Kara VanDyke Blog

HOW-TO add real garland to your pendant lights for festive holiday decor

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:50:29 GMT

I’ve never bought real garland before but found it at Lowes. It’s also sold at Home Depot, Costco, grocery stores, and other places too, I’m sure. Considering that you get 20 feet of it, I feel like it’s not a bad price!

I used floral wire that I had in the house to hang it, but you could also use large twisty-ties, too, I bet! I pre-cut several about 5-6 inches long so they’d be ready for me to use.

Then I held up the garland to measure how long of a piece I needed, and used our giant “loppers” to cut the garland. I used a heavy-duty scissors for a few pieces, too.

Then, just loop the wire through the chain, twist it around tight, and cut off the excess wire. Easy, peasy!

FAQ's:

Q. Did the garland shed needles on your food/island?

A. Surprisingly...Not at all! Seriously. I'm kind of shocked. Even after it had been up weeeeell past Christmas, it never dropped needles (unless a ball whizzed past it, of course!) �� The take down process was definitely messy, though, as expected. ��

Q. Does it get dried out?

A. Yes, BUT you can spritz them with a spray-bottle every once in awhile if you feel the need. I only did that once...if at all? I can't remember. Like I said before, they didn't ever "shed," so the dryness didn't bother me.

What do you think? Do you want to attempt this too? Or know someone who has pendant lights like this who may want to try? Let me know if you have any questions.

XO!

~ Kara

The EASIEST DIY Christmas decor for your front porch!

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:34:51 GMT

I can’t take credit for this idea — it was introduced (and given) at a party several years ago. But since it's such a great DIY craft -- one that I do every year -- I have to share it with you!

Here’s how to make a very easy, inexpensive, and beautiful decor item for your front porch, or anywhere, really!

A few other easy holiday touches to add to your front porch:

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

6 Impactful ways to transform your home's exterior.

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:21:49 GMT

Yes, the inside counts MOST, but the outside counts too!

You know the saying, "it's what's on the inside that counts"? That is 100% true, but the outside counts too. When we started looking for our second home, one of our requirements was that it HAD to have curb appeal. The funny thing is, that when I first saw our house on the listing I thought, "meh." �� I wasn't impressed.

But when my husband kept mentioning it, I thought I better take a second look. As I looked at the listing another time, I DID think it had potential and it was growing on me. But THEN... we decided to take a look and when we walked in the front door, I KNEW it was the house for us. Seriously. I did.

Luckily, I saw that the outside had toootal potential and that's what we're going to focus on today -- how we transformed the exterior with a few simple steps.

Side note - my husband told me I should post about this a long time ago, but I really didn't think it was that big of a difference, but then THIS post happened and the artist who drew our home thought it was such a transformation (when I showed her the the "before" picture), I decided to believe her (sorry, Cor!) ��

BEFORE:

Aaaaand the after ( drawn by a talented artist ) that looks better than the real-deal, so this is what I'll leave here. haha. ��

AFTER:

Anyway, here are the things we did to give a boost to the curb appeal:

"LIMEWASHED" THE BRICK

Lime washed the brick ( Romabio “Nube Gray” ) - the Romabio brand is a MUST for painting brick! More on that later.

REPAINTED THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR SIDING, TRIM & FRONT DOORS

Exterior siding - Benjamin Moore “Chelsea Gray”
House trim - Benjamin Moore "White Dove"
Front doors Benjamin Moore "Satin Black"

INSTALLED NEW LIGHT FIXTURES AND ADDITIONAL SCONCES

I LOVE these light fixtures. They're from Home Depot, called " dusk to dawn wall lantern sconce " and we added a few additional sconces on both sides of the garage here . We had an electrician install these and wired the new additional lights. I love them because they automatically turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn, which helps with security (and peace of mind) to know our house is always lit when it's dark.

ADDED CUTE FRONT PORCH SEATING

We got our white adirondack chairs at Macy's and are really happy with them. They've held up really well and we can keep them outside year around (under our covered patio, which is probably recommended).

ADDITIONAL FRONT PORCH DECOR

Changing things out for the seasons is my favorite. But, that's it! These changes and updates had a pretty decent affect on the curb appeal, if you ask me.

Now I'd snatch up this cute ranch in a heartbeat!

Thanks for reading! Xo!

~ Kara

3 Printables to Create Structure & Routine this Summer with your Kids

Fri, 27 May 2022 20:34:26 GMT

Perfect for Elementary Aged Kids

TODAY is the start of summer break for my kids. �� Are there any other Mama's out there a liiiiiittle terrified when routines change?! ��‍♀️ Mostly I'm just worried about the hoodlums running wild and forgetting all our rules, ya know? �� So, would-ya look at me...creating some structure and routines with...printables! ��‍♀️ Uh-huh. That's right. �� I'm pretty excited about it.

I actually created a version of these printables at the beginning of the school year, but needed to revise it for the summer. I figured I would share it with YOU in case it helps any other mamas of elementary aged kiddos. You're welcome, you're welcome. ☺️

Please enjoy the following:

Summer MORNING Routine - give your kids a clear expectation of how mornings should go
Note: the final steps include "fill a water bottle" and "pack a snack" because every day we go SOMEwhere so this helps ME out if they take responsibility of packing their own water bottle and snack. BOOM. Win for us Mamas!! ��
Summer BEDTIME Routine - give your kids a clear expectation of how bedtime should go
Summer WEEKLY Schedule - fill this in as you wish! Or print off different copies as your schedule changes.

Some examples to add: church, baseball practice, chores, trash day, laundry day, library day, cleaning day, host friends day, etc. etc.
We like this to remind us of the "big things" going on so we don't forget. And my kids benefit SO MUCH from having a visual of where we're at in the week.

My school-aged boys, ages 7 and 5, benefit from this kind of thing a lot -- it's good for them to know what's expected of them every morning and evening. You'll notice the icons/pictures to help our non-readers out. �� My 5 year old actually takes great pride in following these steps to a T, which is super cute! Don't get me wrong though, we definitely have to remind them and walk them through the steps at times.

I'm hoping that re-rolling this out for the summer time does wonders for my boys. �� We want to start the summer off STRONG, right?

May the odds be ever in your favor. ��

Let me know if you have a special request for another type of schedule or resource, or if a blank morning/evening schedule would be helpful. I LOVE creating these kinds of things! ��

Happy summer or almost-summer, depending where you live!

XO! ��

~ Kara

The Perfect Personalized Gift for any Home-Lover

Thu, 05 May 2022 15:30:39 GMT

Professional home portraits to treasure forever.

You guys. I am SO pumped to tell you all about this. I can barely control my excitement. If you know me, then you know. ��

OUR HOUSE was chosen by a real-live artist, who is now my friend, ��‍♀️to be a part of her "Denver series" house paintings. How cool is that?!

Back in the fall we received a note in the mail from some-artist �� specializing in paintings that depict the diversity of homes across the USA. The note said our house was selected to paint as part of a series on our city, and she wanted to give us, the homeowners, first option to buy the original painting.

Now, some people may have tossed this aside and thought "not interested" or "is this legit?" but I thought, "OH MY GOSH, DOES SHE KNOW I'M A BLOGGER WHO'S OBSESSED WITH HOUSES?!" �� I was stoked! And then when I looked up the artist, Leisa Collins , I was even more stoked to see samples of her beautiful work!

I contacted her right away, and we found a time to talk so she could show me the final painting. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL??! The colors. The detail. The everything. �� (And the fact that it's not *quite* this beautiful in real life, so there's that.) �� She did such a good job, so of course I purchased the painting and have the perfect place to hang it! ��

Leisa Collins, the talented artist, mostly does commissioned paintings of homes, but she chooses her own subjects too -- like our house! She likes to create portraits that architecturally portray different geographic areas (and has even published a book depicting her watercolor journey Across America - view the Trailer about her book here ). Our house is included in her Denver House Portrait Collection here �� and she recently wrote a blog post all about our house here (I'm trying not to squeal �� but...eeeeeeeek!)

Leisa told me that owners of these selected homes (like me) have asked how she came to choose their house (I was suuuuper curious). �� She gave this a lot of thought and wrote a blog post called, " 12 points that make a home art inspiring! " It's fascinating - check it out and see how many "points" your home has.

Like I said, most often people hire Leisa to create paintings of their earlier homes, the family home they grew up, their home at the holidays, etc. It would make such a meaningful gift and the ✨perfect✨ keepsake, don't you think?? Anniversary present for your spouse? Birthday present for a loved-one? House-warming gift for the young couple? Christmas gift for parents that are impossible to shop for? Go ahead and pass along a subtle hint to someone if this is something you'd like... ��

Leisa is offering a discount of 10% off to YOU. Use code HAPPY10 . ��

Leisa Collins Art

www.leisacollins.com

leisa@leisacollins.com

(703) 598 7360

In case you're wondering if she can do portraits in YOUR state -- she can! Leisa has done artwork in every state across the USA. She can work off of your photos or can find a local photographer, if needed.

When purchasing one of Leisa's portraits, it includes a high-resolution digital image of the painting (like I included above). Using the digital image, I plan to print copies of our home for each of our kids to always remember the home they grew up in. And this picture is special to us because it's the home we became a family of five in, completing our family. Awwww... precious, huh?! ��

Let me know if you have any questions, but take it from me... Leisa is wonderful, and it's always nice to support a talented artist! ☺️��

Huge hugs!

~ Kara

Artwork size & height recommendations above furniture.

Tue, 03 May 2022 14:49:17 GMT

How to really make a statement.

Can I just say something? I am NOT an expert, but I've learned a lot, and I mean a LOOOT, from trial and error. I've spent hours rearranging, redecorating, buying, returning, trying something else, thinking, "maybe THIS will work" and then "gaaaah it's STILL not right," and on and on and on. Perfectionist anyone?? ��‍♀️

But let me teach you just ONE thing I have learned from all this!....may I?? I never knew there was a real "secret" to the right size of decor above furniture, but THERE IS!

Listen up.

What size artwork is recommended above furniture?

TWO-THIRDS!! Like .6666666667 of the couch, console table, piano, bed, etc. Who knew?? Now we all do! ��

Benefits:

High-end look for your home
Creates a "statement piece" that people can't help but be drawn to
Can be accomplishment multiple ways - with one large piece of artwork, or by combining multiple picture frames, or mix-n-match frames & decor

It's pretty self-explanatory and I promise it'll seem like a no-brainer if you see what a difference a large decor piece makes. It may cost a bit more, but you'll be tellin' your home, "Honey, you never looked better." (name the movie!) ��

A question that is definitely associated with this topic is...

What height is recommended for artwork placement above furniture?

Here's what I've learned from trial and error and researching best decor practices...

The important thing to note, however, is that this only applies IF the artwork follows the 2/3rds rule. If you have a tiny piece of artwork, and hang it 6 inches above the couch, it will look silly. Promise. That's why I had to lump these two tips together. :)

Side note: I'll leave this recommendation here as well, for reference...

What height should artwork be hung (not above furniture)?

Should we look at a few examples?? LETS! ��

�� These are some good examples of large-scaled artwork close to the 2/3rds rule -- it doesn't have to be exact! And it doesn't have to be rectangle, either - that big circle one is kinda fun, right??

Now...��...��. You probably get my drift. �� The picture on the left seems so disconnected from the furniture and it's not clear where your eye should go. The room on the right is beautiful, but don't you think the turtle picture should be just a tad lower?? If it was hung 6-10 inches above the couch, I think it'd make a big difference. Do you agree, or am I crazy?? ��

**NOTE: There are always exceptions to these "rules," so please keep that in mind. The most important fact of decorating is this...if you like something the way it is, then it's PERFECT. �� And please don't think I'm silently judging your house or artwork based on these rules. ��

That's it! These are guidelines I've heard of and implemented with my decor to make me love my home better. ❤️ I hope this helps you too! ��

Thanks for reading! Huge hugs! ��

~ Kara

P.S. For another decorating tip all about curtains check out this post ! XO!

HARD BOILED EGGS. The easiest way.

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 13:52:29 GMT

Instant Pot Method - for eating or decorating.

I'm going to do you a favor and leave the recipe/instructions right up top, in case that's all you're interested in. I tooootally get it. �� But if you're interested in reading more and seeing the process, scroll down. ��

Place the eggs on the trivet (that came with your instant pot) - usually 12 at a time is best. �� Then, add 1 1/2 cups of water, close the lid and set the pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.

While the instant pot heats up and cooks, make an ice bath for the eggies to enjoy once they get done cookin'. ��

Once the timer is done, you'll let the pot do a natural release for 5 minutes (no action taken), then quick release the rest (if you have an instant pot, you'll understand). Then dunk those eggs in an ice bath for 5 minutes and then they're ready to go!

We discovered my kids love to eat hard boiled eggs, so that was a win! But we decorate Easter eggs every year, so we had a blast dyeing them.

I had scored this cute wooden egg platter from Target after Easter last year, that I couldn't wait to use. Pro Tip: always check for holiday items right AFTER the holiday to get amazing deals. 70% off?! Um, yes please!

Didn't my boys do a great job?! I usually get a little possessive and have to make a few "pretty ones" myself too. �� Okay, let's be real, I'd kill to just decorate them all myself, BY myself. Anyone else?! ��

I hope you enjoyed seeing this method of hard boiled eggs. I know the stove-method isn't hard by any means, but it's nice to just turn on the instant pot and forget them while they cook and not have to deal with a giant pot of boiling water, right?? Let me know if you give it a try or have any questions.

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

HOW'S IT HANGIN? all about curtains.

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 04:52:01 GMT

Your questions answered.

I received a question about curtains that I would LOVE to address. I am a big believer that curtains can totally transform a space. Not only do they add privacy or filter light, they also add texture and warmth to a room.

