Bookshelf Gets an Upgrade

We bought a small bookshelf for Charlotte's room from IKEA a few weeks ago.  It was the perfect size, but I immediately knew that I wanted to change the color.  Since she has white wainscoting, the bookshelf got lost in the room.

The problem here is that much of IKEA's furniture is laminate, and you can't paint over laminate.  The paint just doesn't stick.  Enter Zinsser Cover Stain.  This stuff is a primer that sticks to the laminate, and then the paint sticks to the cover stain.  You with me?

I usually use it in a can with a brush for bigger pieces (like Gavin's IKEA Billy bookshelves), but for Charlotte's little bookshelf I decided to try the primer in a spray can.  It coated well, and was dry in about an hour.  When it was dry, I went over the bookshelf with some Rustoleum Leafy Green.

And now, it looks so much better!

Let's look at it again before:

And after:

I bought this adorable little girl planter at the thrift store for $3.  I love her.  You can read about my "Some Kid" custom piece of artwork here.

Charlotte thinks the flowers are real, and is always trying to smell them.

The bookshelf even got Nathan's attention immediately.

It was definitely the punch of color this room needed!

Linking Up To:

My Week in A Few Pictures

Charlotte has been pretending that she's a Mommy lately.  Note the oversized sunglasses and the twins in tow.  Usually she also has a purse and "coffee."  I can also hear her playing house with her brothers:  "Sweetie, the cookies are ready!"(Which is hilarious.  I can't remember the last time I baked cookies.)   "Honey, it's bedtime!"

Then the booty-shaking began.

That girl is something else.

Yesterday, I was folding laundry.  Charlotte kept running in and out of Nathan's bedroom and smiling slyly.  Suspicious.  So I went in to investigate, and found this.

Lotion everywhere, even on the floor and in the bottom drawer.  It was a bear to clean up.

On a crafty note, I attempted to make a lamp for Gavin's summer-camp bedroom.

I bought this vintage jug at a flea market for $6.  I love it!  Except that every time I plug it in, I blow a fuse.  I can't figure out the problem here.  I'm sure the wires are connected to the right spots, and I can't find any information about voltage on the package of the lamp kit.  Any suggestions?

*EDITED TO ADD*  I think I figured out the lamp situation!  Right on the package it says:  3-Way Socket Kit.  I think I need a 3-way bulb.  Shoulda paid attention....

Have a great week!  :)

Weekend Roundup: Things I Loved This Week

Here are a few things that caught my eye this week.

I really want to make one of these.
Do you think these are fat-free?  Yum.
I ordered these and personalized them to help the twins learn how to write their names.
I'm going to need a bunch of these, STAT.
Looking for a cool bookshelf at a low price?  Here's one.
Everyone should own this CD.
Do you love chevron as much as I do?

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!  :)

Friday Recipe: Red Lentil Soup

Hello there, friends.

Sheesh. This was not the week I planned to have.  I was all excited about my new blog schedule, and then this week came along and ruined all of my blogging plans.  If only my job didn't get in the way of my blogging!  KIDDING.  


Nevertheless, it's been a long and stressful week.  And nothing soothes my soul after a long a stressful week like soup.  Do you feel the same way?  If so, you're going to love this week's recipe.  Let's talk lentils.

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Lentils are a legume (that word is for you, Kelly!) and are a staple in many diets around the world.  They are packed with protein and are a terrific meat substitute.  Red lentils are a little bit harder to find than your average lentil in the grocery store.  I've gotten them at Whole Foods, and my mom gets them at a local country store.  They are also available at Wegman's, and here on Amazon.

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I often make a batch of this soup on Sunday and enjoy it for lunch for the rest of the week.  It holds up well, and actually I think it tastes even better a day or two after I make it.  Trust me:  even if you think you don't like lentils, try this soup.  I promise, it's worth it!

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON


3 Tbsps. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
pinch of ground chili powder
1 quart vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

In a large pot, heat 3 Tbsps olive oil over high heat until hot and shimmering.  Add onion and garlic, and saute until golden, about 4 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder, and saute for 2 minutes longer.  Add broth, water, lentils, and carrot.  Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low.  Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.  Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor (I use my Magic Bullet!), puree half of the soup then add it back to the pot.  Soup should be somewhat chunky.  Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro.  You can skip the cilantro, but don't skip the lemon juice!  The lemon tastes unbelievable in this soup.

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I hope this soup soothes your soul...it works for me!

Project Update

Hello there, friends.  Happy Presidents' Day!

Today is a day off for me, so I've been busy getting a few things done around the house.  I ventured out, and took all three kids to Trader Joe's with me, which is only a feat for the very brave.  No one opened any containers of yogurt or broke anything, so I consider that a huge success.  We also went to get the boys' hair cuts without any major mishaps.

