Save to Splurge

I am participating in my friend Bola's Save to Splurge Challenge over on Onada's Lookbook to get this puppy.

The Brother CS6000I 60-Stitch Computerized Free-Arm Sewing Machine with Multiple Stitch Functions

I was inspired by Jen of Anything Pretty after reading her post on quilting. I used to sew many moons ago and it was such a relaxing and satisfying hobby. My goal is to do some easy projects for the home, crank out a quilt or two, and maybe make me some cute summer shifts.

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Project 52! Want to join in?

I stumble across a lot of new wonderful blogs each day. This week I found out that there is a whole genre of blogs dedicated to Project 365. As a part of Project 365 you commit to taking a picture a day. While I try to take my camera out each day, some days it just doesn't happen. That is why I am doing my own take on Project 365 and calling it Project 52!

As a part of Project 52 I will post each Friday/Saturday a series of photos from the week. Also I will highlight one of the Project 365 blogs that I am smitten with that week.

I think this is an awesome way to develop my photography skills and to document my life for 2010.

If you would like to participate and commit to Project 52, simply leave a link to your weekly photos in the comment sections each week.

Hope you join in.

Check back Friday night for Week 1!

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The Horror that lived under the stairs

I have organized my books in the basement by color, which was much harder than I expected and I am still not completely satisfied with the results. I think I may need to accessorize the shelves better which means a trip to Marshall's or Home Goods (the problem is finding the time to do it). And there is an orphan shelf on the bottom right for those books I couldn't fit in anywhere. What to do????

But this post is not about our bookcase but the horror that lurks behind this door. The door to the storage closet under our basement stairs.

What I am about to show you is shameful and horrifying. I wish I could say that its only been in this stage for a short but that would be a bold face lie. Its been this bad for a loooooong time and we have only added to the pile over the past year till it was as out of control as you see here.

This is what bodly greeted you upon opening the door. Hey look at me I'm the Peterson's debris from home projects and somewhere is this heap are our home, gardening, and paint tools as well as seasonal decorations.

And it didn't get any better the further you went in the closet.

At first I played with the idea of putting in some type of closet organization system but when I really thought about it I came to the conclusion that the closet was too narrow for us to get large bulk items on and off shelves and what we really needed was just a good old fashion purge.

The closet below the stairs had become our dumping ground for anything we didn't want to go through and divide into keep or toss, so by default we just kept everything. It was also where we threw any of our tools or left overs from home projects without any thought to organizing them.

A couple of weeks ago I rolled up my sleeves and just decided to jump in and tackle it. It's not the sexiest or most glamorous before and after but it sure as heck a 100% improvement.

Now when I open the door I am greeted by nicely stacked bins that hold all our tools and seasonal decor. What a couple of Ikea bins can do to cutting out the dread of going into the closet. I just need to add labels now to each of the bins.

And now I can actually walk all the way to back of the closet and everything is neatly stacked and clear and out in the open. No more searching through bins and basket. No more reject furniture. No more junk!

No More Horror Beneath the Stairs!

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Picking out a coffee table

So as I mentioned in my previous post it is out with the old and in with the new in our basement. We don't need a new coffee table, however, I want a new coffee table. I am tired of the Ikea table we have now and has taken quite a beating. Plus I want something just a little different in terms of look and feel.

Here is our sofa (which I really want to recover with a slipcover from Bemz - I have ordered fabric samples and have a couple in mind its just a matter of doing it).

Here are the candidates I am considering.

Tanner Coffee Table from Pottery Barn (Which is very similiar to our living room coffee table from West Elm)

Hunter Trunk  from Crate and Barrel - which I could use my registry discount on since it is still good

Durham Cocktail table from Ballard Designs

I am leaning heavily towards number 2 but I am open to other suggestions.

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I just got a lot on my plate

So a lot of things are going on with me. Here is the run down.

• I am currently in the seventh ring of corporate hell working under a lot of stress on a high profile project which is sucking up a lot of my free time due to long hours. Last week I did not leave the house from Monday evening till Friday afternoon. That is just wrong!
• I have been sucked into the Twilight series and can't put it down. Due to the aforementioned long work hours I am finally in the middle of the last book in the series. While this is not high brow literature Stephanie Meyer certainly is one heck of a storyteller.
• I had my first two etsy sales last week. Luckily I was able to get them out relatively fast and my clients were pleased with the final results.
• I have decided to launch a second business which should start taking up a lot of my time. More details to follow.
• We made a decision to just go with our contractor in redoing our bathroom for a number of reasons. 1- We can barely get to the minor home projects we have on our list now. 2- We want it done quickly and because of both of our time schedules with work that may not be feasible 3-We want to keep harmony in our home and I am seeing that DIY and the Petersons are not a good combination. 4- Tiling scares me. End of story.
• I now need to choose flooring, a vanity and fixtures for the bath.
• I have decided to do a minor redo of the basement. We have reorganized the bookcases (I am still searching out decorative elements), I cleaned out and organized the closet, got a new entertainment shelf, and am now looking for a new coffee table.
• I am backlogged on posting new items to my etsy shop. 

Whew seems like a lot and that doesn't even count some of my other pursuits like getting a sewing machine, finishing our wedding album, etc.

When I list it all out it seems overwhelming but this is just half the stuff that is swirling around in my head on a daily basis. 

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Guilty Pleasure

We all have shows on TV that we secretly watch and wonder how can we sit and watch this dribble. But yet we get so much entertainment from them.

Here are my guilty pleasures on the boob tube.

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I am not supposed to bake but I did it anyway

Under orders of my husband I have to cut back on baking which is extremely hard for me since I love to do it so much. My husband at one time was training to qualify for the Olympics in the 800m track and field event, and he has run the majority of his life. When he was seriously training he was a big health fanatic about nutrition and what went into his body. He has been complaining of late that I am on a secret mission to make him fat with all my baked goodies, but honestly I'm not.  And from looking at my husband I can't tell that the baked goods has had any affect on him. He still has a trim muscular runner's body. But he has made a resolution to eat healthier in the new year and to also get back on a regular run schedule.

Well on Sunday I baked ginger muffins despite his wishes. (I just couldn't help myself. But really I do need to curb the baking and be supportive of his nutritional goals. I may need to try make some of the Vegan treats over at neverhomemaker in order to satisfy both our needs).

Ginger Muffins

courtesy of my girl Martha from "The Martha Stewart Cookbook - Collected Recipes for Everyday"

Makes 48 accourding to the recipe but I got 10 jumbo muffins out of it

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/12 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• grated zest of 1 large orange
• 1/2 cup of boiling water
• pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons of sour cream

Preheat oven to 350

• Heat the butter and molasses in small saucepan until butter melts.  Cool.
• Beat the egg and sugar until fluffy.
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with the butter and molasses, stirring well
• Add the zest, boiling water, salt, and sour cream. Blend well
• Pour into muffin tins. Baked until puffed (about 15 minutes)

Suggested serving is with ginger cream cheese (which I think would be awesome) or spicy apple butter.

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