DIY:strawberry lemonade

So, I know. It's not really a DIY if it's a recipe, right? Or maybe all recipes are DIYs? Ponder on that for a minute. Nevertheless, I'm REALLY stepping out of my comfort zone here with even the slightest hint at any kind of recipe. I don't cook. Ever. Thank GOD I married somebody that can put a decent meal on the table. It's not that I couldn't cook if I had to, I just really don't enjoy it. Give me a scour pad and a broom any day over a sauté pan and a whisk...or whatever those things are called.

It's been hotter than the devil here in Kentucky and we're all moving slow as molasses, so I thought you all would enjoy a little cool refreshment. While this is definitely "cheating" on the lemonade, it's really the presentation of the strawberry lemonade that makes this a fun little project. As always, feel free to add vodka...

Supplies:

Your favorite pre-made lemonade, and if you're really good, make your own

Strawberries

Blueberries (optional)

2 lemons

Sugar

Rimming sugar (optional)

Ice

Paper Straws - mine are leftover from Kate's birthday party, I found them here at Modern Lola

A pretty pitcher

A pretty serving tray

Step 1: Pour your lemonade into a pitcher

Step 2: Cut several strawberries in half

Step 3: Cut both lemons into slices

Step 4: Mix some of your cut strawberries and lemons into the lemonade

Step 5: Pierce 1 or 2 whole strawberries with your paper straws (some of the strawberry will inevitably get stuck inside the straw, but no worries, it's a fun surprise when you take the first sip of your lemonade!)

Step 6 (Optional): Freeze the strawberries on the straw overnight

Step 7: (Optional) Sometimes the strawberries will slip down the straw, so try placing a blueberry under the strawberry to keep it steady

Step 8: Coat a slice of lemon in sugar before placing it on each glass

Step 9: (Optional) For an extra sweet touch, rim your glass with pink sugar

Step 10: Place your strawberry straws on your pretty serving tray with your pretty pitcher

Step 11: Pour the lemonade into the glasses making sure some of the fruit gets in each glass

Step 12: Place your strawberry straw into the glass and sit back and enjoy with good company!

inspiration - contain yourself...

A sugar bowl, no thanks. A sugar bowl to hold my q-tips? Yes, please!

Over the years I've inherited some cast-off crystal pieces, acquired some new silver and found some new uses for apothecary jars. I'm going to take you on a quick tour of some re-purposed items in our home that are now used for something quite different than its original purpose.

So, the next time you are at a yard sale or antique show, or even Target, and you see that pretty little container, just buy it! Don't stress yourself out at the time trying to figure out something to do with it. Take it home and fill it with something that makes you happy. Or leave me a comment and I'll be happy to help you think of something!

As mentioned above, I've used an otherwise boring sugar bowl inherited from my grandmother to now store q-tips in the bathroom. I found this pretty silver piece (it's actually a sugar bowl too!) at the 127 sale last year for $3. I loved it because it looked like a trophy. Now it keeps my makeup brushes upright.

These apothecary jars came from an old employer who was going to sell them to the employees and destroy what was left because we had gotten new displays. I bought as many as I could carry and am now the proud owner of about 10 apothecary jars :) I love these 2 jars sitting on my counter top in the kitchen. One holds flour and the other, sugar. I found 2 teacups who had lost their saucers to use as a scoop. When we get our new house we will have a pretty good size laundry room and I fully intend on having another apothecary jar with laundry detergent.

We are developing a theme in our house around games. Joey is obsessed with these crazy wooden puzzles. Here's how it usually goes in our house: Kate climbs up on the end table and knocks over the dish with these puzzles. Joey has to put them together again because he's the only one that knows how. They hurt my brain to be honest. Nonetheless, they look cute in this crystal candy dish.

I found this tea pot at the Newport Village Discount Outlet for a whole$1.50. It might have even been half off of that if I hit the store on the right day. Now it holds a pretty pink feather in Kate's room.

I love the shape of this soap pump and the color reminds me of some of my mason jars. Definitely a good buy from Target. I keep it in Kate's room next to her diaper changing supplies and keep hand sanitizer in it instead of soap. Although Kate never entertained the idea of a pacifier for more than a second or two, we still keep them stored in this cute tea cup on her dresser.

If you took the time to read my 100 things about me (please don't feel obligated...it's a lot of reading) but you would know that I love birds. Not real ones...they terrify me, but bird-themed things as décor. Anyway, one summer I got on a kick with bird cages. Joey actually gave this one to me as a birthday present. He snagged it from Newport's Mansion Hill Community Sale. I love the peaks and that it resembles the peaks of the old houses in Mansion Hill. It sat empty for a long time until I had a pile of these old books and one perfectly weathered ivory bird to perch on top. Here's another shot of the bird cage from this past Christmas.

Start scouring your cupboards for some interesting containers and have fun filling them up with interesting little items. Tell me what you come up with!

the kate update

As promised, here's a quick update on what Kate has been up to since the last time I posted pictures of her!

From this...

To this!!!!

Can you even believe those curls? It is unbelievable! She looks so much like Joey's dad its almost scary. She has truly been the most fun (and exhausting) thing that has ever happened to either one of us. She is FULL of energy, curiosity and a barrel of laughs. She started walking around 10 months and hasn't stopped for a second since then. She amazes me everyday with something new she does or says. I can't even believe that she is already 15 months old. I haven't even blinked and her newborn and infant stages are already a memory. Good thing we've had a dear friend take lots of great pictures of her so we will always remember. You can visit her site at http://lalaphotospot.shutterfly.com/ Here's a quick look back at Kate's 1st year...

