What about Bob's??

Have y'all tried Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats?? Oh, they are so yummy!! The texture is different than rolled oats-a little nuttier...Let me tell you how I prepare mine.

Elise's Oatmeal

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup of Bob's steel cut oats.

Stir, then reduce heat{I like to add cinnamon here}.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add a little half-n-half{or whipping cream!!}, brown sugar, and maple syrup.

Enjoy!!

*Some yummy add-in's would be chopped apples, chopped pecans or walnuts, different spices...just play around and see what you like!!

I was not paid for this, I just really love this oatmeal!! Consider it my PSA to y'all!!

Dreamin'...rolling ideas around...

I really miss my view...this sunset was gorgeous one January evening.

Anyway...onto the point of the post.

We have this room in our little house{cottage??} that I call "the back room". The first time we lived here{remember we rented it before, then bought a house, now we are here again...making it home and I LOVE it!!}
This room is going to be the game room, so to speak. As in, I want a tv back here for the wii and gamecube and Jackson got an air hockey table from his grandparents Christmas '09 and its still in its box, so we have to carve out a space for it in this room. Okay, so in the above picture, you can see a set of windows to the left. Those look out onto the back yard. The wall straight ahead, to the right of the windows, will hold a sofa.

The house is older and has fabulous mustard linoleum, which surprisingly I kind of like and its working for me, I think. Let it be said, that we cannot even see this mustard wonder floor right now. Never fear, though, my wonderful, beautiful Mom is coming to stay Wed. thru Sat. and we will unearth it. I'm sure there might be other names describing her after she leaves. ;) Just kidding, she is great!!

What you see now is the door which is on the same wall as the sofa will be. The small window was the original kitchen window that looked onto the backyard, which now looks onto this room. I didn't remember to take a picture from the other side, but it just has an opening connecting it to the rest of the house and its opposite the door leading outside.

I found this lovely room from Pure and Lovely. And it is lovely, indeed. It was sort of the jumping point for my room. I love all the fun, cheery fabrics, the curtains, the rug from Target. The rug from Target...Well, I was originally going to get this rug, but after reading a few reviews, I don't know. I know you can't see a big picture of it, but here is the link. It really is pretty, but just wait til you see the other choice.

I am not loving the current green walls. They are kind of bringing me down, so I am going to paint them Comfort Grey by Benjamin Moore. I painted my master bathroom this color at the other house and loved it!! I love this slipcovered couch from Ikea. I love that I can wash the slipcovers and change them out on a whim. Now, I am cheaper than cheap so I am trying to find this sofa on Craigslist.

I plan to make some fun throw pillows like this bird one from Anthropologie. Yeah, the one I mentioned way back in November.

This fabric is gorgeous and what was used in my inspiration room. It was on backorder from fabric.com, but was finally restocked and I should have it within the week!!! Just a little ditty for you, go to retailmenot.com and look for coupon codes. I not only got free shipping because I spent more than $35, I also got 15% off!!

The rug...be still my beating heart!!! I saw this rug from World Market and fell in love!! I think I may love it more than the other one. Yeah, I do!! Best of all, its half off right now AND I can get free shipping. I'm having trouble pulling the trigger here, but it is such a gorgeous rug and would really make the room.

Let's all picture together now...Walls in Comfort Grey, those gorgeous yellow curtains, white slipcovered sofa filled with bright, fun pillows, that rug{!}, wall art-I'm thinking embroidery hoops filled with fabric intermingled with these bird art cards{that I have somewhere...} and my collection of R's, and framed pics of my sweetie children. Yep, I can see it!!

Still on my list to find...a shorty armoire that I can paint green. Well, I did find one, at Goodwill, but they wanted $150 and it was DONATED to them!! But, that is a different post for a different day, right??

Happy Day, girls!! Hopefully, I'll have a good start on this room this week. Of course, I'll share pics along the way!!



Linking up to Life Made Lovely Monday at Blessed Little Nest...

My Joy-FULL Journey to Fingerville...

This is the story of two girls, a vintage sofa, and a small town. I was looking on Craigslist in early December for a vintage couch and found one. I recruited my friend, Leah{pictured above with her husband-my husband's best friend from high school...they lost touch, and have recently rekindled their friendship, but that's another story for another day...}

My new-old couch...Ain't she a beaut?? I swiped this pic from the Craigslist ad...It was love at first sight!! She needs a lil lovin' and I'm open to any ideas y'all have...

I did have to trave out of state to get her...Thought I was goin' to Inman, SC.
Uh hmmm...


