Simple Things Sunday

One of my new favorite blogs is Simple as That. I love the gorgeous photos the author takes, as well as her fabulous sense of style. :) I'm excited to participate in her weekly tradition of "Simple Things Sunday," where her readers come together "... to share our photos ... To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are. " (Description copied directly from her blog.)

I hope that maybe some of you will join us in creating a weekly photo posting, either via blog or Instagram!

This is my Simple Thing #1:

I captured this photo during one of my daily afternoon walks with Toby. To be honest, most days I'm not thrilled about walking him in the midday heat, but a few days this last week were actually relatively nice weather-wise. I'm trying to take my time and be THANKFUL for the sun rather than hateful of it. After all, in a few months, my little Florida girl tush will be freezing on one of the few cold days of the year, and I'll be wishing for the fabulous sunshine and warmth!

What simple things are YOU thankful for this week?

6 Easy Steps for Decorating on a Budget

As we've decorated our new apartment over the last few months, I've really been thinking about how to make our home beautiful while making the best financial decisions possible. I thought I'd share my quick, easy, and painless plan for decorating on a budget, in case it can help any of you. :)

No pictures today (sorry!) but I'm currently working my way through the master bath, so I'll document the process and post some pictures soon!

1. Join Pinterest.

The key to any good decorating job is VISION. Pinterest is a great source for inspiration, and offers TONS of links to tutorials for DIY and knock-off home decor ideas. Take a look around and see what kind of rooms strike your fancy. Having an idea of what you want will keep you from selecting decor that doesn't coordinate.

2. Pick a color or general theme to center your room around.

After you've figured out what kind of feel you want your room to have, think about the elements. Is there a specific color or theme you want? (Or, better yet a specific color AND theme?)

3. Shop your house.

Look around your home and see if anything fits your vision. The things you've already chosen to bring into your home are a probably a great representation of your style and taste, so figure out which things you love and want to use. What matches your vision? Don't be afraid to rearrange your furniture and knick-knacks. Change is GOOD!

4. Browse the clearance sections of your favorite stores.

Make a point of strolling through the clearance sections of your favorite stores. Try to see things as they COULD be, and not necessarily as they are. A beautiful red bowl in the left over Christmas decor can be used year round to hold keys and spare change by your front door (if not covered in snowflakes or Christmas trees)! Or, perhaps a scuffed picture frame can be distressed a little more with some sandpaper to fit into your shabby chic living room.

5. Sign up for e-mail coupons.

Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and JoAnn Fabrics all have a fantastic selection of home decor and send out weekly coupons, often for 40% off any regular priced item. This is a great way to pick up some basic picture frames, seasonal decor, or even supplies for your Pinterest DIY adventures.

6. Have FUN!

Don't feel the need to make your house perfect immediately, you'll just end up frustrated. Take your time and enjoy finding things that you love. After all, the point of decorating is turning your house into a home that represents YOU and your family!

I hope that this plan for decorating on a budget helps! If you have any other tips, please feel free to share them in the comments! :)

I'm Sitting in a Coffee Shop...

... Posting from my phone!

This is mostly a test post to see how the Blogger app for my phone works, but since we are here, I thought I'd let you know that I'm planning a real post to be published tomorrow... Oh, and to share a cute Toby picture.

Also, an adorable old man told me that I look really focused and intent. I told him that it's hard to type on this keyboard. (Which is precisely the reason that I am going to end this post!)

Labor Day Shopping Finds!

First of all, I apologize for the horrific delay in posts. However, I can PROMISE that there are a whole slew of posts coming up over the next few days, and I'm preparing for a REALLY SUPER AWESOME series of posts that will take place during the entire month of October. It's going to be spectacular! (... Yes, I know I'm biased.)

ANYWAY.

