My Blogger Mistake!

I am the first to admit that Brandon and I are the worst at remembering to capture moments of life through pictures. This posed a problem when I started a blog, I knew I was going to have to get better at remembering to take pictures. So far I would say I have done really well, I still struggle to take pictures of us, but over all I have really improved at capturing the daily happenings of our life.... Except for today.

About a year ago a bought this collared blouse/dress from Old Navy, that I have worn literally twice since I got it. The issue I have had with it is the length. It wasn't appropriate to ever wear as a dress (even over leggings or tights) but it was too long to wear as a shirt, but I loved the classic beige plaid print! I have been thinking about cutting it and giving it a bit more shape.

So this morning before work I just decided I would just go ahead and do it so I could wear it to work. So I grabbed a pair of scissors and my sewing tape and it was complete before I knew it. I think I was half asleep when I did it, which is probably why I FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES! When I got home from work tonight I took a few pictures of the finished project.

Here is my first DIY fashion project. I simply made sure the blouse was lined up as it was designed and folded it in half.

Before it was aproximately 5 inches longer and completely straight across at the bottom.... Blah, boring! I used scissors to create a bit of shape.  In order to create a finished look, as if it were sewn, I used my handy dandy sewing tape and I think most people would never even notice the difference!

Now I feel much more comfortable wearing it either tucked in with jeans or sinched in at the waist with a great belt! I might even make a fabric flower out of the left over fabric. If you want more ideas or inspiration for DIY fashion projects check out A Pair & A Spare; I'm pretty sure Geneva is brilliant!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Maci K

A Family Weekend and A Family Project

This last weekend my MIL (Mother In Law) came into town for a short visit. Brandon had to work a few hours during the first day Karen was here, so she and I spent some time enjoying our love for fall, Christmas movies, baking and blogs. We baked this delicious pumpkin bread that Karen had given me the recipe to and adorable fall loaf pan for my Bridal shower last year. I must admit my baking is not my strongest domestic skill but this was my third time making this bread and it was the best turn out by far! However, I did not have cooking spray for the detailed pan so our bread had a little difficulty releasing from the pan. It may not be perfect aesthetically but my goodness this warm pumpkin bread with a bit of butter just might be a taste of heaven.

(I'll have to re-post a picture of this bread next time I make it using a cooking spray.)

We also watched a new, (to me) Christmas movie, Christmas in Connecticut! If you appreciate old movies this one is a goodie! I absolutely adored the storyline and wardrobe! I can't wait to watch it again!

Once Brandon was off we brainstormed a project for the three of us to work on for our home. Something Brandon and I have wanted/needed for the past year is a headboard for our bed. Originally we wanted a fabric nailhead, headboard but for a bed that will ultimately be a guest bead it was a bit too much money, time and work for what we had in mind for this weekend. A trend we have noticed lately is using doors for a headboard. Initially I felt that this was too trendy and eclectic for our style but as the fabulous Rachel Zoe says, "The goal is to be on trend not trendy". I like to apply this moto not only to my own style but to the style of our home as well. So we finally found some inspiration and decided we would make sure to stay true to our traditional aspect of our style in this trend.

We found the most perfect traditional white paneled doors at Lowe's to paint a gorgeous dark gray. Our inspiration headboard was painted a dark gray/black and it was the first headboard I immediately was able to envision in our bedroom.

This project literally took us no time at all! It was seriously as easy as buying supplies and taking about 15 minutes each door to paint each door. We left them to sit over night but we could have waited 20 minutes due to the heat here in the Valley.

It took about 2 minutes to distress. We may do a bit more later on by making it a bit more finished with crown molding. But for now it makes our bedroom feel that much more complete. In the next few months I would like to get a white duvet cover and pillow shams to soften the look and allow the bed to look effortlessly styled.

What I learned from this project is don't be afraid of trends or projects. Life is short, enjoy!

Maci K

Wisdom Tooth Blues

A couple weeks back I had mentioned that I was dealing with pain caused from my wisdom teeth. Well dooms day finally came last Thursday.  I was told to take a few days off of work so I figured if I took Friday off and had the weekend to recover I should be good to go. You may laugh at me but I thought I would be able to go to Disneyland by Monday. I was terribly mistaken. It has been a ridiculous roller coaster.

I started my first day of recovery resting and not feeling too bad. By the end of that day Brandon and I were enjoying my recovery playing an archery game on Play Station Move!

Despite my swollen mouth I still had high hopes of making it to Disneyland possibly even sooner than Monday! LOL

I woke up on day two of my recovery to reality. However, this was one of Brandon's first Saturdays off in months. Luckily he wanted to watch football most of the day but usually on a day like this we would make a fun dinner together. But with my current Tooth Extraction Diet this was a bit of a dilemma. I was determined to make our weekend enjoyable so we found this Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe and had a perfectly relaxing evening.

