Living Room Make-Over

To date, the Dining Room and the boys/guest bathroom have been made over.  Two years ago, we remodeled the kitchen (a project that I anticipated taking 3 months, but lasted almost EIGHT- it wound up being my Christmas present that year!) and reconstructed the downstairs area into a Man Cave for the boys- that was their present last year!  I tend to be a little unrealistic when it comes to construction.....

In addition to a MUCH needed makeover in our master bedroom (planned, but not started) I've been making plans for the Living Room.

This is the view from the front door (the BIG bright glare at the back is the sun shining in to the Dining Room).  When we enclosed the downstairs for the Man Cave last year, we put a gas line in for the fireplace in the Living Room.  It's a dual sided fireplace that you access from this side or the Dining Room.  It's not complete, but it's a start and will be ready to finish up when we are and we saved money by having the prep work done while the ceiling downstairs was opened up. Oh, and that BIG BLANK WALL?  The first thing you see when you walk in the house.... and the only wall in the house that has absolutely nothing on it!  Not quite sure why....

This is looking in from the Dining Room... and yes, that is a RED wall (and door... and a/c register.... we're REAL classy here!).  Again, not sure why the red wall... felt good at the time, though.  Now... not so much!

And this is looking in from the kitchen (toward the front door).  And that dresser there.... that's the start of the transformation (I know.... a normal person would fix that red wall first).  But the dresser is easier and low to the ground (I'm afraid of heights and the ceilings are 10 ft. in here- the wall will be a later on project!)

Stayed tuned... the dresser reveal starts tomorrow.

Butter Balls...

(and I ain't talkin' turkey!)  


I started reading this blog about 2 or 3 years ago.  I stumbled onto it by chance and remember spending every morning for a week going back to read every entry from the very beginning.  The whole "vibe" just caught me from the start and I continue to read it until this day.  I have yet to try a recipe I didn't like.

My Dad's from the South (a little town called Brady, Texas- my Mother, a 'Jersey Italian-trust me, they're quite the pair) and biscuits & gravy was a Sunday morning thing for us; usually with chipped beef and sometimes with sausage.  As a kid, it wasn't #1 on my hit parade.... I liked French Toast (although we call it "Egg Bread" and still do- as in...bread...dipped in eggs...).  As an adult, I can tear up some sausage & gravy on toast!

 White Sauce Butter Balls 

2 Cups (1 lb.) Butter- Softened

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tbls Salt

1/2 Tsp Pepper (food purists use white.... black works just fine)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Place by heaping teaspoons on a wax paper line baking sheet (you'll need 2).  Place in the freezer for 20 mins. or so (or until hardened).  Place frozen balls in a zip lock bag and store in your freezer (up to 3 months... mine don't make it that long!)

For White Sauce:  Place 1 Cup milk in saucepan over medium/low heat.  Add 1 to 2 frozen butter balls (depending on size & desired consistency).  As butter balls begin to melt, the sauce will thicken.  Whisk occasionally.  If sauce is too thick, add a little more milk to thin.   

D-Lish:

*Add 1 lb. cooked breakfast sausage to white sauce- serve over toast
*Don't like regular sausage?  Try mild Italian (hey, Mom!) sausage over toasted Ciabatta bread!
*Creamed Spinach (again, not on my Hit Parade!) Halve recipe- add well-drained cooked Spinach & a touch of nutmeg
*Use as a base for Mac 'N Cheese- add grated cheddar to sauce and continue whisking until melted.
*Peas & Pearl Onions.... use slightly thinner sauce, and reduce recipe by half.

And tonight's dinner..... Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy!! (wish you were here, Dad!)

(image)

I would have taken a picture of OUR dinner... but it was gone before I could unzip the camera case.

Try it and let me know what ya' think!

Stickin' to it!

After reading this post a while back, I started playing around with the idea of making some crates for my soaps and linen sprays.  Add to that some ASCP and a fifteen-year-old who just completed a carpentry class at school, and I was in business!

After a little paint, some distressing, and a light wax & buff, the team came up with this:

I've since tackled the "Buck Bros." (no lie...real name) Miter Box and have managed to cut and assemble these, as well as a few other versions on my own.

(3 Votive Candle Holder in Graphite with Vanillé Noir Hand-Poured Votives)

Love me some Home Depot (and the nice folks in the paint department wondering what on earth anyone needs with 2 dozen paint sticks!).  They should see what I've done with last week's molding...

**Helpful Tip:  You can get the paint sticks (a few at a time, or so) for free from Home Depot.  I've tried buying them from HD in larger quantities, but they always (politely) decline and ask me how many I want for free...  I've gotten up to 18 or so.  Wal-Mart sells them for .50 each- however; the wood is slightly thinner and a lot softer.  The ones from WM tend to split really bad when you go to staple/nail them together. I could have sworn I read somewhere that a person was able to BUY them from HD by the bundle.... but so far, no luck here.

Linking to...

It's A "Do-Over"...

....or a new life for an old blog (or, a new blog for an old broad?)!   It's been quite a while, but there are many talented people out there who have inspired me to make a fresh start.  So, many thanks.  I can't wait to get started!

I celebrated my 49th birthday this year, and while the big five-oh-my-ga is just around the corner, the age part is just a number to me.  The "ga" is the realization of what that number represents.  In two or three years, my 2 youngest will be out of high school and on to college, my oldest will be celebrating a milestone of his own: the big three-oh, and my man & I will be empty nesters.

That's when my head starts spinning and I start thinking of all the things I still want to do "while I'm young".  This blog is one of them.... and the rest will follow.