The More You Know...

I learned a hard and unfortunate lesson last weekend. I thought it would be good to wash the curtains in our living room. They've been hanging for two years now, so they are probably musty and such.

Here's the thing. I don't care if someone has spilled sour milk on my curtains. I'll never, ever wash them again.

If your curtains get nasty enough that they need to be washed, save yourself the trouble and buy new ones instead.

Or at least read the instruction label before you throw them in the dryer on hot. Oops.

A nice weekend

We had such a nice weekend - the kind with not much to do and a lot of time to do it. On Friday night we went to my parent's house for dinner, which was fun. I managed to come home with some nail polish, socks, and dog toys as well... someone in our family was pretty happy about that one.

We worked on a few house projects, did some cleaning, and finally watched Bridesmaids.  I get what all the fuss was about - what a fantastic movie. Zac and I both loved it. Hopefully Kristen Wiig will make another one soon now that she's left SNL.

I even got in a little bit of sewing. I made a few baby gifts and started working on a "just because" project. It will be a table runner for our dining room - it still needs corners, applique, and to be quilted, but here's a preview.

I am tickled with how straight my lines ended up!! Those are 3.5" squares, for reference.

The horrific heat finally lifted in the Mid-west, and it felt a little bit like fall this weekend. We even made chili yesterday, though I have to admit that may have been pushing it a little. I can not wait for when it actually IS fall!

Even the crape myrtle had a nice weekend. I hope you did too!

Review: Firmoo Sunglasses

A few weeks ago, Firmoo offered to send me a free pair of glasses or sunglasses to review. Awesome, right? Well - yes. Except I'm not as special as I thought. I'll explain that in just a minute.

Since I don't wear glasses anymore (yay!) I went for a pair of sunglasses. Ever since my Lasik surgery, I'm really picky about my sunglasses. Don't think that means I pay a lot for them - because you know I'm cheap. Actually, I'm picky because my eyes are sensitive to the sunlight and I really need sunglasses that actually block the sun.

Here's the pair I chose:

I was really pleasantly surprised -- I absolutely love them! I have a really narrow face and a lot of sunglasses just like giantly stupid on me. These are large enough to be fashionable but narrow enough that they fit my face well. The color is really pretty and unexpected, which is fun.

Aren't they pretty? Ordering them was incredibly easy, and they came really quickly. They included a lens cleaning cloth, a soft case, and a hardshell case. Wow.

I'm really impressed with the way they block out light, especially considering that when you're wearing them, they don't color the world in a strange way. I didn't edit this pictures at all, by the way. Sorry - next time I'll wear some lipstick.

So when I mentioned before that I wasn't as special as I thought, it's because you can all get a pair of free glasses too! New customers can get a pair of prescription or non-prescription glasses totally free!

According to Firmoo, "Vision & Fashion the Frugal Way is our ultimate goal, so we offer free eyewear including regular eyeglasses, bifocals, progressives, sunglasses, goggles, etc. for customers to try our quality products and service."

Boom. You won't be disappointed. Head over there right now and get your own pair!

*I was sent a free pair of glasses in exchange for writing this review, but all opinions are my own.*

Some BFF projects

I spent almost all of my staycation sewing... and a lot of that sewing was for my BFF, Violet.

That's Violet. She just turned 2, and she is unbelievably awesome. Her parents are friends of ours, but between you and me, they aren't the reason I go to their house anymore (sorry Mina & Taft!).  I made Violet a quilt a few years ago before she was born, and when her little sister was born this summer, we know she'd need one too.

This quilt is a mix of quilting cottons, minky, felt, and chenille. The result is an incredibly soft, cuddly quilt that was a nightmare to put together. Cue mountains of fuzz, please.

The monkeys are just too sweet.

I love the back -- those are lady bugs. See that white square in the corner? Violet and Lucille's dad, Taft, is the closest thing I'll ever know to a real life rock star. So of course she needed this finishing touch!

I had some extra soft fabric so I made these little "lovies" for the girls. They're 10 inch by 10 inch squares and they're perfect for snuggling.

See? I told you! Violet calls it her "BFF Blanket" when she wants it.

And if you don't believe me that Violet is my BFF... I have proof. Click through to the video - it's short and worth it, I promise!

Lots for lunch!

I pack my lunch almost every day. You know I'm cheap, so I like that I save money when I pack my lunch, and I tend to eat healthier too.

