It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! Are you celebrating this year? Whether we’re traveling to Ireland or creating a festive Irish-inspired recipe, we always have lots of fun celebrating the day! With traveling and home projects it seems like we’ve been eating heavier meals lately, so I thought I would lighten things up this year and celebrate the day with this yummy St. Patrick’s Day snack tray.
Complete with a savory pesto parmesan vegetable dip this snack tray is the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and savory! You can throw this snack tray together in a short amount of time, and it was lots of fun arranging the rainbow, clover, and other fruits and vegetables.
I love putting together snack trays and cheese and charcuterie boards, it’s a fun way to eat, and not just for entertaining… we often make it our dinner! All you’ll need is a food safe cutting or serving board, I’m using this one here, and your own creativity. The sky’s the limit!
To celebrate Saint Paddy’s day I usually make Guinness Stew with White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, and we’re definitely adding this snack tray to our yearly celebration! The pesto parmesan dip was my favorite part and it’s green!! Feel free to double it… it’s that good!
I just love being curled up in a chair or the sofa with a nice soft throw blanket, not just during cold weather either, I use them year round because they’re so comforting. Is anyone else guilty of having lots of throw blankets? We have a TON… and honestly we use them all! Hands down my favorite throw is this ivory faux fur one. Cuddling up to it is pure bliss and it’s machine washable, I do air dry it but it drys surprisingly fast. Usually within a few hours.
It’s nice to drape a throw across the sofa, but if you’re like me you have way too many to just leave them out. Or maybe you just have one but you like a clean tidy space… blankets take on a messy look real fast.
I’ve always said the key to having a clean and organized home is having a spot for everything, and with blankets you have two choices, hide them or show them!
So I thought I would share with you some great options for storing or decorating throw blankets conveniently in your living space.
WAYS TO HIDE YOUR THROW BLANKETS
Storage furniture is a true gift from God! Make your coffee table work double duty by choosing one with built in storage! Right next to the sofa storage, coffee tables are such a convenient way to store throws when you’re not using them.
Baskets are a great way to add texture to any room, and now large storage size baskets seem to be everywhere! With or without a lid, baskets are made for blanket storage and easy to place anywhere in a room.
Trunks and benches have great storage for blankets too, and they also add such great style and come in all different sizes. We’re currently using a small trunk as an end table and it easily holds our large size blankets. Storage ottomans are also a great choice if you have the space. It’s a fun way to introduce colors and patterns to a space and all with secret storage!
USE THROW BLANKETS AS HOME DECOR
Or how about using your blankets as home decor? Quilt stands are still around and not just for quilts! They’re perfect for displaying and organizing your blankets and throws. Similarly, free standing towel racks are getting more popular and aren’t just for towels either. Between the two options it’s easy to find a stand that meets your style and space needs. Another trendy way to display your throw blankets is with a leaning wall ladder. They come in a variety of styles from modern to farmhouse.
Everything deserves a spot in your home. So the question is are you team hide blankets or team show them off?
I HAVE A CRUSH ON SARAH FLINT SHOES + SAVE $50 OFF YOUR OWN PAIR
I have a crush on Sarah Flint Shoes and I’m so excited to share my experience with you! Months ago after I discovered this amazing shoe brand I decided to become a brand ambassador for the company. Let me just say I’m often approached to sell or represent products and 99% of the time I say no. Honestly I need to truly love and click with a product before I can represent it, but after months of wearing these amazing shoes I can say they’re truly incredible!
Ever since the early days of Sex and the City I naturally became a shoe crazed female. Years and years later I can honestly say I am OVER shoe pain. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the shoes are, if they hurt I won’t wear them… in fact I won’t even purchase them!
It’s even tougher being over 40. I still love style but I won’t compromise when it comes to comfort, and this is where Sarah Flint comes to help ladies of all ages!
Sarah Flint shoes are hand crafted in Italy and are luxury quality but at a fraction of the price. They come in a wide variety of classic styles with heel heights to suit everyone’s needs. Besides style, Sarah provides much needed shoe comfort with a wide toe box, extra padding, and amazing arch support!
Celebrities such as Amal Clooney, Emma Robberts, Meghan Markle, and Lady Gaga all love and wear Sarah Flint shoes. It is truly no secret why so many women wear them to red carpet events, weddings, and so much more! I have several pairs of Sarah Flint shoes and I’m going to share my favorites with you!
The perfect pump comes in a variety of heel heights to fit everyone’s needs and they feel amazing on your feet! I’m wearing the Perfect Pump 85, it’s the perfect height for me! They come in several different colors and often release gorgeous limited edition styles throughout the year.
I love a good leopard shoe and consider them a closet staple, they go with nearly everything and add interest to any look. Sarah Flint has the most incredible leopard collection ever! Above I’m wearing the Natalie Flat, besides leopard they come in classic colors such as black, navy, and brown as well as lots of amazing textures and patterns.
