about that sewing machine...

Okay when I said I wanted a sewing machine I definitely wasn't kidding.  And on that note, let me introduce you to the new fabric in my life:

So here's how this all came about.  Step 1: Allison sees coffee table ottomans and becomes semi-obsessed.  Step 2: Allison finds coffee table on Craigslist and convinces Will it will fit in his car.  Will holds back anger when the coffee table didn't fit in his trunk, and then shakes his head in annoyance/awe when it fits in the backseat of his car - with max 2 inches to spare.  Step 3: Allison innocently looks up fabric on Fabric.com just to you know, see what's out there.  Step 4: Sale on Fabric.com?!  Oh my gosh!  Step 5:  Allison (and Will) agree on 4 fabrics they like (coffee table and pillows) and next thing you know, fabric is ordered and arrives at the house.  Crazy, isn't it?

Navy burlap will be the color for the coffee table.  Originally I wanted a pattern and something light colored but then I remembered a) a tray for spillable drinks and b) feet, and realized that my favorite color navy would be perfect.  Then I saw that chevron, and those dandelions, and that taupe and gray pattern with great texture.  Now I'm not saying I'll use all fabrics for living room pillows (after all, they'll need a sofa to sit on, preferably one covered with fabric), but I am thrilled to have so many options that I love.

And one day I will be thrilled to turn them into something more than folded up fabric.

Fabrics clockwise from left: Premier Prints ZigZag, Premier Prints Chipper Texture, Burlap, Premier Prints Dandelion

Side note: This is the first time I realized the 3 patterns I picked are all the same brand.  I guess I just found a go-to brand, huh?

courtney!

Oh my goodness yall.  November 12 cannot come soon enough because this girl is coming to visit.

FYI: this photo is not meant to be artsy.  If you can't tell or weren't there, Courtney was driving my car because she's a very good DD.  Just felt like I needed to clarify that.

So moving on, I'm super excited because she is awesome, the bomb dot com, and all that jazz.  I received a card in the mail today and although I would love to just scan the whole thing and throw it on here, I won't (because I really like snail mail and I want people to keep sending it to me).  But here's a few key points from her list of "things we need to talk about:"

- How old is too old to have babies? (ahem, Celine Dion)

- Will

- Substitutes for coffee

- "Leatherette" pants

- Starting a band

I love her for her randomness, her incredibly hilarious text messages, her ability to turn a simple story into something great, and for her usual happy outlook on life - even when things aren't going her way.

                                                   

I can't wait to hang out with you, watch Elf on Broadway with you, shop with you, and laugh all the freaking time with you. See you soon!!

PS: not kidding, she was so focused on the road even while I forced her to keep taking pictures.  Just another reason to be thankful for her.

split personality?

So today I was reading my all time favorite blog, Young House Love, when I came upon 4 different "What's my Style" quizzes that they linked too.  This immediately intrigued me because as I've been diving into this whole decorate-and-do-and-fit-and-make-it-yourself world (and by diving into I mean looking at pictures and projects and being insanely jealous of all the people who have the time, means, and houses to do such projects), I've been trying to figure out where I fall on the design spectrum.

Before all this new found design love, I assumed that I would of course gravitate toward traditional dark stained wood on strong pieces and good colors and patterns all over the place.  Now I'm finding myself loving the idea of a white room with white walls and white furniture and seriously decking that place out with some sweet pops of color and accessories.  I'm finding myself actually (gasp) liking the idea of painting furniture and even though that usually means an antiqued white or gray piece, I recently saw a picture of a dry-brushed, antiqued green dresser - and I liked it.  Since the idea of putting paint on a beautiful piece of furniture freaked me out, the idea of doing a two-toned part paint, part stain project was just plain crazy talk.  But then I saw this table, and I now have plans for Will's old coffee table...

Okay but back to the quizzes I took.  Clearly I don't care about what some quiz says, but I was a little disappointed when I got this result:

Well then.  If I had to pick a style at this very instant, I would totally go vintage modern.  But then again, a little mountain lodge sounds pretty nice and cozy too.  In case you're wondering, here's a description of each style:

Vintage Modern
Flea Market anyone? You know you are drawn to modern furniture and interiors, and yet you really don't like a space that feels cold and sterile. And who could blame you? And that's why Vintage Modern is so appealing to you. Though the backdrop of the room, the walls and windows, are many times white or monochromatic, the furniture and accessories have the color, shape and texture to bring the warmth into the space. The great thing about Vintage Modern is ease of mixing different styles in the one space. You can have a new modular sofa mixed with a great pair of chairs that your grandmother purchased in the late 1950's and the new and old work appear as though they were destined for each other. What's great is that even if you don't have time for swap meets and garage sales, so many of the pieces from the mid-century were so great that they have been remade and mimicked year after year.

