Subway Art

The hubster and I recently (and finally!) finished decorating our entry way (well, almost finished).

Some call it nesting. I'll take it, whatever the motivation was!

I originally wanted a large sunburst mirror but also realized that we had a lot of fun pictures from our travels and around Colorado that we didn't have a space for in our house. I like the idea of a gallery wall but I don't like the commitment (that's a LOT of holes in the wall) and the tedious job of measuring where they should all go, etc.

I was inspired by this picture from Pinterest and went to town! Well, Ikea actually. I went to Ikea. Which is basically like its own town.



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Ikea has these great shelves that I hung for books in Charlotte's room. They come in black, tan or white and would be super easy to paint if you were wanting another color. They also come in the length we used in the entry way, 45 1/4" or, what we used in Charlotte's room, 21 3/4".

 

They are so easy to install and only cost $9.99 each! Deal!

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I also loaded up on Ikea frames while I was there and I think the most expensive one was $4.99. I only prefer the finer things in life, obviously.

 

So this is turning into a much longer story than I first anticipated.

 

I knew that besides pictures of our great friends, families and travels, I wanted to do a seasonal subway art 8x10, as well. I found this jackpot of a link on Pinterest to FREE Subway Art printables! I simply followed their great instructions and uploaded the months that I wanted to Picasa and ordered them from the Walgreens down the street. One hour later and my frame was all ready for Halloween! And Thanksgiving! And Christmas! You get the idea. I didn't print them all but instead printed a few holiday pieces and a neutral, year-round print for the other months.

 



 

I am so excited about this and that it is DONE! Well, we still have a few empty frames but we also have a baby on the way who I am sure will have a few pictures taken of her. Just a few. I stored the rest of the prints in the frame, behind the current month. How simple is that?

 

Click here for all the free Subway Art printables and get to holiday decorating!

 

I think this would make an awesome Christmas gift, too! A frame with all the months printed out- so simple and fun!

 

I should go ahead and switch to the Thanksgiving print now, huh?

Laura



Holiday Gifts: On My List

To close out our holiday gift round-up week, here are some things that are on my own wish list for this year!

Ruffle Pie Shield

(to fit my Emile Henry Ruffle Pie Pan)

 

Patagonia Vagabund Vest

 

 

Lakeland Cotton Cable Throw

 

 

BareMinerals Heavenly Face Brush

Reversible Grill and Griddle

 



Still perusing, too!

 

I hope y'all have gotten some good ideas of gifts to give to your loving family and friends or to add to your own list this year! Here is a link to all the gifts this week:

Kitchen Edition
Beauty Edition
Fashion Edition
Random Edition

You better believe Christmas music is playing full force in this house already!
Laura



Holiday Gifts: Random

{All this week I will be compiling my favorite gifts for the upcoming holiday season! Click on the name of the product to be taken to my blog post about why I love each product!}

And not to leave these three wonderful, yet an eclectic grouping, of gifts out!

Tervis Tumbler

 

Beverage Jar Labels

 

Simple Human Soap Dispenser

See what I mean? Great gifts but not really a good category to place them in. Thanks for understanding, y'all.

 

One more day of holiday gifts tomorrow!

Laura

Holiday Gifts: Fashion Edition

{All this week I will be compiling my favorite gifts for the upcoming holiday season! Click on the name of the product to be taken to my blog post about why I love each product!}

The gifts in today's holiday gift round-up are for the fashionista in your life. Well, the practical, simple fashionista. That's how I roll.

Modern Cargo Small Pullover by Fossil

 

Hobo Lauren Wallet

Lo Ve Earrings

 

Patagonia Los Lobos Vest

(BEST vest ever!)

 



Name Ring

 





Love, love, love all these things.

 

I'm serious about that vest- it's awesome.

Laura



Holiday Gifts: Beauty Edition

{All this week I will be compiling my favorite gifts for the upcoming holiday season! Click on the name of the product to be taken to my blog post about why I love each product!}

Today on the holiday gift round-up, gifts for the beautiful ladies in your life! Not to be left out, guys can also use these products for glowing skin and hair. You deserve to be pampered too, you know?

Clarisonic Face Brush

 

Skinceuticals Clarifying Cleanser

 

Elta MD UV Clear Face Lotion

 

Oribe Dry Texturing Spray

 

Denman Paddle Brush

You can't go wrong with these beauty products! I love getting face wash, lotion, etc. for Christmas gifts because it throws in a few practical gifts with the fun, non-practical ones!

 

You've got to try that Oribe spray...

Laura



Happy Halloween!

I have such great memories of this holiday from growing up! It is my dad's birthday (click here to read how awesome he is) and so we always had a haunted house for all the trick or treaters that was legitimately scary and took a while to set up but was so worth it. We ended the night with all my parent's friends coming over for pumpkin pie and a birthday celebration. Who wouldn't love that as a kid? Some of my favorite memories are from this day!

Enjoy this Halloween round-up!

A great Halloween video...

(when she is carrying her...hilarious!)

 

A yummy Halloween snack...



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A creepy yet humorous Halloween costume...

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A gorgeous Halloween porch...

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A stunning Halloween tablescape...

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Possibly the most beautiful carved pumpkin I've ever seen...

 

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And the best Halloween movie ever...





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Does anyone NOT like the movie Hocus Pocus?

Laura

 

P.S. Today is also my due date! 