A few weeks ago I ordered a new lunch box. You've probably seen it on Pinterest - it's called the Easy Lunch Box and I'm officially obsessed.

My order came with four containers and a cooler pack, which perfectly fits two coolers and an ice pack. I don't even put my lunch in the fridge - it just sits under my desk until lunch time and it's still perfectly cold. It was only $20, and it came with a bunch of stuff.

I think the best way to explain it to you is to let my past few weeks of lunches speak for themselves. I pack two containers every day - one is snacks / mini meals (usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and the other is my lunch.

Leftover calzone, carrot sticks, granola thin

Strawberries, pretzels, knock off goldfish that were disgusting

Leftover pork roast, smashed potatoes, fruit snacks

Carrot sticks, string cheese and triscuits, granola thins

Tortilla chips, avocado chicken salad, carrot sticks

English muffin pizza (for the toaster oven at work), carrot sticks, strawberries

Pretzels, weight watchers string cheese (it's yummy), dark chocolate almonds, grapes

Leftover tacos, fruit snacks, grapes

Pretzels, carrot sticks, apples with caramel

Buffalo chicken eggrolls with ranch (more on that later), caprese pasta salad, raw asparagus

I've never really liked the actual packing of my lunch, but it's fun to do it when you have little compartments to fill. They are deceivingly big - and will help you with portion size. The individual bags of baby carrots fit exactly into the mid-sized compartment, which means you can buy a big bag and portion accordingly. One serving of goldfish crackers fits perfectly into the small compartment.

This would be perfect for kids going to school, too, but I love it as a grown up going to work! I didn't get anything for writing this post -- I just seriously love the lunch box. You can visit their website if you want to get one for yourself!

Do you have any ideas for other things I can have in my lunch?

Tips for Decorating Your Kitchen

It’s been said that the heart of every home is the kitchen.  Day-to-day family life tends to happen there, so it is no secret that kitchen décor tends to evolve over time as families grow and change.  Click here to get started with a great kitchen makeover.

Picking a central theme

A theme?  In the kitchen?  Believe it.  Deciding on a kitchen theme is the easiest and most budget-friendly way to coordinate colors, accessories and décor; it also provides an ideal way to showcase creativity and personal style.  Kitchen themes can be guided by the existing look of the home (traditional, shabby chic, ultra-modern) or by cultural heritage (Italian, Mexican, Scandinavian).  Some homeowners choose a kitchen theme based on a favorite vacation spot, a favorite color or a single item like a great looking bowl or a treasured antique.

The importance of color

Using color in the kitchen can be tricky business. Consider carefully the color of wall paint, cabinets, and countertops, and the flooring; stick to neutral colors. Accessories in bold colors can then be incorporated (and changed out often) to give the room some pop.  For more adventurous homeowners, some of the most popular kitchen colors are yellow, gray, brown, red and the classic Tuscan palette (burgundy, gold, olive green).  Before committing to a color scheme, remember that the kitchen is probably the most used room in the house so colors should be tested out at various times of day.  Something that looks great in the early morning sunlight could be horrible under artificial lights after dark.

Flooring options

The first rule of kitchen flooring: It’s got to be easy to clean.  Those who have ever had to endure a carpeted kitchen floor (they’re out there) can certainly relate.  Vinyl, tile and linoleum are all pretty traditional kitchen flooring options, but homeowners should not feel limited by these choices.  It’s now possible to match flooring to the overall style of the space - reclaimed hardwood is perfect for a farmhouse kitchen or vintage theme, glazed concrete looks very cool in an industrial kitchen, sustainable bamboo or cork is a great complement to an eco-conscious design.  And, of course, it’s possible to add a punch of color with a few strategically placed area rugs.

More tips and advice for decorating a kitchen

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Try a liquid stainless steel finish, self-adhesive metal tiles or a faux steel film to give kitchen surfaces a modern look without the cost of purchasing new appliances.

Get creative with artwork. Collect interesting images from thrift stores, second-hand shops, flea markets, used calendars or vintage books.

Updating drawer and cabinet hardware is a quick and affordable way to make big changes in the look of a kitchen with very little effort.

Don’t underestimate the importance of window treatments in tying a kitchen theme together.

For a healthy dose of visual interest, consider displaying all those great gadgets, serving pieces, whimsical cookie cutters and other treasures that have been hiding in the cupboards.

