Notes from the Heartland

Crock Pot Mongolian Beef

2012-01-27T13:12:00.001-06:00

I don't ordinarily blog about food this often...but it's winter....and I live in Iowa...and I'm cold....and hungry. So there. Today is your lucky day though friends because I have discovered what may be one of my FAVE crockpot concoctions ever. Crockpot Mongolian Beef....who woulda thunk it? Not I.

Go forth...make Crockpot Mongolian Beef. You can thank me later...oh and I like tulips and chocolates.

Crockpot Mongolian Beef
1 1/2 lb. ball tip steak or flank steak (from Wallace Farms if you're nearby...Nick rocks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sliced green onions
1 t. dried onion
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. white wine
1/4 c. cooking sherry
1/2 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. molasses
1 t. ginger
1/4 t. black pepper
1 t. red chili flakes
1/2 T. peanut butter
3 T. brown sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch

1) Slice meat thin, put in baggie with cornstarch.
2) Put all liquid and dry spices into crockpot, add PB, mix well.
3) Add garlic and 3 green onions. Put meat on top, toss gingerly.
4) Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours (mine took around 4).

Holiday Tour 2011...just a teensy late

2012-01-24T23:27:00.000-06:00

Did you hear? Our home was included in the Clarence Friends of the Library 2011 Holiday Home Tour. The preparation is nothing short of a type of torture that I'm SURE has been outlawed by the Geneva Convention. HOWEVER, the benefit is that all those nagging little (and big) projects that had been hanging out there in la la land got DONE. Go grab a snack, a drink, and some toothpicks to keep your eyes open as you peruse the next 30 something photos of the house....in all its CLEANESS. Did I mention I have an eight year old boy, a four year old boy and a 35 year old boy? They all live here...at the same time....at the same time I had to keep the ENTIRE house clean. I deserve a trophy for that. Or a tiara.

Have I mentioned how much I love my kitchen now? I'm going to share that love AGAIN soon in a Before and After post.

The dining room. I managed to hide my oakey oak dining room table...the hubster put the kabosh on painting or staining it. Little does he know the plans afoot when he leaves on his next business travel overseas. BWAHAHAHA.

Hedge apples....just because they're cool.

God bless my husband and friend for lugging the cabinet out of the basement. I love this thing. Love. The weight...well....just shy of elephant.

The $1 chair. More on that to come too....I'm such a tease.

So here's the deal. When a person hides their oakey oak dining table...well...you have to do something about those oakey oak dining CHAIRS. Solution? Hide them in the basement and scrounge the house. I kinda love the bench there. That might stay...at least until I find permanent "new" chairs. Actually what I would sorta totally love is to have mismatched...just all in the same wood tone....or painted....

The den....because my dad is a genius bookcase builder. Love that guy.

Master bedroom. Makes me want a nap.

Guest room. Uh yes, I'm a ding dong and this is the only shot I took.

Back to being a tease. This is the new downstairs bath....that deserves its own post. Its own blog really. Its own country to run to be honest.

Back stairs. Do I have a photo of the beautiful front stair case and foyer tree you ask? Uh no. Woops.

Upstairs bath. Artwork by a very famous artiste named Marshall V. He was two. Genius. Pure genius.

Boys' room

If you're still awake I thank you for taking the time to go through my virtual Holiday Home Tour. Oh, it's January you say? Just pretend it's Dec. 25 and you're delighted to look at Christmas photos. ;-)

Cranberry Pork Roast (Tenderloin)

2012-01-04T20:02:00.001-06:00

Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. I have a new "thing" for my crockpot. Who knew? This could possibly be the best invention for busy moms since the electric sweeper. I actually have TWO crockpots now. A little one and a big one....because recipes call for different sizes, did you know? I mean, who wants to make a gallon of cheese dip? Not I. But a gallon of yummy soup, yes please.

ANYWAY, tonight I tried a new recipe and it was the bomb. Cranberry Pork Roast. Well actually mine was Cranberry Pork Tenderloin because that's what I had in the freezer....and I only get meat from Nick from Wallace Farms....and my next meat delivery isn't for a couple weeks. Don't get me started...but you should get a meat guy...it will change your life for the better.

Here's the deets peeps....you'd better try it...you'll thank me.

Cranberry Pork Roast (Tenderloin)

Pork Roast (2.5-3lbs) or Tenderloin

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 T. cornstarch

1 c. fresh cranberries

1/4 c. white sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. golden raisins

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/3 c. cranberry juice

1/2 small lemon, sliced

In a zipper bag combine dry spices, cornstarch and meat. Shake. Plop into crockpot. Dump other ingredients on top. Top the whole show with sliced lemons.

Cover, cook on low 8 hours. Enjoy!

Oh, and on a side note. RUN, do not walk, to your grocery store RIGHT NOW and grab every bag of fresh cranberries you see. Bring them home and throw them all in your freezer.

Just try finding fresh cranberries in July....dare ya.

Well Hello There Loveys

2012-01-04T14:19:00.000-06:00

What the.....what? I know, right? I'm POSTING. Seriously...it's a small piece of miracle. Okay, maybe a large piece of miracle. How ya'll been? We only have oh.....400,000 months to catch up on...yes? I think everyone goes through this, right? You go along fine for a while, thinking of lots of things to talk about, yammering endlessly. Then, whammo. You hit the wall. Or in my case, I got busy as H-E-double hockey sticks!! I haven't been brave enough to count how many signs I painted before Christmas. Seriously folks, it was crazy. Then I landed my lil ole self in the hospital...I'm fine....but don't overdo it ladies (and gentlemen)...stress catches up with your body.

Our elf, Elfy, kept us company all through December. I kinda wish our bathroom sink was bigger...who wouldn't want to take a marshmallow bath with a guy from the North Pole? Okay that sounded weird.

Think of it in a "non weird" way.

Anywho, the sign painting has been going along swimmingly. I have lots of favorites from this year that I'll share soon....there are a bajillion.

And my friends....seriously??!! My friends are having knockout years....while I've been not blogging, they've been lighting up the night sky! Did you hear that my dear Loo Who (Michael from Inspired by Charm) was published in a REAL LIFE magazine!! Shut up, you say? No, really! Awesome, right?? If you haven't seen Folk you must run out into the street THIS MINUTE and find a copy. I'm going to stalk my favorite flower farmer until her shipment comes in...then I'm on it like white on rice. I mean, he's so famous now that I feel like a groupie. Okay, who am I kidding....I'm a Loo Who groupie. You rock Michael!!

Remember the little people. ;-)

Then there's my friend Kim...yeah you know her....Kim at The NewlyWoodwards. She's awesome all on her own...I mean really? Anyone who can set monthly goals and actually accomplish them...crazy. But then she goes and gets herself in the FAMILY WAY!! Shut up, you say? No, really!! Kim is going to have a BEEBEE!! And that beebee will undoubtedly reside in the snazziest room, with the snazziest jammies, with snazzy stuff to do. All made by my Kim.

And if I don't feel sluggy and boring enough....my friend CATHY goes and gets her flower farm listed with Silos and Smokestacks!!!! That's a big deal folks. BIG. STINKIN'. DEAL.

And , well, everyone else has been up to all kinds of cool stuff too.....==================>

I can't promise I'll be all bloggy everyday...but I promise to try harder! See ya soon!

It's POTTY Time!

2011-10-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

I will say, this post seems a little like cruel and unusual punishment for you fine readers. I get all lazy-pants on posting lately...and the first thing I come up with is a potty post. That's how I roll folks. Three men = need for two potties. This is a big deal-e-o around these parts. First, have a look-see at my plumber up there. It's always great to see him....it means progress will happen. Thankyoulord.

And no plumber butt is ever involved....double bonus.

It's alllllmmmmmoooooossssttttt time.

She's in! Water flowing. Flushable. She's a beaut. Look at those beautiful square lines.

Now this is a potty.

A pretty potty.

Here's the deets if you're interested....because I know this post was riveting. ;-)

Pots for Sale

2011-10-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

I have A.LOT. of catching up to do. I blogged a total of 1.5 times over the summer....and SO MUCH happened! To kick off catch up week we'll take a look at a recent sign! My friend Becky ,of Willow Avenue Pottery ,asked me to paint another sign for her. Do you remember the first? One of my favorites.

This time she asked for a sign to help folks realize the pots in her studio are FOR SALE...not just shelf decoration. ;-) We played around with some ideas....and landed here. Becky was so sweet to share the sign photo on Facebook....to which her first response was, "I feel like I can get a hot shave next door! And a nickle root beer!"

That was a HUGE compliment....that's exactly what we were going for!!

Becky and I don't deal in dollars. We deal in pottery. The first sign netted me a GORGEOUS. CUSTOM. GIGANTO fruit bowl. I love it. I fill it with fruit and take lots of photos of it. I protect it from crazy boys. I proudly tell the story of the fruit bowl everytime someone asks...and sometimes when they don't. ;-) NOW, my fruit bowl has friends!! Matching friends to be exact. Two pretty tumblers and a beautiful deep little bowl. Becky is a master with the glaze....she creates the most amazing finishes.

Right now Becky is busy with the fall harvest here in Iowa....but the snow will fly soon and she'll be back in the studio. EVERYONE needs a piece of Willow Avenue pottery for Christmas. Just sayin'.

You can check out Becky on Facebook

her blog

or her website!

Smiling Spoons

2011-09-26T21:17:00.001-05:00

Shortly after our kitchen remodel wrapped up my boys discovered something really neat. Every morning their cereal spoons smile at them. Every morning. Awesome.

Two pendant lights + chalkboard bulkhead = smiling spoons. :-)

Sink Love

2011-09-20T20:54:00.001-05:00

Normal people, who don't drive their general contractors insane, buy sink vanities. I'm pretty sure I've clearly established "normal" isn't really a big part of me. ;-) From the time the bath remodel was a gleam in my eye I knew I wanted two sinks. Four people live in this house....and we all have teeth that need brushed. SO.....the search began for a "something" for two sinks to fit in. Being of the abnormal variety I was thinking buffet....long table...sideboard...somethin'!

Four times I walked past this table at the Junk Asylum. It was gray. It was covered in oily objects. The vision just wasn't hitting me. THEN. It did. I bought it and threw it in the car. My dad will be proud...it only took three college degrees for me to figure out ONE table could be divided into TWO HALVES.

Luckily enough these shiny babies came into my life about the same time. $320 Kohler sinks....for $40 each....at the ReStore. The cosmos was smiling on me that day.

Two MATCHING, BRAND SPANKIN' NEW, KOHLER sinks....with cutting templates.

So anyway, back to the table. It sat on the porch for ~~two months~~ a while. Then Rich decided to go into supersonic contractor speed and the need for me to finish my wackadoo project became more urgent. I stripped the icky gray paint with the super good orange citrus stripper.

Stripped the pretty details.

Then......what is that? Is that a pretty little spot of turquoise under that ugly gray? Why, it is. My plan had been to strip the tops clear down to the wood....the table is oak. BUT....

How could I with that beautiful color staring at me?

The other tiny tidbit of a detail that needed a solution was the fact that this was a kitchen table....and unless you are 4'-9", that height isn't very conducive to teeth brushing. I would be of the 5'-9" variety and I wanted tall vanities darnit. If you come to my house I'll get you a stool to stand on. We bought two different bun feet, screwed them together and screwed that whole show into the table legs. Dad to the rescue again...I should have taken photos of that whole process....threaded inserts....the whole deal.

He does things the "right" way....thank goodness.

I painted the legs to within an inch of their life with oil enamel paint. Smooth as butter.

Spar urethaned the tops....which smells like poo poo....but does the job.

Today Rich installed the whole show....and put the sinks in the holes just to make me happy.

(Plumbing coming soon!)

Oh hello beautiful babies. I've stood in the bathroom (in socks of course) about 23 times today staring at the sink tables. I love them that much. My husband has had the nerve to question their functionality. He can put the proverbial sock in it. If I needed to stand on my head to brush my teeth I would do that at this point. These girls aren't goin' anywhere!