The Rosie shoe is my new favorite, with a 1 inch heel block it’s perfect for when you just need a little height. They look fantastic with a variety of outfits and come in leopard, black, navy, and taupe. It’s the perfect everyday shoe and they’re comfortable from the moment you put them on!
Sarah Flint has a wide variety of shoes, from boots to sandals, and I’ll be happily sharing more styles with you in the future! The shoes are packaged beautifully and come with a shoe storage bag which I often use when traveling. Returns are also quick and easy. I had to exchange a pair and it was a very simple process.
You can also read online shoe reviews to see how other women are loving their own shoes. I love how Sarah Flint has online product reviews so you can trust the quality and comfort plus input on how the shoe fits.
If you’d like to choose your own pair of Sarah Flint shoes, feel free to use my code SARAHFLINT-BASALTER for $50 off your first purchase in stores or online. Using this discount code not only saves you money, but helps me as a brand ambassador. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!
Hey everyone, I wanted to share a favorite new website of mine called Rent the Runway and 10 reasons why you should join! For those who are unfamiliar with Rent the Runway, it’s a website that offers rented clothing… and it’s not only fun but truly a life saver at times! I’ve known about online clothing rental services for a while, but for whatever reason it never really piqued my interest.
That all changed one day when I saw an add pop up. Ok, I thought, you got my attention, I’ll click. Honestly after a few minutes of poking around the website looking at different clothing options, I thought it looked fun. I’m on my second month using Rent the Runway and I’m really pleased. It’s more than just fun… it’s really helpful to women in a variety of ways. There are also several affordable plans to pick from based on your needs, I’ll get to that more at the end of this blog post.
So these are my 10 reasons I think you should join Rent the Runway!
Think about how helpful it is to have beautiful clothes in variety of sizes just waiting for you! How many times have you needed a new dress or a pair of jeans but maybe it’s post vacation or holiday and you’ve gained a few pounds. If you’re like me you need them now but you’re not wanting to temporarily buy a size up then Rent the Runway is a perfect solution. It’s also great if you’re on a weight loss program and you’re going down several sizes.
FORMAL WEAR
You have an event coming up and you need a formal dress you know you’ll only wear once. Rent the Runway has lots of gorgeous dresses and other formal clothing just waiting for you. You can wear a fresh new outfit to an event without any guilt of making a new and unnecessary purchase!
MATERNITY CLOTHES
I remember wanting to wear cute new clothes while being pregnant but it was so hard to justify the cost, it is temporary clothing after all. I think it’s brilliant that Rent the Runway offers maternity clothing! I just wish this would have been available back in the day when I was pregnant!
Right wearing La Petite Robe di Chiara Boni Eveline Dress (retail price $750).
CLOSET BOREDOM
Think about how often we buy new clothes when we already have perfectly good clothes to wear, but you’re just bored with them! Rent the Runway is such an easy way to wear a completely new outfit or mix in new pieces to your clothes feel fresh again. It’s also a great way to experiment with new styles that you might not normally buy.
CREATE YOUR OWN DREAM CLOSET
Rent the Runway lets you create a dream closet at the click of a button. There are many luxury brands to pick from, such as Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Kendra Scott, Herve Leger, and more! One of my favorite past rentals was a pink Herve skirt which retails for over $700! You can browse clothing and save your favorite items, so when you’re ready for a new look you can easily find everything.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Rent the Runway uses reusable shipping bags, therefore eliminating unnecessary shipping waste. Individual clothing items are sent in plastic dry cleaning bags but they will happily recycle them for you if you chose to send them back with your clothing. Renting clothing is also better for the environment as it reduces unnecessary disposable fashion purchases.
NO LAUNDRY OR DRY CLEANING
This is a huge plus for me! After wearing your items simply send them back to Rent the Runway in the shipping bag as is! No laundry to do, no dry cleaning to pay for! How convenient is that?
KEEP THE CLOTHES AS LONG AS YOU WANT WITH A PURCHASE OPTION
You can wear an item once and send it back immediately or keep it as long as you want with an active membership. If you fall in love with an item and can’t part with it they give you a listed price as an option to buy! I love that!
ELIMINATES SPACE ISSUES
If your closet space is small then Rent the Runway is a perfect space-saving solution! No more trying to cram clothes in your tiny closet. You can rent seasonal wear like bulky coats and simply send it back when you’re done.
IT’S JUST FUN
Also have I mentioned that it’s just fun? It’s basically like shopping but affordably priced with your membership. There is a wide variety of items to pick from, plus they have accessories too, like sunglasses, jewelry, and handbags! It’s truly fun and pleasurable picking items and creating an outfit. When you’re ready to swap your clothing you just go online and select what you are keeping or sending back. When you make a clothing swap it’s immediately sent to you so there is very little wait time. You usually have a few days until you need to send your previous shipment back. There are select drop off locations in major cities and you can also drop off your bag at any UPS store or schedule a free UPS pick up from your home.