Cottage Chic
Who says that cottages can't be modern and chic? Who says that they have to be floral and cheesy? Not you! You love the carefree spirit that the cottage interior inspires, but you are also serious about your appreciation for modern art and hip treasures. You love old and new alike, and love to highlight them all to expose the uniqueness of each. What better way to show off these treasures than with a light background?

Mountain Lodge Style
You love nature! And really, how could you not? The more exposed wood (be it in log form or paneling) the better. And having natural stone in your home is a must! Especially at the fireplace, but stone top tables work too. If you could clad all the furniture in wood and stone you would, but splinters aren't fun and stone is cold! So when you need a place to sit (or recline in!), it should be comfortable and warm. Bigger is better when it comes to your favorite chair for watching TV or reading the newspaper. Leather is great (go natural!) (side note from me: for a girl that tries not to eat red meat, leather real leather probably isn't going to happen...), but soft fabrics in warm tones also suit you well.

Update: I just took the quiz again and got a different breakdown, this time consisting of traditional country (say what?), rustic revival, and cottage chic.  I think this time I said don't like and like more than just okay, and different rooms came up, which probably explains the difference.  To look at pretty (and in my rustic revival and vintage modern opinion, some not so pretty), take the quiz here!

All pictures courtesy of Sproost

one day book

So yesterday I spent all day going through my closet and cleaning.  This was no different than how I've spent just about every night/weekend day since we found out we are for sure moving.  I've come up with three projects I want to do, but right now, there just isn't time for it (boo). 

However, all this moving stuff and going through clutter has me thinking all about how I will one day decorate my own place.  And oh my gosh, I can't freaking wait.

First of all, I want a creative mirror.  Perhaps this one?

CB2 spoke mirror

Since I get bored easily, I also want easily changable wall art.  These 2 are perfect examples!

Postcard shelves                                                                                  CB2 Abacus

And finally, I want storage galore.  I want wicker/straw baskets and boxes.  I want storage ottomans.  I want built-ins and hooks.  Basically, I finally want a place for everything so I can cut down on clutter and always put things in their place.  Will gave me a big hug when I told him this.

One day, this will be.  But until then, I will simply store these images in a book of ideas and dreams - a one day book.  In the mean time, I intend to take a wooden urn-looking lamp and turn it into a silver antique looking lamp (seriously), make 2 very fun vases with old bottles and jars, and make some picture displays involving wood and paint samples.  It's going to be so much fun!

black bean patties!

Kristen (who from here on out will be referred to as KK) sent me this recipe for "clean" black bean patties back in September when I was finally serious about not only working out regularly, but actually eating better too.  I loved the idea of it, but set it aside.  Well, after a recent setback of not working out for a week and a half and not eating so well, I figured it was high time to whip these babies up.  One other contributing factor: since the fridge in our house hasn't been working so well and things keep going spoiling, I thought these would be perfect because they can't really go bad in just a couple days!

source

They turned out great!  And at only 178 calories, 9g of fat, and 7g of protein, I will definitely be making these again.  I did learn a couple things though:

1)  The recipe calls for a carrot and I didn't buy any because I knew my roommate had carrots in the fridge.  Turns out he threw those carrots out the night before I went grocery shopping for these babies.  Womp womp.

2)  I learned that celery salt and celery leaves are not interchangeable in terms of how much flavor the 2 ingredients add.

3)  I didn't expect the patties to spread as much as the did, so next time I will build them up instead of building them out.  My roommate Jon seriously thought they were big yummy cookies when he first saw them.

4)  The recipe tells you to put parchment paper did, but I only had wax paper on hand so that's what I did.  Next time I'll remember to spray the paper with cooking spray because my patties stuck.  No biggie.

And just because I know KK would add this if she could:  don't worry that they look like cow patties, they taste great!

Check out the recipe from Tosca Rena's Eat Clean Cookbook!  PS: I've had them 3 times now and each time I've just eaten them sandwich-style with some light style soft wheat bead, but they could be dressed up lots of ways. Oh, and I split the recipe in half because it claims it makes 10 servings and considering I was the only person eating these (Will actually ran away from them when I was cooking), I thought 10 was just a little overkill.

too close for comfort

And I thought my stress level had hit it's max. 

