Sunday, February 23, 2014

China Cabinet Makeover


I'm excited to share my first ever china cabinet makeover! I figured we could use some sunny yellow right about now, in the midst of dreary winter. 



I found this china cabinet at a local thrift store and could. not. pass. it. up. I think I ended up paying $41 for it. What a bargain! It was calling out to me for some TLC. It also whispered, "If you take me home, I'll display your milk glass collection." Sold. 



I scoured Pinterest for china cabinet inspiration and pinned a few that caught my eye. I was really torn between playing it safe with white, or going for a bold statement color. In the end, my heart was stuck on yellow. I decided to go for it! 



After a light sanding, we used three coats of Martha Stewart's color "Egg Yolk" with Glidden's Duo Paint and Primer in one, Eggshell. I have my husband to thank for finishing it up for me with his expert painting skills. 




The transformation took place in our garage over a few days. 




I am thrilled with the result! Yellow is the perfect pop of color in our living room. It looks great against the gray walls and my milk glass collection looks so pretty in it! 




I finally have a place to store my treasured pieces.





The finishing touch was swapping out the old brass hardware for some elegant glass knobs. I just love it! 


Recently, I came across this photo in a magazine. I can't remember which magazine now - Real Simple maybe? It confirmed my choice to paint a piece of furniture yellow. "It's like an exclamation point on the room." I agree. So cherry!



What a transformation. Don't be afraid to scoop up those diamonds in the rough you see at  second hand stores or garage sales. If it's in decent condition and has good bones, you can give it a new life and make it something really beautiful - for not a lot of money. That's the beauty of DIY projects and thrifty finds! 


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day


Valentine's Day is a special time of year for us because nine years ago, we got engaged two days before "love day". I'm so thankful that 10 years ago, God brought my forever valentine into my life. My husband, Andrew, is my best friend, my love, my heart. He has shown me what love truly is. He loves me at my best and at my absolute worst. He makes me laugh. Encourages me. Supports me. Puts up with me. Celebrates with me, as well as shares the difficult times. He simply gets me. He's by my side, no matter what. I am so grateful and so undeserving. I love you Andrew! 

In November, my talented brother-in-law, David, showed us his photography studio and took a series of portraits of us. I am a big fan of his work and I'm so blessed by this photo! I love it. Thank you David. We love you! Check out more of David's beautiful work on his blog, here.

I added my own design to this photo to celebrate the gift that love is, and to wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you get to share it with the one(s) you love. Most of all this Valentine's Day, I hope you know that God, the Creator of your heart, is crazy in love with you! "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Super Soft Baby Blanket with Cotton Print


I've added a new hand-made baby gift to my sewing repertoire. I found a wonderful tutorial here, with step by step instructions on how to make a soft cotton print blanket. I've always wanted to try a project that called for that super soft fluffy fabric you just want to wrap yourself up in and take a nap. 

All you need is 1 1/4 yard of minky or soft fabric of your choice, 1 1/4 yard of cotton print, thread and sewing supplies. 



My friend Stephanie is expecting her first baby girl any day now. The nursery is pink and leopard (so cute), so I ran with that theme, and made a bib and burp cloth to go with it.


I found a sweet pink storage basket to package it all together, along with an adorable pink leopard outfit and the cutest leopard high-top sneakers you ever saw! Little girl stuff is so hard to resist! And I love pink.


I wrapped it all up with clear cellophane and tied it with a ribbon. Such a cute gift! I can't wait to see baby girl snuggled up in this blanket and wearing her outfit. 

Here's a bib and burp cloth gift I made for baby boys

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Apple Pie Smoothie


I've been seeing a popular smoothie recipe trending on Pinterest, so I gave it a try. I love a good smoothie! This one does taste a lot like apple pie, and it's packed with protein, calcium and fiber. It's very easy to make and is great for breakfast. The source recipe can be found here with nutrition facts. 

Ingredients:
5 raw almonds
1 red apple
1 banana
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup nonfat milk (I use almond milk)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender. Depending on what type of blender you have, you may need to chop the apple and almonds (our Ninja works great). Blend on high for 30 seconds or until desired consistency. Enjoy!