Saturday, August 30, 2014

Kid's Bath Sign


Hey everyone! Just popping in quick to share this canvas I did for Andrew's cousin, Tara {that I'm delivering it to her tomorrow at a family cook out, yaaaay!} She plans on hanging it in the kid's bathroom at her house. It turned out pretty well - and hopefully the kids will do as it says…

PS: Putting a votive filled with Q-tips on top of a mason jar filled with cotton balls is a great way to spruce up the bathroom & put those spare jars to use. Try this!




Quick Tomato Sauce for Two


Today - with the help of my MIL - we made homemade tomato sauce! It didn't take long at all, and we got to use ingredients from our very own garden. I've never made sauce before, so I found a basic recipe online and tweaked it to my liking. Can't wait to try it!

// Ingredients
  • 30ish ripe Roma tomatoes (I threw in a red beefsteak & one yellow, too)
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
// Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Wash tomatoes. With a paring knife, cut an X in the bottom of each (this makes it easier to peel the skin off). 
  2. Add the tomatoes to the water and leave for 30-40 seconds, or until the skin begins to curl & peel.
  3. Remove the tomatoes from the pot and rinse in cool water. Peel the skins off and remove the stem area. Pour the water out of the pot. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and place them back into the pot.
  4. Add the oil, garlic, salt & basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 45 minutes, or until sauce has thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Pour into airtight containers and store. Your sauce will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.

Yields 16 oz. {aka the perfect amount of garden fresh sauce for a household of 2!}

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Birthday Bash


This month has really flown by! It feels like summer goes by faster with each passing year. Life sure is busy. It's so nice to be able to step back from all the "busy" and get together with family to celebrate special occasions. This past Sunday, our family celebrated my sister Francie's 30th birthday. We threw a little party, and I wanted to share some of the highlights on the blog. Enjoy!


A group of us assembled early in the day to decorate before the arrival of the birthday girl. She knew we were having a cookout, but we wanted to incorporate some extra special touches for her extra special day. Balloons, streamers, garlands...we went all out!


Francie loves candy. We set up a candy bar of glass jars filled with chocolate truffles, gum balls, lollipops and sour watermelon slices. We included fun little colored plastic scoops and treat bags so guests could take some sweets to-go at the end of the party.


The streamer backdrop behind our cake table was really easy to make - I layered 3 different colored plastic tablecloths and cut them into strips, braided them at the top {about 3-4 inches} and let the rest hang. It only cost me $6 and it ended up looking super!


The menu definitely hit the spot - steak & veggie kabobs, butter rice, a mixed greens salad & plenty of fresh fruit. We even had Champagne Grapefruit Mojitos {recipe here} So yummy! 


Have I mentioned that our younger sister, Maris, is a pastry making machine? She was in charge of dessert, and she made grilled cherry peach mascarpone cake. It was marvelous! 


We played corn hole, bocce ball, croquet, and chased the little cousins around the yard. 
And of course, we sang "Happy Birthday", ate the fancy cake, and watched as presents were opened.

It was an excellent party complete with good weather, good food, and good company. I don't think you can ask for more than that! Thanks for reading the birthday bash recap, and have a great Labor Day Weekend! We're planning on {finally} finishing our deck, kayaking, and enjoying some R&R!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Custom Canvas Wedding Announcement


Here are some shots of a custom piece I did - It was given as a bridal shower gift.
The canvas commemorates important "firsts" for the couple: first date, first kiss, the address of their first home, and the date when they will tie the knot and first become MR & MRS. I think it turned out really cute!

Best wishes to the bride & groom!


Friday, August 1, 2014

Seashell Crafting

This summer we went on a family vacation to Holden Beach, NC. The last time we were all able to go as a family was 9 years ago, so I was anxious to get back. We had a great time and collected tons of good shells. My mom and I got together to craft with some of them {we have bags and bags...not kidding when I said a ton!} We made shell garlands and decorated picture frames. I think everything turned out great, and it was fun to reminisce and chat while we worked.

The shell garland is absolutely a $0 Project. Just grab some fishing line and start stringing shells! Keep a loop at the top, or even both ends, for easy hanging. My mom has always loved making these, so we are in the habit of specifically hunting for shells with holes.


For the picture frames... we picked our favorite shells, tiny delicate ones, pieces of coral, drift wood & pretty bits of broken shells. We arranged them in the corners of our frames and secured them in place with my hot glue gun. Now we'll be able to see them on a daily basis and it will remind us of what a fun trip we had. I just need to get around to printing a picture to place inside of mine! 


Thanks for checking in! Keep creating DIYers!