PRICING
Plans start at $89 a month and go up to $199 a month depending on your needs.
Up to 4 items per month (Up to 1 shipment of 4 items) for $69 for 1 trial month, $89 per month after. Limited closet access.
Up to 8 items per month (Up to 2 shipments or 4 items) -Most loved plan. $99 for the first 2 months, $135 per month after. Full closet access. This is my plan – I love it!
Up to 16 items per month (Up to 4 shipments of 4 items) $149 for the first 2 months, $199 per month after. -Best value plan. Full closet access.
One thing I want to stress is membership flexibility! It’s easy to change your plan at any time. You can also pause your membership or cancel with just a click of a button online! It really is that easy! So what are you waiting for?
Let Rent the Runway make your life easier while looking fabulous at the same time!
I’m so excited to be sharing another new home space with you, the wood room! The wood room? What? We decided to name our rooms because it makes the rooms feel more special. Honestly though we were also getting a little confused… we have a lot of rooms so we’re naming them. As we spend time planning and getting to know our new rooms, names just naturally come to us and so the wood room was born.
Unlike the rest of our house luckily this space didn’t need much work. Just a little drywall repair, a new light, a fresh coat of paint, and furniture. Since our Colorado buyers bought our furniture we’ve pretty much started from square one. I can’t complain though… I love furniture shopping and decorating new spaces!
My biggest challenge though has been trying find furniture that could be quickly delivered. Since 2021 everything seems to be on backorder. We’re currently staying in the wood room until our master is done (that’s going to be a while) but that’s ok, I really love this room we’re staying in. With it’s own private wooden staircase, angled ceiling, wide plank pine floors, and skylights it has a playful yet cozy vibe to it.
I’ve never been a fan of placing beds in front of windows, but with the layout of the room we had no choice. To balance the window behind the bed I decided to add curtains, but I didn’t want the space to feel heavy so I went with a gauzy sheer curtain from Amazon and I love it! I washed them first to give them more of a relaxed casual look. I went with a French return double curtain rod so I could get the curtains as wide as possible for balance. I love how it turned out! It gives the room the perfect amount of softness and balances the wall behind the bed.
We went with our same ceiling fan cage light that we had in Colorado. Yep, it’s that awesome, this fan has nice clean lines and really puts out some air.
We did manage to leave Colorado with a few small furniture items, but I do mean small. A coat rack, this trunk, and a twin headboard. I despise night time throw pillow clutter, and if you do too I recommend adding a trunk or large baskets to your room to hold it all at night. I just can’t pile my pillows on the floor, I like to wake up to a clean non-cluttered space!
I really do love this space, it’s so cozy! On a clear night I can look out the skylights and see the moon and the stars right from my bed. I’m a little bit obsessed with electric fireplaces and I spend a lot of time looking for perfect ones online. We love real working fireplaces but due to chimney codes we have restrictions, but so far I’m impressed with the advances they’ve made, the 3D flames look very realistic.
Our floor heaters are currently turned off because they make a clicking noise at night that wakes me up but this electric fireplace keeps us toasty warm at night and the soft glow provides a nice nightlight for us too.
Besides electric fireplaces my other current obsession is USB lamps! We live in a charging world now, and not only are these lamps convenient for that, they also help reduce clutter. A total win! Loving the rug too, it adds great texture to the room.
I love the warm wood tones throughout the room and especially the wide pine hardwoods! Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue has been a longtime favorite of mine, it was the color of our Texas bedroom and I found it so soothing. So again we went with Palladian Blue mixed in with Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover that flows up the stairwell from the lower den.
A quirky thing about Palladian Blue is how different it photographs. It’s blue but sometimes it looks green. Every wall looks slightly different with the light. It’s something that used to annoy me while taking and editing our home photographs, once upon a time I would try to color correct it. Not anymore, now I just go with it. I let Palladian Blue do it’s thang. Scroll back! Every photo except the before photo is Palladiun Blue being its unpredictable adorable true self.
It was an easy space to transform and now it’s perfect, and I’m happy I get to share it with you. I’ll be happy when our master bedroom is done but I think I’ll always long for my wood room! Speaking of named rooms, we have our next guest room in the works and yes it has a name but I can’t share it just yet. Stay tuned!
I’m so excited to share our dramatic staircase makeover with you! It’s our first DIY project in our Colonial New England home, and we are thrilled with the results! I just love stair makeovers don’t you? As I have mentioned before, I think stairs really set the tone of your home, fireplaces too, but that’s a much more complicated and not so DIY project later in our future.
These poor stairs were in sad shape, they are original with the house, making them 122 years old. Not only were they in sad shape but the stair rails and balusters were very wobbly and unsafe, and with what I’m assuming is lead paint that was peeling. Brian and I spent hours each day working on them for 3 weeks. It was exhausting but we did it and it was totally worth it!