And this is what they look like in the evening.

And from above.

And close up with those beautiful chippy, turquoise tops.

And the dynamic kazaa shot.

And again with the sinks.

And again.

The $40 price tag I enjoy looking at....but promise to remove before the Holiday Home Tour.

The sinks say good night. ;-)

This won't be the last time you see them. hehehe

Bathroom Update Monday!

2011-09-19T21:36:00.004-05:00

I'm feeling like a kid in a candy store right now. A really lucky kid. It would be wrong to ask everyone to just LOOK at this bathroom and not actually use it, wouldn't it? I've never been a huge fan of bathroom cleaning....but I have a feeling I'm going to be a little neurotic about cleaning in here....it's just so darn pretty.

Tile is completely finished. Grout is dry. The shower is just waiting for Plumber Wes to come back. When that water gets turned on he'd better jump out of the room because I'm going to slam the door shut and jump in....it's been TWO MONTHS of bathing in the upstairs tub....and I'm not a fan. A shower sounds like heaven.

With the harvest imminently approaching here in Iowa I'm going to lose Rich for a good month. He wanted to get the sinks mounted before he is in the field.....so Sunday was spent finishing the sink wall. GOD BLESS my dad for helping me...I was on the edge of Breakdownville just thinking about everything I had to get done....baseboard, beadboard, setting nailheads, wood filler, caulk, primer, paint, spar urethane on sink table tops, paint on table legs....oh dear lord. Somehow it all got finished...plus a sign! As usual, my mom kept the rest of the house running smoothly in my absence. I'm a lucky lucky girl. Wish they lived closer.

By 5ish on Sunday I was to this point....just starting primer. I required a chocolate shake to contine. I would have ran an IV drip of chocolatey goodness if I could've gotten my hands on one.

Oh....and started painting the window. We have weird replacement windows in our house that came unfinished. I noticed it right away when we looked at the house for the first time....seven years ago. Then we moved in...and I said "those windows are hideous....they will be painted." Um...yeah. That was seven years ago. ANYHOO....it's happening now.

Bright and early Monday morning we had a beautiful beadboard wall finished....with approximately 283 coats of paint slathered on. I haven't put the top cap on yet....but that will happen eventually. I got to the point Rich needed...and that made me (and he) happy.

His happiness lasted a few hours while he trimmed out the window and started on the closet door. Um....by the time of this photo he was plotting ways to murder me and make it look like an accident. Apparently the closet door that I insisted on using (which I LOVE and bought for $1 at a school auction) wasn't EXACTLY square. Well to begin with it was a hundred years old. I doubt if I will be square at a hundred either. The door jamb Rich had built WAS exactly square. You're picking up what I'm putting down, yes? Some naughty words were uttered...I made myself scarce...I didn't even tell anymore jokes about Rich's Hawkeyes losing to my almighty Cyclones last weekend.

He got cranky.

I offered lots of muffins.

Now really....wasn't it worth it? Look at that beautiful old girl. I love it. I knew I would. Rich digresses.

I still have to strip the inside of the door and paint it white...but the outside will keep its beautiful aged stained wood. Oh, and Rich put up all the shelves in the closet too. I can't wait to put my junk in there.

Yay Dad!

Yay Mom!

Yay Rich!

Yay Levi for getting pizza!

Tile as Far as the Eye Can See

2011-09-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

Guess what? The tiling is FINISHED!!!! FINISHED!!! FINISHED!!! Wes did an amazing job....and I have "finished" photos to share....but I'm tired....and a teeny bit cranky....from being tired....so here's another shot of the back of Wes' head doing amazing work.

More soon. :-)

So Much Fun it Should Be Illegal!

2011-09-14T20:39:00.000-05:00

Oh boy folks. The fun that is to be had in Clarence this fall is nearing criminal. I happen to be a part of a little ole group raising funds to build a brand spankin' new library here in our little ole town. We've never had a "real" library. We've had a few shelves in the city hall....a little ole house donated for use as a library....but never our own "real" library. That's all about to change.

But first we need some dough. We're working hard. Really hard. The first of our events are now rolling out...and really you won't even know you're attending a fundraiser...you won't have time to think about that because you'll be having so darn much fun.

The first super fun event is our "Demo and Dine with Miss Effie" series of cooking classes! The Demo and Dine is going to be a serious amount of ridiculous fun. I don't know if you're familiar with Miss Effie? She has a u-pick flower farm near Donahue....and basically I think she's the greatest thing since sliced bread. In addition she teaches lots of cooking/canning classes both at the farm and at Scott Community College. She's agreed to come to Clarence...to MY KITCHEN...and teach cooking classes (with all proceeds benefiting the new library). The first will be Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, Saturday,Oct. 22, 6:30pm. Then Pizza Pizza (we learn to make our own mozzarella!!) on Saturday, Nov. 12, 6:30pm and finally Milkmaid 101 on Saturday, Dec. 3, 6:30pm (learn to make buttermilk, ricotta, sour cream, etc). Miss Eff will teach each class, have a few "helpers" come up from the audience, then we get to eat everything she's prepared (and a little local vino ;-) ! YUM!! Oh and I'll have some snackys and things to munch on in the meantime. I think it will be wonderful fun and for a great cause! Every dime raised will go toward the new Clarence Library.

If you think you'd like to attend one of these awesome classes please register soon!! Registration is being accepted at the Edna Zybell Library here in Clarence OR by emailing ClarenceLibraryFriends@gmail.com with your name, address and phone, as well as which classes you will be taking. (Each class is $25) Your check can be made payable to "Library Building Fund" and mailed to Edna Zybell Library, PO BOX 450, Clarence, IA 52216.

Guess what comes around in December? I am seriously so excited about this I could whip out my tree right now. The Holiday Home Tour is making its return to Clarence!!! We have some LOVELY homes on the tour this year....you really do not want to miss it. The ole VanOort abode is making an appearance. Crazy amounts of decorating are in my future. Is the day after Halloween too soon to start? More fun details on this to come. Just save the date for now!!!! Sunday, December 11 in the afternoon. :-)

Dreamland....Where All Bathrooms are Tiled in Hex

2011-09-09T21:37:00.001-05:00

So you remember how I was telling you yesterday how fast Wes is. He's fast. Super fast. So fast that I have to do TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY. Unprecedented, I know. There are MONTHS that I don't do two posts. ;-) I could not be more in love with this tile. For reals. I tried not to bother Wes too many times with the staring and...well....the staring. He didn't look up too many times...so there are lots of photos of the top of his head.

More photos of the top of Wes' head. And the tile. Oh the glorious tile. Are you ready for it?

Take a deep breath.

One.

Two.

Three.

SURPRISE!! This is the dry run (not attached yet) but doesn't it make you all squishy inside? I'm all squishy inside....and giddy....and tempted to take a sleeping bag in there and sleep with it all night.

This is the view from the top of my arms....or as high as I could reach my camera anyway. Dots and flowers....flowers and dots...love. Love. LOVE!!!!

I'm off to sweet dream land...where all bathrooms are tiled in hex...and people only wear socks.

The Day of the Floor

2011-09-09T09:52:00.000-05:00

Progress is moving quickly now in the bathroom....it's amazing what can happen when PROFESSIONALS do the job! W3Tile is now on the job....yay Wes! This guy works FAST. And I don't mean just kinda fast....I mean SUPER fast! This was the floor at the end of yesterday....all leveled with the fancy tile backer stuff.

The closet floor is even leveled!! I wouldn't want that laundry basket to go scooting right out every time I open the door....so thank goodness it's level. ;-)

Then there is the tub. THE tub. The tub I will soon be able to SHOWER in. Blessed be to the god of tubs. The tile for the tub comes in Monday. Oh yes.....tile....gleaming white subway tile...with just a hint of a squiggle edge.

But I picked up my dreamy dreamy beautiful beautiful floor tile yesterday at Adams Tile & Stone in Marion, Ia. They worked miracles to get this tile on time...and now it's here...and was $125 less than they originally quoted. Those are nice surprises. Surprises that pay for new potties.

At this point I will channel the great Barry White...just imagine me using the Barry White voice.....

Hello Baby....welcome to my bathroom....why don't you stay a while and make me happy. I'll give you kisses. (okay enough Barry White.... but I really did give my tile a squeeze last night.) ;-)

So here we are this morning. Wes thinks he'll be done with the floor by the end of today. We discussed the pattern I'd like him to lay....and he didn't even complain. I like those kind of professionals. :-)

Beet Harvest Numero Uno

2011-09-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

The beets in my garden are always victims of neglect. Thank goodness they don't really mind. I get crazy harvesting green beans, the more glamorous green neighbor, and procrastinate the beet harvest....because it's messy. And messy. And messy. If we're "friends" on facebook you already know that I almost boarded the first train to crazytown when I emptied my "beet" sink (brand new gleaming white cast iron) to find it was stained orange/tan/purply.

Heart failure was quickly followed by the room spinning and inappropriate language.

One word.

Bleach.

All better.

Anywho, beets are a super food...at least in my book. I love them. LOVE. They always remind me of my Grandma Eula....who ALWAYS had pickled beets on the dinner table when we came for a meal. They're delicious, they're healthy, super duper easy to grow....perfect. AND, my 99 year old neighbor taught me the benefits of eating the GREEN parts too! There is no waste in a beet.

Well maybe that weird stringy root...that's it.

I chop up the stems, and use them just like you'd use celery. And I freeze them. And put them in soups. Give it a try.

Then there are the leaves. Oh the delicious leaves. I like them sauteed in olive oil and garlic, I like them in salad, I like them blanched and used just like frozen spinach...the possibilities are endless.

Now just help me pray a little for my tomatoes. We NEED salsa...STAT....please grow dear tomatoes!!

Oh, and beets are one of those cool crops that we can plant TWICE in Iowa....so I'm off to sprinkle some more beet seeds. :-)

Fourth Avenue Corn Growers

2011-09-04T13:48:00.002-05:00

As you may or may not know, we grow a lot of corn here in Iowa. A. LOT. We pride ourselves on growing corn. We even have contests to see who can grow the TALLEST corn. Our Iowa Magazine has begun an annual tradition of sponsoring the Tall Corn Contest. Seeds are distributed with a spring issue of the magazine....and the growing begins. The rule is.....there are no rules. When you think your corn is finished growing you measure it, take a photo with it...and submit it to the magazine. And let me tell you, there are some wacky corn growers in Iowa.

Some of those wacky corn growers live right here in Clarence....and formed their own organization to show the love for their corn growing. The Fourth Avenue Corn Growers Association was born when the seeds arrived this year. One entire block of Fourth Avenue has planted the seeds, holds rousing monthly meetings and watches their corn grow. I, as the Cedar County "Hawk-Eye" (Our Iowa Field Editor), was invited to two meetings this summer....and they were SO.MUCH.FUN!!! I was given the title of "honorary 4th Avenuer". I threatened to pick my house up (off the very boring 7th Avenue) and move it to where the party

is...on 4th!

The first meeting I attended was great fun. I met everyone in the gang, looked at all the corn, listened to the minutes from the last meeting....it was great. There are some characters on 4th Avenue. Wayne is one of them. Wayne had attached a VERY long pole to his house...in anticipation of the growth spurt he was sure his corn would have.

And let me in on a little secret hiding down below the lowest corn leaves. Can you guess what that little piece of PVC is poking out of the ground. Have you ever heard the term "dropping trou"? Uh, yeah....you may want to steer clear of Wayne's while he "fertilizes" his corn. He did mention he does it in the dark. Wayne has the driest sense of humor...and impeccable comic timing. I wish you could have all been there to hear him describe his corn growing techniques.

Phyllis is the secretary for this group of rabble rousing corn growers. Her notes will make you laugh until your sides ache. I will need to get a copy....you all simply must read some excerpts of the hilarity.

The group looks innocent enough, yes? HI.LAR.I.OUS. If every neighborhood everywhere could be this closeknit and friendly the world would be a much nicer place to live in.

