Holiday Decorating/Home

Pretty Fall Houses

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If I were to have one of those trendy late 80s early 90s bumper stickers on my car, mine would definitely say “I break for pretty houses” or at least that is what my children would tell you. After my blog post on painted doors, there were voices coming from the back seat asking me not to take any more pictures. However, now that it’s fall and Halloween decorations are out my girls have somehow had a change of heart. They have actually started pointing out houses they like and asking if we were going to stop so we could “please take a picture.” Oh my, I have started something and I am not sure what to say about my three and four year old having old having so many opinions about home decor on the way to preschool. I am beginning to see that this is one of those wacky things that they are going to remember about growing up with me as their mother, the design blogger. So I have been listening to my daughters and the McCauley girls have been out again taking photos of some of our favorites fall decorations.

This English style Tudor home is absolutely gorgeous. The large fairy tale like pumpkins and gourds are set against flower beds filled with yellow and rust mums and purple kale. The details like the window box and the planters with the native grasses and pansies are just amazing.

We pass this house on our way to school and I like how they incorporated the pumpkins with a little bit of Halloween fun. However, my favorite decoration is around the side of the house.

Look at this stone wall topped with little pie sized pumpkins. I just love the look of the bright orange against the crisp white siding.

Here is a modern home that has these beautiful planter boxes. I like the contrast of the yellow and purple against the grey front door and I like detail of the orange pumpkins in the planter boxes.

This house is one of my favorites. I love the look of the bundle of dried corn against the black door. It’s an easy arrangement that you could make using dried corn that I have even seen at my local grocery store. The rusty orange mums in the black pots pull this simple but stylish look together.

This beautiful green door makes a statement I love how the homeowners painted these planters to match. When you have a bold statement color like this kelly green I think it really pulls the look together when you have a pots or some other detail like a bench that repeats that color. I like the height of the corn stalks and the green kale with the orange pumpkins.

These homeowners have a sense of humor. I love the different posses that they have for their skeleton porch party.

Finally to end this post, here is another beautiful craftsman style home. The garden surrounding this house is lovely. The door is trimmed with a bittersweet wreath and look at that planter with the pumpkins. So many pretty houses all dressed for the season. How fun it has been to stop and enjoy the view.

Food

Sheet Pan Potato Salad

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We were invited to an Octoberfest party at a friend’s house and the hosts had everyone bring a German inspired side dish. I decided to sign up to bring German potato salad. I must confess I have made lots of different potato salads over the years, but I had never made German potato salad. So after some research and trying out a few recipes that had a little too much vinegar for my taste, I decided to create my own. Since German potato salad is meant to be served warm, I decided to make a change from all those recipes that called for boiled potatoes. Instead, I let my sheet pan and oven do all the hard work by roasting my potatoes. This saved me from having to cut lots of hot potatoes and the roasting adds its own flavor to the salad.

This party dish came out so well that I think it is going to become a regular dish in our house. I love the idea of serving a warm potato salad this time of year. I can see making this salad as a side with grilled chicken sandwiches or if you want to go with an Octoberfest theme then with some sausage or brats. You could even turn it into a main course by adding in a bag of baby spinach and then topping it off with some grilled chicken. The colors and flavors of this salad make it a great party dish, but by using a sheet pan it becomes an easy and delicious weeknight meal.

Sheet Pan Potato Salad- Serves 4 to 6

  • 1 (1.5 pound) bag of small red or yellow potatoes or a mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons of oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 ribs of celery finely diced
  • 1/2 red onion finely diced
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • 3 pieces of bacon cooked and crumbled

Apple Cider Mustard Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. First, I quartered my potatoes so they were a nice bite size. Next in a large mixing bowl whisk together your Dijon mustard, canola oil, salt and pepper. Then toss your potatoes in the bowl and make sure they are well coated in the mustard and oil. Then line your sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Then take your potatoes and place then cut side down on the pan. Then roast your potatoes for 40 minutes till they are golden.

