White House Christmas 2011

The White House Christmas Tour 2011 is on HGTV tonight, check your local listings.  The theme this year is Shine, Give, Share. 

I love the dog made of buttons.

 The Gingerbread House.

 The dog made out of I don't know what.  But love it.

Check your local listings.

Weekend Project Rusting a Medicine Cabinet

I love this rusted medicine cabinet in the photo below.  (Sorry don't know where it is from).  But I love it.  Thinking of making it my weekend project in my back office bathroom.

My sad  little medicine cabinet.

Different view of the medicine cabinet.  I think it would look nice rusted.  Thoughts?

I Spy Christmas Puzzle - Under The Tree

At the Holidays I like to have a puzzle going.  I ran across this I Spy Under The Tree Puzzle, and thought it was cute.  500 pieces and ages 7 and up.  Ok, I want to meet the 7 year old that can do this puzzle.  Still trying to get the border together.  Really - hard puzzle.  Anyone else do a puzzle during the cold months?  I like to do one, to keep me from watching to much TV, and surfing on the internet too much.  What fun Holiday things do you do?

Painting Support Pole - Johnny Pole

I have a support pole or Johnny Pole in my family room.  Over the years, we have seen them disguised many ways.  Truth is, short of pulling out the ceiling and putting in new beams, we are stuck with it.  It came with the house.  It dictates furniture placement etc. and it is an eyesore.  I have painted it chalk paint, white, colors, it still stands out.  We even saw one at a parade of homes that was done in chrome (that one looked like a stripper pole).  The other day while looking at my curtains (all hung on copper pipe) I thought - Copper.  So, I painted it copper.  Cost, less than $7.00, such a bargain.  Check it out below.  Before, the white pole.



 Different view of the ugly white pole.

I used the martha Stewart Living Metallic Paint Copper Red, because I wanted a weathered copper finish not a shiny penny finish.  So, to get the darker color, I first painted the pole brown.  There it is painted brown.  You can see my copper curtain rod in the background, also the copper curtain rods on the patio that hold the outdoor curtains.

For the under coat of brown, I just used a $1, sample from Home Depot, they had mixed it for someone and it was wrong, so I got it for $1.  Worked great for me.  Painted the pole brown.  See it above.

Here it is close up with the brown, and the copper put on I am sure I am going to like it, I did a small test before I painted the whole pole brown, just in case I wasn't going to like it.  But I did.

Here's a shot in the light, it really is metallic.

Fully painted metallic.  Like I said, I have copper rods, holding my curtains, inside, as well as the ones outside on the patio, that you can see thru the window.

 Martha Stewart's metallic Paint Copper Red.

An inspiration photo of a pole in a family room.  Love theirs.

One project down, many more to go.

Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

This is an easy fun recipe. My daughter introduced me to this pasta salad when she was in college, a local pizza place made it, and we have made it since then. It is great because you can add in anything you want. Anyone who knows me, knows I am not a good cook, but this one is a no fail recipe.

This is a cold pasta salad. However, you can make it, serve it hot (add cheese when serving). Then cool, and add fresh parm, and serve as a leftover.

-Pasta of your choice, (the restaurant uses penne rigatone, I have also used bow tie). I do like the carb friendly pasta, but that is a dietary choice.

-Your choice of pesto, I have tried the store brands, but always come back to Classico, love the garlic in it.

-1 bag of steam in bag broccoli florettes.

-Fresh Parm, and some jarred parm.

-Tomatoes, olives, chicken, pepperoni, anything you might want to add in.

-Cook your pasta. Steam your broccoli. Drain pasta, then pesto to pasta while warm, stir in cooked broccoli (if broccoli is watery drain first). Add as much pesto as you would like, I cooked 2 cups of pasta and used about 1/2 a jar of pesto. Now cool in fridge. **this is the point you can serve warm for dinner, and add cheese as needed. Otherwise cool in fridge.

-After it has cooled, add a tablespoon of the grated parm from jar (you know like you use on spaghetti). Then a handfull of the fresh parm and mix it up. This is to taste.

-Now any add-ins you want. Olives (my personal fav, but was out), tomatoes, pepperoni, chicken, you name it, you add it. Put back in fridge and serve cold.

Great to just grab out of fridge and eat.  Enjoy.

Need to Update your Couch -- Pillows

Need a quick update to your couch?  Pillows.  Easy update, fun and easy to change.  Yes, I love pillows.  It is said that guys don't.  Well girls do.  Pillows are an easy update.  Bolster pillows are great on the ends, and a fun addition to any chair or couch.  You can find pillows on sale at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, even Cost Plus World Market, I also saw some at Costco the other day.  Not feeling pillows, try some throws.  Throws look great all year.  Enjoy.

This one below is my favorite.  Love it.

 Love this one too.

 Below, Lauren Santo Domingo, Apartment Therapy.

 Below, Sunset Magazine.

Enjoy.  Happy Monday.

Displaying Lighted Christmas Houses - Department 56

My house has a pass thru dining room.  You must walk/pass thru it to get anywhere in the house.  So the dining table seemed like the perfect place to display my Lighted Christmas Houses.  It started years ago when we put the Halloween ones there, I kind of like it, so I put the Christmas ones there this year.  Yes, I normally tape down the cord, etc, and cover with a rug, still working on that part.

I feel like a cat lady however, because, this is just a small part of my collection.  A few of my favorites.  I have at least this amount and more still in the Christmas storage.  But, this year, I want simple.  I did a simple tree in red in the back family room.  The one thing that is hard about decorating for the Holidays, is moving the stuff, and storing it while the Christmas is out. That is major. 

Oh, well on to the houses.

I actually use colored lights in them.  That also started after Halloween, as I share the cords between the 2 and liked the colored lights so much better.  A little more festive.

I wasn't going to put them out.  But now I am glad that I did.  They make me smile.

:)