wine & redesign -

QUICK TIP: Immortal Plant

The verdict is still out as to whether or not I have a green thumb, but according to my Zanzibar Plant, I can do no wrong. About 6 months ago, I cut two stems from my Zanzibar Plant, (because they looked sad and lopsided), and placed them in an olive oil jar I filled with water. These two CUT stems, are still going strong! Can you believe it?

So, I have decided to dedicate this quick tip to the wonderful Zanzibar, AKA the immortal plant. Here’s a pic of mine in my house:

You can buy this type of plant at Home Depot for fairly cheap. I apologize - I can’t remember the price because it’s been so long … and Zanzibar is still alive! She’s so good to me.

A cool trait about this plant is that sometimes it develops leopard-like spots on the stem.

Here’s a better picture of my minimal arrangement. It’s perfect for a guest bathroom or small table. I put this in the master bath and it feels very spa-like. It’s quite perfect for anyone who may be green-thumb-challenged. Just remember - this plant likes shade. I’ve never put it in full sunlight. Cheers!

PROJECT: Breakfast Nook Table

I finally did it - I FINALLY refinished this old, oak table. As you can see, it had a ton of water stains that needed to go away. It’s also an easy project if you have a power sander. Just buff the table surface down to the raw wood and polyurethane it. Speaking of power sanders … I think this could be one of the most brilliant inventions ever. They’re fairly cheap and you can even get a decent used one at a local garage sale. I actually inherited mine, (SCORE), because every daughter should inherit their family’s power sander. Anyhoo, time for the pics …

Do you see the lovely water stains?

TA DAAA! My breakfast nook has a very narrow space, so I eliminated the side leaves on the table. My mom lectured me about this, (“You’ll need that extra space someday when you have kids!”), but what’s done is done. I like the table without the leaves because then I can put seating on either side including this bench I refinished. Same method - buff away at it for a few minutes with a power sander and then polyurethane it. I skipped staining both pieces because I liked the color of the natural wood. Also, by painting the legs of the table, I saved a bunch of time as opposed to having it all the same wood color. I think painting the legs adds interest as well.

Here’s a close-up so you can see the wood grain.

Above shows without the bench and the polyurethane.

And of course my cat Atom does not appreciate it when I’m not focusing all my attention on him, so he had to get in on a shot.

CELEBRATORY WINE: Ardeche Chardonnay, $12. This is a French chardonnay, so it packs a different taste than the oak-buttery flavor most people are familiar with from California chards. It’s very dry with a full body and a hint of vanilla. This is a great wine to give to someone who prefers chardonnay - it opens up the possibilities of what a chardonnay can taste like. Just like the table - refinishing it made it into something completely unexpected … no leaves and all.

PROJECT: Custom Clock

After remodeling our kitchen, I had a big empty space above my cooktop. See below:

Since the majority of my kitchen is earth tones, I really wanted to jazz it up with a bright cobalt blue. I had my heart set on a big blue clock. The down side was that all the clocks I found were either too small, too expensive, or too much of a blast from the past, (ie. eighties - and not in a good way). While at Hobby Lobby, I stumbled upon a clock that was half off, ($60 total). I’m mad at myself because I was a bad blogger and I didn’t take a before picture, (ARGH)! I was so excited I just started painting….

The area I’m painting over had some text written on it. Something like, “Old Clock Co. est. 1842.”

I carefully painted within the clock lines.

Here it is on the wall drying. Then I noticed…the hands disappear!!! So, I colored the clock hands with oil-based silver marker.

The blue looks slightly darker in these pictures than in person. Here’s what it looks like in the kitchen:

Now I need to put out various blue plates to tie it all in. I’m also working on my breakfast nook which carries this blue. See pillow pics here.

WINE RECOMMENDATION: Duck Pond Cabernet Sauvignon, about $14.50 per bottle. This is a friendly cab at a great price. My husband and I really liked the 2009, but the 2010 doesn’t disappoint. CHEERS!

Check out this custom bow tie by artist Nicholas Ruiz. Now there’s a new idea on how to use your leftover corks!