Here you can see my potatoes in the oven I made a double batch since I was bringing this dish to share with a larger crowd.

Then while your potatoes are roasting finely dice you celery, red onion and green onions.

Then to make your dressing whisk together your Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper then drizzle in your oil while whisking it together. I used my mini food processor which made making the dressing easy.

Then when your potatoes are roasted and still warm mix them together with your chopped onions, celery and bacon and coat them with the apple cider mustard vinaigrette.

This roasted potato salad recipe is a game changer for me. I think its going to be hard to go back to regular potato salad after this. After all, what salad isn’t better with a little bacon and some roasted potatoes?

I am also happy to announce that some of my recipes are now featured on the Pioneer Woman’s site called Tasty Kitchen. It’s a great website with lots of recipes and Ree Drummond has cleverly got her site set up where you can easily print the recipe and even convert the ingredient measurements to the metric system if needed. I don’t have all of my recipes on her site but I have gone back and placed links on the recipes that are. So if you you have time check it out and if you have made one of my recipes and liked it then help me and head over to her site and give it a good oven mitt rating.

Arts and Crafts/Holiday Decorating/Tablescapes

Art With Kids: Fall Inspired Owls

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Its been rainy here in Chicago so I needed some art projects to keep my little ones busy, since we haven’t been able to get out to the park. As a kid I loved art projects, but some of my favorites were holiday themed. One year I made a whole set of white glitter snow flakes for my room at Christmas time. I still remember how much fun that was, so I decided the girls might like making some fall inspired owls. They turned out so cute that we used them to set the table. I think they would fun to use a place card holders or table decorations for Thanksgiving as well. My kids love to have a part in helping set the table  and this is something they can do and have ownership of.

The base of theses owls are toilet paper tubes. They make a great base for all kinds of art projects. I had some scrapbooking paper that I pulled out and some plastic goggly eyes. Since my girls are still working on their scissor skills I did most of the cutting but they had a great time picking out their paper and gluing them together. I like to use glue sticks for projects like this because they are easier for little hands to use and they don’t cause the paper to bubble up like some liquid glues can.

The first thing I did was cut the top of my tube to make a rounded head and ears.

Then I cut out all of the paper pieces using several different patterns of paper I had left over from other projects. I have an oval stencil set that I used to make some of the pieces and then I cut the other pieces out free form but I have traced my shapes out below so you could print the picture as a pattern or just use it as a guide. The wings have a little scalloped edge that I made with some scrapbooking scissors.

Here is a finished set of the cut outs I decided later to add some small triangle shaped feet which I hot glued to the base to keep them from falling off.

Here is a close up of the one my youngest daughter made. She loved the purple paper and I think it made a cute owl.

We added some tail feathers and the girls helped make fringe cuts to make it look like feathers.

Here is my little artist who really liked this project. She loves owls so this project was lots of fun for her.

Here is a set of of our owls together, so you can see that the bright colored paper and patterns give each owl its own personality. If you wanted you could paint the tube or wrap it in wrapping paper or craft paper. I think that extra step would be cute, but with little hands these cut outs were just the right size project. So if you are looking for something festive and fun to make with your little ones give these owls a try.

Food/Holiday Decorating

Halloween Chocolatines

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It was raining this past Friday and the girls and I were stuck in the house so we decided to do a little holiday baking. These chocolate cakes were a huge hit. Not only were they delicious, but they were also lots of fun to decorate. My girls helped me bake the cake and make the little fondant spiders, but older children could even help make the chocolate spider webs because the technique is fairly simple. Inspired by watching lots of The Great British Baking Show this summer I decided we should make miniature cakes. Who doesn’t love an entire mini cake to themselves? There something about getting a fun dessert like this that just makes you smile. These would be so great to take to a Halloween party or to share with friends. The chocolate ganache is easier to decorate with than regular frosting since you just spread a small amount on the top of the cake and if you are pressed for time you could even use a small plastic spider ring. So have some Halloween baking fun, because the only thing frightening about these little cakes is how fast your family and guests will gobble them up.

