Spring Vignette Sneak Peak ;)

Hello friends!!  I hope that all is going well and you are coasting into the weekend ;)

So....I'm just now starting to put together my Spring Vignette.....and even though it's not even April yet....I still feel like I'm behind somehow....

Possibly b/c I intended to make a Spring / Easter Vignette and Easter is now essentially a week away.....gah....I think I'll blame it on Spring Break....yeah....pretty sure that must be what put me behind :)

And while I'm confessing.....I guess I might as well get it all out.....

SO....here are my confessions for the day....and no.....I'm not Catholic.......

1) I ate 3.....yes.....3.....donuts this morning.........oh wow.....that's bad!!  Shhhh......Don't tell anyone....k......

2) I just took down my St Patrick's Day inside decor......ummmmm.......yesterday.....

3) I still have my St. Patrick's Day wreath hanging on my front door.....oh yeah.....and the pumpkins are still out there too......

4) The mini mailboxes that I made for Valentines Day are still sitting in my living room waiting to be put away.....

5) My house is a mess......and I have loads of laundry waiting to be done.....

WHEW.....ok......I think that's enough for now......

I'm afraid if I tell you much more, then you all might not want to be my friend anymore :)  LOL!!

So....you know.....instead of working on any of the above.....I decided that the Spring Vignette must come first.....don't judge me.....k......

So.....here's a little sneak peak.....

It all started with this.....

I found this Apothecary jar at Home Goods for $10!!  Score!!  I really liked the curvature of the sides.....just lovely......

And as soon as I saw it, I knew what I would use it for.....so next I picked up some of this.......

Floral moss....I found this at the Dollar Tree.....for.....yep....you guessed it......a dollar! 

And I already had these cuties.....

I got the nests at the Williams Sonoma / Pottery Barn / Pottery Barn Kids Outlet in San Marcos on sale for about $4.....and yes.....that outlet mall is absolutely awesome!!

BUT.....I needed one more thing.....some little eggs for my nest.....and I found something that works perfectly!!

Oh yeah....and they taste good too.....

AND.....when you put it all together....you get the start of my little Spring Vignette.......so just for you....here's a sneak peak :)

And here's a couple close ups......

And just one more of the whole picture.....

SO....are ya'll decorating for Spring?  What is your theme?  I'd love to hear what you guys have planned!!  I'm always looking for ideas....

Oh yeah.....and if my confessions made you feel a little better about yourself today.....then mission accomplished!!  Because.....what I know is......that we all have it together sometimes.....and none of us have it together all the time!!  So.....if today is your "got it all together day"......then ENJOY!!!

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick

Mealtime Monday.....Delicious and Easy Southwest Salsa

Hello friends!!  I hope you all had a great weekend!!  We definitely did.....more to come on that later ;)

We've been traveling and enjoying having my parents all to ourselves during their spring break!!  So....I haven't had a lot of time for the old blog over the past few days.....but as usual....I missed you guys!!  So....it's time to get back in the game....but to keep things easy.....I thought I would share something simple, but awesome today.....

So.....how about a DELICIOUS and oh SO EASY salsa recipe!!  YUM!!  I LOOOOVE a good salsa!!

BUT....I've struggled over the years to find a salsa recipe that is not only good, but also easy to make.....well.....until now.....

So....we were having a Girls Night Out (except we stayed in) a few weeks ago and our (awesome) host made us this great salsa....and I was thinking that it was probably really hard to make....so I almost didn't even ask for the recipe......

But.....luckily I did.....

And I made it the other night.....and it was so, so, so good!!!

Here's a pic with it all made and ready for a delicious dinner....

And here's the "how to"......

Start with some very simple ingredients.....

Except.....oooops....you need to use ground cumin.....I did catch this before I put it all together.....but not before I took this pic :)

Chop up the onion.....

And then just use your handy dandy food chopper to mix everything together.....

And soon you'll have some DELICIOUS salsa!!  Here's another pic.....

Yuuuummmmmm!!