THEN, I and my family were invited to the NEXT meeting. (I must have made a good impression...hehehe). First we measured corn. A very tall ruler was constructed by Bob....we scoffed at the very tall ruler. Until we measured the corn. Wayne's peepee is definitely growing some corn.

My beloved even got into the action, helping out at the top of the ladder. This was Wayne's "secondary" corn. Not the "contest" corn. It was doing quite well if I do say so.

Next came Bob and Kris' corn. WOWSA.

THEN, we came to Derek's corn. HELL-O MR. CORN GROWER!

Umm.....Marcia's going for dwarfiest variety. She's having fun with it....that's what counts! You can stop in to tease Marcia about her corn anytime at Mill Creek Cafe....she's one of the owners.

She has an infectious laugh. :-)

We listened to the minutes....on lawn chairs....on the driveway. I love small town Iowa. This is it at its finest. Neighbors enjoying each other's company, a delicious potluck meal and beverages in the warm summer air.

I smiled all the way home.

You can check out the 4th Avenue corn in Clarence by driving down the 400 block of 4th Avenue.

Also, feel free to check out the Our Iowa "Corn Cam" on the campus of Iowa State University.

I also featured the Corn Growers in the latest issue of the Clarence Community Newsletter....check 'er out.

You Who! Over Here! I'm Back! :-)

2011-09-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

I'm still on the planet! Who woulda thunk it? Sorry for the long absence....Summer does that to a gal. Just too much to do in too little hours...and I have found that I do actually enjoy sleeping a full night's sleep...and reading for 3.4 seconds before falling asleep. I'm selfish like that. ;-) So, since we last chatted Rich has been a working machine.....worked straight through our vacation to Beaver Island, MI (post to come), straight through my visit to the 4th Avenue Corn Growers (post to come), through canning beets, (post to come), through a big ole sign that needed to be painted (post to come), through the Iowa State Fair (post to come) AND through the Ironman Louisville race (post to come). See we've been BUUUUUSSSSSYYYYY. Capital B Busy....but lots of fun. I'll share it all soon.

Anywho, back to Rich and his amazing work. Feel free to pop over here, here and here to see where we've come from in the last month. Browse at your leisure...I'll wait. We now have drywall, plumbing, electrical....

....the bath closet to end all bath closets. It even has a door. A real snazzy door that I will debut soon. I bought it (and removed it) from the Mechanicsville Elementary School auction before it was leveled. And she's a beaut.

And looky there folks. A real tub. A real, normal sized, cast iron tub. It makes me smile all over to think about taking a shower in there. A normal sized tub with a normal height shower. The tile guy is planning to start on Tuesday. (just a sec while I do cartwheels down the street). White subway tile in the bath.....white hex with black flowers and dots on the floor. Oh yeah baby.

And what is this? You might ask. That would be an outlet in the heavenly closet. Why would someone want an outlet in their closet, you might ask? Rich asked me the same thing. Shook his head. Installed it for me anyway. He rocks.

It's for my toothbrush you sillies! Who wants their ugly electric toothbrush hanging out on their gorgeous new sink vanities. Not I.

Yep, that's where those gorgeous sink vanities will go.....two of them. I can't wait to show you those. Do you hear the angels singing? No longer will we have an MMA cage brawl in front of the sink in the morning. Three boys who need to brush their teeth all at once REQUIRE two sinks. Enough said.

And there he is. Rich. The contractor to end all contractors. I'm not even going to tell you his last name because I have fifty four more projects for him to work on and YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM. Okay, I'll share....if I have to.

Apparently when the last folks "remodeled" this bathroom they didn't really take the time to think about how insulation, air flow and mold interact. It was a bad scene up in there. Rich took matters into his own hands, installed a roof vent, vented our soffits (temporarily until I talk my husband into new soffits, gutters, roof and siding), and made sure everything vented appropriately.

AND, as if all that wasn't enough. He installed a new outdoor receptacle for us....just because it was exposed from the inside when the bath walls were removed.

So folks, that's it for now. My ~~pillow~~ book is calling to me.

See you tomorrow!

Bath Remodel....End of the First Four Days

2011-07-29T21:17:00.000-05:00

Bathroom remodel.....beginning of Day 4.

End of Day 4. New super duper exhaust fan WITH LIGHT installed.

NEW, CLEAN insulation. All the blown in and puny batting is gone.

Here we come winter! Nice ceiling insulation.

Even all the cracks and crevices are filled. Rich doesn't miss a beat.

Yesterday as I was working on my little sink table project outside, Rich came out and said he had a surprise for me. Surprises and remodeling aren't a good combination....so I held my breath....until he handed me this. NEATO, right?! He found this old measuring stick in the wall! So what are your guesses? Original to the house build date of 1918 or the subsequent remodelings in the 1970's? I'm just going to pretend it's nearly a hundred years old....that makes it more interesting. ;-)

Wiring and plumbing start on Monday.

At this rate we'll have an ACTUAL WORKING bathroom in a flash!

Oh, and how many kinds of love do you feel for the patina on that table? Loves.

Rolling Down the Road to a Prettier Bathroom

2011-07-28T21:24:00.001-05:00

Take it all in. Isn't this the most stunningly beautiful bathroom EVER?

I KEEEED, I KEEEED. Frankly our bathroom has made me wrinkle my nose from day one. It had been "remodeled" shortly before we bought the house. In the interest of not offending anyone I'll just say it wasn't "my taste." A little too oakey oak and brassy.

As the years wore on (seven to be exact) the bathroom became more than an eyesore. Mold became an issue, the vinyl flooring was scuffed and icky, the shower started to leak and we were just tired of the giganto Jacuzzi hamper. So, I did what any smart girl would do. I called Rich. My superhero.

And he got RIGHT TO WORK!! No more Jacuzzi hamper! Or moldy drywall!

Goodbye ~~bane of my existence~~ exhaust fan.

Rich took it down....along with the entire ceiling. We discovered that the room was about half this size originally, with a porch on the rear. The fan had been installed incorrectly and was not venting correctly....and was full of mold too. It's a miracle we didn't all croak.

Thank goodness all this grossness is gone.

And then there was the shower. The leaky, installed incorrectly, yucky teeny shower....with the mauve "privacy" lines. Goodbye 1993.

Hello 2011! Okay, not quite yet.....but we're making progress! All the shower bits rode away in the back of Rich's truck....and went to live on a farm somewhere where they will be so happy and can run free. ;-)

Jacuzzi hamper and shower combo....that's a lot of bathing options. Too many for us. I found the LAST right hand drain cast iron tub on the planet on Saturday. It's in the back of my husband's pickup waiting to find its way to its new home. I should have taken its photo....but now it's dark so I'll wait til tomorrow. ;-)

Bye bye tub and shower. (Sorry for the blurry photo....stuff happens.)

Goodbye Hollywood lights...you never all lit at the same time....and made me sweaty standing in front of you. There were THREE GFI outlets on this wall. THREE. I'm not sure if they made toast in here while blowdrying their hair and playing records or what? I don't use a blowdryer or curling iron (I have no skills in that department)....or anything that gets plugged into the bathroom, besides my toothbrush....and I have two BOYS. I had Rich cut it back to ONE outlet on that wall. I mean, for reals? Three?

Bu-bye.

Imagine in your mind's eye two cute little tables with sinks, beadboard, pretty mirrors, shiny chrome faucets, gorgy gorgeous antique sconces and white hex floor tile!! :-)

More tomorrow! Maybe I'll actually snap a photo of Rich DOING work....the poor man is in there, with the door shut, with no air conditioning vent (yes, that meant we also had NO HEAT...EVER in the bathroom!!!!). He's a trooper, this one.

Miss Effie's Annual Ice Cream Social

2011-07-24T19:15:00.001-05:00

Is there a more delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon than on the farm, surrounded by talented, interesting people, baby goats and homemade ice cream? Today was Miss Effie's annual ice cream social, with all proceeds benefiting the North Scott Food Pantry. Miss Eff is that kinda gal. She's a giver....and I think she's fourteen kinds of wonderful.

My husband told me the other day he thinks Miss Eff and I are soul mates...I can't argue.

Not even this crazytown front moving through the area could keep us from the party. It rained....but only briefly. Mother Nature smiled on Miss Eff's party today.

My littles got right down to business with the cake and ice cream. There were no smiles, there were no "look at Mom and grin" photos to be had....this was homemade cake AND homemade ice cream. Only the sounds of slurping and swallowing could be heard.

French silk chocolate ice cream with Miss Eff's VERY special carrot cake....can we have a moment of silence for this combination. It was fabulous. I could have eaten an embarrassing amount of each....

but I restrained myself. ;-) I should have taken a photo of the cake table....there would be keyboards shorting out all over the world, from the uncontrollable drooling. ;-) hehehe

No trip to Miss Eff's would be complete without checking out the beautiful flowers. I had to point out the flower supports to my husband....bent cattle panels. Genius.

The little goats were adorable. They make the cutest little noises. I think they'll all sleep well tonight after being chased around their pen all day by enthusiastic visitors.

Marsh REALLY liked the little ones...they're just about as big as a puppy. Picking them up was a different story....not being regular goat wranglers he wasn't exactly sure how to pick one up and not have it shoot out of his arms like a greased pig! They're tricky little fellas.

The flowers were beautiful everywhere we went. And the garden markers....seriously? Have you ever seen more beautiful markers? LOVE THEM. My friend Becky made them...she does wonderful work, yes? I need a truckload of these I think.

If I was a chicken I would live here.

With all my lady friends....and enjoy the view.

The music was awesome....very "Miss Eff-esque".

This is one of my favorite spots on the farm. Everytime I read that sign up there I think to myself, "being a little naughty is good for everyone." ;-)

We really enjoyed our afternoon and want to thank Miss Eff for hosting her wonderful party. It is a priviledge for all of us to share in the very special place that is Miss Effie's Country Flowers!!

Signs and Ice Cream

2011-07-23T21:44:00.000-05:00

In preparation for Miss Effie's Annual Ice Cream Social, I've spent some time creating a few pieces to be for sale in the Summer Kitchen. Just delivered these on Friday....gives me a great excuse to visit one of my favorite people. Of course I will be finding my way back out to the farm tomorrow to actually ATTEND the ice cream social. Seriously folks, who can turn down homemade french silk chocolate ice cream and 'just baked for me' carrot cake? Not I. Not I. Oh, and I don't think I could keep my kids away from the dwarf baby goats if I tried. I mean, a goat smaller than a chicken? Forgedaboudit.

I had to paint an egg sign....the only place I buy eggs from is Miss Eff. Best eggs around. I won't even touch storebought eggs anymore....gives me the heebygeebies. She's spoiled me like that.

And of course we needed an ice cream sign for an ice cream social! I used a new crackle/layering technique on the signs....worked like a charm....and was SUPER cheap. Did you know crackle medium rivals only printer ink in per ounce cost? hehehe. I need to save every penny right now....my super hero Rich is starting our bath remodel next week. Can I get an A-MEN?!

Oh, and we all know how I feel about details. Love. Them.

I hope this sign finds a nice home....it's a favorite. Maybe I'll sneak it back out of the Summer Kitchen tomorrow. ;-) Unless you get to it before I do.

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

2011-07-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

Let's pretend you could only choose one supper for the rest of the summer....what would you choose? I'm thinking this might be my vote after trying this recipe this week. Grilled salmon with avocado salsa, fresh sweet corn and watermelon. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. We can all thank Pinterest for this recipe....I trotted over HERE for the full scoop.

Now to begin, I know there are a lot of folks who don't like fish. Bleck, they say. My husband is a meat guy. Fish...well....take it or leave it. He'll eat it if I make it, but let's just say he doesn't REQUEST it. After taking one bite of this salmon he said, and I quote, "OMG, this is KILLER!!" To translate, he thought it was delightful....and proceeded to eat two servings. It was fresh, it was flavorful....it was awesome.

Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!!

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients (for 4 people):

2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper

Avocado salsa
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
3 mild hot peppers, seeded and deveined, diced or sliced
Juice from 2 limes
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1.Mix the salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2.Pre-heat the grill.

