I'm Feeling Green...

Thought I was going to talk about vomit didn't you? Actually I have nature on the brain even though the weather is pretty much in the pooper around Dallas, spring is still here! All the gardening I've been doing is really paying off.

From my phone, sorry for the quality!

I'm a real girl with a real garden, momma are you proud?! My mom has a total green thumb, she puts me to shame. I can't wait to get rid of those scallop bricks and put something nicer in, but that will have to wait. I made these flower beds out of nothing, only grass actually no just weeds, were here before I did this. I'd say I'm definitely proud of that!

Speaking of my mom, just look at her greenhouse...

Could you just die? She built this out of nothing but old doors and windows. I need to get more pictures of the inside next time I visit. It's amazing! You can barely see the plants and the table she built around a pole in the center through the open door there.

Ahhhh, someday Brandi, someday...

                                                                   Source: s28.photobucket.com via Shannon on Pinterest

                                                                       Source: honeyhollow.tumblr.com via Keely on Pinterest

Looks like my moms except not as awesome.

                                                                           Source: elseachelsea.typepad.com via Bri on Pinterest

                                                                           Source: flickr.com via Tristan*Lucie on Pinterest

Check out that bench!

Happy Wednesday!

Spending Time in the Kitchen: Espresso Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Don't we all need a little pick me up on a Monday? What better to do that with than espresso, chocolate and banana?! These muffins are quite delicious and surprisingly easy to make.

                                                                           Source: kitchenisms.com via Alexis on Pinterest

                                                                              Source: kitchenisms.com via Luisa on Pinterest

I'm really feeling these colorful and cozy kitchens today, aren't you?

Now onto the good stuff...

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. 

Tips: I used dark chocolate chunks for mine. You all know I'm a fan of dark chocolate and the chunks instead of chips made them very decadent. Make sure the bananas you use are ripe as in probably just past the time you'd  normally eat them, you want them soft. I used 4 bananas in a food processor to mash them and it was way too many. Luckily I had some vanilla ice cream on hand which meant, banana milkshakes OH YEAH!

Enjoy!

Busy Busy Bee Part 2!

 As promised here are a few more things I got done around the house this weekend. Thanks for all your sweet comments on my dining room and bathroom. It means so much to me to hear from you!

Some of my long time followers know I've been collecting vintage beveled edge mirrors for my entry way for quite some time. Finally I felt like I had enough to actually hang them.

 I love the look. The bevel gives them an almost jewelry like appeal that glitters as I walk past. The only thing is unfortunately I feel like I do need a few more to fill in the top part and maybe some small ones on the sides so the search continues! But I'm happy to have it up and going.

I can't wait until we get wood floors so I can cover up this star! I know a lot of people comment how they love the stained concrete but I seriously loathe it. The previous owner had it done and it's a rusty brown color, not pretty. The stain is also really uneven and splotchy. Not to mention I live in a house in the BURBS not a fancy pants loft dammit, this look does not make sense here!

I also finally hung my vintage painting and sconces in the bedroom.

 

Yeah, so about those squares of color on the wall...that is what indecision + design ADD look like. I've even bought another sample to try out since I took this picture!

This picture is not great but the sconces look very pretty when they're lit. I got the painting for $20 at a thrift store in Dallas that has a vast selection of vintage art. The sconces I got at a flea market in Houston for $40 for the pair. Scott is going to hardwire them for me soon cuz the cords=not so pretty.

I didn't really bother to accessorize the top of the dresser since I clearly don't know what I'm doing in here, hence all the paint!

That's what's new around my house this week! Have you completed any projects lately?

Busy Busy Bee!

I got a few long-time-coming projects done over the weekend. Who's up for a a bunch of before and afters? Me! ME! MEEE! There's almost nothing I love more (other than desserts!)

I know a lot of you will have seen these before but since I have so many new readers why not share again?!

First up I FINALLY got my dining chairs upholstered. I've been working on these for almost a year I think!

So I painted them a high gloss white and reuphoslstered them in a thin black and white stripe. Here's our dining room when we bought the house and again after we got a coat of paint on it.

I still haven't found the perfect light but that will be a I'll-know-it-when-I-see-it kind of thing. Here it is now!

 

What do you think? I really love it! This is the first (mostly) complete room in the house. I had a lot of doubts along the way but now I can honestly say that I love it.

A lot has changed in my master bath. I picked out some beautiful paper from Paper Source and wrangled Scott to help me replace the crumbling back of this linen cabinet.

The pop of blue is just what I wanted. And it was so easy! I bought four big sheets of paper for about $6 each and used spray adhesive to mount them. I didn't worry about the edges of the paper matching up because the pattern is so crazy. You can't even notice the edges even if you're looking.

I'm still waiting on the last cabinet piece of my bathroom to come back but I couldn't resist showing you the tub area! Let's see the befores...

Oh wow! This nightmare is a distant memory now!

and now...

My mom and I were on the hunt for gold frames for months! I got the vintage glass towel bar at an Antique Mall, I love little touches like this! I'm searching for a vintage sparkly chandelier to go above the tub, but no luck yet :(

I will do a complete post on our bathroom remodel when the cabinets come back.

I have two more projects to show you tomorrow! Is the suspense killing you?!

Inspiring Art

I have a board on Pinterest aptly titled "art". I see so many amazing pieces of art in my day to day perusing that make my heart sing so it's nice to have a place to save them all. Most of them serve as inspiration of art I would love to DIY for myself. Not that I'm an artiste or anything but I would certainly love to try!

                                                                  Source: bijouandboheme.blogspot.com via Brandi on Pinterest

This is one of the more unique ideas I've come across. Wouldn't it be a great way to display an old wedding dress or a child's tutu possibly?

                                                           Source: marcusdesigninc.blogspot.com via Brandi on Pinterest

                                                             Source: madebygirl.blogspot.com via Brandi on Pinterest

I love this idea! Since Scott and I wrote our own wedding vows I think it would be so sweet to make some art using them.

                                                               Source: thingsthatsparkleblog.blogspot.com via Brandi on Pinterest

This one feels similar to my drippy painting.

                                                                       Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Brandi on Pinterest

This would be great in a soft color palette. I'm picturing various shades of gray, sepia, and gold...

                                                                       Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Brandi on Pinterest

Although not a piece of art, I find this display very inspiring! I know most of us probably have a million sample cans of paint lying around (I know I do!) that we could use to do this.

                                                                Source: vintageglamorous.blogspot.com via Brandi on Pinterest

Now this room is stunning and overall just gorgeous right! That inky wall is really doing it for me. The artwork there is just fantastic and the palette is right up my alley!

I guess I just have art on the brain lately because I'm building up my collection for a HUGE artwall in my living room. I'm hoping to do a mix of bought art and art made by me. If you had told me even a year ago I would be making my own art I would have laughed in your face! But I've been bitten by the art bug and now I'm full of ideas and desire to create! It's wonderful! Have you made anything lately?

Stay tuned tomorrow for a round up of all my weekend projects!

Vintage Home Tour

Remember this picture I posted a while back?

I know many of you swooned over it. Guess what?! I found the rest of the house and it's as equally delicious.

Another view of the living room. Look at that desk! 

The house is actually a townhouse newly renovated and designed by Swedish (of course!) designer Marie Olsson Nylander. She contrasted the stark white walls with vintage furniture. Only sprinkling in new items when necessary and always complimenting the design of course.

This blue cabinet might be my favorite piece! 

Sweet, sweet storage...

I just love the way this is styled!

Source

Lovely right? Could you just die? I totally died!