And here are the recipe specifics......

Southwest Salsa
Recipe by Roxie Harris (Scottsdale, AZ) and printed in Southern Living Magazine in January 2011.

Ingredients
    1     Can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes and green chiles
    5     Pickeled jalapeno pepper slices (I omitted these)
    1/4  Cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves (I used freeze dried)
    1/4  Cup chopped red onion
    1     TBSP fresh lime juice
    1/4  tsp ground cumin
    1/4  tsp garlic powder
    1/4  tsp dried crushed red pepper
    1/4  tsp salt

Prep Directions
Drain liquid from tomatoes reserving 1 TBSP of the liquid (discard the remainder of the liquid).
Place reserved liquid, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients into a food processor.
Pulse food processor 5 or 6 times or until you reach desired consistency.
Cover and chill salsa 1 to 24 hours before serving.
Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired, serve with tortilla chips.

The recips will make approximately 2 cups of salsa.  Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Seriously....it is SO easy to make....and SO delicious!!

Enjoy!!

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick

Framing a Glass Block Bathroom Window....A Super Easy DIY Project!!

Hello friends!!  How is your week going?  My house is full with family (they are on spring break), so we are having a great week!!  I LOVE a full house :)

The only downer.....my little girl has been sick....again.....blah!  BUT she seems to be feeling better today, so let's hope that she's getting over it :)

I was planning on sharing something else with you guys today, but then something that we did this last weekend turned out SO great that I just couldn't wait to share it instead....

Isn't it cool when something turns out so much greater than what you expected?  Yep.....that ROCKS!!

So....you're probably wondering what is so great....huh......

Well.....as usual these days.....we were working on our Master Bathroom makeover.....and what started out as a little project to make our tiling work easier.....turned out to be an awesome addition all by itself.....

So....let me show you the "pretty" picture and then we'll talk about it some more.....

So...you've seen some of the things in this picture already.....I showed you the tile HERE and the lighting HERE......

But....what you haven't seen yet is the frame that we put around the glass block window.....I was just thrilled when I saw it all together for the first time....it really dresses up this little window :)

And.....Who doesn't have one of these lovely glass block windows in their bathroom?  At least if you live in Texas they are basically a requirement....

So.....why not dress them up a little and turn something bland into something grand (ha, ha....I am laughing at my cheesy rhyme)....

When we decided to frame our glass block window out we did it because we knew we were going to eventually tile on up this wall to the ceiling.....and we were trying to make the tiling work easier by giving ourselves a flat surface to tile up against.....

So....the frame was just a "means to an end" if you will....but once it came together....I was really excited b/c it looked SO great all on its own.....AND.....since I know so many of you guys have one of these types of windows too.....I just had to share!!

The frame we used is also very similar (although thinner) to the framing that we did on our bathroom mirrors that I showed you HERE.....

Which really ties the two sides of the room together.....ummmm....LOVE!!

So....enough with the dialogue.....and onto another pic.....here's one up close.....

I wish the pics were better, but I am still learning about photography....and really don't have a handle on how to get good pics of anything around a window.....So....all you camera geniuses can laugh if you want (but just do it quietly....k.....like so I can't hear you)......

And just so you can see what a big difference it made....here's a before and after pic.....

I LOVE IT!! 

Ok....so this is a super easy project....so.....anyone out there thinking you might tackle this one?  Seriously....I would love to hear about it and see your pics :)

Please do share!

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick

DIY Deco Mesh St. Patrick's Day Wreath

Hello friends!! Well....we are on the downhill slope now heading into the weekend!! Yahoo!!

And the weekend means St. Patrick's Day (better get your green on!).....of course I've already showed you guys our St. Patrick's Day Mantle and front door decor HERE.....and I promised in that post that I would show you guys how I made the wreath for the front door.....

You might remember that I made a ton bunch of deco mesh wreaths around Christmas time.....you can see those HERE and HERE if you missed them the first time.....

And.....after Christmas I got this cool green deco mesh type material half price (score!)....