3.Combine the avocado, onion, hot peppers, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.

4.Grill the salmon to desired doneness.

5.Serve the salmon topped with the avocado salsa

Snazzy Clothes for All

2011-07-18T08:49:00.001-05:00

Wow! Summer is just flying by.....a wedding we've been anticipating for months came and went on Saturday. Our friends Kara and Dan were married in a beautiful outdoor wedding at a nature preserve. We shall all say thanks for glorious air conditioning afterwards...and for a minister who kept the ceremony short and sweet. ;-)

I was FINALLY able to wear a dress I've been DY.ING to wear somewhere....I bought it for $6 at Goodwill...and actually paid twice that to have it drycleaned, but I guess it was worth it. ;-) Beautiful green silk that flared out when I spun around on the dance floor. FUN STUFF folks. I have a confession.....I buy most of my clothes at Goodwill. The Marion, Iowa Goodwill is possibly the best Goodwill in all the land....brand new high quality clothes ALL THE TIME. Awesome clothes. I once scored a pair of $200 jeans there....for $3. I didn't much care that they originally cost $200....but realized there is definitely a difference in quality between $200 jeans and $30 jeans!

Happy shopping (and wedding season) friends!! :-)

Summer Days

2011-07-11T22:23:00.001-05:00

Where is the summer going? How can we be in the middle of July already? Why can't February go this quickly? We've been having lots of fun though....so we'll just keep soaking in each day.

The Fourth of July weekend was very special around here....we were visited by our favorite aunt and uncle, my brother Mike and his wife Michelle. USUALLY they are hard at work on the farm, J & W Freshwater Produce....but somehow we were able to steal them away for a few days. We fed them, played, spit watermelon seeds, had a hilarious water balloon fight (the balloons didn't actually break, just bounced off and splattered on the ground...my stomach hasn't hurt that much from laughing in a long time!!!), lit sparklers...just had a good old fashioned time.

We've been riding bikes....Marshall is on two wheels now...riding like a champion.

Clancey is close behind....are you thinking what I'm thinking while looking at this photo? Clown car. The kid is E.NOR.MOUS. Grown more than two inches since Christmas....he is eclipsing that micro bike.

Trying to grow teeth as quickly as we can before sweet corn season arrives. Almost there Marsh!!

Got ice cream from the ice cream truck for the FIRST TIME since moving here....seven years ago. ;-) I remembered why we've never chased down the ice cream truck. I'll just leave it at that. ;-)

Devoured the treats....or licked quickly, as is the case with no front teeth.

Licked even more quickly trying to keep up with a melting spiderman. (It was a losing battle.) And yes, it had eyes. What ever happened to push pops? I asked Clanc what kind of ice cream his spiderman was made out of.....his answer? "Blueberry, red berry and white berry." Interesting.

We roasted marshmallows in the backyard. The guys built the little fire ring, collected sticks, helped Dad get the fire going.

Wow, look at that nice fire. Levi imparts "yeah, that's a bonafide Boy Scout campfire."

Um....your bonafide Boy Scout fire just went out babe. hehehe.

Eventually we got the fire going nicely and the boys decided they liked their marshmallows lightly warmed.

Me too. Not much into charcoal.

Have you seen these puppies in the store? The bag was seriously heavy...the marshmallows are the size of apples. Industrial-sized s'mores anyone? :-)

You Scream, I Scream, We all Scream for Green Beans

2011-07-11T07:13:00.000-05:00

Green bean time is in full swing at my house right now! Yesterday I harvested for the third time....up to 16 quart bags in the freezer now. We prefer our green beans little and fresh....so freezing is the best option. I usually can a few quarts for green bean casserole, etc....but the rest get blanched and popped in the freezer. Then when we're ready to eat them I throw them in the steamer for a few minutes and voila...tastes like a fresh green bean!

Oh, and my green bean harvest is going along SO much easier (wink wink) since I found this gorgeous old enamel pan at my favorite "junk" store. Seriously folks, who can resist vintage enamel? Not me. It fits PERFECTLY in my sink, resting on the edges while I clean each bean. :-)

We've been busy lately...summer has a way of doing that....I'll show you what we've been up to tomorrow! (besides picking truckloads of green beans)

The Bathroom...Bits and Pieces

2011-07-02T22:49:00.002-05:00

Do you like your bathroom? I can't say that I like mine. The upstairs bath, yes. The downstairs bath, no. Not. At. All. It functions....I guess....but has lots of issues. And, well, frankly, I've reached my limit.

The exhaust fan is only remotely in the vicinity of the shower...and we all know what happens when moisture can't escape. Bad, bad things. In fact, the shower itself was installed wrong and upon developing a leak we were informed the only solution was tearing out the whole thing....or caulking it to within an inch of its life. We chose the latter...knowing its life was coming to a close. Those are just a few things....there are lots more. (Like the giganto whirlpool tub that is used exclusively as a giganto laundry hamper.)

Now the pieces and bits are being collected...for....wait for it....wait for it......A BATH REMODEL. Guess what folks. I'm not doing a thing. Not a darn thing. My super hero, Rich, is remodeling the bath. After the kitchen remodel I've got nothin. Not an ounce of energy left. I can't wait for you to see what we do with that ole table up there. It's oak under all that paint.

Then these two little vintage lovelies came into my life this past week. $16 for both....can you believe? They jumped into my arms. We're going to rewire them so they can be hardwired instead of plugged in. (Well actually my dad will probably rewire them...there's really no "we' in it. ;-)

I tried them out on the kitchen wall....makes me think I REALLY want beadboad in the bath too.....just so my lights can look this pretty. ;-)

A few weeks ago my stars aligned and sent me to the ReStore. Okay, it doesn't take much to get me to the ReStore, but I digress. There, in the midst of rusty, mineral deposited sinks were beautiful shiny twins. BRAND. SPANKIN'. NEW. shiny twins. Brand spankin' new KOHLER twins. I quickly whipped out my trusty phone and looked up this particular model of Kohler sink, which retails for $320 each. EACH? Holy crapola. I took these babies home for $40 each. WITH the cutting templates and porcelain cleaner that originally came packed with the sinks. WHAT THE FRANK? How did these beautiful twins end up at the ReStore? Frankly I don't really care because now they live in my basement until their big day.

Tub, tile and faucets up next. :-)

Wowwy Wowsers Weekend

2011-06-27T23:06:00.003-05:00

There are weekends that are so productive that it blows your mind. This past one was just that. It all started when my mom and dad showed up to stay with our littles while my husband and I ran off to the big city. Yep, it was a productive weekend and I didn't even have to be here!! Clancey anxiously awaited the arrival of Mema and Papa......

...helped Papa bring in all the tools.

And my dad got right to work.

Remember this lonely corner in the kitchen?

Remember how it looked a few months ago?

Then I found a couple sad cabinets at the ReStore.

This one was so sad they sold it for $5. That's pretty sad.

With the magic of paint, trim and new hardware.....we have this!

And then Dad produced THIS!!!!! Shelves all the way to the ceiling.

How awesome is that? Yep, shall I mention again how much my dad ROCKS?!

Look at that beautiful detail!!! Love the curvy shelf feet. The wood wasn't quite "cured" yet....so I will have a nice little painting project waiting for me when the kiddos go back to school in the fall. :-) I will paint it with the same enamel paint that is on the cabinets down below.

THEN, Dad whipped this curtain rod up....that's been sitting around for a jillion years. Leveling....Dad is GREAT at leveling. I, on the otherhand have a deficiency in this area....so I leave the leveling to him. Ignore the unplanted tomato plants on the lovely folding table, the Cozy Coupe, the roller coaster and my $1 chair that needs a slipcover....admire the lovely curtain rod and curtain panels....and my sweet baby boy. ;-) Focus. Focus on the window. hehehe

THEN, as if all that wasn't enough.....Dad installed our bedroom ceiling fan! We've had bare wires hanging in that spot for oh.....about.....two years. Ever since our other fan started making an annoying noise and went away. My husband is very thankful, as his body temperature reaches approximately that of the space shuttle launch, while he sleeps.

THANK YOU DAD!!!!!!! And MOM for taking care of EVERYTHING else while Dad worked!!!

A Day in the Life of a CSA Farmer

2011-06-20T23:28:00.002-05:00

So the title is misleading....all right, all right. Clearly this is not a "day in the life" since he was giving me a tour and farmers don't typically do THAT all day long. I had SO much fun touring the J&W Freshwater Produce farm and went a little crazy with the photos. I'll only show you about 345 today....come on over if you'd like to see the rest. I should probably put a SLIGHT disclaimer on this post at this point. The farmer is my brother, Mike Walters. He he he. But I STILL had a ton of fun seeing all the parts of the farm. We live far apart and I don't get over there as often as I'd like.

First we checked out the cows....isn't the one in the middle a gorgeous lady? She was just about to have a baby...now that's something I'd like to see once. Probably only once.

I wished I had a video recorder with me....so you could hear this cat. Funniest. Meow. EVER. It REALLY sounds like she's talking. Oh, and she has no tail. Strange breed that's been wandering around this particular farm for decades. It would totally freak you out if you were out there in the dark. Okay, I'm a scaredy cat. (no pun intended)

And what is possibly my favorite part of farms? The junk. You got me.

And more cool junk.

We checked out the ducks....who run this way (except for a couple smart alecs running the wrong way)....

....and that way. All in a pack. They are really fun to watch....and I think they know that...look at the smiles on those faces....er...beaks.

Mike chased down the prettiest rooster ever so we could take a closer look. He was really not interested in being photographed.

Ha ha....gotcha anyway Mr. Rooster.

Mike showed me his super cool compost tea dispenser. I'm sure he used a more technical term than that, but I was busy taking photos. ;-) I think I need one of these.

He pointed out that it kinda looks like sewage...umm....yeah it does.

But it's really super awesome for your plants he explained. Snap snap snap.

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD AND HOLY IN THIS WORLD STOP TAKING MY PHOTO!!!!!!!! snap snap snap I PROMISE TO SHOW YOU INSIDE THIS COOL BUILDING IF YOU STOP TAKING MY PHOTO. snap snap snap

He loves me....I'm his big sister. So he tore the door off and showed me inside anyway.

Just look at that awesome junk!!

Moving the chicken tractor. This is REALLY neat (and Mike built it by hand). If I was a chicken I would TOTALLY want to live in a chicken tractor.

Strangley enough, the chickens were about as interested in being photographed as the rooster.

Are you lookin' at me? Are YOU. LOOKIN'. AT ME??

I like to tease Mike that my garden is bigger than his garden. He he he. Um...my garden would fit approximately 300 times in this garden. LOL He and my sister in law, Michelle, are growing ALL KINDS of wonderful ORGANIC things here. All the shares are purchased for this year....but if you're interested for next year be sure to give them a holler. You can also catch them at farmers' market if you're lucky.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Those are seriously THE BEST looking carrot bundles you've ever seen. It's okay, I know. I MAY have been in charge of bundling carrots. Just sayin'. ;-)

The day I visited, the full share CSA members were getting deliveries.....they got swiss chard, kale, strawberries, carrots, lettuce, arugala, snow peas and sugar snap peas. Um...JEALOUS!! I did make off with some strawberries though....that promptly found their way into my homemade strawberry ice cream tonight. ;-)

And finally, I left. And took Puffer (and my husband and kids) home.

You can check Mike and Chell out on their blog http://freshwaterproduce.blogspot.com/

or on Facebook!

Please Love The Hippies

2011-06-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

The weather in Iowa right now is squirrely. Down.Right.Squirrely. Cold, hot, rain, wind, cold, wind, rain, hot. I can't keep up. So in the meantime I just stay in the house....and paint.

I've had this sign on my mind for a while now.

Do you remember my homage to The Lettered Cottage's Tybee Island e-zine? LOVE everything about this beautiful cottage. That sign near the door was quirky and fun. However, try explaining why this sign is quirky and fun to your seven and three year olds. After describing what a hippie was, what they stood for, their place in the political climate of the 1960's and why this sign might have been displayed., my seven year old found nothing fun and quirky about the sign. My husband said the same thing.

