Thrifty Thursday – Frame of Mind

Okay, is the title too corny for you? Well, I do hope you like the thrift. I found this beautiful lithograph nicely set in a large 36″ by 30″ frame at my local thrift store. I like the print and I like the frame, just not together.

Shutterfly was having  a sale on enlargements. So, I did what I do and ordered my favorite shot from this summer (Griff playing on the covered bridge). It took some work to get the original print out of this frame. It was mounted very professionally. That’s what made the frame look all the better. Here’s the finished project…tada!

Frame was $10.00, print was $3.00 – total = $13.00. I still have the lithograph, I need to find the right frame for that next!

What did you thrift this week?

Happy Thrifting!

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Tuesday’s Space – The Paint

Our upstairs space is coming along very quickly. Today, the hubby and I took the day off to paint before the final touches are completed this week. Here are a few shots of the painted rooms. Not the best pictures, but I thought you might want a sneak peek!

In the master - Benjamin Moore, Huntington Beige. It’s a very warm and inviting color.

For Griff’s room we went with Benjamin Moore’s, Beacon Gray. This color is a little lighter than what we were originally going to paint it. I am so glad we did. It’s like walking into a cloud. It is the perfect little alien room.

We are so close to being able to move in. A few more weeks and then the real fun begins…I better get my thrifting shoes on!

What are you working on at your home? What spaces are you transforming (big or small?) I want to hear about it.

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Clover Inspired Chocolate Chip Muffins

My favorite blueberry muffin recipe in the whole world is from my great bloggy friend Tracy over at Clover. This recipe has become a family favorite for Sunday morning muffins. These bite size clouds of yumminess always comes out perfect. Last week, I had no more blueberries in my freezer, but did come across some semi-sweet chocolate chips in my pantry.

Following Tracey’s recipe, I combined all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Then I creamed the sugar and butter.

I added a splash more milk until I got the right “muffin” consistency in the mix. Then I simply added the chocolate chips.

This muffin recipe is simply fantastic!

I now want to try cranberries and walnut muffins…apple muffins…or maybe apricots…Her base recipe can’t be beat! (Thanks Tracey!)

**Note: I also omitted the lemon juice – I just wanted to be sure that was on here too!**

Happy Baking!

 

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{this moment}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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Tuesday’s Space – Sheet Rock

YES! We have sheet rock! It is so exciting to see our space now look like rooms. Griff and I spent some time up there last night to get used to the space. I just can’t believe the difference it’s going to make in our home. It’s way more than I had imagined. I can’t help but keep thinking how lucky we are. It is completely worth all the upheaval and change in routine.

On a project note, I was able to pull out my sewing machine to help a neighbor. Of course, I didn’t get a picture of the finished project, but she had a corn filled heating pad that had been well worn. She had asked in if I’d mind sewing a quick cover for it. Yesterday, I was able to make a nice removable velcro cover with a flannel side and vintage fabric decorative side. She was so happy with the it. It always feels good to do something nice for a neighbor, doesn’t it?

I hope you are all enjoying your week!

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An Old Recipe Revisited – Apple Glazed Crockpot Pork Roast

Since last year, our eating habits have changed. This has made me revisit some of our favorite recipes. This comfort food crockpot dish wasn’t changed too much, but I was able to add a few alterations that make it even better than before!

Apple Glazed Pork Roast

Ingredients:
4lbs pork loin roast
6-8 large apples
1/4 cup Angry Orchard Hard Cider (crisp apple)
3 tbl brown sugar
1-2 tsp fresh ground ginger (depending on taste)

Trim excess fat from loin, set aside. Core and quarter apples. Place apple quarters in bottom of crockpot. Place roast on top of apples. Combine cider, brown sugar, and ginger. Spoon over top surface of loin, moistening well. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees (medium well) in the middle.

Serve with apples on top.

Happy Cooking!

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{this moment}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

linking with SouleMama

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Thrifty Thursday – Tray Transformation

I have wanted to make a chalk board tray for my dining room for a long time. I first saw this project done on a fellow bloggers site a few years ago. So long ago, in fact, that I can’t find the bookmark from the site it was from *blush*. I want to give credit for where this fantastic idea is due, so please if it was your site, let me know so I can link you into this post!

The blogger had painted an old oval ceramic serving plate with chalk board paint and placed it on the sideboard in the dining room. In following posts she used it for menus, lists and other creative ideas. I have been keeping my eyes out in the thrift stores ever since, for the perfect oval platter. I knew I wanted one that was large and preferably metal, not ceramic. Last week, I finally found a large medal serving tray. It wasn’t much to look at, a dingy yellow with lots of chips in the paint, but I knew, for $2.00, it was perfect.

After two coats of chalk board paint, it is a fantastic addition to my dining room Halloween decor.

I already have Thanksgiving and Christmas ideas for using this tray. It was a great addition to the dining room for $2.00!

Have you thrifted anything good lately?

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Tuesday’s Space – The Fun Part of Renovations

Last Tuesday, I showed you the renovation we started on our home. This week, the outside, and electrical and plumbing on the inside are complete.  Today, it’s ready for inspection so we can move forward with insulation and drywall. If you are thinking, gosh that was fast, you are right. We are way ahead of schedule, which I know rarely happens on a project of this size. Trust me, I am counting my blessings. I am also starting to go through the details of our space and I wanted to share it with you. First, Griff’s room. **Spoiler Alert** We are going with a space theme. We have chosen a nice blue/gray wall paint and a neutrally colored, square textured carpet.

We have found some really fun wall decals on etsy by Studio Wall Art. There are so many fun things we can do with this theme and we are not sure exactly what we are going to get from the collection, but we know it’s the direction we want to go.

In the master bedroom, we are looking to create a calm, quiet space. We have decided on a neutral tan with blue undertones to compliment the blue in Griff’s room. We are also using the same neutral textured carpet throughout the upstairs.

We have also purchased these cool lamps for either side of the bed. They were a bit of a splurge  but I think are going to be worth it. At first, I was a bit worried about the tans matching the colors in my quilt. I really want to use the quilt I’ve been working on in this space. I find, that in decorating, as long as you choose everything you love, it will all go together. I put the swatches next to my quilt (which is coming right along) and it matches perfectly. Funny how that always happens!

So it’s coming right along. I am SO anxious to get things down and see everything come to life. Are there any spaces you have been working on? Any new DIY projects?

Happy Decorating!

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Tips from my Sous Chef

Tips from my Sous Chef

My little guy has been off to pre-school during the mornings. He has been coming home with all kinds of cool tips and tricks. The other day before cooking, I pulled out the eggs and he explained to me that he could separate the yokes from the whites. He said all he needed was a plastic bottle (which took us a while to find, but luckily, there was one under the seat in my car) and two plates. He was all business in explaining how it all works.

He asked me to crack an egg into one of the plates. Then placed the bottle over the egg yoke and squeezed the air out of the bottle.

When he touched the bottle to the yoke, he let the air  back into the bottle, sucking up the yoke away from the whites.

Then he transferred the egg yoke to the other plate by applying pressure to the bottle again.

Cute right? He was so proud to show me something that would help me cook!

But he was a little disappointed he broke the yoke. His goal was to not break the yoke. I assured him that I could use the egg either way. It’s so much fun to see all he is learning. I am sure it’s only the start.

What tricks have you learned since school started back up? What tricks are you teaching your kids?

Happy Learning!

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