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monday morning movie





Each week I post one of my YouTube Videos here and invite you to sit down, relax with your cup of coffee (and your movie popcorn) and enjoy a short (approximately 3 minute) Design ‘Movie”. If you want to know how this all got started, click here.

So, Let’s Go to the Movies!
May not be available on your Mobile


I will have a seat reserved for you every Monday!







sunday in bed


It’s Sunday and everyone deserves a day off.
Here’s wishing you a restful Sunday.



recipe friday

HOMEMADE OIL & VINEGAR



Ingredients

2 parts oil
1 part vinegar
1 part sugar

Directions

Sprinkle seasonings on top of dry salad to taste: Salt, pepper, garlic powder (I usually lightly cover the entire salad with the garlic)
Add dressing and toss well

quick tip: hanging a heavy mirror




Has this ever happened to you?
You have the perfect 'heavy' mirror that you want to hang directly above your sofa, but you just can't seem to find a stud in the correct location to use to support the weight of your mirror.

Note: In most homes, studs are placed 16 inches apart, but occasionally, you will find them spaced 24 inches apart.

If the mirror is really heavy... you definitely need to use a vertical stud to anchor it securely because if you attach it just to the drywall, over time the weight of the mirror will rip right through the drywall and the mirror will come crashing down one night. So... What do you do? Hang it off center, move the sofa? Not any more...

To securely hang a heavy item on the wall, use a French Cleat


You can create a French Cleat by cutting a 45 degree angle lengthwise into a simple piece of wood.


Metal French Cleats are also available at your local hardware store.


Using this method will remove any worries of that mirror (or headboard, art, mantle, etc) crashing down off the wall one night... It will also save you the headache of major drywall repairs!

do you know what day it is?

September 23 2014 is the September Equinox (or also known as the Southward equinox). This is the time when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward.

During the equinox, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. Before the Southward equinox, the sun rises and sets more and more to the north, and afterwards, it rises and sets more and more to the south.

In the Northern Hemisphere the September equinox is known as the autumnal equinox. In the Southern Hemisphere it is known as the vernal or spring equinox.

An equinox occurs twice a year. The word’s oldest meaning is 'the day when daytime and nighttime are approximately equal in duration', and derives from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).




monday morning movie




Each week I post one of my YouTube Videos here and invite you to sit down, relax with your cup of coffee (and your movie popcorn) and enjoy a short (approximately 3 minute) Design ‘Movie”. If you want to know how this all got started, click here.

So, Let’s Go to the Movies!
May not be available on your Mobile


I will have a seat reserved for you every Monday!




sunday in bed


It’s Sunday and everyone deserves a day off.
Here’s wishing you a restful Sunday.



recipe friday

GREEK SALAD

Ingredients for Salad

1 hothouse cucumber,
seeded, and  slice in ¼” slices
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, sliced
½ lb feta cheese, ½” diced
½ C calamata olives, pitted

Ingredients for Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ C red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ C good olive oil

Directions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion.

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.

Add the feta and olives and toss lightly.

Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve at room temperature.


after a long day…


relax_to_rest_release_unwind



cropped faded line png


benefits_of_walking... just breathe.
A little fresh air can lighten your mood and help you unwind. Try getting outside and taking a walk around your neighborhood.


turn it off... turn off.
Hit the power button on your phone, your laptop, your television and your iPad.


keep-calm-and-make-a-list-33... be grateful.
Even though it was a stressful day, write down three things that made you grateful.

healthy snack... grab a treat.
Reach for a healthy snack... the perfect combination of indulgence and sensibility to help you get through the evening.

monday morning movie





Each week I post one of my YouTube Videos here and invite you to sit down, relax with your cup of coffee (and your movie popcorn) and enjoy a short (approximately 3 minute) Design ‘Movie”. If you want to know how this all got started, click here.

So, Let’s Go to the Movies!
May not be available on your Mobile



I will have a seat reserved for you every Monday!






sunday in bed


It’s Sunday and everyone deserves a day off. 

Here’s wishing you a restful Sunday.


recipe friday

GARLIC OLIVES


Ingredients


8½ oz ripe olives, drained
7 oz green olives, drained
½ C vinegar
½ C olive oil
½ C salad oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, slivered

Directions

Split olives slightly; place in large jar with remaining ingredients.
Cover tightly and shake.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

To serve, remove olives with slotted spoon.

God Bless America


the forgotten land *part four



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If you haven’t had a chance to see the first three parts of this series, The Forgotten Land *Part One, Part Two & Part Three… go ahead and click over now and read all about this inspirational Four Part Series on Hallway Designs.

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Now, take a moment and think about your hallways; the entry hallway, the back door hallway, the staircase landing, and the upstairs & downstairs hallway. These areas are often overlooked, forgotten when focusing on your home’s interior design. And think about this… your entry hallway is what gives every visitor to your home a ‘First Impression’. What does yours say about you, your family and your home?

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As you scroll through these images… remember, Design is All in the Detail… especially in those small spaces! I hope that these hallway decorating ideas will inspire you to update your ‘long room’.

Hallway Design Inspiration    *Part Four


Tom-Mannion-house-2apr14_pr_b_426x639 wall_EL_22nov12_pr_b Leopard-Print-Rug---CreamDeep-Taupe-Kelaty-easy-living-23jul13_pr_b Levantine-from-Bazaar-Velvet-easy-living-18jun13_pr_b_426x639 LR2-CONRAN_OPENER_AU13-A1-easy-living-13aug13_pr_b_639x426 Lucas-Allen_house_30jul14_lucas-allen_b_426x639 Modern-Restoration-9-easy-living-22oct13_pr_b_426x639 Nautilus-Collection-easy-living-2july13_b_426x639_1 Paul-Massey-Apr-12-p-167-house-30may14_pr_b_426x639 Real-homes-4-Easy-Living-19Dec13-Jefferson-Smith_b_426x639 Richard-Powers-easy-living-7jan13_pr_b_426x639 RO-Masai-Indigo-hall-shot-mid-crop-low-res-easy-living-9jul13_pr_b_426x639 rustic redSimon-Upton-3-house-7may14_pr_b_639x426 Simon-Upton---Oct-13-house-23may14_pr_b_426x639 Strong-White-Hallway-And-Stairs-easy-living-10jun13_pr_b_426x639  
Feeling inspired?
I love design that really focuses on the detail, don't you?

I hope you enjoyed reading and looking through the images in this series.
I truly enjoyed sharing all of them with you!









quick tip: paint furniture

 
Easy projects can freshen up your home & be inexpensive, too.

white table
Paint an Inexpensive Piece of Furniture
This one is pretty self explanatory, right?
For example, in the above Dining Room, a beat-up old $60 table was bought at an estate sale and given a fresh new look by painting the base a high-gloss white.

Here’s a little more inspiration:
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10388657_318299911665870_8263795822313509593_n 10391392_318299874999207_6250050232735611610_n 10426816_318299931665868_6393179718616782465_n 10431467_318299884999206_7349095016992580775_n 10448742_318299841665877_3459455977816155846_n 10457607_318299921665869_8440334179651402460_n 10482756_318299824999212_6317051117035822524_n 10487499_318299944999200_8007537103818275557_n

Now, grab that paint brush and have some fun!