A few caveats, first. Eh-hem...

Not all homes/windows need curtains. It's very "in" right now to have no curtains, only blinds -- let those windows breeeeeathe!
It's very possible curtains may not go with your home's style, and if so...move along. �� I typically think of more modern styles pulling off a bare window with simple roller shades for privacy.
I don't want anyone to think, "Oh no, my curtains are all wrong based on what she's telling me." **Listen here: If you like what you've got, and think it works for your space then, again, don't listen to me.**

Okay, but IF you think curtains do such a nice job of highlighting a window and framing a space, then let's �� talk �� about �� hanging �� curtains! ��

HERE WE GOOOO....

Okay, now what do I mean by "high and wide"? I hope these visuals help...

Do you see what a difference this makes??! Doesn't the window on the left look WAY bigger?! And I bet that imaginary-room is much brighter, too, because the curtains can be pushed all the way to the sides of the window. ☀️✨ The sad little window on the right reminds me of a girl whose hair is hanging over her face...do you see it? We wanna see YO FACE, Ms. Window.

Anyway! Let's talk about the benefits of high-and-wide curtains, shall we? ��

Benefits:

They create a more custom and high-end look for your home
They allow more light to stream in the room
They create the illusion of a larger window (larger window = larger cost = larger impact!)
They make Ms. Window feel a little fancier and more beautiful (she told me so! ��) Show off that view you've got, girlfriend! ��

One thing you may be wondering is HOW to go about achieving this look. We can get ourselves in trouble by falling in love with a certain curtain first without paying attention to the dimensions (not that I've ever done this...okay FINE, I have.) �� If we simply hang the curtain based on the panel height - wherever that happens to fall in relation to the window - we may be doing our home a big disservice.

May I suggest a different route?

How to hang curtains to enhance your window and home:

Step 1

Measure your window to determine the size curtain rod you will need (width of window + 10-15ish inches on each side where each curtain panel will live). Note: When the curtains are open, they should only overlap the sides of the window 1-2 inches.

Step 2

Determine the approximate height that you can hang the curtain rod -- remember, the higher the better, without being directly under the ceiling. Usually 2/3rd the distance from the window to the ceiling. Does that make sense?

Step 3

Now that you've done both measurements, you know what size curtain rod and curtain panels you need. NOW is the time to shop for your curtain rod and curtains. ��

My favorite place to purchase curtains is IKEA because most are extra-tall (98in.+ in height), although many other stores are making them longer now. A few of my favorites from IKEA are Lenda , Ritva , and Merete . They all offer a modern and classic feel AND can be hemmed to the correct length. If I'm remembering right, they may even come with no-sew hemming tape (or can be purchased separately), if needed.

*Confession: I've meant to hem all of my curtains so that they graze the floor, but I'm lazy. Therefore, I have decided to adopt the "puddling" style of curtains. I guess it's a thing! ��‍♀️ I didn't even know. Basically, I just tuck the bottom of the curtain under and let the fabric puddle onto the floor. I'm goin with it...you can too! ��

Note: In our home, all of our curtains are purely decorative in order to frame and enhance the window. We have pull down blinds or shutters that we use for actual privacy.

Here's another good side-by-side example of the difference your curtain placement can make:

Source: DARIA NYC

Doesn't the window on the right look so much more....umm....GRAND???! The answer is YES. �� Totally.

I hope this helps anyone who may be looking to hang curtains or get new ones in the future. Let me know what you think and if you have other questions. I could easily write 2-3 more posts on curtains... ��

Thanks for reading! Huge hugs! ��

XO!

~ Kara

A TWIST ON PANCAKES. pancake polka dots.

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 16:21:35 GMT

AKA "Pancake Cereal"

Okay, folks! Do you want to cook a different type of pancake that:

takes more time and effort,
might burn your finger, ��
and tastes about the same as a regular pancake ��?

If you answered yes to any of the items above then booooooy do I have something for you to try! And if you're thinking, "What kind of crap blogger recommends something like this?" well, then, that makes two of us. ��

BUT... if you want to:

spice up your usual pancake breakfast,
"wow" the kids in your life,
and bring some excitement and change to your life....

Then, THIS IS FOR YOU!!! ��

Wanna learn??

Directions:

Grease the electric griddle with a stick of butter (not the whole stick, but you know what I mean). ��
Heat the griddle to 350-375 degrees.
Make the pancake recipe, as usual, and pour batter into a gallon size freezer bag.
Cut a tiny piece off the corner of the bag.
Squeeze tiny droplets of pancake batter onto the griddle.
(You could also use a squeeze bottle if you have one of those. I might try that next time!)

Boop, boop, boop, boop....and so on, until you have a whole griddle full of miniature pancakes! �� (and yes - you better believe I'm cookin' in my pink camo jammies!) ��

Once they've bubbled up a bit (like usual), you'll want to flip them carefully.

I found that a large metal spatula worked best so you could scoop several at a time. This is where things got a little tricky, though. It's hard to flip them all perfectly so you may end up turning some by hand and *that's* where you might burn yourself. �� You can't say I didn't warn you! ��

Dish them up, as they're ready, into a cereal bowl.
Add strawberries, syrup, chocolate chips, whipped cream, or whatever toppings you like!
ENJOY!!!
Yup, that's it.

I got 4 thumbs up from my sweet nieces who I watched a few weeks ago and made these for. Let me tell you.. making these was really fun and exciting at the time, and the girls thought they were really yummy (bless them!).

But when I asked for an honest review later on and we really thought about it, someone said, "I guess they tasted just like regular pancakes, just smaller." Baha. They weren't wrong. But! They agreed it was 100% more fun. �� It's all about the experience, folks, right?? ?

Oh and at my house, any time we make pancakes, you have to blare the music and dance. �� It's a Pancake Party, after all! ��

Side note - I actually DID think these pancake polka dots were better than regular pancakes! You know how those little droplets happen when you're making normal sized pancakes? I always snatch those up because they're small and crispy. YUM. So, I DID think these were crispier than usual, which made me like them more. ��

You'll have to let me know if you try these. We have this on the menu for the weekend and I can't wait to see what my boys think! I can already hear the squeals and excitement for a new twist on something they already love...��

I hope your next "pancake party" is super yummy and fun!

Huge hugs �� (and tiny pancakes) ��!

XO! ��

~ Kara

The Sweetest Baby Girl Nursery Reveal

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 17:11:05 GMT

Nursery design recap.

My baby girl turned two this week, so naturally, I'm a reminiscing-basketcase-Mama who just wants to look through all the old pictures and pout. �� Before we move this girl to a big-girl bed, I wanted to document the transformation of her nursery that we worked so hard on. It's definitely one of my favorite rooms EVER. ☺️

This pretty wallpaper was the inspiration to the nursery and I'm STILL just as in love with it today as I was when I picked it out. You see...pink is my favorite color, buuut I'm kind of a pink snob. It has to be the exact right SHADE of pink for me to go goo-goo over it and this wallpaper had me GOO-GOOIN all over.. Ew. That actually sound ed gross. Sorry.

Anyway, the room was a blank canvas when we moved in - juuuust the way I like it! ��

The first step was to add board and batten to the room...which is my faaaavorite way to enhance a room. It just screams *nursery* to me, for some reason. At our old house, we did JUST the vertical and horizontal trim boards (without a panel board), but in this room we added white panel boards behind the trim. I truly feel like either way looks great, but I especially recommend the panel boards if you have highly textured walls. Let me know if you want a more detailed tutorial on adding board and batten, but it's totally doable! ��

�� Do you like that black stuff on the wall?? If I remember right, a certain two year old got ahold of a stamp pad and had a ball rubbing it on the wall. Oh the joys! ��

The next step was adding the temporary peel-and-stick wallpaper. I talk more about that here .

Then, the last thing we did was hang big white curtains, add in the furniture, and wait patiently for our March baby to arrive. And no, I * won't* tell the story about how a certain-someone who was NOT in labor insisted on stopping at the Chick-fil-A drive-thru on the way to the hospital. �� Bahahaha. Nope. Not gunna mention it, babe, �� but I'm seriously glad your belly was full (#hangryhusband) so you could support me while I endured severe pain. ��

Aaaanyway! I love how the room turned out and how bright, airy, and colorful this room feels. �� Take a look at the final product:

I wanted some kind of artwork that reminds her the truth of who she is, so I made these "printables" with love. ☺️�� If anyone would like the files to use, I'm happy to remake it and send to you. Just let me know by emailing hello@karavandyke.com. ��

Lyndi's wooden name sign was designed and made at Polymath Mom ...I would highly recommend! It's such a beautiful sign that she'll keep forever. ��

And when you add a teeny-tiny baby to the room, ALL IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD. Take me back to the squishy tiny baby days. �� She was so tiny, and now she takes up almost the whole dang crib. ��

She is the cherry on top of our family, and we're so thankful for this sweet blessing!

Happy 2nd birthday, Lyndi, and *CHEERS* to the fun we had decorating this room for you. ☺️��

Stay tuned for the reveal of her big girl room (once I get around to it!) ��

XO!

~ Kara

P.S. What do you think? What's your favorite part? Any questions about anything?? Thanks for reading!! ��

Must-read Tips for Hanging Indoor Plants

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 17:51:45 GMT

Throw your plants up in the air, wave 'em like you just don't care.

Okay I'm totally becoming a plant lady and I'm not even ashamed. I love taking care of these little plant babies we hung in our daughter's room. Aren't they beautiful??!

There was a corner in Lyndi's room that just needed a little somethin-somethin so I thought hanging plants would be perfect. See! ��

They're from IKEA...they have great stuff! I highly recommend checking out their plant section.

This pretty little gal �� is an Epipremnum . I bought this one first and it's been really easy to keep alive. I try to water it about once a week, but forgot over the holidays (oops). After a few weeks, it started looking a little sad but perked right up when I remembered to water it. �� Good girl.

This heart-shaped beauty �� is a Peperomia Polybotrya - a new plant at Ikea! Both were $12 and I'm just thrilled that they're doing so well. Indirect sunlight is best and like I said, I water them....whenever I remember (every week or two). ��

Okay what you really care about is how to hang these things, right?? We weren't totally sure what the best route was, but these screw-in wall hooks ended up working best. We recommend using the anchors since the plants are kinda heavy. Don't want those babies falling out of the sky!

We actually were going to use these " Spring Toggle Wing Bolt Hangers " which are meant for heavy duty things going into a cavity wall (non-stud). We did run into a stud, however, so we used the other hooks. I will say, our hooks seem a little wiggly, �� so it probably would have been better to go with these. ��

The hanging pots/planters are actually from Home Goods, even though IKEA had great similar options that I linked below. You can find these type of plant holders so many places, though. ��

There you have it! An easy way to add some greenery to a space without taking up floor or counter space. ��

Did You Know?

Did you know that if you take care of your plants, they’ll take care of you? Studies show that plants can help us be more creative and also reduce stress! Not only do they make our homes look more vibrant and homey, they're good for our overall well-being and air quality, too! How great is that?!

Source: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; IKEA

Hope you enjoyed this post and feel inspired to go buy some greenery. �� I think you'll enjoy becoming a plant lady, like I am. �� Have a great day!

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

TOP 10+ ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS. all the ladies love.

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 22:14:41 GMT

Recommended by a bunch of Moms in their thirties.

I recently attended a "Favorite Things" party - have you ever been?? Each person who attends is instructed to bring a select number of *one* item that they consider to be their "favorite thing." This year, we each brought 4 items that were around $10 each. This can be adjusted depending on how much your group is willing to spend and how many things you want to go home with. In this case, each person went home with 4 *different* items that other people brought. It's the best! You know you're going home with good stuff because people bring their most loved, heavily-used, highly-recommended products. It's The. Best. I'm telling you!

I wanted to share the products that were brought and given at the party, to share the love! ��

Please note, the items listed below contain affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission if you purchase through my link (at no extra cost to you!)

Revlon Professional Uniq One Hair Treatment

A leave-in hair treatment that does *EVERYTHING!*

Repair for Dry & Damaged Hair
Shine & Frizz Control
Heat Protection
Silkiness & Smoothness
Hair Color Protection with UVA & UVB Filters
Easier Brushing & Ironing
Incredible Detangling
Long-Lasting Hairstyle
Split Ends Prevention
Adds Body

I brought this item to the party because I'm OBSESSED with it. It smells good, makes my hair easy to comb through after showering, and does all that other good stuff too! �� I've been using it for years and always make sure to have a back up bottle ready for when I run out. I kinda like it. ��

Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater

This professional, commercial grade formula is safe around kids & pets. Its lightning fast action erases stains from clothing, bibs, carpets, auto & furniture upholstery.

TWO of my friends brought this item, so it *must* be good! �� They said it even removes stains from berries, and old stains, too. I need to try this ASAP - I'm excited.

Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover

Removes pet accidents, grease, oil, ink, red wine, coffee, blood, rust, food, cosmetics, dirt, and grime
Water-based, non-flammable and odor free

Great on upholstery too! I LOVE this stain remover and use it to clean pretty much everything. ��

Wool Dryer Balls

One of my friends put together cute baggies that included a few wool dryer balls, an essential oil, and a homemade room spray. #overachiever �� It was so cu te!

I bought these wool dryer balls myself a few months ago and must say, I love them. I had heard they help prevent fitted sheets from getting all tangled up in the dryer, which is my biggest pet peeve everrrrr. Does that ever happen to you that all your laundry gets tangled up in a big knot? It seemed to happen to me all the time. ��

I bought these balls to help with that problem and learned they have many other benefits, too! They help the environment by cutting down on fabric softener and dryer sheets (if you add a few drops of essential oils). They also reduce drying time up to 40%, reduce wrinkles and static, and more! SCORE, all around! ��

Magnetic Phone Holder for Car

I am PUMPED about this product! I have bought way too many phone holders for my car and they always end up dropping my phone or coming off of the dash. So frustrating!

