Do-it-Yourself-Spiders

This is a craft for all ages. Make a bunch and hang them around the house to add to the homemade, more-cute-than-creepy, factor. 

A few easy steps...

1. Glue small styrofoam ball (head) to large ball (body)

2. Use skewer to hold spider while you spray paint (go light or it will bubble up) or paint with acrylics. 

3. Use chenille pipe cleaners for legs. Push into body and bend to shape. 

4. Glue eyes and sequin nose. 

5. Decorate with glue and glitter, sequins or silver tissue paper cut into small squares. 

6. Use fishing line to hang your spiders!

Party at Ben's Class

Yum.

Excuses

Busy week. That's my excuse for being MIA here. All fun stuff (except a case of pink eye!)...halloween school parties, field trips, dinner with friends, and working on Erika's design project. 


We met today for the design approval. She's so fun to work with! We're doing a total make-over on her living room and re-accessorizing her kitchen. Here's a sneak peek. I'm excited to show you her new spaces in a few weeks. I'm most excited about a complete fireplace make-over, gorgeous fabrics used in some very creative ways, and making a room work for both kid's play and entertaining friends. John's favorite part is me fulfilling my need to remodel on someone else's house! 

Thanksgiving at the Beach

This family from Long Beach celebrates Thanksgiving at the beach. I love this idea for a bunch of reasons. Top three. 1. Table front ocean view 2. Looks casual and relaxing (minus football) 3. Spending time together before dinner playing games and afterwards by the fire. 

Thinking about how to pull this off. A little planning ahead of time, but such a memorable event. Anyone want to join us? 

Weekend in Seattle

A weekend away. Just me. On an airplane reading US magazine. Driving my rental car to the 80's and 90's station and no one complaining. Having enough time to put on eyeliner AND eyeshadow. Playing with my nieces and nephews without one of my kids vying for my attention.  


But best of all, getting to enjoy myself while celebrating one of my long time friend's fabulous 40th. (yes, it's a theme this year!) Great conversation about our crazy high school and college "adventures". Talking about how we're going to lock our kids in their rooms when they reach the same age. Awesome old pictures with hair that was held in place by a whole can of Aqua Net. Delicious food, wine and friendships with history that can't be replaced. 

Captured

Soccer Stud

Rainy San Diego 

Waffles for Dinner 

My Date with Gap

I've been looking forward to my shopping date all week. Been dying to use my Groupon coupon to Gap and there's always been something more important to do with my no-kid time. But this morning, I didn't let anything get between me and a new pair of skinny jeans. 

Did you see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? When I put these jeans on in the dressing room, it was a magical moment. They hide all the right areas, if you know what I mean. I've been looking for a longer jean skirt to wear with my brown leather boots. (modern cowgirl, right?) I didn't think I was a pocket dress girl, but this gray ruffle bib dress is both flattering and comfortable. 

The best part of my date with myself was that no one asked me if they could play my phone or crawled underneath the dressing room door. Mission accomplished. 

Lonny + LuLu

I get so excited when I see a new issue of Lonny in my inbox. It's quickly becoming my favorite magazine. My favorite article this month is a spread on designer LuLu de Kwiatkowski's home. 

Love her use of color and texture on walls. The daybed and poster above in her twins' room are a perfect match. The matching dressers as bedside tables are a great balance for a large bed. Loved getting to see her design board where she collects things that inspire her. 

For more LuLu look here.

Julia's Kitchen Wisdom

While looking at online accessories for Erika's kitchen design, I immediately fell in love with this book cover. So perfect for display on a kitchen shelf. After reading reviews of the book, I came to find out it's a compilation of Julia Child's handwritten "trial and error" cooking notes. It's like reading her diary, and we all love the idea of that. 

One for Erika and one for me, please.

Tent Maker

Combine a rainy week and a two-year-old, and that equals tents. Pretty much every kind. Pillow tents, mommy's bed tents, big tents for watching cartoons, little tents for hiding from your brothers, and poop tents (don't ask). Hours of tent making fun. I happily oblige because I know these tent requests won't last forever. 

My favorite compliment these days is "Cool tent, mom". Nice. 

Three Potato Four

I love everything that Three Potato Four sells. That's not an exaggeration. An oversized letter looks good with just about any style. An owl coin bank...maybe a little more taste specific. 

Check out their shop and blog. I'm sure you'll find a treasure you can't live without. 

Wall of Art Update

It was time to update the wall of art...potato skull stamping, watercolor stick pictures and mice silhouettes for the staircase. I love when we're all at the table working on projects together. 

Happy boys = happy mom. 

Dining Room (Multi-Purpose) Closet

BEFORE. Yes, we did just keep throwing things on top of the pile, and we liked it. 

