Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Sugar and Spackle is Now Rummage Living

Hi Y'all! I know it's been a while, but there's a really good reason for it! Ready? All this DIY goodness is now residing over at www.RummageLiving.com!

Check out my new post for hanging no-sew drop cloth curtains without damaging your walls- this is especially awesome for renters  like moi!

While you're over there, make sure to follow me (again!) cause I'm reeeally lonely!

See you over at Rummage Living!

xo,
Margaret







Tuesday, June 14, 2011

What we ate last night : "Eat your Vegetables" Turkey Burger on a Ciabatta Roll with Melted Gouda

 "Eat your Vegetables" Turkey Burger on a Ciabatta Roll with Melted Gouda. YUM. 

I know a lot of you are moms out there in blogland, so maybe perhaps some of you are going through with your 5 year olds, what I am going through with my nearly 31- year old husband...

They WILL NOT EAT VEGETABLES. 
 Belive it or not, this harmless and delicious looking burger up there (on a ciabatta roll, no less) contains no fewer than 4 vegetables.  

This is very much a "use what you have" dish, but the basics are: 
1lb ground turkey meat 
( Makes about 4 REALLY good size burgers) 

1 egg
This binds all the ingredients together when cooked

1 cup plain breadcrumbs 
(sometimes I use already-cooked brown rice) 
Basically this sucks up any additional liquid to keep the burgers from falling apart or being too wet. 

Cheese of Choice (optional)

Last night's veggies were: 
1 carrot (grated)
1 smaller zucchini (grated)
1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
handful of parsley (finely chopped)
5 springs of thyme
1 cup uncooked spinach (you cook this in the microwave for about 90 seconds and then wring out any excess water)

Here's what ya do:
1. Preheat grill or grill pan 

2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except the meat, breadcrumbs and egg. 
Add salt and pepper to taste (and any other seasonings you want)

 3. Add the turkey meat  and egg and combine, being careful not to over stir

4. Add the breadcrumbs a couple of tablespoons at a time. You may not need all of it. Basically you just want the mixture so it is very moist, not wet, and sticks together when you clump it into a ball. Adding too much starch will make your burgers dry. No bueno. 

5. If you are adding cheese, form the patties around the cheese, pushing it into the center. Hence, the "inside out" cheeseburger. As the burger cooks the cheese will melt and give the burger a whole other level of yummy-ness. Gouda, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Pepper Jack and even goat cheese would be pretty fantastic for this.
6. Place on the grill for about 10 minutes on each side. 



I like this method because when you see the cheese starting to melt out, you know you didn't screw it up and they'll be cooked through.

I like to grill my buns (that's what she said) 


Its a super healthy, nutrition-in a dish. Add in a ciabatta roll and some smoked gouda or goat cheese, you've got yourself a pretty grown-up meal, friend!

What do you think? Anyone gonna give this a shot with the veggie-resistant people in their lives?

xo,

Monday, June 13, 2011

Lucketts Be a Lady Tonight

This weekend I popped up to my old stomping ground, Washington, D.C. to surprise my bestie for her Law School Graduation weekend! Eee! I love a good surprise! Anyhoo, I was super pumped that the next day we found ourselves on our way out to Luckett's, VA to visit Luckett's Antique Market! I've heard read its praises sung by loads of people across the interwebs, so here are some of my favorite "inspiration" shots from Lucketts

You cant tell from this picture but this table has lovely finials and industrial cubbies filled with goodies like lavender soap and knobs.

Paris baskets! Do I smell a DIY?

Digging industrial/library. Can't ya tell?

This would be so lovely for  a greenhouse/terrarium

This was definitely one of the highlights, being able to visit Miss Mustard Seed's pavilion and see her AWESOME work up close! Unfortunately there was a gigantic wasp that was also visiting MMS, so I high-tailed it outta there. Freakin' hate bees.

Knobs!

I love this vignette. Its so old-timey and rustic and industrial

Wouldn't these pallets be awesome as a coffee table?

Probably one of my more favorite pictures- old cosmetic tin on a vintage mirrored tray



I have an addiction to suitcases



That pretty much summarizes my day at Lucketts! Thanks to the girls for an awesome weekend, and I'll have to come back up when I can actually BUY something there!!!



Thursday, June 9, 2011

Papa-Paparazzi!

I got a new camera this week...

 and have been taking photos of everything...


and everyone...



so if you plan on seeing me...

"Enough, Margaret" 

watch out.





Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Anthropologie Hack: DIY Driftwood Hurricane


Let me just say that I lurve hot glue. This was a delightful experiment in, well, experimenting- and it turned out great! I often come across things that look complex, but I'm like "you know, I bet I could make that with some hot glue" and every once and a while...I am correct.  Sweet, Sweet Success.

This project wasn't exactly free for me, since I had to buy the driftwood for $24(that includes shipping) bucks from, from this lovely chap in the UK from Etsy. But you could easily make this using things from your yard/beach/ neighbor's yard. 
He even gave me " a wee bit extra!" 
tee hee!
Thank you, Phil! 

The process was pretty easy. I used all the tallest sticks first and spaced them around the jar (which I already had on hand), and then layered the next tallest, ect... around to create a layered effect.

My conversations throughout the night went a little something like this: 
 Friend: "What are you up to"
Me: "Just gluing driftwood to an apothacary jar"
Friend: "..."
Me: " Hey, did you know that vodka, limeade and club soda are DELICIOUS?!"

(seriously, they are. By the way, honey, if you are reading this, we're out of Limeade. ) 

ANYWAY.



Pretty pumped about how that turned out. 

