"These are a few of my favorite things..."

I want to share a few of my favorite things from my home with you. I have learned over the last few years, that if you see something you love, buy it!! Especially if there is only one. If you buy one or a few things at a time that you truly love, everything will come together. I am only 26 and obviously don't make a lot of money, but over the past few years that I have wanted to start making my home my own, (even though its really not mine and I still rent) little by little I have started quite a collection. If you make purchases this way, I find you will never get bored of these items. I think they will fit your personality and you will build your home around them. If you decorate your home all at once with one style, you will grow sick of it.  Most of the items in my home also tell a story. I like to buy handmade, local items, vs. cookie cutter mass produced items. 

Wooden paper towel holder from my Grandma's old kitchen

Pine white shelf given to me by mom

       Antique shutter with many layers of paint

Antique Shop

$6

Wooden painted flower box

Antique Shop

$10

White bench given to me by mom

Vase
Antique & Variety Mall

$12

Pine Armoire
Antique & Variety Mall

$99

Wire Basket
AppleJack's Orchard

$5

Mirror 
Wal-Mart

$24

Antique Pine Dresser
Three Birds Cottage

$120

Handmade Amish Basket 
Amish Road Stand

$15

Handwoven Accent Pillow
Dartbrook Rustic Goods

$29

Enamel Milk bucket from Holland
Owls Head Mountain Quilt Shop

$20

Italian Asolo Dinnerware
William-Sonoma 

Chritmas gift from mom and Joe for the past 2 years

(they are really pricey)

YUM ! Homemade Apple Poptarts

I have Loads of Apples on hand and my boyfriend, Joe, wanted something sweet. He asked if I could make homemade apple poptarts. I googled homemade poptarts and found this recipe. I'm glad I did because I found many other delicious recipes from the same blog. They taste much like a mini apple pie and are sooo delicious. I cant wait to switch the flavors up with strawberries, blueberries, brown sugar and cinnamon, peach, etc. I hope you try this one!!


Recipe (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)
For Pie Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp. cold water


For Filling
Jam (your choice)
Apple filling recipe below


For Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
milk to thin


*try using different flavors for the glaze such as, maple syrup, orange juice, or vanilla extract

 Sprinkles (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add shortening and butter and blend with a fork, pastry cutter, or your hands. Blend until mixture is fairly coarse. Add water, 1 tbsp. at a time, gently mixing dough after each addiction until dough forms a ball.
2. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a square/rectangle. To about 1/8 thickness. Cut out long strips about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Repeat until dough runs out.
3. Take one pie crust rectangle and lace 1 tsp. of jam on top. Cover with another piece of pie crust and crimp all four edges. Repeat with the rest of dough. Place Pop-tarts on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake for 7-8 minutes.
4. While pop-tarts are baking, make glaze. Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Pour milk slowing until it has a consistancy of really thick syrup. 1/2 a tbsp. to 1 tbsp. might be enough.
5. Once pop-tarts are done and cooled, top with glaze. Sprinkle and decorate with colorful sprinkle


Apple Filling
3 Apples
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (use whatever spices you would like, I just had this on hand)


Dice Apples and and mix all ingredients in a pan. Cook over low to medium heat until mixture become a think sauce (I had to blend mine in the magic bullet to make it smooth). Let mixture cool before filling the dough.

Lovely Rooms

Unknown

Country Living

Country Living

Coastal Living

Country Home

Country Home

Home & Garden

Katrin Cargill Interiors

My new favorite website!

Thanks to Decor8's Blog, I came across the online store Car-Moebel. They use the most beautiful color schemes and staging. Just one problem. I would love to make a few purchases, however, its a foreign store that doesn't use English on their web page and I have no idea what anything says. What is a girl to do? Well I figured I would at least post some of their photos for your viewing pleasure. Don't you want everything??

(All Images: Car-Moebel) 

How lucky am I ???

I am verrrrrrry lucky!! I have the best boyfriend in the world! He came home from work with an American Eagle shopping bag filled with a sweater that I have been drooling over for the past few weeks. It was expensive and I really wanted it, but had no money. So he surprised me. He nevers fails. I love him with all my heart!! Here it is....

