iPhone Update

Well folks, it's been one of those weeks. One of those weeks where it feels like nothing has been done. Where everyone is fighting some cold or other. Lovely.

But this week has had some small progresses and sweet moments. And since most of my everyday happenstance photos are captured with my phone, I thought I'd do a little iPhone update!

I got all the stuff if the current junk room/future nursery sorted through. Yes, there are still things in there, but we know what we are doing with it. Simply throwing it all in a box and sticking it in the attic to be gone through later. Maybe not the best thing, but I'm desperate.

I have paint to paint the new nursery with. Here's a sneak peek at some of what I'm working with in the new nursery! This week on the agenda: clean and prep for painting! And I'm putting out a call for peeps to come help with the oil-based primer. I might break the rules{I like to think of them as guidelines...} for painting during pregnancy with my low fume latex paint, but ain't no way I'm working with the other stuff!

Little Man loves music. We have a piano and a guitar that he loves to "play." He has discovered the joy of banging on the colander with unsharpened pencils drummer style. And he turns everything into a microphone. The outside hose, the faucet, the fake fall gourds...he's just recently started getting into pretend play.

Hubby and Grandma took him shopping and found a toy microphone. I heard he was trying to rip it out of the package. The cashier even cut it open for him, he was so excited. It's been so sweet to see him dance around the house singing into his microphone.

I've got some fun fall decor projects that I can't wait to share with you too! I'll be starting to share those later this week. White spray paint and the thrift store can be used to make all sorts of gorgeousness happen!

So there's a small peek at what's been going on this past week! This week we're working on getting ready for the ginormous yard sale this weekend. Hopefully we'll be able to get it together, sell some things, and have a report back on it next week!

Now if I can just get these phone pictures to look decent I'll be doing good! Any tips on that? Do you have any must-have tips for doing a yard sale? I've never done one before so I'm a bit nervous!

Inspired Fridays

Can I get a yum right here?

Pretty blue door.

Pretty green dresser.

Hiding electrical cords

Great roundup of neutral fall decor!

Tutorial for cute stenciled burlap pillows

Lovely quote

10 Gorgeous Fall Mantels

Dude, it's finally fall! This is cause for great rejoicing! I love fall. Fall is my favorite.

I can always tell when it's coming. There's something in the light that changes. The air gets a bit more crisp. It makes me want to make pumpkin muffins and go apple picking in the mountains.

And fall decor is gorgeous! Just check out these fall mantels to see what I'm talking about!

1. Embracing Change
2. The Graphics Fairy
3. The Lettered Cottage
4. Craftberry Bush
5. The Turquoise Home
6. The Frugal Homemaker
7. Christina's Adventures
8. View Along The Way
9. A Diamond In The Stuff
10. Maison De Pax

I love all the neutral decor and white pumpkins. All super pretty mantels, and some of them really aren't that hard to put together! I'm still working on the finishing touches to my fall mantel. I can't wait to share it with you next week!

Which one of these mantels is your favorite? And, more importantly, is the whole "fall light" a real thing or am I crazy? 'Cause I would really like to know if I'm just crazy. It's totally possible.

Why I've Been Quiet

I'm sure you've noticed. It has been pretty quiet here on the blog the last week. I've posted less and haven't said much. I've also been noticeably absent on my other social media accounts. To let you in on the loop, this has been a hard week for me.

I have a cousin who was in a horrible accident last week. She was hit by a car while walking and is in pretty bad shape to put it mildly. 

Our families have always been close. Growing up, she was always the one I wanted to be like and dress like. Seriously, this cousin of mine is pretty stinkin' awesome! And she has always been a tough cookie. You can imagine our shock and pain when we got the news. We weren't even sure if she would make it.

I couldn't stop shaking the whole day. I couldn't sleep at night. I may have prayed harder than ever. Thinking, projects, and writing have been out of the question. 

I've gone through each day more thoughtful, remembering how mortal I am. How each day could by my last. Or the last of someone I love. And I just pray while my heart hurts at the reminder. 

So please bear with me while I try to get back my groove. I plan to be posting more things soon!

Inspired Friday

It's Friday! Time for my favorite links post! 

