Happy Weekend!

I want to go to there.

Image via Lonny.

Feeling Crafty

If I told you I was going to try to make something like this headboard would that be totally crazy??

Tutorials all over the internet--like here, here and here.

Stay tuned.

Apartment Therapy - Inspiration!

I came across this tour on Apartment Therapy yesterday, and I have been thinking about it ever since. The apartment belongs to Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere. I love these images.  AT House Tours are great, because they show actual homes that people live in, rather than spiffed up show houses (not that I don't love me a show house).  These images are just warmer, homier and more lived in.  And, if you've ever been to my place, you'll notice this gal and I have a little bit in common as far as taste...her Hunter Wellingtons, her Ork Poster, her globes, her brass pig, she's even working an orange-ish scheme in her dining room...a gal after my own heart.  No wonder I like these so much! Enjoy these images and Happy Friday!!

Not loving the pendant, AT ALL, but the rest of the dining room is lovely!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with snuggles, hugs and kisses, chocolate, wine, and flowers.  To Mr. J, I saw on a Hallmark commercial that Valentine's Day is not about saying "I love you" (because you know I do)...it's about saying "I love US" (and I do).  There's no one else like you, and I love you, our little family, and the little home we've created together. So, Happy Valentine's Day!  Smooch!

Sarah's House

I think I figured it out...I'm obsessed with Sarah's House.  I love watching.  At first, I was like, man this crazy Canadian lady is so high maintenance, can never stay on budget, she's totally OCD, and oh. my. gosh....her rooms are beautiful.  Behold...her orange dining room, which, you may notice, inspired my choices for my own dining room. This lady's got a way with fabrics.  I wish, I wish I could post more photos of the room in all its glory for you, but I can't pull them off the site. Promise you'll go check it out here.

Orange Color Pallete

I'm hatching plans to do some quick and easy work in our dining room, and I've come across a fabric dilemma!  I'm absolutely married to the orange chevron in the top left corner, and am planning to make six chair cushions out of it. 

Here's the question...I have a bench in the dining room that sits under a window, and I'd like to make a cushion for it as well.  Do I go with (clockwise from top) the aqua-orange fabric to complement/contrast with the chevron? Or the more tone on tone complement of the orange/brown/yellow floral? Or do I stick with the same color and just switch up the print, with the orange and cream floral. 

Heeelp!  I'm leaning toward the aqua-orange print that sits right next to the chevron (top right).  Thoughts??

Do you remember?

The first time...you saw snow??  This is L. Belle, and this is her first time seeing snow. 

Magic, huh? Happy New Year, here's to a year full of fun, happiness, and all the firsts you can handle.

Christmas Cookies

Mr. J and I undertook a time-honored tradition the night before last.  We made Christmas cookies!  And behold, the beauty of our work:

Truly, I am in awe of our skills:

Here are all the goodies:

Ok, seriously, they might not be THAT beautiful (oops), but they taste PERFECTLY delicious.  It took us quite a bit of time to figure out how to actually roll out the dough, cut out the cookies, get them OFF the counter and onto the cookie sheet without the whole thing turning into a nasty mess.  I am truly proud of us!! 

The key is to keep the dough cold, cold, cold.  Flour the heck out of your work surface and the rolling pin and work quickly.  We rolled out the dough straight on our countertops--that seemed to work best.  We first tried a Silpat nonstick (HA!) mat and it was a disaster, FYI.  The other tip we learned was that you have to cut the cookie, pick it up and put it on the sheet right away.  If you cut a bunch of cookies out and try to remove the cookies when you're finished--DISASTER!  I think the dough warms up too much or something--the result is messy, sticky cookies on the countertop.  Ugh. 

Anyway, without further ado, the recipe:

Sugar Cookies

Cream together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Add 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 teaspoons baking powder.

Wrap and chill for AT LEAST 2 hours.

Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes

Frosting

Mix powdered sugar, milk and a small dab of butter together to desired consistency, add food coloring!

Happy Decorating!

Smells Delicious

The smell of the Christmas season is one of the most delicious. It's a combination of Christmas trees, hot chocolate, vanilla, gingerbread, cookies, frosting, candy canes, oranges, spices....yum. A quick and easy way to bring this scent into your home is to throw a few spices into a pot, add some water and simmer away on the stove.

My recipe of choice for this simmering spice blend:

A few pieces of orange rind
A few pieces of lemon rind
3-4 cinnamon sticks
2-3 bay leaves
A handful of cloves
A dash of vanilla

Add a few cups of water to the mix and you're on your way.  Remember to watch the pot--the water evaporates off very quickly. And don't worry if you don't have all of the ingredients in your cupboard--just get as close as possible, and it will smell delicious!

'Tis the season!

Merry Christmas

So it will be no surprise to you all that I have been pretty lax about the old blog lately.  It will also not surprise you that one of my New Year's resolutions will be to bring back the blog.  Maybe a few changes will be in store.  Ever since we've moved, lots of things have changed at Casa J, so I want to be sure that my blog reflects my new priorities.  Two students (that's right...I'm one now, too! Told ya things have changed) = no funds for home decor.  Sad face.  But, not to despair.  Outside of my focus on interior design, I also want to focus on what makes a home a home...the people in it, the things we love to do, and, of course.... the food.  Yum.  So, that being said, have a very Merry Christmas, and stay tuned for more from me in 2011!