Chocolate Cake (The cake base is adapted from a recipe created by Rebecca Rather)

Makes one 9 x 13 inch sheet cake which when cut makes 6 individual chocolatines

  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Chocolate Ganache 

  • 5 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup of heavy cream

Spider Web and Fondant Spiders

  • 2 oz white chocolate
  • 1 small container of black fondant
  • Dragees or sprinkles for decorating your spider
  • 1 plastic pastry bag
  • Toothpicks

Preheat to oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cake pan by lining it in parchment paper and greasing and flouring the sides or spraying them with Baker’s Joy.

Then in a heavy saucepan combine the butter, water and canola oil and set over medium heat until the butter is just melted. Meanwhile in a large bowl of your mixer add together the sugar, cocoa and flour. Then pour the butter mixture into the sugar and flour mixture and beat until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time then mix in the buttermilk. Next add the baking soda, salt and vanilla all at once and mix one final time. Pour your cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

Once your cake has cooled remove it from the pan and then place your sheet cake on a flat smooth surface. I cut my individual cakes by using a wide mouthed glass. My glass had a three and a quarter inch diameter, but you could use a jar, glass or cookie cutter of a roughly similar size. I found it helped to lightly spray the inside of the glass and edges with butter flavored cooking spray. Once I pressed the glass down to cut out the cake I lifted the glass up and put my hand underneath it to catch the cake as it slid slowly out of the glass. I used the same technique to cut out all six of my small round cakes

Next in a small sauce pan over medium low heat heat your chopped semi sweet chocolate and your butter. Cutting the chocolate into smaller chunks helps it melt evenly. Meanwhile heat your cream in the microwave until it is warm. I microwaved mine for 40 seconds. Then keep an eye on your chocolate. Give it an occasional stir as it melts and as soon as it does pull your pan off of the heat and slowly pour in your warm cream while stirring your chocolate mixture. You want to stir until the chocolate and cream come together and you get a glossy looking mixture.

Then while the ganache is still warm spoon a small amount on each cake and spread it evenly using a separated spatula or a butter knife.

Then while your chocolate ganache is still warm heat 2oz of white chocolate in a microwavable bowl. I heated mine for 30 seconds and then stirred it and then heated it for another 20 seconds. You want the chocolate to melt but you want to make sure it does not burn. Then take a plastic pastry bag (they are easy to find at any craft store) and fill it with the melted white chocolate. The trick I like is to put my pastry bag inside a tall narrow glass and then fold the plastic edges of the pastry bag down. The glass will hold the pastry bag and make it easy for you to pour in your white chocolate.

Then cut a small hole at the very tip of your bag and then you are ready to pipe your spider webs. To make your web pipe a white chocolate spiral on each cake.

Then while it is still warm take a tooth pick and lightly drag it from the center out to form a web. I had a paper towel near by and I cleaned my tooth pick end off after each time.

Here is a close up so you can see the little lines from the tooth pick. These chocolate tops may look fancy but once you get going it is fairly easy to assemble.

Here you can see my cakes and the pastry bag with the white chocolate.

Next comes the fun part for my girls. Making things out of fondant is like playing with play-dough. First roll 6 little balls of black fondant, which you can buy pre colored and ready to go from your local craft store. Then roll out some long thin snake like pieces. To make your spider legs cut four even pieces of your rolled snakes using scissors or a knife. Then make a bow tie like middle by pinching your legs together so you had 8 legs with four on each side. Then put the little balls on top on each set of spider legs. I had some colored sprinkles we used to make stripes on our spiders and I used some white dragees to make eyes. If you are running short on time then get some small plastic spiders.

Here is a close up of of our spiders and of the finished cake. Once you are done decorating keep your cakes in the fridge until you are ready to share them.

So I have to tell you the rest of the story. After my family tried these cakes the leftovers became a highly coveted item. We had one cake left on Sunday that my husband thought he had claimed until we realized that my three year old had snuck in the fridge and made herself a secret snack. My husbands face was so sad looking when he realized the cake was all gone, so it looks like I will be baking another batch soon.

