Window Plant

This cute little plant is actually a grapefruit, it resides on the kitchen window sill.

Our Grandma gifted it to us after she poked six grapefruit seeds in a pot and they all came up! She has the brightest green thumb in the world.

Spring Projects- Last year and this year

Last years first Snowdrop

Spring is officially on it's way! One Snowdrop has bravely poked it's way up! I think we might be getting spring a bit early this year as last year they came up around the 21st. I am also glad to say the snow is completely gone as of last weekend! But last year it was still lingering by the end of March.

I was looking back and it was last March we got our first shelf for the book nook. Looks like we have added a few more books since then! I am so glad I figured out a way to use this space, it works perfectly for our book collection.

Last year I also finished my Ticker Tape quilt.

Worked on my Hexagon quilt(which is still not finished!)

And shared a pattern for the Hazel apron.

I am not sure what it is about this time of year, but the way the sunlight streams into the house is amazing! Love it! 

So with the days getting longer bit by bit and the weather trying it hardest to warm up, I am tallying up my to do list! There are windows to re-glaze and paint, flowers beds to re-arrange, furniture to work on, doors to trim, the back patio to spruce up......

 We have already planted seeds for the garden and containers. All that winter dreaming has paid off! We have plans and are ready to go to work!

Vintage Handkerchief Inspiration

I think I might have found a new favorite blog! Have you ever visited Flamingo Toes? My sister discovered her and knew I would love the blog. There is a fabulous post on 30 Projects with Vintage Linens including this lovely apron using handkerchiefs.

Love this idea!

And aren't these pillows beautiful!

DIY Footstool for the Book Nook (part 1)

Another project I have been working away on whenever I get a moment is the footstool in the book nook! I finished part 1 a month or so ago, but haven't gotten around to part 2, the quilted cover, yet. The project got a little way laid this fall as I let my sister borrow the foam squares I had bought. She returned them in a few weeks, but then Christmas was right around the corner and in the hustle and bustle is got put on hold.

I used this tutorial from Better Homes and Garden for inspiration. Who knew it was this easy to make an ottoman?! I really wanted a round footstool but the trend seems to be square and it was a bit difficult finding a small one. This one is just the right size to perch one's feet on! 

 Once I started looking I was surprised at how easy it was to find all the parts. A round pre-cut piece of wood from Lowe's for the base; legs and brackets from the hardware store I painted white; two foam squares with batting wrapped around them from JoAnn Fabrics; topped off with canvas fabric leftover from another project. Now I just need to make the quilted cover! 

 I also had to share another new addition to the book nook, a beautiful pillow my sister Becky made me. What a lovely surprise! 

 I love how she used a vintage napkin on the front, it highlights the details so well!

So what projects are you working on Friends? Are you sprucing up to get ready for Spring?

Blooming

Just two weeks ago the hyacinths were sprouting, now they are blooming. 

A perfect pale spring pink.

Outside the snow is in drifts, the wind is sharp, but indoors Spring has sprung!

Simple Goodness

Earlier this week, I was craving some simple comfort food. With the weather gloomy and snowy and spring apparently far away, something a little extra special was needed. How much better can you get then a simple bread pudding? Bread, milk, apples and cinnamon. Yum! 

For some reason  I came home from work with bread pudding and apples stuck in my head. I wasn't sure where I got the idea, but a quick look through my cookbook collection and I discovered Brown Betty is a type of apple bread pudding. The main difference being there is more apples in it then bread.

 I decided to go with a traditional bread pudding and add one chopped apple (we needed all that carb goodness!) and vanilla extract. We have a local bakery that we buy our bread at and it gets stale quickly, but makes divine bread pudding!

When you need a simple basic recipe one can always count on Betty Crocker! This edition is from the late 1950's.

The Great Sofa Slipcover Project (part 2)

Well Friends, I did it! The slipcover is done. It was a bit of a longer project then anticipated, but well worth it! I am so pleased with it!

 What do you think? Doesn't it brighten the living room a ton? A perfect spring update! I think I am going to also update the accent pillows. Still looking around for the the right fabric though.

 After much debating, swatch draping and some hard thinking, we were surprised to realize we loved the natural fabric look. I didn't think it would look very good with the walls, but surprisingly it does.

We ended up buying Unbleached Cotton Drill at JoAnn Fabrics because we loved the texture and weight. And it was on sale for just over $3 a yard! The one downside is that it is only 40" wide and shrinks to about 38". It worked out nicely though as I used the fabric lengthwise and three widths worked perfectly.

We decided to keep it simple and skip piping. I love the clean look!

I also updated our poor squashed back pillows with new square 26" x 26" pillows. Camilla over at Assortment inspired us to try this. We love how much cozier it makes the couch! So nice to snuggle in with a book!

 I wanted the slip cover to not have a "skirt" and to look a little more like it wasn't a slip cover. So on the front bottom edge I sewed velcro and then stapled velcro to the bottom edge of the couch, this keeps the edge tidily tucked under. ( A little idea I borrowed from Ikea!)

 The fabric is a bit wrinkly, but isn't that one of the charms of a slip cover? We also figured out it does a lot better not put in the dryer, that tends to set the wrinkles in.

So what do you think? Do you like the new look?