House Crashing - Jenna & Jimmy

Today, we are going HOUSE CRASHING!

This adorable little home belongs to my friend Jenna and her boyfriend Jimmy.

(Aren't they cute?!)

The house they bought... is a fixer-upper.

No doubt.

But, they are going through each room - and making them their own.

BASEMENT

(Before)

(After)

JENNA'S CLOSET

(Before)

(After)

KITCHEN

(Before)

(After)

LIVING ROOM

(Before)

(After)

(Before)

(After)

So...

You can tell, they've added some more contemporary pieces to the rooms...

Did some painting...

Rearranged furniture...

But, there's still work that needs to be done.

Here a few ideas I had.

We'll start w/ the BASEMENT.

Since the basement has the wood panelling, and a BIG stone fireplace...

I would PAINT the stone fireplace WHITE, 

and the panelling GRAY.

Then, add pops of yellow and turquoise with pillows and accessories.

Here are a few examples of the WHITE fireplace and GRAY walls.

For furniture, I'd do a BOLD couch...

Either yellow, gray, chocolate brown, white or tan.

A sectional could be nice - as long as it's not TOO big.

For chairs - HAVE FUN!

Find something with a great pattern.

Then, add POPS of turquoise, gray, and yellow!

If you're looking for something to put the TV on - look on Craigslist

for a CHEAP dresser... and paint it YELLOW!

You could place the TV on TOP of the dresser - or hang it on the wall 

if it's a flat screen.

For the walls in the basement...

I LOVE taking empty frames...

painting them different colors, and hanging them on the walls.

You can buy them on Etsy - or go to a thrift store, find old frames 

and spray paint them!

One other thing you can do... is buy PLAIN, white CANVASES.

(You can get them for like $8-15 at Hobby Lobby.)

Then, cover them with a fun fabric!

Just wrap the fabric around them, and STAPLE to the back.

(Kind of like you're wrapping a present.)

Or, put the fabric inside the frame - and ditch the glass front.

Some fabrics that could look really cute together hung on the wall:

For curtains in the basement... I would FOR SURE go lighter!

You want something WHITE with a little design on them.

West Elm has great curtains.

These curtains could also work for UPSTAIRS

in the LIVING ROOM.

THREE things YOU HAVE to change...

1.) Paint the fireplace white.

2.) Paint the "built ins" the same color as the fireplace

(at least the trim!)

3.) Get RID of the MIRROR above the fireplace.

(Example)

You can put a modern mirror above the fireplace.

Even, some plain white frames - with a great collage of photos

or FABRIC inside.

Also... if it's in the budget - I'd buy a RUG for under the coffee table.

It can REALLY help pull a room together.

Remember...

Take your time making EACH room your own.

It will eventually all fall into place :)

Congrats you guys!

Cherry "Dilly Bar" Inspired Treats

It's springtime, which means... 

DAIRY QUEEN time!

And, who doesn't love Dairy Queen?

From the "French Silk Pie" Blizzards, to the Hot Fudge/Marshmallow shakes, 

and CHERRY Dilly Bars... yummmmmmmm.

The cherry coating just "does me in" every year.

The dipped cones = a world of cherry goodness. 

So, when I found these CHERRY chips in the grocery store...

I knew I had to do something with them.

(Plus, they are made locally in Green Bay from "Eillien's Candies" - 

and I love buying local products.)

Don't they look so cute?

So... first up... 

I decided to make Red Velvet Cupcakes for my co-anchor's birthday,

 sprinkled with the cherry chips.

I just bought a box of cake mix, and followed the directions.

Then, took out a tub of cream cheese frosting... and used a piping bag.

Sprinkled the cherry chips on top - and... there ya go!

Super good and easy.

With the leftover chips... I decided to make

Cherry Rice Krispie Treats.

Now these... taste JUST like a cherry Dilly Bar - 

but with marshmallows in the middle :)

First up, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter on LOW heat.

Add 1 bag of BIG marshmallows.

Stir until they're all warm and smooth.

Next, take the pot OFF the burner.

Add 4-5 cups of Rice Krispies.

Then, add 1/2 cup of FROZEN cherry chips.

(I'd put them in the freezer for about 2 hours before you use them.)

Some of the chips will melt, and turn the mixture a pinkish/red.

The others, will stay WHOLE.

Spread into a pan.

Let them cool.

Oh man...

I think I could have eaten the entire pan in one sitting.

They are just so heavenly delicious - and remind me of summer.

Trust me...

If you love cherry Dilly Bars - you'll LOVE this recipe.

EASTER TREATS... (For your house!)

I LOVE, LOVE Easter... 

for a lot of reasons.