Carissa Miss

Autumn Printable-Jones Design Company

Special Occasion Mac & Cheese-Deep South Dish

Between You and Me Signs-Etsy

Life in Grace

Complete Source List For The Master Bedroom

Since so many of you seemed to enjoy the makeover I worked in our master bedroom, I thought I'd put together a post of all my sources. Some of our stuff was older or thrifted, but some was new. Maybe even the thrifted things can inspire you in your own decorating!

Curtain Rods, Finials, and Hardware: Ikea

Gray Curtains: Ikea

Bedskirt: Target

Fitted Sheet, Pillowcases: Target

Flat Sheets for DIY Duvet Cover: Target

Down Comforter Insert for Duvet: Target{not sure what brand, we've had it a few years}

Gray Print Duvet Set: Target{I got this on clearance and they don't sell it anymore but they do have it in a comforter set}

Down alternative comforter in the gray duvet was a gift.

Blue Silk-type Decorative Pillows: Target{already had}

Glass Vase: Thrift Store{Shells from Michael's}

Plate for Candle: Thrift Store

Stacked Ball Lamp Base: Target{already had}

Gray Herringbone Lamp Shade: Target

Side Tables: Target{Already had}

Very Old Baskets that I already had

White Vase: Thrift Store

Fake Flowers: Dollar Tree

Chair, Slipcover: Ikea{already had}

Feather Pillow Insert and Gray Fabric for Cover: Thrift Store

Chevron Burlap Rug: Target{clearance months ago}

Faux Sheepskin: Ikea

Framed Jewelry: DIY project{see it here}

Small Mirrors: Thrift Store{and some silver spray paint!}

 Jewelry Organizer: DIY Project{see it here}

Dresser: The Dump{a few years ago}

Tray: As-is section of Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Silver Candlesticks: Belonged to my Grandmother

Small Glass Bowl: Thrift Store

Framed Wall Art: Dollar Tree Frames and Scrapbook Paper

Little Jewelry Box: Souvenir from Moldova

Floor Mirror: Thrift Store

Gray Vase: Thrift Store

Wine Case: No Clue. It's been floating around my family's house for years.

White Curtains for closet: Ikea

Random Tabletop Frames throughout the room: Gifts from others

Wall Color: Partridge Gray by Better Homes and Gardens and Glidden in Satin Finish{Walmart}

Trim Color: Perfect White by Better Homes and Gardens and Glidden in Semi-Gloss Finish{Walmart}

Most of the stuff I already had, like the chair and all the blankets. The biggest expense specifically for this room were all the sheets and the lampshades. And the curtains. But even all the gray curtains were only $25 a pair!

So there you have it! The complete list of everything that went into our bedroom. I hope you find it helpful!

Inspired Friday

DIY Canvas Art: The Hankful House

Dining Room Makeover: Amanda Carol At Home

Comic Book Letters: Imperfect and Fabulous

Easy Tortellini Bake: This Gal Cooks

DIY burlap and dropcloth pillows: Two It Yourself

German Chocolate Cheesecake: Healthy Meal Time

Lisa Congden

Cheap DIY Fall Pumpkins and Vignette

Yup. September is here and I am in the fall spirit. I usually only decorate for Christmas, simply because I never want to spend too much money on decor. But after lots of blog stalking this year, I am dipping my toes into the waters of seasonal decor. And trying to do it cheaply.

Enter these cheap DIY fall pumpkins. I picked them up at Walmart for $0.97. Not even a buck each. Score.

I really have a thing for neutral seasonal decor, and there is no exception for pumpkins. I wanted them white. I already had white spray paint on hand so no money spent there.

I kinda liked the look of the stems so I taped them off before painting.

I just did a couple coats of spray paint and now they are exactly what I was wanting. And they fit perfectly into this vase/candleholder/thing.

Once I had them all prettified and contained, I just had to figure out where to put them. Our office/music room is very sad right now and in desperate need of some color or texture to make it happy. I had empty space on top of the piano so that was where I focused.

I had the burlap garland on hand and just cut a piece to make a runner. The "canvas" is foam board wrapped with a dropcloth. Then I just free-handed the design to make it feel more rustic. The white vase was originally $25 at Target and I picked it up on clearance for a bit over $7. The sticks were totally free and gleaned from my backyard.