I still like the sign.

I distressed the edges....because that's just what I do.

Hey, there's a hippie! Okay not really...but close. I was going to ask what fun accessories you would add to the backdoor besides a Cozy Coupe, but I think the sign is coming back inside...maybe for the guest room....or upstairs bath...that would be fun. I have a feeling my neighbors might not "get" it it either.

Maybe good old stars and stripes will be going back up.

What decorates your back door? Are there any hippies hanging around?

Go! Go Now! The Plants NEED You!

2011-06-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

ALERT FOR ALL PLANT LOVERS!! The middle of June to the end of the month is a great time to keep an eye on the prices for lots of landscaping plants...they drop like a rock....starting NOW! Today we made a trip to the nearest store that carries flipflops for a little boy who decided he desperately needed flipflops RIGHT NOW. The forelorn landscaping plants were scattered about. 50% off. I was just thinking I needed a couple more hydrangeas. NEEDED Honey....I NEEDED them.

And see! They were 50% off for a big ole jug of hydrangea.

They need love...but as you can see they're ready to shoot like crazy.

And they are the BLUE ones! Okay, I acknowledge they probably won't turn blue...I hear that's pretty tricky. I'll give it the ole college try.

This is part of our north yard....I've added all these things since we've moved in. Hostas REALLY like the north side. I REALLY like them.....they REALLY like me. ;-) i.e....I plant them, forget they exist, they grow huge. They are my kinda plants.

My little hydrangea loverlies will go there and there....and hopefully grow huge and block out all those weeds I don't want to pull. ;-)

Sugar....Spinach....Sugar

2011-06-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

We're in our first full week of "summer break" around here. We've been doing a lot of chilling. No schedule...no where to be....it's awesome. It lasts for approximately one more week....then the hubbub begins. Swim lessons, Summer Discovery camp, Weather camp, Vacation Bible School....lots of fun...and lots of running. While we're still chilling we've had some fun! The youngest little has been asking for approximately three months to make heart shaped sugar cookies. Why hearts? I really don't know. He's just sweet like that I guess. ;-)

The biggest little is meticulous with his decorating, placing each sprinkle just so.

The youngest little....a bit more of a "dumper". God love him.

The cookies turned out delicious...and very high in sprinkle content.

We had lots of fun.

And discovered that the more we lick our fingers, the more the sprinkles stick to our fingers, therefore requiring us to lick the sprinkles off our fingers, and starting the whole process over again. ;-)

He didn't mind.

We've picked lots of spinach....and frozen most of it. Hello spinach artichoke dip....

in the middle of January.

Summer Reading Program started today. The VanOorts made a haul. Besides seeing a fun skit, hearing a cool book, making a goat and eating homemade cookies.....there was a "guess how many M&M's in this jar" contest. Marshall, being the analytical one, looked the jar over and guessed 685 M&M's. Clancey, being three, decided his guess would be 686 M&M's (because it sounded like Brother's guess). The time came to reveal how many M&M's resided in the jar. 687 M&M's. Can you believe it? The kid is a freakin' genius. Just sayin'. Clancey won the M&M's, using his brother's guess essentially. Marshall couldn't have been happier for his baby brother....they're THOSE kind of brothers. They rock.

And Marshall won an Earth bouncy ball. He was thrilled with that. He asked me "how do you think they knew I love space?" He's a cool kid.

And Clanc walked away with 687 M&M's. :-)

Up Top

2011-06-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

Finishing the ceiling has been the catalyst to SO many wonderful finishing touches in the kitchen-project-that-has lasted-into-infinity. Would it be strange to invite everyone I know over just to stare at my kitchen ceiling. Perhaps I should do that in private, so as not to reveal my obsession with it. ;-) Did you know that drywall can be finished with NO SANDING AT ALL? Um....apparently it can....by Rich. Do you remember I talked about Rich and the ceiling a bit ago.

However....I never showed a photo of the finished product.

I've never seen a more beautiful, smooth, perfect ceiling in all my life. For reals. Rich was here twice a day for a week to produce this glorious masterpiece. WITH NO SANDING. Guess what Rich is doing next? Remodeling my bathroom....I mean seriously...if you can produce a finish like that you're more than qualified to tackle my gross bathroom.

Then today, superhero #2 arrived. My super awesome electrically talented friend Adam stopped by to put up my light fixtures. (Do you remember Adam?) The light fixtures that have sat in boxes in my foyer for oh....about 3000 years. He had them up in a jiffy....and I fell over from swooning. I was only a moderate amount of help due to the fact I spent most of the time staring in delight at the beautiful fixtures against the beautiful ceiling.

This was the first beautiful girl to go up. And look....it even lights up!

Oh....soooooo.....pretttyyyyyy. The fixture above the stove is a smaller size than the next two......

Hello big beautiful ladies. You provide the prettiest light....can't wait for dark to really try you out.

What a happy light family. And a happy Jen.

Bulkheads Just Wanna Have Fun

2011-06-09T20:48:00.000-05:00

On Day 3 of our journey through the kitchen details I'll show you the north wall. This wall isn't ENTIRELY finished...a couple teeny things to finish....but I wanted to show you one of my favorites. So as we can see....this is the before. (Gosh, I hope you didn't think that was the after. ;-)

For matter of budget, effort, basically not wanting to mess with them, I kept our cabinets intact. I painted them bright white with some super duper paint my paint store guy recommended. Truly, it will change your life if you use it. (but I'm too lazy to go to the basement to get the name of it....if you'd like the name jingle me.) I changed all the hardware...all brushed nickel bin pulls and handles now. Loves them. But before we get to all that....take a look up there at the bulkhead. From the day we moved in it looked gross, dirty, spackley...yuck.

SOOO....I decided to make it fun. Bulkheads just wanna have fun. And what is more fun than a chalkboard I ask you? Not too much I say. Now I realize this will not float everyone's boat. You may look at it with a lemon face and say oooh, why would she do something weird like that? I love it, that's why. I can change what it says every five minutes if I so desire....and I have a thing for words....and only so much space in my house for more signs. Or I can draw Christmas trees on it....or attempt to chalk any number of the amazing things that Michael draws on his chalkboards like this or this or this.

Love the black against the white.

Today it says "All good things are wild, and free." It's Henry David Thoreau being a genius.

Just think if we were all a tad more wild and free. Glorious.

I wish you could all smell those roses on the counter right now. Heavenly.

Nothing like an old fashioned rose plucked from the yard.

Yep, I'm loving it. You might want to go wild and give it a try. It's only paint.

The littles discussed the quote. Big brother whispered to little brother "I think she's talking about us." :-)

East Wall...How I Love Thee

2011-06-08T12:35:00.001-05:00

These before and after posts are kinda fun. Not just KINDA fun....they are a whole

whoppin' lug of fun. ;-) The amount of work this kitchen remodel took is sort of overwhelming me when I look back through the photos. Thank goodness it was the kitchen and not some unused bedroom that I could shut the door on and walk away for the next 47 years. I would have...in a heartbeat...done that about 2, 298 times during this process. It was hard. I will say, however, that I am proud of myself. I'm proud of what I did with my own two hands and sheer willpower. I think too often too many women see their only worth in what the scale says, what brand of makeup they can afford to purchase or where their purses come from. Certainly not all women (and BOY do I ever know some amazing women!! Future post I think)....but too many women. DO something....do something amazing that you didn't think you could do...make a difference in the world. Okay, end of soapbox. ON TO THE FUN STUFF!!!!

The process was messy. The first night my husband offered to help (because he loves me). And I was an emotional wreck after discovering just HOW MUCH work this was going to take. You might notice this is the last time the hubster appears in the photos....he's a smart man...that stayed FAR AWAY from my insane project. LOL

The day I took this photo I could not believe the progress I was making. Now it makes me get a little sick in my mouth. OMG, what was I thinking? Crazy girl syndrome.

Clinical...like, should be in an institute kind of crazy.

But oh was it worth it. I'm actually getting teary. Look at my beautiful baby. Every nail, every drop of paint, every bit of measuring and remeasuring....it was me. The ceiling, that was Rich....and worth every stinkin' penny....the ceiling will get an entire post of its own. It's that awesome. The bamboo blind...that was my dad. He rocks. Have I mentioned? If a project involves leveling, I leave it to him. Clearly I'm not on the level. ;-)

And look how pretty Becky's fruit bowl looks with the blinds.

And from this angle....pretty fruit bowl, half naked little, cool vintage fan...gotta move some air around here.

Hello beautiful. Welcome to my kitchen. You shall keep us cool for years to come. I shall go collapse now.

Bulkhead detail tomorrow.....you're gonna love this one.

Linking to:

Strut Your Stuff Thursday

The Details Shall Commence

2011-06-07T23:23:00.000-05:00

Way back in the beginning.....the end was nowhere in sight.

Then I went crazy and jumped in with both feet.

And made all kinds of messes....with perfectly good intentions. I WOULD HAVE THE KITCHEN I'D ALWAYS WANTED. Come hell or high water.

But now.....now the light is shining bright at the end of the tunnel. Details. We're down to the details here people!! Although after a year of some of the hardest work I've ever done, I'm zapped. My brain cells are gone. I feel like that guy up there in the instructions. (Pot rack instructions to be exact!! :-) Except I didn't call IKEA. I called.....

....my dad. Thank goodness for him. He has an eye for perfection....if you want a project done the right way, call this guy. He never fails to impress.

And he knows all the cool tricks. Did you know if you twirl your screws around on a candle before screwing them in they'll go in SO much easier? Neither did I. He does. Thank God.

Thar she is. Isn't she a bute? Picked her up on Kim and Jen's Excellent Adventure (to IKEA).

I hesitated for oh.....about long enough for my dad to step out of the way to load her up.

So purty. And functional. No, that was not my idea about hanging the lids right on the pans...genius, huh? Leave it to those IKEA folks. Genius, pure genius.

The Ceiling...Can it really be?

2011-05-23T21:44:00.003-05:00

This little hole started it all. IT. ALL. A year-ish ago I got a wild hair, as I tend to do frequently. (Sorry babe.) I wondered what might be hiding above the dropped ceiling in our kitchen. It started innocently enough...I took down the drop in the entryway....to expose a BEADBOARD ceiling. It was a joyous occassion. That project went SO great that I decided......

....to just take a TEENSY WEENSY peak at what was above the ceiling of the kitchen proper. Soooo....I poked a little hole....that got a little bit bigger....until it was big enough to squeeze my camera up inside the drop ceiling.....

....to take a picture of this. Between the drop ceiling and the original ceiling there was approximately 40 tons of blown-in insulation. Dirty, filthy, dusty, yucky insulation.

But, being of the insane variety that i am now sure I am, I proceeded on. Shoveling the insulation onto the floor as I went.

Thing were promising. My vision was to take down the ENTIRE drop ceiling....the drywall layer, the fiber board layer, then all the framework that comprised the drop.

I worked and worked, devising a strategy as I went.....FYI, if you take ONE layer down at a time it's much easier.

I made an enormous mess (and cleaned it all up).....everynight.....for about two weeks. I think I may have died and been reincarnated...because I have no idea how I survived.

THEN....after all those days of work I came to THIS. GIANT, GAPING, TEAR INDUCING, HOLES in the original ceiling. Our kitchen has its own roof...a roof I never wanted to see from the UNDER side. From as far as I can discern, a genius home improver before myself had crawled into the little crawl space above the kitchen, broke huge holes in the original plaster and lathe to allow for the blown in insulation to migrate in between the two layers of ceiling. Broken. Huge broken holes. This discovery took years off my life, for reals.

What do I do now? I asked myself. The only real solution is to replace the ceiling, as is, on the framework of the drop. I was okay with that...sorta. I REALLY wanted it to be back to its original height...but alas, it was not meant to be. So I put up some plastic to contain the bits that kept falling from the ceiling as I was cooking....