Source: lostateminor.com

Hey Everyone - I’ve been so busy with moving to my new house, (yes, the orange one), that I will have to lean on some other great bloggers to help me out. I found this blog by GypsySoulInteriors.com and it ROCKS! Click on her link below to see the full article. I might have to give this a try for my dining room or guest bedroom! CHEERS! - Anne

plumetisbazaar:

Painted Chevron Rug Tutorial (via Painted Chevron Rug Tutorial)

Reblogged from plumetisbazaar

Yummy Home Decor

A lot of people really enjoyed my previous post, Yummy Pillows. I don’t know why - but food translated as something other than food is a recipe for cute. So, I decided to explore some more food-related home decor, and here’s what I found:

Gregory Han on Apartment Therapy posted about this very same food fascination! From top left, there’s a pad that resembles toast for your “butter-pat” Post-Its. Or to the right, I love this egg yolk-inspired wax candle. Then there’s the chocolate bar-inspired bench and the pizza rug.

Every bedroom should have this BLT bed with…is that a “plate” rug? Crazy! This one was featured on a blog called IReallyLikeFood.com.

It’s a cupcake chair! This one cracks me up and I found it on www.chairblog.eu.

Etsy shop owner Brooke Abboud creates this fun Baked Potato Bean Bag Chair w/ Butter Pillow. She also has some other awesome stuff inspired by food including an asparagus scarf!

I thought these cherry pie coasters by Etsy Shop HeartStrings Handmade were adorable. Here are some of their other cute food-inspired coasters by them:

Chocolate chip cookie coasters!

It’s a bagel and lox coaster!

And last, but not least, the orange slice coasters - perfect for an afternoon tea.

I have found that Etsy has a plethora of food-inspired goodies. Till next time…CHEERS!

DIY : BOW TIE NAPKINS

Here’s a cute and simple way to make your table a bit more “formal” for entertaining. Below is the original blog. CHEERS!

merrybrides:

These napkins folded into bow ties are such an adorable way of adding some memorable style to your wedding reception tables.

Instructions:

Spread a dinner napkin out, lying flat. Fold opposite sides in so they meet at the center. Then fold again at the center to form a narrow,…

Reblogged from merrybrides

THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE EVER!

I realize my blog focuses on wine, but I had to take a pause and share with you THE BEST hot chocolate EVER! Since I’m not a fan of coffee, I’ve had a lot of hot chocolates in my life. Behold … the chocolate miracle:

I couldn’t resist, (I had a few guzzling sips before taking this pic). Notice the yummy chocolate shavings slowly melting away on the twist of whipped cream. This drink is called the Mint Best Hot Chocolate, (shown above and appropriately named). So, you probably want to know who is behind this - none other than Mouse’s Chocolates & Coffee located in the tiny mountain town of Ouray, Colorado.

I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that you can order their chocolates online, (SCORE)! The bad news is you obviously can’t order the hot chocolate. Consider this just another reason to visit Colorado! CHEERS!

PROJECT: Mason Jar & Chalk

I saw on Pinterest this great idea to create chalkboard labels on Mason jar glass. The problem was, I knew it would take time taping off all those perfectly centered rectangles - I’m just not that patient. So, I created a quick and easy alternative.

What you need:

- Mason jar(s)

- Spray Paint Primer

- Chalkboard spray paint

- Chalk

I started by removing the center lid circles and laying them out on a piece of cardboard like this:

I’ll be honest, I spray painted the chalkboard paint directly on top of these circles, but I think it would be better to go with a thin coat of primer first. After the primer dries, apply two coats of the Chalkboard Spray Paint. I used Krylon’s Chalkboard Spray Paint.

Once you’ve applied two coats of the chalkboard paint, allow it to dry 24 hours. Since I’m not patient I tried to push this, but alas, 24 hours IS really what the paint needs.

Now reassemble the jar and grab some chalk and go. I like to put the name of the food along with the expiration date.

I also found that I like labeling the jars on the top because you’re less likely to scuff out your writing, (from grabbing the jar).

CHEERS!

QUICK TIP: Bath Salts

My husband and I normally have a bag of Epson Salts by our bath tub to soothe minor aches and pains. Usually my husband will pour THE ENTIRE BAG into the bath, (that’s a lot), but recently he did not and I was left with a crummy, half-used plastic bag next to the tub. So, I had a thought …

I went to Marshall’s and picked up this beautiful tall glass jar for … (wait for it) $12.99! Those type of stores, (Marshall’s, Ross, TJ Maxx), are THE BEST for shopping for cheap household accessories.

I purchased the stainless steel scoop from The Container Store for $12.99. I think I could have found a cheaper option, (they had clear plastic scoops for about $2), but my heart was set on this steel one.

I poured the remaining bag and TA-DA!

Now I have an organized way to store my Epson Salt. Oh…and the salt sparkles, (and it’s cheaper than buying fancy bath salts from a spa)! I’m thinking about buying some more cheap glass containers to add things like a bar of soap and some rolled wash cloths. CHEERS!