Summer Wreath DIY

Well its been a little quiet around here. Hubby and I have been dealing with a tragedy and blogging has been the last thing I have cared about recently. I think that I will eventually blog about what we have been going through both as a means of therapy for myself, and in hopes of reaching out and connecting to someone else who is going through the same thing we are.

But, for now I just want to talk about wreaths, and in particular my summer wreath DIY project.

I am not much of a DIYer, in fact my DIY Pinterest board is called DIY--I don't. I just don't seem to have the patience for DIY projects. However, in light of recent events I have been looking for some things to pass the time and distract myself, and I decided that I would make a new wreath for my front door.

I almost took a picture of my current wreath to show you how totally disgusting and in need of replacement it was, but then I realized well...it was totally disgusting, and I didn't think you needed to see that. Let's just say we have a bit of a spider problem around our house, and my cheery yellow floral wreath had turned into haunted house halloween spider web fest. 

Luckily, I have a wonderful friend who is crafty and she helped me plan my design, took me shopping for supplies, and crafted with me. Its much easier (and more fun) to keep your patience and be crafty when you have a friend to enjoy it with. 

Here is my final product:

The original plan had been to wrap the entire wreath with the moss and use the burlap as my accent, but I ran out of moss and was not going back to the store (plus it was kind of expensive). All of my supplies came from Hobby Lobby.

The supplies I used are:
- styrofoam wreath form
- wide burlap ribbon (one 30 ft. roll)
- moss ribbon (three 3 ft. rolls)
- one package of floral pins
- three pre-made burlap rosettes
- hot glue

To make the wreath start by pinning the beginning of the roll of burlap ribbon against the back of the wreath form at a slight angle. Continuing wrapping the ribbon around the form being sure to keep it very tight. After wrapping twice around stop and add a pin on the back to keep the ribbon tight and in place. Continue until the wreath is covered (I ran out at the very end. I started the moss on the area that wasn't covered so you couldn't tell.) Follow the same procedure with the moss. Glue on your flowers.

The wreath was super easy, even for someone who is craft challenged like me. I love the look of the burlap and moss against my cheery yellow front door.

The good news is that my wreath is flat enough to fit between my front door and the storm door, so it is protected from the weather and the yucky spider problem. 

I think this wreath will be the start of my craftiness. Stay tuned for more projects. 

Summer Design Inspiration

If you read my last post, Dream House Tour, you know I have been in a decorating/design mood recently. Maybe I am going though virtual nesting? You know, still sitting with my feet propped up but happy to spend time redecorating and organizing my home via Pinterest. Am I on to something here? Could I trademark that phrase?

Annnnnyway, I was excited when I was recently contacted by Shutterfly to see if I was interested in sharing their Summer Decorating Inspiration Board here on the blog. They used the colors green and white with pops of orange to create a bright summery feel. I love the combo of colors and am excited to share it with you.

L to R: table setting, wall art, living room, ice tea, snowdrops, kitchen design

So, what do you think? I am loving that grellow shade of green and the pop of orange on the poppy plates. If done poorly green and orange can definitely leave you with a 70's gone wrong kind of feel, but in the right shades, and with a balance of white, it feels fresh, bright, and modern.

After looking at the Shutterfly Summer Decorating Inspiration Board I got inspired and decided to find my own green and orange design ideas. Here are some of my favorites, via my favorite, Pinterest:

Dream House Tour

I want to start this post by saying that I love my sweet little house. I can't imagine being anywhere else right now, but it is fun to daydream...

My dream house would have some land and be a little rural, but also be within 10-15 minutes of important things like more than one grocery store, Target, a good variety of restaurants, a salon, etc... Does that even exist?


A view of the mountains wouldn't hurt either.


A sunroom would be a must.


I would have a big and cozy kitchen with lots of storage and a fireplace.


In this heart of the home I would can lots of yummies...


...Fresh from my garden out back.


And speaking of the outdoors, we would need fantastic outdoor living spaces in the back and the front of the house.



Oh Pinterest is so fun. I could keep going and going! Check out all of my other design ideas on my Pinterest boards.

A New Fave & 2 Recipes

Breakfast is usually a hard meal for me to figure out. I need something filling with protein to get me through the morning, but I am perpetually running late, and I never have the time or energy to bother with an elaborate breakfast.

Recently I have been enjoying a yogurt parfait for breakfast. I make it with my new fave yogurt, Kroger brand {fat free} vanilla greek yogurt sweetened with Stevia. I love that it is quick to make, and if I am really running late I can throw it in a container and take it to work with me.

Reasons I am obsessed with this yogurt: it has the perfect amount of sweetness and vanilla flavor, it is loaded with protein, it is fat free, it is all natural, and it is sweetened with Stevia! Stevia is a plant based calorie free sweetener that is considered a safer alternative to artificial calorie free sweeteners. Although I have recently read several articles that claim Stevia is not as safe as people believe...who knows...at this rate anything and everything we are exposed to is toxic, unless you live a 100% clean eating lifestyle, which as much as I would love to, is insanely hard to do.

