February 6, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

Hoarding Covering The Walls

I love stuff. Art. Old relics. Things that hold a memory or recall a moment in time suck me in and keep me there. But I have a small house and a lot of… Stuff. It was only a matter of time before it encroached all over the walls. It is still a work in progress. At my last estimate, I need nine more pieces of art just to complete the two gallery walls in the living room.

I purchased this crewel work of a monkey in a sail boat at the Rose Bowl Flea Market back in July. I bought some clips and hung it by the front door. Shockingly, the sellers wanted nothing extra for the mystery stains. “My husband is so thrilled with this piece,” she says as her face spasms from winking so hard.

My sister and my brother-in-law gave my husband and myself these awesome vintage initials from an old sign (we’re guessing J.C. Penney’s) for Christmas. I love the purple color so we hung them backwards. This also kind of represents our thought process at all times.

My daughter just finished painting this piece of art. It is based on Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. It is her favorite thing she has done. We love our new art teacher, Jennifer Bonneteau. She is amazing. My son made a similar painting. I just forgot to take a closeup picture of it.

The kids did their self portraits again this year. They did the paintings all by themselves at home. I think they did a great job.

Here is where I want to put more pieces of art to complete the project.

I bought this old folk arty game wheel at the flea market. I like it a lot. It was a lot larger than I had thought when we brought it home.

I have an idea to put bookcases up here (better pictures of the niche can be found in this post). We are overflowing with books. I previously put bookcases in a niche in our home here. But I would have to wall in the kitchen on the other side. My husband says we need the extra natural light in both rooms. What do you think?

I want to get a new couch in this room. I am thinking of this sofa in mustard or teal. I also considered a pink, but I think it would be too much. I am definitely waiting for a discount! What home projects are you currently working on? Any new furniture plans?

January 27, 2015 by gn0mel0ver

More Sweet Margarita

recipe is for one drink

Ingredients:

1/3 cup silver tequila
1 tablespoon triple sec
1/4 cup lime juice (about three limes per drink)
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. simple syrup

Schlooppo. i made a margar-ita. Note to self. Do not type an alcohol lic recipe after consuming the alcoholic drink. Makes snese right?

You would think so.

But sense has never been my middle name.

I was making my chicken tacos (do you know that if you misspell tacos with a “c” for the “a” as tchos, autocorrect will not guess tacos? Nope. It suggests you must be thinking of “tc how.” Which makes as much sense as tchos. I decided to look up acronyms for “tc.” Spoiler: there are a lot of them. My favorite is “take care.” Which really makes total sense. Maybe autocorrect was looking out for me. But then I scrolled further down the list to “Tom Cruise” and then “top cat” and I realized autocorrect was just drunk on margaritas… too). Anyhoo, I decided what would make the meal perfect. Just perfect. Would be a margarita. So, I made two based on this recipe from The Food Network. But it was much too much too tart for the likes of me. If you like your margaritas more authentically tart, I definitely recommend using the original recipe in the link.

I changed it up just a bit and from now on, this is the only way I shall make my margaritas.

Or type a recipe.

Autocorrect never had it so good.

Directions:

Make your simple syrup. In a small saucepan boil one cup of water and one cup of sugar until sugar dissolves. Whisk occasionally to make sure sugar does not stick to bottom of pan. Set aside. This would be better made in advance and chilled in the refrigerator. It keeps for one month in the refrigerator.

Squeeze limes into a clear 2 cup measuring glass until you have the appropriate measurements for the amount of drinks you are making.

Fill a glass with ice.

You may brush the rim with simple syrup and stick it in sea salt or sugar if you like that sort of thing. I do not. Too Coarse.

Pour your tequila, triple sec, lime juice and simple syrup into the glass. Mix.

Drink.

Try to type a coherent recipe.

I dare you…

Take Cover.

‘Cause

You’re Too Cool

To Calculate

The Charges.

Now Toast… and Cheers.

“To Crazy.”

December 24, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Welcome To Our Christmas Home

Welcome!

If you celebrate Christmas, today is probably a very busy day for you. I wrapped a mountain of presents last night while the entire family sat down to watch “White Christmas.” We went to dinner at a local Irish pub after I finished making four chicken pot pies (three of which are for dinner tonight). I also made these appetizers and when I wake up today I plan on making Pioneer Woman’s Best Chocolate Cake for dessert.

