brown eggs

M just walked in and said, "I can't believe you're posting pictures of eggs."
I never, ever said I was very interesting or had complex interests.  I think eggs are about as simple as you can get, but brown eggs, now they're a step above.  Don't they just say, "From the farm eatin'!"?

Like when you watch Martha bake, she'd never be caught with a neutral, white egg.  No, no.  Each egg must have a different tan tint to distinguish them as natural, fresh, and wholesome.

I've been making frittatas (or nelly frittatos as M calls them) lately and would like to try quiche.  Even using brown eggs to make chocolate chip cookies makes me feel a bit ritzy.  (You know from Nestle Tollhouse.... remember that episode of Friends when Monica tries to figure out Phoebe's family recipe, and it was the one on the package?  Ha-to-the-ha.)

So check back for my upcoming egg-celent recipes of what I make this weekend.  If you like eggs, anyway.

....& a time to plant.

My mom brought me a bag of daffodil bulbs.  I have to plant them sometime before the first frost, do you think that's doable?  Probably.  But I can't possibly plant them without a detailed, thought-out plan for the the whole yard, can I?

So now I have a deadline.  That's definitely a good thing.  So I ask, what other plants look good with daffodils?  Should I color coordinate?  Should I do a wildflower prairie look?  Should I go with what I think is pretty and hope all goes well?  Should the flower beds border the yard or should I be more creative?  Should I stagger what blooms throughout the year?

Who knew a bag of bulbs could lead to so many thoughts?  I think I might be over-thinking this whole gardening thing!

last friday night

A lot of people's Friday nights are reserved for dramatic "Thank God!" activities, like dinner, dancing, movies... craziness.

Here's how I spent last Friday.

First, I made a raspberry coffee cake.  Raspberry's are becoming my new hydrangea, I love to photograph them.

After, I headed to the backyard with a cold chai latte (the first of many).

I sat beneath our healthy tree.

With a good read.

Soon after reading the contents page, I got distracted by how cute my dog is.  Sorry, but I'm obsessive.  But really, I don't take pictures of myself, so my dog is really the next best thing.  There's a lot.  So feel free to zone out.  Now.

How does an animal lay like this and remain comfortable?  Wish I could ask her.

I own this grass!  And I should mow it... or M should mow it;)

I like these in-the-grass shots.  The life of a dog is goo-oo-ood.

 Scared of the edge... aren't we all?

 Daydreaming.

So that was my Friday night, what'd you do?

voila, take it design sponge.

Hello there.  Do you ever find yourself in the car, spacing out (hopefully not too much), only to land your eyes on free furniture on a curb that has no home, but a lot of potential?

Here's the found free chair.

(It's a little tired.)

Initially, I thought I could strip the existing varnish and stain the chair's frame a dark brown to hide the wood's imperfections.  Well, it wasn't that successful and after too much intake of toxic fumes (never going to get those brain cells back... wondering if I was using them anyway..?) I gave up.

Back-up plan?  Paint.  I love paint.  I love painted furniture.  Always looks great.

So I knew I wanted to upholster the seat and back with navy and white mattress ticking, seeing as it's my favorite fabric of all time.  I chose a neutral warm, oatmeal-y color for the frame, Martha Stewart's "Snail Shell"and well, voila!

Some details.

Cost of upholstery: ($4 in fabric, $4 in piping)

I love these two fabrics together.

Cost of frame paint: ($11, although I used very little and plan to use the rest in various other projects.)

 Do you like all the materials going on?  Kind of digging the mix of wicker baskets, brick, white wood work, and of course, the chair.

Total cost of project, I figure is roughly $10.  (Considering how much paint actually went into it; the only other materials used were staples and fabric glue.)

I've got the upholstering bug.  It's so fun and gratifying!

Do you happen to have any old, beat-up, ugly furniture you don't want?  Do you yourself dumpster dive or scout out garage sales?  I may never buy furniture again.... But please don't hold me to that;)

nora/sally, jane/meryl & their houses

I have two (fictional) women that I’d like to emulate.  Of course they’re perfect, they’re made up.  But who cares, I think they’re great.

Nora Walker is the matriarch of the Walker family on "Brothers and Sisters"… my all time favorite show (now canceled, I cry).  Sally Field plays her so well and is just the cutest woman, who happens to be a perfect cook, mother, decorator, entertainer, counselor… on the show.  She’s liberal and married a Republican, which is why she has her social ideals but lives in her gorgeous and incredibly large Pasadena home.  She’s fiery and gets flustered a lot, but we’re always reminded by the end of the episode that she’s very loving and wise.

Here’s a few pictures of Nora, Sally, and their homes:

The home of the Walker clan:

Well, the kitchen basically is the Walker's home!

{Isn't Sally adorable?}


{Sally, you do the Farrah-do great justice.}

 And isn't her home baa-utiful?  Which room is your favorite?  Mine's the kitchen, although the bathroom (maybe it looks more like a "powder room") is a close second.

While I love the East Coast, I seem to really love southern California.  Played by the wonderfully talented Meryl Streep, Jane Adler from "It's Complicated" is my second “ideal” woman who lives in the most beautiful Mediterranean inspired home (which for some reason she's having remodeled to be better... possible?).  

Jane and her house:

She’s a mother too and owns her own bakery, “The Bakery.”  In "It’s Complicated" she makes everything French, including chocolate croussaints, which I was inspired to make and found out I'm no Jane.  I love her clothes and her life, minus her ending up with Steve Martin.

Check out the best movie homes.  I particularly love the beach home in "Something's Gotta Give."  Can you see why?!?

What are your favorite movie & TV houses?  And are you delusional like me and start to believe you live in them?