My friend said she's never had a problem using this phone holder! Apparently the N52 magnets are super strong to hold the phone securely and the 3M adhesive sticks really well to the dash. This link to Amazon includes a 2-pack so you and your significant other can each have one - perfect! ��

Avarelle Acne Pimple Patch

Avarelle Acne Patches will shrink your zit overnight or even suck out all the gunk!

I am SO intrigued! I've seen all kinds of these "pimple patches" but wasn't sure if they actually worked. My friend swears by these and likes the XL size. Can't wait to try this!

Reusable Makeup Remover Cloths

Microfiber face towels help you efficiently and easily clean away residual makeup such as foundation, lipstick, eye shadows, simple makeup, and more, bringing you a naturally clean and refreshing feeling.
When face cloths are used, apply soap on stains, gently wipe by hands and rinse with clean water. Continue to wipe and rinse until the stains are cleaned. After washing, dry naturally for the next use.

This totally intrigues me that you don't need makeup remover! I'm into it!

Felt Naptha Laundry Bar & Stain Remover Soap

Apparently this bar of laundry soap has been around a long time and a lot of people swear by this stuff. Just keep it by your washing machine, rub on any stains, and wash like normal. Neat!! ��

Bombas Women's Gripper Ankle Sock

Soft, durable, and smooth against your skin. It shrinks minimally in the wash and will hold up wear after wear.
Honeycomb Support System cradles the arch of your foot, like a firm but comfortable hug around your midfoot.

Basically, these socks are SUPER comfy and durable. No holey socks here! And grippers are a must for cruising around the house, right? OH! And get this! For every pair purchased, they donate a pair to a homeless shelter. How cool is that?! You can get a 20% off coupon on the website so look for that. ��

No Break Microfiber Hair Ties

'GIMME Bands Any Fit Hair Ties' are perfect for everyday use and compliment most hair types.
Bands provide all-day firm ponytails while preventing damage to hair.
Optimized for grip while providing the perfect balance between firmness and gentleness.
No snagging and easy to remove.
Simply toss your GIMME Bands in the washer and dryer to shrink them back to their original size. It also removes hair oils that build up in the band, helping your band feel fresh and new!

That last bullet point is what blows my mind! Hair bands always seem to stretch out, but these can go in the washer/dryer to be shrunk back to size! So cool! They have bands specifically for thick hair and fine hair , too!

Starbucks Gift Card

Last but not least, someone brought a Starbucks gift card (and Milk Duds - yum!). You can never go wrong with Starbucks, so this was a fabulous item to bring!

And that's a wrap! I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the best products on the market, according to me and some friends. Clearly, we are in an interesting stage of life when we all get jazzed about the latest and greatest household cleaners. �� If you're like us, maybe your life will be changed by some of these products too. Let me know if you know and love any of these things, or if we're missing a crucial item. Comment below. ��

Thanks for reading. Have a great day! XO!

~ Kara

NEW FAVE. confetti bacon egg casserole recipe.

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 18:20:45 GMT

This is a "must-try!"

One of my favorite things to make in the kitchen are egg casseroles. Don't ask me why....actually, DO ask me why, cause I think I know! I'll tell you in a minute... ;)

I usually make the same one or two recipes, so I was looking for a new one to try. I came across this one on Pinterest here . I was drawn to it because it uses cottage cheese, and I had some in the fridge that needed to be used and I don't like cottage cheese plain - bleh! Most of my other recipes call for milk, so I was intrigued to see what the cottage cheese would do to the taste and texture.

I made a few tweaks to the Pinterest recipe, which you'll note in the full recipe below. And guess what! The whole family LOVED it! My 4 year old said "can I have this every day?" *Swoon!* When I make other egg casseroles my boys aren't as eager to eat them, so I'm thrilled they like this recipe.

Okay, let's get to it. It in volves eggs (obviously), diced green chiles, cottage cheese, red bell pepper, crumbled bacon (we cheated and used the kind from Costco) but the real deal would be even better! Oh and hash browns.

My friends... THIS is why I love making egg casseroles! Have you seen or used one of these fancy-schmancy whisks???

I'm embarrassed to say that I was totally suckered into an infomercial type thing at the grocery store a long time ago. Someone was demonstrating and selling these whisks. I stood there with my jaw to the floor as I watched them whisk by simply pushing the handle up and down. It amazed me, for some reason. They showed how it can whisk and froth milk or cream and a bunch of other stuff, too. It makes everything fluffier than a normal whisk can -- trust me, I witnessed it with my own two eyes! ;)

Oh, AND, after I bought *a few* (#sucker), I realized it's a total tricep workout too. You can bake AND workout at the same time! OORAH!

This isn't the exact one I have, but I found a similar one on Amazon, in case you want to try it. You can thank me later. ;)

ANYway, chop up the pepper, mix the ingredients together, reserving some bacon and peppers for the top.

After baking for an hour, it came out golden and colorful. I didn't add green onions, like the recipe called for, but I bet that would be a nice touch. I'm pleased to report the cottage cheese made it really creamy and flavorful. Mmm.... It is so. good.

I made this casserole a few times for my family and others, to make sure we REALLY liked it before sharing here, and we DO. <3 You'll have to give it a try and let me know what you think!

ENJOY! :)

**SCREENSHOT OR SAVE THE RECIPE BELOW TO YOUR PHONE.**

How To Add a Simple Floating Shelf for a Big Impact

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 19:27:27 GMT

Learn How to Create a Floating Shelf (and Panel Wall) in your House!

This actually has nothing to do with boats. ��

Okay, guys! I'm pumped to show you this project that we did back in October/November, I believe. Things are always a little delayed here. :) This is our guest room, in the basement, next to this lovely little bathroom . It's also turned into a work from home space for Cory since the pandemic, so it's imperative that we make it less of an eye-sore, dontcha think?? ��

Makeover...here we come! ��

First, we needed to clear it out as best we could - we were moving the current bed into our daughter's room and getting a new queen bed and headboard, so it worked out nice to have some space in the room.

Then, we installed shiplap panel board from Home Depot to create the focal wall. This paneling made the shiplap appearance super easy, without having to worry about cutting individual boards to install. We'd recommend it for something like this. We needed a little over two panel boards so the wall cost a little under $100, with extra paneling leftover to use on another project. ��

P.S. Don't we look like we're having fun??! �� We were!! haha. After the kids go to bed, we blare some music, grab a beverage, and go to work. #nightowls

Next up - we painted the rest of the room a new favorite color! It's called Collingwood by Benjamin Moore. I'd say it's similar to Revere Pewter, but not quite as dark. It's perfect for lightening up a dark space. ��

Then, grab some pine boards - we got three different size boards that would create the floating shelf.

3.5 inch board x 3/4 inch thick x 8 ft.
2.5 inch board x 3/4 inch thick x 8 ft.
1.5 inch board x 3.4 inch thick x 8 ft.

Note: These are actual measurements - sometimes the boards are labeled something slightly different. If you're doing the length of a room, like we did, you'll want to measure the room to make sure you get the right length of board, or enough to piece together.

Then, determine where you want your shelf to go. We wanted it slightly above the headboard to give us enough room to add artwork to the shelf, so we added painting tape to the wall to visualize the right height.

The images above should hopefully show how these are pieced together. Cory actually screwed the bottom board to the back board (you-following?? ��) BEFORE installing to the wall. That way, you won't see the screws from the back. Brilliant! Then screw the 3.5 inch board to the wall, and add the front (1.5 inch) piece. We used our handy-dandy nail gun for the front piece, which has tiny nails that you'll barely see. Here's a link to a nail gun we recommend that comes with everything you'll need! It's important to note that we used screws for the rest of this project, to ensure the shelf is sturdy and can hold the artwork. ��

Then watch it come together....

Add some decor, and fun hanging greenery to drape off that shelf and Voilá! We love it! I'm still trying to decide if we should leave the wood unfinished or stain it. What do you think?? Comment below with your thoughts/suggestions. ��

Thanks for taking a look! Let me know if you try something similar or have any questions!

Huge hugs!

~ Kara

BUCKET O’ CHEER. easy greenery decor.

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 21:34:00 GMT

I can’t take credit for this idea — the bucket and greenery idea was actually given at a “Favorite Things” party several years ago. But it’s such a great idea, I had to share it with you! Do you wanna know what the world I’m talking about? Here’s how to make a very easy, inexpensive, and beautiful decor item for your front porch, or anywhere, really!

A few other easy holiday touches to add to your front porch:

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

DECK THE HALLS. real garland pendant light decor.

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 19:09:00 GMT

I’ve never bought real garland before but found it at Lowes. It’s also sold at Home Depot, some grocery stores, and lots of other places too, I’m sure. Considering that you get 20 feet of it, I feel like it’s not a bad price!

I used floral wire that I had in the house to hang it, but you could also use large twisty-ties, too, I bet! I pre-cut several about 5-6 inches long so they’d be ready for me to use.

Then I held up the garland to measure how long of a piece I needed, and used our giant “loppers,” to cut the garland. I used a heavy-duty scissors for a few pieces, too.

Then, just loop the wire through the chain, twist it around tight, and cut off the excess wire. Easy, peasy!

FAQ's:

Q. Did the garland shed needles on your food/island?

Q. Does it get dried out?

What do you think? Do you want to attempt this too? Or know someone who has pendant lights like this who may want to try? Let me know if you have any questions.

XO!

~ Kara

REBEL LIFE. living with white furniture.

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 16:59:00 GMT

I am SUCH a rebel. I have white furniture. I know. I seriously feel kinda naughty having white stuff because I grew up thinking white stuff was a serious no-no. The only thing it can do is get dirty , right? WRONG. It can also make your room so bright and airy and fresh and beautiful . I know white furniture isn’t for everyone, but if you’re drawn to the look and need a push to go for it, here are a few tips that may help you take the leap…

Have a great day! XO!

~ Kara

BAWK-BAWK. review of “Birdcall.”

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:06:00 GMT

Have you heard of Birdcall ? If you don’t live in Colorado, you probably haven’t, but I bet it will be coming! I did some research and learned that it was founded in 2016, and is a fast growing company in Colorado and coming to Arizona next. I was trying to think of the best way to describe the restaurant and then I googled it and found this: (eh-hem)…

We went early enough (recommended) that there wasn’t a line. You step right up to the screens on the right (above) and browse through the menu to select what you’d like to order. There are workers nearby to greet you, answer any questions you have, and offer recommendations. They have a full bar, as well, and lots of different sauces to choose from for their sandwiches. Mmm, we’ve been several times but there are still so many things I want to try!

After you order, you get your drinks, yada yada, and then the screen above the cubbies shows you how much longer you have until your order is ready, and then it shows up in the cute little cubby! OH – and try the Root Beer…AMAZING.

**I always gotta tell you the truth here though. The first time we went, I was disappointed with the wait time for our food. The restaurant wasn’t busy at all and it just took way longer than expected. We haven’t had that problem since, so I’m chalking it up to the fact that the store was still really new at that time. Last time we went the food was ready SUPER fast. Just gotta keep it real.**

My boys are OBSESSED with this place because of the *free* arcades!!! They have so much fun.

There was also a fun “video booth,” kinda like Snapchat filters, that also kept us occupied as we waited for our food. I just couldn’t stop saying, “I love this place!” haha.

I hope this helps if you’ve been curious about trying this place out. I’d recommend the Bird-B-Q sauce, Birdcall sauce, or Sriracha Aioli sauce. Oh, and the Asian Chicken Salad is sooo good! It’s a little pricier, and filling, so I think you could split it between two people. Enjoy!

~ Kara

www.eatbirdcall.com

BODY IMAGE. real talk.

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 16:51:00 GMT

2. I read the. book " Breaking Free from Body Shame: Dare to Reclaim What God Has Named Good ," by Jess Connolly. It was given to me at the *perfect* time. I highly recommend it, if this is something you struggle with.

3. I UNFOLLOWED a bunch of celebrities who only seemed to post pictures of their perfect bodies and flawless faces. �� Ain't nobody got time for that garbage!

But seriously, the older I get, the more I realize that what we choose to take *IN* matters! It makes a difference in how we feel -- our self-worth, self-esteem, etc. -- so, we must choose wisely.

We should *ONLY* take in good and uplifting things, and *UNFOLLOW* accounts & people who make us feel worse about ourselves. Can I get an AMEN?!

4. I started seeing a Therapist (for many reasons, but this was one).

I still can't believe it. I. HAVE. A. THERAPIST. It's been a game changer. Everyone should get themselves a therapist, but please make sure they align with your beliefs. ❤️

So, what have I learned? A lot. But mostly that I need Jesus. Every day. And every day, I need to work on rooting these truth’s DEEP in me, which is a constant battle.

I definitely haven’t mastered having a healthier body-image, but the steps above have helped. I hope and pray they may just help someone else reading this, too.

XO! Huge hugs! ��

~ Kara

PARTY IDEA. caramel apple bar.

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 20:16:00 GMT

I know, I know. I already posted about caramel apples here . In that post I said I’ve never made caramel apples before, which was true, but I HAVE made a caramel apple BAR before — multiple times, actually, using apple SLICES. It makes for such an easy and festive fall party!So, let’s pretend like we’re having a party, okay? What do we need?

For this party, I just bought pre-made caramel and heated it up a bit. No need to make things hard!

Topping Ideas:

That’s all you need for this party! It really is an easy and inexpensive way to host a party! Have your guests load up a plate — grab a skewer, dip it in caramel, dip in the topping of your choice, grab another, do it again, and again, and ENJOY! So easy and so good!

Caramel Apple Bar Sign_Printable

Download

Okay, now go plan a party! I hope you feel inspired! Fall is just the BEST! XO!