I just thought that you might like to see my amazing finds from our Labor Day shopping expedition to IKEA and Whole Foods... and to be honest, regardless of your opinion, I really want to post them. So there. Feel free to skip this post if you so desire. ;)

For starters, here are my finds from IKEA:

The two jars on the left are for Toby's dog food and treats... much nicer looking than the bags the food comes in! In front of them are new bath scrubbies and beneath is a cushion for my computer desk in the living room - both on sale! Next is my new favorite inspiration source - a coffee table book called "Love for Textiles," followed by a new set of Ikea Pruta food storage containers and some super cute owl shaped chip clips. Then, in the front are three candle holders that were on clearance that I intend to repurpose - you are sure to see another post about them in the future. :)

Next, my Whole Foods finds:

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Whole Foods' prices were comparable to Publix's prices. :) The shampoo and conditioner on the left are paraben and sodium lauryl sulfate free and the ingredients are naturally derived. I am excited to see how these work with my hair. On the right are my crackers from my new favorite organic snack brand - Back to Nature - they were on sale this week! In the middle are walnuts, rolled oats, and pumpkin spice granola... all, of course, organic. Dustin picked them out! We tried the pumpkin spice granola tonight and it was AMAZING! :)

One last find:

I picked up this sweet deal at Publix this afternoon thanks to a tip from the Nails and Sales blog. Unfortunately, my coupons didn't work out quite as well as predicted, but I managed to get them for $1.67 each. (Quite a deal considering that they are usually $3.97 each.) I'll be sticking these in my pantry for holiday cooking. :)

Did anybody else go shopping today? Find any great deals?

FALLing For You: Fall [Crafting] Fails

Time to be real. Not everything you pin on Pinterest is as easy as it seems.

Take for instance this VERY easy looking tutorial for an ombre candle holder.

I really hoped this one would turn out. Using some cream colored tissue paper I had on hand, I did a quick mock-up, and while I wouldn't say that it's a complete FAIL - it certainly doesn't look bad - it just doesn't have the same type of effect. It was also WAY more difficult than it looked (have you ever tried to cut tissue paper in a straight line?)

Here's my take:

See? Only a hint of ombre. I dressed it up with some twine and a few wooden acorns. Not bad, just not great. I'm going to give this project one more go with some brightly colored tissue paper before I officially declare it a dud, but in the meantime, here's the moral of the story...

Don't count your metaphorical Pinterest chickens before they hatch! ;)

FALLing For You: My Favorite Fall Recipe

I'm not going to lie, most of my favorite meals are made in my crockpot. (I'm pretty lazy!) My favorite fall food is chili, and it's given a new twist in this recipe, adapted from one I found on this blog: The Architect & The Artist.

The Perfect Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

1/2 Bag Bird's Eye frozen Pepper Stir-Fry (contains bell peppers and white onions)

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can solid-pack pumpkin

1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes

2 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. cumin

Directions:

Place all ingredients in your slow cooker. 

Stir, then cook on low for as little as 4 hours or as many as 8 hours. If you want to eat even more quickly, just put all ingredients into a stock pot and heat thoroughly (although I will add that the longer your chili simmers, the better it will be!)

I serve this chili over tortilla chips (my preference) or corn bread (Mr. Morley's preference) and top with shredded cheese and sour cream (though we'll be trying Greek yogurt this year!)

FALLing For You: Subway Art

August has arrived (and at this point is nearly halfway gone!)

I don't know about YOU, but I'm about ready to start celebrating fall. Sure it's still 95 degrees outside, but in the mornings when the air conditioner is still cranked down low from overnight, and there is a hint of dampness in the air, I make myself a cup of hot coffee and I'm all about fall.

This week seems like a great time to beat the heat and start planning some fall decor, style, and food... so I'm starting off today with a post that's filled with fun (and FREE) fall subway art. Grab yourself some coffee and make sure that your printer has plenty of ink. :)

Clockwise from Left: Thirty Handmade Days, It is What It is, Simple Crafter

Clockwise from Upper Left: Hopscotch Studios, Betty Crocker Wannabe, eighteen25

If framed subway art isn't your thing, do a quick Google for subway art crafts. I've seen a couple of cute ideas online including using them to wrap candy bars, top goody bags, create cards, and even make a table runner! As for me, I'll be framing mine. Check back to see which art I chose to print! :)