AFTER. Lincoln's Chore Chart finds a new home. A file folder for every family member, bills and things to file. 

Games and Art supplies fill up one side. 

Dining room essentials, rolling file cart and printer fill the other. 

Investment: 4 hours of sorting and tossing, going through household files, and scraping playdough off the closet floor. 

Reward: Doing art projects this weekend with my kids and being able to print off of my computer from the dining room table! Plus, a warm fuzzy feeling when I go to get something out of there. 

Odds and Ends

image via little brown pen

These creative travel prints are inspired by the streets of Paris. 

Would love my next journal to be one of these. 

Hillary's version of this trick or treat banner is precious. 


Super cute, affordable kids tees. I think I love the tent and float plane most of all.


Skulls, spiders, pumpkins and creepy silhouettes. Make em'. 


Ordering some halloween books for the kids Here's Design Mom's spooky picks. 


Having a "home alone" weekend with the kids. Thinking about sugaring them up with a movie and homemade caramel corn tonight. Maybe making cupcakes and delivering them to neighbors. Perhaps a visit to a new park somewhere in between. Hope your weekend includes some time with a latte, good book and a few minutes of quiet. See you Monday!

Giveaway Winners

Amy and Austin, missionaries in Tanzania. Just returned home...

Winning is fun. Three winners...even more fun. 

The lucky winners of this weekend Vintage Decor Giveaway are Amy, Erika and Hillary! Amy, you'll be brewing your Starbucks percolator-style, the spools will look adorable on Erika's shelves and Hillary will be eating her cookies on the strawberry dessert plate. 

Email me ladies and they will be on their way! Congrats. 

Trip to France?

Just in case you aren't a StephModo reader, here's her fabulous giveaway. A week at her renovated French cottage, La Maisonette. Seriously, I've been dying to go there since they finished the remodel. I'm sharing this with you with my fingers crossed that you would take me with you.  Pretty please. (I've been begging for a trip to France for my 40th this year!) 


Bonne chance!

Chowder

When I find something all of my kids gobble up, it goes on the monthly rotation. This New England Clam Chowder recipe has just enough flavor to keep me happy, and yet the kids don't notice it and try to pick it out. (are my kids the only ones who try to pick out specks of black pepper?) The recipe below feeds 4, so I usually double it. Tastes best the first night, potatoes get a little soggy as leftovers. 


New England Clam Chowder


2 tsp. olive oil
1 c. diced onion
1 c. diced celery
2 c. peeled and cubed Yukon gold or baking potato
1 c. water 
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice
1 bay leaf
1 c. 2% reduced-fat milk
1 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 (6 1/2 oz.) can minced clams, undrained
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)


1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and celery until soft. Stir in potato and next five ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until potato is tender (about 12 min.)
2. Combine milk and flour in bowl, whisking until smooth. Add flour mixure and clams to chowder and bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. 

Poop Names

(one of the few times Bear has chosen to wear undies)

The potty training has been postponed until further notice. 

Case in point. Harrison's comment to me this morning as I was changing his diaper blow-out.  

"Mom, I like to call my poop graham cracker. It's my favorite." 

I give. 

Halloween, Martha Style

It's hard to tell if Martha loves Halloween or Christmas more. I think it's a draw. 

The October issue of her magazine is always my favorite. How happy was I when I ran across Martha's Halloween collection at Joann's today. I picked up these bat cling-ons and stuck them to every window and mirror in our house. Cupcakes will taste even better with orange cream cheese frosting in these paper liners. I'm thinking about having a Halloween party this year and would love to order this trick or treat banner to decorate with. 

I promise this is my last post about Halloween decor (unless, of course, I find something so cute that I couldn't live with myself if I didn't share it with you. High probability of that happening). I'm starting to look like a real live room parent over here.

The World's Smallest Closet

 BEFORE. Yep, 19" deep x 79" wide. Pity me. 

 DURING. (Notice the look of confusion on John's face as he navigates the IKEA directions. I get why they use the little man showing you how to put things together, rather than print them in a million languages, but he's still very confusing.)

 AFTER. I've found myself standing in front of my closet several times since the re-do, just looking in with a silly grin on my face. A few details: shelving up top, creating three shelves from one. Hook rail for scarves, belts and ties. 

 Left side organizer. Moved the hanging rod from this side to the right. Storage unit with wire and hard plastic bins. They hold our undies, socks, warm clothes, and shoes. Perfect. 

 Gold wedges. In a sea of boring black. 

Hook rack mounted on the interior of door for light jackets. (John, stop trying to hang your jackets here. This is for LIGHT jackets) 

Small closets foster creativity. Don't you agree?