Living Room Makeover

I know I promised this forever ago. The makeover of our living room has been complete for awhile now but I've been busy and then the computer crashed and I couldn't upload pics. Excuses, excuses. I also cannot find the before pictures I took anywhere. I'm sorry you won't get to see the real transformation. I fail. Anyway, here it is!

This is the view from the kitchen. What I changed here was the artwork (details on that below), and the candles in the sconces. I also re-covered my throw pillows. Remember that? And I switched out the centerpiece. Sadie not included.

Here's a close up of the artwork. I painted a 20"x24" canvas with burnt orange paint. The saying is from World War II England and I love it. They are vinyl letters I bought from lostcabin on Etsy. They were a steal at $9.00! This picture is kind of crooked. Oops!

What's new here are the curtains! We didn't have anything before and while the blinds are still crappy, we're renting and I'm not buying new ones. Anyway, I think the curtains soften the area because they're just a sheer white cotton. I wish I had a before shot to show you. BIG difference.

Instead of a rod, I hung the curtains on little hooks. I think this is super clever. I can't take credit for that idea though. My sister sent an example photo of it to me from somewhere and I went with it. The hooks kind of blew my budget but I went as cheap as possible. More on that later!

Coffee Table Decor -- I already had all of this stuff so that line item in my budget read "free."

For the past year, we've had our engagement picture above the mantle. One day I realized that pretty much every picture we have framed is of us. We're really not narcissistic. Honest. Anyway, I thought this fall grouping came out nicely. I put the glitter leaves in the wreath. The Pumpkin egg I got in a cute little store in a nearby town. On the back it says "Happy Jack."
He sure is! I had the candlesticks and clock.
The bottles I got at Christmas Tree Shops for next to nothing. Holla!

Oh yeah! Those white pumpkins are Baby Boos and I am officially obsessed with them. I will be sad to see them go come December. I think they are so cute.

Happy Jack!

So there you have it, friends! Remember my $50 self-imposed budget? Here's how it all breaks down:

Artwork, self made $18
Curtains, IKEA $10
Candles, IKEA $4
Pillow Covers, self made $6
Hooks for curtains, Drug Mart (seriously) $14
Wreath, Hobby Lobby $8
Bottles, Christmas Tree Shops $2

Total:$62.00

Yes, I went over budget by $12. However, when I set my limit, I did not intend on doing curtains. If you have curtains, you know how expensive they are, especially including hardware. So, I think I did really well all things considered. And really, if I find those 'before' shots, I'll post them! I think the biggest money saver was my pillow covers. Since I made them myself out of a yard of fabric (with coupon!), I saved a ton. Throw pillows are pretty expensive, or they can be. Mine were still in good shape, they just need a facelift. Have I inspired you to do a makeover? You can do it on the cheap and still have it look great! I promise.

Bow-Wow-Ween

This past Saturday, we put Sadie in her homemade by me costume and headed up to our outdoor shopping center for a dog costume contest. The rain didn't keep us away, but it did keep most of the other dogs away which was a shame. We also got there with only about 10 minutes left in the whole thing. Drat. Anyway, here are some shots I got of other doggies in disguise. Sadie's costume pics are forthcoming...a little closer to Halloween.

Honest Abe Lincoln! This was one of my favorites.

I'm a sucker for a bully. There were more there but this was the only one I caught straight on.

This one is a little harder to see. Right in the center is a pug with the best spider costume. 8 legs and all! His owner was the web. I think they won best Owner Doggie Duo.
If not, they should have!

And here's little Miss Sadie to whet your appetite for her costume pics. Her new thing is hanging off the end of the chaise to check out a different point of view. I'm boycotting her haircut. She's so flipping cute with long hair. Even if she can't see.

Caliente!

I tried three new recipes on Sunday. 2 out of 3 turned out way spicier than I like. Next time, I shall cut the seasoning amounts in half and maybe I won't get heartburn, or crazy dreams.

One was this recipe for Flautas de Pollo. Flautas are my favorite Mexican food. They're hard to come by in these parts but in less than a month, I'll be in flautas heaven. These were super easy to make and were very tasty. I left out the jalapeno and they still had quite a kick. Just a word of warning if you don't groove on the spicy stuff.

I also made a Tomato Tortilla soup. This was WAY spicier than I thought 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes would garner. It was from Everyday with Rachel Ray and I ripped it out a couple years ago but only made it just now. It's super easy so you can make it too, if you can stand the heat!

I saved the best, and not at all spicy, for last. It was a low fat Pumpkin Bread from Hungry Girl. I couldn't convince John that the cranberries would be good in it so I left them out. This bread is dense, yo, but SOOOOO yummy. It was especially good with my homemade apple butter on it. I love Hungry Girl. I'm asking for her new cookbook for Christmas. Make this if you're in a sweet mood. I didn't have Splenda and ended up substituting 1/3 c. of regular sugar for the 1/2 c. Splenda the recipe called for. I thought that was fair because I think Splenda is sweeter than regular sugar.

See? I was a cooking fool. I feel like Sunday afternoons are perfect for cooking and it keeps me out of the mall. Since the holidays are upon us, I should be saving my pennies for gifts.....and for our vacation which commences in less than 30 days!