I had everything on hand except the white vase and the pumpkins, so my total came to just over $10.

So there you have my first little {slightly} fall vignette. Not all out seasonal, more like a touch. I tend to lean towards the subtle touches. For instance, for summer I could totally trade out the pumpkins for a bunch of little starfish and the sticks for something flowery. A subtle change but a definite nod to a different season. Plus, I'm still working on the cheap so going all out isn't an option.

Baby steps.

More posts for fall inspiration:

My First Fall Mantel! Fall Pillows

Linking up at some of these great link parties...

The Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever

Yes. The best spaghetti sauce ever. I use this sauce over pasta, in lasagna, even on pizza. No lie, I have even observed others who shall remain nameless eat it cold out of the fridge as a chip dip. I do not suggest this but, hey, whatever floats your boat.

My mom makes the best spaghetti sauce and, of course, when I got married, I asked for the recipe. Thing is, she never uses one. That's how you know something is good. So she did the best she could to give me a basic base sauce that I could take and just run with like she does. This recipe is the result of that and me experimenting with different amounts and ingredients.

I never measure either so I had to actually figure out how I make it for this post.

So without further ado...

The Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever

Ingredients:

• 1lb Italian sausage{or lean ground beef}
• 1 medium to large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 {14.5-15oz} cans petite diced tomatoes
• 4 {14.5-15oz} cans tomato sauce
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 bay leaves

Brown meat with onion in a stock pot. When meat is browned and onion is tender, add Italian seasoning and minced garlic. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Turn to medium-high heat and add everything else. Cover until sauce is completely hot and heated through. Once the sauce is hot, uncover, turn to low heat and simmer for an hour. Letting it cook uncovered helps to get rid of some of the liquid, making a thicker sauce. If you like a thinner, more watery sauce, keep it covered the entire cook time.

Remove the bay leaves{good luck finding them!} and serve any way your heart desires!

This recipe makes an almost full stockpot of sauce. I can usually get a few meals out of it for the week. It freezes well too which is nice for a busy day. Just pop the container of sauce out of the freezer and thaw for a bit{or run under water} to loosen it and than plop it in a pan to continue heating it up.

Yum! I love it coated with a thick layer of Parmesan cheese and served with garlic bread. So good and great comfort food!

Enjoy!

Linking up to some of these great link parties!

Pennsylvania Road Trip

Hi y'all! I hope the start of your week has been awesome! I'm still trying to get over this cold and chasing an energetic little boy has worn. me. out. Plus, we went to Philadelphia, PA last week and I still haven't managed to unpack. Oh well.

We had been planning this event for a while. We waited for my brother to get home from Afghanistan and then my entire immediate family, plus spouses, headed up for a family trip. I was totally looking forward to it, since we hadn't done it in so long. Our family trips have always involved seeing the historical sights, visiting museums, and walking battlefields. The newest addition is eating at places that have been featured on the food or travel channel.

And we're all crazy, loud, and opinionated. And there were 14 of us. Watch out Philly!

First stop: Independence Hall!

This is the room where the 2nd Continental Congress met. Also where both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were created. I feel the weight of the past every time I'm here.

Chirp, chirp*...any fellow musical lovers that can appreciate these steps with me? Do eaglets even chirp? 

Little Man had enough and konked out on the carriage ride.

Yes, this is the crew. Have I mentioned that I have 5 siblings? And three of us are married. Plus an awesome cousin in here too.

Our last stop was Valley Forge. Someday I want a house that looks just like Washington's headquarters. So. gorgeous.

I decided to get a couple belly bump pics and Hubby decided that he needed to have his "bump" documented along with mine. So here's a good little bump pic for y'all! 

The trip was so much fun! Despite my cold and a tired{cranky} toddler. And if you're ever up in that area, hit up the King of Prussia Mall. I can't afford a single thing in it, but it's huge. And it has a Pottery Barn, a Cheesecake Factory, and a Starbucks. What else do you need besides that?!

*If you haven't seen the musical, 1776, you should check it out!