Want a printer friendly version of my recipe then click this link to Pioneer Woman’s site Tasty Kitchen where these Halloween Chocolatines are featured in a printable format.

 

Food

Pumpkin Spice Crumble Cake

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Now that it’s October I thought I would share something pumpkin inspired. Nothing says fall to me like pumpkin and sweet spices like cinnamon and ginger. So when I was thinking about what pumpkin inspired dish I would like to create, a coffee cake came to mind. There was a time where it felt like my husband and I were making lots of baked treats to share with our friends at various office breakfasts. One of my favorites to both eat and bake is a blueberry crumble so I thought it might be wonderful to have a pumpkin spice crumble. So I was busy this week baking and perfecting my new recipe and the great side benefit has been that my house has smelled amazing. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh spice cake baking in the oven. This cake has a good balance with the crunchy cinnamon streusel and the moist pumpkin spice cake. This recipe is definitely one of my new favorites. It’s easy to make and I know I will be sharing it with my friends and family this holiday season.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 stick of butter melted
  • 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get your 9 inch cake pan ready by cutting a parchment paper round for the bottom of your pan greasing and flouring the sides or by spraying them with Baker’s Joy. Then put your parchment paper on the bottom of your pan. The parchment paper will help ensure you cake comes out of the pan without an issue and you will be able to easily peel it off when your cake is cool.

Next, make your streusel because you want it to cool a bit before you crumble it on your cake. In a medium mixing bowl mix together your sugar, cinnamon and flour then pour in your melted butter and mix it well. Then if using nuts, add in your pecans. I like to place my streusel in the fridge while I make my cake batter. I find it makes a better crumble when the butter cools a little bit.

Then in the bowl of you mixer mix together your pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla. Then add in your eggs one at a time making sure they are incorporated. Then mix in your oil and finally add in your baking soda, salt and flour making sure that all the flour gets scraped off the sides and is mixed in.

Then pour your batter into your prepared pan.

Next crumble on your streusel topping and pop your cake into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

If you want to check to see if the cake is done then use a toothpick and stick it in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean your cake is baked. Allow your cake to cool and then carefully flip it out of the pan. This is were the parchment paper really helps.

If I am making this cake to share with others than I like to cut it into triangular wedges and pile them on a platter or in a basket lined with a pretty dish towel.

My recipe for Pumpkin Spice Crumble is now available in a printer friendly on Pioneer Woman’s Site Tasty Kitchen.

Home

Incorporating Family Photographs In Your Design

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“I’ve always believed our homes tell a story of who we are, they represent everything going on in our lives.”

Nate Berkus

There is something about old family photographs. They tend to draw you in and make you remember the people you love. I am definitely one to completely loose track of time going through an old album or stack of photos. However, I have found that there is something special about taking some of those photographs and actually displaying them. Usually adding pictures and accessories to a room is kind of an afterthought. It’s something you add to a shelf or table top, but when I wanted to give my bedroom an update I decided to make styling and adding some old family photos as a part of the design and I loved the difference it made.

The photo above is my master bedroom and the furniture is one of those martial compromises made years ago.  It’s a department store pine bedroom set my husband had before we were married. We always talk about replacing it but things happen. Its been eleven years and that never seems to be the item that makes the top of the budget list. So when we moved, I decided to restyle what I had with some old photos of Paris that belonged to my grandfather.

These photos show snapshots of Paris before the Second World War. They are special because they remind me of my grandfather and of my French heritage. I love the beautiful city scenes they feel like a passport to a different time and place.

Since the photos were black and white and I had other touches of silver in the room I decided to hang them in some frames with an antiqued pewter finish. I didn’t wanted the smaller photos to get lost on the large wall so I hung them in vertical pairs above each nightstand with a larger starburst mirror above the bed. Then to finish the vignette I added some paper whites in a pretty glass vase and to add something at a lower level I topped off a stack of favorite books with a small porcelain bird dish. I just love the sweet little bird and the green and white colors work well with the paper whites.