~ Kara

FALL TREAT. easy crock pot caramel apples.

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 20:11:00 GMT

Ingredients:

Supplies:

Place two cups of water in the crock pot, add a small bowl inside the crock pot and unwrap all the yummy caramels.

Then, put the lid on and turn the crock pot to high. I tried stirring every half hour or so, but honestly, I don’t think it was necessary. When I went to stir the caramel exactly an hour and a half later , they melted into perfectly smooth caramel. The timing worked out perfectly because we started unwrapping the caramels and washing the apples, etc. after lunch time and then the whole process was done just before snack time in the afternoon!

The rest is self-explanatory. We dipped the apples, decorated/added toppings, and had so much fun!

XO!

~ Kara

LIGHTEN UP. how to whitewash brick.

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:55:00 GMT

In our first house, we debated for SO LONG if we should whitewash our dark brick fireplace. I had always been drawn to that look so I had been on the “YES” train for a long time, but it’s a scary decision. Once you paint it, you can’t go back; everyone had a different opinion for us. After four years, we finally decided to go for it.

Bye, bye dark red brick!

Check out how much brighter the room became (thanks to the shiplap and fireplace)! To read about the shiplap process we did, check out this post .

Step 1) Wipe down the brick with a damp cloth to get any dirt and debris off.

Step 2) Pick any white paint — interior/exterior/anything! I’m 99% sure we used a bucket of exterior paint left over from the previous owner. If you were whitewashing exterior brick, I’d tell you to do something different (upcoming post!), but for interior brick, the kind of paint doesn’t matter (in my opinion). I’d try to stay away from a semi-gloss sheen, however.

Step 4) Apply the watery paint mixture with a large paint brush and wipe off any excess with a cloth. The paint may run down the brick a bit, so definitely have some extra cloths nearby!

Note: This (below) is what the fireplace looked like after one coat. We wiped off quite a bit of excess paint because I wanted to see the variation in color of the brick, but this was too light. It almost made the brick look pink!

Step 5) Paint another coat, depending on the look you’re going for. (We did another coat!)

Step 6) I took sandpaper to certain bricks to get the look I desired, but it really all depends on your preference. Like I said, I wanted to see through the paint.

If you’re wondering if you should paint or whitewash your brick, I’d love to see and offer my advice, if you’re interested! Feel free to email me at kara@happy-place-happy-face.com .

Happy painting, my friends! I hope this helps!

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

IT’S FALL Y’ALL. 5 steps to add front porch decor on a budget.

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 17:01:00 GMT

So simple and pretty, right? I love the soft orange and cream pumpkins here!

Oooh-la-la! So sharp looking, right? Can’t go wrong keepin’ it classic with black and whites!

Ooooh I love this too! Soft green, orange, and creams with a straw basket….gorg!!!

In my case, I’ve been collecting items for years so when I look at what I have, it’s easy to tell that my color palette will be bright orange, yellow, white, and black (the color of our front door and buffalo plaid rug).

~ Kara Sue (& Lyndi Sue) ��

DEPRESSION. real talk.

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 22:45:00 GMT

I couldn’t focus at work. I was anxious about simple tasks — all tasks, really. At the end of the day, the simple walk from my car into the house, felt like a marathon, leaving me completely drained. My fuse was short. I was irritable about everything (sorry Cor!). I felt like a worthless mom. I blamed myself for everything. I didn’t know how to handle the two kids I had, but desperately wanted another, and, for that reason, felt broken. I was convinced my family would be better off without me. I wondered if I had the energy to go on.

That may sound dramatic, but that’s truly how I felt. And guess what…I thought what I was feeling was NORMAL…

“Going from one kid to two kids is hard, right? So of course I’m exhausted, stressed, and irritable.”
“I’m not as social or fun as I used to be because I’m just…changing, right?”
“I have no idea how to handle my own kids. Someone else could do this way better.”

Why am I telling you this? Because THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THIS IS NOT OKAY. Yes, having a baby is hard, and having another baby (and another) is hard. But no one should feel like they can’t cope with life. Or with their own family.

After a lot of self-reflection and time, however, I’ve come to realize that I’ve had depression symptoms throughout my whole life — a bit in high school, definitely in college, and other times too (not just postpartum). When I didn’t feel like myself, couldn’t snap out of feeling down, and had zero motivation to do what I love, I could always blame it on SOMETHING — stress, hormones, circumstances, etc. But you guys — this is depression . It’s a chemical imbalance in your BRAIN (I understand this now, although I fought the diagnosis and the need to take medication at first).

Huge hugs and love to you! XO!

~ Kara

If you need immediate help, you can always call the *FREE* Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) . It’s confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

WHITE STRIPES. shiplap love.

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:54:00 GMT

Isn’t it funny that the shiplap craze really is just a bunch of white stripes on a wall? But yet it looks so, so good. At least I think so! I hope it never goes out of style. White shiplap just makes everything look so bright and airy and I LOVE that.

So we’ve done two different methods, but I’m going to focus on the one we did in the living room at our first house (or is it the family room? I can NEVER get those two straight!).

Here is the “Before” of this room, before we shiplapped and white-washed the brick:

Aaaand “After.” LET THERE BE LIGHT!…

SO. How did we do it? We were, and still always are, on a tight budget for my crazy house project ideas, so we did the budget-friendly method: buy and cut down 4 ft. x 8 ft. plywood boards . I found these two pictures from way back then, and I’m pretty sure we went with the cheaper option (below, right). It doesn’t need to be fancy plywood – just something smooth and paintable.

Then, you can have Home Depot or Lowes, or wherever you buy it from, cut the boards in strips — how awesome is that?! At least they did a few years ago when we did this. Otherwise, I think they may charge you a minimal amount, which is totally worth it in our opinion. Since we wanted to use the lengthiest part of the boards (8 ft.), to lay horizontally on the walls, we figured that we would cut the 4 ft. side down to 8 inch wide pieces (4 ft. = 48 inches divided by 8 inches = Six 8in. planks per plywood board = PERFECTO!).

Note: We had heard/read that you should account for the width of the saw blade, so technically you should cut them just a hair shy of 8 inch pieces (1/8 inch, maybe?) . BECAUSE… each time time you cut a strip, you take out an 1/8 inch, which means the last strip will be quite a bit thinner than the others, if you know what I mean? And that’s no bueno! Even though we tried to account for the blade, we still somehow ended up having some strips that were thinner, so we set those aside to use for the bottom row that would need to be cut down anyway. I hope this helps!

(Side note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you! XO!)

Find the studs in your walls , next. Don’t have a stud finder? Grab one here ! But DON’T mark them with red sharpie like we did. It seemed smart at the time (so we could see the lines easily), but they became hard to paint over, in between the boards.

How far apart do you stack the shiplap pieces, you ask? Let me tell you! Get yourself one of these 4 foot metal straight edges here . It’s about 1/8 inches thick. When you’re doing humungous shiplap boards like this, it’s nice to have something longer to hold along the edge when you place the next board in place (Note: This is much easier if you have two people! One to hold the board, and one to nail.) Other supplies: Porter-Cable Compressor and Nail Gun with Hose (this link is the whole kit-and-caboodle! Everything you’ll need!), and a large 4 foot level is helpful, too.

Okay, then the fun part – once you get cruisin! In our case, we installed the boards left to right . When we got to the right side and needed to cut a board, the remaining piece would be the next first piece on the left. Does that make sense? It makes a nice, natural staggered look.

Thanks for checking out this post! Let me know if you have any questions about the process, and best of luck, if you attempt this yourself! It’s so worth it, and much cheaper than buying real shiplap boards.

XO!

~ Kara

SAVIN’ PENNIES. decorating on a budget.

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 14:20:00 GMT

So what are my tricks to not spend a fortune? Here they are!

That means, NOW is the time to look for spring/summer items that are being cleared out, and most likely discounted. At the end of Fall, grab some items on sale to put in the bin for NEXT Fall. Same with Christmas, etc. etc. Only pay full price for the must-have items at the beginning of the season.

A $2 coffee table book, a pretty vase for $3.99, or a picture frame with the tag still on it… YES PLEASE! You are sure to find some treasures if you put the time and effort into searching.

Make sure you have the apps of your favorite stores on your phone. Then, when you’re in the checkout lane, pull up the app and use any coupons that apply. If you don’t, you’re throwing away free money, people! You can also check the weekly ads on the apps, which is helpful if you’re keeping an eye out for something to be on sale.

You guys. This is a no-brainer, especially if you’re on online shopper. The website Rakuten basically pays YOU to shop! Seriously. If you haven’t heard of it, be sure to sign up today ! The way it works is this: If you’re going to buy something at Gap or Overstock, for example, you go to Rakuten.com and click on the link for the store you wish to buy from. It will tell you what the cash back percentage is (it’s usually between 2-15%). Then, it will direct you to those sites and you can shop and check out like normal. Somehow it keeps track of whatever you spend at those stores, and they’ll reward you with the percentage listed as CASH BACK. Seriously. No catch. Then they’ll send you a check once you’ve earned over $5, which is very easy to do. There’s even a promotion going on right now, that once you spend your first $30 (at the store of your choice), they’ll give you a free $30! Cha-Ching! I’ve gotten checks from them for years, and it’s the best kind of mail to receive! Let me know if you have any questions.

I hope these tips help! Decorating is a process and doesn’t happen overnight. Little by little, using these tips, you’ll have a house full of treasures that don’t break the bank.

~ Kara

SELFLESSNESS. secret to marriage.

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 16:24:00 GMT

Selflessness. Oh man, I struggle with this one but truly WANT to be better. We live in a “me first” society, but the Bible calls us to be selfless.

Philippians 2:3-4 ESV

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

And what does selflessness mean? The definition is “concern more with the needs and wishes of others than with one’s own.”

If we choose selflessness in our homes, I believe our spouses and kids will be better off because of it. In fact, I heard recently that the secret to marriage is to “out serve each other.” Whoa. That’s a pretty bold challenge.

Another thought on selflessness I heard recently is that if we strive to do just ONE selfless action each day, then we will show up more easily when the big things come up. The example I heard put it this way: How is it that fire fighters went running into the World Trade Center twenty years ago on 9/11, knowing full-well how dangerous the situation was? (#neverforget) It was because they go running into burning buildings every.single.day. Not quite as large, or significant as that horrific event was, but they were trained to show up no matter what the need was. I think this translates to being selfless with our families and friends. We need to show up for the tiny events and seemingly insignificant needs, so that when something “big” arises, we jump to help no matter the situation.

So, what one selfless act can you do today? If you’re a parent, you do selfless things for your kids all day long, but let’s remember to “out serve” our spouses, and our friends, too!

Now, who needs a back massage? Or a glass of water? Or help cleaning up? Or a chore off their to-do list?

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

GET IN MY CART. amazon home must-haves.

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 23:59:00 GMT

Note: this post contains affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission if you purchase through my links (at no extra cost to you). Rest assured, I only recommend products I’ve used and love. XO!

Manual Lint Pill Remover

THIS. THING. is soooo cool and soooo satisfying. Our pillows and couches seem to always be getting “pill-y,” if you know what I mean. But no more! Just drag this magic thing across those sad little pillows and cushions and watch your jaw drop. The pill-y stuff is just gone! I stinking love it, and think everyone needs one! I looked into getting an electric pill remover, but this cheap one does the trick!

Carpet Tape

If you haven’t read this blog post about my obsession with this stuff, go ahead and take a gander. If you’ve ever had a problem keeping a rug in place, this stuff will save your life. You’re welcome.

Cord Hider

QUAKE HOLD Sticky Putty

My mom introduced me to this stuff because it’s a must-have in their motorhome to keep things on counters from rolling around when the RV is in motion. It’s all the rage in RV parks, apparently, because it’s stronger than regular “sticky tack.” I don’t know about you, but if this stuff keeps things secure in a MOVING VEHICLE, then it’s gotta be good, right? I gave it a try to secure some lamps to our end tables (because TWO SETS have been knocked off and broken into a kajillion pieces (*insert sobbing*)), and guess what!! My lamps are still standing!! This sticky putty has saved them from whizzing balls and flying objects more than a time or two. I’ve also used it behind and underneath frames on my bookshelves and on walls. The uses are endless! It’s a must!

Dead Sea Mud Mask Infused with Eucalyptus

And that’s a wrap! My top 5 Amazon home must-haves. These are all small and inexpensive items that make a big difference in your home. I hope you find that one or all of them help in some way.

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

FRUIT NINJA. watermelon hack.

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 15:27:00 GMT

Did anyone else ever play the game Fruit Ninja game on their iPad or phone? It’s a personal fave – who doesn’t love JUDO CHOPPING various melons and berries that fly into the air?! HIII-YA!

So, I don’t remember where I discovered this method, but it has changed my life. Really, I used to haaaate cutting up watermelon. I would do it differently each time. There was no method to the madness. But NO MORE, my friends! Bring on the yummy melons!

First! Cut the bad boy right in half. Then, put one half on the cutting board, red side down.

Now, lookey-here. You start by cutting a very thin piece off the side of the watermelon, and then work your way around the melon.

THEN, the fun part. Cut that beautiful sculpture in strips, like so…

Flop down the first chunk and cut more strips to make neat little square watermelon pieces.

Keep goin, piece by piece.

Thanks for reading! Have a fabulous day!

~ Kara

BARE BUTT. makeover.

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:07:00 GMT

There was this plain ole brick section on our back patio that just was calling for some lovin’! Seeee…

AFTER:

Here’s how we did it…

Supplies:

*NOTE: this post contains affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase through my links.

That’s it!

Now, here’s what to do:

So cute and so easy, right?! I got this idea at my hair dressers salon (Thanks Em!). You never know where you’ll get inspired next!

Huge hugs!