I had plans to use it next Christmas.....but then a little old thing called St. Patrick's Day came around and I remembered that I had this stored back....and I started thinking that this stuff might make a great St. Patrick's Day Wreath.....

And then I hit a snag in my plan.....What was I going to use for the base of the wreath???

Hmmmmm.....the Christmas wreaths were so easy....those little fake pine/cedar wreaths made a perfect base with all their bendable branches!!

But....I just couldn't see myself using one of those types of wreaths this time of year.....

SO.....I did what I always do when I need to know something.....I googled it.....LOL.....but seriously.....I did.....

And I found these things....

It is a Work Wreath Form and it can be found HERE at the Mardi Gras Outlet and it is pretty cheap at just $7....

BUT....I would have to order it.....and wait for it to come in....gah!  I was in the mood for some DIY action!!  SO....I decided to improvise.....

SO.....I headed out to Michael's and I found just what I needed to make my own Deco Mesh Wreath Form.....

It is a basic floral wire form plus some colored pipe cleaners (tied onto the form)....yep.....looks a lot like the ready made wreath form that I saw online.....cool!!

Once you have the form put together....it's really simple to finish out the wreath.....just take your deco mesh and attach it to the wreath form by tying the pipe cleaners around the mesh......like so.....

And then you just simply continue folding / bunching the mesh up and tying it onto the form with the pipe cleaners.....

And soon you'll have this.....

Ohhhhhh....Love It!!

And then I added the little cross with an Irish blessing to the middle.....

And....I've already shown you the finished product....but just for fun....here is the wreath hanging on the front door :)

Soooo.....this is a St. Patrick's Day Wreath.....but.....you can use the same process to make any type of wreath that you like....and you know Easter is just around the corner..... ;)

So....anyone else made a wreath like this one?  Anyone thinking about making one?  I'd love to know about it and see some pics if you want to share....

But for now....it's late....so I better run....

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick

Master Bathroom Lighting

Hello friends!!  I hope your week is off to a good start!!  Things are pretty good here....I wouldn't say this has been the best week ever....but it hasn't been bad either.....

So....what have ya'll been up to.....Are you on Spring Break?  If so....are you doing anything fun?  I've got "beach fever" big time with no planned beach trip in sight....sigh....ugh.....maybe this summer.....

BUT....one thing I am happy about....progress on the Master Bathroom!!  So....are ya'll sick of hearing about this never ending makeover yet?  I PROMISE....there will be an end to this.....well.....eventually......

Seriously though....I hope you are hanging in here with me.....and enjoying the ride......

One more thing that we've ticked off our list for the bathroom is lighting!!  Yay!!  We went for several weeks with NO lights in our bathroom.....yes....you heard me right....NO LIGHTS!!  It was awful!!  But luckily we had lights in some adjacent rooms that gave some light for the room, so it was usable....barely.....

BUT....now we have our new lights up.....AND.....THEY ARE GORGEOUS!!

SO....want to see?  I'll start with the lighting over the vanities.....

Here is the light over the Hubs vanity....

And here is the one over mine....

Ummm....Love!!  And the best part.....I got these for only $65 each at Home Depot!!  Yes....you heard that right....$65 each!!  Ummmmm.....I loved them even more once I saw the price!!

And....it wasn't a sale price....that was the regular price.....so....if you love them too....then go get your self some :)

I thought about thrifting some fixtures and making them over....but I just couldn't pass these up.....plus....I really thought it would look better if all the fixtures in the bathroom matched, since they are so close together.....

So....these were perfect because they were part of a collection of fixtures.....the Alexa Collection....so there were several different types of fixtures with a similar look......

Here's a look at the box.....

AND....this is what totally sealed the deal......

White linen glass.....I just thought it was so divine.....and different.....

SO....we went all in.....and we got this to go over the shower.....

And......I saved my favorite for last!!  I got a chandelier to go over my spa tub!!!!  :)

I've wanted a chandelier to go over the bath tub forever for a long time since we started the bathroom makeover....but the Hubs was really NOT feeling it....

