Our Lair...

The obligatory disclaimer: This is Paul. Kristen is kind enough to not mind when I post occasionally. In fact, she doesn't even edit or censor me (too much).

Anyway ... In case you haven't noticed our household has come down with a serious case of the crafties. Ok, well, not so much the house as the matriarch. As of late, anything that is not exactly as she likes it gets spray painted. Now that I think about it, I am surprised she hasn't sprayed me yet!

I got home from work around 7 PM the other night. While this isn't horribly uncommon; the fact that Kristen and the kids weren't waiting at the door was. Typically, Dallin and Ellie won't even let me put away my backpack or hang up my keys before wrestling me to the ground with their hugs (I act a little put out by it, but I really look forward to it every single day).

I walked into the house. Put my backpack and keys away and tried to figure out where my family was. I walked upstairs and discovered mass hysteria-- in the form of Dallin and Ellie's rooms being merged.

Our house is a three bedroom and when Ellie was born Dallin moved from the nursery (so to speak) and into our office/library/computer/sewing/scrap booking/Spare Oom. Kristen's old stomping ground had been taken over by a three year old. At the time it really wasn't that big of a deal as we were still busy with Ellie as a newborn and our spare time was still being eaten by our old friend DVR. But in this post-newborn Ellie/DVR world we now live in, Kristen had determined that enough was enough.

By 9:00 PM we had the kid's new, shared room completed and the other room a complete wreck. It took a few more days, but the new office/library/computer/sewing/scrap booking/spare oom (anyone catch the reference?) is now complete.

The door is closed and the kids are not allowed in (although this rule has only loosely been enforced). Kristen and I have a new Lair. Okay, okay. So it is really Kristen's crafty lair, but she may let me in once in a while.

I was just going to window shop, I promise!

I know, I know. No more new projects. I dropped Dallin off at school this morning and I was going to stop in the thrift store that is down the road...just to look. If they have a big, chunky picture frame, then I would think about it, but only think. BUT THEN............ the sweet little lady at the front desk informed that a grocery bag full of WHATEVER I could fit into it was a DOLLAR. Sorry, Paul, all bets are out the window with that kind of deal!

I got everything on this table for only 5 George Washingtons, my friends! Even those of you who hate seeing the junk I buy can appreciate that, right? A can of spray paint can go a long way on some of these puppies!
30 books!

(and the ugly wood tulip? this one might get tossed....but it never hurts to cover it in metallic silver paint just to see what it would look like.)
A little TLC and this mirror will be perfect for my kitchen. This didn't really fit into a bag, but the nice lady gave it to me for a dollar!

Should I keep these black?

giveaway, oh, giveaway

CUTE Halloween sign giveaway HERE!!!!

All these adorable crafts have me itching to create something new...but I have to finished my kitchen first! It's never ending if you want to do it "the right way", as Paul says.

Nails pops to fix

Cracks to caulk

Walls to prime

Kids to keep out

hmmmm.....

dutch doors

{image}

Maybe for my birthday?

;)

Pirates for FHE

Come aboard the FHE pirate ship Duncan as we search for buried treasure.

{click pics to make big}

finish shelf - check

I found this shelf at Goodwill for $2.50.

It will find a new home in my kitchen.

Speaking of my kitchen...tomorrow, we are off to buy paint that is on sale, with a coupon.
Yeah for deals!

Go get your thrift on!

Ellie and I might just be taking a walk around the corner to Goodwill today.

Here are two easy-peasy projects:

V and Co.: little girl dress made from women's skirt

320 Sycamore: Chalkboard platters

(this is one of those said projects in the garage. maybe i will finish it today...)

1. "We are going to good Will's house? Where does good Will live?" Dallin would ask.

2. Paul put me on project freeze. I have to finish some before I go get some more. He's not mean, he's just smart and knows me really well!

3. Blogger? Why do you mess up my paragraph spacing 75% of the time?

Another giveaway!

photo by calico

Calico is having a fun giveaway! Go check it out!

This girl is so fun, eclectic and quirky. Quirky is good. My definition fo quirky is pure awesome.

Now, if other people would stop entering....;)

U is for Upside-down Apple Crisp

The air is turning cold and fresh. The humidity is no longer a bother! The windows are open and the A/C is off. I know you all are excited!

The best part of fall being around the corner....APPLES!

The original recipe is from my sister-in-law, Heather J., but I decided to half it and make it in individual prep bowls and bake for about 20-30 minutes. I love to eat the crunchy topping last, so it only made sense to turn it upside-down!

Apple Crisp

8 c apples, peeled & sliced
1c sugar
1 Tbl cinnamon
6 Tbl butter, cubed

Mix {apples, sugar, cinnamon} to coat in bowl. Place in 9 x 13 baking dish and top with cubed butter.

2 c flour
2 c oats
2 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter

Mix the dry ingredients and 1 cup melted butter to a crumble and top the apples.
Bake @ 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Shelf Giveaway!

photo by Traci

Maybe you have noticed that I am a teensy bit obsessed with home improvement right now. No? Well I am. If it's not about my kitchen or door knobs, its about my landscaping visions (think sitting area in the front and sandbox with a beach theme in the back). Poor Paul is such a trooper with all of my ideas and at least listens to them.

These shelves are absolutely adorable, aren't they? I know they would look perfect somewhere in my house. She also talks about them here. She shows us how to make them AND she is giving one away!

Natural Bridge Landscape

Humor me, okay? We took a billion and a half pictures. These are the last of them, I promise.

The hike at Natural Bridge is so beautiful at this time of year. It was so humid and misty underneath all the trees, it felt like we were in a magical rain forest full of hidden elves and fairies and gnomes. Everything was covered in vibrant green moss.

Stake Picnic @ Cave Run Lake

speaking of black doors....

On the other hand, I really like this!

Spray paint addict

The "remodel" continues. I have been loving spray paint and my new friend "spray paint gun".

I just finished painting the chandelier in my kitchen.

I can't find a before picture, but it was similar to this. In fact, here is my inspiration (make sure to check out the link she provides to the soccer ball topiary...pure awesome. I will have to do this one, soon!).

I am planning on changing the mini lamp shades, or getting rid of them all together.
Here are the two colors that I am deciding between.
So far, the score is 5 for the darker green and 2 for the lighter green.
(6 of those votes are mine, 1 from my neighbor, and I am not counting Dallin's vote, "Mom, I don't want green, paint my door black!")

While I was taking pictures, I noticed that someone was (watercolor) painting as well!

Caught in the act!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Creole Dipping Sauce

Never mind that I just set fire to the parchment paper in my oven....yummy "smoky" nachos, huge flames, soot flying everywhere. Chalk one on my "kitchen disasters" list!

We had dinner at a friends house on Saturday and they made the yummiest fried green tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt and pepper onto another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Them dip the tomatoes into the milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs/cornmeal to completely coat.

In a large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil into the pan so that it is 1/2 inch deep and heat over medium heat. Place the tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. The tomatoes should not be crowded or touch each other. Flip the tomatoes when golden brown on one side and fry on the other side. Drain on paper towels.

Creole Dipping Sauce

(this sauce tastes exactly like the dipping sauce that comes with a bloomin' onion)

1 cup mayo

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbl minced capers

1 Tbl minced onion

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp horseradish

1 tsp paprika

4 sprigs parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until use.