Under Sink Storage Solution

I've got a dirty messy little secret (and I bet you do to). Actually, I have a few but they've been hidden behind closed doors so my secret's been safe... until now.  It's time to fess up and get organized.  And, boy, do I have an endless list of areas that need organizing!  What about you?  I got the ball rolling with the closets in the boys' bedrooms.  Scary, I know.  My younger son is a mess (literally) and a pack rat!  I guess "messiness" tends to be a characteristic of the "baby" in the family.  It looked like a bomb went off in his closet.  I wondered if we would ever get to the bottom of the pile of stuff that he'd tucked away each week after "cleaning" his room.  After successfully sifting through all his stuff (and a few trash bags later), we finally got the job done.  Whew! There are still closets to be organized but I needed a break. So I moved on to a smaller job in the master bathroom - under sink cabinets.  The mess has been driving me crazy for weeks.  The transformation is pretty amazing (if I do say so myself) and the system is so functional.

Word of warning - this is one of those projects (like a house reno) where things get worse before they get better.  Just sayin'.  But the final outcome is worth the effort.  I had to pull everything (I mean everything) from the cabinet and sort the items that I intended to keep into respective piles. I used baskets for this part of the sorting process.  Think in terms of general categories - hair, skin, nails, etc.

I also had a big trash can at the ready for all the items that I purged (which was a lot). If I hadn't used an item in the last 6-9 months or it was "expired" like some old nail polish and sunscreen, I tossed it.  Other items needed to be relocated or donated.  After cleaning out the bottom of the cabinet, I had a clean slate to start the actual organizing.  Ta-dah! There's light at the end of the tunnel...

I purchased a few items at Target to help make my organization system come together - 3 plastic stackable drawers and 3 plastic baskets.  I already had a small 3-drawer unit for smaller items like nail care items, hair care products, and skin care.

You may already have something on hand to use for reorganizing.  I'm a BIG fan of drawers because they allow you to use the majority of the space.  I've utilized them in different places in our home - laundry room, pantry, office, and now bathroom.

Here's the right side of the cabinet which is home to most of my hair care items.  The basket on top holds empty travel bags for cosmetics or other items.

The left side incorporates another large drawer and the smaller 3-drawer unit on top.  I originally had the first aid and sports med items in two separate containers but I think this works better (and it's more easily accessible).

The middle section holds the two smaller plastic containers. The only rogue bottles are the extra body wash and mouth wash.

No organizing project is complete without labeling.  I can see at a glance what items are in each drawer/basket. I hope this post inspires you deal with your own messy little secret.  Go on...get that drawer, closet, or cabinet organized already!

Barn Wood Topped Side Table

A few years ago I found a couple of side tables at Target on clearance.  They were a steal at less than $15 a piece. The simple glass topped tables have a black metal base in a transitional style which can easily work in a traditional or more clean lined room.  I used them as is for a little while but always knew that I'd redo them eventually.  It really annoyed me that the glass was always covered in smudges. Destined for decorative greatness, these tables needed a new look...and pronto.  My now transformed and "newish" side tables are topped in reclaimed barn wood slats giving them a farmhouse fresh look.

Check out the BEFORE picture (below) of one of my tables.  

This one has actually spent a good bit of time on my patio which caused the finish to peel on top.  It was already a bit distressed when I purchased the tables.  No worries - I'll clean it up with a wire brush before refinishing.  But I'm debating on refinishing the bases because I like the already distressed look.  The top part of table won't even show because it will be covered with the barn wood top.

As I was walking down the wood aisle at Hobby Lobby the other day, I found these great barn wood slats for about $7 a bundle (less if you use the 40% off coupon).  It took 2 bundles for each table.  Here's how the barn wood looks up close.  Both sides have the barn wood finish so either side can be used.

I did a "dry fit" of the slats on top of table by lining up the slats along the table with about 1/2" overhang on all sides. The slats were too long for one side and needed to be cut down to 22 1/2".  That means I get to use power tools!  

I removed the slats and placed on floor. Using bass wood slats, I attached three slats (see picture below) to barn wood grouping.  I used my Easy Shot stapler using 5/16" staples to attach wood slats along back of barn wood.  The bass wood slats (24"x1"x1/8") can be found in the wood area at Hobby Lobby.  I cut them down to 17" for my table top.

After barn wood is attached together to form "table top", it's ready to cut to appropriate length with skill saw.  My length was 22.5".  My husband demonstrated how to use the skill saw and stood by as I made the cut.

I did it!  I made a straight cut (surprisingly) and didn't lose a finger in the process (whew).  The noise the saw produced was much louder than I expected so if you are doing a lot of wood working use hearing protection.  See those scraps on the floor?  I'll be using those for another simple project so stay tuned...

My barn wood top is now ready to be attached to table base.  I originally thought I'd refinish the base with a fresh coat of black paint. But the already distressed finish is growing on me and it saves me a paint job.  I carefully applied a little constructive adhesive along edge of tabletop where the slats (underneath) touch the table. I carefully placed tops to each table leaving a 1/2" overhand on each side and voila! - check out my "new" Barn Wood Topped Side Table.  