Not that the man has EVER set foot in the tub, but he just really wasn't digging the chandelier idea.....but his big concern was putting something up there that was just too big for the space.....

SO.....luckily this collection of lights also included a small chandelier.....yahoo!!  And....once the Hubs saw it.....he agreed that we should go for it.....double yahoo!!

So.....here it is.....

I am SO going to enjoy this beauty while I'm soaking in the tub.....ok....maybe too much information....but it's SO true :)

And here's a look at the fixtures all lit up.....

I'm SO happy with how they look in our space!! 

The funny thing is.....it took us a LONG time to decide on these fixtures.....although they were some of the first ones that we looked at.....you know....that whole concern about "what if there is something better"....."what if"....."what if"......

You know....eventually I will learn not to second guess myself and just to go with my gut.....that would have cut down on a lot of driving and looking....and looking....and looking.....

SO.....what do ya'll think?  Gorgeous huh?  Well.....at least I think so.....

And just for fun.....so you can remember where we've been........here are a couple Before and After pics....

Yep....definitely looks a LOT better!!

And there's still SO much more to talk about in this space :)

But for now.....it's way too late.....so gotta get to bed.....

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick

St. Patrick's Day Decorating Fun

Hello friends!  It's Wednesday Thursday.....but for some reason it feels like a Friday to me.....which is weird.....but otherwise good.....

How are ya'll doing?  I hope your week is going well :)

Yesterday I put the finishing touches on my St. Patrick's Day Decor and I really like how it turned out.....it was easy to put together, cheap, and turned out cute.....what else could I want?

The funny thing is.....I used to be one of those people who NEVER decorated for holidays (except Christmas)....and I think I might have even said a couple hundred times that I would never decorate for holidays.....

But here I am.....decorating for the holidays.....and I have to say......it's FUN!!  And really that's about it.....it's fun.....so why not do it?  BUT....I do have some rules that I follow for all holidays except Christmas.....1) Keep it simple 2) Keep it cheap 3) Only do it if it brings you joy (ok....that one applies to Christmas too).....

SO....enough with the rambling.....and on to the pics......

Here is my little St. Patrick's Day Mantle.....

And here's a couple up close pics.....

First....my cute framed St Patrick's Day printable......

I found the printable on Pinterest and you can find it HERE.  This website also has tons of other cute printables and they are all FREE :)

So to bring it all together.....I just printed out the printable....used some green wrapping paper to make a background....and then used some double sided tape to hold it all in place (I already had the picture frame.....found it on clearance for $6 at  Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago....SCORE!!)....

And here's a look at the centerpiece.....a big Shamrock....

I found this at HomeGoods a few weeks ago....it was originally a placement on sale for $2.50....but with the addition of a ribbon.....it became the focal point for my little mantle.....

And here's a look at the Pot of Gold....

Yes.....I added a little "gold" of my own.....Yuuummmmm Ghiradelli!!  The gold coins just weren't quite doing it for me.....LOL.....

And here's a look at the "flowers" up close....with a little deco mesh mixed in to give them some "pop"!!

AND OF COURSE.....I had to have something for my front door.....so I put together a cute little St. Patty's Day wreath.....

And here's an up close look at the "Blessing"....

And here's a few more pics.....just because I love it so much.....  :)

AND......my front stoop wouldn't be complete without some St Patrick's Day pumpkins....

And now you are thinking that I've LOST MY MIND.....ummmm.....pumpkins??  Well.....we've kept these lovelies since Halloween last year....ha!  And we've just been changing them up for each holiday!  SO....now it's kind of become a "thing" to see how long we can keep them going.....

I would have thought they would have rotted by now.....but nope.....here they are in all their St. Patricks Day glory!

And here is look at the whole picture.....

And yes....that's my precious little angel standing at the window....being really unhappy because Mommy wouldn't let her come outside too :)

And here's a BIG picture look.....

