Have A Sweet Thanksgiving!

I only worked a half day today, but that doesn’t mean I have time to relax!  I spent the early afternoon making our contribution to Thanksgiving dinner…dessert.  I’m not sure how I got volunteered to bring dessert, since I don’t bake.  At all.  Not even break-and-bake cookies.  I can cook up a storm, but for some reason baking just isn’t my thing.  Regardless, I couldn’t back out now, so I decided to give it a try and make cupcakes.  Gulp.

At this point I think I should introduce you to one of my newest favorite bloggers: Miss Dot.

She runs the show at Miss Dot’s Cupcake Spot, and is the cutest thing ever!  Her site is loaded with recipes and mouth-watering pictures of her custom cupcake creations, but that’s not all – she has a great sense of humor and is super entertaining!  I highjacked a recipe from her files, and tried it out….

Can y’all believe it?!?!  They actually look like cupcakes, and taste amazing!  And I didn’t even use a boxed mix.    Here’s the recipe, straight from Miss Dot herself, although I should note I substituted canned pumpkin for the sweet potato, since apparently pumpkin is not in short supply around here and canned sweet potato is non-existent.  Anyway, here we go….

Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Cupcakes
(makes approximately 28)

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 t. vanilla
dash ginger
2 t. baking soda
2/3 t. baking powder
2 t. salt
2 c. sweet potato puree (or 1-15 oz. can)
3 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. milk

Filling (adapted from black bottom cupcake recipe filling in “The Great Book of Chocolate” by David Leibowitz):

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.
3. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined.
5. Add sweet potato puree. Mix again until just combined (I usually do this by hand to avoid over-beating).
6. Alternate adding milk and flour, starting and ending with flour.
7. Pour into cupcake tins using 1/4 c. measure, then dollop a spoonful of filling into the center.
8. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until the cake part is springy and bounces back to your touch.
9. Cool for as long as you can possibly stand before you have to eat one. Or five.

Marshmallow Frosting (should frost the whole above batch)

 

1 stick butter

1-7 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Instructions

1. Cream marshmallow fluff and butter for 30 seconds.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix together until smooth.
3. Revel in the sugary goodness before you.

These are already a big hit at my house – I snuck one before it was even frosted, and hubby (who doesn’t even like sweets) gave them a HUGE thumbs up!  The cream cheese filling is genius.  Tomorrow I’ll be off to impress our family with my new baking skills – although we know who the skills really belong to – thank you so much, Miss Dot!  Head on over to her blog to check out her awesome recipes and have a laugh or two!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wine Gift Box…

…or a super cheap and adorable flower vase?  I found this one at a garage sale for 50 cents, threw in some pretty sticks and grasses, and stuck it high on a shelf for everyone to see.

Speaking of repurposed vases, these are really candle holders flipped upside down!  I noticed the pottery had a hole in the bottom, so I stuck my seed pods and sticks in them and they became instant vases!

These are also candle holders, filled with fish tank gravel and stick arrangements.

Wow, I didn’t realize how many candle holders I’ve used as vases.  What kind of common items do you repurpose?

I’m linking up to DIY Day at ASPTL!

Hanging Key Frame Tutorial

I used to be so good at sharing DIY tutorials when I was writing on my wedding blog.  Lately, most of my projects have been unique to me – the result of some fabulous find or one-of-a-kind furniture piece.  I’ve been itching to write a DIY tutorial, one that anybody could do regardless of where you live or which stores you have access to.  Now that I’ve built up this tutorial, you might be disappointed at how easy it is!  I can’t believe I didn’t come up with this sooner….

I had a $20 Pottery Barn gift card burning a hole in my purse, so I logged on the other night to find a little something for under 20 bucks.  I wasn’t too hopeful – PB isn’t exactly known for affordability – but I lucked out!  I found these vintage key replicas, a set of 7 for $19 with free shipping!  Woo!  You can also find real vintage keys at thrift stores or salvage stores, but you’ll have to spend a little more energy hunting than I did.

Now, go to Hobby Lobby, Goodwill, Walmart, or some other store of choice and find a fancy, ornate frame.  Mine was on sale for 40% off at Michaels.  You could also build your own frame out of wood scraps or even moulding for a super inexpensive alternative.

Now, round up some coordinating string and miniature eye hooks.

Depending on how many keys you have, measure equal increments and twist the hooks into the backside of the top of your frame.

Lay out your keys in a random pattern inside the frame.

Cut random lengths of string, and tie one end to an eye hook, and the other end to your key.  The “key” to this project (I’m sooo corny funny) is to arrange the keys in random order and at random lengths so they fill up the entire space of the frame.

