The making of the kiddos gallery wall

We live in a 1941 bungalow.  It's cozy living, and we love it.  Iris and Sam have had their own little table in our dining room for the last few years and as they get older, my Mom box full of special art pieces that are meaningful to me has grown and grown.

Whether it is the first actual recognizable image Iris has drawn or a picture they've made that has a story they've created around it, these are just memories I don't only want to not forget, but would like up to remind me daily of the unique qualities both my kiddos have.  Plus, I've been wanting to do to show the kids how proud we are of their self expression and beautiful  artwork.

{before}

{after}

So, here it is!  

At first, I was going to buy more expensive art frames but, I wasn't sure how long the art wall would remain and I wanted to get the most pieces up in the smallish space so, I bought 6 very inexpensive $3.99 frames from Target all in white and did it like most of my DIY projects... meaning, it was spontaneous, not methodical or well planned out.  Measuring perfectly is great. Really.  I have nothing against perfect spacing.  It's just not so me.  I'm more of a look and feel type of girl.  So, that's what I did and I actually like how the imperfect spacing worked out.

I decided to make it more of a vertical space since the dining room is small and knew I wanted a few pieces that were multi-dimensional.  Sam's cracker making machine (on the left made out of a shoe box and all kinds of found objects), Iris's horse paint by numbers canvas and horse shadow box were just the pieces I was looking for.  

Each of the drawings have a story behind why I love them so much, so I decided to take some orange construction paper I had on hand and wrote the significance and age they were when they created their little masterpieces and placed them in the frame.

So, check out Kristin at The Hunted Interior's tutorial here on how to hang a gallery or art wall.  There are lots of different styles.  I love her advice:  Think first, nail later.  

That doesn't mean I take that advice but, looking at her examples, it was fun and fitting that my style was haphazard.   I kind of love that.  It's funny how in my work life, I'm extremely organized, but in my personal, much more loosey goosey.  

It just feels more like our family to just go with it, whatever it may be and to do it with a little joy :)

My favorite summer salad: The Caprese!

At the beginning of every summer, I start getting an insatiable urge that can only be satisfied with huge plump home grown tomatoes and more specifically, the caprese salad!

I don't ordinarily eat very much dairy, but for the caprese salad, I make the exception and enjoy every bite of my mozarella.  I get the highest quality, softest mozarella I can find and then make the easiest, tastiest salad in the world.

I've really enjoyed my friend Kelly's tomatoes this year with a good handful of my own basil.

So, here you go.  My version of the easiest, tastiest salad ever:

a handful of spinach (I love bunch spinach)

tomatoes (home grown prefereably)

cucumbers

a big handful of yummy basil

big chunks of mozarella

Dressing:  olivie oil and vinegar

sprinkle with pepper

Wa-la my friends! 

Blueberry Kale Smoothie Yumminess!

Blueberry Kale Smoothie

I had kale that was looking a little less perky let's say, and I needed to get some vitamins to combat an evil virus that infiltrated our house last Monday and has lasted a full week taking my husband, Iris and Sam out of commission, or at least out of school and work.  So why not a kale smoothie?  And, five google seconds later, here is the WINNER!!!!

1 cup hemp milk
1 medium banana
6 strawberries
2 cups kale
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup ice
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Blend everything together until it looks creamy and delicious, a light purple flecked with green.
Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Serves 2  (or 1 if you're hungry!)

Kids LOVED it, hubby LOVED it and everybody wanted seconds!!!  I did not have hemp milk but, some extra flax seed provides the extra omega-3 and I used almond milk.  It was delish!  And a SUPER easy quick meal, great for a treat, a snack, or breakfast..

Thanks Fettle Vegan!  According to Amber:  The hemp milk provides omega-3 & 6 fatty acids and 4 grams of protein, the bananas and strawberries are chock full of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber, the blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, and the kale is a leafy green filled with vitamins A, C, & K. Plus kale contains tons of flavonoids, which makes it rich in antioxidants and a good anti-inflammatory for your body inside and out!

Making smoothies...

Delicious!

The PROOF!!!  They LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  Like really really love it.  This is BIG people.

