I was able to add a personal touch to our kitchen overhaul this weekend, by the way of these mason jar photo frames. I loved this idea when I saw it on A Beautiful Mess, and it is so easy to duplicate. The best part about this project is that it takes all of five minutes to complete and the hardest part is deciding which photos to use.
Are you working on anything crafty?
xo
On Sunday, for the AFC & NFC championship games, we did a baked potato bar with all the fixin’s and it was awesome. Baked potatoes are so easy –we made them on the grill– and they can be customized to each guest’s taste. I love watching football and actually like to be able to sit and watch the game(s), but often I find myself in the kitchen, hanging my head in shame because I missed another big play. With that said, easy recipes like this crockpot spinach artichoke dip –tried this last weekend, and it was yummy– and spreads like a baked potato bar work beautifully because you provide something tasty for your guests and you get to watch the game (or chat…no judgments). There are two more weeks of football, so I say, put on your host or hostess hat and serve up these yummy options. And for those of you, sticking to your resolutions, there are healthy pairing options listed below.
Spinach Artichoke Dip Serving Options:
INDULGE
Baguette
Sourdough Round
Tortilla Chips
Pita Chips
BEHAVE
Carrots
Grape Tomatoes
Red Bell Peppers
Baked Potato Bar Serving Options:
INDULGE
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream
Bacon
Chili
BEHAVE
Salsa
Broccoli
Shredded Carrots
Plain Greek Yogurt
Green Onion
I personally like to take some from column A and some from column B –everything in moderation, right?– but there are great options if you’re indulging or behaving.
xo
It’s that time again, January Challenge check in… (If you’re new to this, find out more on Apartment Therapy, here.) Saturday was 100% devoted to kitchen cleaning and organizing in our home. I managed to clear the clutter, reorganize cabinets and give the kitchen a good cleaning, and I feel great. Knowing that this project was going to be a big one, I started the day with a list of goals to maintain focus.
1 // Clear off the countertops, move everything to the dining room table
2 // Empty the dishwasher, do the dishes in the sink
3 // Wipe down countertops, stove, oven door, sink, cabinet doors
4 // Pantry clean out, discard expired items and group items accordingly
5 // Base cabinet clean out, broken appliances and unused appliances go to the outbox, reorganize
6 // Upper cabinet clean out, pull everything out and rethink organization
7 // Clear the fridge doors, photos go into an album, recipes into a binder, reminders into my phone calendar
8 // Wipe down fridge doors & microwave
9 // Wipe down inside of cabinets
10 // Put it all back together
My counter now houses…
Microwave
Fruit Bowl
Paper Towel Holder
Drying Mat
Coffee Pot
Vase for Wooden Spoons
Olive Oil
This may seem like a lot still, but these are all things that get frequent use and serve a purpose, and in some cases the items add some style and personality. The functionality of this space has improved exponentially. Here are the before and after pics, focusing on our biggest problem areas.
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
My favorite updates:
*Using a gorgeous white vase to house my wooden spoons.
*Switching out the dish soap into a pretty glass dispenser.
*Adding some personal photos to the window ledge. More on that tomorrow!
Even if you’re not participating in the January Challenge, I strongly encourage doing this. The project took me about 4 hours to complete, but it was so worth it. Also, for those of you who don’t know, our home is a fixer upper on its way to being all fixed up, so please know that the kitchen is in progress. My husband is working on the remaining concrete countertops, we have ordered a new sink, and I’m shopping for a faucet and thinking about backsplash tile, so this kitchen is about to be perfection (for us anyway). Stay tuned for all of the aforementioned projects.
xo
Today, I am inspired by the words of Martin Luther King Jr. Even on a small scale, it feels far better to smile and laugh, than to scowl and be angry.
Image from pinterest.com
I hope this brightens your Monday.
xo
I enjoy writing Life in Photos because it’s fun to look back on my week, remember the fun things I did, the yummy things I ate, and this week’s photos are all about enjoying the simple pleasures in life.
We hosted friends for football viewing on Saturday, and there is nothing better than a full, cozy house.
Sunday morning breakfast –potatoes, spinach and peppers, topped with a sunny side up egg.
Flowers for the January Challenge.
Afternoon reading, curled up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket…so luxurious.
Sunday date night involved a movie and a vodka tonic for me.
A project in the works…exciting stuff.
With Friday quickly approaching, I can’t wait to finish up this project, do some more reading, and enjoy some football.
xo
If you need to get looped in on the January Challenge, visit Apartment Therapy January Cure to get all of the details. I’m going to clump days 5 and 6 into one post today.
Day 5 is all about choosing a project to cross off the list you made on day 1. I have chosen a task that surely everyone has had to tackle at some point; clearing the countertops and getting rid of kitchen clutter. The most notable part of this task is that it is going to affect all of my kitchen organization, as I am going to need to purge my pantry and go through all of my cabinets in order to make room for the items on my countertops. I have taken my before photos (to be shared at the big reveal), gathered inspiration, and done a little on-line shopping to help me execute this plan.
Day 6 is a much simpler task, prepping artwork for framing and display. I purchased frames and matting months ago with the intention of framing some wedding photos for our bedroom. Of course, now that time has passed I have seen new ideas and am not sure that I still want to use those frames but this will push me to finally do this. First step to this will be choosing photos, and then I can work on the frames and display.
If you’re participating in the January Challenge, please share, how is it going?
Have a great Thursday night!
xo
Wearing this scarf always reminds me of my sister. It was a great birthday gift and every time I put it on, it adds a punch of color to my (almost always) neutral outfit, and it makes me think of my little sis. If you surround yourself with the things you love, things that hold meaning, they aren’t just things anymore. I had a nice chat with my sister last night, and although we don’t live under the same roof anymore, or in the same state for that matter, she is always close to my heart. This scarf isn’t just a scarf, it’s a reminder of someone very special to me.
Have a great Tuesday!
xo
It’s January Challenge check in time! I’m loving this project because it started with creating a list –y’all know how much I love making lists– and then I got to buy myself/my home flowers. I have to admit that I totally cheated on the floors. You see, we had friends over on Saturday for some football viewing and while I cleaned the kitchen, finally packed up the Christmas décor, and tidied the living room, my hubby was a super hero (as per usual) and did the floors. We will call the Floors & Flowers Assignment a team effort. It feels so good to walk into the house and see clean floors and cheery flowers. Unfortunately, the market didn’t have the best selection, so I made these mini carnations in soft green and pale pink work. They look so fresh, aaaaand I had enough stems to create a little arrangement for our master as well.
Tonight I am spending a few minutes in a rarely used space in our home, and then rethinking the layout and feel. I feel another list coming on! Check out the assignment for yourself here.
Is anyone doing the January Challenge, perhaps even in a small way?
Happy Monday!
xo
Today’s BGD is all about words that inspire. I hope this speaks to you the way it did to me.
Image from La Dolce Vita
Have a great Thursday!
xo
I do enjoy a challenge, so when one of my favorite people mentioned the Apartment Therapy January Cure, I checked it out and was sold immediately. This is a little different from 4 Simple Goals, which I did for the last couple months of 2013 — learn more here. The idea behind January Cure is to improve your home in a few weeks, by taking it one day at a time and in the end your home will be cleaner and more organized…sounds great, right? It gets better. I just signed up and will receive an email a day, instructing me what the task of the day is. Although I consider my life to be a fairly busy one, this sounds workable, and I am so excited to get started. I will post about my progress, and I hope you’ll do this with me. I’d love to see how this changes your home too.
Day 1: Make a list of projects
Have fun making your list!
xo
beauty in grey days 