I'll Eat You Up I Love You So!

How many of you immediately knew the origin of the title of this post?

Well, those of you who did will want to stick around because I have a really fun giveaway for you!

(And those of you who didn't need to go to the library and check out Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.)

Recently, while on Instagram, I happened upon this adorable print from Love Too Design.  

I was immediately taken with it because the quote happens to be something I say to my daughters all the time. 

My daughters, it should be said, are eleven and fifteen, so the fact that we still quote this picture book (on a very regular basis) is a testament to the staying power of Maurice Sendak.

When I made this observation to the ladies at Love Too Design, they sweetly offered to send me a print!   (Which my fifteen-year-old immediately commandeered for her room.  See below.  I have yet to tell my eleven-year-old about this development.)

The best part is that they also sent me another copy to give away!  This would be a perfect item for decorating a nursery or playroom.  

In order to win:

• Head over to Love Too Design's Instagram account and give them a follow.  
• After that, go to my Instagram account and follow it.
• Then leave me an Instagram comment letting me know that you followed the steps above.

I will pick one winner at random and make the announcement on Instagram tomorrow (4/7/16) morning.

Good luck!

Easy Raspberry Brownie Bites

Want to know a secret?

I am a cheater.  

It's true.  I'm a Cheater McCheaty Pants.  

Don't worry, it's nothing sinister.  I'm not cheating elderly people out of their social security checks or anything like that.

It's just that... well... I'm the kind of gal who wants all the glory and none (okay, very little of) the work.  

Is that so wrong?

Those beautiful little confections you see above?  Those are a prime example.  Easiest thing in the world to make but, when I do, people act like I'm some kind of genius.  

So to atone for the sin of cheating, I'm going to do something incredibly kind and selfless:  I'm going to share my "recipe" with you.  

(Okay, truth be told I already shared this recipe with you back in 2012.  You can find that HERE.  So why am I sharing it again?  Because I've made it even easier than before.)

And now you too, can be the belle of the potluck (without even breaking a sweat).

(You're welcome.)

Okay, first thing you need to do is gather the following "ingredients":

One container of pre-made brownie bites (found at most grocery stores including Costco)

One jar of seedless raspberry jam (whichever brand you'd like)

One container of raspberries (washed and dried)

One bar of milk or dark chocolate (which will ultimately be broken up and melted in the microwave)

One bar of white chocolate, also melted (I often have to go to the baking aisle for this)

In order to make those five ingredients...

... look like this....

... just watch the video below:

And now you can be a cheater just like me!

Again, you're welcome.  

Nonni's Italian Easter Bread

Hello internet!  It's been awhile—but that's a story for another time. Today, well, today I'm here to discuss something far more important than my absence:

Carbs!

No, no, not carb-cutting or any insanity like that.  I'm talking about carbs you should consume.  For Easter.  (Because they are delicious.)

Specifically, I want to share this recipe for my grandmother's Italian Easter Bread.   If you arrived here by searching for Italian Easter Bread then you likely know what it is and should probably just strap on your apron and get to work.  However, if you have never heard of Italian Easter Bread... well, you should still strap on your apron and get to work.  (Because this here is good stuff.)  AND it's my Nonni's recipe.  (And Nonni knew her way around the kitchen.)  AND she would have been 105 yesterday (so we kind of owe it to her to give it a try, no?)

The one pictured below was made by my mom last Easter.   And in case you were wondering, you can definitely color the eggs.  Just remember that you place the eggs into the dough raw, and then they cook along with the bread.  So if you're dyeing hard boiled eggs at the same time, just make sure you keep them separate (or someone might be in for a surprise).

Click HERE for a printable version of the recipe.

Buona Pasqua, everyone!

Retro Inspired Patio Space

Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I am into my fourth year of blogging.  Where did the time go?  Looking back at the archives it is interesting to see the evolution of the spaces that I've featured since January of 2012.

One example is my backyard which I've written about on several occasions.  (You can find those posts HERE and HERE.)

It's pretty obvious that I love my backyard—always have—so when Wayfair asked me to write about my dream patio, I almost passed.  I mean, I kind of already have my dream patio, and, as evidenced above, I've already written about it.