I’ve always loved black and white stairs, they’re elegant and dramatic. So I decided to go with General Finishes Gel Stain in Java because it has an almost black look and gel stain is so easy to work with. I used a blend of Java and Antique Walnut gel stain on our Texas stairs if you want to read more about that, but this time I decided to go with the full Java color.
The balusters were peeling badly and very unstable so we decided to toss them and replace them with new 7/8-inch wooden dowel rods. I was really upset that the end of the newel post was broken and I was going to try to mold it with wood putty until one day we found the end piece in a different room. Score!
You only need to lightly sand or degloss areas where you’re using gel stain, but I was a little more aggressive sanding the stain off because it had a rough almost orange peel texture.
I knew I wanted some kind of accent wall on the stairs with a table and lamp so we ripped out the wall and Brian installed a plug. Our stair rail is one long curved piece so Brian built an X bracket at the top to stabilize the rail while the balusters were off.
Now we we’re on to the miserable part, removing 122 years of old crunchy peeling paint. You shouldn’t sand off lead paint so stripping was the only way to go. After lots of research we went with Peel Away 1. We thickly applied the product, covered with paper and waited. It took 2 days of soaking before the paint was stripped. We went through 4 containers and worked in sections. It was a slow process but the paint came off in thick strips stuck to the paper. Any residue was easily scraped off. It’s really the easiest and safest way to remove thick old layers of paint.
Once the paint was stripped I applied 3 coats of gel stain, letting each coat dry a good 24 hours in between. There are many ways to apply gel stain but like our last stair project I used the sock method with a glove underneath and I did not wipe any stain off. Starting at the top I used long smooth strokes to apply the stain and it applied flawlessly.
In between dry time we worked on other projects like the painting the balusters and installing the shiplap. If you’re installing shiplap I highly recommend you paint the boards on sawhorses first! Otherwise the paint gunks up between the boards.
After adding 3 coats of gel stain, when it was completely dry I added 3 layers of General Finishes Oil Based Top Coat in Satin. This is where the gel stain comes to life and shines!
I used the same sock method above and let each coat dry 24 hours, some areas needed even longer than 24 hours. I didn’t sand between coats because I was just so tired and I didn’t feel like it needed it. (I have this all summarized below)
Luckily we have a back staircase we can take otherwise I guess we would have had to sleep downstairs.
After the treads were done I primed with Kilz 3 and painted with Benjamin Moore Simply White. We also added a top trim piece along the stair baseboard for a more finished look.
No matter how well I tape off areas I always get some leakage! I’ve tried every brand and it’s always the same. So my trick is to fix little spots with a craft brush.
Now it was time for a runner! Not just for aesthetics but to protect the wood and prevent slipping. Our runner is from Run Rug in Gingham Tweed Beige.
We rented a carpet installation kit from Home Depot for about $60 and it made installation a breeze! We watched several Youtube videos to get comfortable but it really was an easy process. Some people added carpet padding but I didn’t feel it was necessary and I didn’t want the runner to look puffy. Another thing we noticed on Youtube was that some would start at the top and others the bottom for runner installation.
We knew we had to cut at least one end of the carpet and I wanted the hemmed edge on the floor for durability. Plus we have a small curved edge at the very top that we needed to cut to fit so it made more sense to start from the bottom up.
Like I said we are thrilled with how our stairs turned out, but we’re so relieved to be done! Now if I can just get the courage and the energy to refinish our hardwood floors!
Oftentimes I’ll read someone’s DIY blog post and it’s so long that I find it hard to see their exact steps. So I thought I’d do a condensed version below that’s quick and easy.
Working quickly I used a sock over a gloved hand and applied 3 layers of General Finishes Gel Stain in Javato the handrail, treads, and newel post letting each application dry 24 hours. I started at the top and used smooth long strokes with the sock going in one direction. I let the stain dry and did not wipe any off.
In between dry times I painted the balusters with 3 coats of Benjamin Moore Simply White in a pearl finish with a 1 inch craft brush. I did lightly sand with a 320 grit after the first coat of paint.
Working quickly again I used a sock over a gloved hand and applied 3 layers of General Finishes Oil Based Gel Top Coat in Satin letting each coat dry 24-36 hours each. I started at the top and used smooth long strokes with the sock going in one direction. I did not sand between coats.
Primed the risers, molding, and trim with Kilz 3, let dry 4 hours.
Painted the risers, molding, and trim with Benjamin Moore Simply White in a pearl finish with a 3 inch angled brush.
Touched up small areas with a craft brush.
48 hours later we installed the carpet runner with a staple gun starting from the bottom working our way up to the top. We rented a carpet installation kit from Home Depot.
Our runner is from Run Rug in Gingham Tweed Beige and the back wall of the stairs is painted Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover. Hope this helps with any questions you may have but feel free to ask me anything else in the comments below.