Across the room on the dresser you can see another vignette with some family photos and another starburst. I happen to love and collect starbursts so I decided to use a the shape of the mirror and clock to pull these two vignettes together. I decided to add a new abstract painting which relates to the modern clock and and still fits with the black and white photos.  These small details give the eye something to look at and it helps lighten up the weight of the pine furniture. I am continually amazed at the difference that styling can make when you are adding in personal touches like photographs and a small collections. So if you have a set of old photos you have thought about displaying here are a few tips on how to incorporate them in your home.

Styling Tips For Adding Personal Photographs To Your Home:

  • Establish the style of your photo(s) by choosing a picture frame(s) that you love and by using a frame(s) that relate to the colors in your room

  • Think about creating layers vary the sizes and of your frames and accessories. You want a mix of heights so if you have a small collection of frames add in a taller vase, a clock, a lamp or a plant.

  • Think about mixing other collections with your photographs. Mix in some small boxes, or travel mementos. It’s those personal touches that make a great vignette.

  • The locations and groupings matter almost as much as the items you use, so take everything off of a table or shelf that your are styling. Then take the time to find the right mix.

  • Sometimes you need to take a step back and edit your collection a bit. Does it feel too busy? You don’t have to display every meaningful photo in one room. Determine what your absolute favorites are and work around those things.

  • Finally, don’t underestimate the difference that styling can make. If you want a house you love on a small budget then start by curating the things that you already have.

Hopefully this series has inspired you to pull out some of you favorite photos and mementos and take a little time to display them in your home. It’s these small details that can make all the difference in how you feel about your house. Sometimes photographs and small accessories aren’t the first things we think about, but if you aren’t designing a whole new space then I like to start with styling what I have. So if you have a room like my master bedroom or a table or shelf you are just not thrilled with, then take an hour or two to arrange and add in some favorite accessories and photos. When you base your design on the things that matter to you it makes all the difference.

Want to see another great project with a vintage family photo at the heart of a design? Then check out this link to Designer Genevieve Gorder’s living room.  She incorporated  a wonderful photograph of the boat her Croatian grandmother took to arrive at Ellis Island. What a powerful image to share with others and a special story for her family. So find a vintage photo you love and make your history apart of your home.

Food

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

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Sometimes in cooking the preparation is less important than the shopping. The offerings at grocery stores keep getting better so why not take advantage of the wonderful ingredients you can find. One of those items that I love is gourmet pasta. Fresh pasta cooks in less than five minutes so why not shop your way to a simple and wonderful meal.

In Chicago there is a brand of refrigerated pasta made by Giovanni Rana and I really think this brand is a cut above the rest. I know I am not the only one because when I was in the checkout lane my friendly cashier saw the package and without even a comment from me she was raving about how much she liked it too. I should note that I have also found some other great locally sourced gourmet pasta at Whole Foods. This is one of those things where you tend to get what you pay for so go with the best you can find. So what should you do with this fresh pasta? I suggest that in the Italian style you keep it simple.

The first time I had butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter was at classic Houston restaurant called Pregos. It was truly love at first bite. The slightly sweet and earthy flavor of the squash was complimented by the nutty flavored brown butter with crispy walnuts and sage and the slightly salty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

It was so good that I still remember it and I thought I would recreate that dish at home. My husband has an aversion to all things containing squash, so I have also made this dish with cheese ravioli or cheese tortellini. I have also made it without the walnuts and it is still good so if you have an allergy the nuts are optional. So here is my five ingredient five minute main course.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter- Serves 4

  • 2 (10 oz) packages of fresh butternut squash ravioli or your favorite flavor
  • 6 tablespoons of salted butter
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup of freshly shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Get the good imported cheese.)
  • 1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)

First in a large pan get your water boiling and ready of your pasta. Then cook your pasta according to the package directions. Be careful not to overcook it because it can get mushy and loose its filling quickly. Then remove your pasta from the water with a large slotted spoon or a spider strainer.