But then I began to wonder... what if I could start over?  What if I could create an entirely different space?  What if I had a blank canvas and cost wasn't an issue?  What would I do under those circumstances?

It was then that I realized I should absolutely write this post.

You see, my current outdoor spaces are very homey/comfortable: big cushiony chairs, lots of faux wicker, warm tones, etc.  Clearly that's a look that I love but it's not the only look to which I am attracted.

More and more I find myself being drawn to fun, colorful spaces, both indoors and out.   In addition, I love furniture and accessories that have a funky retro vibe.

With this in mind I created the mood board you see below:

1.   Luminarias String 10 Light Paper Lanterns

2.   Lotta Jansdotter 9.5" Small Plate (Set of 4)

3.   Sagaform Season Pitcher

4.   California Umbrella 7.5' Patio Umbrella

5.   Tablecraft Galvanized Steel Oval Beverage Tub

6.   Blomus Viento Rounded Edge Pinwheel

7.   Crosley Griffith 4 Piece Seating Group

8.   Crosley Corsair CD / Radio Alarm Clock

9.   4D Concepts Metal Retro Glider

10. Crosley Songbird Radio

11. LumaBase 10 Light Star Electric Luminaria Kit

12. DMI Sports Champion Croquet Set

13. Nine Space Carmel Stripe Beach Towel

14. Bloem 2 Piece Pink Flamingo Lawn Statue Set

Doesn't this just make you want to throw a pool party so you can invite Gidget and all of her friends to hang out, drink root beer floats, and play lawn games in the backyard??  

(No?  Just me?  Okay then...)

I'm not going to go through each item since the links above contain all of the important details.   I do want to say that the entire look started with the blue seating group in the center (#7).  Once I found that I just kept building around it.  Some of my other favorite pieces include the cheerful Crosley Radios (which I loved so much that I couldn't choose between them) and the Carmel Stripe Beach Towel (which I am going to purchase as soon as I hit publish on this post).    

And then of course there are the pink flamingos—because you can't have a colorful, retro backyard without pink flamingos...

If this has whet your appetite for more colorful backyard wares, check out my newest Wayfair Idea Board entitled, "Dreamy Retro Patio" for additional items not pictured above. 

Mid Century Modern Mash-Up (Compliments of Chairish)

A few weeks ago while my sister-in-law and I were sitting around discussing decorating (as we are wont to do), she turned and asked me, "Have you ever heard of Chairish?!"  When I told her that hadn't she quickly exclaimed, "Oh, you have to check it out!  It's like some great little antique shop met Craig's List and had a really cute baby!"  Needless to say, with an endorsement like that—not to mention the clever name—I had to log on right away.  I quickly agreed with her assessment, and in addition to bookmarking their site, I also began following them on Instagram.

You know that thing that happens when you hear about something for the first time, and then suddenly you begin seeing (or hearing about) it elsewhere?  Well, about two weeks after that conversation, I received an email from the good people at Chairish.  They asked if I would like to curate a mood board highlighting some of the Mid Century Modern pieces from their site.  (You can find those HERE.)

Little did they know that I am currently in the middle of transitioning my daughters' playroom into a den and that I've been envisioning a sort of Mid-Century-Modern-mash-up for the space.

The whole thing was so serendipitous that I just had to say yes.  (And for the record, there is no compensation involved; I just felt compelled to do it given the circumstances.)

What you see below is one of many mood boards that I could have created.  Seriously, the possibilities are endless and I just know I will going back for more.

1. Jensen Modernist Art California Artist Yellow
2. Original Contemporary Abstract Green Painting 
3. Framed Haha Ink Drawing
4. Truncated Isocahedron Pendant Light
5. Navy Velvet Mid-Century Sofa
6. Tony Paul Attributed XO Wire Frame Table
7. 1950s Allan Gould String Chairs - A Pair
8. Premium Flokati Rug in White
9. Worlds Away Hudson White Lacquer Gold Leaf Chest
10. Suzani Gulkurpa Accent Pillow

Let me tell you about what I did choose.  I designed this room around the couch.  I'm sure you've noticed that blue tufted velvet sofas are all the rage right now.  While I love blue velvet, I'm not so fond of the tufting.  So when I saw the gorgeous Navy Velvet Mid-Century Sofa pictured above—with its beautiful blue velvet, but without the formal tufting—I knew it had to be my focal point.  

