Friday, February 27, 2015

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday y'all!

In spirit of the cold weather and finding something to do this weekend that doesn't involve going outdoors I bring you this knit turban headband DIY! It's a loom project that is quick and easy– it's a perfect beginner project. I've already made 2 of them since Tuesday! Just follow this youtube tutorial.

DIY Loom Knit Turban Headband Tutorial

I felt like it was obvious that I am still in my pj's in these pictures. So I added a necklace to my ensemble to cover it up. Ha!

DIY Knit Turban Headband

I bet I fooled you into thinking I'm wearing some really great outfit, huh?

Gorgeous Dreamcatcher

My other other favorite link is for a really awesome etsy shop, Dreams Everlasting. Jacqui makes gorgeous dream catchers! There are some in her shop but she'll also make custom ones like this one she made for me! You should definitely check it out.

Gorgeous Dream Catcher

-M

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Things to do on a Snowy Day

They say you should be careful what you wish for. And damn it, they were right again. It is snowing again. Just when I though it was going to all melt away I woke up to a winter wonderland that I didn't even know was coming. So in case you're snowed in like me here are a few things you can do today that will make you feel accomplished even if you can't accomplish things you had hoped to accomplish today. Such as using the word accomplish 3 times in one sentence...yes! #imanerd

We just recently scored this gorgeous set of mid-century dressers from Vintage Mid-Century Frederick's booth at Cannon Hill Antiques and I absolutely love them! So last weekend when it snowed I decided it was time to pull out some of the artwork we had piled up in storage to make the room feel a little more complete.

Master Bedroom Mid Century Furniture
Master Bedroom Mid Century Furniture

**In case you don't know this about me, I'm a perfectionist and I totally over think things. So it's taken me 4 months to figure out that even if this stuff isn't what I want on the walls permanently, it's okay to go ahead and hang it because the bare walls were driving me nuts! Whew! I'm glad I finally figured it out. Because our bedroom feels so much better.

Alternative Wall Decor
Alternative Wall Decor Hats

SO! 1. Pull that stuff out that you aren't sure if you want and just hang it already! Yes you may want to switch it out later but that is okay. A room full of bare walls, on the other hand, not okay.

Dream Catcher

2. If you're like me and you love baking, then you probably already know that snow days are the best days to bake. It warms your house up, makes it smell good, and gives you that cozy home feeling. I know it's not exactly some grand, new idea that you were hoping for from this post. I mostly just wanted an excuse to share these gorgeous cupcakes my sister made from scratch!

Lemon Blackberry Cupcakes

They were lemon blackberry and so delicious. AND SO PRETTY! Here's the recipe if you want to give it a try– Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

3. Write love notes to some friends you may not get to talk to as much as you'd like. You can get crafty with it, or use some of that stationary that is piling up in your desk drawer. Everyone loves receiving snail mail, like the good kind...not bills. It will definitely brighten their day, and who knows it might lead to a much needed get together.

Typewriter
via
 4. Clean. I know, this sounds pretty lame. But at the end of the day when you light a candle and plop down on your couch to do number 5, you'll be so pleased that you did. Plus, cleaning can be a great workout for people like me who don't like to actually work out.

Reading in Bed
via
5. Find a new series on netflix and binge watch the rest of the night. Or cozy up with a cup a tea and read that book you've been wanting to read but haven't found the time. After all, you had a productive day. ;)

-M

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Friday, February 20, 2015

Friday Favorites- 5 Cuts That Won't Make You Look Like a Soccer Mom

Let me start by saying that I don't like stereotypes, and I don't think that all soccer moms have bad hair. I'm sorry. I hope to be a soccer mom some day just so I can show that soccer moms can have really cool hair.

Pink Short Hair

Today's edition of Friday Favorites is about hair. But I've got some fresh color going on and felt inspired to share. If you follow me on pinterest, you know I'm obsessed with pinning hair. I am in a permanent phase of hair pinning.