Happy Saturday! It’s 9 days until Valentine’s Day, have you picked out a yummy treat yet? If not this sweetheart M&M cookie cake will surely do! The past few weeks I’ve been tweaking this recipe and I’m proud to say I think we have a winner! It was all inspired by this gorgeous heart shaped pie dish! FACT: I can not resist cute heart shaped bakeware. I even had to buy one for my daughters’ apartment… so cute!
We’ve spent weeks of back breaking work stripping and updating our old 1900 staircase, so I must say cookie cake recipe tasting has kept us going! Haha.. but seriously this cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time really.. it is a big giant cookie after all!
This recipe is baked in a heart shaped pie dish, but if you don’t have one no worries! You can use a regular 9 inch pie dish or even an 8×8 square baking dish. Either way it’s cookie goodness!
Growing up in Texas we used to visit a local bakery, and they would always add a pinch of cinnamon to every recipe. The baked goods didn’t have a heavy cinnamon taste, but just the small amount I could detect gave the desserts a homey, rich quality, especially in the cookies. So I’ve kept up with that tradition and add a pinch of cinnamon. It especially shines in chocolate recipes. Not a lot… just a pinch. If I had to guess a pinch to me is about 1/8 teaspoon, you can definitely eyeball it though!
Make sure you use one egg and one egg yolk, not two eggs. If you use two whole eggs the texture will be more cake like. Even though this is a cookie cake we still want a denser more cookie like texture, and the extra yolk adds richness without adding volume.
Not a fan of M&M’s? No problem, substitute 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips! Find the printable recipe below.
Greetings from Maine! First off, I can’t believe we moved to Maine! This is the craziest and best decision we’ve ever made! Brian and I are on cloud 9 living here… but I need to back up a bit. Wasn’t I living in Colorado a few months ago?
OUR MOVING STORY
Colorado is such a beautiful state but as much as we loved it it just wasn’t right for us. We lived there a little over a 2 years but within a week of moving I knew we had made a mistake. What do you do when you make a mistake? You suck it up and deal with it. So that’s what I did.
It’s weird how a place we loved to vacation to just didn’t work out as a place to live. The fast remodel of our home was hard on us, along with our steep mountain driveway, plus the wildfires, flash flooding, pipes freezing, the altitude, and not to mention being nearly an hour from major stores. It. Was. Hard. We knew that eventually we would sell the house, we just didn’t know when. Late one night in August I heard the words sell your house now. Brian was asleep so I nudged him and said Brian it’s time to sell the house. “Okay” he says and he falls back asleep.
I’ll be honest I didn’t trust the voice at first. It felt like the wrong time to sell, the busy summer real estate season had just ended and our house wasn’t finished. So for over a month we poured our blood, sweat, and tears into finishing every inch of the house. In order to finish so quickly we had to come up with some creative solutions but we did it. I’m proud to say we were able to put our house on the market at the end of September, it quickly sold for over asking price, the new owners bought 99% of all our furniture, and a month after listing we drove away for the last time with all our remaining possessions in a U-Haul truck.
When we left we didn’t have a solid plan so we didn’t feel comfortable talking about it with anyone. Neighbors and local friends would ask where we were moving too and we would always say “not sure yet” and we were being honest.
Our thought was to take a much needed vacation, dragging along all our stuff in a U-Haul. East is where we felt like going, it felt right. So off we went vacationing along the way. We went from Denver to Nebraska. Then on to Iowa and Chicago. Then up to Cleveland and Buffalo where we crossed into Canada visiting Niagra Falls and Niagra on the Lake.
As much fun as we were having we were also getting antsy and heavily looking at real estate online. Let me just say when you’re looking at real estate without a solid direction as to where you want to live it’s freakin hard!
After Canada we ended up in Boston, stashed our stuff in a storage unit and began looking for houses. We decided we wanted a coastal environment but I’m not sure how we ended up in Boston really, it just happened. I found lots of possible homes but they were all flops in person. I was starting to feel defeated and again like we had made a terrible mistake. I told Brian I hated everything on the market and we would just have to suck it up and rent an apartment until we could find a house we loved. Then one day I saw this yellow house… it had just been on the market a few days.
Let me back up again. Brian had mentioned living in Maine and I said no. I said no many times. I even cried, living in Maine sounded awful and that I couldn’t be isolated anymore. “Fine, we won’t live in Maine he said”. Every home we looked at in Massachutes had a deal breaker once I saw it in person. We both had very specific criteria and in this crazy real estate market it only made things more stressful but we refused to settle. So we started branching out looking in surrounding states, like New Hampshire. Out of curiosity I broadened my search to Maine but nothing interested me.
We agreed we both wanted something coastal and something we could pay cash for. Once you get used to not making a house payment you can’t go back. We agreed we loved cold winters and mild summers. Also we wanted a fixer upper because we like to add our own personal touch and enjoy working on our home. I wanted space, something that felt grand with curb appeal. Brian wanted to be on or near the water and he wanted gardens, fruit trees, and plenty of land. We scheduled viewings for 3 homes. Two in New Hampshire and the yellow one in Maine. The Maine house piqued my curiosity but I still wasn’t sold.
