I'm back!!

It feels like forever since I've written on this blog. 3 years to be exact!! I'm 25 now (which isn't really that much of a difference) and live in Canada, but over the past 3 years a lot has happened in my life which has helped me grow and mature more. I learned to see things from a different perspective, appreciate people more, not allow myself to be influenced by others, think more before acting, stand up for what I believe... I'm sure that 3 years from now I'll be a whole lot better, but until then I'm going to work with what I have.

Well as you know, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE organizing, decorating, designing and creating stuff! That hasn't changed, and I've actually been up to a few things since I've been gone that I want to share with you. As you also know my husband is a pastor, which means that I don't do this all day. I work alongside him, helping the women and kids in our church mainly. I actually dedicate 1 or 2 days a week at the most to get all my housework done and work on any project I have at home or in the church (I love being creative in the church too BTW). That also means I'm on a budget, so you will see that my tips and ideas are pretty inexpensive.

I decided to write this post today at the last minute and not wait any longer, so I don't have the material ready to post on here yet. In the mean time, I'm going to share with you a quick and easy recipe that I'm in love with for well over a year now and I never get tired of! I don't make it every week obviously because it isn't light on calories but, if you're looking for a quick and easy recipe to go with a simple salad on the side, this is one I totally recommend!

Blue Cheese and Onion Quiche

Ingredients

9" pie crust (I like using Pillsbury. You get 2 in a box)
a little bit of mustard
100g butter
1 large onion cut in thin slices
3 eggs (beaten)
250ml heavy cream
150g blue cheese (crumbled)
salt & pepper to taste
1tsp flour
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Method
Prep. Time - 15mins 
Baking Time - 35mins
Ready in - 50mins

1. Preheat oven to 425F (230C). After the pie crust has defrosted, unroll it and line it in a pie dish. Make sure the dough goes all the way up on the sides of the dish. Brush a thin layer of mustard over the crust.

2. In a frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion slices and saute over medium heat until slightly transparent (about 5mins). I a bowl, mix the heavy cream with eggs and add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the onions (make sure to scrape in all the juice in the pan too), parmesan cheese and the flour to the mix. Mix well until everything has blended together. Pour the mix over the pie crust and then top with the crumbled blue cheese.

4. Bake for 35mins or until golden on top. Rest for 10mins before serving.

Enjoy!

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Reinvent your small bathroom on a budget

I found a great way to turn your small bathroom into a polished, serene space.

To achieve this modern look, the owners used a color scheme of soft green, white and brown.




Total cost: $2,069










The serene, soft green paint visually expands the small room, and the white sink, towels, and robe are crisp counterpoints to the green walls. A rich brown vanity, framed mirror, and stainless steel accents add style.

A nightstand was repurposed as a vanity in this bathroom. It's a sophisticated alternative to a stock vanity and offers the look of a higher-end model for a fraction of the price. The nightstand drawer is still functional and can be used to store small items. A large above-counter sink minimizes splashing, and the nightstand was treated with a lacquer finish to make it water-resistant.













Removing bulky linen closet doors helped open up the small bathroom and keep items accessible. Towels, cosmetics, etc. can be stored in baskets to prevent the open storage from looking cluttered.

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How to Tame Clutter

Problem: There's just too much to do.

Solution: Come up with a plan and timeline for taking it one step at a time.
Examine the room you want to organize and visually break it into small areas that you can tackle in stages. Set achievable deadlines to give yourself a goal to work toward. Make a list of what stays and what could go to reduce clutter. 
Prioritize your tasks, starting in an area where you can quickly see progress. Schedule time to work on a project when you're most energetic and least likely to be distracted. Use a watch to time yourself. When time is up, stop and continue with the rest of the things on your schedule. That will help you keep focused and encouraged to do more the next time. 

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Turn Clutter into Storage

ReUse Jelly Jars as Candleholders

You're not going to use all those empty jars for bacon grease, but sometimes they're just too pretty to throw out. Try placing white tea lights or votive candles in at least five small jars and grouping them together on a coffee table.

Repeat Beach Rocks as Windowsill Decor

A row of smooth stones on a shelf or a windowsill is a pleasant reminder of beach walks and creates a relaxing spot in a room.