I told you those original tables were destined for greatness! If I can't have the farmhouse and barn (farmhouse sink, chickens, fresh eggs, horses...I could go on), I'll bring a little farmhouse charm into our home.

What are your farmhouse wishes?

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Baby, it's cold outside.  Well, sort of.  Although the winter solstice doesn't officially begin until December 21st, it's beginning to feel cooler down here in Texas. Finally. The low this morning was actually in the upper thirties. Woohoo! I can finally wear my puffy vest and scarf.  I know that's probably laughable to friends living in the north.  But, hey, I'll take what I can get.  

What kind of food do you like to eat when the temp drops and the weather man announces a freeze warning?  Comfort food?  Yep, me too.  I crave something warm, hearty and Mexican.  For me that translates into enchiladas.  Any kind of enchiladas - beef, chicken, or spinach.  As much as I love to eat them, I'm definitely not a fan of the messy, tedious and time-consuming process of rolling each individual enchilada.  I came up with a simplified version of enchiladas which has the same great flavor without all the work - Easy Enchilada Casserole.

I've got two versions - Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole 

and Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole.  

The only difference in ingredients is the meat and enchilada sauce.  For demonstration purposes (and dinner tonight), I made the Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole earlier today.  But my boys are begging to order pizza because it's Thursday Night Football and we did have the Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole last weekend.  Ugh!  I guess I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. 

This is the Las Palmas enchilada sauce that I found at my local Target.  It doesn't really matter what brand but be careful to check the "heat" level because canned enchilada sauce can be very hot.  It will usually indicate mild, medium, or hot on the can.  Check the label.  I prefer mild to medium.

First things first, lightly toast the corn tortillas in nonstick skillet.  This is probably the most time-consuming part of recipe but don't skip it.  The tortillas taste better when toasted. Set aside.

Cook your meat in a large nonstick skillet adding taco seasoning and enchilada sauce.  I'm thinking I should have diced my chicken a little smaller but haven't cooked the casserole yet so I'll let you know.  

Lastly, assemble your casserole by layering sauce, tortillas, meat, cheese, and more sauce.

Repeat layer one more time then top with tortillas, sauce, and cheese.  You can cover and refrigerate before cooking later.  It's a great make ahead recipe.  You can also bake it immediately.  

With only a few ingredients (that you may already have on hand), this meal comes together quick for a busy weeknight meal.  You can have it ready to pop in the oven when you get home from a busy day at work or after a long day on the ski slopes.  

It's hearty, hot, and muy delicioso!

A Room Redo - Part One

Over the summer, I replaced the small nightstands in our master bedroom with new larger tables that have more storage.  The former tables found a temporary home in our garage (much to my husband's dismay).  The garage is his domain afterall so having various decorative items in there puts a cramp in his style.  That would be like him putting his camping gear in my creative space.  Yikes!  So...he's been very patient with me as I've finally come up with a plan for the tables and lamps taking up precious space in his "mancave".  So what's the plan?  A Room Redo!  

Well, you might be wondering what kind of room redo.  We have two options - a Girl's Room Redo or a Guest Room Redo. The only "girl" in our house besides me is of the golden doodle variety and she definitely does not deserve a bedroom of her own.  Her sock fetish is out of control and she's been waking us up in the wee hours of the night to hang out in the backyard!  Enough about my delinquent dog...

I have a few friends who are interested in a room redo and helping me out with this blog series.  I'll let you know in an upcoming post which makeover it will be.  Your guess is as good as mine!  Who knows, maybe I'll end up doing both because I have two sets of side tables that need a new home.  I know one thing for certain - my husband will be happy to know that both design plans include the removal of side tables and table lamps from his mancave.

Here's what I came up with for each design plan:

Girl's Room Redo

The bedding I envision for the girl's bedroom makeover is the Tenley Floral Paisley Quilt Collection from Steinmart.  Although not pictured on the design board, I would also include an orange duvet (color in euro shams) at the end of the bed for a little extra warmth when needed.  Painted horizontal stripes in the dusty blue or soft yellow would look awesome on the bed wall!

Guest Room Redo

The bedding I envision for the guest bedroom makeover is the Suravi Floral Paisley Quilt Collection from Steinmart.  Although not pictured on the design board, I would also include a blue duvet (color in euro shams) at the end of the bed for a little extra warmth when needed.  Painted horizontal stripes in a beige or light tan would look great on the bed wall!

I think the Tenley bedding is a bit more "girly" but could still work in a guest room.  I can really see it in a teenage girl's bedroom or a beach house bedroom though.  The colors are light, bright, and fun!  The Suravi bedding has more earthy colors which make it a bit less feminine and probably more gender neutral for a guest room.  But the blue side tables and lamps can work in either room.