Good gracious.

updates part III

I promise that I don't sit around all day and dream about what I want for Christmas.  Seriously.  But when you're stressed because you unexpectedly have to move in 3 short weeks, you pack a lot, go through a lot, clean a lot, and realize all the fun projects you've desperately been wanting to do are simply going to have to wait, you try to occupy your mind with other things.  And that leads me to a few necessary updates to my Christmas list.*

Say hello aka goodbye to the crossed off items:

Anthropologie Wire Hook

Jessica Simpson Infinity Scarf

Uggs

See I don't need that hook anymore because I am going to make my own fun key/hat/jacket hook thing with hooks and knobs I bought on super sale and an old kitchen cabinet door.  I also don't need the infinity scarf because as I mentioned before, I hope to make my own!  And although I love the idea of my feet being warm and comfy, I'm really having a hard time imagining myself actually wearing - and liking - Uggs.  Since they are a very pricey item, I definitely don't want to be wishy-washy.

I also added the sewing machine (so I can make all those scarves of course) and told my Dad that he is more than welcome to surprise me with any power tools he sees fit.  Two years ago when I told him I wanted a tool box for Christmas he had as much fun putting one together as I did receiving it, so I'm sure anything he adds to my collection this year will be perfect. 

Oh and ps: I've already come up with at least 3 presents for others - no worries :)

*I say necessary updates because 2 people I know cough cough Will and my dad are reading this and taking notes.

sew sew

Whoa whoa whoa.  Scratch that whole infinity scarf I posted in my Christmas list part II.  That was crazy talk.  Why?  Because I could get a sewing machine instead and make all the infinity scarves I want!

Not only did I find a great how-to for making infinity scarves on Meet Virginia Design, but I also have a strong desire to make pillows.  Since I'm so picky about colors/prints and I change my mind so often, making my own slip covers for pillows or scarves seems like a great idea to me!

If I were to get a sewing machine, I think these fabrics might find their way into my life in one way or another...

 Clockwise from top left: wool blend plaid flannel, Amy Butler modern honeycomb, waverly criss cross, jessica jones modern flora, 50s pendleton, valori wells paisley in scarlet

      

Update: I've found all new fabrics to love.  See why I seriously need to be able to make pillow slip covers and my own scarves? 

inspiration for an inspiration board

For months now I have been dreaming of doing an inspiration board.  I'm definitely one of those people that is much more likely to work towards a dream/goal/idea if I have something in my face to constantly remind me of it.  However, I am not a fan of cork boards.  I think I liked them a little too much in middle school and I'm afraid I'll regress if I bring one back into my life.  I like padded ribbon boards, but I already have one of those.  I feel like it's too small to be an inspiration board, plus I really like all the random sentimental items that have made that board their permanent home.

To be honest, I figured that one day I would just give up and accept the cork board because even though I knew what I didn't want, I had no idea what I did want.  That's when I met the inspiration board of my dreams:

 AshleyAnnPhotography

An old frame that used to hold a mirror, some chicken coup wire, a staple gun, and some clothespins.  Love every part of it.  I feel a Christmas break (even though I'm not in school, I have a total of 10 and a half days off around Christmas, so I think that qualifies as a "break") project coming on - if I can hold off for that long of course.

a comfy coffee table

On Friday I stayed home from work with a terrible stomach ache and cold.  By the end of the day, I had found new favorite do-it-yourself house project blogs, watched design shows on HGTV, and found a coffee table on Craigslist for a project!

Introducing a coffee table ottoman:

Image by Kara Paslay Designs

Image via Young House Love

At first I wasn't so sure about this, but now I am totally sold.  I love the idea of adding some design and color to a coffee table - and making it perfect for feet!  A little tray for drinks, and what more do you need?  Plus, I like splashes of fun patterns and fabric, not couches and chairs of it.

Although I'm picking up my coffee table tomorrow, unfortuntely I won't be able to start the project for a few months.  We have to move by the end of the month and the new place doesn't have a good place for sanding and staining wood.  Sad, but I'm still very excited about the (hopefully in the near future) day that I will get to work on making one of these beauties!

For a full tutorial on how to make one, check out Kara Pasley Designs.  She does an awesome step-by-step guide which makes even a beginner like me feel like I can take this on no problem at all.

not over it

The Braves just broke my poor baby heart.  It's one thing to tell yourself not to get your hopes up too much and to not look too far into the future, but then you find yourself cheering on those boys you watched all summer and there is just no stopping it.  Yes it's just a game, but it's also 5 months of keeping tabs on them everyday, getting so crazy excited when they happen to be on TV up here, and it's 12 years of cheering them on no matter what.

Next year Braves.  Next year.

christmas list part II

Now I'm not saying I've forgotten all those things I mentioned before, but let's just say there are some other items that have definitely made their way onto my Christmas list.  I'm sure a few will be crossed off in a few weeks because I'll either have broken down and bought them myself or I'll realize that I don't want them as much as I thought I did, but it's always better to have too many options than too few, right?

