A Pop of Color for Your Kitchen Counter-Scape

As a decorator committed to the Crabby Chic style of decorating, I understand that it's the small details that can make a huge statement. Like coordinating your dish soap to the colors of your kitchen.

But I am about to shatter your notions and suggest that you add a pop of color to your kitchen counter-scape this holiday season. Not only will the change of color be new and exciting, the change might be enough  to remind people that there are dirty dishes in the sink and that they are indeed capable of washing them. (well, a mom can dream, right?)

At the very least the bright and entrancing color and new fragrance should be encouraging to you as you tackle the mound of dirty dishes that you have stacked and arranged in a  pleasing and artful array--but that is a topic for another day.

Real Life Decorating

With real life topics like:

crafting with dust bunnies and dryer lint
organize your life with Braum's bags and zip-loc sandwich baggies
refrigerator magnet arranging
accessorizing with laundry baskets (empty or full)
how to make a trivet out of cookie crumbs and Elmer's glue

It's a decorating style I like to call "Crabby Chic"

Coming soon to a blog near you!

Very near you...
                 this blog, in fact...

Pintober--2014

 Well, obviously that title is kind of a lie but read on to the end, all the way to the bitter end for the shocking confession.. Well, not really all that shocking if you know me very well...

Day 1:   Smothered Chicken with Spinach and Mushrooms, sautéed zucchini, crescent rolls, pears with craisins.

Day 2:  Today's Pinterest try was a life hack--turn all the hangers in the closet backwards. Whenever you wear something, wash and put it back away, turn the hanger the right way. At the end of the season, get rid of everything that is on a hanger that is still facing backwards. (and if you think I am going to post a picture of my closet, you have lost your mind)     

In the process of turning hangers, I came across some things I was able to immediately remove from my closet: several boy scout and cub scout uniforms, an ill-fitting denim jumper, (also came across a cute fitted one, which I am keeping), two Storm basketball shirts, some sweats, and not one but two maternity tops. Yep. Not even kidding.


Day 3:  I tried what was touted to be a kitchen "miracle" cleaner. Put about 1/4 cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and squirt in hydrogen peroxide until it makes a nice paste.  Rub it on the baked on grease and stains. HA! I regret to inform you that this Pinterest suggestion is a FAIL. Sad day. the only miracle I came across was me actually believing that this might work.

                                                                           Before...

                                                                                After...

                                                                         Before...

                                                                              After...


                                       Ummmmm, never mind..I think you get the picture...


Pintober Day 4:   This is so cool and here are the directions:  You mix 2 to 3 parts school glue, 1 part water, food color, and a bit of Dawn. Pick up some cute little clear bottle, glasses, vases, candle holders, whatever you like. Then paint! Try not to leave a lot of streaks or globs of paint. Of course while painting the vase, to me it looked bad but after a few hours drying time, it looks fabulous. The paint is actually removable so if you don't like your results, just wash it off and start over.


Pintober Day 5:  Flameless candle, fake silver tray (but nobody needs to know that), leaves from my yard and my neighbor's yard. He noticed me in his yard (well, standing on the curb, reaching up into his tree) carefully choosing leaves from low-lying branches and picking up leaves off the ground, discarding those that weren't nicely shaped or colored. He was so kind to as to call me to see if I had lost my mind.

 

Pintober Day 6:  No-Bake Cake Balls.  As pretty as they look, they were pretty much a failure. My daughter tried one and said, "ummmm, it's good but a little underbaked." Now that is an understatement! If I want to eat cake dough, I will just make a cake and sample the batter.

 Pintober Day 7:  I laboriously chopped 2 cups of fresh cranberries (because I don't have a food processor) to make Cranberry Muffins. Totally worth all of the effort! Tart berries in sweet muffins. If I didn't have kids who dislike nuts, I would have added some. Come to think of it, next time I WILL add nuts. More muffins for me!!

Pintober Day 7:  Cake Mix Cookies. An overwhelming success! Quick and tasty, made from three ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen right now! Moist, sweet, and did I mention quick. I would have taken a picture, but they were gone too quickly.

one package of cake mix, any flavor     I used white
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix together cake mix, eggs, and oil in large bowl.
Make little balls with the dough and place on ungreased cookies sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes (closer to 8 minutes)


Pintober Day 8:  Chick Filet Chicken salad sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked Chicken Breast
• 1/4 cup diced Celery
• 1 diced Hard Boiled Egg
• 2 tbsp Sweet Pickle Relish
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 slices Wheat Bread
• Leaf lettuce

Instructions

• Combine chicken, celery, egg, mayonnaise, relish, salt and pepper.
• Toast bread.
• Top 2 slices of toast with lettuce.
• Divide chicken salad evenly over the lettuce.
• Top with remaining slices of toast.

