Recipe: Deconstructed Salad with Chicken
What’s for dinner tonight? How about a deconstructed salad that everyone in your family will love — even if they’re usually salad averse. If you don’t think you’re a salad-for-main-course sort of family, keep reading, because this recipe could very likely win you over.
…DIY: Sharpie Dyed Tees & Tank Tops
I’m so excited to share this DIY with you today. It is sooo fun and sooo easy! I’m placing bets it’s going to be your new favorite project to try with yours kids. All you need is rubbing alcohol and Sharpie markers. For reals!
Maude used the technique to make gifts for her brothers and sisters and they turned out great!
Here’s the how-to:
…Summer Food Guide
If you’re inviting friends over, or need to add something to a holiday potluck, or just want some summer food inspiration, I’ve got everything you need:
…DIY: Monoprint Fabric
In college, when I was studying design, printmaking classes were always my favorite. So when Amy of This LIttle Miggy suggested a DIY for fabric monoprints, I wanted to give her a high-five! I think you’ll love this project. I want to try it on pillowcases and onesies, and maybe a picnic blanket too! Here’s Amy:
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Hey guys! When it comes to creating, my two great loves are painting and sewing. So it should come as no surprise that I’m always trying to combine the two. I had this idea when thinking back to my art school days. In the world of printmaking the general idea is that you have an image and then make several (hundreds even!) copies of that image. However the beauty and genius of the monoprint is that it’s a one-shot deal. You spread some paint on one surface and transfer it to another surface. One time. It’s a little leap of faith, and who doesn’t need more faith?
…Living With Kids: Stephanie Bryan
I knew Stephanie was a champion memory keeper, and that she’d have a lot to share with us to inspire even the most “Darn it! I forgot my camera again!” of us. (Not to mention the “Oh. Another year of art projects to organize. Hooray.” crowd, right?) And of course, inspire she will. But when I read about the reason behind her love of memories, I just about melted.
Please enjoy Stephanie’s words and gorgeous home. I’m honored to have her here with us today. Welcome, Stephanie!
…Recipe: Lemon Chiffon Cake with Berries
Lemon desserts might be my favorite. And with this cake, it was love at first bite. Easy to make and so, so good.
This cake is special. Simple, yet so utterly delicious you’ll think it’s more complicated. The soft, pillowy layers of chiffon cake are filled with a homemade lemon curd and frosted with the most delectable lemon whipped cream.
A chiffon cake is slightly different than a regular butter cake. It falls into a category of cakes called “foam cakes.” In most recipes, you won’t see any leavening agents (baking soda and/or baking powder). Instead the cake gets its light and fluffy texture from beating air into eggs, particularly egg whites. This recipe does have a little baking soda in it, to help the cakes brown nicely and to offset the acidic lemon juice.
…Handmade BBQ Sauce Pack for Father’s Day
So your dad has the shiny BBQ, he has the large over-sized BBQ utensils and now you’re scratching your head as to what to get him for Fathers day. Enough of the scratching, here’s a practical and fun fathers day gift for you that will take his BBQ’ing to a whole new level.
Create a gourmet BBQ sauce pack perfect for summer picnics and get togethers! Get the FREE printable below.
…Living Well: 4 Secrets To Tying a Necktie
Today we’re going to learn the proper way to tie a necktie.
The two basic knots everyone should know how to tie are the Four-in-Hand knot and the Full Windsor knot. If this sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry a bit! This post has lots of pictures demonstrating each step. You’ll be an expert yourself in no time at all.
…Personalized Roasting Sticks for Father’s Day
Nothing feels more like summer than roasting marshmallows around a fire pit, then using those perfectly toasted mallows to create gooey s’mores. I spotted these simple wooden-handled roasting forks, and thought they would be wonderful items to personalize for each member of the family. Tied up in a simple paper bag with some s’more fixings, they make the perfect gift for Dad. Include a reservation for a night at Dad’s favorite campground and it turns into the best gift ever!
…Recipe: Ridiculously Easy Shredded Ham
Are you ready for the easiest main course recipe ever? You only need two ingredients for this ultra-simple recipe, but don’t underestimate how amazing it is. This is something our family loves, loves, loves. We learned this recipe from our friend, Emily, when we were brand new newlyweds (that seems like ages ago!), and it is so good and reliable, that the recipe has since been adopted by dozens of friends and by pretty much every one of my siblings. It’s also become part of our holiday tradition — we make it every Christmas Eve.