My father, stepmom, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew will be joining us for dinner tonight. I purchased three dozen premade plain Christmas sugar cookies for the children to decorate and leave out for Santa. I think my three year old nephew will enjoy that. I know Santa will! Tomorrow it is just our little family celebrating the day together. I like simplicity.

I decorated the house the same this year as I did last year with a few new additions.

I strung some wrapping pompoms on the chandelier in the living room. My husband picked this chandelier out a few years ago at a local antique store. I love the mellow mustardy color. I also love that he picked it out. I would never have noticed it. I never look up. I remember when he showed me his find while we were in the store together and being filled with wonder and happiness that I can always count on him to look up for me. It is nice to have a partner who completes you. This chandelier represents that to me. He looks up and for that I am grateful.

My husband came home several times in the last two weeks with sweet surprise gifts of ornaments for our trees.

I changed the slipcover on our couch to accommodate a velvet one I purchased from eBay many years ago. It was a nice change this winter. I made the giant pillow from an old feedbag, but the two Kantha pillows were recently from Anthropologie and the neat feather pillow in the middle is from World Market.

Murphy has enjoyed lounging on the “new” old couch. I wish I could join him, but there is always so much to do!

I love using paper pompoms as flowers in December. They are over the top and last forever. These are four years old. The pink pompoms are actually from Michael’s craft store. They were $4 but with a coupon, I paid $2 a piece. I purchased four and strung them on this vase chandelier from my first apartment.

And on our antique mirror.

Tonight the kids will unwrap their new pajamas. The house will be filled with anticipation, although this is my very first year with wise children, if you get what I mean, so the anticipation will probably not be quite the same as years past. And I have to say, this has very much hampered this Christmas and made it a little less special.

Hold on to those little ones. Enjoy the magic. I, myself, will be looking for Rudolph’s nose tonight. I wish I had taken more pictures… Of the pompom wreath at the front door with the fox nestled inside like two odd long lost soul mates… Of our bathroom where the embroidered hooks hold wreaths and ornaments… Of the garlands above our kitchen sink… But I didn’t. I guess that will have to wait until next year.

If you celebrate Christmas, how do you decorate? Do you do the same thing each year or do you have a theme? Are you ready for the big day? What is on your menu? On Christmas day, my husband makes chicken enchiladas and we spend the whole day in pajamas. I cannot wait!

Merry Christmas to all (if you celebrate, if not, Happy Thursday!)! And I hope you have the coziest and sweetest of days!

December 17, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

When Baking Goes Wrong… Distract Them

I have been sitting on these pictures for months. I really liked the outfit. I really disliked the recipe I made that day. So, I was unsure what to do. Should I still show the outfit or scrap it?

Well, with all of us baking this holiday season, there are bound to be some mishaps. If the same happens to you, just know at least you will probably be fully clothed when it happens. Winning.

Although showing a bit of undergarments is a sure fire way to distract folks from bad food.

Or not.

I have a chicken empanada recipe that is out of this world. It is my sister’s favorite thing that I make. And if memory serves me, my daughter’s too. Although I have never shared it here…yet. I am a bit slow on the draw.

I decided to try making sweet empanadas. Sounded simple enough. Just fill pie crust dough with a filling (I originally typed “feeling” and that would probably have turned out better), crimp, sprinkle with sugar and bake. But the lemon curd filling oozed out everywhere and the Nutella ones I made dried out and it was all a big disappointment. My husband and my mom both liked them, but in my opinion, they were not worth making again.

What are you baking this holiday season? I am making pie crust cookies. And chocolate chip cookies. And when I want something simple, I pick up the prebaked sugar cookie shapes at the grocery store (available at Albertson’s where I live) and dye vanilla frosting then let the kids take over. For dinner last night, I made Tyler Florence’s Pot Roast Tacos. The night before I made a very easy lasagna I will be sharing here next weekend. Tonight I am making Beef Enchiladas with the leftover taco meat. Tomorrow will be Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Potato Soup. Do you plan your weekly meals in advance? I love to cook. And I am trying not to fry my brain as I work out exactly how many more presents I still need to pick up. Smells like Christmas… And singed hair.

I am oblivious to the future of these pastries as I happily wear Anthropologie’s Horizon Lines Maxi (sold out, similar here), Free People’s Shadow Hacci Top, and Cosabella’s Never Say Never Sweetie Bralette in this picture.

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

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Hoarding Covering The Walls

More Sweet Margarita

Welcome To Our Christmas Home

When Baking Goes Wrong… Distract Them