Schedule-wise we were able to view the Maine house first and we loved it. We told our realtor we had two more house to view in New Hampshire and that we would get back to her. That night were dining at Lukes Lobster in Portland and we talked non-stop about the Maine house. How we loved the space, the quiet street, the large backyard with fruit trees and acreage. How it felt like a quiet place to live but was minutes away from major shopping with Boston being just two hours from us. Just a few hours after we had left I told Brian I thought this was our house. We were so happy and excited that we texted our realtor we wanted to make an offer the only problem was we were burnt out on hotel living and said we wanted to close before Thanksgiving – 2 weeks away.
Having been on the market just 4 days we were told there were lots of other viewings scheduled to see the house so naturally I was a nervous wreck. But we got it. We moved into our home the day before Thanksgiving. We didn’t even have a mattress, just personal belongings but luckily we found a local mattress store that came through for us. Thanksgiving Day I made dinner in the slow cooker and we slept in our new bed. Unlike Colorado this felt right. I knew we had made the right decision. This was our home.
I think it’s funny when I tell people we moved to Maine and they say but Maine is cold. I’m thinking really? I hadn’t ever heard that before. Is smoking also bad for you? Yeah it gets cold but it’s not Antarctica it’s in South Maine, 2 hours from Boston. The temperature definitely fluctuates so we do have some extremely cold days and other days are sunny mid 40’s with no wind and very pleasant.
We did just have our first Nor’easter which is basically a New England blizzard. We were prepared and our power stayed on so we were toasty warm. The wind was pretty crazy so we didn’t get much snow in the front or side of the house, it all drifted to the back of the house! It was crazy!
We were fully prepared and Brian was able to conquer the snow with his snow blower, this thing is awesome! Like I said this was a winter blizzard so it’s not the winter normal up here.
Ironically we vacationed in Bar Harbor Maine last summer and we loved it. Maine is stunning! I’m really looking forward to summer where I can have the New England garden I’ve always dreamed of! Brian wants to get chickens and I can’t wait to grow our own food and start canning more! We have apple trees, crab apple trees, cherry, and peach trees. We’re surrounded by beautiful tall trees and we’re just minutes away from beaches and ocean access.
It’s absolutely crazy how at the last minute the universe handed us everything we wanted in a house and it was yellow. I’ve always had a thing for yellow houses.
The main farmhouse house was built in 1900, yeah you heard me right! The home has been well taken care of but it still has a fair share of work that needs to be done! The two side additions are much newer, we aren’t positive but they feel within the last 20 years or so, and there is a large attic that we eventually plan to finish out into two bedrooms and a bathroom.
In true Brian and Laura style we like to jump right in to projects and I love starting with stairs! I think the stairs and also the fireplace sets the tone of the home. Our fireplaces will take a while because of tight coding issues, so we started with the stairs! It’s been weeks of work, stripping off layers of paint, we’re replacing the balusters and adding a runner. It’s been very labor intensive, luckily we have a back staircase we can take upstairs so we’re able to take our time and get it right. It’s going to be a dramatic reveal that should be on the blog in a couple of weeks!
I’m not revealing the entire house just yet because it would be overwhelming and too many photos but here is another current peak at another project we’re working on. The future dining room! It was originally the kitchen when the home was built, you can see over to the left where there were pipes for the sink or stove. Currently we’re replacing pieces of the hardwood floor and adding a board and batten wall. There are so many exciting home updates coming up in the future and I’ll be sharing more of the house. I feel like this blog post is so long so I’ll leave it here. Ciao!
Curious about Maine? Thinking you might want to plan a visit? Summer is the perfect time. Be sure to read my previous vacation posts about Maine!
Happy February, it’s the month of love! Valentine’s Day is always one of those holidays that sneaks up so quickly, and being right after Christmas finding the perfect gift can be a bit tricky. So I’ve put together my 2022 Valentine’s Day gift guide for her and him to make things a little bit easier.
Usually, Brian and I keep our Valentine’s Day pretty low key. Maybe a simple dinner we cook together at home, or sometimes we have a lunch or dinner at a nice restaurant and then watch a movie. Last year I remember we special-ordered lobsters from Maine, and I find that especially funny since we now live in Maine! One of the many things I love about living here is having exciting new destinations to explore. So this Valentine’s Day we’re splurging by taking the train down to NYC to watch Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. We’ve been extremely hard at work the last several weeks with home projects (you’ll see updates soon) so I just can’t wait to get away!
Oh… have I mentioned our hotel is free? That’s right we cashed in our hotel rewards which makes our trip even more rewarding. Hotels.com is our favorite way to book rooms when traveling. It’s super convenient, and for every 10 nights you stay you get a free hotel night! I can’t recommend Hotels.com enough!
Ok love bugs are you ready for some Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Shop my gift guide below in the sliding carousel.
