Love and Life at Leadora

15 Ways to Tie a Scarf

2012-03-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading this little blog for awhile, you know by now that I enjoy baking, decorating, and crafting. I bet that you didn't now that I love wearing scarves!

Wearing a scarf makes dressing so much easier. A scarf, cardigan, t shirt and jeans is my go to outfit. I always feel put together when I wrap that scarf around. In fact, a scarf is kind of like a cherry on top of a sundae!

One of the best things about scarves is that you can tie them all different ways. Not sure how to tie a scarf? Check out this great this great website, 15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie Scarves.

What's your favorite way to wear a scarf?

Chalkboard Art

2012-03-03T10:53:00.001-08:00

I remember when I first started reading blogs, chalkboards were all the rage. MacGyver husband made me several, and I still love them (and him!). Recently, I came across a true chalkboard artist, Dana Tanamachi. Check out this great video!

I never like the way my own writing looks on chalkboards. I think this falls in the same category as you never like your own hair either! Anyway, Dana Tanamachi inspired me to try once again...

This chalkboard hangs in my dining room at Love and Life at Leadora. I chose to write an Irish proverb for March. The best part of all this? When it starts to bug me, I can just erase it! Now go write something whimsical on your chalkboard!

Placemats and Kitchen Towels

2012-02-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally finished that set of placemats for dinner. I made the mistake of adding ruffles, which took forever!...

I needed a little bridal shower gift, and I used some of my placemat scraps to make these...

Want to make some of your own? Find the tutorial at Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss. These cake towels are fun to make and awfully cute, don't you think?

Here they are all wrapped up and ready to go in a red casserole dish along with some red measuring spoons. In case you're wondering, we were supposed to choose our gift according to one of our favorite sayings about marriage....I sure hope the bride-to-be enjoys this!

Another Stencil Project

2012-02-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome! Don't worry, my Airedale, Simba, won't bite! He just wants to show off the front door window that I just stenciled. Here's another look at the window...

I saw this stenciling idea in blogland awhile ago, but, unfortunately, I don't remember where. Anyway, I used my bedroom stencil, some white acrylic paint and a sponge stencil brush. This was a super easy project. The acrylic paint is quite forgiving and can be easily wiped away in case you make a mistake! I was hoping for more privacy, but I will be hanging a shade on the inside to pull down when it gets dark. Perhaps you have a window to stencil?

Valentine Banner

2012-02-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

One day, while hopping around Pinterest, I found the cutest banner here. So, I was inspired to make this...

To hang on my Valentine's Day corner cabinet...

Placemats

2012-01-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I sewed some placemats...

Some for breakfast...

Some for lunch...

But none for dinner!

By the way, if you are interested in sewing your own placemats, it's really easy! Check out this tutorial. If you decide to sew some, let me know. I'd love to see them!

Guilty Pleasures

2012-01-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

According to the web, a guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it.

Well, Trader Joe's fleur de Sel Caramel is definitely one of my newest guilty pleasures...

My mother, Adrienne, from La Vie Quotidienne, first introduced this delectable sauce to me on New Year's Eve, and I've been addicted to it ever since.

It is delicious on a scoop of vanilla icecream...but if you decide to eat a spoonful of this delicious sauce straight from the jar, I won't tell anyone! Not that I've ever done that!

So last night, along with my Trader Joe's caramel sauce, I indulged in my next guilty pleasure... watching Masterpiece Theater's "Downtown Abbey".

My oldest daughter introduced me to this British television period drama series, and I am hooked! Every night I can hardly wait to watch an episode. I'm almost done with Season 1 on Neflix and am recording Season 2. The characters, the costumes, the stories, the scenery...I love it all!

Now that I've shared mine, what are some of your guilty pleasures?

Another Kitchen Update!

2012-01-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, my wonderful MacGyver husband was able to install my brand new GE Cafe microwave and range. I chose the GE Cafe for two reasons. First, it has the look of a professional style range without the expensive price tag. Secondly, the GE Cafe range has a baking drawer! I would love double ovens, but there just isn't space in my small kitchen nor in the pocketbook!

As you can see, we still haven't put on the cabinet doors just yet. I ordered knobs and handles from Home Depot and am anxiously awaiting for them to arrive. Also, I'm still trying to decide a backsplash. Originally, I was going to put a piece of stainless behind the stovetop, but now I'm thinking of tiling all the way across. Tile? Don't ask what kind! I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards penny tile or perhaps marble. You'll just have to wait and see!

It's been terribly hard to cook on the new range. It works beautifully, but I want it to stay perfect! I'm convinced that people who design showcase kitchens for hundreds of thousands of dollars don't cook in them! Anyway, the hungry diners here at Love and Life at Leadora would never allow that, and as soon as the range was put in, they demanded cookies. After much pressure, I finally broke down and baked espresso double-chocolate chunk cookies. I'm not sure if it was the new oven or my outstanding baking, but MacGyver husband proclaimed, "These are the best cookies you've ever made"!

Kitchen Update

2012-01-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

I've become quite well acquainted with Martha Stewart...Martha Stewart paint, that is! I love Martha's paint colors, but, unfortunately, Martha's paint won't be around for long. According to our sources, Home Depot is phasing it out soon.

After much deliberation (I have a horrible time picking out the right paint color!), MacGyver husband and I spent the New Year's weekend painting our existing cabinetry Martha's Sharkey Gray and Bedford Gray...

I'm probably the last one on the bandwagon, but I love gray cabinetry, especially after seeing Sally Wheat's kitchen on Cote De Texas...

And, of course, Martha's gray kitchen...

I wish I had a lovely photo to show our version of gray cabinetry here at Love and Life at Leadora, but you'll have to stay tuned! Also, the apron sink is in, the countertops are being installed Thursday, and the new light fixtures are on their way! I am so excited!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I'm finally ready for Christmas! Pioneer Woman's cinammon rolls have been baked...

The Christmas cookies have been decorated...

And the cake balls have been dipped!

To all my sweet blog friends, I would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! See you in 2012!

A Woodland Christmas Tree

2011-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

The other day, my daughters begged me to go to Cost Plus. I have to say, they didn't have to twist my arm too hard because I love Cost Plus Christmas ornaments. I told myself that I wasn't going to buy any new Christmas decorations this year, but once I got there and saw these mushrooms, I couldn't resist...

Every year, I decorate my tree with a woodland theme. Except this year I did not bring out my 6 foot tree, but instead I decorated a small, 4 foot tree...

I took my cute mushrooms and placed them in a "gap" in the tree...

You can tell that I "shove in" lots of things in my Woodland tree, like beeskips and birdhouses....

Every year I tell myself that I need a different theme, but I just can't resist the toadstools, woodland animals, and sweet birds...

What Christmas theme tree do you have this year?

Christmas Centerpiece

2011-12-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Today, as I was waiting for the man to come measure for new kitchen countertops, I decided to throw together a Christmas centerpiece for the dining room table...

I was inspired by my corner cabinet...silver sleigh bells, white snowflakes, greenery, and floral china, all suggested by my mother from la vie quotidienne...

Do you suppose the kitchen counter guy will like it? hee! hee!

Christmas Corner Cabinet

2011-12-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

When I announced to my kids this year that their gifts would be a new oven range and solid surface countertops, they weren't exactly thrilled! Seriously, the kitchen project has become our main focus these days, and the upcoming holidays are not top priority this year. Last year's corner cabinet displayed some of my Spode Christmas china...

Well, this year the Spode will be spending another lonely year boxed up in the garage, and we'll be eating on paper plates!