The bonus is that it’s the recipe that keeps on giving. The first night, you might serve this yummy shredded ham as a main course, with a side of yams or carrots. The next day, it’s the perfect lunch served on bagels with cream cheese. Put the rest in the freezer, and pull it out the following week for creamy pesto, ham, and pasta. And you get all of that from one bone-in ham plus a little bit of water and a day of slow cooking!
It’s delicious in every season, and we make it throughout the year. Friends, I’m so happy to share this recipe with you! I hope you’ll love it as much as our family does. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think!
…Bookmaking 101
There is just so much potential in a blank book!
Books can be made any size that works for you and your materials. Below are the measurements for the book shared here sharing. This version was designed to get the most out of paper materials while paying attention to the paper grain, all to make a nicely sized book. And some of the ‘tools’ below are rudimentary, for sure, but in using them, it gives many more people access to bookmaking.
…Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Make-Ahead!)
Though I’m not a coffee drinker, I grew up in a family who made coffee cake almost every weekend. I love to eat it, and appreciate the fact that it’s cake you can legitimately serve for breakfast. : ) This sour cream version is pretty much heavenly.
…Living With Kids: Marianne Johnsgård
A lot of discussions about living with kids, especially during the early years when you’re just starting to get the hang of it, includes a fair share of IKEA talk. Do you IKEA, or don’t you? I’m always surprised about the strong opinions in the comments section of home tours that feature their furniture! But, as Marianne explains below, it’s a great place to source sleek Scandinavian design and still be able to feed your children! All five of them. And it doesn’t hurt that she and her family actually live in Scandinavia. Oslo, Norway to be precise. Which makes IKEA the natural choice, don’t you think? You’re going to love this peek into Marianne’s Oslo home, so let’s get to it!
…Recipe: Clam Chowder
Do you have a chowder-loving family? We seem to like every variation — potato chowder, corn chowder, and especially clam chowder. If we’re at a restaurant and clam chowder is on the menu, there’s a very high chance that I’ll order at least a cup of it. So it’s a no brainer that we would like to make it at home as well.
When we lived in the Bay Area, it was fun to serve it in sourdough bread bowls — it’s a San Francisco tradition! Since sourdough bread bowls are so easy to come by there, it was a happy addition to our menu, but it’s certainly not a necessity. We also eat our clam chowder from bowls served with oyster crackers, crusty baguette, or even soda crackers on the side.
…Living Well: 10 Easy Secrets to Greening Your Home, Part 2
Last year we talked about 10 Easy Secrets to Greening Your House, and today I’m back with 10 more easy tips. There are just so many things we can do! This time, I’m going to focus on secrets to cutting down on waste and using less — things I bet we could all improve on.
…Living Well: 10 Easy Secrets to Greening Your Home, Part 2Read More »
How to Make Cork Stamps
These cork stamps are very easy to make, use simple materials, and allow for a lot of personalization. A collection of handmade stamps could make a charming and practical gift.
This project is so much fun! I think you’ll love it.
…Recipe: French Custard Ice Cream
This is the recipe that makes people their taste for store bought ice cream. If you have an ice cream maker, you need to try this French Custard homemade ice cream recipe.
…Living With Kids: Heather Freeman
When Heather first wrote to me, she mentioned an affliction she and many of her design clients suffer from called Pinterest Paralysis. Of course, I had to get to know her a little better!
She works as an interior designer from home – which offers its own set of challenges, as those of you with a home office probably understand – and is also smack in the middle of the toddler stage when a home’s entire aesthetic seems to change. Things that would break your heart if they broke head to the top shelves, glass-top tables are replaced, and suddenly you find yourself researching how to remove jelly stains from my gorgeous white couch! I absolutely love what she has to share, both professionally and personally, and I truly hope you do, too.
Welcome, Heather!
…DIY: Simple Spring Throw
Here is a simple, ribbon-edged throw blanket to toss over the end of your bed through the spring. It adds the perfect punch of geometry and color to the room.
Isn’t it fun how something quick and handmade can make such a big improvement? Happy sewing!
…Build Two Toddler Beds for $75
Friends! I’m so excited to tell you about this project. When we moved in, we decided to put two toddler-size beds in Oscar’s and Betty’s small bedroom, but every bed option that I loved was really expensive. Especially when you multiplied by two. So I decided to build my own.
Two super-simple, upholstered platform-ish beds. They are adorable. Especially side-by-side. They are low to the floor, so if Betty rolls off in her sleep, she won’t get hurt (this is Betty’s first bed since leaving her crib). They use crib-size mattresses, so they don’t have a big footprint. And they were a total bargain to build — $75 total for both. So I suppose that means you could build just one for about $37.
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