I'm always looking for cool short cuts, and I'm tired of seeing that same wavy bob that has been pinned in a thousand varieties. Thanks Lauren Conrad. I'm guilty of it too- here's one on of the many off my pinterest board. Maybe I'm just jealous I don't know how to curl my hair.

Wavy Bob Hair Cut

Yesterday, my husband dyed my hair with, yes, a box dye! Not something I'm a huge fan of but I use it occasionally. Particularly when my hair is of the red variety. Not to say there is anything wrong with it– I've had mixed results when dying my own hair. If you've ever dyed your hair red, you already know, that it's that fastest color to fade so DIY-ing your color is the only way to keep it looking vibrant when you don't want to shell out the extra cash.

Anywho, yesterday I went with Feria's Vibrant Violet! It's a new color, and while I can't attest to how well it holds up, let me tell you it is certainly vibrant! The color came out very even and actually looks like it has slight highlights in it. I'm sorry that I don't have a before picture, my hair was sort of an ashy pink-ish brown– that sounds worse that is was...yikes. But it gave my boring hair new life and inspired this post! Is it vain I included myself in this list?

Purple Edgy Bob Haircut
Here are a few other cuts that I'm currently coveting. They're edgy but do-able for someone who may only be a little daring.

Edgy Bob With Bangs
via
This one is actually off a random fashion site.
But I love the blunt bangs and the slight bedhead look to it.

Edgy Bob
via
This site has tons of hair inspiration. I love piecy-ness of this.

Pixie Hair Cut
via
I've actually given this photo to my hair stylist many times. It's edgy, yet still soft and pretty.

Edgy Bob With Under Cut
This one is super cool. The undercut is really popular right now and this is one way of doing that gives you the option to show it off or cover it up. It's also great if you have thicker hair and want to lighten it up a bit.

-M

Monday, February 16, 2015

Delicious Mini Pies on a Snowy Day

Let me start off by saying that I love to bake and I seem to have good luck with it. Why would one need luck when baking, you ask? Because I bake like I'm cooking– I start off by carefully measuring my ingredients but I sorta eyeball this and that as things need to be modified. One needs to be able to adapt! Especially in a world of blog sourced recipes that are mismatched together. Gone are the days of following meticulously planned out cookbook recipes– maybe not for everyone but for most.

So it was a snowy day and I felt like making something tasty. You may even have what you need to make these already in your kitchen! I saw these on pinterest but the recipe called for pie filling which I don't particularly care for. They also had a lattice top, and I prefer a crumb topping. I made mine with a peach and mixed berry filling but what is awesome about this is you can use any kind of fruit in this.

Delicious Mini Pies


So all of that was to let you know that this "recipe" (and I use that word very loosely) that I am about to tell you is a combination of three recipes and is a little abstract. If you are a person who likes something a little more precise, I recommend that you finish reading this and then google another recipe. Ha!

So here is what I used for the filling-
2 12oz bags of frozen fruit
1 c. white sugar
3-4 Tbs corn starch or (6 tbs of flour will work)
1 c. water
2 Tbs orange juice

Crust-
1 package of Pillsbury Pie Crust made 12 mini pies

Topping-
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. cold unsalted butter (I only had salted and it turned out fine, most recipes call for unsalted)

Delicious Mini Pies

I mixed together the sugar and 3 tbs of cornstarch in a sauce pan, slowly stirred in the water* with the burner on medium. I then added the 2 bags of fruit and the orange juice. I felt it was a bit thin so I added another tablespoon of cornstarch. I let it simmer on the stove 7-10 min making sure to stir it every so often.

*I recommend using less water...like maybe 3/4 cup instead. You can always add more water in if it too thick but you cannot take it out. I was sorta straining out the extra liquid as I filled the pies.

