My dear friend sent me this quote the other day and it really struck a chord with me. I don’t know about you, but I am certainly going to try and do more of this. Out with the negative, in with the positive, and never stop dreaming.
xo
Master Bath Updates // Part 2
Paint, paint, paint! What a difference the paint color has made. Aside from the paint, you can see that our mirror is back.
I chose the citron color that we had and really liked it for the few years we had it. Unfortunately, my likes and dislikes tend to change, and I craved something lighter and brighter for our small space. I went with Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige, which is the same color in our guest bath that I absolutely love.
We also did this little DIY with our Target shelf and some jars from my collection. My dad screwed the jar lids to the shelf and now I have storage underneath the shelf, as well as on top. I am using the jars for everyday things we use like q-tips, cotton pads, and tweezers, nail clippers, etc. I also added a purse hook to the edge of the shelf for holding my body brush.
I also bought a couple of baskets for more storage. The basket under the vanity is holding my make-up mirror and cleaning products. The other basket will hold extra towels (currently empty because there are no other clean towels due to the laundry room renovation – more on that later).
The master bathroom feels fresh and new, but I spent next to nothing. We already had the paint, so $0 for that, $12.00 for a bottle of Grout Renewal, and $25.00 for two baskets (from Ross).
Last but certainly not least, a huge thanks to my Dad for painting a second coat while I was at work on Friday.
xo
Master Bath Updates // Part 1
This is our master bathroom, our tiny master bathroom.
When we bought the house, it looked like this.
**Normally there is a large, black framed mirror in that big, gaping space on the wall straight ahead. For the sake of this update, I have removed it. It’ll be back shortly.
So, clearly, we made major improvements here, but I wouldn’t call this a finished room. The most bothersome issue in the bathroom is the grout. We didn’t seal the grout, so it is all discolored now. I made the mistake of use abrasive cleaners on it, and just wear and tear has left us with this gross looking grout. What’s a girl to do? Cue one of my favorite blogs, Young House Love. They had the problem of stained, discolored grout and used Grout Renewal on it with amazing results.
Here is a close up of the gross grout.
We decided to go for it, and all it took was a quick trip to Home Depot, $12.00, a rag, my craft brushes and some elbow grease.
Progress! Impressive, right?
Working selfie! I take pride in my appearance when DIY’ing.
Completion!
I felt amazing when this was done. I spent roughly 8 hours on this project, between deep cleaning the floors and grout –toothbrush style– and applying the Grout Renewal. I applied it very carefully with a craft brush and would wipe the excess with the rag. My back, neck, arms, and shoulders are a little upset with me, but how amazing does the floor look now?! It was totally worth it. And the best part is that there is a sealant in the product, so I’m done. And, from here on out, only steam cleaning for these babies!
Part 2 will be underway very soon…hint…blue tape.
xo
Project Calendar
As I mentioned in Currently yesterday, I have been getting my projects organized by using my clipboard calendar. This is keeping my blog post ideas in one place, and I have room to make notes and jot down reminders.
You can see my original clipboard calendar here. Some changes were in order, so I could make it more functional. I have limited myself to twenty projects/posts for each month, which is a lot, but it’s not out of reach. I made a little spot on the bottom for birthdays and this version is much cleaner, so it’s not overwhelming. I am so excited about all of the projects I have coming up. We are going to be working on the house, and I’m sewing again…very exciting stuff.
xo
Currently.
READING…The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri I know…stiiiiiiiillll? I have been extremely busy and not reading as much as I normally do. I promise that The Lowland will not be on the next Currently post.
LISTENING…Jack White, Lazaretto. HE.IS.THE.MAN.
EATING…tomatoes from my garden like crazy. My Sun Gold cherry tomato plant has been extremely fruitful, so I have roasted tomatoes, made one pan pasta, eaten them raw, and added them to salads. Thank goodness we heart tomatoes.