~ Kara

HAPPY BOY | WHAT A JOY. happy birthday kenton.

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 14:26:00 GMT

My pregnancy had been smooth sailing. Besides a crappy first trimester, I LOVED being pregnant — watching my belly grow, feeling baby move and kick, and planning for his arrival.

My doctor approved for us to take one last trip before baby was born, during my 34th week of pregnancy. We flew to Wisconsin where my entire family planned to spend a week on a lake — boating, relaxing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, swimming, etc. It’s always a highlight of the summer.

About half way through the week, I noticed baby wasn’t moving or kicking nearly as much as he had been; fear and worry set in. When it’s your first pregnancy, however, it’s hard to know if your worries are valid or if you’re being hyper-sensitive. Maybe baby is running out of room in there and can’t move around as much? Maybe I’m just distracted and that’s why I don’t feel him move? Maybe I’m just a psychopath who is freaking out over nothing?!

I tried to stuff down the worries as much as I could, but on the flight home, fear took over. I broke down in tears, right there in the aisle seat of the plane. Visions of a still born baby, MY baby, filled my mind. It was awful. Tears flooded my eyes as I begged my unborn baby to give me one big kick or ANY sign that he was okay. There was nothing I could do, except pray.

We got home very late that night and vowed to call the doctor first thing in the morning. Looking back, I should have called the emergency line of my OB, but I thought you had to be in labor or gushing blood or something. Friends, let me tell you, THIS is what the emergency line is for. I always tell pregnant friends to trust their instincts because Mama’s truly know best.

The next day happened to be our 5 year wedding anniversary, and we did call my OB right away when they opened. After finally getting a call back, doing a “kick count,” and not getting the results they wanted, they told me to come in right away.

The non-stress test we did at the office showed something was wrong, so they wanted to monitor me in Labor & Delivery. They sent us to the hospital we were supposed to deliver at and said, “Don’t stop at home or anywhere else. Just go straight there.” Oh, and “don’t worry.” Yea right. What do they know that they’re not telling us?? What’s going on? I haven’t even packed my hospital bag! Are we having this baby TODAY?! Holy buckets, holy buckets, holy buckets!

In the hospital room, they immediately started an IV, asked me a million questions, and hooked up the monitor to see how baby was doing. As soon as the nurse saw the monitor, she called the doc, and told me his heart rate was “sinusoidal.” She didn’t explain what that meant and only said, “Hunny, it’s not what we like to see.” The doctor then came in and explained that it could mean a variety of things: that the baby is severely anemic, or has been affected by drug use (definitely not the case!), or has an infection of some sort, among other possibilities.

I later found out that a “sinusoidal heart rate” is a rare occurrence that basically shows the baby is dying and needs immediate intervention. Yikes. I’m glad they didn’t tell me that. In order to find out what was wrong, they needed to get our baby out ASAP. Enter…emergency c-section. Enter…extreme panic. And questions. And worries. But I’m only 35 weeks. Baby’s not ready yet. I’M not ready yet. WE aren’t ready yet."

They rushed me back to the operating room while Cory frantically called family to tell them what was happening. Cory came in, just in time, for them to deliver our 4 pound 11 ounce baby boy at 3:47pm, named Kenton James.

He was born white as a ghost, and had accentuated features…I can’t say it was a good look. But as all mom’s do, I loved him immediately.

I was able to hold him, only for a minute, and then he was rushed to the NICU. There, he began to crash. The doctors quickly discovered he was severely anemic. He had a hematocrit of less than 10 (the normal range is between 42-65). The neonatologist said she rarely sees babies survive with that low of a number and she was honestly surprised he was alive. This meant he had very little blood in his body and needed several life-saving blood transfusions.

At some point after testing my blood, the doctors discovered that I had had a “fetal maternal hemorrhage,” which means that his placenta had a slight tear causing his blood to either slowly leak into me over time or it could have torn more recently (we’ll never know). He was losing his blood through the placenta and therefore, wasn’t moving because he was conserving energy to survive. Later on, I learned that this rare type of hemorrhage is a common cause of stillborn births. The doctors and nurses also told me that if I would have waited another 15-20 minutes, he may not have survived. I had a regular scheduled OB appointment for 4:00pm that same day -- I had considered waiting for that appointment to address our concerns, but it would have been too late.

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. Honestly, I was pretty clueless to how sick he truly was, which is sort of a blessing. It wasn’t until that evening when the doctor told us he was “extremely critical,” that I understood. I remember saying to my mom, “Wait, he’s in CRITICAL CONDITION!? That’s really serious!” My heart would sink every time the doctor came into my room because I feared what she might tell us…it was such a terrifying time. I just wanted to see and hold my brand new baby but I knew the medical team was doing all they could.

By later that night, the doctor told us she didn’t feel comfortable with the level of care their NICU could give our very sick baby. She recommended transferring him to a more specialized hospital, which was better equipped to handle such sick babies. Then the flurry started. They told me I needed to go “say goodbye.” Not like a forever goodbye, right? What the heck is happening? I overheard someone telling my mom that sometimes babies don’t make the transfer. What do you mean “don’t make the transfer”?! Can I trust these strangers with my baby? I actually got to spend quite a bit of time with him in the NICU as they tried to stabilize him before taking him away by ambulance. When they couldn’t keep him stable long enough, however, things got even scarier. They decided to take him by helicopter instead.

I had a nice little chat with my brand-new son, crying my eyes out, as I pleaded with God to let him be okay. It took everything in me not to jump in that helicopter with him. Don’t they know he needs his Mama??! You can’t take him on my first night as a Mom! I had to let him go, packaged in a tiny see-through box, and do the only thing I could: trust and pray. I actually remember that moment clearly. I sat in a wheelchair as a team of specialists wheeled him out of the room, leaving me behind. BUT, I strangely felt peace. Pure peace in that moment. I felt the prayers, and God gave me strength knowing we were doing what was best for baby Kenton.

I couldn’t WAIT to see Kenton when I was finally transferred to his new hospital the next day. I was amazed to see how much better he looked in just one day. He finally had color in his body but I hated seeing him hooked up to so many things.

He remained critical for a day or two until they got enough blood into his system and stabilized his breathing with the help of some intense ventilators. He improved a little bit each day, which was a HUGE answer to prayers. He actually surprised us with how fast he made progress at the beginning and moved to the "graduate NICU" in just one week. Even the doctors and nurses were surprised with how fast he improved, which is just another sign that our great God was at work and that the power of prayer is a SERIOUS thing.

Truly, I’ve never felt the power of prayer so much in my life as I did when Kenton was born. We were overwhelmed by how much support and love we felt from family and friends, near and far, and even some strangers! SO many people let us know that they were praying for us and for Kenton, and for that, we can never say "thank you" enough!

A "God Thing"

This is one of the BEST parts of Kenton’s story and, sometimes, I forget to tell it! When Kenton was born, there was another family from our church whose son, Ezra, was in the NICU at the same hospital.

On August 1st, Ezra’s dad saw a little baby, that he didn’t know, come rushing into the NICU with a flurry of doctors and nurses surrounding him; he knew it was serious. In that moment, he felt nudged to pray for this baby – OUR baby – and so, he did. Some time later, he talked to our pastor and found out about Kenton. He said, “I saw that baby; I prayed for that baby!”

How cool is that?

Thank you for praying, Brad! And let me tell you, if you don’t have a church family… GET ONE. No church is perfect, but it’s amazing how God works through a church family, and how people come together to help each other out.

We are so thankful.

Fast forward seven years and this boy still has my heart. He climbs trees without fear, glides across monkey bars, catches frogs and snakes like it’s no big deal, asks thoughtful questions, talks your literal face off, dances with confidence, fishes like a pro, teaches his brother everything he knows, and holds his baby sister with such pride. And oh man, when the sun is shining in his bright blue/green eyes, and he looks at me… take whatever you want, kid. You’re so stinking handsome.

Several months after he was born, a sweet old man from our church told us that he prayed for Kenton’s strength and healing…aaaaand he prayed that Kenton would be "a little bit naughty." And guess what? THAT prayer was answered too! Thanks a lot. �� And he’s more than just a "little bit" naughty most days... the little stinker.

Kenton means “From the King’s estate,” and James means, “He who triumphs; gift from above; fearless; enthusiastic; adventurous; clever and witty.” And he certainly is ALL of these things. Every year on his birthday, we remind him how sick he was and the miracle God performed in his life. His eyes light up with amazement and wonder, and a smile stretches across his cute darling face. I pray he will always know and remember just how loved and valuable he is, as a child of God.

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

LONG AWAITED POST. bathroom reveal.

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 17:41:00 GMT

Ladies and gentleman, the post you *didn’t know* you were waiting for….our basement bathroom reveal. I just haven’t gotten around to posting about this even though it’s been done for a month or two. Man, time flies! But I am IN LOVE with how it turned out. Wanna see??

Here is where the little bathroom lives…in the basement play area, next to the guest bedroom.

These pics make it look bigger than it was, trust me, but here it is:

We went back and forth on the best plan for this bathroom for the longest time, but finally decided on this (see below), which meant moving the door to allow for a full size (normal) shower and also raising the ceiling to a normal height. Before deciding to move the door, I had been hung up on keeping the pull out couch on this wall because it fit here PERFECT, but, like usual, the lightbulb moment came a little bit later aaaaaand *LIGHTBULB*…why don’t we move the couch to the wall on the *other* side of the room?! Problem solved. WOOO!

And now, let’s see that drawing come to LIFE…eeeek….

And I fell in love with this bear picture, when I saw it, because it reminds me of our three little *mischievous* cubs.

But the planning was worth it, and it was so fun to see my vision come to life!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this transformation. We are so happy with how it turned out, and also glad the project is done.

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

FAMILY FAVORITE. gluten free chicken pad thai recipe.

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 16:39:00 GMT

As you know, I only like to make EASY recipes, and they need to be gluten free. I found a recipe for chicken Pad Thai but it had waaaay too many ingredients (and several I didn’t have in the house), SO, I adapted it for other folks like me, who like to keep it simple. And guess what – it still tastes amazing! Here are the ingredients needed:

Okay so when I make this, I make several batches to put in the freezer for later. I figure that when you go to the effort, you might as well get a lot out of it, right? And the most time consuming part is getting all the ingredients out, etc. SO, I label a few quart freezer bags, like so, to remind me what I need to add to finish off the recipe.

Then, I turn up the tunes and get to mixin’ the ingredients! (Full recipe below!)

THEN when it’s time to make this meal, it goes like so…

Cut up 3 chicken breasts and add to the instant pot (spray the pot with cooking spray first), and add the mixed ingredients.

Cut up the carrots into matchsticks, and chop the green onions. Sometimes, if I don’t have big carrots, I’ve cut up a bunch of the petite carrots that I’ve had in the house – either way works!

Then close the lid, and set the thingamajig on top to “sealing,” and turn the pressure cook button on for 7 minutes.

If you have an instant pot, you know it actually takes a lot longer than 7 minutes, of course, because it needs to reach the right pressure in the pot before the countdown begins. I think it takes about a half hour total. That gives us some time to get the noodles ready. You can either follow the directions on the back to cook on the stove (but then you have to time it right to be done at the same time as the chicken). So, this is what I do…

Put your noodles in a dish where they can be covered completely (I have one that’s the *perfect* size!) and add the hottest water you can (from your faucet is fine, unless you have a hot water dispenser somewhere). Just let it sit until the instant pot timer goes off and then you’ll drain the water and add the noodles.

Add the noodles to the instant pot, mix it all together, and put the lid back on for another 5-10 minutes (gives you just enough time if you want to throw together a salad or set the table or whatever you gotta do!)

Then, SERVE THIS MOUTH-WATERING GOODNESS. Mmmm….it’s just the best! And when you tell your kids there’s peanut butter in it, they will want to gobble it up. My kids love it!

I hope you love it as much as we do! XO! Below is the full recipe you can screenshot to give it a try. And if you don’t have an instant pot (well, then you probably didn’t make it to this part of the post), but you could probably make this over a skillet too! Let me know if you try it and what you think! Enjoy!!

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

HIDE YO STUFF. cord hider.

Mon, 24 May 2021 21:40:00 GMT

Cords were eeeeerywhere. And then we got THIS on Amazon here :

*NOTE: the link above is an affiliate link, which means I could earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase through this link. Rest assured, I only recommend good stuff, and stuff I’ve used! XO!

Sooo, first it looked like this (HELLO cord hider!) But it was an improvement!

Then, I painted it to semi-match the slate tile and….where’d it go??

I meaaaan, YES you can still see it a little, but it’s much better than seeing the cords everywhere!

I only painted the ones on the tile, and then hid the rest behind the curtain and under the window, like so:

If you’re in a newer home, you probably don’t have to worry about hiding cords from a TV but there may be other areas that cords are visible. Look around your house and see if you have any exposed cords/cables: in your home office, behind end tables with lamps, etc. This is an easy fix to provide a more seamless and clean look in your home! Not to mention, it’s safer for kids and pets AND it’s easy to install!

Any questions??

Huge hugs, my friends! XO!

~ Kara

BONDING. in-home ideas for couples.

Thu, 13 May 2021 15:05:00 GMT

Two-person Board Games :

Two-person Card Games :

Have fun!! But don’t play too loud, or you’ll wake the kids (or neighbors!)

There you have it. Top five ideas. The weekend is coming, so plan some time to spend with your significant other. Have fun dating!

*Huge hugs!* …and a smooch for my hubby. *MUAH!*

~ Kara

FOR THE MAMA HEARTS. keepsake gifts.

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:20:00 GMT

Damhorst Toys Name Stool here . A sweet friend and previous coworker gave one of these to EACH of my kids. I was blown away each time. It’s just SUCH a great gift! And my kids love putting the puzzle together and are so proud when they can do it. It also could double as a time-out stool or stepping stool in the bathroom…gotta love having multiple uses! And they are so well made – I highly recommend!

