Basil Walnut Pesto

  

It wouldn't be summer without a batch of pesto! Fresh and green and so yummy. I made this particular batch with walnuts instead of pine nuts to try something new. The results were great! I did, however, add too much garlic, so I will be sure to cut it down to one clove instead of two next time. I adapted Martha Stewart's Every Day Food recipe found [here]and added lemon juice as well.

Vintage Fabric Stacks

I will have a few fabric stacks hitting the shop in the next few days! The set pictured here is full of fun novelty fabrics and oodles of lovely prints! All of these pieces are larger and size. You can find the listing in the shop soon! I will also have four listings of cute charm packs of smaller sized pieces. Perfect for crafting!

So Neglected

I have very, very much neglected this blog in the last three months. Now that I have a few weeks off this summer I can spruce it up again. It is need for a few new design tweeks.

Lately I have been working on some lovely lavender and flax seed goods. I have created a few lavender eye pillows. They are constructed from a linen filled pillow with dried organic french lavender and organic flax seed and then covered in salvaged vintage fabric covers. The results have been really fun. A cute patchwork look. You can find them in the shop now.

Homemade Flat Bread

I saw on a friends Pinterest the other day, a flat bread recipe from the blog Smitten Kitchen. I used to read this blog very often in the past. but have not in quite a few months. As usual with anything you forget about, it inspires you all over again! So, this morning I made Rosemary and Olive Oil Flat Breads. They were very easy to make, made my kitchen smell great, and used up a nice amount of the fresh rosemary that I have been growing on my DC porch.

Here is a link to the recipe via Smitten Kitchen.

Rosemary, Sea Salt, and Olive Oil Flat Bread

 

I will share them this evening with a friend, some homemade bruschetta, good cheese, and cold wine on a porch in DC. 

Infused Vodka

Oh if this isn't summer I don't know what is! My roommate, Tara, just came home with a bag of groceries and a handle of vodka. She exclaimed: "Let's make infused vodkas!" and before I knew it she had laid on the counter a watermelon, lemons, and cucumbers for her concoctions. After some chopping, rummaging for our empty pasta jars, and laughter, Tara had made three different infused vodkas by simply chopping the fruit/vegetable and covering it with vodka. She says let it sit for a few days and shake it every so often. I can't wait to see what cocktails will come from these!

Roasted Tomatoes

 

I have discovered the simple pleasure of roasting tomatoes.  This summer I have eaten these almost every day because they are so simple to make, healthy, and full of flavor! I use my counter top sized oven on the broiler setting and they come out slightly charred and delicious in about 15 minutes.

A handful of washed grape tomatoes
A drizzle of olive oil
A handful of fresh thyme
A sprinkle of kosher salt
A sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper
One small chopped shallot

Preheat counter top oven to the broil setting. 

[1] Chopped the shallot in thin stripes. Slice the grape tomatoes once in half.
[2] Place the sliced shallot and tomatoes on a foil covered baking sheet.
[3] Drizzle olive oil over the shallot and tomatoes and toss gently with your hands. Wash hands.
[4] Sprinkle tomatoes with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
[5] Place in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees or your low broiler setting.

I then like to cool the vegetables slightly and toss them in pasta dishes or in a fresh field greens salad. Enjoy!

Spicy Black-Bean Soup

A visit to my local library had me pick up a copy of Everyday Food -Fresh Flavor Fast. I have long been a subscriber [since its first issue!] of Everyday Food. I like the simplicity of their recipes and that the ingredients are usually pretty easy to locate in any local grocery store.

The last two weeks I have made this Spicy Black Bean Soup. Now, while I love spicy food, I have kept this soup more tame by removing the ribs and most of the seeds from the jalapeno pepper. I also omit the cooked ham that the recipe calls for and add a small scoop of brown rice and a handful of diced green pepper instead. [healthier and more filling!] If I am feeling especially like I want some fat, I will add some crumbled bacon.

Spicy Black Bean Soup [adapted from Every Day Food- Fresh Food Fast]

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1 jalapeno chili pepper, finely chopped [ribs and seeds removed for desired heat]
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
3 cans of organic black beans, [15.5 oz each] drained and rinsed
4 cups of water, plus more if needed
1 1/2 c cooked brown rice
a handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 cup of finely chopped green pepperm for garnish
a sprinkle of queso fresco
a dash of your favorite hot suace

1. In a large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Cook until soften 3-4 minutes. Next, add jalapeno, cumin, italian seasonin, and garlic, cook and stir for another 3-4 minutes. [cook brown rice according to package instructions while the soup cooks]

2. Add black beans and water and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

3. Working in two batches, transfer the soup to a heat resistant blender [leaing the middle plastic cap off] and cover with a clean dish towel] Blend until the soup misture is liquified. Pour this in to a large serving size bowl, repate with remaining mixture.