I thought the Suzani Gulkurpa Accent Pillow would add a fun and unexpected pop of green, which is my favorite color.  There were so many neat pillows to choose from that I'm sure I could go back and pick ten more if I were so inclined.  

There was also a fantastic selection of art.  Pictured above are three pieces that I thought would go well in the room, though, much like with the pillows, the choices were endless.  I especially love the Original Contemporary Abstract Green Painting which I thought went nicely with the couch and pillows.  The Framed Haha Ink Drawing was just funny and I thought my kids and their friends would enjoy that touch of whimsy while hanging out in the room.  

I went back and forth about whether or not to add a coffee table to the design.  Again, there were some great ones to choose from.  In the end, however, I decided to leave the space in front of the couch clear so the kids could sit on the  Premium Flokati Rug (not from Chairish, though I found out later that they do have one).  Across from the couch there will be a televsion on the wall.  I wanted a piece to put underneath it which could serve as storage for remotes, video games, etc. and I thought the Worlds Away Hudson White Lacquer Gold Leaf Chest would do that nicely.  I also thought the gold leaf went well with the pair of 1950s Allan Gould String Chairs.  (To say I am obsessed with them would be an understatement; I don't know how comfortable they would be but they sure look cool.)  

When I saw the  Truncated Isocahedron Pendant Light I just had to add it to the design.  I love the shape and I thought it paired nicely with the Tony Paul Attributed XO Wire Frame Side Table.  

Though I am by no means a professional decorator, I sure had fun playing one on the internet! If you happen to check out Chairish after reading this post, let me know.  I would love to see some of your favorite pieces.  

DIY Color Block Art

Today I want to share my solution to a common decorating problem.  I call it, "large wall, small budget" syndrome.  

You see, here in San Diego (and in many other places too, I imagine) builders have a penchant for building homes with vaulted ceilings.  Along with those vaulted ceilings come some pretty impressive walls and up until today the one in my dining room was looking mighty empty.  

I took this problem to my decorating guru (the sister-in-law whose house was highlighted in this post) and she recommended a series of color block prints.  She even gave me this inspiration picture:

Given that the inspiration shot originally came from Elle Decor, I suspected that those color blocks cost a pretty penny.  In fact, that was the case with most of the ideas I had for this space:  big walls require big art (which tends to cost big money).  

So what's a girl to do?

Make an inexpensive knock-off, of course!  (Those are my specialty, you know)

All it took was one trip to Michael's and I had everything necessary to cover my wall.  And the best part? It only cost about $130. 

I started by getting eight of the frames pictured below.  They were only $13.00 a pop (and of course I used my 50% off coupon for one of them).

Then I picked up a bunch of card stock in colors that I thought complemented my room.  

After that it was just a matter of arranging the card stock in the frames and hanging them on the formerly empty wall.  

What a difference!

I love the fact that I can switch them around, change out the paper, add or subtract more, etc.  I especially love the price tag and the fact that I don't need to feel guilty if I want to upgrade to some of that pricey art sometime down the road.  

If you have any creative ideas for filling a large blank wall I would love to hear about them in the comments.  Please feel free to link to any relevant blog posts as well.  

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Tattoo Your Easter Eggs

So I know that this is a post about decorating Easter eggs...

(And I'm writing it at 8:30 (PM) on Easter Sunday.)

But it's such a cute idea that I just have to publish it anyway.

Did you know that you can tattoo your Easter eggs?

Well you can! 

Just follow the directions on the package of tattoos. (Buy some HERE.)

And you can even dye them afterwards!

So go ahead and pin this for next year.  (Because there are only 365 days until Easter 2016.)

(And in the event that you don't want to wait until next year, you can always tattoo your bananas!)