Giving Back by the Glass

With lemonade on the brain yesterday, and my newly discovered love for a little pink Lorina bubbly; I thought that this charity mentioned in June's issue of Real Simple was very fitting.

If you visit Alexslemonade.org you can read the amazing story of four year old Alex Scott, and her truly inspiring story of how she had the courage and ambition to raise millions in the battle against pediatric cancer by setting up a simple lemonade stand. Sadly, Alex passed in 2004, but her legacy lives on when thousands around the country join in and making their own fund raising lemonade stand June 8th-10th in honor of her.

This story really hit home because I have such fond memories of my brother, sister,and I spending endless summer days on the street corner in front of our house selling cup after cup of lemonade. We were lucky enough to be happy and healthy, and I have seen first hand how painful and heartbreaking childhood cancer can be through extended family members.

So please if you have kids, or even if you don't, take the time and check out this amazing cause. You can make wonderful memories with your family next weekend with your own "Alex's Lemonade Stand" or just make a simple donation to help others have wonderful memories just like you've had.

Visit www.AlexsLemonade.org for more info.

*** DONT FORGET TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP FOR THE SARAH M.DORSEY GIVEAWAY!!!***

XOXO Katie

P.S. Doesn't my sister look like a little devil in that pics?? Yeah...she was...

Just kidding, Sissy!!

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A Little Pink Bubbly

My new girly love:
Lorina Sparkling Pink Lemonade.

I probably sound like a total crazy lady, but this tasty drink makes be feel fancy :)

The beautiful bottle not only looks pretty, but this light bubbly lemonade is so tasty and a perfect thirst quencher for a warm summer day. The lemonade flavor is really subtle. I am used to the Crystal Light pink lemonade that is pretty tart and really sugary. This is wayyyy lighter than that (unfortunately, not in the calorie department- just in flavor).

The bottle was a in a gift basket sent to my mom, so after a little web hunting I found that you can buy this tasty treat on Bevmo.com, Whole Foods,  or get a pack of 12 from none other than mega store Walmart. Its a little pricey at anywhere from ($5-$7 for a 24oz bottle) considering its just sparkling lemonade and not booze, but worth it for a special occasion.

This is a great addition to your bar too- its has a vintage feminine vibe so totally leave it right on the counter to display. It would also be a great mixer with champagne and a strawberry garnish for summer. The pink screams bridal shower beverage to me!

Once I started thinking about how pretty a bar set up with be with a little Lorina, my mind started to wander and the pinterest hunting began...

I'm thinking I might NEED a bar cart. So cute right???

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Funny thing is, I hardly ever drink- I just want to look at pretty things :)


**Only two days left to enter to get an origional Sarah M. Dorsey print- SEE GIVEAWAY DETAILS HERE!!**

XOXO Katie

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Diggin' Me Some Dorsey- Giveaway!

If you have not checked out Sarah M. Dorsey Designs then you are totally missing out on getting some amazing DIY and interior design tips. I know that I am a certified stalker of her posts and as well as her Etsy shop. Her love for anything ombre and mad air brushing skills are uncanny.

Here are just a few recent photos from her master bedroom that will get your mouth watering:

Gorgeous right?! Well, Sarah has been generous enough to offer you all up a chance to win your very own Sarah M. Dorsey original print ( you can see two similar prints in the photos above).

Winner will get this to choose which 8.5" x11" print they want from her shop.



This coral Chanel quote is my personal fave, but there are lots of prints to choose from so check them out!

Entering is simple and you have 4 chances to win ( and you must be a follower to enter):

1. Leave a comment on this post saying "Diggin' me some Dorsey!" 

2. Like me on Facebook

3. Favorite Sarah M. Dorsey Designs shop on Etsy

4. 'Like' Sarah M. Dorsey Designs on Facebook

If you want to have more than one entry, then please list everything you did ALL IN ONE comment.

This giveaway ends on Thursday at 11:59pm, so make sure you check back on Friday to see who won!

*Please note that this includes free shipping to the US and Canada. It also does not include the frame or matte*

XOXO Katie

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Wedding Bells are a Ringin'

Before I jet off to Chicago for an extended holiday weekend, I thought I would share a DIY project that I recently did for one of my fave blogs; Monograms & Martinis.


With wedding season in full bloom, it is time to think about gifts! Yesterday, I was scrolling through what seemed like endless pages of a girlfriend's Crate & Barrel registry for her shower. I could not bare the idea of saying, "Congrats on your upcoming nuptials- here is a set of dish towels!" Lame...