Once I get some of my yummy yogurt into the bowl I top it with Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal (also high in protein) and fresh fruit. Last week's choice was cantaloupe. The cantaloupes I have had so far this year are already so sweet and juicy, yum! I have also used blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple to make my parfaits. Here is a past post about a blueberry yogurt parfait I made.

Because I was so excited about my yogurt I decided to try it another way by making a delish dip I found via Pinterest.

This dip combines vanilla greek yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and peanut butter. I used mine as a dip for apples, but honestly it was so delish I could just eat it with a spoon for dessert. As is typical I didn't measure. I just spooned a little of each into a dish and mixed it up, but here is the source where I got the recipe and she shares her measurements.

Do you have any other yummy ways you use vanilla greek yogurt? Now that I am obsessed with it I am anxious to try it in some other recipes. What about Stevia? Do you use it or do you prefer another natural sweetener?

FYI--This post was not sponsored. All opinions are unsolicited and 100% my own.

{Oh how Pinteresting Wednesday}

Do you ever go through a phase where you eat out often, or eat a lot of junk food, and then you hit the wall and your body feels totally gross? It is at that point when you take up a vow to get back on the healthy train and eat tons of fruits and veggies.

That definitely happens to me, but so does the opposite. Sometimes when I am doing so well and eating really healthy I get to the point where I just want something delicious, terribly delicious.

Well friends, I am at that point. Maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones, but I have a lurking suspicion it also has to do with the veggie wraps, greek yogurt, and protein cereal with almond milk I have been enjoying (there have been a few indiscretions with Skittles, Mike & Ikes, and Girl Scout Cookies, but we won't count those...)

So without further ado, what I really want to be eating...

Source: twirlandtaste.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: basil-albi.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: ragester.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: plainchicken.com via Sarah on Pinterest

And for the grand finale...

Source: pinerly.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Am I serious or joking about this last one? Only I will ever know.

I can tell you, that after compiling these pins my chicken breast that is out thawing waiting to be stuffed with spinach and reduced fat feta with a side of steamed veggies is going right back in the fridge, and I am sending asking hubby to go get us some Chik-fil-a. Done and done.

Visit The Vintage Apple to link up and join the fun!

{Oh, How Pinteresting Wednesday}

I am pretty excited for my first adventure with a link up. A link up is like a blogger party and usually everyone's invited! The fun thing about link ups is that you get to discover lots of fabulous new blogs.

This afternoon I came across The Vintage Apple's "Oh, How Pinteresting" link up. Um excuse me, why am I just discovering this?! I do have 3,727 pins and counting. Obsessed much?

Since this is my first time playing I chose some pins that will help you get to know me a little better.

Bacon. I love it.

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

Baby girl is arriving in June. I love this family photo idea.

Source: blog.hannamac.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Dream dog. He will be named Scooter.

Source: flickr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: ow.ly via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: pinkpreppylillylover.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: toppics.dynet.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

Oh dear, I could just keep going and going. See I told you I'm obsessed. Check out all of my Pinterest boards here, and come on over and join the fun!


Thanks for hosting this fabulous link up, Michelle!

A Few of Your Favorite Things

This Christmas hubby and I kept things pretty simple, and for my sister in-law we put together a gift bag with a few of her favorite things. I got this awesome idea from my friend Crissy who found it via Pinterest. She designed the graphics for the labels and I went in and edited the text to fit the gifts I was giving.

Here are the things that went into the gift:

A quote about books: A good book

"A chick flick for our favorite chickadee": A chick flick (Water for Elephants)

"For your mistle toes": Fuzzy socks with a nail polish tucked inside

"We love you a latte": Hand knit coffee cozy with Starbucks gift card tucked inside

"Eat drink and be merry": Sparkling French berry lemonade

Everything was put into the brown paper gift bag with a tag that said "these are a few of your favorite things". I found the bag at Target but it came with purple ribbon handles, so I changed out the ribbon for the red polka dot (thanks again Crissy for your idea!). The ribbon handles were tied together with some string twine.

Although this was a Christmas gift you could really give it for any occasion, just change up the color scheme and some of the sayings. The only rule is that when you give the gift you have to sing: "brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of your favorite things..." Any Sound of Music fans out there? I'm not, but I do know that much. I also know that Austria is amazing and beautiful and I would like a second home there. That is really the only alluring thing to me about that musical. I hope that's not too harsh--I am just not a fan of musicals. 

But anyway...hope you like the gift idea! What would you include in one of these gift bags? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Wine and Cheese Please

Hi friends! It feels like forever since my last post even though its only been a few weeks. The first few weeks of school for a teacher, in kindergarten no less, are all consuming and exhausting. Two Fridays ago (the end of the first week of school) hubby went out with some friends for the evening (side note: they went to a new brewery in Richmond, Hardywood--have you been? Hubby loved it!), and I had no plans. Well, what's a girl to do on a lonesome Friday night? Prepare an indulgent meat and cheese "board" and open a good bottle of wine of course.