Pumpkin Spice Kisses

I am all over Fall, y'all. It officially starts tomorrow and I think these Pumpkin Spice Kisses are the perfect way to celebrate!

 



Don't believe me? Let me convince you.

1. They are simple. Like so simple that after I baked them, I was pretty sure I forgot something because it was so simple.

2. They have pumpkin in them! And we are all about pumpkin this season!

3. They even look like Autumn! Perfect colors.

4. 4 ingredients- that's it!

That's all I got.

I hope it's enough.



Pumpkin Spice Kisses- see here for the original recipe!

Side note: The dough is extremely sticky and I substituted the sanding sugar for cute Autumn colored sprinkles from the Target $1 section (love that place!). It's also super important to throw them in the freezer or refrigerator to keep the kisses from melting. Nobody likes melted kisses.

I love that Fall and y'all rhyme.
Laura


Football Hurricane Filler

After July 4th and before Autumn can be looked at one of two ways.

1. The relaxing calm before the holiday decor storm.
2. The stressful, awkward interlude between red, white and blue and pumpkins.

I definitely fall under category #2.

Do I go with watermelons? Beach balls? I live in the mountains!

Well, in our household, this awkward time also means that COLLEGE FOOTBALL is about to start! We are HUGE college football fans (OSU for this girl, OU for the hubster) and putting little football touches around the house really gets us even more pumped up for September 3rd!

This is one of my favorite hurricane vase fillers and it is SO inexpensive and easy!



I stuffed the bottom of the hurricane with shredded green paper filler to look like grass. Then, I took football birthday candles (they're attached to toothpicks), cut the wick off the top and stuck them into the paper "grass"!



How easy is that?

I found both supplies at Michael's but any craft store would work! When it's time to bust out the fall decor, I simply put the candles and paper filler back in a large, labeled ziploc and store it away until next year! Reusable- even better.

Go Pokes!
Laura

Father's Day

I let Mother's Day come without mentioning my mom (don't judge- it was just a little belated) and I can't let that happen for Father's Day this weekend, too!

My dad is the (sometimes) quiet, strong support of our family.

His love for people and his ability to look at situations from a Godly, not worldly, perspective is such a wonderful example. Just like my mom, he works hard at everything he does, whether that be his job as an engineer, leading the rowdy middle schoolers at Bible Study Fellowship or his golf game. No matter how worn out, tired or busy he is, he is always the first to jump into help fix something (even if you didn't know it needed fixing!). He is the man that you want to come visit your house five days after you move in and finish all your projects/start new ones...which is exactly what he did here last week.



He has taught me many valuable life lessons, especially those that I've learned by example, but the most important and prevalent in my life right now is his never-ending servant attitude. That is something that I am working specifically on in my life and he is a prime example for that type of heart.



He doesn't like his picture all over "the facebook" and the Internet but I had to throw a couple in here to honor him on this special Father's Day weekend.

Happy Father's Day to my sweet daddy!

Love,
Laura

4th of July Treats

Yesterday, we saw all the fun decor ideas for one of my favorite holidays, the 4th of July! Today, my favorite part of my favorite holiday- the desserts!

I love how simple and doable these treats are so you aren't slaving away in a hot kitchen when you should be out enjoying friends, family and freedom!



Ice Cream Sandwiches



Patriotic Pancakes

Twizzler Favors

Firework Cookies

(my mom made these last year and they turned out so cute!)

Red, White and Blue Strawberries

(I made these last year and they were SO simple and turned out perfect!)

Cake Ball Flag

I'm going with the strawberries again this year!

Laura

4th of July Decor

The Fourth of July is right around the corner and is one of my favorite holidays! Red, white and blue is such a classic combination!

There are so many cute decoration ideas out there and here are some of my favorites! 

Vase Filler



Patriotic Wreath

Subway Art

Carnation Flag Centerpiece

Bandana Banner

Flag Wreath

Oh, Snap Favors

You're a Grand Old Flag...

Laura



Chalkboard Wall

One of my favorite things we've done to our new house is painted a chalkboard wall!



It still needs some molding and this picture was taken on my phone but I am really looking forward to the fun, creative things that can be done here!

Who knew I could be so excited about 2 coats of paint and a piece of chalk?

Happy Friday!
Laura

EVOO Marketplace

One of my favorite stores in Denver is the EVOO Marketplace. I took my parents and grandparents there last weekend and was reminded again how amazing this place is!



It's a local company that infuses their own oils and vinegars into amazing, unique flavors and then blends different ones together to make you want about 15 bottles to mix up.

It's perfect for salad dressings, marinades, sauces, dipping oils, etc. and the bottles are ideal for unique gifts! Especially for any moms that love to cook! I know my mom is hooked! And my grandma now, too.

My mom loves to mix the Lemon and Blueberry for a summery salad dressing.

We poured the Vanilla Balsamic over broiled peaches with Greek yogurt for a healthy, warm weather dessert.

We macerated peaches and blackberries overnight with a little sugar and the Vanilla Balsamic for an out of this world french toast topping.

They email recipes out weekly using their different products and we've never had a bad one!

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With flavors like Serrano Honey, Herbs De Provence, Roasted Almond, Red Apple, Blackberry-Ginger, Champagne, and Dark Chocolate, you really can't go wrong.

Check out their online store here for all the flavors and to place an order to enjoy at home!

If you're local, they have locations off of Larimer Square, Downtown Littleton and are at the Cherry Creek Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

I'm making myself hungry...
Laura