Hang your frame on a wall that needs something pretty, and enjoy!

You don’t have to use keys either – what about hanging wooden letters in a monogram or Christmas ornaments for a holiday installation?  Uh-oh, I think I’m gonna need more picture frames….

Since it’s Saturday, where else would I share this project but SNS at Funky Junk?!  I’m also adding this project to Metamorphsis Monday and It’s So Very Creative.

Oil Rubbed Bronze, Only Better

I love this stuff:

It’s Krylon’s Oil Rubbed Bronze, and I use it on just about everything.  It’s especially great for giving light fixtures a fancy, old-world finish – but have you ever noticed that ORB by itself is just a little…dull?  It can almost appear chocolate brown or black from a distance.

Here’s a little secret.  If you want to give your ORB projects just a little oomph, try this:

1. Prime or clean your surface.
2. Spray with copper metallic or gold metallic, depending on the tones you want.  Copper will give you a darker tint, gold is a bit brighter.
3. Spray with ORB, intentionally leaving some areas untouched so the metallic base coat shines through.

My bedside chandeliers were a funky aged brass color, so they quickly received a copper and ORB makeover.

That’s it!  See the difference and the depth that layering makes?  Go ahead, give it a try!

Looking for more tips?  Head over to Works For Me Wednesday!

Bedside Non-table Lamps

I’ve always wanted a chandelier in our bedroom.  Unfortunately for me, the summers here in Texas mean temperatures stay in the 90s at night, and there ain’t no way either of us can sleep without the ceiling fan on.  But I want, no, I need a chandelier in my room!  I mean, doesn’t this picture from Country Living just make you want to crawl into that cozy bed with a good book?

Since the ceiling fan has to stay, I decided to integrate my chandelier fantasy into another part of the room.  I found some relatively inexpensive chandeliers online ($125 for both, free shipping!) and transformed our bedroom into a luxurious and cozy getaway…

I hung each one from planter hangers mounted on the wall.  I wanted to hide the cords of the lamps, so I knocked a hole in the wall (husband only freaked out a liiiitle bit – then I reminded him that he did the same thing for his beloved flat screen) and covered it with the ceiling mounting plate that came with the lamps.  The cords come out of the wall behind our nightstands and plug in very discreetly to the outlets behind the bed.

I just love them!  These hanging lamps give us symmetry, warm light, and the eye-appealing height the wall needed on either side of the bed.  I love how the leaves in the bed frame carry over to the leaves of the chandeliers.

Once they were mounted, I added a light bulb, grabbed a book, and snuggled up in bed next to my new luxury lighting!

A big thanks to Donna over at Funky Junk Interiors for hosting her Saturday Night Special party, Kimba at ASPTL for DIY Day, Susan at BNOTP for Metamorphosis Monday, and Kim at Today’s Creative Blog for Get Your Craft On!  Head on over to check out some other fun ideas!

Keepin’ It Real

I think the hardest part of making our new house into our home has been finding “me”.   There are so many resources and ideas out there, it’s really easy to get design-overload and lose track of what’s right for me and my comfort level.  This concept was true when planning my wedding as well. It was so easy to be swayed by fads and trends that I forgot to keep it real.

One thing I’ve learned is being true to my style and taste is the only way I’ll ever be happy with my home.  I can appreciate beachy cottages, french provincial, shabby chic, and all the other popular trends, but in the end they’re not me.  I’m dark, cozy, comfy, and rustic.  I like stained wood, not painted.  I prefer maroon and mossy green over white.  Pinecones are more fun than seashells.  But that’s just me.

My house isn’t perfect, and it probably never will be.  I just have to accept that!  Sometimes there’s mail cluttering my counter, 10 pairs of shoes in the middle of the floor, and loads of laundry piled sky-high in the bedroom, waiting to be folded (where are those dang laundry fairies when you need them?!).  Sometimes I even let my dogs snuggle with me on the couch.

Welcome to my home!

My Custom Wine Rack Buffet

Our new formal dining room is tiny.  I’m talking itty bitty.  There’s barely room for our table and chairs, let alone a hutch or buffet.  We went without at first, but quickly learned that hosting dinner and shuffling the serving dishes around on the table wasn’t going to work.  I scoured Craigslist for a buffet of some kind (it’s always so hit-and-miss, isn’t it?), but never found anything that would fit in the slim spot I had against the dining room wall.  Then one day this huge 48 x 18″, 77-bottle wine rack popped up on my screen.  Perfect!  I knew exactly what to do with it.