Meanwhile in a large skillet melt your butter over medium heat and when it is melted and starting to bubble add in your walnuts and whole sage leaves. Continue to cook your butter turning your sage leaves over at least once until the butter turn a golden brown color.

Plate your ravioli and drizzle the sage brown butter on top. Then sprinkle on your Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. You can grate it with a microplane or shave off small pieces using a vegetable peeler.

There you have it a simple gourmet dish you can make in minutes and for a really fabulous restaurant style meal I like to serve mine with a seasonal side salad like my Apple Curry Walnut Salad.

Family/Home

Defining Details for a Memorable Photo Wall

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When putting together a gallery wall the first thing I like to do is to decide what photos I want to include. Are the all color photos or black and white or are they a mix? Are they formal portraits or are they more casual snapshots? When I am looking for frames and putting a project like this together I like to let my photographs help determine the style of my picture frames and scale of the project. Generally, if I have a mix of photographs then I like to keep my picture frames similar in color and style. It grounds the grouping and makes the photographs stand out. However, if you have all black and white photos or a similar style of color photos then I tend to look for something a little more interesting when I am shopping for frames.

This is my sister’s gallery wall where she has a mix of color photos. I love how she centered her grouping around a personalized papel picato banner she had at her rehearsal dinner. The paper cutout adds such a great personal touch. What a wonderful way to remember that special day and tie this group of photos together. The the color of the sign and varied photo sizes look great in these classic white frames. The white frames and simple matting keep the focus on the pictures and as an added bonus they even make the doorbell speaker fit with the group. These are the kind of details that give a gallery wall a polished look.

Next, when considering a gallery wall layout, I like to take some cues from the space where I plan to hang my photos. Is it a hallway, bedroom, family room or entry way? What is in that room is there a certain style or color I want to pickup on? What kind of feel do I want it to have? This Summer I worked on the gallery wall that I have in my family room. I knew I wanted to create a wall around our television so it wasn’t the only focal point on that wall. The whole wall was empty so I wanted to make the television feel like it related to the gallery wall. Our TV is black and I had a real mix of photographs that I wanted to be able to change out as our girls grow, so I decided to go with some simple black frames. This way I could easily add and change my look over time. I found my black frames at Hobby Lobby, but when I lived in Texas I loved Aaron Brothers, an art supply and framing store that has a wide variety of styles.

Once I had a general idea of what I wanted to do I began looking for some decorative accessories to give my grouping some more depth and a personal touch. I wanted to hang something above the frames to add some height and to pull the group of frames together. I found a great custom sign company on Etsy called the Lizton Sign Company. I looked through their different styles and I found a font and size that I liked. I have no affiliation with this company. I was just impressed with the quality of their work and how quickly my custom order shipped. I also added in a custom calligraphy canvas with a number four from Lindsay Letters. Then came the fun part laying out the design.

I measured my television stand and it was about the size of my coffee table so I used my table as a guide for the layout of the frames. I decided to mix up the sizes of my frames to accommodate the different pictures I wanted to use. Once I had the layout decided I measured my group and I got some painters tape so I could mark my wall and prepare to hang my photos. I know some people make paper templates but since I don’t have wallpaper or an unforgiving wall covering I like to make my markings on painters tape and just place my nails based on those markings.

I hung my sign first since I centered all of the other frames on it. I like to put a long piece of painters tape up that is the length of my grouping. Then I get a yardstick and a level and I drawn a level line with a pencil on my painters tape. Then I measure and mark my other frame centers and on that level line. The tape helps me mark everything without writing on my wall.

Here you can see the second row as I was hanging it. The trickiest part was centering the smaller square frames so I waited to add them till the end. I tend to measure and hang my outside pictures first and then move to the center.

Here is the finished grouping. After I had it all hung, I decided to add in a painted heart that my youngest daughter made because its larger scale fit better on this wall. In the end, it was those little extra details like our family sign, the painted heart and the graphic number four canvas that really pulled this gallery wall together and gave it a finished look.