Ahhh....so happy with my little green decor :)

Soooo....anyone else out there decorating for St. Patrick's Day?  I'd love to see what all you're up too!!  Please do share!!

AND....if anyone is interested in how to make the wreath....I'll put up a tutorial on that in a day or two....

Well.....I've gotta run....

Until next time....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm Sharing Here.....

Thrifty Decor Chick, Lil Luna, 

Framing Contractor Grade Mirrors

Hello friends!!  How are you guys doing?

I was sick ALL last week....I know....what the heck.....I'm so tired of getting sick all the time!!  BUT....I am feeling good now....YAY!!  And the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here the past couple of days, so that has really lifted my spirits :)

But....sick or not.....we've been BUSY around here trying to make some major progress on some of our ongoing projects!!  AND.....I am SO thrilled to be able to share one today that we just finished up!!

Some of you may be able to relate.....do any of you have those lovely ugly plain jane boring contractor grade mirrors?  We have had them in two of our bathrooms.  And for years I've wanted to do something about them, but it just never happened.....

UNTIL......This past weekend we FINALLY transformed one of our contractor grade mirrors to a beautiful modern framed mirror!!  YAHOOOOOO!!  I am thrilled!!

So.....I can't wait....I've got to show you!!  Here you go......

And just to so you can compare.....here is the Before and After pic together.....

Ohhhhhh Yeah!!  I love it!! 

Doesn't it look SO much better?  I knew that it would.....but then when I saw it.....I was still surprised at how much better it looked.

Very cool....because this is a pretty cheap and relatively easy change to make!!

BUT....we did run into a few difficulties.....primarily because I had my heart set on this.....

Source: fullofgreatideas.blogspot.com via Kristal on Pinterest

And.....you might be thinking that we ended up with something pretty similar....and we did.....but it took a few workarounds.....

SO.....what was the problem with my inspiration pic......

Well....the first issue was the 3D crown molding at the top.....I REALLY wanted that with the new frame....but there were two problems 1) The light fixture next to one of the mirrors was so close that the molding was going to almost touch it and 2) one of the mirrors is wedged between two walls and the other one isn't.....so I was afraid that the 3D molding would really highlight this difference.....and look weird.....

Ok.....so problem #1 is not insurmountable....but we really didn't want to have to move the light (lazy) and we didn't want to move the molding down b/c we didn't want to cover up too much of the mirror....and there really wasn't must we could do about problem #2.....

SO.....ultimately the Hubs came up with the idea of using a flat molding on the top of the mirror frame....which essentially eliminated the problems with the first issue.....So super kudos to the Hubs for coming up with a great solution.....

Here's an upclose pic....so you can see the molding.....

And then there was a second issue with my inspirations pic....once we started looking closely at this design we realized that it had the potential to impede our electrical outlets that are located REALLY close to the mirrors.....ugh!!

So.....we adjusted some more.....and we ended up with this.....

And the Hubs is still going to have to "shave off" the side of the electrical outlet cover to make it all work......but the good news is......the plugs all still fit.....it's close....but they fit!! 

So.....it took a bit of thinking.....but we made it all work!!  And as usual the Hubs did an awesome job making my ideas a reality......oh how I love that man :)

So....ya'll want to see a few more pics??  I hope so, because I just can't help myself.....

Here's one that I took during the daytime....so it gives a little different perspective (ooops....ignore the green tape at the bottom and my lack of staging).....

And here is a couple more pics from the left side.....

And a couple from the right side.....

Seen enough?  Yeah.....probably.....LOL!!

Well.....we've still got another mirror in this bathroom to do.....so I'll take some detailed pics while we work on that one, so I can share some step by step "how to" directions with you guys.......

BUT.....I'm wondering.....have any of you all framed out your mirrors?  What did you learn?  Any tricks of the trade or words for the wise?  Please do share.....we can all stand to learn a little something!!  :)

I guess I better run....

Until next time.....

XOXO-
Kristal

I'm linking up here.....

Thrify Decor Chick