Fixed the gaping holes with small pieces of drywall. Wow, that was not fun to do alone. I still really can't even talk about it....that's how traumatizing it was. ;-) Insulated and insulated and insulated.

This VERY morning, this is how my kitchen looked. Cabinets lookin' primo with new paint and hardware....new dishwasher installed....walls beadboarded and painted, trim replaced and painted, new sink, faucet and countertops installed, floor coming along.....but no ceiling. It's been a year.

Oh yeah, and then there was the little ReStore cabinet redo....that was a proud moment.

THEN, two super heros arrived and saved the day. Zach and Rich did, in about three hours, what I had waited for...for what seemed like an eternity. I had tried to hire another contractor to do the job....but he blew me off after saying he'd show up on Thursday (about 50 Thursdays ago)...and was never heard from again. Just so happened the gals at Mill Creek were talking about Rich doing drywall...and I was all over that like white on rice. Local, honest, hardworking, trustworthy Rich was going to come to my rescue.

Look at that baby. A ceiling. A real ceiling.

Prefill done today....tape and mud tomorrow. Oh joyous tape and mud. And look at those shoe thingies....that takes skills. Balance and looking up at the ceiling and carrying around the little muddy tray....skills.

Paint by the weekend. Then comes the fun part......accessories!

Lights, bamboo blinds, shelves....oh I can't wait.

Our Weekend

2011-05-22T23:09:00.001-05:00

WOOHOO!!! Summer is BAAAACK!!! We are enjoying every minute of being outside....a long hard winter will do that to ya. Friday Mema and Papa came to visit....and Papa brought his latest super fun invention along. A run through sprinkler!

Big brother was at school, so little brother got to take the inaugural runs. Oh boy did he have fun.

That grin says it all.

Saturday was the BIG RACE! Marshall (7) and Daddy (unwilling to admit age) have been planning to run this 5k for months. Marshall is not your average 7 year old....he ran his first 5k at 6 years old...and has the mental toughness of an adult athlete....he must get that from Ironman Daddy.

Start those watches!

Run Marsh run!

The finish line!! So proud of my little guy (and the big guy too).

Marsh was pooped so Papa had to help him get his number off. Grandparents to the rescue!

One of my projects this weekend was to clean up our front walk. (Along with planting tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, turning over the soil in a raised bed, weeding, mowing.....I'm such a whiner. ;-)

Anywho, this is the before. Weedy, messy....

And after! I pulled the weeds out of the sidewalk cracks (amazing the difference THAT makes), weeded the beds and mulched.

Before.

After!

I picked up these little guys at Home Depot. Yay! I've never had solar lights and EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON MY BLOCK has them.....ok not everyone, but close. I didn't want them lined up like an airport runway, so I poked them in the porch flower beds. Pretty snazzy....and the copper adds a little somethin' somethin' to the beds.

It's beginning to look a lot like sum-mer, eevvverywhere I goooooo. (in my yard)

Up next, we need to get the porch furniture down from the garage attic but there has been a delay....a robin baby delay. Robins decided to build a nest in front of the attic door...hmm.....how quick do babies learn to fly? I sorta want my porch furniture.

OH! AND THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!!!!! We are getting a kitchen ceiling tomorrow. Can you believe it? Me either. Stay tuned.

Trading with Willow Avenue Pottery

2011-05-19T22:15:00.000-05:00

Would you like to know the best part of owning your own business? (I like to call it "business" like I'm a big shot ;-) Bartering. I know some REALLY cool people...that do REALLY cool stuff....so usually I feel like I make out like a bandit. They get a sign....I get something WAY cooler. Several months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Becky from Willow Avenue Pottery. Have you met? You must....she's DE.light.FUL. Delightful. And she lives in a neato geodesic dome....she's super cool like that. ANYWAY....Becky's studio needed a sign...and...well...that's what I do, that's who I am. ;-)

SO.....Becky got a sign....and I got a bowl.....an amazing, beautiful, custom fruit bowl. We'll get to that. First, however, I wanted to buy one of Becky's beautiful yarn bowls for my mom, knitter extraordinaire. I got to choose the glaze colors and everything! Becky did an amazing job. It is beautiful.

THIS is my fruit bowl. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. Perhaps I should say it again....LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. The color is dreamy...it is GIGANTO....it's perfect.

Just look at that glaze...how pretty.

Becky even gave the inside of the bowl this beautiful design.

Pretty pretty pretty.

Oh how I love it.

And check this out....TWO bunches of bananas, TWO peaches, ONE tomato AND a melon! How many fruit bowls can do THAT kind of job?

My fruit is happy and so am I. Thanks Becky!!!

Visit Becky on her website or Etsy.....you can have your very own beautiful piece of handcrafted pottery from Guthrie County, Iowa!!!

Irradicating the World of Faux Paneling One Closet at a Time

2011-05-18T21:16:00.001-05:00

I am a turtle. I do everything at turtle pace. Usually when I do a project it takes...well...a while. I have kids, I have a husband, I have a life, I have friends, I have a business (squealing), I have a giganto yard that needs mowed, I have stuff that needs done. You get the idea. Projects move slowly. But then...once in a while the stars align, you go on a fun trip with Kim (to IKEA and get some cool stuff), see lots of inspiration, the hubster goes on travel....your window of opportunity is open....JUMP! You may remember the beginning......mmm-hmm...it was bad.

I started the closet redo by emptying it. Not as fun as a barrel of monkeys but hey, not too bad. And yes, that Nike box IS holding up the clothes bar. Don't judge. That was an improvement, as it had fallen out of the wall and the clothes were slaloming downward toward the back of the closet.

Removed all the bars and wire shelf doohickies. Sometimes the old timers actually got it right....let's not reinvent the wheel here folks. In old houses closets tend to be small....there is only so much that SHOULD go in the closet.

Irradicating the world of faux paneling one room at a time. Seriously....it had to take SO much more effort to put all that icky paneling OVER the walls than to just strip the wallpaper and paint. (The guy before us must have spent a FORTUNE in paneling) I have added even more square footage to my house.....the paneling had expanded and was bowed out at least 2 inches. This is a small closet...I need every millimeter!

Goodbye paneling and all your bits. Jen's home improvement hint #1: Clean up as you go. It just makes things nice.

It's not child labor if it's your kid. That's the law. He enjoyed it...look at that smile. I have caught onto something here....two adults would not have fit in the closet together anyway....kids. The key is to enlist kids into your home improvement army. You're welcome.

Used my magic potion on the walls. Worked like a charm.

Stripping wallpaper is a messy business. But it's so nice to paint over that gorgeous old smooth plaster...nothing like it.

Ta da!

Ta da ta da!

I put back the hook strips...or whatever they're called. There are a bajillion of these precious strips with the clever wire hooks on them laying in our basement and garage attic....long ago abandoned for the latest new fangled organizer doohickies. I decided to do two strips on each side so I could have two hanging bars. One for me, one for the hubster.

Oh and my dad rocks. Have I mentioned that previously? We have these automatic light thingies in our closets thanks to him. For years I had the kids convinced I was magic...

a mear wave of the hand turns on the light. ;-)

Filled up. Look at that! I can actually SEE my clothes. They're not all strangled under clumps of my husband's polos and weird triathlete singlet thingies.

And as if I was transported to a time when I was ACTUALLY crafty....I whipped up this little baby this afternoon during naptime. I was pretty proud of myself.

Thank you old house basement that apparently at one time had screen windows. Um...ick. Every creepy crawly thing would find it's way right in...not my scene. You should just be my jewelry organizer...that sounds like WAY more fun, no?

Yay!

As I finished up this post I remembered something......I think my VERY FIRST DIY project was the closet in my bedroom at home, as a kid. My folks must have wondered about me when a 10 year old was asking to remodel her closet. I spackled, painted, the whole show. Then my dad installed organizer thingies....it was awesome and I was so proud of myself. It starts somewhere folks. ;-)

Do your closets need a sprucer? It's actually kinda fun....go for it! :-)

Closet Redo....From the Beginning

2011-05-17T14:44:00.000-05:00

My husband is on travel.....and we ALLL know what that means. Time for unapproved home improvement. ;-) This is our bedroom closet....on a good day. Usually there is also an ironing table, sweatshirts bombing from up above, shoes all over the floor...it's bad folks. It's really bad.

Well.....it's not so bad anymore. (imagine me singing that line...hehehe) Progress to be shown very soon! Unapproved projects make my husband insane....he's not really the "vision" type...you know, it's like walking in on surgery and saying "oh my lord, what have you done to that poor person!!!" He's the same with home improvement. I always say "trust me". He always rolls his eyes. I ~~usually~~ always finish and he says HOLY CRAPOLA, THAT LOOKS AWESOME. We just need to spare him the gory part. ;-)

Miss Effie's Sign....Delivered

2011-05-12T12:36:00.000-05:00

Today I delivered a sign that I designed four times. Yes. Four. Times. It had to be perfect. My dear dear friend Cathy, aka Miss Effie, needed a sign for her absolutely enchanting Summer Kitchen...on her beautiful u-pick flower farm. This is a place that once you've arrived you really don't want to leave. On our way home today my three old announced out of the blue, in the sweetest little calm voice, "I really like going to Miss Effie's". It is a very special place...a place that connects you to the earth and all that means....my children sense that....and I'm so happy I do too. Perhaps now you understand why the sign had to be perfect.

As we all know, details are my FAVORITE. Sometimes I get consumed by details...signs don't happen quickly around here....they marinate in my brain for a while. I adore the details on this sign. Do you know how many ampersands there are on the planet? I think I've looked at every one. ;-)

Shadowing is my second favorite thing. Any font can be shadowed...at least in my book. ;-)

As a side note, this is my boss. Looks tough doesn't he? That's okay...when he's a stinker I just pull his mouth off. ;-)

If I could arrange for all my friends to have a giant lilac bush right outside their studio/kitchen window I would. It is a heavenly scent to be draped in while painting.

That's enough randomness....back to the real show. ;-)

Cath kinda liked her sign. I was tickled every shade of pink by her reaction. Hugging was involved.

The sign made its way to its new home...there are rumors that Cath's super duper handy husband, Cliff, aka "Honey" might possibly maybe install the sign tonight. ;-) Can't wait to see it.

And just in case you think I'm some sort of martyr for slaving away painting these dreadful signs (hehehe)....that would be wrong. I do if for pretty eggs from pretty chickens, the best hot cocoa in the WHOLE WORLD, salted nutrolls from Crosswinds Farm (five minutes after getting home is long enough to wait before chowing them all down, right?), and my NEWEST Miss Eff's addiction.....Date Pecan Granola. Would it be bad if I ate the whole bag while writing this blog? I didn't think so either.

Love you Miss Effie.

McCormick's Irish Pub

2011-05-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

I was recently contacted by a very sweet Coloradian (is that what people from Colorado are called?)...she was interested in a very special gift for Father's Day. Lots of fun details to work with on this one....Irish submariner, currently building a pub in his basement! Perfect combo for a neat sign.

I started with this. A little vision might help at this point. ;-) I cleaned, cleaned, cleaned the wood.

And painted, painted, painted.

After the "aging" process.

Do you recognize that little doodad? Makes a really neat plaquard....

but it started life as a cabinet hardware escutcheon!

The little details are my favorite. I hope this special dad enjoys his gift!!

365 Days on a Farm

2011-05-03T15:03:00.001-05:00

So....what have you all been up to? I've been painting. And painting. And painting. And then waiting til the VEEERRRRYYY last thing to paint the alpaca. Alpacas and I are now like *this*. I've studied photos of them, looked at all the flavors they come in, tried to figure out the difference between an alpaca and a llama. My sweet friend Tammy has opened THE.MOST.AMAZING. yarn store in all the land......365 Days on a Farm....and she wanted me to paint her sign. SUPER!! And I think I have now conquered my fear of farm animals. I've never been much of a scaredy cat when it came to REAL farm animals (I am an Iowa girl afterall) but the painted variety gave me the heeby geebies. Not anymore. Bring em on....duck? Anyone need a duck? Haven't tried that one yet.