I know there is a "registry etiquette", but I also know from my own experience that the best gifts I got for our wedding were personal and handmade by loved ones. So that got the ball rollin' on what I could do that would have a personal touch and something a bride would really love.

I realized that one of the most sentimental elements of a wedding is the couples wedding song. Our wedding song was Ray Lamontagne's "You Are the Best Thing"- love it and it has such great memories for us :)

I googled it and found that I could download the sheet music from Musicnotes.com for less than $5. I printed the first page out on a medium weight card stock paper.

I used regular brewed black coffee and a 2" sponge brush to give it an aged look. I let the coffee puddle around the edges to give it a little dimension. Once dry, it curled the paper up, but no biggie because the frame will hold it all down.

I had a 16"x20" frame that I painted gold and a matte cut at 11"x14" which I also painted gold. I taped the sheet music to the white back board and placed it in the frame.

All done!

I love the way it turned out- it is an extremely personal and sentimental item, but not too wedding-ish so it would look good in any room of the house.

Now, all you have to do is ask a friend what their wedding song will be and take from there. Knowing how emotional brides can be, I bet you would get some water works with this one! Make sure you write a little note on the back of the frame with the date and your name so they remember you were thinking of them on their big day!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day, and I will see you on Tuesday!!

XOXO Katie

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Leibster Fever

I can't even express how honored I was when Jamie for Cows, Corn & Country passed on the Leibster Award to little ol' me! The fact that she would even consider At Home When I'm With You an up & coming blog makes my heart do a little dance!

On the surface, it would seem that Jamie and I don't have too much in common. She is a total farm girl and has her own cattle and crops. The only time I have ever been on a farm was in the 3rd grade and I refused to leave the bus because the smell of cow poop made me gag. But, does my love for a juicy hamburger count as a common thread? I think so :)

Yet under the surface we are like two peas if a pod: we love shopping, social media, our guys are both wranglers- hers is a wrangler of cattle and mine is a wrangler of "D". Did I ever mention my hubs is a urologist? If you don't know what that entails, look it up and you'll understand :) Maybe not at work though...that could get awkward...

Anywayyyy... Thank you again Jamie!

The Liebster is like a hot potato of blog love. Whoever gets it needs to pass it on to five other blogs that they think are up & coming.

So without further adieu (and in no particular order):

1. Sarah M. Dorsey Designs- Check out Sarah's amazing DIY skills and you will be blown away by her eye for design as well as thinking outside (all beige rental apartment) box.

2. Big City Farm Girl- Dana set out to conquer her dream of living in the big apple. She shares her style, yummy recipes, city livin', and trips back to the family farm with her readers.

3. Post College Working Girl- Evie is a southern belle that has a eye for amazing vintage finds. She flips, makes over, and restores retro furniture and accessories that make any estate sale junkie like myself drool.

4. Diaries of Do'ers-  Love getting a peek into Hilary's world and seeing what projects, recipes, or fun activities she is up to. Her adorable and girlie style is balanced by her do-it-yourself mentality.

5. My Sister's Suitcase- You will instantly drool over the amazing design of this blog. Nat and Holly not only sisters, but best friends and I can fully relate to having a sis across the country and missing her every day. Not totally an up & coming blog since they have a great following, but new to me so I wanted to show my love!

And now for the fun part- I need to share five random facts about myself. Don't judge me too harshly!

1. I did not get my ears pierced until I was 18 years old and my best friends (you know who you are...) dragged me kicking and screaming to Claire's where I proceeded to cry like a baby while waiting in line behind an 8 year old.

2. I am 100% addicted to FOUNTAIN Diet Coke. Especially from Mickey Ds. I think they put crack in that stuff. I have limited my intake to 12oz a day, but I have been known to pick a restaurant solely on their soda selection, and do it without shame. 

3. I still wear my retainer EVERY NIGHT. I had braces twice (my poor parents) and I have a deep seeded fear that if I don't wear my retainer then my teeth will move out of place. Joey loves it...

4. I will be the first to admit that if it was socially acceptable to live in my parents house at the age of 27 I hands down would. I LOVE being at home and there is no other place in the world where I feel more myself and comfortable. I hope that with time that will change, but I guess I have a hard time letting go.

5. In the last three years I have developed a bad habit of talking and doing really weird things in my sleep. I have on occasion pulled all the sheets off the bed and said I needed to clean them because company was coming. Once I screamed "Spider, Spiderrrrr!!!!" at the top of my lungs and completely out of the blue. Keep in mind, I was still wearing my retainer (so hot) which gives me a lisp, so the hubs heard "Stranger, Strangerrrr!!" and he thought we were being robbed... That went over really well....