SHOP GIFTS FOR HER
SHOP GIFTS FOR HIM
Are you planning on spending a nice evening at home on Valentine’s Day? Why not make things extra festive with these Valentine’s Day kitchen accessories!
Looking for a little more Valentine inspo? Be sure to visit some of my other blog posts!
I hope 2022 is treating you well! January brings a fresh new year and it inspired me to write 10 ways to be happier this year! I actually wanted to write this blog post weeks ago but life’s been keeping me pretty busy lately. We’re heavily working on our new home in Maine that I love so so much, but like I said it keeps me busy! Very soon I’ll be sharing some home details on the blog I promise and explain why we moved and our journey… but back to happiness.
This is actually a blog post I’ve been writing in my head for a good 6 months or so… maybe more. I’m always thinking about happiness and ways to be happier. You can never be too happy right? Life is life, we all have ups and downs. Problems come up and it can be easy to let things little things get you down.
So the past few months I’ve been thinking about how a few small changes can have a huge impact on our daily lives and happiness. Here are my 10 little tips to help keep a smile on your face!
ELIMINATE CLUTTER
There is nothing I loathe more than clutter! Research has shown that clutter raises our stress hormone, cortisol, leaving us feeling stressed, anxious, and sometimes depressed. So if you have any cluttered spaces in your home then it’s time to tackle them! Organizing spaces is so satisfying and therapeutic for me, I just love it. If space in your home is tight invest in some clever storage solutions such as an ottoman with storage or decorative woven baskets with lids.
EXERCISE
Did you know just 7 minutes a day of exercise can boost happiness levels, increase your brain power, and help you relax! So if you’re not exercising regularly then it’s time to get moving! Be sure to pick out a form of exercise that you truly enjoy and switch things up when it starts to feel stale.
NATURE THERAPY
Connecting with nature is one of the simplest ways to be happier. Go take a nature walk or sit by the water… stepping outside our work and homes is crucial when it comes to happiness. It doesn’t need to take long either, just 10 or 15 minutes outside can completely reset my thinking and my mood.
DISCONNECT FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
This is a big one… I know for sure. Social media gets to all of us and sometimes you just need to take a break and step away. I know when I’m detoxing from social media it makes a world of difference!
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Have you ever wanted to learn a new language? Or maybe start knitting or painting? It’s time to start! There is nothing more satisfying then learning a new skill! Youtube is one of my favorite ways to learn new skills… and it’s free!
PAY IT FORWARD BY HELPING OTHERS
Nothing makes me feel as warm and fuzzy as helping others. It can be a stranger off the street, or your kids, or a neighbor. You can volunteer or just do simple acts of kindness like holding a door open for someone. The world needs more simple acts of kindness.
FRESHEN UP YOUR DECOR
Our homes play a big impact on how we feel, and if a space feels a little dull then it’s time to freshen things up. A new fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a tired space. Adding a few simple items like house plants, throw pillows, or a new rug can quickly transform a room.
GRATITUDE
The simplest way for me to feel happier is giving thanks for what I already have. Even at our lowest times we have so many things to be grateful for and recognizing them is a great way to see your blessings. Start a gratitude journal and write out everything that your thankful for, it’s my favorite way to start each day.
PLAN A VACATION
How can planning a vacation not make you feel happy? Big or small I love a good vacation, but sometimes I actually think I enjoy planning our trips more than the actual trip! If traveling isn’t in your near future you can still dream it and plan it!
INDULGE IN SOME SELF CARE
You need to make time for you and pamper yourself with a little self care! Take a relaxing bubble bath, get a massage, light scented candles, or find a quiet cozy spot at home and read a book. Carving out time for yourself is a great way to feel happier.
I hope these ideas have inspired you big or small to find ways to feel happier!
Hey love bugs, it’s less than a month until Valentine’s Day so I think it’s a great time to share my triple chocolate Valentine bundt cake recipe with you! Since Christmas I’ve been on a healthy eating kick (mostly ha) but once I saw this heart shaped bundt pan at Williams Sonoma I knew my fate had been sealed. I had to make a heart shaped cake… I mean I had to! We have a favorite family bundt cake recipe but this time I decided to tweak it a little and poof -my triple chocolate bundt cake was born! For those of you unfamiliar with my original bundt cake you can find the recipe here, along with my most traumatic story about making it!
I’ve always had an obsession with hearts… I just love them. Growing up I’d draw hearts all over my school notebooks. Cut to me today and you’ll find everything from heart shaped dishes to sweaters in my house! I can’t resist the cuteness!
Have you ever melted canned frosting? It’s the perfect cake decorating hack and couldn’t be easier! Just scoop it into a microwave safe bowl, melt, and pour! It leaves a smooth glossy frosted surface that looks so professional! It looks great alone or garnished with sprinkles!
Got questions? I’m feeling sassy so I’ve got answers!
If this is triple chocolate bundt cake why is it made with a yellow cake mix?