I knew I had to do something, and I wanted it to be easy. My red and white dishes were already there, so I just added some greenery, a few snowflakes, and some of my Wallace silver sleigh bells....

Every Christmas, my mother-in-law has given me a Wallace silver sleigh bell. I've been married for twenty years, so, yes, I have twenty of these beautiful silver bells! I just love the silver finish, and you know what I like even better? They make a fabulously easy Christmas decoration! How's your holiday decorating coming along?

Let the remodeling begin!

2011-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say, "Let the holiday decorating begin!", but instead we are in the midst of remodeling our kitchen. If you've been following my blog for awhile, you probably have noticed that I have never, ever shared photos of my kitchen. It's time to come clean and share my dirty secret here at Love and Life at Leadora. Here goes...

Ugh! When you stood at the entry way, your first sight was our bathroom! Back in the olden days, the bathroom was built as part of the kitchen because it kept plumbing easy! Apparently, privacy was not important!

You can see here that the kitchen was L shaped and wrapped around the bathroom. Let's fast forward to today....

The bathroom is gone, along with the horrible green and white linoleum floors. After tearing out the bathroom, MacGyver husband had to patch up the ceiling, and then he painted it with a fresh coat of white gloss.

You can see here that part of the kitchen has a shed roof. Originally, this house had no kitchen. Back in the 1920's someone decided to convert the porch into a kitchen, leaving the shed roof.

The most exciting part so far is having a eating area in the kitchen now! I used to have to schlep our meals back and forth into the dining room!

Boy, I must really be feeling confident since I'm showing you the insides of my cabinets now! The cabinet doors have been removed and are waiting for paint. There's so much more to do...countertops, lighting, floors, windows...and so on!! Next post, I'll be sharing my big plans for this kitchen makeover, so stay tuned!

Hello!!

2011-11-20T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hello! There's been a few bumps along the road at Love and Life at Leadora, but things are much better now. Today, we had a visitor....

Yes, it's a peahen! According to Wikipedia, in Babylonia and Persia, the peacock is seen as a guardian to royalty. Here at Love and Life at Leadora, I am definitely the queen, but truthfully the peacocks come to eat the flowers and plants in my yard.

Now only if they would leave me a few of their beautiful feathers!

2011-10-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,

May luck be yours on Halloween!

~author unknown

The Day After

2011-10-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

Well, my Bunco guests are long gone...but before they came and left, I did manage to snap a few photos of the favors I made for my lovely ladies to take home...

I stole this idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Kim, at Musings from Kim K. I simply painted peat pots (I bought mine at Big Lots) and glued on mini cupcake liners, stickers and ribbon. Then all I had to do was fill my decorated peat pots with shredded paper and candy, and they were ready to go home with my guests. To tell you the truth, I made these several weeks ago, and I was kind of sad to see them go since they made a cute display on my Martha Stewart cake stands...

I also needed to wrap up the Bunco cash prizes in something cute and easy, so I decided to make some Halloween crackers. I just cut up a couple of paper towel tubes, put more shredded paper and the prize money inside, and then wrapped the whole thing up in tissue paper....

Now that Bunco is over, I kind of have that same feeling one has the day after Christmas. Oops, I just remembered that I still have to show you the outside decorations! Oh, and we've begun rennovating the kitchen, so stay tuned!

Martha's Halloween Fans

2011-10-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, MacGyver husband and the kids and I were discussing how I don't say bad words often. Except, according to my husband, I do swear a lot when trying to create some Martha Stewart craft projects. I have to say, at that point, I got real quiet. This latest Martha project really did bring out the worst in me. I can't tell you how many times I came close to throwing in the towel on these fans, but I had already invested so much time and money that I wasn't willing to give up. We won't discuss the words that came out of my mouth, but, in the end, I think it was all worth it. I hope you think so too, but if you would like to make some, don't say I didn't warn you!

Halloween Corner Cabinet

2011-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Halloween decorating has begun here at Love and Life at Leadora. I am hosting October BUNCO, so I am forcing myself to get my decorating groove on.

My corner cabinet in the dining room is always the easiest spot to start. Plus, it's a great place to showcase my favorite and easiest Halloween decorations: black construction paper silhouettes! I must give thanks to Martha Stewart for this idea, especially since I found all the templates for the mice and owl on her website. So if you're having trouble like me getting into Halloween decorating, go visit Martha. Just bring along your black paper, scissors and tape!

Our New Bathroom...It's finally done!

2011-09-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, our new bathroom is finally done! For those who don't remember, (I wouldn't blame you if you did...it's been awhile), check out my original post here. Didn't MacGyver husband do an outstanding job on my Pottery Barn inspired vanity? We actually ended up doing everything ourselves except for the drywall and tile, and this really kept our costs low. Also, I was so lucky to find the vintage mirror in my grandmother's barn. It fits perfectly with the vanity!

As you can see, I still need to make a proper shower curtain. This side isn't nearly as thrilling, so I think I'll take you back to the pretty side again!

Now that the kids'/guest bathroom is done, we will soon be taking out the old bathroom and starting a kitchen mini makeover! Stay posted!

Hello!

2011-09-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, all my dear blog friends! Once again, life has gotten in the way of blogging here at Love and Life at Leadora, but I will be returning soon. In the meantime, I came across this great poster on Pinterest...it made me laugh and hopefully it will make you smile too!

I Won!

2011-08-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is the last weekend of our summer break, and I am bummed. However, I am excited about winning a giveaway! Yes, I am the lucky owner of a beautiful banner made by Alicia at La Famille. If you haven't checked out her blog, you simply must! Alicia is a very creative and talented young mom who writes beautiful and heartfelt stories about her family life. When Alicia's banner arrived, I knew that it would be perfect for my corner cabinet...

Thanks, Alicia! Even though school is starting soon, a glance at my corner cabinet will remind me of fun summer days!

A Cupcake Contest...Winner revealed!

2011-08-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed the cupcake craze lately? There's many cupcake tv shows, tons of cupcake cookbooks, and cupcake stores cropping up everywhere. During our trip to NYC, MacGyver husband and I had our own cupcake contest. First, we went to a bakery called Crumbs....

The Crumbs employees recommended their favorite cupcake, called Milkshake. MacGyver husband and I split one, thank goodness, because the cupcake was huge and very, very sweet. MacGyver husband loved the toppings, but I thought it was just okay.

Our next cupcake contestant was from Magnolia Bakery. Before we left, my oldest daughter said, "Don't go to Magnolia Bakery. I've heard that once you have a cupcake from there, you can never have one from anyplace else". Needless to say, I was expecting big things!

Although the frosting on the Magnolia Bakery cupcake tasted homemade, the cake was quite dry. Sorry, Magnolia Bakery, but your cupcake didn't win our contest!

Finally, we went to the legendary Sprinkles bakery. I don't know how I did it, but I forgot to take a photo! Anyway, Sprinkle's red velvet cupcake was delicious, but it was served on a wooden plate with a wooden fork. I am one of those people who when they eat icecream on a stick, the stick never, and I mean never, can touch my tongue...so using a wood fork to eat the cupcake kind of ruined it for me.

In the end, we didn't find the #1 cupcake. It wasn't until I got home and baked my own that I realized I should be the winner! So, I present to you Love and Life at Leadora's cupcake contest winner...it's just the right size, not too sweet, topped with homemade frosting, it's moist, and can be eaten with a stainless steel fork...enjoy!

I'm Back!

2011-08-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm baaaack....and, as you can see, my travel journal is stuffed to the brim! Here, I'll open it up, so you can see it all! I wanted my journal to be interactive, so besides writing our itinerary for the day, I also included stories about the people we met, my own restaurant reviews, ticket stubs, quotes, receipts, photographs, and even my own version of subway art.

