Quick Takes for Friday

Happy Friday!  

I'm linking up with Jen for a round-up of our week...  

1.)  First things first.  I recently made these cookies and used butterscotch chips.  Of course they were very yummy.  So of course I am highly recommending you use this recipe with your favorite flavored morsels!  

2.)  Ellen's new favorite spot to hang out.  She's finally figured out how to climb up the chairs and is an over-achiever and continues her climb to the top of the island.      

3.) I found this plate at the thrift store sometime after July 4th last year.  It's has a 1981 calendar on it...significant to me because it's Ryan and my birth year.  

4.)  I'm in love with basil pesto.  From a friend's recommendation, I took a loaf of bread from the grocery store bakery, toasted a bit in the oven, drizzled olive oil on top, then topped it with pesto.  Add a glass of red wine and it was delicious!  

5.)  Clare had her 3rd swim meet of the season this past Monday.  Even though she's been rewarded for being a good "participant," she is improving her time as the weeks go on.  And her freestyle is starting to look a lot less "free."

6.) Our good friends hosted brunch last Saturday morning.  We were lucky to enjoy great company as well as amazing food and drinks!  And the kids had a blast on the slip 'n slide.

Thanks for the photos, Kathleen!

I don't photograph well in the summer heat!

  

7.)  I've heard the song "Crazy Train" by Black Sabbath a lot around the house here lately.  Sung by my own offspring.  Multiple times a day.  

They were in the depths of youtube with their father and found this gem.  

I'll let it play us out...  Happy weekend!

PS - Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!

Strawberry Sangria at Mom's Night Out

I hosted "Mom's Night Out" at my house last Thursday.  

Ellen helped me make brownies.  

Not just any brownies, but Barefoot Contessa brownies.  Let's just say they are called "outrageous" for a reason.  :)

For drinks, I made a summer strawberry sangria, inspired by this recipe.

Here's what your need to make and to enjoy this summer cocktail:

1 750 mL bottle of pinot grigio

1/2 cup strawberry liquor

1/4 cup sugar

Mix everything together until sugar is dissolved.  Chill for 1 - 4 hours.  Serve over ice with a squeeze of lime in each glass.  Makes 5 servings.  (I doubled this recipe.) 

Cheers!

Linking here.  

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.net

Slipcovered Headboard

Yesterday I gave a tour of my 4 year-old son's bedroom.  One thing I really like in his room is the slipcovered headboard I made for the bed.

 I have to admit that the sewing was my work, but it was my father-in-law that did the rest.

I started with a piece of plywood cut 24 inches tall by 38 inches wide and two 2x4's that were 30 inches long each.  We screwed the 2x4's onto the plywood and then attached them onto the metal bed frame using the appropriate nuts and bolts.

Then I painted the 2x4's white to finish them up a bit.

I took quilting batting and wrapped it over the top of the plywood and stapled it down.  Then I wrapped the batting all the way around the plywood several times.  (The thickness/amount is up to you.)  It will look something like this:

 Next I made a slipcover for the headboard.  This is really just a large pillowcase.  I bought a piece of navy corduroy fabric that would fit the measurements of my headboard and folded it in half so I only had to sew seams on the sides
(less sewing for me!).

For the corners I sewed across the top of each to "make" a boxed corner.  I'm sure there is an actual sewing term for this...but I have no idea what it would be!  :)

 I hemmed the bottom to finish it off.  Then turned it right side out and pressed it with the iron.

 After putting the slipcover over the headboard,  here's the end result!

Here's how it looks on the side.  

The great thing about this headboard being slipcovered is that it is washable (great for a little boy's room)!

And it is also very easy to change out the slipcover if you decide on a different material.  

(This bed frame and headboard actually started out in my daughter's room and was simple to change for a boy's room.)

(Before her room was painted pink.)

Linking here.  
todayscreativeblog.net
betweennapsontheporch.net

A Room for My Best Guy

I recently (finally) put some finishing touches on Jude's bedroom.  

(Even though he's slept in there for almost 2 years.)  

His room was a "spare room" for the previous homeowners, but more specifically was the pretend classroom for their daughter.  We used it as a playroom when we first moved into the house.  