4. To serve, ladel the soup in to a bowl, add a scoop of brown rice, and garnish with cilantro, green pepper, and queso fresco with a dash of hot sauce.

Vintage Hankies with a Spring Feel

All soaked, dried, and pressed these four vintage hankies are available in the [shop] now. Their spring colors of yellow, blue, and pink are sure to brighten up a room!

Re-Style Nightgown

I have been seeing a lot of re-styling projects on blogs lately. This one I wanted to share because it is such a great transformation! Abi, from vanilla and lace, re-styled this granny nightgown into a cute, simple springtime dress. I love that she made a belt to go along with it. Belts really do tie everything together. Read about how she did it [here]

I think I could do this...

What a cute idea! I love this potted twig topiary from West Elm. However, I am sure I can handle this project on my own. [I would use vintage paper to cover my branches and pot, I think it would older that way]

Oh little too shabby chic but oh so sweet...

This sweet tiny house was featured in the NY Times a few weeks ago. What a great idea! A small place for one to just get away and read a book. Owner Sandra Foster renovated this beautiful Victorian style tiny cottage for only $3,000. Full of gingerbread, chandeliers, old books, and rose printed china, this tiny cottage is a calm and romantic secret in the Catskill forests.

The article is a great read, describing the very unique couple who owns this cottage and a 1971 trailer on the same property. A playful description of a cougar's nest and a man cave.

Enjoy a slide show of the images [here]

$5.00 DIY Frame Project

I had a great piece of vintage sheet fabric pinned to my living room wall, very college dorm like [bleh] and it only took me a year to paint this wooden frame to put this fabric into.

I spent .99 cents on a can of matte black spray paint and found the frame in my attic when I moved in. I am sure I did not spend more then a few dollars on the fabric too.

Enjoy the before and after of a less than $5.00 DIY decor project!

DIY Wall Idea

I am always looking for new ideas for things to hang on the wall. I see frames in one of my shop, but do you think my walls are properly decorated? Nooo. My goal before the summer ends is to have at least two wall collages put up [one upstairs and one downstairs] and to have at least each room containing one thing on the wall that was not thrown there when we first moved in [because a nail conveniently was hung there].

Here are some ideas I am toying with from website www.diyideas.compainted & mounted ceiling medallions

vintage tableclothThis last image is of a letter press coaster mounted inside a frame. What a nice idea! I know that etsy has a slew of wonderful letterpress shops! How fun would these be?

Spirograph Inspired Coasters by: marquandeditions

New Frame in the Shop

I adore this new frame I just re-constructed! I almost don't want to give it up. Cute city scene of children looking out of their windows in a tiny city row of homes. I love the black birds hanging out in the trees! In the shop now!

xo

Our Guestbedroom

I saw this photo of a bedroom from Porridge Home Bedding a few months ago on Design*Sponge. I fell in love with the image right away because it is so difficult to find inspiring ideas for interior decorating that uses natural colored wood work. [i.e. the chair next to the bed] I loved the gray purple color of the wall immediately. I also spied a similar bed in the ikea catalogue. I thought: I can do this!

So, with the help [lots of it!] from my handy man hubby Pete, we transformed our vacant front bedroom into a sweet serene guest room.

1. Remove Old Wall Light Fixture
2. Spackle & Repair Walls
3. Prepare & Paint Walls
4. Install 3 Electrical Outlets [the room had zero working electrical outlets]
5. Install Bamboo Flooring
6. Construct Ikea Bed, Buy Rug, Install in Room.


It was a fairly quick re-do that still needs some decorating work. We had lovely guests coming to stay with us for New Year's Eve, so we really busted to get this done in the fall. Pete installed the floor in two days! He is an amazement! I think the final paint color came out a tad too purple and I think it would look better with a touch more gray. We also need to find a nice black and white bedspread as the sage green coverlet is getting quite worn. I also wanted to take down the ceiling fan, but I imagine it is nice to have for your guests.

1. Bookcase: Vintage
2. Bed: Ikea Leirvik $129.00
3. Paint: Lowes Valspar: Livid Violet in Eggshell
4. Flooring: Supreme Bamboo 1.99 sq. ft.
5. Curtains: Ikea Alvine Spets 14.99
6. Lamp: Vintage [rewired by my husband]

xo