Sources to Style Your Own Gallery Wall

Inspired to create your own gallery wall or add some decorative details and interest to your family photos? I had so much fun putting together our wall that I thought I would share some sources and inspiration for finding your own gallery wall style.

Classic Black and White

Want a classic black and white gallery wall then check out some of the sources I used. I love my custom sign, but you can design your own. The Lizton company has a wide variety of styles, sizes and colors to chose from. Another source with great customizable calligraphy prints is Lindsay Letters. She is a talented artist who has a wide variety of canvases and art prints. Want more black and white photo wall inspiration check out this beautiful wall by Joanna Gaines on her Instagram.

Links to My Sources:

Pottery Barn Gallery Fames

Lizton Sign Company

Lindsay Letters Customizable Canvas

Vintage Craftsman

Erin Napier of HomeTown on HGTV has a beautiful craftsman home and in her entryway she has one of my favorite family photo walls. You can see this wall and a tour of her home at Hooked on Houses. It is definitely worth a click to check it out. What I loved about her wall is how she used candid black and white photos of her family. She also incorporated the pictures into her entry way by hanging a coat rack below them. Want a vintage craftsman look then try incorporating the style with a mix of warm rustic wood frames, a vintage travel sign or a wooden peg rail.

Links to My Sources:

Pottery Barn Rustic Wood Frame

Lizton Sign Company Lake House Sign 

Craftsman Coat Hook from Land of Nod

French Antique Pewter

Looking for something a little more elegant then check out these pewter frames from Restoration Hardware. I think a set of black and white photos would look lovely in a grouping with this French antique pediment hung above them. However if you want a slightly less formal look then you could hang two vertical pairs of frames on either side of a french styled boxwood wreath or a round mirror. The symmetry and classic lines would definitely give you a polished look.

Pewter Frames from Restoration Hardware

Antique FrenchPediment From Etsy

French Boxwood Wreath From Sur La Table

Modern Metal or Canvas

Finally, if you want a more modern feel then hang your prints in a tight graphic pattern using a simple metal frames or consider having your favorite pictures printed on canvas. Shutterfly and Snapfish and other companies offer lots of size options and ways to customize your canvas. If you wanted to make it a more casual mix then you could add in a canvas prints like these from Lindsay Letters.

Shutterfly Canvas Prints of Your Photos

Lindsay Letters Thankful Canvas

Lindsay Letters Love In All Things Canvas

It’s the artistic details that can take a collection of photos and turn them into something that really makes a statement in your home. So start with pulling together those photo you love and then think about how you want to style them. There are so many options out there when it comes to picture frames so find some that truly reflects what you love. If you have a mix of photos you can go with a more daring frame just use the same style for all of your frames. Then spend some time finding the right arrangement. Don’t be afraid to layout lots different designs out on your floor till you get the right mix. Think about adding other mementos like a wedding decoration, a souvenir from a trip or a child’s drawing. These are the personal details that will have you smiling every time you look at your wall.

Finally, consider adding in some decorative details that can pull a group of frames together. Designer Nate Berkus is an expert at this I love a grouping of frames that he did for a family loved the beach. He topped the arrangement  with a single starfish. That small detail really made that wall. Here is a link to Barri Leiner Grant’s house so you can see it and I can avoid any copyright issues. So add a starfish, an antique pediment, a sign, a framed sports pennant or your own decorative piece to pull a group of frames together. It’s those small details that will make your collection something memorable.

Uncategorized

And The Winner Is…

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 2 Comments

Comment Number 5: Shayla

To keep it as fair as I could I had my husband help me draw the lucky winner. Thank you to everyone who left a comment and to each of you who stop by to read my posts and recipes each week. Sometimes I can get so caught up in the creating and writing each week, that it is helpful to have some feedback beyond numbers so thanks again for your comments. There is a huge learning curve when it comes to blogging and I feel like I have come a long way since my first post, but I definitely want my work to continually become better. I am looking forward to the holiday season and sharing more cooking and holiday decorating ideas with you. As always if you have an idea or question leave me a comment I love hearing from you.