Add small houseplants or a windowsill herb garden to bring some freshness into the kitchen

A summery wreath

I have been thinking about making a new wreath for our front door since springtime. I have a few things I like that I alternate throughout the year, but nothing that really stands out for spring/summer.

I like my wreaths to be cute and themed, but also somewhat neutral. I need to be able to forget to take it down after the season ends and not have it be totally out of place!

I was extra inspired when I asked my friend Mandy what she wanted for her birthday - and she wanted a summer door hanging. Done and done!

I came across this wreath on my friend Biz's blog and knew it was the right one for both of us. I won't bore you with how I made mine because her instructions are great. I actually went to Hobby Lobby and bought the exact same supplies she did!

It's a pretty simple creation - a wreath from Hobby Lobby, wooden letter painted in whatever color, and some fabric rosettes.

They're pretty easy to make, though be prepared for a glue gun burn or two and it does get kind of tedious to make a lot of them. Biz has the cutest video tutorial if you haven't made them before.

Here's what it looks like on the door. I'm happy with how it turned out!

What do you think? Does it make you want to come inside and visit??

Click HERE to see the blog parties where I'm linking!

Well ma'am....

Conversation from the other day:


Cashier at CVS: "Can I see your ID to buy this wine?"
Me: "Oh, you're sweet that you think I'm that young."
Cashier: "No offense ma'am, but you are also buying glitter nail polish, so I thought it was appropriate to ask."


Yes, I did buy glitter nail polish. It was in the sale bin for $1.99 and it looks like this:

 I'd say it was money well spent.

Happy Olympics!!

After years of waiting, the Olympics are finally here! I can't explain what I love so much about them, except that it's literally everything. I cannot wait to watch every event, see the medals, cheer for the athletes, and celebrate the world.

We're heading to a friend's house this weekend, where the plan is to eat, drink, and watch the Olympics. For the entire weekend. And I CANNOT WAIT!

If you need to catch the Olympic spirit, this should help:

Happy Opening Ceremonies!!

Real life Pinterest wins and fails

I think pretty much everyone is obsessed with Pinterest at this point. In fact, I was discussing with my sisters last weekend how we ever lived without it! I guess people told each other about new recipes?? Strange....

We've been trying a lot of Pinterest ideas in real life lately, and I wanted to share the verdicts with you in case there's any you're thinking about trying for yourself.

Project: Freshen your house with vanilla in the oven
Verdict: WIN


We are coming to the end of a two week heat wave where we haven't opened a single window and have run the A/C units constantly. Our house just smelled a little stale. A small squirt of vanilla baked in a mug at 300 degrees made our house smell heavenly.

Project: Hang your scissors on a magnet strip
Verdict: WIN


We found the magnet strip at IKEA - it's real purpose is to hang knives. It works wonders in the sewing room - no more wondering where your scissors went or having to store them on the counter. Plus, if you have little hands you want to keep your scissors from, this will do the trick.

Project: Submerge your nails in ice water to dry them

Verdict: FAIL

I was super excited to read that if you put your wet nails in ice water for three minutes, the polish will emerge dry and the extra polish will come off your skin. Guess what? Neither happened. Nails just looked like they'd been smudged, and polish still on skin. Bummer.

Project: Baked Parm Zucchini

Verdict: WIN

This is my new favorite way to eat zucchini. It was so delicious and easy... not to mention a decently healthy way to add more flavor. Yum!

Project: Mini Caprese Salads on a Toothpick

Verdict: FAIL

These tasted fine, but I don't know how the person who made the originals got them to look so pretty. Mine looked ridiculous. Plus, unless you have perfectly round tomatos, which you'd never find, they won't stand up. Cute idea... poor execution.

Project: Dying skewers for a party

Verdict: WIN

I did these for our Mother's Day Brunch and it was adorable. 

Project: Bread in a Dutch Oven

Verdict: WIN

I tried this just a few days ago and it was AWESOME. I've never made bread before and it made me feel all womanly and pioneerish. Plus, the bread was delicious and it took four ingredients I already had in my house (flour, water, yeast, salt).

I feel like this list could go on forever, and there are people who have whole blogs talking about what they try from Pinterest (how do I get that job?). What wins have you had that I'll want to try, and what fails do I need to stay away from??