I bought it for $30, and took it home to begin it’s transformation into a sideboard.  3 1/2 cans of black spray paint and a very tired finger later, and it already looked better.

I found a leftover piece of plywood in my garage that was already the perfect size – woo hoo, no cutting!  I dusted it off and stained it with a mahogany stain and a few streaks of dark walnut, creating a multi-colored finish that really brought out the wood grain.  Then I coated it with two thick coats of glossy poly.

Who knew plywood could be so pretty?  I picked up some carved wood moulding, spray painted it glossy black, and nailed it to the plywood edges with small finishing nails.  I still need to paint over them with black paint to hide them.

Then I set my top on the wine rack, and called it done!  I like that I can take it apart someday if I decide I want to use the rack without a top.  My family owns a vineyard in California, so I’ll have this baby filled up in no time!

Go see more inspirational ideas at DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land, Trash to Treasure at Reinvented, DIY Showoff, and Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday!

One Of A Kind Coat Rack

Okay, so we’ve all seen the headboard turned coatrack, bench, etc. all over blogland.  I loved the idea, so I was on the prowl for an interesting headboard.  While visiting my favorite thrift store, I found an UH-mazing headboard.  Not only was it awesome and $8.00, but it was 50% off that day!  So allow me to introduce you to my $4.00 headboard, soon to be coatrack.

I chopped off the posts, and scraped off the gum stuck to the back.  Ewwwww!

Sorry, but the gross factor wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t show you a picture of the sticky offender.  Anyway, I spray painted the headboard black to match my entryway bench and added some garment hooks from Lowe’s.  I could have stopped there, but it was just a little too plain.

Here’s where the fun began!  I sponged a little metallic bronze acrylic paint into the grooves, then wiped it away to give it some dimension and depth.  Then I added nailhead trim, following the curves of the grooves.  Here it is in the beginning, when my hands were already hurting and I was beginning to question my judgement.  Was this a little too “out there”?

I kept going, and ended up loving the result.  Looooooove.

I’m linking this one up to Funky Junk’s Saturday Nite Special and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.  Go check out all the other awesome projects!

A New Life For An Old Accent Table

This little beauty belonged to my husband’s great-grandmother and had been painted a pukey-green, drybrushed over a white layer…yuck.  I left it as it was for a year simply because I was too busy to notice or care how ugly it was, but not anymore!  This baby was getting a makeover.

I started with some water-based stripper at the recommendation of Miss Mustard Seed, and now I’m in love with this stuff.  It works like a charm, doesn’t smell too bad, and is soooo easy to clean up!

I hate nasty chemicals almost as much as I hate cleaning up after oil-based products. I stripped the paint from the top with two coats of gel, a rag, and plastic putty knife, and found that using the rough green side of an old kitchen sponge helped get off that last little bit of residue without damaging the wood.

I painted the legs ivory, then glazed over the details just a little using an old sock. The tabletop got a few nice coats of Minwax’s Dark Walnut, followed by a satin poly finish.  I’ll apologize now for the horrible lighting…our bathroom doesn’t have any windows!  I hate it – my next house will definitely have a window in the bathroom.

Here she sits on display in my bathroom, holding my darling bath vignette.  I love how the angles of the table fit perfectly in the corner, and the dark top and curvy lines are the perfect amount of drama and romance for the master bath.  It also makes a nice little home for our eyesore of a scale!

My husband even asked where I bought the new table – he didn’t even recognize it!

Go see more great projects at Reinvented, Mustard Seed Creations, and The Shabby Chic Cottage!

A Two-Sided Shelf

Here’s my guest bathroom.  Not a whole lot going on in here…the standard sinks, little lamp, art on the wall….

Wait, what’s this?  It’s my newest and favoritest (oh yeah, it’s a word – to me at least) piece of bathroom decor!

Rather than clutter this tiny wall and tiny shelf with tons of crap lovelies, I decided to utilize not only the top of the shelf, but the bottom as well using an old trick my grandma used to use in her barn to store jars of nails and screws (I’ve also seen this on a few home decor websites).  I painted an old shelf that had been sitting in a closet, then took some mason jars leftover from my wedding and screwed the lids onto the bottom of the shelf after painting them with my favorite Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze spraypaint.

Then I filled the jars with a few very important bathroom necessities, and screwed them into their lids.

 

Now my guests know exactly where to find Q-tips, cotton balls, and bath salts!

I’m sharing this project with Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch, Trash To Treasure at Reinvented, and DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land.