Life Imitating Art Imitating Life

On Sunday mornings, when we should be in church, John makes Belgian waffles. He's the breakfast lover around here but I'm warming to most breakfast dishes. I now like waffles, pancakes, eggs, most sweet things, etc. I do not like french toast. I just can't get into it. Anyway, after waffles, we get coffee and go to Target and grocery shopping at Meijer. Today at Target, we had a humorous encounter with a cashier. If you've seen the SNL skit at Target ("Approved!") you may already know where I'm headed with this, although our cashier didn't take it quite that far.

Cashier: Oh, this sweet 'n spicy tuna is the best kind!

(She tells us this every week. No joke. It is the best but, come on lady, we see you every Sunday.)

Ashley: Yes, it is.

Cashier: Look at this cute wrapping paper. Is this already in the Dollar Spot?

(It was Christmas wrap, the short rolls.) John, biting his lip to stifle a burst of laughter, has to look away at this point. He told me later he was expecting the lady to run over to the Dollar Spot much like Kristen Wiig does in the skit.

Ashley: Yes, it is.

Cashier: I just love these rolls because there's no waste. They're the perfect size.

Ashley: I know. We got 4 of them!

This encounter won't be very funny for you unless you've seen the skit. I found one of them on You Tube here, if you're so inclined. The quality isn't great but you'll get the idea.

......in other news........

Unfortunately, since our computer has been slowly working its way back from the great beyond, not all areas and applications are working properly. The main one I'm concerned with is the ability to upload pictures. I have much to report including my living room makeover, Sadie's costume for this year and Saturday's washed out Bow-Wow-Ween. There's some good stuff there that I know you can't wait to see. But.... you will have to. My apologies.

Born Round

Despite the fact that I haven't been to NYC since 2006, I still read the NY Times everyday and am always interested in Frank Bruni's restaurant reviews as head food critic for the NYT. When I heard he had a book coming out, I put myself on the hold list straight away. Born Round: The Secret Life of a Full Time Eater by Frank Bruni was released just weeks ago. As someone who finds weight a constant struggle (don't we all?) I was interested to see how someone whose career revolves around food tackles this hurdle. Bruni deftly describes his weight issues as they began when he was a toddler and continued through his adult life. He goes into detail about his family and the role the Italian mentality regarding food played in his weight and the extremes he took some diets to. Eventually, he was hired as food critic for the NY Times, after he had gotten his weight under control. He shares the ups and downs of life and the scale in this relatable memoir. Bruni has a quick sense of humor that is always appreciated by me. As a reader, I am often looking for a literary laugh.

I really liked Born Round. I think it's one of my favorite memoirs from this year. It was particularly well written and as I said, relatable. If you've ever struggled with weight and wondered why, Bruni's journey will help you realize that everyone fights the same battles and what matters is how you approach them. Pick this one up if you come across it. Thumbs up!

Challenge met!

At the beginning of the year, I tasked myself with reading 35 books in 2009. Well, 35 came and went and I didn't even know it! I'm currently on book #38. Can you believe it? Man, do I love reading. Anyway, in light of this revelation, I've thrown down a new challenge for myself. Dare I say......I'm shooting for 50 books by the end of the year. That was my original goal before I amended it to 35 not wanting to set myself up for failure. But, with a little over 2 months left, and a week long vacation at Thanksgiving, I'm confident I can make it. Sure, I may have to pick a few fast fluff books but, hey, those still count.

How have you done on your reading this year?

Supreme Courtship

Guys, my computer went nuts for a week! We thought we were going to have to replace it completely and since my recent car repairs were $900, I wasn’t too keen on another large expense such as a computer. But, my non-tech savvy man figured it out, I think. Regardless, I can now blog for you! Exciting, yes?

Last week, or the week before, I finished Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley. I have read a number of his other works and this is the most recent, though I think it was published in 2008. When President Vanderdamp’s first two nominees to the Supreme Court are turned down by the search committee, he throws them for a loop by nominating Pepper Cartwright, a popular TV judge on the series Courtroom Six. By the miracle of literature, she is approved and causes quite a fuss as she begins to hear cases and raises eyebrows among the other eight warring judges. In the midst of it all, the President decides he must wage a campaign for re-election. A romping tale of wacky divorces, unexpected romances, and general mudslinging ensues in this politically charged comedy.

Supreme Courtship moves along at a pretty good clip and had its moments to chuckle at but it’s not nearly as good as some of Buckley’s other pieces. I enjoyed Thank You for Smoking, No Way to Treat a First Lady and The White House Mess far better than this one. If you’ve not read any Buckley, and even if you have no interest in political humor, I think you might enjoy one of the three I rattled off. Just don’t start with Supreme Courtship. It was really nothing to write home about.

I didn’t get to post about my in-law invasion and now it’s come and gone! Lots happens in a week, apparently, when you don’t post even though you think your life quite dull. John’s parents have never visited us and this past week, they made the 3 ½ hour drive to do so. We had a great time! I won’t list all of the details but they wore us out. We have had a string of weekends in which we don’t really feel we’ve accomplished much at all but have no room to relax. Let me also say, November is shaping up to be extremely busy. How is October half over already? How come I had to scrape ice off my windshield yesterday? Cut a girl some slack!