Thank you again to Jamie for passing on the Leibster love, and I hope these fun facts give you a peek in to the what my world is like.

XOXO Katie

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My Attempt at Going Green

I have been seeing beautiful glass terrariums all over Pinterest lately and to be honest- I was a little intimated. I checked out various instructions for the DIY indoor planting craze and I was a little overwhelmed- maybe it was the unsettling number of moss species that you could go with (who knew there was more than one?!).

But when I found a glass trifle dish at my local thrift shop for $4 I knew I wanted to give it a try. So I gathered my supplies and dove in.

I purchased three kinds of plants: a Basil Boxwood (smells really yummy), Alyssum and Cosmos. Honestly, I had no idea which ones to buy- I just found ones that would look pretty together and had different textures. So mark my words- these are likely to be dead in a week. But worth a shot, right?!

OK this part is where I got ghetto- I needed some rocks for the bottom of the glass dish to allow for drainage of the water and I was not about to pay for them. So I wandered the neighborhood and felt like a total clepto as I shoveled half my neighbors driveway into a zip lock baggy. Then ran...

*In retrospect, I should put 2" of rock at the bottom as opposed to 1" because its looks little like a "dirt cake" according to my husband. Lesson learned- go with 2".

OK here is ghetto part #2. I read that you need to have some sort of material that will help adsorb the water so that it does not get all stinky and many sites suggested a few pieces of charcoal or stuff called Perilite. The guy at the hardware store explained that this is a Styrofoam like material that helps distribute and absorb the water.

So I guess buying one or two pieces of charcoal or like a cup of Perilite is not common practice because they only had 10 lb. bags of the stuff- no thank you! So, me being the genius (not!) that I am pick up a Styrofoam cup that I found lying in the road and thought, "Totally the same thing, right?!" Yes, it was used- and not by me- I warned you this was ghetto...don't judge...

 With the base layer complete, I put in a thin layer of the potting soil, wiggled the plants out of their pots and arranged them into a grouping that I liked. Once that was set, I filled in with the potting soil and made sure they were nice and snug.

*Sorry, not too many pics of this step because my hands were covered in dirt and I didn't want to ruin my cam cam. *

I shredded the pot that the purple plant came in because it was a grassy like texture and blanketed it on the to cover some of the dirt.

With that I was pretty much finished, except I did add a white ribbon around the base to break up a little bit of the view of the dirt.

Viola!

As expected- it took about 30 seconds before this happened :

Oh geez... Well, if these plants did actually have a chance of survival with my ghetto planting then they will ultimately succumb to death by way of kitten attack.
* I did make sure that these were pet friendly plants- gotta be careful! *

Anyone else try their hand at live plants recently? Did yours live???

 

XOXO Katie

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Sweet-N-Savory Strawberrries & MBH Giveaway!

So I did it AGAIN. I went to Costco and bought 80 million strawberries.


"Why?" you ask.

Because I can. So I did.

I have no idea why I make the mistake of buying perishable items in bulk. You would have thought that I would have learned my lesson by now. They always end up in the garbage or growing a full winter sweater of mold in the back of my fridge.

Knowing this, I was determined to use up every last strawberry if it killed me. And to be honest I was a little nervous because I completely winged these recipes so success was a total long shot.

First, lets start with a little somethin' sweet.

Strawberry Compote

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 1/4 cup water

2/3 cup sugar (or Splenda)

I gave the strawberries a rough chop and put all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan. I turned the heat on to low (2-3 level out of 10) and let those babies simmer for about an hour or until the syrup made a thick coat on the back of a spoon. It thickened on its own creating a gooey sweet heaven of sorts. Literally- that's it.

I toasted up a bagel, smeared on some whipped cream cheese, and spooned the sweet strawberry compote on top. 

This would make a great little gift if you bottle it up- sadly, that didn't happen for me because it was gone before the stuff even had a chance to cool :)

Now on to a little savory concoction...

Strawberry, Avocado & Feta Salsa

Sounds really weird, I know. But honestly, I even impressed myself with this one. This was probably one of the best and freshest tasting things I have made is a really long time. And here's how it goes...

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 chopped avocado (not a super smushy one- save that for your guac)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbs. chopped canned jalapenos

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 of a small red onion chopped

2 Tbls. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. grated lime rind

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt & Pepper

I chopped up all of the ingredients and put them into a small mixing bowl. Then I stirred everything together and add salt and pepper to taste. Stuck that concoction it the fridge and let it marinate together for about an hour.