DRINKING…actually this should read, “WISH I WERE DRINKING” the delicious raspberry jalapeno margarita I had this weekend. I also wish I had a recipe for it. It was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Maybe give this strawberry jalapeno margarita recipe a try.
SUCCEEDING…in getting organized at home! I am using my clipboard calendar to get on track with home projects and am feeling great about it. I’ll share more later this week.
FAILING…at hanging my outdoor lights. Don’t fret, they will be up soon!
LOVING…being home. I just got back from a quick weekend trip, and although it was a ridiculously good time, I love being home with my hubby and pets. Being home with the ones you love really is the best thing in the entire world.
WAITING…for my Dad to come for a visit. His visit is one of my favorite parts of summer, so we are really looking forward to having him here.
WEARING…new shorts today! I am loving my brand new Target clearance rack shorts. I am 100% on board with the printed short trend. They are comfy and so easy to wear, all while being fashionable. Also, I spent a whopping $14 on these beauties.
Happy Monday!
xo
Printed Jogger Pants
I’ve been sewing! I took these wide leg pants…
and transformed them into jogger pants!
I’ve been wanting a pair for a while now but decided that I needed to make them if I wanted them that badly.
My sewing skills are, for the most part, self taught, and I do a lot by trial and error. This is why I’m not providing a tutorial, and I hope you forgive me for that. I simply started pinning and cutting until I reached the desired silhouette. Here is my finished look!
Don’t laugh, this was my first go at using a timer and taking photos of myself. Let me tell you…it’s not easy!
This project cost me a couple bucks because these are sample sale pants and I already had the thread. It was a really fun project, so now I’m looking at other clothing to see what I can make it into.
xo
Taco Tuesday: Lentils & Cotija
I’m sad to report that this Taco Tuesday was not among the best. I was winging it and managed to save it in the end, but it wasn’t easy.
I didn’t keep very good track of the water needed, since I just watched the beans to ensure they were cooked all the way. Below is a rough estimate of you’ll need for the lentils, but feel free to customize it however you want.
4 oz lentils
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 white onion chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 medium size zucchini chopped
1 handful of spinach
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
I decided to use Cotija cheese and corn tortillas.
For the lentils, begin by sauteing the garlic for a few minutes, and then add your onion and saute for another few minutes. Add your lentils, and add 2 cups of water to start. You will gradually add more as they cook. Add your spices. You could use half a packet of taco seasoning instead if you wish. Put the lid on and let it cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. While it’s cooking, you can chop your celery and zucchini. After 30 minutes, take a look. You will most likely need to add more water. I suggest adding water in 1/2 cup increments. Add your celery now. Put the lid on and let it cook for another 20 minutes.
Take a look and see how they’re doing, most likely they are almost done. Add the zucchini and really stir it in there, so it can get all that flavor. Next, add a big handful of spinach, turn the heat down to low, and stir that in very well. You’re done with the lentils!
This is where my plan went awry. I normally heat corn tortillas in the microwave with a damp paper towel, so that’s what I did. Then I added the filling and the cotija crumbles, aaaaaaand it was boring. It tasted good, but it was missing something. Hot sauce?! Yes, a little hot sauce helped but something was still not quite right.
My husband got home later in the evening, so I offered him a plate of boring tacos. I decided that this was an opportunity to try again. I heated the tortillas on the stove top this time, and I melted the cotjia right on the tortilla. Then, I added the lentils, and lastly, a little hot sauce. The verdict? And I quote, “that melted cheese is money, babe.” I think by crisping the tortillas and melting the cheese, I got the texture I was missing before.
There you have it, what to do and what not to do in this week’s Taco Tuesday…on Wednesday.
xo
Life in Photos: Summer Smiles
Generally speaking, I’m a pretty happy person, but here are some of the things that are making me smile lately. For instance, I feel so lucky to live here in the PNW and have views like this.
Being silly. I was so excited to use my “cheese or die” tote (gifted by my girl, Keely), so I asked my hubs to snap a pic. Just to clarify, Keely and I feel very strongly about cheese, and yes, she has one too.
