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Summer Dinner Party
An impromptu Summer Dinner Party doesn’t have to be stressful and make you feel like you’re losing your marbles. Now, I say that and I LOVE cooking and entertaining and throwing a party. But seriously, there’s no need to go crazy and feel like you can’t whip something up at a moment’s notice. All you need is about an hour and a half and you, too can throw a quick dinner for your friends! I quickly gathered a tray from our family room to corral things on the table. Cloth napkins (that weren’t even ironed – they looked casual and relaxed just the way the were), some bowls for the…
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Peach Pie
Peach Pie No question about it, Summer fruits are my favorite. But, there’s one that stands out above allllllllll the others and that’s the peach. Goodness gracious, I dream about them when they aren’t in season and when they finally reach their peak, I’m in drippy, juicy peach heaven! Give me peach salsa, peaches in my salad, my mom’s peach cobbler, peach butter, peach preserves on toast, peach cake – just give me ALL the peaches! And since we’re in the height of peach season right now, it was time to make something with the local, sweet, fragrant peaches I had on hand. Let’s make a peach pie, friends! I…
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Apple Crisp
Apple Crisp One of our favorite Fall activities is when we go apple picking as a family. It’s something everyone looks forward to each and every year. We always go to the same orchard, pick the same variety of apples, take the same pictures, eat the same cider donuts – you know – the things that make warm, lasting memories. You might say we’re big into traditions around here. Those are the things families will talk about long after we’re gone. Just like the memories my parents have from their childhood, my brother and I have from ours and my daughters have with my late husband and me. There’s nothing…
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Pumpkin Floral Arrangement
Those gorgeous pumpkin or gourd arrangements that are so popular during October and especially November, for Thanksgiving centerpieces, are easier to make yourself than you might think. We wanted to give ourselves the challenge of making one with a budget of $20. Well, we ended up a little bit over budget by just $3, but for a grand total of $23, that seemed pretty darn good to us, don’t you think? We headed to Trader Joe’s because let’s face it, their prices can’t be beat, especially in the floral department. And they had a huge bin of unique pumpkins and gourds of all sizes for $6. Yes, you read that…
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Pumpkin Scones
A fresh from the oven pumpkin scone and a hot cup of coffee or tea on a Fall morning is the perfect pair. Now, you might be thinking, ‘Seriously, scones? Ew, they’re dry and crumbly and downright tasteless!’ Au contraire, mon frere! This recipe for Pumpkin Spice Scones is fabulous! We promise you won’t be disappointed. Happy Baking! PUMPKIN SCONES INGREDIENTS 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 3 tablespoons milk 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Glaze 1 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered…
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Creating a Beautiful Gallery Wall
Want to know what we love most about gallery walls? No two are identical and they are a true expression of the creator. Now, there are no real defined rules for gallery or collage walls, because each one is different, but there are some things to keep in mind so that your gallery wall feels cohesive and reflects you and your personal style. Some questions to ask yourself as you begin designing your gallery: How do you want your gallery wall to make you feel? What is your color scheme? What is your theme? Do you have all of your artwork? Do you want matching frames? Will you be adding…
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Painting Kitchen Cabinets
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Zucchini Bread
If you’ve found yourself up to your eyeballs with mounds of zucchini from your garden (trust us, we’ve been there), and your neighbors no longer answer the door when they see you coming with an armful of large green clubs, we’ve got you covered, friends. Now, prepare yourself for the title, Better Than Sex Chocolate Zucchini Bread. Okay, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that’s an awfully bold statement to make about a vegetable-laden bread, but to each his own. Anyway, this chocolate zucchini bread is rich and decadent and no one will ever believe they are eating 4 cups of grated zucchini when you tell them. Hey, great way…
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Painting Kitchen Cabinets
I ’m not sure what took me SO long to share the steps I took to paint our kitchen cabinets, but after 10 people asked me to send them the process I used over the course of one weekend, I figured it was time! Our cabinets are inexpensive, builder grade oak cabinets. You know the kind – the orangey ones from the early 90’s. No cabinet pulls or knobs, just very basic cabinets. Forgive me for the poor quality photos. I scoured through old cell phone photo folders to (hopefully) find I hadn’t deleted all of them. Mom and I knew we wanted it light and bright and completely opposite…
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Creating a Beautiful Gallery Wall
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Cheese Stars
Ever find yourself scrambling to come up with something new or different to bring to a Summer party? Here’s a great appetizer or snack recipe you can whip up in under an hour for your July 4th BBQ or Pool Party this weekend. It’s festive and delicious and you probably have all of the ingredients on hand!Isn’t it the BEST when you don’t have to run out for ingredients?! Parmesan Cheddar BasilCrackers 2.5 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese1.5 cups butter softened5 tablespoons half-and-half1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1.5 cups all-purpose flour1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil Preheat oven to 350° and line a couple of baking…
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LOVE
We went out shopping looking specifically for Valentine’s Day themed wall art that would blend with our style and décor. Guess what? Either we were looking in all the wrong places for artwork OR we are a couple of cheapskates! We can’t justify shelling out gobs of money for something that won’t be used all year long and isn’t exactly what we wanted anyway. So, guess what we decided to do? We broke out the craft paints, grabbed a canvas, made some letters on a word document and started creating! We’ll walk you through the steps we took to make our one of a kind Valentine’s Day canvas. Using Word,…