After I grilled up some flank steak I spooned on a healthy portion (ahem...by healthy I mean so much that you could hardly see the steak underneath;).

All I have to say is that this was INSANE! 

Its so hard to describe the flavor- its like sweet and spicy and salty all at the same time. SO GOOD.

We had it on steak the first night, and then the next time I put it on top of some simple talapia fillets. Delicious! I am totally making this for my next party because it would be great with a huge bowl of pita chips too.

Both of these recipes were super easy and perfect for summer. Nothing beats fresh fruit when its in season.

Next time I just wont buy enough to feed a small village... who am I kidding? Yes, I will.

Why?

Because I can.

Some one needs to take away my Costo card before I lose my mind and start buying 

20lb hunks of meat and 1000 toilet paper rolls...

*** Head over to Megan Brooke Handmade  to enter for your chance to win a pom pom scarf today!
If you were bummed to not win the Kickoff Giveaway then here is your second chance to rock this scarf this summer!***

XOXO Katie

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Takin', Fakin' & Makin' : Maxi Skirt

Can you believe that is already May 18th?! Spring went by and a flash and in just a few short days the official kickoff to summer will be upon us.

I when did a makeover in my closet a few weeks ago (which I talked about here) I quickly discovered the I was missing one summer staple- the long jersey knit maxi.

I thought that would be a great theme for this weeks Takin', Fakin' & Makin' board since there are tons of options at various price points, plus with such a super simple construction it is totally a DIY for the beginner seamstresses out there.

Loving all of these options but, if you can't guess already, the DIY version is on my agenda for this weekend. Plus, since I am on the taller side (5'7") I can make sure the length is just right. My biggest problem will be deciding what color jersey knit to choose! Life is really tough :)

Splendid via Shopbop $83 (Takin')

Swell $44.50 (Fakin')

Elle Apparel Maxi DIY (Makin')


***Exciting news today- We have hit 50 followers!! A big thank you to everyone that has joined me on this fun blogging adventure. It has just been 6 shorts weeks, but I have loved every minute and I can't wait for what the future has in store!!***

Ok- now what you all have been waiting for- the winner of the pom pom scarf from the kickoff giveaway is....

MLC from Southwest 2 Northeast!!!
True Random Number Generator
Powered by Random.org

Have a good weeeknd!

XOXO Katie

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Pumped Up Kicks

Just had to share my new faves...

Not only are they probably the most comfortable flats that I have had in a while- they were less than $30!!

Payless, you have done me right!

You can find them online here.

As I was looking for the link  I found another pair that are going in my shopping cart ASAP.

Oh, Chelsea Flat, how you lure me in with your potential toe cleavage...

Um...yeah and they are $16- What the whatttt??

Totally random but I am loving this YouTube video right now- amazing song and even cooler kids.

Strange that I want this 6 year old girl's haircut?

XOXO Katie


*** If you remember waaaaay back to my VERY FIRST POST EVER I launched the blog with a giveaway and the first 50 followers would be entered to win a FREE pom pom scarf. Well, we are only 4 followers away!! Sign up today to become a follower for your chance to win!**

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Garden Chair Gets Some Lipstick

I am totally craving some outdoor space now that the weather has made the leap to summer. Sadly, I am lacking any kind of fresh air retreat in this condo, but that does not mean I have to restrain myself from zesting up someone else's backyard!

I made my usual Sunday afternoon pit stop at my local thrift store and found these amazing mid century modern metal garden chairs. I was feelin' the Eames Era vibes from these chairs and I knew I could probably sell them in a hot second.

 Chances I find a full set of four? Slim to none. Chances are no rust spots? Zip. Chances they are only 6 smackers each? Zilch. And yet, here they were! These suckers were coming home with me :)

This is my favorite kind of furniture makeover- cost me less than $30 and more importantly, took me less than 2 hours from start to finish.

Spray paint is a simple and quick way to revamp furniture. I bought 3 cans of Rust-olum Painter's Touch in Berry Pink. Hard to believe that I went through 3 cans, but I did and my pointer finger is paying the price. Joey says the numbness will subside, but I am getting a little nervous since its been lacking any feeling over 3 hours later...

Just two quick coats of the paint...

**Please protect your eyes or you might be blinded by my insane paleness in the photo above. I tell myself that I will be wrinkle free when I'm 80- but I think that is just a coping mechanism.**

Now these chairs were all lipsticked up and ready to make some one's backyard sparkle...I just wish it were mine!