We had such a great trip! I won't bore you with the details, but here's some of the highlights:

Going to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
Finally figuring out the subway system on our last day!
Visiting all the places featured on Project Runway
Eating New York bagels
Relaxing in Central Park

It's good to be home, but now it's time to get ready to go back to school. My poor kids will start August 23! Why does summer always have to go by so fast?

Travel Journal

2011-07-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

I'll be taking a break from blogging for a bit, but before I go I wanted to share with you my travel journal that I made to take with me to New York City...

Originally, I bought a bound notebook, but I quickly realized that that just wasn't going to work. You see, I am obsessed with my writing, and if my printing doesn't just look right, I have a tendency to throw the paper away. Hey, we all have our pecularities, don't we? Anyway, besides journaling, I also wanted to collect receipts and other memorabilia along the way, and this led me to think about envelopes...

So, of course, I searched online and found this fantastic accordion envelope book tutorial! I bought envelopes at my local Dollar Store, printed off a photo of the Statue of Liberty, used some stickers to make a title, and then tied the whole book together with black grosgrain ribbon. Hopefully, when I return, my travel journal will be loaded with goodies to share with you!

I have a confession...

2011-07-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

Get ready, as I am going to complain! For some reason, I am suffering from summer allergies, and my nose is running non stop! Also, my terrier kindly introduced herself to a skunk early this morning, and I think that there may be a dead skunk under the house! Needless to say, we've had the fans going all day, and the house still smells horrible!

As long as I've admitted to a drippy nose, a smelly house, and a possible dead skunk, I thought I would also confess to you my obsession with the Housewives! I hate to admit it, but I love watching all The Housewives, especially Orange County, New York, and New Jersey. And so, when I walked into my library and saw Teresa Guidice's Skinny Italian, I just knew I had to check it out...

It actually turned out to be a pretty good book. I wouldn't say it was just a cookbook, but more of a lifestyle book. I'm awfully glad that I was able to borrow the book, because it is not necessarily a book that I would want to buy. However, the diners at Love and Life at Leadora really enjoyed the bruschetta recipe, so I may give the book a second look!

Well, hopefully all the allergy medicine will kick in soon, the house fans will rid the skunk smell, and my wonderful MacGyver husband will find that skunk. In the meantime, I may need to escape and watch a Housewives episode...

New Bathroom Update

2011-07-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Today MacGyver husband and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary! I have to admit that twenty years ago I had no idea that I was marrying such a talented guy! For those of you who have been following LALAL for awhile, you may remember the kids'/guest bathroom...

And then there was this...

And today, it looks like this!

I am so proud of my MacGyver husband! He did such a great job on the shelves and cabinetry, and he is currently working on our Pottery Barn inspired vanity...

As you can see, there are still many details to be completed, but we are getting close!! Hope that you stay tuned for the finished bathroom!

A Lucky Day!

2011-07-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was doing one of my favorite things...reading a great book!

Then, the postman delivered this...

How wonderful! I won a giveaway from Le Monde de Catherine, who lives all the way in France! When I opened the box, I was in awe of all the wonderful things...a lovely lace top, a beautiful embroidered doily, a perfumey sachet, and a set of extraordinary french postcards! Thank you, Catherine!

And then, the doorbell rang... It was my mother-in-law, who was stopping by to give me her eight crystal wineglasses!

How lucky am I? Now wouldn't it be grand if I mysteriously received a million dollar check next??? Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend!

A Good Read and Balls of Cake!

2011-07-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Going to the library is one of my favorite summer activities, and I am lucky that my library has a great selection of cookbooks. During my latest visit, I found
Cake Pops by Angie Dudley, who is also known as Bakerella. So, after looking through the book and being inspired by all sorts of cake pops in blogland, I dove in and made my own balls of cake...

I must say, although my cake balls weren't nearly as intricate or as pretty as the ones featured in Bakerella's book, they were certainly a big hit here at Love and Life at Leadora. Next time, I want to try to make cake pops, and perhaps try a different flavor combination. Have you dove into the world of cake pops yet?

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! For some reason, the holiday snuck up on me, so sadly I didn't decorate the house this year. I did have a chance to do some baking, and so I decided to copy Martha Stewart's 4th of July cookies from the cover of her July issue. These are just like the spiderweb cookies I made for Halloween. I love this technique, since it is easy and fool proof.

I also baked some vanilla cupcakes...

Aren't those little cupcake flags just adorable? I stole this idea from Style Me Pretty. I just love ribbon, so I have a feeling I'll be making lots of these in the future...

Do You Brine?

2011-06-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Now I'm not a big fan of roasting chickens in the hot summertime, but if you do, you must brine! Brining makes the chicken moist and delicious, and it's quite simple...

All you need is a large pot, 2 quarts of water, and 1/2 cup of kosher salt. Mix the water and salt together and stick your chicken(s) in the pot for 5-6 hours in the refrigerator. Be careful, as the pot can become very heavy to lift in and out of the refrigerator!

Another trick that I use to make the chicken more moist and flavorful is to place butter under the skin. Mixing a few herbs with the butter would be great, but the diners here at Love and Life at Leadora are simple folks, and no herbs are allowed! In fact, one of them refers to parsley as "the devil's herb", but shall remain nameless...

Here are my little lovelies, all prepped for the hot oven....

Roast at 425 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, and they are done!...

Last night was roasted chicken with salad. Tonight will be chicken enchiladas! What do you like to cook with leftover chicken?

Summer Sewing Continues!

2011-06-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's me...and I have to say that this will probably be one of the few times I post a photo of myself. You see, I absolutely hate having my picture taken. I prefer just to live in my little dream world where I am ten pounds lighter and twenty years younger! But I took the photo plunge since I wanted to share with you my newest dress that I just finished, McCall's 6074.

I don't usually give my clothes names, but if I did, this would be called my "Green Lantern" dress. Not only is it made out of a green jersey knit, but while in the midst of sewing this dress, the kids and I went to see the movie "The Green Lantern". Somewhere along the way, I completely forgot what movie we were going to, so when we walked up to the ticket counter, I blurted out the first thing that came into my mind, "Three tickets for The Green Hornet". The movie employee started laughing and then my 14 year old son said, "Mom, it's the Green Lantern, not hornet!!" There's nothing like hanging out with teenagers to make you feel twice as old as you already are!

Summer Sewing

2011-06-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, my mother sewed all my clothes. Then, as I got older, she taught me how to sew. Nowadays, I just go to Old Navy and TJ Maxx. But if I need a dress or a skirt, I sew my own. At 5'1", it is almost impossible to find a dress or skirt the right fit and length!

Using Butterick 5454, I sewed this wrap dress to wear to my daughter's high school graduation. Wrap dresses are supposed to be figure flattering, and this one definitely is. Also, there is no need to wear a cami underneath this wrap dress, because coverage is adequate. This would also be a great dress to travel with, as the light knit folds into almost nothing, so I'm hoping to wear it in NYC!

I also just finished sewing a pair of cropped drawstring seersucker pants. I have to admit, these aren't a real thrill, but I have a feeling I am going to end up wearing them a lot during the warm summer months. Plus, I only spent about $7 on the seersucker and I used an old pattern from my stash, McCall's 2586.

It gets super hot here at Love and Life at Leadora, but air conditioning can be chilly, so along with a black tank top, I thought I could also wear this red knit cardigan from Forever 21...

Finally, I thought I could "pep up" these old lady crop pants with some cute shoes, and luckily I came upon these adorable red espadrilles from Target...