What keepsake gifts are YOUR favorites? What will you keep forever? Who are they from? Why are they special?

~ Kara

MAY I CUT IN? painting hack.

Fri, 07 May 2021 14:11:00 GMT

For some reason I just hate using painters tape – anyone else? I’m too particular about laying it perfectly so it ends up taking forever to apply. And then it loses its stickiness and lets paint leak through…the nerve! Oh, and I always seem to run out of tape before a job is complete. Ugh.

Anywoo, back to “cutting in”…I scoured YouTube to find the best video that explains/shows how to do it. The way I would describe it, however, is that you need to hold the brush in such a way that you can bend the bristles so only a few reach the edge that you’re trying to paint. Then, using a steady hand, you slowly move your paint brush along the edge. Here’s the video in case you’re a visual learner, and he gives some other tips on getting your brush ready…

I hope this helps! You are TOTALLY capable of painting whatever room you’ve been thinking about updating. You. Got. This. Good luck in your “cutting” adventures… just remember it takes a bit of practice, but you’ll LOVE not having to use so much blue tape (at least I do!)

~ Kara

PAINT CANS. learn all about ’em.

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 15:07:00 GMT

Ok. We might be the only dummies on the planet who have been storing our paint cans in our garage, which is not heated. Does anyone else do this? If you do, I am here to tell you…DO NOT do this. We had a few paint cans FREEZE last weekend when we had a snowstorm. I went to get a small sample of paint I had in our garage and the paint was frozen! It looked like a wet snowball that wouldn’t thaw. It was nuts! It made me wonder if this has been happening all winter. I read that paint can freeze and unthaw, but if it happens too many times, it goes bad – hence the perma-snowball. I inspected everything and luckily only a few of our small samples went bad and some almost-gone cans. But in case anyone needs a friendly reminder of how to store your paint, and other things I’ve learned from this travesty… here ya go!

Tips & tricks for your paint cans:

Okay, so moral of the story…it’s time to look through all your paint and clean it out . I bet you have lots of cans that you won’t be using in the future, or are probably bad by now (sorry to say) OR you’ll feel inspired to repaint or touch something up! It will feel so good to free up some space if you get rid of some paint, and if you’re like me, you’ll want to paint something!

~ Kara

CONFIDENCE. real talk.

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 15:06:00 GMT

Have you ever had similar thoughts? It’s so easy to be envious of other people’s gifts or wonder if you can truly do anything special with your own gifts. But I have to remind myself that we are all given gifts for a purpose and each one is VALUABLE. So let’s talk about being creative and making things pretty (since that is the focus of this-here-blog): We were created BY a creator in HIS IMAGE (Genesis 1:27). That means we were made to create and enjoy beauty just. like. God. does. How cool is that?! By creating beauty in our homes, or simply FINDING beauty in our homes, we are reflecting the Creator! Mic drop.

So, if you like decorating and being creative in your homes, don’t feel guilty about it (like I did for too long). Embrace it, and enjoy it. There’s beauty INDOORS and outdoors, right?! But please hear this: if you DON’T like decorating or don’t feel like you’re gifted in this way, that’s okay! You can still appreciate beauty where you see it, and most likely, you’re creative in another area! …creative with your business strategies, creative with a dinner menu, creative teaching your children, or finding solutions to problems at work, and on and on. Everyone has creativity in them.

SO back to the confidence thing. I want to encourage you to be CONFIDENT in your gifts (whether it’s home decor or teaching or problem solving or managing or listening or making people laugh). You were given your gifts for a specific purpose and when you use your gifts, you bring glory to our Creator. YOU GOT THIS.

And my sister JUST sent me this and I love it. I’m trying to remind myself of this, and you should too!

The end. Whew.

XO!

~ Kara

FAIRY DUST. sprinkle it on.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:01:00 GMT

I have learned a secret to get my kids to eat pretty much anything! I call it FAIRY DUST in the form of… Brown Sugar! Or regular sugar. Or cupcake sprinkles. Just. Sprinkle. Any. Thing. On.

I never said it was a healthy secret.

Markus, our 3-year-old picky eater, asks for the “secret ingredient” and of course he says it so. stinking. cute. We don’t pull this trick out a lot, but it seems to work when we do. Just a little bit is all it takes (most of the time!)

You’re welcome. If they bounce off the wall afterwards, it wasn’t me.

XO!

~ Kara

ALL-TIME FAVORITE COOKIE. oatmeal butterscotch.

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:15:00 GMT

I hereby declare Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies my all-time FAVORITE cookie. Mmmmmm. I love them. Always have. Always will. Just look at ’em!

I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned, however…

XO!

~ Kara

DREAM COME TRUE. square paneling accent wall.

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 14:18:00 GMT

I think I wanted to do a square-trim accent wall even before we found our new house, and then when I saw the master bedroom I said “THAT’S IT! That’s the wall!” And Cory said, “Oh no. The wall for WHAT?!” He knew that meant a project was coming. bahaha.

Okay, friends, this work of art doesn’t just happen. Let me fill you in on the math…

Our overall goal was to make the squares as “square” as possible (rather than rectangle). I knew that I wanted four squares making up the height of the wall, but we needed to figure out the exact measurements first. Hopefully seeing our thought process below and “showing our work” helps, if anyone else wants to tackle a project like this.

Vertical measurements of the wall:

Then we needed to find out how many squares would make up the length of the wall and the horizontal measurements:

Then, Cory says you GOTTA mark it out before you start. Use a pencil to mark where each trim piece will go, and make sure it all works out. You’ll want to know if the trim will run into any outlets, etc. and make any adjustments, if necessary. Cory said we needed to adjust in a few places, so marking it out definitely helps.

Then, once it’s all marked out, use a nail gun to hang up the trim, use wood putty to fill in the nail holes, caulk the seams, and paint, paint paint! We actually had painted the wall white before adding the trim so it was just a matter of painting the trim itself.

That’s it! What do you think?? The great thing about this accent wall is that it looks great in ANY color, so if I get sick of white, I may have to try another color.

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

SOMEBUNNY TURNED ONE. birthday party inspiration.

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:13:00 GMT

“Bunny droppings” = chocolate covered almonds

“Garden favorites” = fresh cut peppers and carrots AND/OR carrots and spinach dip.

“Bunny bait” = a mixture of Annie’s graham crackers, mini marshmallows and m&m’s (you could do anything really!) I also found Annie’s confetti/birthday crackers and let me tell you…they are SO GOOD.

“Carrot juice” = V8 Mango juice. YUM!

Last but not least, each kid got to pick a carrot from the carrot patch as a “thank you.” They were filled with cheese balls. I was excited to find triangle bags from Michael’s that actually had a carrot print on them, otherwise I probably would have tied them with green ribbon.

I had made these thank you notes (below, right) and had every intention of printing them out to tie on each carrot, but I ran out of time. Oh well.

Bunny Party FOOD LABELS

Download

Note: you will want to select 4-6 “pages” or “copies” on a page so that they print the correct size.

Bunny Party CARROT PATCH SIGN

Download

Bunny Party BUNNY FACES

Download

Note: I cut these out and taped to a toothpick to stick in the little white donuts, but you could use them anywhere .

Bunny Party THANK YOU NOTE for Party Favors

Download

Note: you will want to select 6-8 “pages” or “copies” on a page so that they print the correct size.

Contact me with any questions – I mean it!! Although, I’m pretty sure the people who read this are the ones who were at the party sooooo there’s that.

Huge hugs, my friends! XO!

~ Kara

HOW TO STYLE YOUR END TABLES. three ways.

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:07:00 GMT

Okay, I’ll cut to the chase…here are the three options I was debating between (and imagine that they would be on both sides of the bed)…

Option 1 - Below. Drift off to sleep with these peaceful birds (?) flying next to your bed, and some reading materials and decor. If you’re a Target girl, like me, you may have seen that this bird artwork was just on sale! It came in a pack of two complementing pictures/frames — perfect for two end tables! Oddly, however, I don’t really like birds. Like at all. But I do like this picture. Interesting.

I like this option because the books could easily be switched out for whatever your current reading materials are, to make it more functional. And how easy is it to lean up a picture against the wall? So easy and cute!

Option 2 - Below. Pare a cute lamp with artwork above it to add some height. I love this option! Lighting is always nice, and it looks clean and crisp. Moving along…

Option 3 - Below. A window pane mirror…also on sale at your local Target! RUN! (at least it was…?) I always love decorating with mirrors because they instantly make your room bigger and brighter, since the light bounces off of it. And I like this option because there’s just one small thing on the end table, which looks clean and leaves room for extra stuff that inevitably accumulates.

Drum roll please…we chose…Option THREE!

And now for some before and afters, side by side. Don’t judge how messy our end tables were!

Thanks for coming on this little end-table-decor-selection-journey with me.

~ Kara

TWO-STEP TRANSFORMATION. master bathroom.

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 20:57:00 GMT

Then, to complete this “first step” of the transformation, we painted the walls, the vanity, and the mirror trim. Basically anything we COULD paint, we did, since paint is such an easy and inexpensive update. At the time we thought it was a big improvement, and it was!

Four years later, it was time for the final step of the transformation. Here’s what we (a.k.a. Cory) did:

Here she is…

This was such a fun transformation. I wanted it to feel very “spa-like” and I think we achieved that look?? I hope you enjoyed seeing this two-step remodel.

~ Kara

CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE POTATO MEAL. gluten & dairy free.

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 17:24:00 GMT

Ingredients & quantity (for a family of 5-6):

I usually put all the potatoes in one pan, and the peppers, onions, etc. in another . Next step: sprinkle olive oil over both prepared pans and mix/stir so everything is evenly coated. As for seasoning, you can’t really mess this up. Here are a few options:

Sprinkle your seasoning of choice on the potatoes and peppers, etc. and mix again to make sure everything is coated evenly.

I would say bake at 400 degrees for 45(ish) minutes . Note: I usually try to prepare the potatoes first and get those in the oven first, since we like them extra-done.

Then, add the other pan whenever it’s ready and you can even add the sausage a tad later, if you cut those up last . But honestly, if you put everything in at the same time, it turns out great too. Like I said, you can’t mess it up and I modify this recipe each time depending how much of something I have in the house. Sometimes we use more peppers, sometimes more potatoes, etc.

If you’re making this to host another family, I would say use both packs of sausage, like I did in these pictures (10 total), and add a little more of everything else, and then you’re golden! Kinda like the potatoes. YUM!

ENJOY! Xo!

~ Kara

BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. rug wrinkles.

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:23:00 GMT

Rug wrinkles. Doesn’t the sound of that just give you the heebie-jeebies!?

We have a large area rug in our bedroom that just wouldn’t. lay. flat. I tried all the tricks — laying heavy things on top, pulling and yanking, heat, moisture, and we even rotated the entire rug (which isn’t easy, since it’s under our bed). We thought it might be caught on something under the bed, which was causing it to buckle, but rotating it didn’t work either. I could have cried about it.

But have no fear…we found a solution! When all else fails, buy Carpet Tape!! Did you know this existed?? I sure didn’t. I knew there was non-slip tape for rugs on hardwood, but I didn’t know you could tape carpet to…carpet!

Anyway, let me show you the miracle stuff I bought here :

It’s pretty self explanatory, but we put several strips down on the problem-area, basically laying it the direction the rug needed to be tugged, like so:

~ Kara

P.S. The link above is an affiliate link, which means I could earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase through it.

A PLACE TO HANG YOUR HAT. entryway project.

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:36:00 GMT

I'm so excited to share about an easy update we did in our entryway. Several weeks back Cory said he was in the mood for a project (music to my ears!) �� We had talked about doing this little update for awhile, so it seemed like the perfect Saturday project for us to tackle. I quick drew up a plan with a spare piece of construction paper and crayon (ha!) to show Cory exactly what I was thinking:

I was originally thinking of using lined paneling (see below Left) but they were all out at a few stores Cory checked. So then I went out to get supplies for plan B, which involved using a smooth panel board in the back and then we would add vertical trim ourselves (see bottom Right).

You may have seen this picture I posted of a l little fiasco I encountered at Home Depot…

I happily found the panel board, trim pieces, and paint we needed for this project and checked out. I LOVE Home Depot shopping! Anyway, I pulled this big ole cart to my mini van and then it happened…**lightbulb** how was I going to get this big-bad-panel home??!! I opened the trunk and as I struggled to lift it over the back seat, a kind older man named Byron asked if he could help. I was so relieved and thanked God for kind strangers. This strange man climbed into my mini van and yanked this humungous thing over my seats. It was not an easy task, but we finally got it. When the man climbed out of my incredibly messy, toy and snack-strewn vehicle, he said something like, “Wow, you’ve got a lot of ‘Mom stuff’ in there!” lol. How embarrassing! But I thanked him profusely and learned a very big lesson that day. ��

Okay back to the project! First step – cut the panel board to size, and Cory used his sawzall tool to cut the outlet hole.

Then, cut the trim pieces to size and nail in place (we use a nail gun).

Voilá! Next up: Caulking and sanding! Sometimes we use wood filler for the nail holes, but this time we used caulk – either works!

And then I hemmed and hawed over paint color. I was debating about keeping it white or going with a little bit darker color. I chose the color “Pashmina” by Benjamin Moore, and here it is…

Did we make the right call with the color?? Please say yes. �� And we added really fun coat hooks, but instead of using OUR names, we wanted to use synonyms for FRIENDS, since that’s who the hooks are for! ��

If you think of other/better “friend” synonyms, let me know. ��

I’m so happy to have a place for friends and family to hang their coats and hats, etc. Woo! Project COMPLETE.