79 days til Christmas everyone!

Top row from left:

1) Ugg slippers:  I never ever thought that a) two Ugg items would be on my Christmas list and b) that I would ever consider spending/asking someone else to spend this amount of money on slippers.  But so far this year I have ordered - and sent back - 3 different pair of slippers and I'm ready for a winner.  My cold feet are just begging for a good pair of slippers.

2) The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life:  My roommate Rachel has this cookbook and since I know I won't be living with her forever, I'm going to need a copy of my own.  The zucchini snaps are just so good.

3) Cuisinart Classic Round Waffle Maker:  I usually don't like sweet breakfast foods, but it's really sad on the mornings I wake up wanting waffles and realize my sandwich grill just won't cut it.

Middle row from left:

4) Atlanta Braves Replica Bobby Cox Home Jersey: Because this is most likely the only baseball jersey I will ever want.

5) Majestic Atlanta Braves Navy Blue The Liberation Pullover Hoody Sweatshirt: Because I want to have a game-appropriate jacket.  And because I'm in Phillies/Yankees/Mets country.  Yuck.

Bottom row from left:

6) Hunter Original Tall Rain Boots: I've liked these for about 2 years now and being in the north somehow makes me think it's finally worth getting a pair. 

7) Jessica Simpson Dip Dye Infinity Scarf: I'm not 100% attached to this particular scarf, but I love infinity/eternity scarves.  Any bright color, jazzed-up neutral, or muted pattern will do.  Or maybe this one!

8) So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week: I really like cookbooks that a) have healthy recipes, b) have fast recipes for every meal, and c) have easy recipes.  Seems like a good fit.

And just so you can see that I don't have to be quite so detailed, here are a few things that I'm willing to let other people control:

- a pretty spoon holder

- a spice grinder

- a "fun" watch

- a plaid flannel robe

Can we please just skip Halloween and move on to Thanksgiving/Christmas?

turkey vatapa soup

I love love love soup.  I like it year round, but once the weather turns cool, it's all I want.  For my birthday this past year, KK sent me a Cooking Light special edition of all soups and stews.  I have 2 cookbooks full of soup recipes, but I always find myself reaching for this magazine first.  A few weeks ago I made a list of soups I wanted to try and decided the first one would be a nice hearty fill-you-up-at-dinner soup.  Enter Turkey Vatapa.

It's a Brazillian based stew that I'll let Cooking Light tell you all about.  I'm a pretty big fan because it's like nothing I've ever tasted before, it's very yummy, and it definitely fills you up.  Next time I make it I might consider either seeding the jalapeno or just using a smaller one.  I also really like the idea of using rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey and will most likely try that next time (I had neither so I just threw some turkey breast cutlets on the George Foreman which was pretty easy as well).  The list of ingredients might seem a little long, but most of the items are inexpensive and you probably already have at least half of these things on hand. 

To sum up, this was a definite winner.  So happy to have found this at the beginning of the awful cold weather months.

Picture courtesy of Cooking Light (I was too hungry to take my own)

PS: mine looked pretty much like this picture looks!  That's always a plus in my book.

dun dun dun... boot camp!

Oh my goodness yall.  I went to boot camp tonight at my gym for the first time.  I've never been a huge fan of boot camp, but now that I'm starting to really get into the swing of this whole working out thing, I figured this would be a great way to kick up my routine during the week. Although I did have a general idea of what to expect, it didn't matter - it was one of the 3 toughest workouts I've ever done in my life. Just so you know, the other hardest-workouts-ever were a bosu strength class and a crazy hard step class my friend Brittney Martin and I happened to both be at during senior of colleg. Let me tell you, the only thing that got me through that class was the fact that she was there laughing at the absurdity of what we were doing right along side me. 

Back on topic, warm-up consisted of running in place, jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, mountain climbers, squat jumps, more jumping jacks, and more running place.  Warm-up.  Ha.

For anyone that watches the Biggest Loser, we had to use those big ropes and make waves and outside circles with them.  From this experience alone I know for a fact that I never ever want to be on BL (not that that was ever a goal of mine or any thing).

The instructor must have really liked me because he kept calling me out.  Everytime he did I just gave him a nice big smile to show him how much fun I was having!  And he even graciously helped me lift the bar during the last set of chest reps - and it definitely wasn't because I had absolutely no energy left and couldn't have lifted that bar if my life depended on it.

It's cool though.  I'm totally going back next week.  One day, my arms/shoulders/butt/legs will thank me for it.