Saturday, May 25, 2013

"15 Easy Ways to Update Your Home"

 

Yesterday a post from HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
appeared in my Facebook feed.
It was titled, "15 Easy Ways to Update Your Home."
It was interesting to see how many of the ways I have/or would consider doing.

1.  Paint a piece of furniture Kool-Aid purple.
WOULD NOT consider, mainly because purple
is not one of "my" colors.
However, I have just recently painted
a pine wardrobe with white chalk paint.


2.  Collect seashells to embellish a fireplace surround.
I love seashells, but haven't been to the beach lately.

3.  Hang a wind chime inside the house
where it can catch a breeze.
I DO have a wind chime hanging on my front porch.


4.  Set up an outdoor room --anywhere, any way you can.
YES, YES and YES!
My front porch is all set for spring and summer use!




I will be spending many, many hours here in the weeks to come.

5.  Dress your bed in all white for the summer.
DONE!


I'm cheating just a tad with a bit of color in the quilt and pillows.

6.  Paint your home office leafy green,
to create the feeling of a tree house.
I haven't done this, but, sitting at my desk
already feels like I'm in a tree house:




(Views from my desk today.)

7.  Don't just clean up a room -
put away all the stuff that's accumulated on every flat surface.
Although I haven't done this completely, I have been
decluttering a lot this spring.

8.  Sometimes the simplest window treatments are the best.
Yes! Just sewn and hung this spring!


9.  Slipcovers!
Yes again.  I've made slipcovers for two small chairs
and if I could ever find the right fabric would happily
have them made for two love seats in the living room.




10.  Cut flowers and greenery from the yard
for each room in your house.
Sort of...although I don't often bring cut flowers into the house,
I do raise violets, have them throughout my house,
and usually have some blooming.


11.  Paint your bedroom closet a favorite color.
Already done...the same vibrant blue as my bedroom.

12.  Plant a little garden - even just a few flowers - by every doorway that leads into the house.


Flower boxes are all planted on the front porch.
(Does basil by the backdoor count?)

13.  Vintage garden accessories look even cooler
when used to decorate the inside.
I love this look and actually walked through the house
to see where I've done it.
The best I could come up with is a favorite print
in my living room of a vintage garden chair.



14.  If you don't like an architectural detail --
a brick fireplace, wood ceiling beams --
paint it a chalky white.


I have never loved the look of my fireplace
(although I adore having it in the winter with a fire going).
It has been painted white since I have lived here,
AND, I have just given a fresh coat in the past month!

15.  Mirrors add and spread light wherever they're used.


I know and practice this with mirrors through out my house.
One of my favorites is a set of old french doors I had backed
with mirrors in my small dining room.
They make the room look twice as large and add more light!

I think I did quite well!
How are you keeping your home updated?

This week I am partying at
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Give Me the Goods at Rain on a Tin Roof
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Simple & Sweet Fridays at Rooted in Thyme

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Tuna Salad - Kick It Up a Notch!


As the weather starts warming I'm in the mood for lighter meals.


This recipes comes from  Martha Steward's HORS D'OEUVRES.
It is a recipe for a finger food I first served for a gathering several years ago.
There were a few left over after the party and the next day for lunch,
I put them in a pita and discovered it was a wonderful sandwich.


CURRIED TUNA SALAD
makes 40 hors d'oeuvres


Drain 1 7-oz can of tuna well and put it in a mixing bowl.


Add 1/4 c. currants
1/4 c. chopped toasted pecans
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. chopped chutney
Curry powder to taste


I like Harry and David's Mango Chutney.

Mix well.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Martha then topped rounds of cucumber slices, for hors d'oeuvres.
I usually double this recipe, decreasing the mayo a bit,
 since I use it for sandwiches.

I'm trying to get more fish into my diet.
Do you think this will count?


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