Hopefully, these new espadrilles add a little "zip" to my new summer outfit! In the meantime, hope that you're enjoying your summer!

Iced Coffee

2011-06-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

This summer, I've been trying to drink less of this...

And more of this...

But then I discovered this...

The summer months here at Love and Life at Leadora are hot, and even in the morning a cup of hot coffee isn't too appetizing. So when I saw this recipe for iced coffee on the Pioneer Woman's blog, I knew I wanted to give it a try!

A recipe for iced coffee?... I thought iced coffee was leftover coffee with ice in it, but, boy, was I wrong. There is quite a method to it, which is easy but takes awhile. Also, don't be daunted by the amount of coffee and water used in the recipe. I made only a quarter of the recipe, and my iced coffee turned out delicious!

The Summer of Me!

2011-06-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

George Costanza

Recently, my friend and I were talking about how we wanted to have fun this summer. We both agreed that we couldn't wait for fun to come to us, but instead we had to create our own! It reminded me of one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes. For those Seinfeld fans out there, do you remember when George Costanza announces that "it's going to be the summer of George"? Well, I've decided that it's "The Summer of Me"!

Truthfully, my mom and oldest daughter have left for France, and I miss them terribly. However, I came to the conclusion that the lazy days of summer are just too short, and I couldn't waste time moping. So I started to make a list of some of the fun things I want to do during "The Summer of Me"...

sew a fashionable summer wardrobe
get organized
try new recipes and cook with the kids
exercise everyday
go to the movies
blog and journal frequently
celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary in New York!
read some great books
and much, much more!!

"The Summer of Me" might sound a bit self centered, since I also have a husband and three children that probably should be considered! As I've gotten older, I realize that life is very short, and we need to take advantage of every minute! For me, summer has always been a time to relax and have fun without any schedule restrictions whatsover! So, I hope that I've inspired you to think of your summer as "The Summer of You"!

A Graduation Luncheon

2011-06-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

I went a little crazy with red, black and white this week! In celebration of my daughter's high school graduation, we hosted a luncheon for her closest friends. Of course, we decorated with the school colors and the school mascot, which happens to be the very cute scottie dog!

Using my Martha Stewart scoring board, we made black cardstock favor boxes filled with candy and tied with a red ribbon....

We hung red, black, and white tissue paper pompoms....

We even baked red velvet and devil's food color coordinated cupcakes....

Finally, we sewed fabric bunting and sprinkled a few scottie dogs on the cabinets and wrapping paper table runner...

And whew!...that's me breathing a sigh of relief as this crazy month of activities is finally done! I am truly ready for summer to begin so that I can return full time to blogging again! Sometimes real life just gets in the way, doesn't it?

Anonymous

2011-05-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's me, angrily sitting at my computer. Blogger won't let me make comments on any of your blogs unless I am "anonymous". Hopefully, the problem will be fixed soon. Please know that I am continuing to visit your blogs and am enjoying all your fabulous ideas and stories!

2011-05-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Hello! There have been ups and downs here at Love and Life at Leadora, but nothing really blog-worthy! However, I did recently rediscover my collection of Susan Paley vases...

I received my first one as a gift, and at the time I couldn't quite figure out whether or not I liked it. Somehow, I acquired more, and then I realized what a cute group of ladies I had...

I remember, a long time ago, one of the kids breaking one, and then I decided to put my ladies all away. I am so happy to see them out and all together again! Speaking of kids, I couldn't let a blog post go by without sharing a prom photo of my beautiful oldest daughter...

My daughter, Zoe, will be graduating from high school this June. I don't think she was the one that broke my Susan Paley vase, but even if she was, it wouldn't matter...I am so very proud of her!

A Vintage Photo Feature Friday

2011-05-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hello! This week I am again joining Tricia's Photo Feature Friday at A Rosy Note. The theme is "vintage". When I started thinking about what to photograph, I realized my old house, originally built in the 1870s, would definitely qualify as vintage! To give my photo an even more vintage feel, I applied the sepia and softening effects from Picnik.

It was originally a "birthing home" (I know what you are thinking...what a delightful and pretty name!..hee! hee!). Before there was a hospital in the area, the women would stay here as their birth date due near, and then the doctor would be "summoned" for delivery. We purchased "The Birthing Home" about 19 years ago, and there are definitely days I wonder if I'll be considered "vintage" when we are done!

2011-05-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of birthday week for my youngest, Willow. Yes, she has requested not just a day, but an entire week of birthday, and, since she is the baby at Love and Life at Leadora, she will probably get it! In fact, in honor of the commencement of her birthday week, I made these tissue paper pom pom decorations for her outdoor birthday table...

Of course, I got this idea from the files of Martha Stewart! You can find the "how to" here. Also look on You Tube, as there are some great videos on how to make these tissue paper pompoms as well. I have to say, they were easy, inexpensive and impressive! Best of all, the birthday princess has requested to have them hung above her bed after the celebrations have ended!

With cafe lights and a little HDR-ish from Picnik, these tissue paper pompoms look pretty good at night too...

So next time you have a party, consider these tissue paper pompoms. They are sure to be a hit!

Photography and Pink Roses

2011-04-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Have you visited the blog, A Rosy Note? This week, Tricia is hosting her third Photo Feature Friday. Today's challenge is pink. Lucky for me, I was able to pick a bouquet of pink roses to photograph. I must admit, you can never go wrong with photographing antique pink roses! Plus, the photography gods must have been looking down on me, as the sunlight was just perfect! I just love this photo...

Using Picnik, I tried an effect called "cross process". Doesn't it remind you of Anthropologie ads?...

And because I just love these beautiful pink roses so much, I'll leave you with one last photo...

I'm Stuffed!

2011-04-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

My stomach is so full right now! I just finished cooking and eating the Pioneer Woman's shrimp scampi. It was delicious and very quick and easy too. Most importantly, it was given 5 stars by the younger residents at Love and Life at Leadora, so this recipe is a real keeper.

And, I must say, it was a million times better than one of these...

Yes, my Welsh terrier is insisting that we have one of these for dinner. In fact, for the past two nights, she has brought one to the backdoor. Yuck! Tonight, she will be going out on a leash!! No possum stew or soup for us...and, yes, there really are recipes for cooking possums!

The Easter Bunny is Long Gone....

2011-04-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Easter bunny is long gone, but I just had to show you a last minute Easter decoration. I was going to save it for next year, but when I put things away, I have a tendency to lose them...I'm sure most of you can relate... I'm still trying to find Christmas gifts from years ago! Anyway, when I saw these peat pot Easter baskets at Musings from Kim K., I just knew I had to make them. If you haven't already, you must visit Kim's blog! She is the queen of crafting! Here's my version of her delightful peat pot Easter baskets...

I didn't have much time to make them, and,thank goodness, they sure were super easy. I simply bought peat pots at Big Lots, gave them a swipe of pink paint, decoupaged a graphic from The Graphics Fairy, and then sprinkled on the glitter. Here are my easter basket peat pots sitting on the table...

Hope you had a wonderful Easter! Special thanks to Kim K. for inspiring me to make this quick and easy Easter decoration!

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny Rabbit

2011-04-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

Well, hello! It seems as though it is nearly impossible for me to be a blogger, wife, mother and substitute teacher!! I've spent the past week substituting in a third grade classroom, and even though I have enjoyed it, I have had little energy to do anything else. However, with Easter coming so very soon, I knew I had to share with you my favorite Mr. and Mrs. Bunny.

