less lively.  More events happen on the weekends for sure.  On the weekends you’ll find more live music and food trucks.  If you feed off energy like this maybe the weekend is a better choice, but with the weekend comes crowds and longer waits.  Fredericksburg is always a great choice whether weekdays or weekends are your choice.  You’ll have a great time no matter when you pick.

We also stopped at Magnolia Pearl on our way out of town.  This beautiful store is like a work of art.  Here you’ll find clothes and home items with a vintage vibe.

This 2 story store is definitely worth a stop.  Even if you aren’t in the mood to shop you should stop by and just visually soak up the quirky beauty.

Well, that was the last of our trip.  We had to say goodbye to Fredericksburg.  We enjoyed our visit and it certainly won’t be the last!

I want to leave with you a few tips for visiting the wineries.  There are so many good wineries and vineyards to stop at so you really need to pace yourself.  A trick we have learned when visiting new places is to split a tasting.  By doing this we each get a sip or 2 of each wine and we can quickly decide what we like.  Other more familiar places where we know what wine we already like we just get 1 glass or buy bottles to drink later.  If you can’t resist temptation and you think you’ll be drinking a lot I strongly suggest the 290 Wine Shuttle that stops every 15 minutes for pick ups on the weekends.  You can find more information on their website.

Well, that’s it.  I hope you decided to plan a trip to Fredericksburg, I know you will have lots of fun.  I leave you with this photo I took last April of the Poppy flowers blooming in the fields at Wildseed Farms.

 

Laura

DECOR

HOW WE DESIGNED OUR FIRE PIT

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!  Last weekend we went hiking so we really enjoyed a nice restful weekend at home!  Sunday brought cooler temps and we enjoyed lots of backyard time.  Which brings me to talk about our fire pit.  We’ve had it about 8 months or so and we’ve had so much fun with it!  I mean really it’s just been awesome!

We purchased the 44 inch Fossill Brown Round Fire Pit Kit from Home Depot.  We were able to purchase this on sale.  So if your interested in purchasing one start watching for a sale.  We ordered online and about a week later we picked up the kit from the store.

I’ll go into more detail about our backyard in another story soon, but long story short for now, we had concrete poured for the fire pit while we were having some other areas done.  Once your ground is prepared, whether it be gravel, dirt, concrete, whatever you desire it’s a snap to put together.

We didn’t take photos assembling, but it was very easy.  We basically just placed the pieces where we wanted them and once we were happy we used some masonry adhesive (Liquid Nails or Loc-tite are good brands) to glue it into place.

Then to finish you place small rocks or pebbles on both sides of the fire ring and the bottom of the pit.  The rocks are sold separately.

Adirondack chairs from Amazon were added.  This is the South Beach Adirondack chair in mahogany.  I am so glad we paid extra for Polywood!  No sanding or staining ever.  These chairs are made to last.   We also purchased matching Polywood South Beach Side Tables.

The chairs feel sturdy and nice and smooth against your skin.  No splinters or maintenance!  I wish our yard swing was made out of the same material.  It’s wood and already getting scratchy feeling.  I’m very happy with our purchases, it was worth the investment and I think they’ll last forever.

 

We purchased this MalloMe Marshmallow Roasting Stick Set from Amazon and it’s gotten so much use.  It’s really fun, the sticks extend out 30 inches and and then retract nice and small to fit back in the storage bag.  The sticks all have different colored rings so you know whose is whose.

Smores are just so fun.  I get excited on smores nights, we all get excited.  It’s fun family bonding, and super fun for parties.

The fire pit is feels really solid and its sturdy enough to sit on the edge if you wanted to.  After heavy rains its never fills up with water and drains well because we left a hole in the center of the concrete.

I added Sunbrella pillows, which are fade resistant and quick drying.  I love leopard print, it makes me so happy!  These outdoor pillows are from Ballard Designs.  They wash up very well in the washing machine.

Thanks for reading.  Here are links to some of the items we used.

 

Laura