Wedding Wednesdays!

I have some special people in my life getting married in the near future and so I thought this a perfect time to start a wedding series.  WARNING: there will be no talk of Vera Wang wedding gowns, 6ft topiaries, or how to loose 20 lbs in a month.  Every Wednesday I will pick a topic (food, decor, music, etc.) and break it down Piper's Pearls style.  Which means that I will focus on low cost, high impact and environmentally friendly projects that will help in the planning of a wedding that is uniquely you.  I should also mention that I am not above advocating the exploitation of the talents of friends and family!

Starting next week I will share our wedding layout featured in Seattle Bride...just so you know that I practiced what I preach:)  Stay tuned for tons of DIY projects, pictures of inspired budget friendly weddings, interviews with creative brides, and buckets'o practical tips.

Big Bang for Your Buck with Paintable Wallpaper

Using paintable wallpaper is a fabulous way to add texture and interest to a room.  I knew that I wanted to use it in my daughter Pearl's room but for around 35.00 a role it would have cost me a couple hundred dollars to do all of the walls.  Instead, we put up a chair rail and wallpapered the upper section of the most prominent wall.

I was shocked at how easy the wallpaper was to put up and how seamlessly the edges came together.  My point is don't be afraid, if I can do it, you can too.  I bought my wallpaper at Lowes (because once I get a bee in my bonnet I am too impatient to wait on shipping) but there are many beautiful options online.

Because we painted all the upper walls the same color the wallpapered wall gives the illusion of going all the way around the room.  In the most visible corner I added these beautiful paper flowers from Maxine's Floral and Gift to soften the transition.

I find that adding texture to a wall can make even the coolest of colors feel warm. So, consider the impact adding a section of paintable wallpaper to a room in your house can have.  I promise a big bang for your buck!

Linking to DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land
&
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie 

"Free" + a little sweat equity = One pretty little china cabinet

Free stuff is usually ugly.  I have found this to be true 90% of the time.  BUT before you scoff and turn up your nose make sure you suss out its potential.  For example, my parents moved into a new condo a couple years back and the furniture came with it.   They then turned around and tried to pawn it all off on me.  I wanted to say no, but I needed a china cabinet.

I decided this piece was salvageable because: 1.  It had "good bones"; made out of solid wood and with good craftsmanship.  2.  I liked the shape and new that the things I hated (hardware and finish) could be changed.

I used the same white for the exterior as I did on the dining room chairs.  I think that is worthwhile to experiment and find a white that you love enough to consistently use in your house.  I painted the inside a pale green so my mostly white china would pop.

I think I have already said this a millions times but here I go again.  Changing out hardware can dramatically change the look of a piece.  Don't be afraid to mix and match colors as long as they tie into the other decor in the room.

So next time your aunt Myrtle asks if you want some of her old furniture take a peek and imagine the potential.

Art Appreciation Day

I will be honest.  I start sweating when Pearl asks me to draw an elephant.  I am a stick figure kind of girl.  But I LOVE art.  I have so many vivid memories from my childhood that center around it.  My beautiful and brilliant neighbor that would invite us over for an afternoon of making paper mache masks.  Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of art with my mother.  18 years old, standing alone in dim lit room at the Musee D'orsay, surrounded by paintings and sculptures by Degas.  The first time art moved me to tears. 

If you are free of young ones.  I encourage you to go out and support the artists in your community.  Art walks are often free and most cities have nights when they open the doors of their galleries for little or no cost.

If you are rocking the title of parent, then I suggest you visit a sculpture park.  Why?  Because wide open spaces offer a place to "run" your child.  Ok, there is more.  I also believe that it is never to early to teach your kids not only to appreciate art but to talk about it.  Do you like this? Why? Why not? 

My husband and I like to play a game where we pick the piece we would be most proud to say we created and the one that we wish we could take home.

 My mom got Pearl the most amazing book called Make Van Gogh's Bed for her Birthday.  I was thrilled to find out that it is part of a series.  If you have kids or know someone that has kids I forcefully recommend these books.  They send a great message about the interactive nature of art and its power to inspire the creativity that is in ALL of us.

Too many cheesy things come to mind...so I will abstain.

DIY Happy Hour: Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders with Caramelized Onions and Cambozola Cheese

On the rare occasion that I frequent happy hour I almost always order sliders.  I liken it to my eggs Benedict addiction: I thoughtfully peruse the menu, pick out something new and then, with Tourettes like force, "I'll have the eggs Benedict" spews from my mouth.  My husband just shakes his head, "I knew you couldn't do it". 