My garden continues to provide delicious produce and endless elation.
Some friends of ours had visited Flatstick Pub for a round of mini golf and sang its praises. On a whim, we checked it out on Friday night and loved it. I mean…mini golf with a local brew in hand = amazing!
And, this guy. I have no shame. I take a ridiculous number of photos of my pups and don’t care who knows it.
Happy weekend!
xo
Summer Bucket List Progress
This summer, as per usual, is flying by and I want to make sure that I get the most out of it, so it’s time to see how I’m doing. I made this list back in the beginning of June, and here we are, quickly approaching August.
1. Outdoor movies, obviously
- We have not gone to a single outdoor movie, buuuuut we have one on the calendar for August 6th.
2. Outdoor concerts (did I go to any last year?! Shaaaaame)
- Again, we have not gone to any outdoor concerts, but I am going to one on August 15th.
3. Host a party (grilling, outdoor lighting, music, the whole shabang)
- My hubby and I have been talking about a little party, maybe at the end of August.
4. Finish our backyard projects (hanging chair, benches, lighting)
- FAIL! Ugh, I don’t know what my deal is…aside from buying lights, there has been no progress here.
5. Eat outside a few times a week, EVERY week
- I would say that we have eaten outside probably more like once a week, every week. I’ll call that success.
6. Go for more bike rides (and buy a basket for my ride)
- My basket arrived last week, and we have a bike ride planned for tonight! We have actually been really great about bike riding once a week.
7. Outdoor yoga (did it once, and it was awesome…not sure why I haven’t done it again)
- I have done this once…MUST.TRY.HARDER.
8. Be spontaneous (said the planner)
- I would say that I have been really good about this, but perhaps I should ask my husband.
9. Plant flowers, beautify the house!
- Flowers, not so much. However, we did pull weeds and my veggie garden is looking great. The pic above is of my tomato plant…starter plant on the left back in May, monstrosity on the right as of a week ago.
10. Read more books (the goal is 9 – 3/month)
- Yeah, about that…it’s looking more like 1 book/month, which is normal for me.
11. Re-apply sunblock (I’m great at putting it on, not so great at remembering to re-apply)
- Apparently I don’t learn. I have insane tan lines from camping last weekend. Why you ask? Because I never re-apply!
12. Float a river (or two or three)
- We floated once already, for the 4th!
13. Hike more (camping hiking counts, but I need to get out there more)
- So far we have only hiked while camping. There’s still hope though!
14. Try paddleboarding (I know my hubby is on board, so we need to make it happen)
- We have plans to try out paddleboarding this weekend!
15. Make three summer dresses (they’re my favorite in the summer, and I know how to sew…no brainer)
- I’m working on a sewing project now, but it’s not a dress. I’ll post about it next week.
16. Take the pups for more walks (they should benefit from the SBL too, right?)
- I’m failing those poor pups. They are spoiled, but we have not been out for more walks.
Summer is such a great time of year. Summer Bucket List completion or not, this has been an amazing one already.
xo
Today’s BGD // 7.28.14
There is no better cure for negativity, exhaustion, and bad energy than being in the great outdoors, soaking up rays for a weekend. We hopped on a ferry and camped on Orcas Island this weekend, and I have returned refreshed and re-energized. We spent time with friends, turned off our cell phones, and frolicked on the beach, without a care in the world. Being away in that atmosphere does something for me, at my core, that is so important to me, and I don’t ever want to lose the ability to let go like I do when I’m camping. On Friday evening, while sitting on a rock, listening to my husband and his friend play “baseball” with a log and my pup’s tennis ball, I took in a huge breath of beach air and realized that I had not thought about work all day long. There are days when I struggle to put work out of my mind, good thoughts and bad, and in my quest for balance, I know how unhealthy that is. Being out in nature, my mind is clear with no effort at all.
Today’s BGD, coming back to the grind with a refreshed outlook and feeling refocused.
What does the trick for you?
xo
beauty in grey days 