This is Tammy's final result! DOUBLE SIDED, 4 foot by 5 foot sign...

it's bigger than Tammy and I put together.

I'm a little partial to the sheep actually.

I painted and painted and painted....so I could deliver.....

....to this sweet gal, who answered all of my little one's questions.

This has to be one of the coolest aspects of Tammy's store. You can take a look at the ACTUAL llama or alpaca that provided fleece for your yarn!! How awesome is that?

Gorgeous yarn. All American grown....from American sheep, llamas and alpacas....

spun by small American companies.

And Tammy will let you touch the yarn...no raised eyebrows.

I am coveting that pink and white one on the left....if only I knew how to knit. (By the way, Tammy will teach you to knit or crochet for free...she's just cool like that. ) It's decided...I'm now going to lobby Congress to extend the day to 48 hours....perhaps then I can pursue every hobby that strikes my fancy. Who's with me?!

I felt ALL the yarn. ;-)

Tammy even has roving. You can spin YOUR OWN yarn!

She taught Clancey how to card the fleece.

He was off to the races.

Then we tried out the fun carding machine.

Tammy was sweet enough to send a little fluff home with Clancey....he loves the way it feels and has been carrying it around since....he told me we would have to go back to "Miss Tammy's" soon....I think so too. :-)

I'll be sure to share photos when the sign is installed on the store.

You can visit Tammy at 365 Days on a Farm too!!!

116 W. Davenport St.

Eldridge, Ia

563-285-9985

Visit Tammy on Facebook or on her blog too!!

I'm Back! well....sorta

2011-04-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

HELLO my friends! I am back and feeling very relaxed. The Southern Caribbean is now my second favorite place on Earth....home is always first. Look at me up there....I look dopey I'm so relaxed.

But really, how can one not relax in paradise?

In fact I'm feeling so very chill that I'm even showing you this crazy photo....my belly button has not seen the light of day in 20 years. That's no joke....and I'm only 35...you get the picture. My belly button enjoyed the sunshine, as did the rest of me. My vacation relaxation is still running on high however....so I just sorta feel like laying around, reading, having beverages brought to me.....

I want to say a huge thank you to my folks for taking care of the kiddos while we were away....a week seemed like an eternity to be away from them....but like I said, the sunshine helped. ;-) Anywho...thanks Mom and Dad...you rock! Best grandparents in the whole wide world, handsdown.

So now it's back to work....signs to paint, stuff to organize, emails to answer....I'd better get to it.

ReStore SCORE! Signs for EVERYONE!

2011-04-06T23:03:00.000-05:00

An appointment "in the city" is always reason enough to visit the ReStore. It's just business, honey. And I got this WHOLE pile of goodness for $17. Six quarts of exterior paint colors, one quart of magnetic primer (I'm just curious to try this stuff for myself), four cupboard doors ready to become "vintage" signs, three pieces of PERFECTLY aged wood.....

.....THEN, these thingies, there on the right....those were FREE. Three of them. At first I was thinking signs....but then.....another idea. Coming to an Etsy store near you very soon. I might have to keep one for myself if they turn out like I am hoping. :-)

Oh....and the awesome metal basket. Perfect to carry home all my paint....will soon find its new home holding all those reusable shopping bags that are laying on the floor of my kitchen closet.

I needed to stop at Home Depot while in the city as well....and just happened to notice the price of magnetic primer....HOLY SCHNIKERS. My $2 quart is looking pretty good right now.

Open for Business!

2011-04-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

I'm open! It only took oh......three years....but hey who's counting? I would be honored for you to drop by Onion Grove Mercantile on Etsy! As always, custom work is my triple fave....send me a message if you want your very own super duper special sign. I work cheap. ;-)

Thanks!!!!!

Oh...and because everyone needs to be on seventeen social network sites simultaneously....

feel free to pop on by Onion Grove Mercantile on Facebook.

Done and Done...Yay!

2011-03-29T22:05:00.002-05:00

Can I just say, one more time, to reiterate, to clarify.....I.LOVE.DOING.THIS. I love creating something one of a kind and meaningful for wonderful people! I have had the priviledge to stay busy with "sign work" for months now. It's awesome. Did I say that already? Just to reiterate....again. ;-)

I'm so pleased to share Allison's sign. Each sign I create I think THIS one has to be my favorite. They're all my favorite...but I thought this one was really pretty too. Okay, I think they're all pretty....but this was special because the sign is to commemorate the location Allison and her husband were married in. Neat, huh? So anyway, here's the reveal!

Do you have a special wedding to honor? I know someone who can hook you up with a cool sign. Oh wait, you got me. It's me.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who thinks I'm funny. LOL

I loved painting the details on Allison's sign. Details are my favorite. To reiterate....again. ;-)

THEN, I had the honor to create some fun address signs for a dear high school friend who now lives forty bajillion miles away...okay not forty..maybe twenty. New Jersey...how far away is New Jersey?

These will be well traveled signs.

And the sign's mini-me.

Enjoy your signs ladies! I've been working away at creating some signs for my Etsy shop.....hope to have the red carpet roll out by the weekend! :-)

Today

2011-03-26T22:52:00.001-05:00

We were long overdue for a fun family day out. Too bad Mother Nature has decided it's winter again in Iowa. Oh well, that's why mittens were invented. :-) My guys are geo-cachers...I'd never been. We set out for the treasure hunt.....

....and found one. Under a bridge. Neato.

Treasure hunting is really hard work. I mean, have you ever seen National Treasure? There are car chases, bad guys, collapsing catwalks....okay our day was slightly less dangerous, but still tiring.

I also ~~bribed them with the thought of bulk gummy worms~~ convinced my guys to swing by my FAVORITE bulk Amish store, Stringtown Grocery. I went crazy...just a little. Seriously, who can resist organic whole wheat elbow macaroni? Really? You think you could?

Hello Bear Family....I'm so happy you could visit with your cinnamony and blueberry-ey honey goodness. Two honeys may seem excessive...but actually I had to take four others out of my cart...raspberry honey? Strawberry honey? Shall I go on. I'm going on a honey bender. Keep your English muffins inside...or I'll swipe them and put honey on them.

And the sprinkles. They need no explanation. Everyone needs sprinkles.

Happy family day.

Allison's Sign...A Sneakle Peakle

2011-03-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

You're up Allison! Here's your sneak peak! :-) Can I just take a moment to say I.LOVE.MY.JOB. That's what I'm calling it now....I am in the signpainting profession...self declared...that still counts, right?

Allison's sign was really fun...a sign to remind her husband and herself of their wedding day. I had lots of inspiration for this one....beautiful farm setting...Allison wanted "vintage" (my favorite!!), awesome piece of wood.

As soon as it finds itself in its new home I'll unveil!

Willow Avenue Pottery Sign..REVEAL

2011-03-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

After being a tease, I can finally reveal Becky's sign! I had the honor of meeting Becky, of Willow Avenue Pottery, yesterday. She is delightful. The grand opening of Willow Avenue Pottery is April 9th, and if you are anywhere near central Iowa you simply must stop out and see her amazing pottery. Oh...and she's also hosting a giveaway right now on her blog....you don't want to miss that!

I love how this sign turned out. I can't believe the good fortune I had several weekends ago at the ReStore. This piece of wood practically jumped into my cart, screaming "I'M FOR BECKY!!". Perfect size, perfect distressing, yay! There are lots of distressing techniques for new wood, but nothing compares to aged distressed wood...the kind that happens by accident. ALSO, this wonderful blue green background paint color hopped off the shelf at the ReStore too. Sometimes you really have to dig through the paint pile to find the good stuff. Wear your dirty clothes, bring a paint can opener and don't be shy.

The sign will soon be going up in Becky's window....I'll be sure to link you to that!

Thanks again for your patronage Becky!!

The Best Italian Beef Ever

2011-03-16T21:10:00.001-05:00

This recipe is for Shannon....who asked me if Italian Beef was a "Midwest thing". I really have no clue...but I do know I tried one IB recipe that was not great...and then I got this one from a friend....this one will ROCK YOUR SOCKS MISS SHANNANIGAN. My kids loved it, my husband loved it.....it's definitely on the list of things to pop in the freezer for our week away (to somewhere much warmer and much more palm tree-ey) when my folks will be here holding down the fort.

I'm going to be nice like that and fill the freezer with ready-to-go stuff.

So now you're thinking "enough blabbering, give me the recipe already lady." Right?
That's okay...here you go.

I used a two pound roast from our meat guy, Nick. Use whatever meat guy you like....but Nick rocks. I just like to know where my meat comes from...call me crazy like that.

You will also need a packet of dry Italian dressing mix.

Throw the thawed roast, the seasoning packet and 2 cups of water in the crock pot. Put it on low at 8am. About 2pm your meat should easily shred. Shred it up, put it back in the pot...or just shred it in the pot like I did and save the mess.

Spill in a little pepperoncini juice....then cut up a couple pepperoncinis and throw those in....however many you like...go crazy.

Let that whole show cook on low for the rest of the day (until supper). Lay out some nice bakery buns on a cookie sheet, plop a blob of meat on the bottoms, cover the meat with a slice of provolone or whatever cheese floats your boat, broil til the cheese melts. Enjoy!

Willow Avenue Pottery Sign....A Sneakle Peakle

2011-03-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's done Becky!! I was so excited to get the sign done for Willow Avenue Pottery that I just went gungho into the night last night! I think it will be lovely in Becky's front window. I was so fortunate to find this amazing blue green paint color at the ReStore on Saturday....and the incredible PERFECTLY sized piece of "distressed" wood. I can't wait to show you all the whole sign....but first Becky should see it. I'll be dropping it to her studio on Saturday!

Crystal and Allison....you're next on deck!

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

2011-03-14T22:39:00.001-05:00

If you make donuts yourself they are zero calorie. Did you know that?

That's my story and I'm stickin' with it. ;-)

I'm sorry Michael...I know I'm not making it easy for you lately.

These little loverlies are baked...not fried. Even better, no?

They look yummy, you can't deny. Run off and make some...I'll wait.

Ours are almost gone. Seems they are boy-approved.

We can thank Pinterest for this wonderful little recipe find....go here for the recipe!

Miss Eff's Dad....he must've been a cool cat

2011-03-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

Wow it's been a crazy week. I can't believe the people I've met lately....AH-MAY-ZING group of ladies....ladies with businesses...homegrown, creative, self sustaining businesses. Businesses that need signs. Lots of signs.....yay! In all this creative, amazing craziness lately I forgot to show you the WHOLE sign I painted for Cathy. This was a labor of love...Cathy is an amazing person. You must visit her flower farm this summer if you are anywhere close to the MidWest. Me describing her does her no justice...you have to be in her presence to experience her indomitable, effervescent personality. Cathy's dad must have been an amazing guy himself...wish I could have met him.

Anyhoooo.....she asked me to paint a sign, in honor of her father, Dr. Linker, Veterinarian. She provided a B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. antique table leaf as my "canvas" and away we went.

The details were fun to paint.

These are the little touches that a machine can never reproduce...only a person...with a paintbrush.

We struggled a bit to properly photograph this big thing....here Clancey, hold this for Mommy while I take a photo of it in the good light. Too heavy? Well put it down. (ignore the pile of laundry in the background needing folding....and the floor that's not quite done...sign painting is way more fun.)

Just look cute for a minute. ;-)

Cathy posted a beautiful tribute to her dad on her blog after our tearful exchange of this sign. If you haven't noticed...I get a little attached to each sign I paint. I spend a considerable amount of time with each one....we develop a relationship. I may need to ask for joint custody with the rest of the signs that come out of my shop....at least send me a pic of the sign in its new home. That would make me happy. :-)

Guess whose sign is next?

I can hardly believe this....but I get to paint the front window sign for Becky at Willow Avenue Pottery. Seriously? How much more talented can a person be? Falling over I'm so in love with her pottery.