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, born and raised at Costco, reside on the side table at Love and Life at Leadora. They are surrounded by artificial cabbages from the Dollar Store, moss, artificial flowers, eggs, and butterflies...

Tomorrow is the last day of my assignment, so next week I hope to be back full time in the land of blogging. Although I have not been posting much, I have really enjoyed visiting all your blogs and being inspired by everything you do! Thanks for stopping by!

Spring Has Sprung in my Corner Cabinet!

2011-04-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung in my corner cabinet here at Love and Life at Leadora! On the top shelf is one of my favorite Easter rabbits. He was purchased at Pic N'Save many years ago. Do you remember Pic N'Save before it became Big Lots? I used to love to buy seasonal decor from Pic N'Save. Sadly, Big Lots just isn't the same! Anyway, how's your spring decorating coming along?

Decorating Dilemma Solved!

2011-04-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

The wall above the bed had been looking rather bare...

At first, I thought perhaps some art work. I brought home a large black and white framed photo from Home Goods and tried to convince myself that it looked good, but it didn't. I thought of taking a photo to Costco and having it enlarged on canvas, but that really didn't thrill me either. And then, one day, while visiting blogland, I saw plates and knew that I had solved my dilemma!

I dashed off to Home Goods and purchased the platter, and the three plates above. The two pierced plates I already had, and I even had the plate hangers too!

Oh yes! Another decorating dilemma solved. Now I must start on those decorative pillows. My bed is simply crying out for some blue!

I joined Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style.

2011-04-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Hello! We are on spring break here at Love and Life at Leadora! I wish I had a fabulous project to show you, but, alas, I do not. MacGyver husband is on a business trip, and so, it is just me and the kids and...

Yes, I've been spending a lot of time listening to Rod Stewart's "American Classics" while cleaning, cleaning and and doing more cleaning! It is my mission this week to clean and organize the upstairs tv room/ kids' playroom as well as clean and organize some other closets downstairs. However, my youngest daughter and I did manage to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to go to a sale at Tuesday Morning so that I could buy this towel rack for the new bathroom.

Now it's back to cleaning! Hope you're enjoying spring too!

A Sweet Treat

2011-04-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Lucky us. The other day, MacGyver husband came home with a big box of locally grown strawberries. The strawberries are long gone, but I still wanted to share a piece of homemade poundcake with you!

Have any of you seen Martha Stewart's new show, Martha Bakes? It is a must see for anyone who enjoys baking! Anyway, she featured this poundcake recipe on her show, and I knew right away that it would be delicious with the fresh strawberries. Be forewarned, this recipe produces a huge cake, but it is quite tasty!

Speaking of Martha, during a conversation with my mom the other day, the question came up "Where would we be without Martha?" As I was pondering the answer, I realized that my home is filled with many Martha Stewart items, such as plates, books,magazines, recipes, towels, crafting tools, and much more... which made me consider that perhaps I should start a weekly post of "Where Would I Be Without Martha?". She is quite an amazing woman, don't you think?

Cheap Thrills

2011-03-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

After seeing all sorts of great thrift store finds everywhere in blogland, I finally decided to take the plunge and visit my local GoodWill..... Hee! Hee!.... I always giggle when I hear "GoodWill" because my father called it the "BadWon't"!

But, I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. I have been on the lookout for some silver to go along with my mother-in-law's silver platters, and I found these two candy dishes for a couple of bucks each. They look very pretty sitting on the shelves above my computer...

Yes, my computer is in my bedroom. Although I am not terribly happy about having my computer in the bedroom, this truly is the best place for it right now at Love and Life at Leadora.

While looking at this photo, I noticed I still need something on the top shelf. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Perhaps something dark in color? If you have a suggestion, I would love to hear from you!

Working Hard, But Hardly Working...

2011-03-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Well, hello! It is nice to be back. I've been working hard as a substitute teacher, but I've been hardly working at Love and Life at Leadora. However, while I've been away, MacGyver husband did install the chrome shower fixture...

It's looking a little bare without a shower curtain, but that will be coming soon. I am thinking of buying a white one and sewing on a black ribbon accent or perhaps some white ruffles.

I just love the shiny chrome. Since this bathroom has no windows, I am trying to get as much shine as possible. In fact, my oldest daughter calls this room "jenky" because it has no windows, my son says it has too much white, and my youngest can hardly wait to play waterworks and get water everywhere with the new attached sprayer! Oh well...thank goodness I'm a substitute teacher and not their interior designer!

Meet TOTO!

2011-03-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

Slowly but surely our new bathroom is moving right along. You can see our new bathroom's beginning here. The shower and floor tilework is done, the bead board is up, and yesterday MacGyver husband installed TOTO!

To tell you the truth, when we went to the store to order TOTO, I wasn't exactly super excited about spending this much money on a toilet. I mean, how exciting can a toilet be? Even though I put a bow on it for you, a toilet is still a toilet! However, I have discovered that this creme de la creme of toilets is rather fabulous. It is skirted and is coated with a special glaze that keeps debris from sticking, which makes cleaning easier. On top of all that, a TOTO doesn't use as much water as traditional toilets do. Since this is a bathroom for the kids and guests, only the best will do!

When we were at the store picking up TOTO, we also ordered a carrera marble countertop for the sink console. My dear MacGyver husband will be building a sink console to look like this...

Yes, it's everyone's favorite...Pottery Barn. Everyday I keep looking, but they have yet to have a 90% off sale!! At over $1600, I just can't afford the real thing. Thank goodness for my wonderful MacGyver husband and his excellent woodworking skills!

Next up, we still need to install the shower fixture, finish the beadboard trim, finish the cabinet, and install light fixtures. I am really looking forward to getting this done so that a new kitchen can come next! Stay tuned!

It's Done!

2011-02-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am so excited...I finally finished my dust ruffle!

I finished it late last night and I could hardly wait to show it to all of you!

I must say that it wasn't the easiest home dec project to sew, but I think that it came out beautifully. I feel so lucky that many years ago my mother taught me how to sew. Otherwise, I probably could not have afforded such a lavish skirt! I think that I may need to take a break from the sewing machine for awhile, but in the meantime I will be playing with a few fabrics to make some decorative pillow shams for the bed. Here are some of the fabrics that I will be choosing from....

And because I am just so proud of myself, I must post one last photo of my dust ruffle...thanks for putting up with me!

I also joined the link party at Common Ground .

You're Invited...

2011-02-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

Come join me for a cup of tea and a good book!

You see, I am taking a break from this....

As many of you know, I am sewing my own dust ruffle. I set up a table in my bedroom, and have been cutting, sewing, and gathering strips of fabric. Here's a sneak peak of the fabric I'm using...

Sewing for me is stressful, so I can only sew for small periods of time. At the rate I'm going, this dust ruffle is going to take awhile! In the meantime, I plan to enjoy my short tea breaks with a cute new teapot and a good book!

The white teapot was a special valentine gift given to me by my mother at la vie quotidienne. Of course, I am a huge fan of white dishes, so this fits very nicely with the rest of my collection!

If you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. It is a story about three generations of women and is filled with mystery, intrigue and deceit. The story is predictable at times, but Kate Morton has a way of intertwining the stories that makes the book very readable.

Well, thanks for taking a break with me! Now I must get back to sewing! Hopefully, this dust ruffle will be done soon!

Spring is Coming!

2011-02-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

Last week, I posted a photo of my favorite place to sit. One day, as I was reading, I looked out my window and saw this...

My ornamental plum trees are in full bloom!

We are expecting some heavy rain tonight, so I really wanted to capture these beautiful blossoms before they are washed away. Spring is definitely coming!