I was able to get started on a few of the projects that I mentioned yesterday.  The fabric for Gavin's valance is cut, pinned, and ready to sew.

In the meantime, here's a glimpse of another project in Gavin's room.  These are some of my dad's Boy Scout badges.  I loved being able to incorporate them into his room.  It makes me smile when I look at them.
            
                                         

I should have more to share with you by the end of the week!

Unfinished Project List

I have a problem.  I come up with a project I want to do, and then I buy all of the stuff for it, and then I can't find the time to complete it.  Since I work full-time, the weekends are spent with my family...so the only time I have to work on projects is late at night (when I'm exhausted!).

This morning, I took stock of all the projects that I have waiting in the wings:

Finishing Gavin's Bedroom
It's been slow going, but I'm almost finished with Gavin's summer-camp-inspired bedroom.

My mom promised to teach me how to sew this year, so I thought I'd start off with something simple.  I'm planning to sew a valance using this fabric:

Also, I have a great idea for a lamp for his room.  I bought the kit, and just have to get to work!  This shouldn't be too hard.  Maybe I'll finish it today.

Thrift Store Desk


I plan to refinish this little beauty, I just need to find the time to prime it, paint it, and refinish the hardware.  (Don't laugh at the plastic on the chair.  I'm tired of cleaning black cat fur off of it.)

I wanted to try a bold color, and I had planned on painting it this color, but Michael nearly had a heart attack when I showed him.  I thought the color would look great with some oil-rubbed bronze hardware.

I may need to come up with a Plan B.

And did you notice that lovely basket full of magazines?  I seriously need to sort through those and recycle most of them.  I have a hard time parting with magazines.

Chargers Turned Mirrors


I found these chargers at Pier 1 for $3.98 on clearance.  I thought they would make great mirrors, so I bought three of them.

I was thinking about painting them white at first, but now I'm thinking about silver-leafing them.  We'll see.

Painting Charlotte's Bookshelf
This should be an easy one.  I just don't like it white...it blends into the wainscoting, and I want it to stand out.  The problem is, it's laminate...which means paint won't stick to it.  I have to paint it first with a good primer, like Zinsser Cover Stain, and then paint it.

After that, I'm going to create a little reading nook here.

I don't know where to start!  I might need to wait until summer when I'm home and have some time to work on these.

What about you?  Any big projects in the works?

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

I'm going to be honest here.  I do not love to cook.  I used to despise it.  Then I disliked it.  Then I tolerated it.  And now, only very recently, I kind of started to like it.  I cook for my family almost every night, and I think I'm pretty good at it, but I'm only now starting to find my groove, discover recipes that are keepers, and even experiment a little bit with my own recipes.

In order for a recipe to be a keeper, it needs to taste good (duh!), be relatively kid-friendly, be quick, and be easy.  A nutritious, balanced recipe is a bonus, but not necessary every night....sometimes I need comfort food!

I'm going to share a recipe with you today that isn't mine, but it meets all of my prerequisites, and I find myself craving it all the time.  I've been making it once a week!  It is NOT fat-free, but it is soooooo worth it!

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Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
by the Pioneer Woman
Check out her site for great recipes, photos, and step by step instructions!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 25 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 8

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
• Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1-½ pound Fettuccine

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.

Delicious!  Enjoy!

Freezer Paper Stencil Shirt

Last weekend, my sweet godson Kevin was christened.  I wanted to make him something special, so I decided to stencil some custom t-shirts for him.  I wanted one shirt to simply have a "k," and the other shirt to say "no. 7" since Kevin is the 7th grandchild in my family.

I found the fonts I liked, and printed out the "k" and the "no. 7" to the scale I wanted.  Then I got out the freezer paper.

Freezer paper is great for stenciling, because it irons neatly on to the shirt, and peels off easily.  More on that in a minute.

To do this, first make sure the shiny side of your freezer paper is face-down.  Slide your design under the freezer paper, and trace with a pencil.

Then, using an X-acto knife, cut out your stencil.

Remember, the back of the freezer paper is shiny.  That's the part you're going to iron to your shirt.  Warm up the iron, and put your stencil where you want it on the shirt.

Iron it down for a few seconds.  As it heats up, it becomes like a big sticker and sticks to the shirt.  Use your finger to press the edges down...that will ensure that paint doesn't get under there.  Then, put a thin towel or heavy piece of paper inside the shirt, so the paint doesn't seep through.

Next is the fun part.  Get your fabric paint, and get to work!

I only had to do one coat with this green paint...it saturated really nicely.  I did white paint on a red shirt for the "no. 7" shirt, and I needed 7 coats of the white!

When I was finished painting, I let it dry for a few minutes (not completely), and peeled the freezer paper off.

I didn't get a shot of the finished "no. 7", but here was the halfway point:

Didn't they turn out cute?  I hope Kevin loves them.  Because I love Kevin!  :)