3 months

6 months9 months12 monthsHer 1st Birthday Party!

So, don't even ask if I'm ready to have 100 more. Definitely not! I want to soak up every second of her for a few more years. Plus, we certainly couldn't afford a darling wardrobe for two children...and hair accessories, shoes, purses to match. So until Kate gets a brother or sister we are going to enjoy her to the fullest!

treasure hunting

Wow. What a day! Joey and I had quite the successful treasure hunting excursion down Route 127. We started our day at 7am with a little of this...Then onward to our first (and favorite) stop of the day. The Diocese Children's Home Annual Flea Market. They have such ridiculously awesome deals on furniture that people start lining up at 6:30 am to get a ticket to be admitted into the small booth. We arrived at 7:22 am and were 19 and 20 in line. By 7:38 am there were probably 100 people in line. Our dear friend, Morgan, was passing out tickets and keeping us entertained while we waited. When they finally opened the doors on the furniture booth, they let in ticket numbers 1 through 20! Our lucky day!

Walked right in and spotted this beauty and stood with my hand on it until a worker could come and write our ticket up. It has a white enameled top, we think it will be perfection in our new house!We kept shopping and scored:
3 pretty cool yard sticks (50 cents each)

4 espresso cups with pocket watches printed on them (25 cents each)
a huge rectangular frame ($3) with a really ugly print, but we just want the frame
another smaller pretty frame to be painted at a later date ($1)
a sturdy wooden chair ($8)
2 boxes of outdoor party lights ($1 each)


After making a pit stop at home to unload our treasures from the flea market, we headed south on good ol' Route 127

We stopped anywhere there was a good concentration of sales.
We ended our day with one more wooden chair and 4 chalkboard tablets for Kate.
At about 1:30 and we headed to my mom and dad's house to pick up Kate and eat some delicious BLTs.


I can barely keep my eyes open to type this. We are exhausted! My feet were so dirty it looked like I hadn't worn shoes at all! But, we can't complain for one second about the weather. It was sunny and warm, okay...hot, but at least we got a break from the humidity.


I'm looking forward to at least 2 DIYs with my flea market purchases! Get the spray paint ready!


Until then, good night friends. If you have never braved to venture out during the first weekend in August on Route 127, I suggest you get your bag, the sunscreen and your money ready for next year!

to the flea market

Most of y'all who know me know that I live and die for flea markets, yard sales and antique shows. Joey and I have spent many of summer mornings BK (before Kate) rummaging through other people's junk looking for a little treasure of our own. This weekend marks the holy grail for junk rummagers like us, the world's longest yard sale, the 127 Sale as well as the Catholic Diocese Children's Home Flea Market (the BEST flea of the year). We've had our sitter booked for weeks (thanks, mom), I have my special yard sale bag ready (a large straw bag I picked up at the burlington antique show several years ago), the sunscreen and measuring tape are packed.

This year we are on the hunt for:

a 1951 Derby Glass to complete Joey's collection
3 mismatched wooden chairs under $5 each
mason jars (for a little diy project I'll post later)
ornate wooden picture frames (also for another diy project)

The best thing about treasure hunting is you never can be sure of what you will come across. I can't wait to show you what I find!

Happy Shopping!

5 minute DIY

Hooray for the first of many DIYs on Jar of Vintage Buttons! This one comes from inspiration from designspongeonline.com. I modified the original idea a bit and made it work for me. With just a few supplies you can make this garland in just 5 minutes.

Supplies:

-vintage postcards - I like the ones with writing, something about the penmanship of the day makes me very happy

-baker's twine or ribbon

-brads

-scissors

-small scrapbooking hole punch

Step 1:

punch holes in upper corners of each postcard

Step 2:

connect the postcards together with your brads

Step 3:

tie baker's twine or ribbon to each end so you can hang your cute new banner

Step 4:

enjoy your reversible postcard banner!

leaving spruce tree...

In order for just about any of this crazy dream of mine to happen, we have to sell our house. I can't believe how much difficulty we've had trying to sell our house. I know the economy is less than desirable, but for a 3 (we call it 4) bedroom house for $138,000, I can't believe we've had such trouble. Here are pictures our home for sale.

It will be a little sad to leave. It was not only our first house, but our first home. We spent our first week of marriage furiously organizing and moving the rest of Joey's stuff in. When darkness would fall, we would take our kitchen chairs out to the back deck (since we didn't own patio furniture!) and gaze at the stars and talk about the future. Just over a year ago we brought teeny tiny Kate into this house and now it IS her home. We've had more fun in this home than allowed by law (really, the cops were called to our Halloween party :) We've been lucky enough to entertain many good friends and family here. The backyard has hosted countless croquet games. We've shared a lot of laughs around the fire pit. We just hope that whoever buys our house enjoys it to its fullest, as we have, shares lots of good laughs, does a little grilling on the deck and makes it their HOME.

So, onward to our next nest that we can make into our humble home. On any given night as I am falling asleep I think about our new house and how exciting it will be to be in the process of building and decorating. But,writing this post has made me remember that we've been lucky enough to have these 4 walls around us that have provided much more than shelter, but a home for our family :)

If you feel so inclined, leave a comment below with your favorite memories of our house.