Valentine

2011-02-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

I bought myself a Valentine. You see, since Christmas, I've fallen in love with toadstools. And, when I was at the card store buying Valentine cards, I saw this and just couldn't resist! So happy Valentine's Day to me and to you!

Bedroom Cornice Boxes

2011-02-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

Well, my bedroom stenciling project is done, so MacGyver husband and I moved on to hanging the lace curtains and making cornice boxes for the window treatments. First, MacGyver husband built box frames out of ultra light MDF, and then we covered the wood with foam and batting. Finally, we wrapped and stapled the decorative fabric around the frame. Thank goodness for the electric staple gun! It was a definite must with this project. Next up, I will be sewing the bed dust ruffle. Stay tuned!

Wonderful Wednesday

2011-02-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

Valentine Corner Cabinet

2011-02-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I realized that I needed to get my corner cabinet decorated quickly. My pink and white dishes are perfect for Valentine's Day and so is the striped backing I used in my Christmas corner cabinet . While digging out the box of decorations, I also found many old valentines that I had given to my grandmother years ago. She gave them back to me, which at the time I thought was rather strange, but now I'm glad that she did! I also sprinkled in some heart doilies, a valentine from MacGyver husband, and a few graphics from The Graphics Fairy. Enjoy!

I also joined the link party at Common Ground.

Wonderful Wednesday

2011-02-02T10:22:00.001-08:00

Happy February!

2011-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

A new month at Love and Life at Leadora means a new blog header! There is a story behind the photo in my new header. You can read the story here. Happy February!

Wonderful Wednesday

2011-01-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

Marble cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Stenciling With Texture

2011-01-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

I know that stenciling is not exactly "in" in the decorating world, but I have discovered a new way to bring it back to life. Many years ago, I saw this stencil in the magazine Romantic Home. I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to use the stencil in my bedroom someday. Years passed by, and I still remembered that stencil. Luckily, I was able to order it online, and it arrived at my doorstep in less than a week.

For this project, I did not use stencil paint. I wanted the stencil to have some texture and look embossed. I ended up using joint compound and a spackle tool.

First, I taped my stencil on the wall. Then, I just simply smeared on the joint compound like I was frosting a cake. After carefully removing the stencil, the joint compound is transparent, but as it dries the joint compound becomes white.

Here is my bedroom wall before:

And here's a look after:

As soon as this project is done, then MacGyver husband will be helping me build the window treatments for this room. Stay tuned!

Wonderful Wednesday

2011-01-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

2011-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

I was hoping to show you a home decorating project that I am working on, but I am not quite ready to reveal it! In the meantime, I would like to share with you these wonderful big soft ginger cookies. These cookies truly live up to their name! You can find the recipe here. I think that I might go eat one now!

Wool Flower Pin

2011-01-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

Feeling rather crafty the other night, I got on the internet and found a tutorial for these wool fabric flowers. This is my favorite type of craft project: quick, inexpensive, and easy! At first I was a bit hesitant about this gray flower, but then my seventeen year old fashionista daughter said, "Will you make me one too?" and then I knew it couldn't be all that bad! Have a wonderful weekend!

TJ Maxx Finds

2011-01-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over and the kids are back at school, I really should be cleaning the house. Oh well, instead I decided to take a quick trip to one of my favorite stores: TJ Maxx. This is a very evil place, along with Home Goods, Marshalls, and Target. I originally went to Tuesday Morning, but the store was closed for inventory! Anyway, of course I didn't leave TJ Maxx empty handed. Here's what a found:

I just couldn't resist this small silver tray with a little bird. And then on my way out, I spotted this very pretty top in my new favorite color.

I really should have more will power. Oh well, tomorrow I will clean! Have a wonderful week!

Oatmeal Cookies for MacGyver

2011-01-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

MacGyver husband's favorite oatmeal cookies

This afternoon, I baked MacGyver husband's favorite oatmeal cookies in hopes of "buttering him up". You see, I have some decorating projects I need help with this weekend! Perhaps these cookies will do the trick? Have a wonderful weekend!

Dining Room Table

2011-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

After the holidays, I realized that the dining room table at Love and Life at Leadora was looking a little bare. Luckily, Michael's is having a 50% sale on all their basic greenery. I was so excited when I found these cute ivy topiaries.

My mom, from la vie quotidienne, also alerted me about the artificial apples. Don't these apples look real? They weren't on sale, so I used a 40% off coupon.

I put the apples in a wooden box that I found at Home Goods. Then, I added a lace edged napkin and a glass of old silver spoons that my mother-in-law gave to me. This tablescape really peps up my table. Enjoy!

I joined all these fabulous link parties:

New Bathroom Update

2011-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

You may remember that before the holidays, MacGyver husband and I were working on the guest/kids' bathroom. Here was my inspiration board:

As with most our home renovation projects, we usually have a few hiccups along the way. First, our floor tile was on back order. Fortunately, the subway tile for the shower was available, but later we discovered that the size of many of the subway tiles was off. Due to MacGyver husband's busy work schedule, we decided to hire a tile installer. Unfortunately, the tile installer didn't do a very good job (using the defective tile pieces probably didn't help). In the end, MacGyver husband ended up removing a portion of the tile work and replacing it.

The hexagon tile finally arrived. The floor hasn't been installed yet, but I wanted to show you the pattern I have chosen. It is a simple border with rosettes in the middle.

In the meantime, the sconces, pendant lighting, and shower fixture have arrived too. I was also able to go to Anthropologie and purchase the monogrammed towel hooks. So things are coming along.

In the above photo, you see a bit of blue paint in the corner. After much trial and tribulation, I was able to find Martha Stewart's Artesian Well. Most of the wall will be covered in white bead board, and then there will be a border of this blue as well as a blue ceiling.

There is still so much to do in this bathroom. Hopefully we'll get the floor done soon and then start hanging beadboard. I will keep you posted!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

Graphic courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

I originally saw this graphic on Kim's blog, and I fell in love with it. I wish that I was going to have as much fun as this girl is having on New Year's Eve! But alas, we will probably have a quiet and peaceful evening here at Love and Life at Leadora. In the meantime, I would like to wish all my dear blog friends a happy New Year filled with much joy and success!

The Post Holiday Blues

2010-12-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our final Christmas celebration with family, and this morning I woke up with a case of the post holiday blues. My symptoms include: exhaustion, malaise, indigestion, and extreme aversion to sweets and anything related to Christmas. You can contract this illness by being exposed to the usual holiday stress, as well as staying up way too late, eating rich holiday foods, and trying to do way too much. On top of all that, post holiday blues can be made worse by the realization that you still have all those Christmas decorations to put away and a huge after Christmas mess to deal with.

I realized long ago that post holiday blues are just my body's way of telling me it's time to go back to my simple pre-holiday life. So this morning I took a long walk, had a healthy breakfast, and decided that the Christmas decorations could stay put another day. I feel better already, and by tomorrow I should be able to tackle all those wonderful after Christmas tasks!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas
and a happy New Year!

A Rainy Day Wish

2010-12-20T15:53:00.000-08:00

It has been raining here at Love and Life at Leadora for the past four days. I was thinking how fun it would be to have these Hunter rubber boots from England. Do you think that when wearing these I could talk with an English accent too?

Secret Santa with a Twist

2010-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

Last Christmas, we started a new tradition at Love and Life at Leadora. About a week after Thanksgiving, the five of us close our eyes and take turns randomly choosing names from a hat. But this isn't the usual "Secret Santa" game. There are 2 rules: You cannot spend more than $5 and your gift must be purchased from the 99 cents store! Last year it was quite a hoot and the highlight of Christmas. Isn't it funny how sometimes the simplest things are what we cherish the most?