Delicious Mini Pies

While the fruit is simmering, roll out your pie crust. I recipe I found said use a 4" diameter cookie cutter. I had a cup approximately that size and felt it was too small– maybe my cupcake tin was deeper than theirs. I then found a container that was 4.5" and that worked better for me. You can see my little measuring tape in the background! So, test it out before you just start cutting out all your circles. You want to have some crust sticking up past the edges.

Delicious Mini Pies 
Delicious Mini Pies

Carefully press the circle into the tin. Pinch off the extra dough and smooth it out– it doesn't have to be perfect, I promise. Make sure to check your fruit, you can probably turn it off now and let it cool while you finish filling the tin with dough. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Delicious Mini Pies

Once the cups are all filled with the dough, take your cooled fruit compote and fill the crusts three quarters full. You want to leave some room on top for your crumble topping and for a little expansion.

Delicious Mini Pies

To make the topping, throw in the flour, sugar and cold cubed butter. Use a fork to press the ingredients together until it's mixed well and forms little crumbles. If you're struggling to get it to combine, use your hands. Your hands will provide just enough heat to get the butter to combine with the sugar and flour. Now top each pie with a heaping tablespoon of crumble.

Delicious Mini Pies

Bake the pies 20-25 min or until the edges are light golden brown and the pie begins to bubble.

Delicious Mini Pies

I had extra ingredients and made this little ramekin pie!

Delicious Mini Pies

What do you like to bake on a snowy day?

-M

Friday, February 13, 2015

Friday Favorites- Homemade Valentine's Dinner Edition

So I was a little bit of a procrastinator this week on writing my Friday Favorites post. Sitting here, not feeling so hot for the third in a row, I even thought about not writing one at all. But sometimes procrastination can lead to not having too much time to over think things which can lead to great and sudden ideas like this one!

Date Night Dinner and Dessert!

It's freaking cold outside. It's Valentine's weekend. I still haven't made dinner reservations because the thought of going out and trying to be all pretty and dressed up in this weather doesn't sound that appealing. So in case you're feeling like me and pondering the idea of staying in, here are some great recipes to try on your honey this weekend. We all make pinterest boards stocked with recipes– these are a few I have already tested out and they are definitely husband approved! I am no wiz in the kitchen, so they're totally doable for just about anyone. Plus, they're inexpensive and they'll be recipes you'll want to use again.

What is better during this frigid month than a bowl of hot and hearty soup? I've made this Sausage Bean Soup w/ Pasta three times this winter– it is so good. I'm also not a huge bean lover but I'm telling ya, give this a shot. I am however a huge fan of a one pot meal! Pair it with some biscuits or hearty Italian bread...you know, to clean your bowl with.

Sausage Bean Soup
Find the recipe at The Italian Dish

You, of course, need dessert! I have two cookie recipes for you. After I made the first one, my husband took one bite, turned around and said to me, "this may be the greatest cookie I have ever eaten." It was a White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodle. The second recipe is a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie, that is more of a cake-like cookie that super moist like the top of a muffin. I absolutely love them and they're literally the easiest. Neither of these recipes calls for the full can of Pumpkin so they're great to make together! Plus you can make the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip while the Snickerdoodles dough is chilling.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Find this recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip
Find this recipe at I Heart Naptime

It is really that simple! Soup and cookies, and he will be even more in love than he was before dinner. I promise! Are you trying out any new recipes this weekend? Let me know if you try any of these and what you think!

-M

Monday, February 9, 2015

Nature Inspired Weddings

You know what I've decided? Monday's are begging for beautiful and inspiring posts. Something to start the week off right and put you in a good mood. What better to do that with than a gorgeous wedding or 2 or 4?

A few posts backs I wrote about the trends I saw at the Atlanta Gift Show, and how everything was really nature inspired. Well, it seems that trend has carried through to the wedding circuit as well. I couldn't be more in love.

Nature Inspired Weddings

Nature Inspired Weddings

Nature Inspired Weddings

Nature Inspired Weddings

 This wedding is a bohemian girls dream. And how stunning is that stationary? See more of this wedding at Green Wedding Shoes.