Baking/Food

Bourbon Carmel Banana Pudding

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 1 Comment

Going out to eat for our family can sometimes be quite an adventure. Last Saturday as we were trying to leave a restaurant our girls suddenly decided that it might be fun to turn our outing into a track meet. We were racing to catch up with our our girls as they made a fast paced loop darting between the tables. Dining with preschoolers is always unpredictable. My girls attention span for the dinner table is still a bit limited. So usually if we are dining out as a family we don’t even consider desert, but a couple of weeks ago we were having a good night at one of our favorite places, Fuller House. The table next to us had ordered the mason jar banana pudding and my husband loves banana pudding so we decided to get a dessert to share. Banana pudding can sometimes be a bit bland, but this pudding was wonderful. It had hints of bourbon and bits of carmel swirled in, which made it a more a delicious version of this classic dish. So good that it has forever changed how I will make banana pudding. So for the last two weeks I have been working on creating my own easy to make version. My husband the banana pudding expert helped me test and perfect this, so now it’s one to share.

Bourbon Carmel Banana Pudding- Serves 6

  • 2 (3.4 oz) boxes of instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 3 cups whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 box of Nilla Wafers
  • 3 bananas sliced into thin rounds
  • 1/3 cup bourbon (optional)
  • 3/4 cup carmel sauce

First in a medium sized mixing bowl mix together your instant pudding mix and 3 cups of milk using a whisk to make sure it is all well mixed. Then let you pudding sit a minute and it will firm up. Next in a separate bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer pour in three cups of whip cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar. Whip the cream on high speed until it forms firm or stiff peaks. In my stand mixer it took about 2 minutes.

Then whisk in 1/3 cup of sour cream in your pudding. Next take 1 cup of your sweetened whipped cream and fold it into your pudding mixture. Folding means you want to gently incorporate your light whipped cream into the heavier pudding. It is easier to do this using a rubber spatula or large spoon. Take the spoon or spatula and carefully run it down the far side of your bowl and then flip some of the pudding on top of your whipping cream so it slowly gets incorporated. Turn your bowl slightly and keep mixing your pudding this way until the whipped cream is fully incorporated.

Now it’s time to assemble your desserts. I used six wide mouth (13oz) jelly jars. I have some Bonne Maman jelly jars that I have saved because I like to use them for desserts like this. I happen to think they are a great size, but any smaller wide mouth mason jar or glass will work.

First I put down a layer of four Nilla wafers and then I took a teaspoon of bourbon and I sprinkled that over the Nilla wafers. Next, I lined the sides of the glass with banana slices  so you could see them through the glass and I put a couple of slices in the middle.

Then I spooned in a layer of the vanilla pudding and then I put on a layer of the whipped cream. Then on top of the whipped cream I put a tablespoon of carmel sauce.

Then on top of that I made a final layer of Nilla wafers, a sprinkle of bourbon and then vanilla pudding.

As you can see above I put banana slices on the sides of half of mine and Nilla wafers on the other half. If you wanted to make some without the bourbon you could use this as a way to easily tell them apart.

Then for the final decorative touch I used a large star tip to pipe on some whipping cream. Then in another pastry bag I put some of the carmel and I cut a small opening so I could evenly drizzle the carmel on top, but you could just spoon the whipped cream on and then use the tip of a large ziplock bag to make a pastry bag for the carmel. Then I put in two Nilla wafers to top and there you have it. If you are making them ahead of time refrigerate your puddings until you are ready to serve them.

These are easy to make since the base is made with instant vanilla pudding. However the layered individual glasses and the bourbon and carmel sauce take this banana pudding to a whole new level. They are definitely a fun and delicious dessert to share with family and friends.

Just a reminder that today is your last chance to enter the Painted Pumpkin Giveaway leave me a comment about what you like or want to see more of on the blog. I will announce the winner next week.

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