Christmas Cookie Exchange

2010-12-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

The weather is finally starting to cool down here at Love and Life at Leadora, and now it is really beginning to feel like Christmas! Last night, I met my BUNCO group for dinner and a cookie exchange. I left the house with a dozen decorated sugar cookies and a dozen red and white marbled cookies.

And I returned with 2 dozen even more fabulous cookies!

It was a fun evening, and the best part was finding out what everybody brought. As you can see, each cookie is different, but they certainly all look delicious!

Christmas Corner Cabinet

2010-12-12T14:11:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, my corner cabinet in the dining room at Love and Life at Leadora is always decorated for the season. For Christmas, I always display my Spode. Throughout the years, I have been given lots of Spode. I even have a punch bowl! I wish I could use my Spode throughout December, but it is not dishwasher safe, so I only use it for special holiday occasions. In the meantime, some of the pieces sit in this corner cabinet so that when needed I can access them easily when special guests arrive.

This is one of my favorite snowmen! As you can see, the ornament is actually a snowman's head, but I placed it on top of one of my Spode teacups, which became a little snowman body. Also, this year I lined the back of my shelves with red and white ticking stripe to give this corner cabinet a little extra holiday "oomf".

Hope you enjoyed seeing my dining room corner cabinet! I love hearing from you, and I am always so appreciative of your lovely comments!

A Christmas Vignette

2010-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

The original part of our house at Love and Life at Leadora was built in 1876. What I like best about my house is that it is filled with charm and details that newer homes don't always have. However, rooms in my home are small, and unfortunately there is not a lot of space for Christmas trees. In the past, I've squeezed in a snowman Christmas tree in the dining room and then cringed every time one of the kids or dogs rubbed up against it. So this year I decided to do a different kind of tree, and I used my white ironstone to do it.

My inspiration came from a Mary Engelbreit print that my mother gave me. Why is it that pretty Christmas prints are always hard to find? Anyway, the cost of the print was free, and although I paid to have it framed and mattted, it was totally worth it. Then I went to my snowman collection and chose my very favorite ones to display.

I think compared to everyone else in blogland, I am really behind with my Christmas decorating. I need to finish my dining room corner cabinet (I'm still tweaking), and I haven't even began the outside. Oh, and gifts? I haven't even bought one! How are your Christmas preparations coming?

There's Snow Place like Home!

2010-12-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

After I was newly married, my mother at La Vie Quotidienne gave me my first Sandi Gore Evans snowman figure. I fell in love with these cute little snowmen and have been collecting them throughout the years. Unfortunately, Sandi Gore Evans passed away many years ago, and so the snowmen are not readily available anymore. Every Christmas, I make their home in the lawyer's bookcase at Love and Life at Leadora. I couldn't possibly have a close-up of every snowman, but here are a few for you to enjoy!

I joined the link party at It's So Very Cheri.

Easy Christmas Decorating

2010-12-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas decorating is fun, but for me can be rather nerve wracking. I never feel I have it just right, and I usually spend many days tweaking or rearranging things that I have created. However, my light fixture ornamentation is easy. I simply tie gold ornaments on the light fixture using wired ribbon. Then I curl the ends of the ribbon with a pencil. There is no precision, fluffing or tweaking with this easy Christmas decoration! Do you have any easy Christmas decorating tips? I would love to hear your ideas!

A Woodland Tree

2010-11-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about Christmas decorating is opening up all the storage boxes and seeing all your favorite things that you haven't seen in a year. When it came time to start decorating, I immediately began with my woodland tree. This tree features forest animals, birds, birdhouses, gold ornaments, and a bee skip. I must admit, I had a very difficult time photographing this tree and all its details. In person, it is much prettier.

Red-and-White Marbled Cookies

2010-11-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, the December/January issue of Country Living arrived in my mailbox. While I was reading the magazine, my eyes instantly landed on these red-and-white marbled cookies. As many of you know, I enjoy baking and learning new baking techniques. I also happen to love marble stone and would love to have marble countertops in my new kitchen someday!

Using a basic sugar-cookie dough, I divided the dough in half and then tinted one half red. Next, I rolled each half into a rope and then layed the two pieces side by side and twisted those into one rope. Then, I just kind of "smooshed" the two colors together to make the marble effect. I just wish that marble kitchen countertops were that easy to make!

I joined the link parties at It's So Very Cheri! and Sew Many Ways.

A New Blog Header!

2010-11-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, my blog friends! If you haven't already noticed, I finally dove in and changed my header. I am not very computer savvy, and the whole process was taking a lot of nail biting, hair-pulling, and many margaritas! I finally discovered this tutorial, which helped immensely. In the end, I found out that it's really not so hard after all! I may even attempt to make another header for the holidays. Have a wonderful weekend!

Fall Cookies

2010-11-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

With fall decorating coming to an end, I thought I would take out my leaf cookie cutters and decorate some sugar cookies. Unfortunately, I decided to try a new sugar cookie recipe, and although the leaf cookies are pretty to look at, they taste horrible! Next month, I am participating in a cookie exchange, so I am so glad that I discovered this now and not in several weeks. Otherwise, I would have had quite a baking disaster. Have you ever had one of those?

Anyway, if you like to decorate cookies, I would highly recommend Cookie Craft by Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer. It is the book that I always go to when I want to learn more about techniques and great decorating designs. In fact, Cookie Craft would make a great Christmas gift for yourself or the baker in your life! And no, don't worry, my horrible cookie recipe did not come from this book...

Dreaming of a New Bathroom

2010-11-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

This past week at Love and Life at Leadora has been very exciting. The drywall in the new bathroom was completed. Believe it or not, this bathroom used to be a bedroom prior to the renovation. Currently, all five of us are showering in the master bathroom, and I am so done with sharing!!

Next on the to-do list is paint and tile. In the meantime, I am dreaming of a new bathroom....

Hopefully, my dreams will come true!

To Decorate or Not to Decorate?

2010-11-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

After Halloween, my corner cabinet looks awfully bare. Thanksgiving at Love and Life at Leadora revolves around the dinner and Christmas decorating commences the day after, so I own very few Thanksgiving decorations. Also, the traditional fall colors of yellow, orange and brown look dreadful in my dining room. This year, I decorated my corner cabinet with some of my pink and white transferware, acorns from our large oak tree, decorative pumpkins, a pumpkin teapot,and my favorite little bird turine.

What's your Thanksgiving decorating style? Do turkeys and pumpkins fill your home? Or do you skip and go directly to Christmas? To decorate or not to decorate? I'd love to know your answer. Let me know by leaving a comment!

Abundance

2010-11-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

When Christine, from Silverlinings 4 me, asked me to participate in this week's wordweek for the word "abundance", all I could think of was the abundance of house projects that need to be done at Love and Life at Leadora! However, I quickly realized that all these house projects would not make very interesting nor pretty photos! So instead, I decided to share my abundance of pink and white dishes. The dishes in the photo are only a small portion of what I own. I love china and would probably have as much possible if it weren't for lack of money and space! Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy November!

2010-11-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today is a beautiful day at Love and Life at Leadora...beautiful, bright, warm and sunny.

Happy November!

A New Sous Chef

2010-10-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you to the new sous chef at Love and Life at Leadora! You can see her as young witch here. Sous chef Willow is very lucky to have a talented grandmother who originally sewed this chef's costume many years ago for her big sister, Zoe. This has been a very popular costume at Love and Life at Leadora because Willow's older brother, Graeme, also wore it. In fact, Graeme liked being a chef so much that he wore the costume two years in a row. Unfortunately, after this Halloween, the chef's costume will probably have to be retired.