I am on a sick subconscious quest to find the best.

I have had some fabulous sliders but I must say that my husband and I believe that we have found the Holy Grail of sliders in our own kitchen.  So, maybe I am at least cured from one addiction.

Ingredients:

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Ground beef - 85/15 to keep it juicy! (Organic please)
Cambozola cheese- creamy like Brie but with the slight tang of Gorgonzola
Large sweet onion

 

The first thing you need to do is caramelize your onions because this takes a while and cannot be rushed.  One large onion is enough for eight sliders.  Heat a Tbs. of both butter and olive oil over medium low heat.  Slice onions into thin half moons and cook them low and slow.  This will take about ½ hour, but it is worth the wait.  Sometimes, I cheat and add a pinch of brown sugar.  This can be done in advance.

I like to flavor the meat with a little Worcestershire sauce but I wait to season them until after the patties are formed.  Important: Make your patties slightly larger than the diameter of the sweet rolls and create a sizeable divot in their center.  Also, make them fairly thin, a half-inch at most (because they plump when you cook 'em!) Failure to follow these guidelines will result in meatball sandwiches.  In the winter months we cook these on a griddle pan, unless the weather cooperates, which it did for this post!

After you have flipped your patties top them with a slice of Cambozola and cover them with a pan or foil (or close the lid on your grill) so the cheese melts.  At this point I also add the rolls to the grill, cut side down, to toast their edges and warm up.

Finally, the time has come to put it all together.  Top the patties with a heaping pile of caramelized onions and consume while hot.

Our DIY Happy Hour always includes Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Fries.  You bake them in the oven and they come out tasting crispy and fried.  Two dipping sauces we love are ketchup mixed with Tabasco and a little mayo and sweet chili sauce also mixed with a touch of mayo.

Enjoy with your favorite beverage; when not prego mine would be a dirty martini.

Linking to DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land

"All seasons of the year are nice, for eating Chicken Soup with Rice" -Maurice Sendak

I seriously thought that I might make it.

I was starting to believe that I might see March without having the dreaded winter cold.   My naiveté was met with a swift slap across the face.  So, with Pearl and I hacking up a lung and trying to simultaneously garner sympathy from one another (which doesn't work) I made this most fabulous healing soup. 

Creamy Wild-Rice Soup with Smoked Turkey

You have got to love a recipe that has "Creamy" in the title but is from Cooking Light.  My friend Julie turned me on to it years ago and it is the BEST healthy soup that I have ever had.  

 

Another reason that I love it is because I usually have most of the ingredients on hand.  Rosemary in my yard, baby carrots and red onion that are about to turn in the fridge and wild rice and chicken stock in my pantry.  It makes me feel resourceful.

There are only 2 tsp. of butter in this bad boy and the creaminess comes from 2% milk and a bit of flour.  Creaminess without cream? Huh?

Make this soup.  I (sniffle) lub it. And so dub Pearl (who still makes me call her "Maria" from the Nutcracker).

Customizing Your Bathroom For Less 2.0: Subway tiles

A couple weeks ago I talked about how to make a cheap bathroom vanity out of an antique buffet table here.  Now I want to talk about tile.  Our bathroom was designed around black and white marble because it was left over from a project my parents did, meaning it was FREE (love that word).  If you haven't been visited by the tile fairy you can often find great deals on leftover tile at Craigslist.  Having an open mind about your design can save you money.

Because our floor tile made quite a statement we choose white 3x6 subway tiles for the shower.  They cost around 1.98 and are readily available at places like Home Depot and Lowes.  I realize that this trend has been around for many moons and so I took several steps to make it look less stock and more custom. The first thing we did was create a nook for shampoo and soap out of 2X4s.  Then the box was lined with cement board backer, just like the walls.  This adds functionality as well as a nice architectural element.  Next, I picked out a reasonably priced black marble trim to correspond with the floor tile and to break up the great expanse of white.

We had left over subway tiles so we decided to create a back-splash around the vanity.  Not only will this protect the wall from water damage, but it is a cheap way to customize and tie in your shower tile.

Another option in creating a custom look with white subway tile is using a grout color other than white.  Gray would be my current favorite.  It can look modern or classic, depending on your other design choices and really makes the bricks pop.

There are many variations of subway tiles available; with endless options when it comes to colors, finishes, and edges.  I stuck with basic white in this post because they are the "budget friendly" option.