I honestly don’t know… it’s my husband’s family recipe so I’ve never asked questions and we all know yellow cake mix tastes freakin good. With the chocolate pudding, chocolate chips, and chocolate frosting it is officially triple chocolate though so don’t hassle me ok?? I’m kidding. Mostly.
I don’t really like sweet things, do I need to use all the frosting?
First of all why are you making a cake then? Second yes!! You can use a little frosting to decorate the cake or do a mother load… I trust you.
Can I use vanilla frosting?
Of course you can and that sounds delish! Unfortunately you’ll need to call it double chocolate not triple chocolate Valentine bundt cake, so make sure you’re up for that challenge.
Can I use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet?
Yes. Because we’re adding a layer of chocolate frosting I decided to reduce the sweetness by eliminating the 1/2 cup sugar and the milk chocolate chips from the original recipe to tone down the sweetness. You can totally go milk chocolate though.
Pouring on melted chocolate frosting is so cool! But doesn’t it waste some frosting?
Yeah it does, and wasting frosting is very very sad. I poured mine over paper towels to reduce the mess and instantly regretted the decision. If you’re wanting a yummy frosting snack definitely use wax paper or parchment so you can scrape it off and eat it!
Why does your original bundt cake recipe have an added 1/2 cup of sugar?
That’s a great question I’ve quietly wondered to myself, but have I mentioned this is a fambily recipe? You don’t question or mess with fambily (said in Rachel Dratch voice).
I don’t have a heart shaped bundt cake can I make it round?
Yes or course! Make it round, make it square, I don’t care… just watch the bake time. I must say Williams Sonoma makes the best bundt pans ever! No more bundt cake trauma in this kitchen!
What is this previous bundt cake trauma you speak of?
You can read about my trauma here. The short story is I was pregnant with my daughter, made it for Christmas Eve, dropped it, and my husband ate it off the floor.
Ok, are you pumped up and ready to make your own cake? You can find the recipe below!
Mix cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar together. Add water, oil, eggs, and sour cream, blend together with an electric mixer. Fold in chocolate chips.
Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan for 55-60 minutes, or until cake is set.
Cool 10 minutes on a wire cooling rack and remove from pan, and cool another 30-45 minutes.
Melt frosting in a microwave safe bowl until completely melted, stirring every 20-30 seconds. The frosting should be a syrup consistency, if it's watery allow it to cool down.
Place parchment paper or wax paper under cooling rack then pour on frosting. Let cool 60 seconds then decorate with sprinkles.
Nom nom… it was delicious and there’s nothing more to say. The end.
Happy New Year! I’m so excited to share this farmer’s harvest salad I created with you. Ugh… I’ve been so behind lately! Between moving, the holidays, lots of travel, and then getting sick it seems like I’ve hardly gotten anything done lately. On our plane ride home from Texas I created an enormous to do list and I was so excited to get stuff done… then BAM! I ended up with a massive sinus infection! Moving and traveling are stressful on their own so I was already aware that my immune system might not be in top form. On top of that I also go way way back with massive allergies and sinus infections in Texas, so maybe it was just inevitable!
While coughing and hacking miserably in bed one night I kept craving a salad that I recently ate at a local restaurant. Literally I couldn’t stop thinking about it, my poor sickly body that had overindulged in naughty holiday food was desperate for some nutrients. So I sent my hubs to the store and poof! My own version of a farmer’s harvest salad was born!
There is just something so insanely satisfying by combining roasted butternut squash with fresh greens, tangy onions, creamy goat cheese, and the satisfying crunch of sliced almonds all tossed in a delicious balsamic dressing! It’s no wonder I healed from my sinus infection in record time, this salad is totally a nutrient powerhouse.
This salad makes the perfect side dish to round out a meal, or by simply adding a protein it can easily become a main meal. Can I just say using the word main is so funny now that I live in Maine? You should see me when were driving down Main Street in Maine… obviously I’m easily entertained! Ok… moving on. If you wanted to turn this salad into a Maine dish (sorry I’ll stop now) it would be incredible with grilled chicken, steak, or salmon. Yum!
When it comes to cooking and baking I’m typically a from-scratch kind of gal, but then again I’ve also been sick. So I gave myself a pass this time. I used pre-cut butternut squash cubes from the produce section and also bottled organic balsamic salad dressing. Now I’m wondering if I should give myself a pass more often because it made making this salad a breeze!
While the butternut squash is roasting use this time to gather and prep the rest of your ingredients to make things super easy!
Place butternut squash in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and mix together. Place squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 400° until tender and lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes.
In a small pan over medium high heat sautée sliced almonds until toasted, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful that they don't burn!
In a large bowl add spinach and arugula mix, onion, and salad dressing.
Top with sliced almonds, roasted butternut squash, and crumbled goat cheese.
If you try this salad let me know what you think! Also if you add any creative additions of your own let me know in the comments below!