It pained me to put these up for sale on Craisglist, but I am sure they will find a happy home. The motivation behind doing these quick "furniture flips" is the knowing that the $$ they bring in will fund my future projects so I don't have to tap into any of our play money for DIYs. Got to love that!

XOXO Katie

P.S. I set a new record and these sold in less than 24 hours! Looks like more "furniture flips" will have to be in the works.

P.P.S No joke- my finger is still numb over 48 hours later. I strongly suggest buying those sprayer attachments. Its worth every penny because my numb finger actually hurts!

P.P.P.S. Wear grubby clothes and old shoes (hence my mismatched gym clothes and 10 year old flippy floppies). The back spray from the paint will getcha good!

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Calling All Bloggers- Let's Get Our "Pin"spiration On

This is a shout out to all my fellow bloggers out there. I am officially announcing a friendly challenge- and YOU are the are the competition!

 

I call this challenge "Pinspire Your Life" and here is the gist on how you can enter:

1.Comment

Let me know in the comments below that you want compete. Feel free to tweet or post about this to your readers- the more the merrier!

2.Follow, Blog Roll & "Like"

Become a follower, add my blog to your blog roll, and "Like" me on Facebook (if you already do/are then you are ready to go!)

3.Pick a Pin 

Choose something that you have seen on Pinterest and thought, "Hey, I could do that! But I'm too lazy...". Well, lazy no more! (Because there is an endless array of choices, lets make it an even playing field and say you have a $40 budget for the project. No restrictions on what you choose- it could be home decor, apparel, jewelry...anything!)

4.Give Me the Deets

Complete your DIY project then send me an email with one photo, the pin that inspired you, and a link to your blog by Monday June 18th, 2012

5.Promote Some Votes

 I will make a master post on June 20th that will link to all of your blogs and readers can vote on who's "Pinspire Your Life" project is their fav. You just need to send your readers over and have them vote for your project. Voting will last one week.

6.Get Crowned Queen! 

The winner gets crowned as "Queen of Pinspiration" on June 27th and will get to be the next host for a "Pinspire Your Life" challenge.

Any questions?? Feel free to contact me.

XOXO Katie

*Disclaimer- I have no affiliation with Pinterest, just love the pretty pictures!!

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Perfect Little Saturday...

This past Saturday was probably one of the best days we have had since moving to Bean Town. The weather was AMAZING. It was nearly 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, Joey was off of work, and we were in the mood for a little adventure.  So here is a little photo bomb of our great day :)

Our morning started off with a walk to Dunkie Ds and then we spotted a sign for one of my favorite summer activities- Estate Sale!

I nabbed a vintage wood sunburst mirror and a cute blue clay bowl. There was tons of furniture and other goodies but I had to restrain myself.

Then we cleaned ourselves up and hit the rode for a day trip to the seaside town of Rockport, MA. This is one perk of being temporary East coasters- as much as I love Chicago, there aren't any day trip destinations like we have here in the Northeast. Unless you love the views in rural Indiana...not so much.

 The town was adorable and chalk full of little shops and restaurants- slightly touristy, but still worth the 45 minute drive for the view.

Then we headed just out of downtown to a lobster shack that Joey had heard about from one if his coworkers who summers up in Rockport. We experienced a little bit of heaven at the Lobster Pool- insane views and a platter of fried seafood the size of my head!

 We needed to walk off the food coma so we headed just up the road to the Halibut State Park and took a seaside stroll.

I have no words for the next pic...

but he says he is taking offers for modeling contracts :)

After heading back to the city we spent the night relaxing on the couch catching up on Mad Men.

Perfect day.

XOXO Katie

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Takin', Fakin' & Makin' : Quote Pillow

Happy Friday, Everyone!

I'm on a mission to bulk up my pillow inventory on our living room sofa so I have been doing a little web perusing this week. I feel like pillows can be fun and colorful with bold patterns, but you need to have a one or two neutral pillows worked in there to give the eye a break.

I was browsing my favorite website- Anthro of course- and just about died over this statement (literally) pillow.

But at almost $200 bones I thought that it would be a great candidate for this weeks Takin', Fakin' & Makin' board. The natural linen with black text is a perfect neutral paired with a graphic pattern or fun counterpart.

 

Anthropologie $198 (Takin')

Target $19.99 (Fakin')

Wit & Whistle DIY (Makin')

Check out last weeks Takin', Fakin' & Makin' board if you didn't get a chance- that will explain the TFM concept and how you can use it to source or make some great stuff!

XOXO Katie

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