It's check in time with Stephanie at Bourbon and Glitter! July is just about over and I will say I did a pretty good job at completing some but not all of my goals.

The biggest task completed: 12 hours of grad school credit!


HOLLA! I may have only just finished my classes on Wednesday but they are done and I'm ready for a nice little pay raise when I return to work in August.

I also found some time to get crafty in July, prettifying my teacher toolbox steal.
Washi tape is my new jam, it's going to be all over my classroom this year.

The pool and I got acquainted in July but unfortunately we didn't become BFFs. Three trips total including one at a million dollhair mansion. Gotta love when the boyfriend's mom housesits for Richie Rich!


My birthday is only 20 days away and so I did update my wishlist on Pinterest. Can't wait to ease the pain of turning 28 with some retail therapy.

Things that didn't get accomplished: going to the gym 3x a week and updating the bloggy blog. But there's always next month!

It's back!


The Pinterest Challenge. Every few months or so, the ladies over at Young House Love and Bower Power host a challenge to stop pinning and start doing. Last week they sounded the call and I panicked. I seriously did not have the time to tackle a DIY project nor any doll-hairs to spend. My thoughts were consumed all week with how I could still participate with such limitations.

Enter my fall wreath from last year that was Pinterest inspired.




After surviving a season between the leaking storm door, girlfriend needed a little pick me up. The Pinterest Challenge was just what I needed to break out the glue gun and revive this cute rosette wreath.

And ta-da! Good as new and it looks so swell with my hanging-on-for-dear-life mums.


Check out my other Pinterest Challenge projects:

Striped TV Tables

Crayon Wreath

Pottery Barn Inspired Desk

Did you participate in the Pinterest Challenge or did you sit this one out? Leave your project link in the comments so I can check it out. I am hoping to come back with a vengeance for the winter challenge, watch out!

Oh my, it's been awhile! I've been meaning to blog for the past two weeks and it has just been crazy town at work and home with early morning meetings, moving my Grandma to my parents house, and trying to pretend like I'm 20 again going out Friday AND Saturday nights with various social engagements (let's be real, if I was really trying to pretend I was 20 I would be going out every night of the week).

God. I'm. Old.

In between all that I've been busy in the kitchen. My Pinboard is bursting with new recipes to try. I don't know what it is about fall but it makes me wanna cook.


First up, I tried the Baked Potato Grilled Cheese.

Say hello to what's been missing in your life. It's pretty much everything I love on a sandwich. Potatoes, cheese, bacon, sour cream, green onions, and butter.

Please stop what you're doing right now and go make this sandwich.

And don't skimp on the bread - make sure it is a nice crusty French bread. Trust.

Next, a chicken dish known as Chicken Kiev.


Pretty tasty but labor intensive and too much handling of raw chicken. The inside is stuffed with green onions, parsley, butter, and garlic.

Lastly, Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce.



This was very reminiscent of the Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy I tried a while back. This recipe was easier to make and still packed a flavor punch. Plus, the recipe made a ton so there are leftovers for lunch this week. Score!

So what have you been up to, any good recipes I need to try? Leave 'em for me in the comments!

Remember way back to four weeks ago when I bragged about my sweet $2 garage sale find tv tables?

No?

I almost don't either it's been so long.


Oh yeah, those!

Well I finally got around to finishing this project just in time for the Pinterest Challenge! Yay!

Young House Love

Nothing like the call of a challenge to get my butt in gear. When you last saw the tables they had been primed and painted white.


And that is how they sat for three weeks. Because apparently I am chevron challenged.

I've already told you about my love of chevron and I so desperately wanted to bring some pattern into my living room. I watched tutorial after tutorial and could NOT get it right. I used painter's tape, my Cricut, a ruler, gridlines...anything I could get my hands on to create some beautiful chevron action on these tables but alas it just wasn't going to work. And as much as I wanted to purchase a stencil, that wasn't in the budget.

So instead, I present my new striped tables!



I absolutely love them!

They were a pretty simple project too since I had already had all the supplies needed to spruce them up on hand from my desk project. In case you're wondering, they have a coat of primer, two coats of white semi-gloss paint, one coat for the stripes, and one coat of poly.

The boyfriend and I tried them last night and they work perfectly, just the right height to enjoy dinner while on the couch.

 Today, I pulled one over to make a temporary side table.


Love it!

Make sure you head over to Bower Power and YoungHouse Love to check out the hundreds of projects linked up, there are always some projects that just blow my mind. And while your at it check out my other Pinterest Challenge projects:

Crayon Wreath

Pottery Barn Inspired Desk

Anyone else troubled with chevron creation (or is that just me?) Did you create anything for the Challenge? Leave a comment with a link to your project so I can check it out. Thanks for stopping by!

It's Wednesday and I wanted to show off some of my latest pins and link up with The Vintage Apple.

I am on a total house decorating kick, well at least looking for things to decorate my house with. Unfortunately I didn't hit the Powerball again so I can't afford to buy everything at once, damn the luck.

Young House Love did a window shopping post yesterday from World Market and I love this frame idea for my jewelry.


I haven't been to Kohl's in ages and we stopped in this week and I was shocked at some of the great finds like this flower-y metal mirror.


And this gorgeous Vera Wang bedding. Get on my bed now!



Speaking of get on my bed...Mr. Grey?






Love these stenciled grey walls.



This just makes me laugh...oh Condy.

Looking at my latest pins it appears that I'm hungry for new and interesting dishes. Now that I have the time because it's summer my goal is to make dinner every evening - not only to stay within our budget but to expand our dinner repertoire beyond tacos, hamburgers, and Swiss Chicken. I worry about the day we ever have children and getting them to eat vegetables because we would be the worst examples as parents!

This "Green Monster" smoothie supposedly doesn't taste what it looks like. I need to get my hands on a blender to try it out for myself. Anyone ever tried this before?



The BF bought a pork loin on whim last week and I had to figure out how to cook it - this seemed like an easy and simple option, it's on the menu for Thursday with some mashed taters.



This lovely desert is on the menu for tomorrow night - so excited to try it out however I'm nervous because I don't have an electric mixer and it might be difficult to give the cream cheese the right consistency. I'll post the results tomorrow, wish me luck!



Ok so not all of my pins were food but this still belongs in the kitchen - it's cheap, easy, and cute!



And I don't know where this pin fits in but I really want an infinity ring. I blame my slight obsession with the infinity symbol all on Pinterest. Our six year dating anniversary coming up and even though I've been super obvious about wanting it we usually don't do presents beyond sentimental stuff so it might just be a little present to myself.

 

Like what you see? You can follow me on Pinterest and see more good stuff on the daily.

Pin anything good lately? Link up with The Vintage Apple and leave me a comment so I can check them out!

       

This week on Pinterest it seems my theme is organization and booze...two things that probably don't go well together.

Let's start with the libations...







And the organization...








Like what you see? You can follow me on Pinterest and see more good stuff on the daily.

Pin anything good lately? Link up with The Vintage Apple and leave me a comment so I can check them out!

It's Wednesday and I'm linking up with The Vintage Apple to share my latest pins. Head over there and check it out!




My mantra these last couple of days...





I probably do this at least once a day...my bad.





Love these colors and flowers.


I want this gray in my house!



Like what you see? You can follow me on Pinterest and see more good stuff on the daily.

Pin anything good lately? Link up with The Vintage Apple and leave me a comment so I can check them out!