(Confession:  yes, I realize it is actually December 2015 and not Pintober 2014 but when you come across an unpublished blog post that you obviously spent a lot of time and effort on, the temptation is just too strong to click "publish" and move on with your life.  I supposed I could have changed up the dates and all, but, hey, that's a lot of work and not even honest. So there you have it...the truth, in all its unvarnished, tacky and tarnished glory, which is what I am really all about anyway)

A Little Turquoise Rug

I blame the little turquoise rug.

Nobody wanted him. And he was lonely.

I had gotten him for my married daughter but she said he was the wrong color. My engaged son didn't need him. I already had a nice bath rug in the main bathroom.

So I stuck him in the master bath. He seemed to like it there.

And that is how the whole bathroom mini-makeover began.

The beige curtains felt a little jealous. 

So I threw on the turquoise pashmina we had used for our Tropical Christmas. 

The shelves had accessories that were a good color but the wrong scale. 

Also some extra accessories that would be better off in the cupboard.

I found this nice candleholder at a thrift store. 

Originally I was going to paint it turquoise with some chalk paint...

but I ended up deciding it was perfect the way it was.

I found these candleholders and container at a thrift store. 

(are you sensing a pattern here?)

The peach candles aren't working for me any more so I think I will paint them.

Or get some taller ones. In a better color.

Did you know you can paint candles?

You need to buy candle painting medium and then you can.

Works like a charm. 

But that is going to have to wait for another day. 

Because this post can either be perfect or it can be done.

And today, I vote for done.

"After"

Someday I may thin out the seashell collection shelf but for now, it makes me smile.

And the little turquoise rug isn't lonely or unwanted any more.

Christmas at Pooh Corner--The Tree Skirt

I needed a new tree skirt for our Tropical Christmas themed tree. Red and green was not going to cut it this year. I was about to resort to putting a white sheet around the base of the Christmas tree. Then life happened and I had to think about other things for awhile. Like thrift store shopping. And the costume my daughter needed for her upcoming play.

I found a perfectly darling little poodle skirt. Alas, the perfectly darling little poodle skirt I picked up at the thrift store was just that, too little. No other cast members needed a perfectly darling little poodle skirt either. Lonely, perfectly darling, little poodle skirt.

Then I had a crazy but brilliant idea.

I could turn that lonely, perfectly darling, little poodle skirt into the most perfect Christmas tree skirt for a tropical Christmas! So I got out my seam ripper and ripped that waist band off the skirt. 

Perfect shape, perfect color, perfect french poodle.

Oops. 

So I just turned it over.

And if I ever have a pink poodle 50's themed Christmas, I have the perfect tree skirt!

Tropical Christmas tree with perfectly darling little pink tree skirt!

Tropical Christmas 2012

Once upon a time, there was an odd, scraggly little pine tree sitting on a shelf at a thrift store, waiting for someone to happen by and fall in love with him.

I was that someone. I thought he was a very cute little tree, and although I had no idea what I was going to do with him, I bought him.  My daughter took one look at him and christened him the Tropical Tree. And with that, our theme for Christmas 2012 was born.

odd scraggly tree decked out with small ornaments

more of the mantle with shells, flamingo and candles 

the word NOEL inspired our color scheme

We found a soothing seascape picture and propped it up on the mantle, too.

We glittered sea shells and made a garland out of pipe cleaners

We stepped out of my Christmas comfort zone with glittery flower picks and bright colors.

And some  pretty crazy ornaments!!!

We knew traditional green and red would look out of place so I came up with the plan to use brown paper and brightly colored curling ribbon.

Piglet seemed to approve.

The finished tree with Matilda, my Christmas hippopotamus lounging among the gifts.

My word for this year...

Because If You Have a House, You're Going to Have to Clean It

Saturday chores for Kids
...because if you have a house, it's going to get dirty. And if you have kids, it's going to get dirty quicker. And if it's going to get dirty quicker and you have kids, they might as well help you clean it up! And if you have kids, and they are going to help you clean the house, you might as well have a checklist so they know what to clean.

Main Bathroom
-sink
-counter
-toilet
-mirror
-tub
-door mirror


Laundry bathroom
-sink
-counter
-toilet
-mirror

Mom and Dad's bathroom
-sink
-toilet

Kitchen
-sweep
-mop
-clean off table
-dishes  (dishwasher or by hand)

Sweep bathroom and hallway

Family room
-tidy up
-sweep

Living room
-tidy up
-vacuum

Laundry
-wash clothes
-fold and put away clothes
-wash sheeets from your own bed

Clean own bedroom