By day three of my recovery I was getting antsy but was still feeling terrible, so I decided to work on a new low-key project. Since we moved into our new place I have been looking for a rug solution for our bathroom that is much larger than our old bathroom. While I had all of this time on my hands, I found on Pinterest a great idea to make my own rug. Once I am complete I will dedicate a full post to this DIY rug. Here are a few clues to what you can expect.

And of course, Jack loves to help!

All in all we tried to make the most of my days of recovery. I may have pushed myself to much, after a trip to the dentist due to excruciating pain and figuring out my pain management I am finally today feeling somewhat like myself. When you are down you truly can grasp the value of your normal life. 

That's it for now!

Maci K

Karleene's Krazy Easy Chili

So by now we all know I love food! But I'm pretty sure I love the stories connected to food or the background connected to a recipe over the actual food itself. These stories make the food more personal than simply nourishment or great flavor. 

This recipe comes from my Aunt Karleene, hence Karleene's Krazy Easy Chili. On my mom's side of the family, majority of her family lives in the general area of Sacramento, including extended family members. My Aunt Karleene is part of the extended family and I don't even know exactly what her formal title would be to me but she has always been a significant part in my life, so I have always called her Aunt Karleene. Not only is she my Aunt but over the years she has become a dear friend of mine. She is probably blushing because I'm talking about her so much but Karleene, this is part of the connection to this food for me. Aunt Karleene and Uncle Matt are moving to Texas soon, we are all so sad to see them go. In their honor I am excited to share with you Karleene's Krazy Easy Chili!

Ingredients:

3 small cans of beans (Kidney, pinto and black; combination of your preference)

2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can of tomato sauce
1/2 can of tomato paste

1 small can of green chiles
(The below are not included in the ingredient picture)

1 lb of ground turkey
1/4 or 1/2 cup of diced onions
1/4 cup of diced celery
1 jalapeno finely diced (de-veined for less heat. side note the pepper I used was not a jalapeno our grocery store was out of jalapenos)

chili powder to your liking (You want to taste that chili in every bite yet not be overwhelmed by it.)
A few dashes of cayenne pepper
A few dashes of red pepper flakes

Prep Work:

Now, since I have been working this recipe and prep work is ideal for my schedule! I did all of the prep work before I left for work in the morning (Also before I had finished my coffee). I must admit, I was a bit scattered and later in the day I paniced for about .2 seconds because I could remember if I turned off the burner from browning the meat. All in all it is Krazy easy, and who doesn't love chili?!

Begin by browning your turkey meat in a skillet and once it is almost fully browned add your onions. Let your onions sweat it out a bit and once the meat is completely browned add to your crock pot.

(All of these items in the picture I forgot to include in the ingredient picture... It was early.)

Next, simply open all canned items with your can opener and place in your crock pot. Add all seasonings to your liking and stir through.

Let it sit in your crock pot on low for 4-8 hours.

(Sorry for the poor picture quality! A nice camera is on our I Want List. )

Thanks Aunt Karleene for the delicious recipe, keep them coming! Hope you all enjoy this recipe along with your favorite fall traditions!

Maci K

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

Before I get too far into this post I must first mention, last Saturday was our First Wedding Anniversary! What an eventful year we have had. There have been many changes but with these changes came many opportunities to deepen our love for each other. I believe if we were given the same opportunity again we would make the same decisions because of the results we have seen in our marriage. I love you Brandon James, I'm excited for what's to come!

(Our bike ride down the PCH in Huntington Beach!)

Now that I made that little shout out, I was putting away some clothes in my closet today and decided I would love to share a few little organization tips. Ever since I can remember, I have loved having an organized closet. When my closet is well organized I find myself loving each piece of clothing and accessory that much more. One of the most difficult items in a closet to organize is your shoes. Most people I know do not know what to do with their shoes so they end up in a pile on the floor of the closet.

In my dream closet, I would have rows and rows of shelves that would allow all of my shoes to be displayed but currently I have a small closet in an apartment so I must make the most with what I am given.

Above, is an option that is a bit of an investment at first but trust me, it is so worth it! I have been storing my shoes in clear storage bins since I was in high school. I would eventually like to get a Polaroid camera to place pictures of each pair and place the picture outside of each bin. If your space allows it, I definitely suggest this option, it makes me so happy to walk into my closet and see all of my shoes organized.

Now for some you this will not work for your space but another great option are these shelves from Target. This allows your shoes to be be neatly placed side-by-side without ruining their shape. I'm proud of my hubby because this system works extremely well for him and his shoes are rarely found anywhere but these shelves.

 I have just one final tip for today! For those Fall and Winter boots that you've spent a decent amount of money on I hate to see their shape ruined by being thrown on the floor of your closet. Use your magazines that you have already read through at least 3 times (that's another conversation for another time) and place them in your boots and they will stand perfectly straight!

That's it for now! Have a great rest of the weekend!

Maci K