AE Cable Knit Studded Sweater

Beautiful Bedrooms

I would take any of the following bedrooms to rest my eyes, curl up and read a book, or take an afternoon nap. (all bedrooms are from Country Living magazine)

A little bling

I was inspired by the converse sneakers from Free People to add a little bling to my own. Although mine aren't nearly as cool as theirs, they cost a lot less and they're still a somewhat cool. I may order some pyramid studs online and make another pair, but in a different color. Possibly yellow or red. I would like them to look something like this...

Free People Sneakers $168

Before...

Shoe #1

(sorry, you'll have to excuse the dirt)

What one do you like better?

After!

For this porject I used:

5/16" Jean Rivets (from Michaels)

Rivet Press

Nail to poke holes

Mini screwdriver to make holes bigger

Hammer

Directions:

Mark holes with marker where you want to place the jean rivets. Use the nail to poke holes in the marked spot. If you need the hole to be bigger use a small screwdriver to widen the hole. As for the rest, follow the directions on the back of the jean rivets.

You can do this on any article of clothing to add a little something.

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken with Tomatoes & Smoked Mozzarella

I want to share one of my favorite chicken recipes by Rachel Ray. She knew what she was doing when she created this. I made this for dinner tonight because I already had most of the ingredients on hand. It is also a good way to use up some of your fresh home grown herbs before winter hits. The combination of flavors is perfect. The sweet honey and onions, tart balsamic, fresh tomatoes, and smokey mozzarella are very pleasing to the palate. The spice of the fresh thyme and rosemary make this perfect for fall. It does not look nearly as good as it tastes (I'm a horrible photographer and forgot to make the asparagus I had, which would have made it complete), but I thought I would post a picture for you anyway.

*You can also use Smoked Gouda in place of the Smoked Mozzarella, but I prefer the Mozzarella. Just make sure it is Smoked. Regular Mozzarella or Gouda just won't do.

*Also at the end when it says to add remaining 2 T. of butter, I only used one just to be a little healthier. I don't think it took away from the taste at all.

*Link to recipe is below picture

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken with Tomatoes & Smoked Mozzarella

ENJOY!!!

Antique Coca-Cola Crates

Cookbook holder

Plant or other accessory display

I just purchased these wooden Coca-Cola crates the other day at the local antique shop. They are my new favorite accessory. I was deciding whether or not to purchase more, but when I drove by they were no longer on display outside. I suppose they may have just moved them, so I will most likely stop in again to check. The uses for these crates are endless. I have shown you two examples. Other options would be to use as wall shelves, kitchen towel holder, drink carrier, napkin and condiment carrier at a picnic, magazine bin, etc. With that said I think I'm going to get my shoes on and head down to the antique store. Have a lovely day!

Deep Thoughts

Please read first:

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2009/03/floyd-margaret.html

I was just reading this post by Serena from The Farm Chicks Blog and it made me think. It makes me realize how spoiled we are these days. Are we really living? To me living is getting out there and getting your hands dirty. How can you appreciate something if you don't know what goes into it or how it is done? I don't know...I think I would rather work hard, do what I can myself, and be truly thankful and not take things for granted. I would never in a million years want to trade my life for that of Paris Hilton or Victoria Beckham. They don't know what living is. I know that seems judgemental, but I would rather be poor with money and rich with love and ability to take care of myself. I am old fashioned and long for people to have morals and values again. I long for kids to run around, play outside, and fill the parks instead of playing video games and computer games all day. I long for self sufficiency versus convenience. I long for phone calls and communication over texts and emails ( I am guilty of this and need to work on it). I long for kids to be kids and not diagnosed with a disability for being hyper and acting like kids. I long for holidays to mean what they used to, like being with family, wanting to give, not having to give, and being thankful for what we have. I long for a pride in our country and faith in God. I long for respect for our elders. I long for people to earn their way on this earth. I long for helping a friend in need. I could go on forever, but ultimately I long for more Floyds and Margarets.