If this post was a president, it'd be Abraham Linkin: 
Good Life Wednesdays


Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A Stick-y Situation

Here's a shoutout to all those people who absolutely make their husband/friend/family member/ cab driver STOP THE CAR because you saw some really cool branches by that Bank of America ATM. 

I think I need to create new Pinterest board entitled "Things to do with sticks". 
Here are a few of my favorite nature-inspired ideas that really "stick". 
 This is a super easy idea to DIY, and given that they're even tied together with string, you can remove as needed! I love incorporating natural elements like this into my seasonal decorating, especially around Christmastime and springtime.

Driftwood hurricane idea courtesy of Anthropologie. I literally could put this anywhere, anytime. I may actually just carry it around with me.
I've got immediate plans to DIY this bad boy- just ordered some driftwood from this shop on Etsy and my hot glue gun is warming up!

And of course this Branch-o-lier from Mrs. Limestone at A Brooklyn Limestone in Progress. It's so pretty for the holidays, but wouldn't it be fun for Halloween, too? Maybe with some black crows perched ominously? As you can tell, it is barely summer and I am already jonesin' for Halloween. Just 5 more months, people!

I just love the impact that these few, and usually FREE touches make!
If you come across any more stick touches, you need to let me know ASAP. 

I'm not kidding.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I'm a bit of a fabric whore

and I cannot WAIT to put THIS gorgeous gray ikat linen ( found here on etsy)



 onto these:




This is about my 3rd fabric purchase in 1 week. Our little secret, k?

xo,
Margaret

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

I'm Blue da ba de ba da doo...


Do you remember that song from Eiffel 65? In case you're looking for something to get stuck in your head for EVER:

Hi guys, 
Thanks for bearing with me the other day. Perhaps I was taking out my "blue" mood is some subconcious freudian way this weekend, because someone *rasies hand* went a little nuts with the color blue in the master bedroom. Or should I call it the master BLUE room. No? Ok. Well- see what I mean:
 Here's a close-up of those curtains.
 I have been eyeing this fabric for EVAH and this weekend I stumbled upon it at my favorite discount fabric store, Boca Bargoons Fabric Outlet, on 20th street in Boca Raton. Where it was $21 a yard after their 40% off everything sale that they always seem to have going on. Sooo...  This is a splurge for me, considering that curtains generally require 6+ yards, but in my mind, sooo worth it. Our room was threatening to win the world cup in beige-ness.

Here's a peek before:
ew. 

Here's after I made my $10 DIY Headboard

 Ah, much better. Now to add some pops of color! 
I'm a sucker for indigo. I'm an indigo girl.

I made those drapes, BTW. With my buddy, Mr. Sewing Machine. You can see that only one has the blackout lining done because I am lazy, and that first one was a BIIIITCH. 

Also that bedskirt is probably one of the more genius thing's I've ever done. I was going to actually MAKE a full on bedskirt with like, measuring and adhesion and stuff,  so I tucked my fabric in and around the box spring bedskirt-style to see how I liked it, and guess what happened? It stayed there. New home. New bedskirt, no sewing. Bam! Which is just as well since I'm not totally sold on the fabric. Too matchy-matchy? 

Dirty secret: Only my side and the foot of my Cal-king size bed has a skirt, since I folded my 4 yd piece in half.  Zach's side is nekkid. Shh!!! I don't think he's noticed yet.

Anyhoo- temporary/easy-to-take with me and not getting locked into anything is the name of the game these days. Which is why I decided to make my purty fabric into drapes instead of locking into a piece of upholstery.
I even kept an extra 4 inches at the bottom of each curtain and just basted the hem so that if we go somewhere that needs longer drapes, I can just let out the seam! 
In any case I'm glad that we are no longer in the running for the "Bedroom that looks most like the inside of a milk carton contest".

Did I mention I like indigo?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

House of Blues

Warning: 
 There is going to be gratuitous moping. Because this is my blog and I can. 
You don't want moping? Scroll down for some pictures of puppies. Go on.

Here's the thing. My penchant for home decor/DIY blogs is pretty masochistic at this point. As you might know, Zach and I have been under contract on a house. Our first house. The perfect first house. For about 3 months now. We are at the last step, which is actually securing financing. We didn't anticipate this being such a hurdle. We make a good living and the projected mortgage payments are less than we are currently paying in rent. But we've been rejected once already. Bummer.

We are experiencing first hand the ridiculous knee-jerk reaction to the banking meltdown, where once banks were lending to everyone, now they are lending to no one, and I'm writing now because I have been in such a funk just waiting for that next rejection that I feel is sure to come.

I've always been a journal writer, scribbling little thoughts and bits that weren't really meant for anyone else. And up till recently (aka when I met my husband almost 3 years ago) all these thoughts were about boys. Seriously, from age 12 onward. Get a grip, Marg. But, anyway, sharing this stuff is new for me. I know its not the typical post, but... it's what's going on.

I stopped writing for a while, and then when I resumed, (sporadically) my journal seems to have taken on a much more adult tone. What do I want to do for a living? Where will we live? 

Small questions, big implications. 

So I guess I'm just having a pity party for myself over here, because while I am thankful to have health, a wonderful family, a job and a place to live and food on the table, I can't help but feel so darn down in the dumps. Not that it's even in the same arena, but I almost feel like that if we don't get this house, its like a couple who can't conceive. It's something you want so much and you're just so ready and you want this next part of your life together to start, already!

So, after having gotten my hopes crushed at multiple stages of this home buying process, only to have them feebly inflated once again is really taking its toll on my spirit.

I hope I will look back on this post (hopefully someday soon) and be a little embarrassed about how melodramatic I'm being. I don't know, maybe you guys can relate?
Ok. That's enough of that. 

Here are some pictures of puppies.