ReUse Milk bottles as Vases

Maybe you're lucky enough to have milk delivered to your door each morning in these simple, old-fashioned bottles. Or maybe you're in love with "gourmet" beverages that come in attractively shaped bottles. Whatever the case, remove the labels and they look surprisingly antique. Group bottles of different heights on a kitchen table or a shelf for a light-catching display.

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Add a Little Spice

I found this picture when going through a decorating site and wanted to share it with you.

I loved the sophisticated look of this Asian inspired dining room, yet how simple it is.

As you can see, the furniture is very simple. A delicate tone-on-tone leaf motif on the walls, a pair of screen paintings, and fretwork-back chairs, reminiscent of detailing commonly found in Oriental architecture, lend this dining room a dramatic Asian flair.

The high color contrast between the orange walls and the black picture frames is reflected in the style contrast between the zebra-print rug and the room's Asian-inspired elements.

Remember: your furniture doesn't need to match for your room to work. In fact, using different furniture pieces, colors and styles that compliment each other, creates a much more dramatic and interesting room than one where everything matches.

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It's all in the Accessories

Wouldn't this colorful nook be a happy spot from which to launch your day? Looking closely, the space is really neutral, with white and beige furniture and walls that just whisper of yellow. This rooms' outgoing personality stems from the fresh blue, red, pink, and green accents strewn across the surfaces.

If your planning on redecorating any room in your house, perhaps you might want to consider using neutral tones on your walls and main furniture pieces. That way you can add your color and style with accessories that can easily be changed when you want to achieve a new look.

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Create a Shabby Chic look in your home

Do you have wood furniture you are tired of, but don't have the budget to replace?

Well, painting it might be the way to go. You can completely change your dining room by paining your table and chairs. Give your room a breath of fresh air by painting the bed and nightstand. There are no rules.  You can paint your bed cream and have a pale blue nightstand. You decide.

Here is how you can make milk paint at home to achieve this look.

As one of the oldest forms of paint, milk paint is one of the most versatile and eco-friendly paints that you can use in a home. Used for centuries to paint furniture, this completely natural paint is extremely durable once dry.

ABOVE: Shabby Chic uses a specially formulated milk paint for all their vintage distressed furniture.

You can use milk paint on any wood furniture to create a whitewashed look that is perfect for cottage, country or Shabby Chic decor.

You will need:

4 litres Skim milk (or milk with no cream fat) - at room temperature
2 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup hydrated lime powder (112 g)
Cheese cloth or muslin

This mixture will make enough paint for 2 to 3 coats on a small piece of furniture.

Here's how:

1. Mix the milk and vinegar together in a saucepan and leave to stand in a warm spot for a couple of hours.

The vinegar causes the milk to curdle and separate, creating 'quark'.

Do not stir the mixture while it stands, as this will disturb the process.

2. Strain the mixture, letting it drain into a jug. Rinse the quark with tepid water to neutralise the vinegar. Repeat this process three times.

3. Strain the mixture again, letting it drain until there is no water dripping through the cloth. You now have a nice thick amount of quark [see below], which is the base of our milk paint.

4. Place your lime in a plastic or glass [not metal] container large enough to hold two to three cups.

Be careful not to inhale dust or allow dust to get on hands or in eyes.

Slowly pour 1½ cups of water into the lime and stir into a creamy paste making sure all the lime has been wetted

5. Pour the lime mixture over the quark and gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture in nice and creamy.

If some curds do not dissolve readily, the mixture can sit for 15 to 30 minutes to help break them down.

6. If you need to add color to your milk paint you can use natural powder pigments, powdered craft paint, or food colouring.

Mix the powered colorants into water to make a smooth paste and then add to the paint mixture. You can buy pigments at your local home improvement and art stores.

Avoid using pigments made from toxic compounds, otherwise you’ll defeat the purpose of making your own paint.

NOTE: Don't worry about any undissolved matter in the mix as you need to strain again before use.

ABOVE: Shabby Chic uses a specially formulated milk paint for all their vintage distressed furniture.

Finish off your project by applying Woodoc Antique Wax to protect and preserve the finish.

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