Goodbye Dear Aunt

2011-03-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

Last night one of my favorite people left her earthly home. My great aunt Glorianne struggled for years with illness but never lost her quick wit or mischevious smile. Glorianne could play ball with the boys, hold her own in any situation and had a sense of humor that kept everyone rolling on the floor.....between her and my great uncle Don you never stopped smiling on a visit to their home. She was my kinda gal.

We will miss you terribly Glorianne. Stop by and see me when you have a chance.

Wood Extravaganza

2011-03-12T21:14:00.000-06:00

The ReStore was hoppin' today.....hoppin' with lots of great wood. This fact could perhaps be argued by some. The gal that manages the ReStore knows me now...okay, so maybe I'm there once in a while. She just laughs when I come to the checkout....and then tells me that half the stuff I have in my cart I can just have for free because no one else would want it. ;-) I just love that. Found some great paint today and lots of cool wood. Crystal, Allison and Becky...you're all taken care of! Signs soon!! I even found some lightweight wood that will be great for my Etsy store....light means cheaper to ship. :-)

Now tell me....what does that big piece remind you of?

image

Maybe it's a tad of a leap in imagination.....but I might give it a try.

Good and dirty. Just like I like it.

The Benefits of a ReStore Table

2011-03-10T19:03:00.000-06:00

My favorite reason for having a table in the kitchen. Two of my favorite guys hung with me the whole time I made supper. Big brother reading...little brother motorcycling.

The story gets really good....

Back to the motorcycling. LOVE having my guys hang. Thanks crazy ReStore table.

CSN Review...How about them thar bar stools?

2011-03-07T14:06:00.001-06:00

Meet my friend, CSN Stores. Soon....very soon I will be posting another review about a very special item from CSN....shall it be a counter height stool? I think it shall. Do you remember the last stools I reviewed? No....check them out....

...they're still awesome. NOW for the tricky decision? Should all four be MATCHING around my soon to be kitchen farm table? OR, should I mix it up and choose something like this......

or this....

or this?

The One That Got Away...That Didn't

2011-03-06T20:38:00.002-06:00

Have you ever taken a liking to something....looked it over...admired it....but then passed it up, only to get home and kick yourself repeatedly for not grabbing it while you had the chance? So begins the saga of my beautiful table, aka workbench. I was on a grab and dash mission into the ReStore one day...only had minutes to find some awesome sign wood while all my guys waited patiently in the car. On my way to the "wood room" I passed by this old workhorse. It immediately caught my eye. So vintage, rustic, had a story to tell....it called out to me. In my rush I didn't have time to really consider purchasing it, nor would it fit in a Honda Civic. SO, I left it. Then began the longest week of my life...okay, not really...

I'm being dramatic for the story's sake. ;-)

I thought about its character and patina.

I thought about its size. It's a honker.

I thought about its awesome metal legs. ALL.WEEK. I tried on multiple occassions to get my husband to make a trip from work, downtown to see if it was still there. He passed on that offer. SOOOO.....when I thought I could hardly wait ONE.MORE.DAY. Friday came. My oldest had no school, my youngest was with Mema and Papa....so we saddled up the Silverado and headed into town. EARLY. We were in the ReStore parking lot before they opened....keeping an eye out for any other cars entering the parking lot. I had my poor little guy so wired that someone else was going to get OUR TABLE that he nearly shrieked everytime a car pulled in. At five til 9 we couldn't wait a minute more. We tried the door...it opened...we walk/jogged to the back of the store and THERE.SHE.WAS. I grabbed the tag and ~~ran~~ calmy proceeded to the checkout, where we were told that LOTS of people were checking out MY table just yesterday and she thought they were planning to be back Saturday to buy MY table. Phew.

Just in the knick of time folks. Time to load up our gorgeous girl...in the tiniest backalley loading dock a Silverado ever did see. I shall now proceed to thank my father for torturing my young 14 year old self with learning to back a truck down a LONG driveway, using mirrors.

The guy at the loading dock said I had "mad skills". **grin**

Today I sanded down the top, just a tad to get the grunge off but not take off the patina. Cleaned it thorougly. Brought it into the kitchen just for fun (Dad is making my gorgeous table to come later).

Trotted out some woodstain.

Put it on pretty thick....then wiped it off. Oh how beautiful she is now. Poly tomorrow.

(and NO the floor isn't done yet....it's getting there. I'm still waiting for a volunteer. ;-)

The final question....paint the legs or not? I bought gloss black....but I kinda like their "patina" too. Oh, and the wood slats on the bottom will be coming off too when it makes its way to its final home as my dining room side table. :-) For now the castors on the bottom make it super easy to wheel around the house.

So what was your "one that got away" that didn't get away?

Linked to Funky Junk Interiors' Saturday Night Special

The Curse is Broken....I Hope

2011-03-04T20:52:00.000-06:00

We survived it. We survived the cursed cake auction week. There is no guarantee that we won't all become ill tonight....but we made it past the school week. If you aren't familiar with the cursed cake auction, let me explain. For nearly every year we have lived in the North Cedar school district I've been asked to produce a cake for the Post Prom fundraiser cake auction. I've put together some pretty wacky creations.....

BUT, every year (except for this one so far) someone in our family has become terribly ill the week of the auction. First, my oldest came down with pneumonia and was hospitalized, then my youngest developed a sixth nerve palsy, required emergency ear tube surgery (eye crossing brought on by a severe ear infection) another year. We've had stomach flu, ear infections, walking pneumonia, shingles, RSV....you name it....the cursed cake auction has dealt it to us.

But then...perhaps....we can only pray...cross your fingers and toes.....we MAY have broken the curse. (or maybe we are just getting some Superman strength immunity)

The German Chocolate Bundt cake may have broken the curse. By far the simplest cake I've produced for this auction....perhaps that's a lesson to me....simple is okay.

Cathy's Sign

2011-03-03T22:51:00.000-06:00

A sneakle peakle for Cath. I'm not good at keeping surprises. The last time I was on the farm Cathy gave me this table leaf to use as the base for a very special sign....a sign in honor of her dad. So of course I am headed out to the farm first thing tomorrow AM to take the sign to her...I can't wait for her to see it. :-) Are you awake right now Cath? Maybe I'll just hop in the car now. ;-)

Oh! And I sold my very first sign on Etsy. Yes, it was already sold before I listed it....but I actually got the whole show to work! Thanks JeriDee!! My very first long distance customer! NOW, for the rest of you who have ordered signs...you're next!!

I'll show the Etsy store to the rest of you very soon....

as soon as there is actually something in it that isn't already sold!

Let's Have a Collective Sigh of Relief

2011-02-27T21:04:00.000-06:00

Hell-ooo-beautiful. The color is perfecto. Light, airy, calm, does not in any way resemble a piece of candy....aaahhhhh. I'm breathing a sigh of relief after my cotton candy fiasco. And let me just add a brief advertisement for Behr Paint with primer. It's just short of a miracle...actually I think there may be a little magic in each can. ONE COAT covered DARK RED with easy breezy Natural Wicker. (thank you thank you to my wonderful reader who suggested this color!!! and to ALL of you who offered advice!!!!)

AH-MAY-ZING. I will give the cotton candy some credit though....it definitely showed me how light and airy the room could be. The red was beautiful (and still was beautiful) but it was time for change. Heck, the last paint job lasted 7 years....in another 7 years I'll be thinking about getting ready for a graduation...and we all know that moms go a special kind of decorating-crazy when a graduation is approaching. ;-)

The hutch on the left there will be making a departure. It's a cute little thing...but just doesn't fit the dining room...it's scale is too small, honey oak color....would be a good candidate for a pretty paint job...but too small for my dining room....and let's face it, I have A.LOT. of dishes. Is there a support group for girls who collect too much vintage glassware? THIS old gal will soon be making an appearance. Rustic, lots of character...love it. Just as soon as a couple strong guys visit to help me get it out of the basement, if you remember it nearly broke me in half trying to lift it last time.

The dresser peaking out over there on the right will also be finding a new home in my boys' room after a fancy paint job as well. You will fall over when you see what I found at the ReStore to replace it, as my side table. Rustic, character, age....it's wonderful. (my husband is rolling his eyes). You'll see....you'll love it too.

I'm thinking some kind of light window coverings.....white cotton, muslin....we'll see.

Then there is the artwork.....oh I cannot wait to show you what's been rattling around in my brain....it involves a cow and a Grant Wood quote. Now YOU think I'm crazy too, right? :-)

The Last Frontier

2011-02-26T17:03:00.000-06:00

The floor and I have become one today. To refresh your memories...on my neverending kitchen project...the floor and ceiling are my last two hurdles. Do you remember WAY back in November when I went crazy and posted this? Apparently the contractor I called wasn't feeling that my ceiling was as imminent as I was....since he never showed up. Boo. After getting through the holidays, procrastinating, giving up hope that ANYONE would EVER put up my ceiling I just happened to run into the wife of our local drywaller (who I hadn't called yet)....she gave me his cell number, which I called the instant I got through the backdoor....he's coming out next week to take a look. Thank.You.Goodness. Please cross all your fingers and toes for me.

SOO...the floor is my last hurdle. This is the last part that I can do myself....and I'm determined to get it done promptly. I'm tired of looking at patches of sticky tile covered by mastik, covered by sheet vinyl. It's ugly and icky....and I just want it DONE.

Do you know where every crevice of your floor is? Pray that you never have to find out. ;-) This is SLOW work. I peel back the vinyl, pry up the tiles (in as large of pieces as it will come up...usually the size of a dime...I'm not kidding) When that is done I rub off the remaining adhesive with mineral spirits. I try not to think about how much is left!! It's an inch by inch process.

But for a reference point....this is how much is left. I have an extra scraper....any takers? ;-)

Hello Etsy! Welcome to my world.

2011-02-23T20:55:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Jen and I'm a signpainter. ;-) Somehow this little hobby I started some years ago has blossomed....and I think now is the time to start my very own little Etsy shop. SOO....for all of you who have emailed to ask if you could purchase one of the signs that found their way to Miss Effie's Summer Kitchen.....guess what?! You'll soon be able to find one in my little Etsy shop! But if you're local....please go to Miss Effie's...it's WAY more fun than ordering online....and most of those signs are exclusive only to her shop. :-) Most of the signs I have painted have been custom orders....and I love to do those....please keep those orders coming! I'll let you all know when I roll out the red carpet on my shop. As you might guess I'm a little crazy about fonts and logo design....so it may be 2022 before I can decide on one for my little corner of the world!

Signs for the Summer Kitchen

2011-02-21T09:03:00.000-06:00

Besides painting my dining room a wacky shade of cotton candy, I've been a busy girl lately. Lots of signs to be painted. I had the honor on Friday as being introduced as "This is Jen, she's a signpainter." Huh? I'm just a weird girl who paints signs.....a signpainter? It was cool. Thanks Cathy. She had commissioned a sign for her friend, Sheepie Neighbor, and I was delivering that, along with three other signs to be sold in her Summer Kitchen.

Sheepie was pleased with her sign....that makes me smile.

This little sign was fun....highlighted letters are the coolest, yes? And who doesn't like pie?

No one, of course.

The more beat up the wood, the better. I get the weird looks at the ReStore..."why would you want THAT wood? No one else will want that....here, just take it." Thank you very much. Yes, I'm the girl who wants the beat up, old, delaminating, dirty wood. Dirtier the better I say.

This piece of wood really raised eyebrows. "You realize it has a HOLE in it, right?" Perfect I say.

Sandhill School was a country school in Northern Scott County....thanks to Cathy I am getting some awesome inspiration in the way of "historic" place names....hopefully you are all inspired to run right over to her Summer Kitchen and snatch these up. ;-)

I will admit, the Rohlk sign I fell a little in love with. To begin with it was an AWESOME piece of wood...scratched, splattered, dirty, warped...AWESOME. Perfect for a lumberyard sign. The lettering is in my favorite shade of green...highlighted letters (LUV)....highlighted detail on the divider...luvs.

It was a little hard to let this one go...but I did...Cathy assured me someone would love it. (and maybe it will pay for my cotton candy mistake. he he he)