What a perfect end to a long and draining week. On my way home from school I first stopped at the library to get some good books (the perfect addition to a relaxing night on my own) and then I ran into the grocery store to get all the things I needed for my indulgent meal. I feel like I need to preface this with the fact that this was my whole dinner and there were possibly a few things left over?! Here is what I included:

• Prosciutto 
• Olives from the olive bar: mixed greek and blue cheese stuffed--my ultimate favorites are garlic stuffed and olives with red chilies (the dinky grocery store on my way home didn't have those kinds though...sad) P.S. I LOVE an olive bar. I mean LOVE. Sometimes that is my treat to myself at the grocery store--getting a tub of olives. It doesn't take much to amuse me. 
• Warm french bread--I bought a mini loaf (perfect for one!) of the french bread you get in the bakery that is "pre-baked"--you have to put it in the oven for about 15 minutes to "bake" it. I like it because it gives you that warm fresh baked taste.
• Dark chocolate bar with hazelnuts--any dark chocolate that has nuts or dried fruit in it would be delicious in my opinion
• Baked brie with honey and pecans--Oh yummy! I LOVE brie!!! Just put your wheel of brie into an oven safe baking dish (I really want need a brie baker...hint hint, anyone?) and top with a drizzle of honey and some pecan chips. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese starts looking ooey gooey (about 15 minutes). There are so many delicious options for baked brie so play around and find your favorite combination. 

Now, onto other important things...you must be wondering what's in my wine glass! That is Viognier from Pippin Hill Farm. Viognier is know as Virginia's signature wine and this wine by Pippin Hill Farm lived up to its title. I discovered this fresh, fruity, crisp wine on a wine tasting trip with my mom back in June (thanks for buying me a bottle, mom!). Every few months we like to do a little "girls" trip and this last trip was to Charlottesville, VA where we did wine tasting at Pippin Hill, and then went to The Boar's Head Inn for spa treatments and an overnight stay complete with a lovely dinner. Here are some pictures from our trip to Pippin Hill:

After our wine tasting we had lunch on the patio overlooking the mountains. It was a perfect June day with cooler temperatures and bright sunshine. We had the cheese board and the charcuterie (I can never say that word correctly!)--ie. meat board. There were delicious homemade mustards, preserves, and spreads to accompany the meats and cheeses, and it all came with some delicious crusty french bread. Oh yummy! We had the most amazing time at Pippin Hill and I insist that you go give it a try. The atmosphere, food, wine, view, and service was all top notch. I can't wait to go back.

You can see all of my other wine and cheese ideas on my Wine and Cheese Please Pinterest board here. There are lots of yummy and fun ideas on there.

Well, I have gone off on a tangent as I usually do, so I will leave you with one last thought...

"There comes a time in the day that no matter what the question...the answer is wine."

Something More Addicting Than Pinterest?

I didn't think there was room in my social media life for something beyond Pinterest but...it. has. happened. You need to know about houzz.com. It is the site that many say is equally or more addicting than Pinterest, and I agree! It is different from Pinterest because it is only photos and ideas of "home design, decorating and remodeling ideas and inspiration, kitchen and bathroom design" and nothing else. Anyone can visit the website and view the photos, but making a free account allows you to save the photos you like and create a profile (I of course made an account right away!)

The site is very well organized and you can view photos (over 500,000) filtered by space (think bedroom, bathroom, landscaping, porch, etc, etc) and style (traditional, contemporary, tropical...). Many of the pictures have comments from other houzz members on what is the in the pic--brands, where to find items, etc. You can explore products related to home design and decor which are filtered by type of product and style AND it gives you the price of the item and where you can buy it...awesome. Houzz also offers ideabooks, which is a great way to view put together looks if you have trouble putting the pieces together yourself. There is a discussion page and links to professionals in all areas relating to home design and decorating. W-O-W!

Let me tell you, this site is amazing! I guess it is time to play the lottery because my dream house is calling my name. Seriously though, there are also tons of ideas that do not require mega millions to become a reality and I love that there are so many resources available on the site--where to purchase similar items, measurements for recreating the look, details about the products, and more (check out the comments on pictures you like). I think I have to say for home design and decorating my go to will now be houzz (shhhh, don't tell...I feel like I am cheating on Pinterest) You must check it out and find me while you are there--searthur. See you in design land! P.S. I also have the free app for my iPad and it is just as fabulous. It is easy to use and navigate and is laid out really well.

Here are some pics that I have saved to my houzz profile:

Traditional Porch design by Los Angeles Architect Tim Barber LTD Architecture & Interior Design

Traditional Porch design by Minneapolis Interior Designer Lucy Interior Design

Traditional Landscape design by Minneapolis General Contractor John Kraemer & Sons

Traditional Kitchen design by Boston Kitchen And Bath Venegas and Company

Have you tried houzz yet? If so, what do you think? Let me know your user name so I can look you up and check out your pics! :) Happy decorating!

*This post is all my own opinion and was not solicited by houzz