Ready for Fall !!!

 Since July I have been not so patiently watching the calendar .   Checking off the days and planning for Fall. I usually have Fall fever but this year has been the worst ever. We have had a very hot and very sunny summer maybe too hot ! I love summer don't get me wrong but for me Fall is my favorite season.  The crisp smell in the air, leaves crunching under your feet, and most importantly PUMPKIN recipes !    So here is the plan I created : no matter what I was going to decorate our house September 1st for Fall and I did. September 2nd I made the first pumpkin pies of the season !

 I am also starting to learn that you can create a nice style with little to no money . It IS possible. Let me give you a rundown on how I created the looks I did. Mirror thrifted 2 years ago it was $3 I spray painted  it . Candle stick holders and candles are from the Dollar Tree as well as the place mat , pumpkins and leaves . The glass cover is a cheese tray  I thrifted last year for a $1.00 I spray painted the base . Runner I made last year with some fabric I had on hand . Baskets 1 one given to me by a family member and the other one was $2 at a local discount store a few years ago. The little metal basket came for a Christmas gift I was given a few years ago it had bath products in it.

 This is my favorite Fall decoration. I took a cake plate given to me by a family member place the white floral thing around it ( also given to me by a family member ) and added leaves and pumpkins from The Dollar Tree . Placed my favorite Yankee candle in the center ( Cider Web) And called it done !

So there you have it a Pottery Barn inspired Fall on a Dollar Tree budget ! r

Our Little Lady

Our little girl passed away Monday October 10th , 2011. It was very sudden and  unexpected. There will never be another one like you . Love you Ladybug.

This weekend I am getting her ashes. Ryan and I have decided to split them between our home and my parents home . I truly believe those were the two places that made her the  happiest.  To her they were both "home".

So easy iced coffee

For whatever reason I have had a hankering for iced coffee. But instead of paying a ton of money for it at a coffee  shop I decided I would make it at home.  After some online research all I found was how to make a ton at a time. And since I am the only one in the house that drinks it I just can't justify that . So last night I decided that I would try to make it in my french press. Here is what I did:

I added 6 teaspoons of course ground  coffee - this sounds like a lot but you have to remember that you will dilute the coffee with ice so you want a nice strong coffee base.  I used a breakfast blend of coffee.

And then filled up my french press with  cold water if I had to take a guess I would say that's about 2- 2 1/2 cups water.  Then stir the coffee around in the water.

Put the lid on an let it set over night .

This morning I added sugar to my glass then  a little bit of coffee, stired it around and then added my ice .  I  filled the rest of the cup with coffee and then added my creamer. 

I would have to say it rivals any good coffee house's version :)

I might look for some flavored coffee syrup for some added flavor .

And I loved that I didn't have to mess with the coffee pot this morning too :)

My favorite Season !

With my favorite season just around the corner I have become enthralled with Fall, it's all I can think about. I have a list a mile long of projects to work on and home decor to make for the season. I have even started to decorate our home . I  am going to have a million projects to show you this year and I can't wait!

1 year already !

This Past Saturday marked Ryan and I's first year of marriage ! I can't believe a year has already gone by ! 
I love you Ryan here is to many more years together !

Class

Last week I stepped way out of my comfort zone and took a yoga class. It is something I have wanted to do for the last 10 years or so, but never had the guts to go.  I loved  it ! After my first class I knew it would be something I would keep up on. I felt very calm and at peace with everything when I walked out of class. I kept the feeling going by coming home and making some Chamomile tea and running a nice hot bath. 

Yesterday I kept looking at the clock and counting down how many hours I had until class. Last night she pushed our limits a little more . That was an experience . Some of it was harder than I thought it would be . But to know that I can do it is an awsome feeling .
 
I didn't get the chance to try to carry my clam and peaceful mind through  the night like I had hoped to . Once I got home I cooked dinner, fed the dogs, and waited for Ryan to get home. But the funny thing is I was still calm and peaceful.  It is a way of being . I can't wait till next Monday night :)

Living room

Sorry I have been really busy with this:

Do you see this old lady nasty discolored wallpaper? I mean really did you see it? It was in pretty sad shape ! I really wanted to re-do this room because 1.) I knew it would not cost much. and 2.) It is the first impression people have of our home and that wallpaper was not cutting it . 

Yikes  ! Wallpaper was EVERYWHERE ! And Mr. Apollo thought it was fun to grab wallpaper and rip it into teeny tiny little shreds .



One of the many reasons I fell in love  with our house was all of the wonderful woodwork. I love it and it is in wonderful condition! When we started thinking about re-doing the living room I knew that I wanted the wood to stand out. So we picked a nice light gray.  To really help pop all the wood work out. And boy does it!!!! I am over the moon with the new look of our living room !

Someday the curtains will be different and we are planning on ripping out the carpet. But it is way better than it was. We are taking it one thing at a time ;) 

-To really see the "true" wall color look above the door frame. :)