Target (Tarjay) Chic: La Deuxième Partie

You might remember my post a few weeks ago featuring the great Target finds with direct links so you can just click and buy.  Instant great decor for your home at uber cheap, um thrifty, um tres chic prices :)  Voila!


If you missed it, here you go - click and buy happily knowing your husband won't give a damn --- these prices are so great, he'll thank you for the instant house lift.


If you want to look over all my picks unedited, you can check out my Pinterest board here.

La Deuxième Partie:  The bedroom

These lamp shades scream style and are only $17 in store - one a modern gold and white chevron and the other traditional with the oh so very popular trellis.  I think the trellis shade looks like it is covered in Dupioni silk.  And...Don Draper loves to get it on with the lighting of these shades.  I spotted them weeks again in the newly married. M. Draper de chamber on Mad Men ;)

You can't have lamps without bases, and Target's got lots to choose from.  The white ceramic lamp you can get here for $28.  There's a clear glass turquoise base that is beautiful you should check out here.  Mercury glass is a great new trend that seems retro but fresh.  You can get the mercury glass lamp here for $40.

And, here's my other favorite lamp shade and base ($50) for a cool tropical feel.  This would make any room make you feel like you are in Bora Bora.  Here is the base, the shade is available in stores.

This has to be my favorite Target find so far.  It is wood, not MDF and such a sleek, good looking side table PLUS adjustable to any height and ONLY $109!  Buy here but P-LEAZE don't buy them all.  I want to get one for my friend Kevin who's bachelor pad I'm giving a makeover...for the ladies :)

These are swoop chairs and I think they lend themselves perfectly to a bedroom corner accent chair as well as a living room chair.  What a fun pop of color these chairs would give any room.  They range from $169 to $199.  My favorite is the slate velvet with nail head trim (sigh).....black and white here, beige and cream ornament here, orange and brown bird here, slate velvet here, and lavender and brown floral here...shop away loves!

My heart fluttered a little as I passed these pretty feminine florals for $30 each.  The colors are subtle and gorgeous.  Here is the blue and here is the ivory floral.  

Both would look cute with the turquoise lamp above and woven headboard below, which comes in a lighter or darker (shown) color for only $172 for the queen.  What a fun room!

Or, they would look great on a bed with this pretty gold tufted headboard for only $299.  The headboard also comes in black, white, and brown.

Love love love the Toulouse velvet headboard for only $329.  I'm really gaga about the shape and it comes in seven different colors including a rich aubergine (purple) and pool (light blue) which are gorgeous!  Click here and it can be yours!  Hee hee...I'm gonna be in trouble with some hubbies.  And, don't freak but, see this gorgeous settee... That's right...

                                   

Wouldn't it be great at the end of the bed?  With crisp white bedding?  How great would it be in a large master to have that paired with the settee in front of a reclaimed coffee table and a fireplace.  Then, you'd have a romantic sitting area in your bedroom for you and your honey or friends to sit and chat by the fire.  LOVE it!  Here it is for $549 (it was just $467 last week!!)


In parting, there are some really, like REALLY great deals on DwellStudio clearance bedding.  They are all under $25 for comforter and pillow cover sets which is pretty insane. They are all super cute, so go check 'em out!  Just search under DwellStudio on Target's site. I'll post some of them on Lived In's FB page too.


Enjoy!!  And, don't think this is the end.... I think a troisième partie might be on the way ;)

Cuban Navy Bean Soup for you!

I promised to share when my I find a winner in my new vegetarian cooking quest.  So, here it is: 


I made soup!  There is an exclamation because it is the first time ever.  And, I've never had navy beans.  I soaked them last night in water (which I've learned you always do for about 8-10 hours with dry beans) and then poor Iris, my 5 year old, was sick today.  So, navy bean soup seemed perfect.  


I made the recipe as listed below but used only about 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.  I didn't have cabbage or saffron threads (What the heck is that anyway?  I had to google) and it still turned out great.  So, I'm sure it's even better with all of the ingredients.


My trick with any dry beans is adding kombu (seaweed which gives LOTS of nutrients and flavor and decreases the bean gas effect so they say) and at least 2 bay leaves.  You take both out before serving.


So, we all had it for dinner.  And, I think it's a vegan winner packed with lots of yummy nutrition.  ENJOY!