The good news is that this project only took Cory a few hours on a Saturday afternoon to complete, and then a little more for us to paint and hang hooks, but it was totally doable as a small weekend project! (But then we re-painted the front doors, got new hinges and hardware AND a new entryway light, but YA KNOW.) ��

I hope this inspires someone else to create a space in your house that is functional AND beautiful. ��

Huge hugs! Xo!

~ Kara

PURGE. get it out of here.

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 17:15:00 GMT

There’s something about a new year that makes you just want to purge stuff, right?! It’s still January, right? GAH – it’s almost MARCH???!!!

Anyway, I have been wanting to get rid of so much extra junk around the house lately. I wanted to share a few things I’ve been doing to create a home free of so much “stuff.” Don’t get me wrong, I am still a little bit of a hoarder and always will be, but I’m TRYING to change my ways.

When you’re ready to purge, try these easy things:

Keep an empty box in each bedroom or room you want to clean out and use it as a “donation” box. Then, you can slowly toss clothes/toys/books/junk in the box as you go about your week (or go through the room all at once – whatever works for you!) Then, when you have a few boxes full, make a trip to Goodwill and do it all over again. I’ve had revolving boxes in several of our rooms for the last few months just to encourage me to get rid of stuff. It’s helping, and feels less overwhelming when I purge slowly over time.

Don’t be like me and have a toy box of some sort in every.single.room. MAN I am a nice Mom! I used to think, “here’s a cute toy box for the LIVING room and FAMILY room, and OH NO what if they get bored in OUR room?! Gasp. We need another toy box!” bahaha. But seriously. Then I wondered why the heck there were toys EVERYWHERE. No more! It’s not necessary. Now, I’m trying to keep only a few toy boxes around and it actually has helped so much!! It turns out that less toys = less messes! Brilliant! ��

Okay so IF you have toy boxes/bins in various rooms of your house (i.e. not a designated play room), use the “rule of fives.” I’m not sure if that’s a thing or if I made it up. What I mean is that IN your toy boxes/bins, try to keep five or less things . Typically this means to select five larger-ish toys, ideally with no “pieces” (I.e. puzzles, card games, etc.) – those are the ones that have been driving me nuts because they end up all over the house! Ugh. It’s tempting to fill the bins up to the brim, but we all know toys will appear out of no where, so they’ll fill up again in no time. But if we strive to keep them less-full, it will leave room for us to quickly stash things in a pinch. This goes for book-bins too (if you have small ones, anyway).

When deciding what toys or clothes to purge, ask yourself these questions:

Toys:

When is the last time your kids have played with this?
Will the kids miss this if it’s gone?
Does the toy work? (i.e. broken or need batteries?)
Do the kids like playing with it?

Clothing:

When is the last time you’ve worn this?
Do you know when the next time you’ll wear this is?
Is it in style NOW?
Do you love it? Not like it, but LOVE it?

If you answered no or “I don’t know” to any of these questions – GET IT OUTA HERE! But let me just say…I’m really good at telling you guys what to do, but I still struggle with actually doing this. I told you I’m a little bit of a hoarder. I get emotionally attached to things and fear that I’ll miss something the second I purge it (it’s happened!), but I truly believe you FEEL so much better once you clean up and clear out. Don’t you agree?

As for getting rid of a bunch of toys, especially in our main living rooms, I truly have noticed that it’s helped our kids be more engaging with US and I love that! Rather than dig through a box to find something to fill their time, they’re asking to play a game WITH us, or they’re going to the given areas that we prefer they play (a.k.a. make a mess). �� It’s been great and definitely contributes to a happier home.

So, who’s with me?! �� What are your tricks to stay junk-free or keep your house from becoming too cluttered? I could use all the advice because I’m pretty sure the room that I just organized is now cluttered again. #momlife

Happy purging!

XO! ��

~ Kara

BATH NIGHT MEAL. spaghetti.

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 14:33:00 GMT

I don’t always plan spaghetti on bath night, but when I do, I feel like a very smart mom. ha.

Let me start by saying I *L . O . V . E .* my instant pot. I was skeptical to get one and “learn” how to use it, but I am SO glad I did!

Okay so you know how everyone says spaghetti is suuuuch an easy meal to make?! *eye roll* I do not agree. Let me paint you a little picture of how spaghetti night used to go for me. I would have one pan browning the meat, one pan for gluten free noodles (for Cor), one pan for regular noodles, another microwavable pan to heat up the sauce *at just the right time*, a cookie sheet for garlic bread to put in the oven *at just the right time*, oh and don’t forget to make a salad! Time to strain the noodles! Now the timer is going off for who-knows-what. Don’t forget to flip the garlic bread! Baaaaaah! I’m sweating just thinking about it. Is there anyone else out there who feels like it was a lot to manage???!! I know I didn’t make it easy on myself by making two kinds of noodles, but even when I made one, it was stressful. Not to mention, the clean up! So. many. pans.

Not any more, my friends! Instant pot to the rescue! It has changed my whole life. �� Here’s what I do…

Brown the meat, usually/ideally way before dinner time. I actually split the pound of meat into two freezer bags, and then it’s super easy when it’s time to make dinner. 1/2 pound for this recipe seems to be perfect and feeds 4 of us, with leftovers usually.

This is what you’ll need: 1/2 pound of browned beef, one package of 12 oz noodles (*gf or regular), 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (any kind), a splash of olive oil, half jar of water, and that’s it !

Dump the meat in — I have the 6 quart instant pot so it just fills the bottom. Then, break the noodles in half and layer them over the meat

Then add a splash of olive oil over the noodles and try to mix the noodles around a bit. Next, dump a whole jar of spaghetti sauce over the noodles.

Fill a half jar of water, or a little more, and pour it slowly over the noodles – try to get all the noodles wet if you can. Full disclosure: you’ll probably have to play around with the water amount in your own instant pot to get it *just right.*

Then, make sure the thingamajig jig on the top is set to “sealing,” press “pressure cook” (high pressure) , and set to 7 minutes — it will start automatically. After the pressure is built up, which takes some time, it will start counting down from 7. It usually takes about a half hour total . While it’s cooking, you are free to make a salad and garlic bread, sweat-free! ��

When the timer goes off, you’ll want to turn the thingamajig to “venting” (watch out for the steam!) and then once that’s done, open the lid and stir it up!

Serve it up, add some mozzarella or parmesean and ENJOY!

Like I mentioned before, it can take some trial and error to get it just right, and sometimes you will get a few noodles that are clumped together, but otherwise I think it tastes great! And it’s SO EASY with the added bonus of a quick clean up. Win/win!

Let me know if you try it out. Eek – now I’m sweating hoping it turns out okay for you…

ENJOY! Xo!

~ Kara

LIPSTICK FOR YOUR DOORS. trim and hardware.

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 05:16:00 GMT

There were two doors in our house that needed some help. The first one, the door to our garage… ay-yay-yay, where do I begin? The door handle would get stuck often and become impossible to twist. So, basically, we felt locked IN our own house. Secondly, the cat door. Need I say more? We do not own a cat. Unfortunately you can’t really undo a thing like this, and buying a new door altogether seemed a little unnecessary (wood prices have gone way up due to COVID), but we needed to do SOMETHING.

New hardware was a “must” and since it always makes sense to match the door hinges to the handle, we bought oil-rubbed bronze hinges. We were not sad to see the discolored gold/brass hinges go. While the door was off the hinges anyway, we gave it a fresh coat of paint and WE PAINTED THE CAT DOOR!!!! We are geniuses! It helped so much to camoflauge the eye-sore!!

We also installed new, bigger trim, and I’m happy to report that the new hardware actually works! High-fives all around! �� We decided to get a keyless entry pad lock because we wanted to be able to lock and unlock the door without fumbling with keys, which has been so nice. The lock also has a bluetooth feature, which we haven’t set up yet (face-palm!), but it should be able to lock automatically when we are out of range (i.e. the garage) — cool, right??

Here’s a good side-by-side pic to show the before/after…

We also beautified the door to our backyard a bit. It actually had never been painted so we gave it some semi-gloss paint, new trim, new hinges, and new hardware and now she feels like a new woman! �� Kinda like wearing a fresh shade of lipstick – it’s still the same door, just prettier and ready to show off her smile, or um…door opening skills? Baha.

I just think these little updates make a huge difference; and the big chunkier trim is more our style. So, which is your favorite style door trim?? There are tons of styles, but this picture shows an overview of a few:

For the record, getting new doors, trim, hardware, etc. in our first house made one of the biggest impacts, in my opinion.

For this easy update, this is what’s needed:

Door hardware
Door hinges (x3)
Trim (your preference!)
Miter Saw
Nail Gun
Wood putty & caulk (for touch ups and smoothing)
Paint (semi-gloss for doors & trim)

So get your lipstick on and love your DOORS! **MUAH!** ��

Huge hugs! Xo!

~ Kara

PAINT. just do it.

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:02:00 GMT

Okay, I know everyone already knows that fresh paint can transform a space but I’m here to tell you to do it RIGHT NOW. haha.

One of the biggest regrets in my whole life (joking, obviously) is that we didn’t paint the interior walls of our old house sooner. We never liked the color that was throughout the whole house – it was a yellow-y tan color, which wasn’t hoooorrible, okay no wait, it was. We always knew we were going to repaint at some point and since paint is relatively inexpensive, it’s not like we didn’t have the money for it, we just…procrastinated. And of course life is busy and it’s not always easy to make time for these things, but listen here — you will NOT regret it. Ask yourself these questions:

Do you plan to paint it some day down the road? If you’re going to do it eventually, why not force yourself to do it soon so that you can ENJOY the fresh paint longer?
Do you want to sell or move out in the next few years? If you answered yes, then you probably SHOULD paint. It’s proven that houses sell better with a fresh coat of paint (ideally a nice neutral color). Trust me, there are enough things to do before you get ready to sell or move out, that the last thing you want to do is scramble to paint. It IS a lot of work, so now is the time! ��
Do you hate the current color? Don’t live with something you hate! Please.
Do you have the time to do it or the budget to hire a professional? By all means… go. for. it. ��

Like I said, we wished we had painted way sooner than we did. The transformation did WONDERS for the space and went so much better with our furniture and decor color scheme. I tooootally understand that the task can seem daunting though, but I remember us saying “That wasn’t as bad as we thought!” And when we painted the whole main floor of our current house, we found a really good podcast to listen to and just painted, painted, painted after the kids went to bed. It was fun (but luckily, we are night owls)! And it’s toootally bonding time for couples – at least that’s what I tell Cory. ��

In case you’re curious of some of my favorite paint colors, here they are. We've used each of these colors somewhere in our home (new or old house), so I can personally recommend these. If you hover over the color, you'll see the name of it. Let me know if you have questions about where we used these colors, etc. I LOVE talking paint colors and looking at swatches! ��

Benjamin Moore Colors:

Other Paint Brands: (hover over color)

Okay, I think that’s all I have to say about painting. It’s just the easiest and cheapest thing to transform a space. Go for it! You can thank me later. �� And call me if you want a painting buddy!

XO!

~ Kara

WHAT’S COOKIN’ GOOD LOOKIN’. kitchen remodel.

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 16:52:00 GMT

I'm pulling out the big guns already, guys. I’m going to tell you about the biggest and best remodel in our house – our kitchen. Remodeling our kitchen has CHANGED me. I, Kara, now like to cook!! It’s a miracle.

You see, in our first house, the kitchen was itsy-bitsy and a little bit ugly-bugly. �� Although we dreamed of re-doing it for the eight years we lived there, we put our time and effort into other areas of the house. Once we started looking for a new house, we knew we wanted to prioritize having a nice big kitchen since we hadn’t had that before.

We instantly fell in love with our current house when we saw it, despite the kitchen not being quite as functional as we would have liked. We were committed, however, to making some changes to achieve the kitchen we dreamed of – but it would have to be on a budget, of course.

This is the kitchen before we moved in – it was nice! The cabinets were fairly new and were even the “shaker” style we liked.

The layout on the other hand was a bit wonky. The closet with double doors (below) is oh, ya know, just the WASHER and DRYER!?? Weird, yes? The island was also in a bit of an awkward place that didn’t utilize the space well.

SO, we moved the washer and dryer to the perfect little area in our basement, and knocked out that area altogether. Bye bye closet and small pantry and HELLO space for a giant island!

We worked with an amazing contractor and cabinet lady who helped make our dreams come true for this space. It was SO FUN to plan everything and pick out all the details.

I’ll just show you a series of before and afters, cause who doesn’t love that?! HERE WE GO! ��

before…

after…

before…

after…

before…

after…

before…

after…

We were able to keep the existing cabinets and painted them white, which saved a ton of money.

before…

after…

before…

after…

My favorite “feature” that we added was this brick entryway from the dining room into the kitchen. It went from a small pocket door to THIS. Dream come true. Literally – I’ve dreamt of a brick archway to put SOMEwhere for years! And it truly wasn’t too much extra to add this, so it never hurts to ask or look into. You won’t regret it!

We didn’t get new appliances right away to spread out the cost and we wanted to use the old appliances as long as possible, but then we got THESE bad boys earlier this year. They are called Café Matte White – a GE line – and I’m in love with them. One of my good friends, who also shares my love for this line, said, and I quote: “I love those appliances like I love my own children.” bahahahahaha. But I SO agree. ��

And in true Kara-fashion, I had the new shelving around the window and other spaces decorated BEFORE the project was fully complete. I just COULDN’T wait, and we’ve been loving it ever since.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this space transformed. It was so much fun to see it come to life. Now WHO wants to come over for dinner?! ��

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

SECRET FAMILY RECIPE. lasagna.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:37:00 GMT

You guys are about to be let in on a little family secret. The easiest lasagna EVER, which happens to be the BEST lasagna ever. You’re welcome. And when I say it’s the easiest to make, I’ve never actually made any other kind, sooooo there’s that. But I DO think it’s easy and the name on the recipe card said “Easy,” so I believed it, okay? Moving along….