We thought about keeping the chalkboard wall, but all of the chalk dust accumulated on the baseboards and I didn't like how messy it was for a bedroom.  

We washed the chalkboard wall and dried it, then primed over that wall.  Then I painted the room when I was 8 months pregnant (needless to say, I don't recommend that unless you have a personal masseuse).

Now a very happy 4 year-old calls this room his own!  

Made my own roman shade...thanks, Martha!

Pictures of Jude on a digger and a young Ryan on a tractor.  

St. Jude framed calendar art. 

We are NASCAR people. 

Stop by tomorrow for a tutorial on how I made the slipcovered headboard.  

Linking here.  

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.net

New Look!

I'm excited to reveal my new blog design today!  (What do you think?)

A big THANK YOU to Kelley at The Grant Life for her wonderful design skills!

And now for the winner of my very first giveaway....(drumroll)...Five Little Chefs! 

Please contact me by Monday to redeem your prize! 

 A big thank you to everyone who entered.  Your support means a lot!  

If you didn't win and are still interested in My Memories, you can use the code on my sidebar for $10 your order.

Have a great weekend!  

PS - Don't forget to grab a fancy new button from my sidebar!

Pesto Chicken Salad

I love a good chicken salad.  And in the summer when it's too hot to cook, I like making this chicken salad into sandwiches for dinner.  

This recipe is capital De-licious.

Pesto Chicken Salad 

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

about 3/4 cup mayo

about 1/4 cup pesto *

1/2 cup red grapes, sliced in half (optional)

1/4 cup cashews (optional) 

Mix everything together and let chill before enjoying.  

I like to make a batch of homemade pesto and use it for chicken salad one night and then to serve with pasta another night.

We also like to make this recipe for road trips.  Stuffed in pita bread it's easy for the driver to eat...and it beats anything you can get from a drive-thru!

* Homemade pesto recipe can be found here, or you can use store bought pesto, too.  


Don't forget to enter my current giveaway here!!!

Linking here.  

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.net

Bathroom Painted, Take 2

I painted our half bathroom last fall using leftover paint from the kids' bathroom.  

upstairs vs. downstairs

While I love how the paint color looks in their bathroom, I wasn't loving it downstairs with the different lighting and set-up.

So Ryan graciously re-painted our half bathroom a few weeks ago and I love it!

The color is Fossil Grey by Glidden.

I found this paint color through this blog and took a risk because Home Depot and Walmart did not have a paint sample.  But I am very happy with it and have several other places where I want to use it.  

Another good source I like for paint colors is this book:

  

image

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY CURRENT GIVEAWAY HERE!

Linking here.

betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

todayscreativeblog.net 
  

Ice Blocks, Take 2

My kids enjoyed playing with these ice blocks last summer.  

I decided to put a twist on this idea (thanks to pinterest) and made ice blocks last week with small plastic animals frozen inside.

The kids chiseled away for...45 minutes!

Kept them cool and busy and happy!  

 I'm going to be keeping a stash of frozen ice blocks in my freezer all summer!

For more summer activities click here and here.


And don't forget to enter my current giveaway here!

Linking here.  

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com 

A Giveaway!

Happy Monday everyone!  I am excited to be hosting a giveaway this week!  I was recently contacted by a company called My Memories and they asked me to review their digital scrapbooking software.

The last completed scrapbook I have is from my semester abroad in Europe during my junior year of college.  I started one for our wedding, but 8 years later it is still only half finished!

The My Memories software is very easy to use and I was amazed by how quickly I could complete a page...literally just by a few clicks!

You can send your entire album to be printed and easily have a book of memories for any occasion.

The scrapbook software offers templates to use or you can create your own.  I was amazed by the options even for paper backgrounds and textures that are available.  

(3rd child Ellen might actually end up with a nice keepsake!)

You can use the software to create lovely scrapbooks, photo pages, or even to make personalized calendars.

To win your own My Memories software:

1.) Please follow me.  :)
2.) Leave a comment telling me a favorite childhood memory.

Winner will be announced on Friday.  Good luck!