Do you have a room that needs a makeover?  Look around your home or a friend's garage (wink, wink)...you might find a great lamp or a cute side table just waiting for a new life in your room.

Happy Decorating!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

The deluge of rain definitely put a damper on things last weekend but the sun finally came out Saturday afternoon so it turned out to be a perfect night for trick-or-treating.  Did we let the dreary weather stop us from carving pumpkins? No way!  Even the slimy little slugs in our garden liked our jack 'o lanterns so much they came all the way up to our front porch to check them out.  Have you ever saved the pumpkin seeds for roasting?  Why throw them away when you can make a tasty little treat!

After rinsing the seeds off in a small colander to remove the pumpkin "guts", I placed seeds on a sheet of waxed paper to dry out over night (or until they are completely dry).  The picture below shows how the seeds look after mixing with olive oil and seasonings but before roasting.

Measure out a cup of seeds and pour into mixing bowl.  For each cup of seeds, I tossed in 1 teaspoon of olive oil plus a variety of seasonings (except for Sugar & Spice version which calls for melted butter).

Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
(Fiesta Lime pictured above)

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Toss seeds with oil.  Add seasonings stirring to completely coat each seed.  Pour onto parchment covered baking sheet spreading seeds out into a single layer.  Place pan in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes depending on how toasty you like them.  I checked my seeds every 10 minutes to make sure they didn't burn. You want them lightly browned.

For roasted pumpkin seeds with a little extra flavor, you can add a variety of seasonings.  I like the Mrs. Dash brand of seasonings because they are salt-free.

Fiesta Lime
Add 1/2 teaspoon Fiesta Lime Seasoning (Mrs. Dash brand)

Lemon Pepper
Add 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Pepper seasoning (Mrs. Dash brand)

Garlic 
Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Sugar & Spice
Eliminate olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add 1/2 melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice seasoning and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar or turbinado sugar such as Sugar in the Raw.

My older son (who can be on the picky side) said, "These are amazing!"  That's a huge endorsement coming from him and made my heart smile! :-D

The entire batch of roasted pumpkin seeds (garlic seasoned) got gobbled up before I could even finish typing this post! This snack is so yummy and addictive it should come with a warning label - Once you start eating them, it's hard to stop! 

Simple Thanksgiving Mantel

After putting away the plethora of Halloween decorations yesterday, I was more than ready to simplify things for my Thanksgiving decor.  In less than an hour, I came up with a simple "Give Thanks" design for my mantel.

I actually used a few items from my Halloween mantel - two of the clay pots and the artwork.  I placed the large artwork in the middle leaning against the stone.  I created chalk art with the words "give thanks" using my framed glass chalkboard. 

This chalkboard tends to move around with the seasons.  For the Thanksgiving season, it will be leaning to the right of the main artwork.

I moved the clay pots to the outer edges of the mantel and placed faux cream pumpkins in them.  This creates a sort of pumpkin topiary.  On the inside edge of each clay pot, I placed a Mercury glass candle holder.  Sprays of fall foliage are tucked between the pot and candle as well as the outside edge of the art.

Using five different fall-inspired scrapbook papers which I already had on hand, I created a simple banner to drape along the front of the mantel.  

Using a template, I traced and cut out eleven banner shapes.

I threaded a natural fiber string for hanging it using thumbtacks to secure it to mantel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hard Cider Sangria

Happy Halloween!  I have no tricks up my sleeve today but I do have a treat for you.  Yesterday I made a yummy fall-inspired sangria for a gathering and wanted to share the recipe with you.  This is not a true sangria in the technical sense of the word because my version is not made with wine or brandy.  But my fruit-infused libation calls for hard apple cider, apple-cranberry juice blend and orange liqueur which gives it a sangria-ish quality.  I think it's pretty tasty.  Based on the mostly empty decanter, I think my guests enjoyed it too!  

I'm a big fan of hard cider especially the Angry Orchard brand. The apple ginger flavor is my absolute favorite!  I got to thinking that a "punch" or sangria using this drink would be really good.  When I searched for recipes, I didn't really find anything that appealed to me so I got creative.  Here's what I came up with...

Hard Cider Sangria

1/2 honey crisp apple, cubed (toss with a little lemon juice to keep from browning)
2-3 lemons, sliced
2-3 small oranges, cut into small wedges
1 cup cranberries
1 1/2 cups Grand Marnier, orange liquor
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cups apple-cranberry juice blend
4 bottles of Angry Orchard hard cider* 

Place fruit in drink decanter.  Pour in remaining ingredients. Stir to blend.  Serve over ice and garnish with oranges, apples, or cranberries.

Makes:  110 oz of sangria or roughly 14 - 8oz servings

*I used these varieties of Angry Orchard hard cider: 3 crisp apple, 1 green apple.  I'm curious to try the cinnamon apple blend.

I hope you'll mix up this wicked easy drink for your next fall gathering.  It's scary good! 

BOO, Y'all!