1. It means SPRING is finally here!

2. The entire family gets to dress up in cute Easter outfits.

3. My favorite Easter hymns are played at church.

4. There's plenty of CHOCOLATE in an Easter basket from my parents... 

(and don't forget) Easter egg hunts for the little cousins.

5. Decorating the house with PASTELS!!!

This vase is something I did last Easter.

I put fresh flowers inside a SMALLER vase, then put jelly beans

and Peeps around the vase... which was put INSIDE

a BIGGER vase.

Super cute.

Anyways...

This is the FIRST year as a family, we will NOT be celebrating Easter together.

(Sad face.)

My brother is studying in London, my sister lives in Chicago, and I now live in Green Bay.

It's too expensive (we're talking $300+) for just one of us to fly home.

So, we'll be on our own... for the first time.

Which means, I won't be able to help mom 

decorate the house...

set the table...

cook...

or put together fun Easter gifts for our little cousins.

So, I am living vicariously through Etsy over these next few days...

looking at fun Easter ideas.

Starting with this ADORABLE "Happy Easter" banner!

It's a great way to greet your guests when they walk in the door.

Or, how about this Easter wreath?

I think every door needs a wreath... for pretty much every holiday.

Your guests will need some place to hang their spring coats.

I think this blue shelf (with a sprig of yellow!) is absolutely adorable.

Next up...

You'll need some really cool lighting above the dinner table.

I think these vintage Ball jars - with touches of pink, green and yellow - 

ARE PERFECT!!!

Or, this one...

Which reminds me of a jello mold!!!

Jello molds ALWAYS make me think of Easter.

Your guests will be casually sitting around the house, 

or on the front porch...

So, get out those OLD pairs of jeans you're not using - and make coasters!

This screams springtime to me.

More than likely, they'll need either a "before" or "after" dinner mint.

And I think these "button inspired" peppermints are too cute.

Next up, some ideas for the dinner table!

How about this vintage spool... with a little nest on top?

These "birds nest" place card holders could match.

Or, you could use these porcelain eggs... and put the name cards in the tall grass.

It could also be a GREAT gift to send each guest home with.

For the kids...

Ditch those "conventional" Easter egg baskets - and go with something more vintage!

(Made out of chicken wire.)

Inside the baskets (for the girls at least) - these PEEP necklaces are perfect.

I would have LOVED to have one growing up.

Or, these PEEP inspired lip glosses?!

For decorations around the house - I love these tiny baskets... 

that spell out "E-A-S-T-E-R."

And, make sure to add some pastels to your furniture with these pillows!

HAPPY EASTER, everyone!

Enjoy the time with your families... and lots of sweets :)

Favorite Design Blogs

The other day, I was browsing through one of my FAVORITE design blogs

YOUNG HOUSE LOVE.

I've been following the hilarious rants of John and Sherry for about 2 years now.

They're a young couple from Virginia, who bought a rundown house...

... and turned each room into something beautiful.

Anyways...

One day, I came upon a post by Sherry, showing this AMAZING 

centerpiece from another blog called

FULL HOUSE.

I fell IN LOVE with it!!!

And, am totally stealing this idea for next year's Thanksgiving.

(Just cut out paper circles in different colors.)

The blogger for "FULL HOUSE" is a mom, raising twin girls and triplet boys.

Wow... I need a nap just thinking about that.

She also listed some of her favorite design blogs... 

which made me want to list some of my favorites that I check on a regular basis.

1. GREEN WEDDING SHOES - NO, I don't look on here for wedding ideas...

They always have original table settings that you can sometimes

tweak for certain holidays or events.

2. STYLE ME PRETTY - Same here... it's a wedding site, but I steal 

the table setting ideas. 

3. A SOFT PLACE TO LAND - Great ideas when it comes to food and design on a dime.

4. HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS - Super fun ideas for party planning!!!

5. LITTLE GREEN NOTEBOOK - Written by a blogger named Jenny! 

She's also a mom and interior decorator.

6. FLY THROUGH OUR WINDOW - A cute little family going through

design challenges.

7. MAKING IT LOVELY - The story of a girl transforming her bungalow into a home.

8. PURE STYLE HOME - Written by a designer from Washington, DC.

9. DECOR 8 - Another blog written by an interior designer.

10. APARTMENT THERAPY - Where do I even begin?! This blog is one

of my absolute favorites. Sooooo many ideas for small spaces.

11. INSPIRED TASTE - Blog about two people in love (with each other) and cooking!

12. RUFFLED - Once again, another wedding blog... but it has so

many cute centerpiece ideas!

13. DECOR PAD - Lots of fun design ideas from a bunch of different bloggers.

14. QUITE LIKE IT - Blog written by two graphic designers who share

lots of fun design tips, shopping tips, and everything in between! 

What are some of your favorite blogs?