Whilst driving to get my newest love, we passed a sign that said Fingerville. I knew I *had* to get a pic!! Doin' my best Vanna White...

Driving thru, I may have belted out a line or two from "Coal Miner's Daughter"...Seriously, the town{?} reminded me of Butcher Holler. I met the sweetest girl there, Ashley, who is gonna start blogging. Right, Ashley?!?! Funny little side story...I emailed the standard C-list link thing{help...} and Ashley writes me back and gives me a little info about the sofa-yes, it was still available, was passed down from her Grandmother-lovin' that history!! Then she emailed me back saying she had read my blog. So funny!! I'm always shocked and amazed to hear people come here!!

I really don't know what struck me so, but we took a slew of pictures of me with this sign!!

I mean, really...It was so funny!! I promise I am not poking fun, just loved the name...Only in the South...

I'm pretty certain I was catching my breath here...

"Oh..." Might I add a little disclaimer here?? In addition to my camera hating me on a regular basis, it also adds about 80 pounds. I swear I'm a size 4. Okay, size 6. ;)

Now this is a little out of order, but you'll get to the other "Joy-FULL" part of our trip later. Anyways...after all of our fun, Leah and I decided to go eat at Cracker Barrel. If you've never been to one, you are missing out on a real treat!! They have awesome country cookin' and a super fun shop!! In fact, Leah and I got matching blue chicken mugs. So cute!!

Anyway, the decor there is very vintage country. This sign was above our table and I had to take a pic for y'all...

She's lookin' at the shoes and he's checkin' out something else, if you get my drift...

Then there was this sign. Seriously, strap, street, strip, stroke, strut are the only "str" words?? I need to go pray now...

Now for the best part of my journey...

Drumroll please...

I MET JOY OF JOYFULLNESS!!!!! I thought she lived on the way to where I was going and indeed she did. We decided to meet up at Chick-Fil-A. Let me tell you, Joy is the sweetest person and such a great Mom to her little guys. And those boys are even more delicious in person. Looks like I ate one, doesn't it?!?! ;) Seriously though, Joy has the sweetest temperment with her little men and makes me want to be a better, more intentional Mom. Joy, I cannot wait to get together with you again and CRAFT this time!!!

Oh, we met up with Joy after picking up the couch and just as Joy was answering her phone, Leah was telling her husband about Fingerville, and I lost it!! Completely lost it!! Poor Joy had to listen to me laugh for probably a minute until I could gain my composure!!

What happens in Fingerville, stays in Fingerville!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to Anthropologie We Go...

My Mom, Violet, and I had a Mom and Daughter Outing today to celebrate my birthday. We went to Anthropologie, P.F. Chang's, and Goodwill. Oh. My. Gah. Girls!!! Anthropologie is AWESOME!!!!! Major eye candy, I tell ya!! I was smitten...Love that place. I'm fairly certain I could live in Anthro. Just give me some coffee and some food and I'm good to go. ;)
I had my Mom take some pictures to share with y'all. She has a fancy phone. I cannot even begin to use it...
The above pic is the storefront window. They had all kinds of evergreens, wrapped in coffee sacks. So cool...

These tree stumps are actually wrapped in corrugated cardboard. Who comes up with this stuff?!?!

Oh my word...a pinked piece of sandpaper and two matches rubber banded to the candles. Such a cute idea!! You can barely make out the Guest Check paper that its on, but someone had sewn a bunch of them together to make a table runner.

I'm thinkin' my boys need this deer in their room. The antlers are made of what appears to be pallets.

This section...one of my favorites. Anthro has the cutest tea towels. Lucky for y'all you can make your own using my tutorial over at Life in Grace.

My other favorite section...I got a prize from this area!! I'll share it with y'all soon, promise. :)

Cute, cute towel!!

Oh my stars...this book idea was so cute!! These pinecones and acorns were made of felt and sooo cute!! Seriously, who comes up with this stuff??

I am so gonna knock off this bird pillow. Mark my word. Its fab!!

Thank you all for coming along, it was fun!!

***Blush***

First of all...thank you for all the baby love!! We are lovin' having Violet as part of our family. She is precious!!

I have a hankering to do my laundry room and make it a place I want to be. The vintage ugly green ironing board will hang on the wall as a memo board of sorts. I love my clothespin bag and it is part of my inspiration for the room also. I am going for a fun, vintage feel. What does blush have to do with all of this?? That is the color I am thinking for in there. Am I crazy to want pink's cousin for my laundry room walls?!?!


Went to Wal-Mart the other day and looked at their paint swatches. What should jump out at me but Fresh Cut Flower, part of the Blushing Pinks Color Palette!! In LOVE...