Cuban Navy Bean Soup Total time:  2 hr 15 min Prep time:  15 min 1 cup navy beans (soaked) 2 12 qts water 1 bay leaf 14 cup olive oil 2 cloves clove garlic (chopped) 1 onion (chopped) 2 cups tomatoes (chopped) 1 potato (diced) saffron threads salt pepper 12 tsp cumin 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 cup butternut squash (diced) 2 tbsps fresh parsley (chopped) 1 Drain beans, combine with water& bay leaf& simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 2 Add additional water if necessary. 3 In a skillet, heat olive oil& cook garlic& onions 6 minutes. 4 Add tomatoes& cook for 10 minutes. 5 When beans are tender, add tomato mixture, potato, saffron, salt, pepper, cumin, cabbage& squash& cook for another 30 minutes. 6 Add more water and stir as necessary. 7 Serve garnished with parsley.

Target (Tar-jay) Chic: La première Partie

So, I hopped on over to Decor Happy, and apparently just about everyone has been inspired by Lizzy's  stylish and high end look of this Target find, a button tufted ottoman which comes in black, sandstone, navy, and French Yellow linen fabric:

I thought, well heck, Tarjay has come a LONG way!  What else do they have that has great style for tight budgets?  


GREAT NEWS! I did the dirty work and spent a lot of time perusing their site to give you the goods with direct links so you can just click and have great instant additions to your home! AND, lots of these pieces are on sale too!


I was surprised most were not MDF but wood construction with cotton or linen fabrics.  There are so many great finds for the dollar that I'm dividing this into a two parter.  


This is La Première Partie:  ottomans, benches, and storage options.  ENJOY!

{Navy Button Tufted Ottoman $280 linen fabric- my favorite!}

{Kristine upholstered ottoman $255 cotton fabric}

{Safavieh Hampton Pillow top bench in beige $297}

{Button tufted bench in Sandstone $255}

{light grey Chevron storage bench or thick black and white Chevron $212}

{Safavieh Amelia Storage Ottoman in Charcoal or beige $152}

{small Ivory Tufted Storage Ottoman with nail head detail $67}

Go Bold or Go Home

I'm feeling a little tired of being so agreeable.  Ready to say what I want and what I need and see how the world shows up for it.  Seems bold to me.  It's not really.  It's just, well, sometimes we all need a dose of boldness once in awhile to keep us in check and true to ourselves.

{Celine from Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise}

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. (I feel a little lucky I once got to audition for Rick) 

I saw Before Sunrise when I was the same age as the characters in 1995 and Before Sunset 10 years later, at the exact ages of the characters. If you are a (gulp) 37 year old girl, THIS is your flick.  Celine is daring, uncompromising, and all soul.  

In fact, I MADE my childhood friend Yvette watch these movies back to back before she made a leap of faith and spent her last dime to travel to London and declare her love to the guy who meant everything to her. And, guess what?  She now is happily married with a baby girl and a 2 year old.  TOTALLY TRUE.

{Juliette Binoche}

As an acting student, I was in awe of Juliette. Nobody is able to access and give all with their emotions like she is.  You have to be unafraid of any judgement to do what Juliette does.

{Lauren Bacall}

As someone said, "Is there any other woman as direct and daring as Lauren?  Just look at her."  This is who I call up when I want to "go for it" with anything in life.


So it is with design and color...and sometimes, it is just time to find something you love and do it.  Do it regardless of whether it will be increase your resell value or be something that a lot of people or even any people like.  Do it if YOU like it.  


No lofty paragraphs needed for the images below.  I LOVE them all.  They are MY bold.

{image from Amber Interiors}

{Sofa from Rowe Furniture}

{Ruthie Sommers from Decor Pad}

{Image from Rex Kelly Midcentury}

{image from Bright Bazaar}

{Vintage Kantha Armchair from Ecochic}

{How to get this DIY reclaimed wall step by step here}

{image from Apartments I Like Blog}

 {chair redo from Wild Chairy, House of Fifty Magazine}

{from Dust Jacket Attic}

{Sofa from Tufted Sofa}

{image from the Glitter Guide}

Now, go for YOUR bold.