While the sous chef at Love and Life at Leadora was at school, the executive chef prepared cinammon baked french toast for a breakfast with friends. This recipe is easy to make and quite tasty too. With the holidays fast approaching, this would be a great recipe to consider serving Christmas morning. In the meantime, have a happy and safe Halloween!

Spiderweb Cookies

2010-10-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Step 1

Frost your sugar cookie with white royal frosting.

Step 2

Squeeze concentric circles in an contrasting color, such as orange or black.

Step 3

Beginning at the center of the cookie, draw a toothpick through each line to the edge of the cookie. Alternate the direction you use to draw the toothpick through each row.

Enjoy!

Which Witch is Which??

2010-10-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, my mother and I purchased this Halloween witch at Costco. This year we thought it would be interesting to share with our blog friends how each of us decorated our witches! You can see my mom's Halloween witch here.

My Halloween witch sits in the dining room on the sideboard at Love and Life at Leadora. Black bats fly above, and a yellow crescent moon hangs from the ceiling. When you visit La Vie Quotidienne, you will notice that my mother loves ceiling ornamentation. With her in mind, I taped black butcher spider webs to the ceiling.

Only 8 more days until Halloween! Make sure you hurry over to La Vie Quotidienne and see which witch is which!

I am participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I Won!

2010-10-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

Even though it was a dreary, rainy day at Love and Life at Leadora, I found a ray of sunshine in my mailbox today! I won a giveaway from Connie at The Home Place! You can find her blog here. When I opened the box, I found one of her cute handmade fall bags filled with candy, lotion, and a sweet sentiment. Thanks Connie! You made my day!

Spooky Front Porch

2010-10-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

Many of you may remember my front porch before it was "spookified".

First, black crows came to nest.

Then, three evil jack-o-lanterns took over.

And the last visitor at Love and Life at Leadora left their skull!

Along with old pages of a book and scary graphics from the Graphics Fairy!

Hope you enjoyed my spooky front porch!

I joined the link parties at Graphics Fairy and Metamorphosis Monday!

Pumpkin Bars

2010-10-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well, hello! So sorry, blogging got left behind while I have been busy substitute teaching. On top of that, today I have a sore throat and runny nose!

Over the weekend, I did bake some delicious pumpkin cupcakes with delectable cream cheese frosting. I do not like pumpkin pie (it's a texture thing), but I absolutely love pumpkin in other baked goods and you can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting! This recipe from Paula Deen is one of my favorites. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-bars-recipe/index.html

You will notice that Paula's recipe calls for a baking pan. I prefer pumpkin cupcakes so that I can easily give away leftovers. Otherwise, I am tempted to eat it all! I poured the batter into lined muffin pans and then baked the cupcakes for about 15-20 minutes. Let me know how this recipe comes out for you!

A Halloween Corner Cabinet

2010-09-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is the undecorated corner cabinet in the dining room at Love and Life at Leadora. MacGyver husband built this cabinet for me many, many years ago, and it is usually filled with my collection of pink and white dishes.

Have you noticed that many folks out in blogland started their Halloween decorating in early September? Feeling the pressure, I thought I would begin Halloween decorating with my corner cabinet.

I bought the purple "trick or treat" banner at Tuesday Morning sometime during the summer. The plates are Debbie Mumm dishes that were purchased at Target years ago. One of my favorite Halloween decorations is this Sandi Gore Evans figure. I wish I had more, but these figures are no longer made.

No, we don't have a problem with mice at Love and Leadora! In fact, those are creepy mice silhouettes that I cut out. Halloween decorating with black construction paper is my favorite, because it is fast and cheap! You can find the mice silhouettes at http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf1/1005_creepymice.pdf

Now that I've begun Halloween decorating, I'm anxious to do more. I have more ideas for indoor and outdoor Halloween decorations, so come back and visit again soon!

I linked to the party at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.

Field Trip

2010-09-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday, my friend and I took a field trip to Tai Pan Trading. This home decor store began as a wholesale floral supply, but today one can also find kitchen items, furniture, outdoor ornaments, seasonal items, decorating accessories, and, for whatever reason, purses.

The vignettes and tablescapes at Tai Pan Trading are stunning. Silk flower arrangements at Love and Life at Leadora seemed to be dust magnets, but if I needed flowers I would definitely skip Michaels and come to Tai Pan Trading. Some items are priced moderately whereas others are a bit beyond my budget. That's no surprise, since I seem to have real talent for picking out the most expensive items! However, we had fun, and the store is filled with great inspiration!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

2010-09-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today I was invited to a friend's house for a delightful lunch. I decided to bring along Martha Stewart's Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. Originally, I saw this recipe in Martha's Cupcakes, and then after reading a review of the recipe in Linzy's blog http://flourandsugarthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/01/tested-recipe-snickerdoodle-cupcakes.html, I wanted to give them a try.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes taste like a snickerdoodle cookie. The cupcake, which is flavored with sugar and cinammon, is topped with a dollop of 7 minute frosting. I had never made this type of frosting before, and it was fun to learn a new technique. If you decide to make snickerdoodle cupcakes, try Linzy's foolproof recipe for 7 minute frosting. The frosting is quite sweet and has a marshmallow, meringue consistency.

My friends and family really enjoyed Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. I liked them too, but I have to admit I am more of a chocolate kind of girl. What's your favorite kind of cupcake?

A New Visitor!

2010-09-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

We have a new visitor at Love and Life at Leadora! Several nights ago, I found this praying mantis on our front door. Then she came by to say "hello" again this afternoon. I find her fascinating, especially since she is at least 3 inches long! Do you suppose she's come by for recipes, decorating ideas and organizing tips?

Speaking of recipes, I tried a new one tonight, crunchy zucchini and tomatoes. I am always trying to find ways to get MacGyver husband to eat vegetables, and he seemed to enjoy this one. In this recipe, sliced zucchini and tomatoes are topped with panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic and chopped basil. Broil 1-2 minutes, and then this vegetable side dish is ready to serve.

Can you think of any other ways to get MacGyver husband to eat more cooked vegetables? Green salads at Love and Life at Leadora are getting pretty boring! Please feel free to let me know by leaving me a comment!

What's behind the door?

2010-09-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

I am definitely not a neat freak. But when I am able to find an organizational item that works at Love and Life at Leadora, I am oh so happy!

So, what's behind the door? A mini whiteboard market list!! I know that this is not terribly exciting for most people, but this little whiteboard sure makes my life easier. It has eliminated last minute market trips and is an organizational tool that everyone in the family can use. The rule here at Love and Life at Leadora is that if you want an item or use the last of anything, write it on the whiteboard! That way, when mom's out shopping, she'll be sure to get it!

How do you stay organized? Feel free to comment with your favorite organizational tips!

What I'm Reading

2010-09-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

I love to read. I think I go to the library at least once a week. In fact, going to the library and borrowing a great book is a cheap thrill for me!

Over this past weekend, I started reading Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. I've only read about half of it, but so far I am really enjoying the story. I won't reveal much, except to say that one of the characters is a ghost.

What are some of your favorite books? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

2010-09-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Last week I invited two friends over for lunch, and I served this delicious tomato and goat cheese tart. I found the recipe in Ina Garten's book, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. These tomato and goat cheese tarts are easy to make, and my guests ate every bite! At first, I was a bit intimidated by the puff pastry, but in the end it came out flaky and wonderful. You can never go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe! I bought a copy of Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics at Costco, but you can also find this recipe at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tomato-and-goat-cheese-tarts-recipe/index.html.