Oy...what a mess. I don't normally have this much laundry going on but "Princess" and her cousin decided to pull ALL of her clothes out one day-I could've killed them. ;)

Anyway, we have a good space to work with. I would like to add a chandelier and have one I can re-do from the thrift store. Oh yeah, have I mentioned that I want to put my house on the market. Am I totally crazy to paint and prettify the laundry room if we list it?? Its really only the cost of paint and I would so enjoy it while we are here.

Here is another shot. The washer and dryer are to the left.

This is where it is in my house, between the kitchen and dining room. The pantry is to the left, across from the laundry room. The blush color would look so good with my green kitchen and chocolate dining room.

While my Mom was here last week, we went to the thrift shop and I got a few goodies. The tag punch was only $1, the hoops and the basket were $2 all together and my total for the day, including the ironing board was about $9. I love the little pot. It has a crack, but I am just gonna keep it facing back and no one will be the wiser.

Here is an open eyed pic of Violet. I took this one at the hospital. I tried to take some the other day, but lets just say she was feeling tempermental. ;)

Later this week I will share some swap goodies I got from a new friend, so y'all come back now, ya' hear??

Look what came in the mail today!!

I finally bought one of the Cora Paige pins from Julie of Joy's Hope. I love the pin!! I love that Julie donated the proceeds of the sale to Cora's Playground. It is so huge and wonderful and I love the fresh colors!! Julie is no longer doing the Cora sale, but you can find other fun pins and headbands in her Etsy shoppe.

I Heart Other People's Junk!!

I haven't been thrifting in a while. At least it seems that way...I know I went to Goodwill and got the kids a couple of books and a cheese dome that I have grand plans for, but I didn't get anything too terribly exciting. Well, I went to my old{GREAT} Goodwill Tuesday after ballet and then to another thrift shop and hit the motherload. Then today, while out in my Mom's neck of the woods, I went to this estate sale shop that I have been wanting some stuff from. I didn't get the things last time and vowed that when I went back, and if money allowed, that I would get them. Didn't exactly get everything I set out for, but did get some great stuff.

I passed this bench up back in the fall, because we didn't have the funds for it and we were still in our rental and I didn't know if I would have space for it. I called the lady and she still had it. I was so excited!! After I paint it, it is going in the dining room with all my other thrifted furniture. Just cause I know you are dying to know, I paid $35 for it!! She gave the book to me, too.

The gingerbread man was a Goodwill find from a few days or a week ago. I love gingerbread men!! I am just going to change out his tie for something that will match my home.

Who-o-o-o could this owl and jar with a G be for?? Hmmm...I plan on making the bell jar into a cloche and paint the frame.

I love egg baskets and this one was so much cheaper than I have ever seen one. I looked for them on ebay before. Ouch!! The masher will become a recipe holder. The plaque in the background I plan to repurpose.

I got some frames to repaint. Don't exactly care for the pheasant print but the chunky wood frame is awesome!! A little container of glitter, the chunky kind!! The mini muffin tin is brand new and still had it original $25.99 price tag from Kohls. I paid $5.

I also love picnic baskets. This one will join my others on top of my armoire. The jar...love it, but the potpourri's gotta go!!

Some more ugly frames with potential. The red and white printed linens are a Pottery Barn full size duvet cover and shams. I am hoping to make something off of them to help offset what I spent. I could not pass up the squirrel print crib sheet for Fisher's bed. You all know how I heart squirrels. The lavender rose print Laura Ashley pillowcase will look pretty on Lilly's bed or make a super cute pillowcase dress.

We also got Lilly a skirt. Oh, the bedside carafe is from Southern Living at HOME and cost a fraction of the regular price. It helps to know what you are looking at. I also just love it and think the etching on it is so pretty. If you have one and don't know what to do with it, its great for holding mouthwash on your bathroom countertop.

Just another view. Not sure what I am doing with the basket, but I have seen something on a blog and liked what they did with a similar basket. Now where was that??

Love, love, love a pretty apron!! Someone put a lot of thought and detail into this one. Isn't it pretty??

A full size shot. Whoever made it was tiny, I don't think it would go around my waist. No worries, its going to hang in my {not} farmhouse kitchen!!

I almost didn't get the plates. Jen said I should. Yes, I called her to ask her opinion!! Glad I did, because they are going for a pretty penny on ebay!! They are by Rosanna and sold at Anthropologie and Williams Sonoma and probably elsewhere, too. I paid a dollar for each of them.

Thanks for checking out my treasures!!