This next one is a nature and travel inspired wedding. Anyone who knows me knows I fancy maps and globes. I had to share. See more of this wedding at Green Wedding Shoes.

Nature & Travel Inspired Wedding

Nature & Travel Inspired Wedding

If I could, I'd plan for us to renew our vows every 2 years. But I guess that's what makes that one day so incredibly special.

-M

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Free Valentine Printable!

Happy Sunday!

Valentine's day is almost here! So in the loving spirit I'm sharing the valentine card I created with you! Use it as a card, a print or a cute little tag for whatever creations you may be giving out this year. You're free to use it however you please! I'd love to see what you come up with! The image below is a PNG or you can download it as a PDF, whatever works better for you.

Free Valentine Printable by Barn Birdie


Valentine Printable PDF

If you're going to share online, I'd appreciate if you link back to my blog! Enjoy! If you have issues with downloading, please let me know and I can send it to you.

-M

Friday, February 6, 2015

Friday Favorites

Do you ever go through phases on pinterest where you're obsessed with pinning on one particular board depending on what you're up to during that particular span of time? And then once you've satisfied those needs, whether it's finding a new pair of knee high boots or decorating a nursery, you move onto the next thing– pinning dessert recipes for valentines day. Okay so, I'm not the only one?

Right now I'm obsessed with looking at home decor ideas (particularly of bedrooms as you might have guessed from my last post) and hair ideas. I'm going back and forth on what to do with the color of my hair right now because no matter how many times I dye it it just wants to fade (from bleaching it for 2 years). I'm also having so much fun working on decorating ideas for our house.

Anyway, here are a few of my favorite things this Friday. The first is something I own and love, and think every couple should have just in time for Valentines Day! The second two are things you've probably seen floating about Pinterest that caught my eye.

A 3 year journal for you and your other half!

A 3 year journal for you and your other half!

Each day asks a question of you and your sweetie, plus has a spot to fill in the year in which you answered It's great because even if you miss days like we do, it doesn't really matter because there is no date! We might not fill our journal in 3 years but we can look back at it with our grandchildren and it will be like a diary of our lives together. I got these images from Anthropologie but you can actually find it a bit cheaper on amazon...shhhhhhh. 


Yeah, don't! Found here.

 This wallpaper is so gorgeous! | Barn Birdie

 This wallpaper is delicious. You can buy it if you want.

-M

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Defining Your Style

The hardest part about decorating my own house is that I like so many different styles. It's hard for me to make up my mind and go for it because I change my mind every other day. Since this is the first home we'll have for more than a year it makes it that much harder! Before now, I could just go for it knowing that a year later I'd be starting fresh again. This time, I'm trying to make design choices that I know I'm going to enjoy for a long(er) time. I also know that I get bored and like to be able to change things up, which means I try not to do anything that can't be undone easily or that costs a lot in case I do change my mind.

I've especially been struggling with our bedroom. I want a retreat that is bright and cozy; something that feels calm and clean, yet romantic. I love a fresh white room. But I also love the high drama (and warmth of black walls. I love modern and tradition all at the same time!

Gorgeous & Inspiring Master Bedrooms
Good Life of Design
Gorgeous & Inspiring Master Bedrooms
West Elm
Gorgeous & Inspiring Master Bedrooms
Desire to Inspire
Gorgeous & Inspiring Master Bedrooms
Dwellings By Devore
Gorgeous & Inspiring Master Bedrooms
Dust Jacket
Just picking out my favorite images off my pinterest board for this post was enlightening. Clearly I love crisp white bedding, shades of black and white, and natural elements. Sometimes pinterest can be overwhelming! If you're struggling with a room in your home you should try the same thing- pick out your favorite five images and see what their common elements are. Maybe next I'll put together a mood board, or maybe this was enough. I'll keep you updated!

-M