I love lasagna because a lot of times you’ll have the ingredients in the house. I’m not big on exact amounts for this recipe…just eye-ball it and do what feels right! That’s what’s great about this recipe! You’ll need:

30 oz. Spaghetti sauce – whatever kind you like!
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
Lasagna noodles (regular or gluten free)
16 oz. Cottage cheese (small curd)
Mozzarella cheese (lots of it!)
Pinch of Oregano or Basil

Step 1: Spray the 9×13′ pan with non-stick spray.

Step 2: Add a thin layer of tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce to the pan.

Step 3: THIS is what makes the recipe easy because you don’t have to cook the lasagna noodles first. All you do is run them under warm water and then layer the noodles over the sauce. (These noodles are gluten free, in case you wonder why they aren’t ruffle-y like normal lasagna noodles).

Step 4: Add a layer of meat (I like to use a combo of Italian sausage and ground beef, but either is great!

Step 5: Add a layer of pasta sauce.

Step 6: Add a layer of cottage cheese (this recipe uses cottage cheese in place of Ricotta, which I’m not a huge fan of, but you could use that too, if you’d like).

Step 7: Add a layer of mozzarella cheese. (I forgot this step but will go ahead and act like I forgot on purpose, m-kay?!)

Next: Repeat all layers (noodles, beef, cottage cheese, spa ghetti sauce).

Last: Top with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle a little oregano or basil on top too.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered with foil for 1 hour. You’ll want to cook uncovered for the last 5-10 minutes to make sure the edges are golden, but you do you. You’ll know when it’s done. ��

Mmmmm. I’m drooling just thinking about this. I started making this recipe for my college roommates and made it a ton once we got married and it was always a hit. Someone once asked me “how many pounds of cheese do you use for this?” lol. I never said it was low-calorie, okay?!

I hope you love it as much as we do! Bon appétit!

Huge hugs! XO! ��

~ Kara

SHOES OFF. mudroom remodel.

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 17:41:00 GMT

Mudrooms are THE greatest, don’t you think? It forces everyone to take their shoes off right away and hang up all the extra junk so it’s not thrown all around the house – that’s the idea anyway. Our old house had a mudroom space that we transformed, so this is something we really miss. In remembrance of that lovely room, I wanted to share the project in case YOU have a space like this that can be transformed. It would be SO worth it.

So, what became the mudroom was actually our laundry area before this project. I say “area,” cause it wasn’t an actual room — it was more like a closet. With sliding doors. That didn’t slide. It was obnoxious. Oh, and this area was right off the living room and let me tell you — our washing machine sounded like a JET was taking off IN our house when it would run. All this to say, we weren’t sad to move the washer and dryer to our basement to make this adjustment.

Okay I’ll show you the “before” but please don’t judge the mess, or the fact that the shelves were buckling from the weight of crapola on them. bahaha.

Before...

For this project, we hired an awesome contractor to build the bench, shelves, etc. but we did the demo, painting and staining of the bench.

Ready for the after?? Brace yourselves… ��

AFTER...

Isn’t it great?! So open and airy, although I wish I could say it always looked this clean and tidy. It was super functional for our family so that’s what made us love it. It was right off the garage so we could come in and kick our shoes off into our designated space. We used the baskets up top to organize winter gear (hats, gloves, scarves, etc.). Oh, and I found the cute little dog-butt at a boutique, which was the best way to incorporate the whole family at the time.

Anyway, that’s a wrap! Do YOU have a space like this that can be transformed or made into something more functional for your family? I say dooooo it!

Huge hugs! XO!

~ Kara

DINNER TIME. games

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:43:00 GMT

For this post I wanted to share something that helps contribute to a happy home at dinner time, because it can be a chaotic time. If you have little ones, you feel me, right?

My boys (ages 6 and 3) sometimes have a hard time staying seated at dinner time, especially if they finish their food before everyone else. In order to keep their attention and make fun dinner time memories, we play a few games.

I think I got some of these ideas from a chick-fil-a game, so I definitely can’t take credit. Chick-fil-a saves the day AGAIN.

Hide-n-Seek : No, we aren’t running around the house hiding while someone else finishes their dinner, but we are “hiding” in our imaginations. Someone will choose a place in the house – anywhere – and we have to guess where they’re hiding (yes or no questions only). Sometimes it’s quick (like when Markus (age 3) blurts out, “I’m in the oven!”) and sometimes it takes forever when a much more conspicuous place is chosen. It’s so fun! Give it a try!
I’m Thinking of… : I’m sure you’ve played some variation of this game. One person says a category like, “I’m thinking of an Animal.” And then the other people try to guess by asking yes/no questions only. Another good time killer. ��
Count to 10 Game : This is a personal fave that my family played growing up. Ideally you play this with 4 or more people and you simply count to ten BUT you can’t say more than one number in a row and if two people say a number at the same time, then you have to start back at one. There should be no pattern or order to the counting; each person just needs to blurt out a number, whenever they feel like it. It’s harder than you think! And quite fun! And if you don’t think it’s fun, then you’re doing it wrong. ha!

I hope this helps! Do you know of another good conversation game to play? Please let me know, if so. I would love to learn more since kids seem to want dinner EVERY NIGHT. Sheesh. �� Oh, and the bonus is that these games can also be played on road trips, waiting in lines, etc. too!

Here’s to some fun and peaceful(ish) dinners with your little ones.

XO!
~Kara

The BEST Homemade Taco Seasoning - the whole family will love!

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 19:52:00 GMT

Are you all ready for a little grown up craft? GET EXCITED. Okay, so did you ever make one of these as a kid?

Wasn’t it so fun to pick different colors and watch the pattern develop? No? Just me? Okay, well this recipe is just like that kiddy project from yester-year. One of my favorite things to do is make homemade taco seasoning because LOOK. AT .THIS.

Ooooh. Aaaaaaah. It’s just so beautiful, isn’t it?! What’s even better is that it tastes delicious, if I do say so myself. �� My hubby raves about it, so you may want to give it a try.

Need more convincing?

It’s free from msg, preservatives, and anything artificial. And it’s gluten free!!
Kids love to help. They think it’s slightly less cool than I do, though. Whatever. Make sure everyone gets a turn to shake it up! That’s fun too!
It makes a great gift! Sometimes I’ve filled a small jar and tied a cute ribbon around and voilá!

First, gather the ingredients, obviously. I usually keep all of these spices together in a separate place to make sure I always have what I need for this recipe. Be sure to take note of what’s low when you’re done so you can re-stock. Taco seasoning is LIFE!

Recipe:

4 Tbsp. Chili powder
2 Tbsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. Cumin
2 Tbsp. Oregano (or basil!)
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
(optional) Add chili flakes if you’re feeling extra spicy!

I’m sure you know what to do, but if not, mix all ingredients together – shake shake shake! Store in an airtight container, like the Ball jar I used. **TIP: I use a 28oz jar, which requires this recipe x4 to fill the whole jar.** Add 3 Tablespoons of the mix and 1/2 cup of water to 1 lb of ground beef, turkey or venison . If you’re fancy, you can cook with 1/2 diced onion. Then stir, simmer, and SAVOR (did you like my use of alliteration there?!)

ENJOY! XO!

~ Kara

WALLPAPER. permanent vs. peel-n-stick.

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:12:00 GMT

I thought it would be appropriate to share about my experience with wallpaper since it’s becoming quite the trend. And I must say I LOVE it. It can completely transform a space, and I weirdly think it’s fun to apply. In fact, last summer, Cory took our boys camping so Lyndi (our bambino) and I had the weekend to ourselves – Score! Girls weekend! So, guess what was the one thing I dreamed of doing with my free time?? WALLPAPER, of course! Wouldn’t everyone?! I summoned my parents to come over and help which was a LIFESAVER (thank you Ma & Pa!)New Paragraph

before…

(before we moved in)

after…

What do you think? I LOVE how it turned out. I used this wallpaper and would highly recommend it. It’s thick and durable and was easy to match the pattern when applying.

I also wallpapered a half bath in our first house with my mother-in-law (shout out!). This was my first stab at it, which totally got me hooked. I looooved this paper . And I loved this bathroom because Cory did all the trim and wainscoting – he’s amazing! ��

Anyhoo – both of these projects used “permanent wallpaper,” rather than the peel-and-stick or “removable” kind, so they should last a long long time. Fingers crossed.

Speaking of peel-and-stick >>insert groans and eye rolls<<, I had a terrible experience with it. Or maybe I got a bad batch or something? If you’re not familiar with “peel-and-stick wallpaper,” it’s literally that – you peel it off paper, like a sticker, and stick it to the wall. It has no paste on the back, like regular wallpaper, that you have to get wet before applying. Since it’s more like a sticker, the benefit is that it’s much easier to remove from the wall when you get sick of it. I did peel-and-stick paper in our baby girl’s nursery and it was the cutest, loveliest, most perfect pattern. Just look!

I was all heart-eyes for this wallpaper and it welcomed home our baby girl, Lyndi Sue, in all of it’s pink and flowery glory.

Then, one day I walked into her room and a whole sheet was ON the floor. The floor! *Gasp!* I stuck it back on the wall and pretended it was a bad dream, but little by little, the paper started to peel off. *Cue the sobs.*

Since then, I’ve been adding double-sided tape to “bandaid” the problem, and even bought permanent wallpaper paste to use in some areas.

So, let me address a few questions you may be having. Eh-hem..

1 . Was it something you did wrong? Why yes, I think that may have been part of the problem. The instructions recommended to wipe down the walls before applying the wallpaper. Did we do that? No way. Who has time for that? Lol. So MAYBE that was part of the problem.

2. Would you do peel-and-stick again? Call me crazy, but I think I would. I don’t mean to scare anyone away from doing this, especially if you want to “get your feet wet” and experiment with wallpaper. I think it would be great for a play space, small accent wall, even a closet! Anywhere that you don’t want to totally commit to a pattern long-term. I would probably stay away from a large bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere that would get moist from steam as that would probably contribute to peeling faster.

3. What should I keep in mind if I try peel-and-stick? I would say do what I didn’t do. Ha! Wipe down your walls first and make sure they have plenty of time to dry. If you have no texture on your walls, you could even try sanding the surface to give it some extra grip.

In conclusion, here are my recommendations, since I’m a pro and all. ��

Permanent Wallpaper (the “get wet and apply” kind):

Use on big statement areas, like an accent wall in a living room or anywhere that you couldn’t reach easily if it started to peel up top.
Use in large bathrooms or kitchen areas that may get moist – it will hold much better.

Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper (the “peel and stick”, kind) hahaha:

Use if you’re feeling brave and trying a bold pattern that you may not want a few years down the road. You’ll be glad you don’t have to get a steamer and chisels out when you want to remove it. ha.
Use in small areas that may not require such a permanent solution to spice up a space. (I’m thinking of an area like a shoe cubby in a closet or an accent wall in the basement). I may or may not have these projects in mind.
Use anywhere that you’re okay with some “up-keep” like potentially applying some double-sided tape or adding Elmers glue in some areas to keep from peeling. When it comes time to take the wallpaper down, it will still require much less time than it does to remove the permanent kind.

Again, I’m not trying to scare anyone away from the peel-and-stick removable kind, but I wanted to share my experience with it. I would LOVE to hear from you guys though – has anyone out there wallpapered? Which kind? Has it stayed up?? Tell me everything!

I hope this helps a bit for anyone who may be wanting to wallpaper but hasn’t known which kind is best for them. Maybe some time I can do a tutorial on applying wallpaper, if that would be helpful? I’m sure there will be other places I’ll use it in our house.

Happy wallpapering! Thanks for reading! XO! ��

~ Kara

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. the love of creating.

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 03:45:00 GMT

Does anyone remember the game, "The Sims"? I LOVED that game as a kid/teenager. #dontjudge

Originally, it was a computer game and then it came out on Xbox, so I begged for it one Christmas. For those of you who aren't familiar with the game , it is (and I quote)...

“A life simulation game of the daily activities of one or more virtual people, called 'Sims.' Players can control customizable Sims as they pursue career and relationship goals.”

��That’s fancy talk for “virtual Barbies” (basically). My favorite part of the game was building homes from scratch for my Sim family to live in. I would spend hours planning the layout, building, adding furniture, artwork, plants, and any other cutesy thing I could add.

Once the house was built, then I could control my Sim. Usually my life goal would be to make her flirt with the guy next door, get married, make them smooch and then WA-BAM, they had a baby! The end. You would also have to remember to water your plants, take the trash out, go to work, etc. Basically, real life! I would play for hourssss.

The whole reason I bring up this game is because each Sim had a Wellness panel . The panel would show how they were doing in categories such as: Hunger, Bladder, Energy, Comfort, Environmen t, and a few others. So, if the Sim really had to “go” (if ya know what I mean), they would be low in the Bladder category and you would tell them to go tinkle. You get the idea.

The Environment category is the one I want to highlight. If the house you created was, well, a pig sty, or just plain ugly, the Sim’s Environment category would immediately go in the “red.” Their Energy and Comfort level would suffer as well.

THIS IS MY WHOLE POINT, PEOPLE. The environment we live in matters to our overall Wellness! If we love the space we live in, I believe we will be happier and healthier as we nourish the relationships around us.

But I firmly believe that a beautiful home does *not* need to cost millions or consist of all brand-new items. I'm passionate about thrifting, DIYing, and getting creative to achieve the look and feel that you love. It can be done on any budget, promise! I'd love to show you how.

I hope to equip and inspire you to love your space to the MAX.

Huge hugs, my friends! Xo!

~ Kara

Kara VanDyke Blog

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