New recipe, new sewing table, new dry wall....

I made lentle soup the other night for the first time. It turned out really well so I thought I would share it with you.

First, heat 2T olive oil in pot or dutch oven until hot but not smoking. Coarsly chop a cup of carrots, celery, and onion and add to pot. Don't forget to add lots and lots of freshly chopped garlic, 1lb. spicy organic kosher sausage chopped in small pieces, and 1lb. of dry lentles rinsed and dried.



Add a can of rotel and 2qts homemade chicken stock.



Cook for 45 minutes until lentels are tender. You can also purree a cup of the soup for a smoother consistency. I served my soup in my favorite Longaberger bowls/mugs my Mom gave to me. Top your soup with fresh chopped cilantro and sour cream. We dipped homemade crusty bread and flaxseed tortilla chips in our soup....YUM. It was good.



I found this adorable antique dressing table for my little girl. We are going to paint it a very light pink.



She is going to use it as a sewing table in our new sewing room, Studio 31. The sides open up which is where she is planning on storing her fabric stash. The middle opens as well which is where she is going to store her little sewing machine. We are planning on making a fabric covered cork board for the back side of the middle piece for pins and her inspiration pictures. Such Fun....I can't wait for the room to be finished.


The drywall is up and is getting its second sanding. We are hoping to paint this weekend and soon after lay the new faux wood laminate flooring!!!! Can't wait!!



This room is super small. Sorry for the horrible picture. Hopefully I can get better shots once the room is finished.

Painted Door

With not having a whole lot of money for a good makeover I have been looking for ways to make an impact without much cost. This door used to be white.



I painted it black and LOVE the way it pops.



I am linking to:

Back to Work

We finally got back to work on the craft/sewing room this weekend.




Ok, so "we" actually means the kids and Daddy. I was busy loosing my insides because of the nasty flu. I hate that guy!

Anyhow, the drywall is halfway up. I am so excited.



Oops, that's not a picture of the drywall. But the framing is up too. You get the idea.

I have a new inspiration photo for the craft/sewing room. I love all the white furniture with the pink accents. Oh, and the wallpaper!! Isn't it cute. I am going to wallpaper the longest wall where this soon to be painted dresser will sit.




Enjoy your Monday.....and make sure you don't get your 17 month old's shirt stuck on her head:)

Need New Furniture?

I have a few pieces of furniture I am putting up for sale and thought I would post them on my blog to any locals. I have two of these armless chairs from overstock


and a few wood pieces that we restored using the same process we used on the hutch. If you are looking for an old piece of furniture that has been professionally painted and beautifully updated let me know. I may have just the piece you are looking for!

More Favorite Pictures

Favorite Picture #2

This is another of my favorites. Carolyn did such a good job of capturing the moment. In this picture the kids were running, jumping, and being silly in the leaves. I love that Carolyn captured Eden being still, just looking at the fallen leaves. So precious.

I Will Cherish These Forever

We recently had family pictures taken by a sweet friend. She is an amazing photographer! I mean it! In the past, family photo sessions were something I dreaded. The kids never smiled their true sweet smiles, there was always a fight of some kind, and I was a sweaty mess by the end. This was not the case with Carolyn. She met us at our home and just followed the kids around while they showed her their rooms and toys. My kids even got their own cameras out and started taking pictures of her. It was totally laid back and fun. She then went with us to a cute little town up the road and took some amazing photos of us walking through ally ways, standing against old buildings, and the kiddos being silly in the leaves. Her work is amazing.


See what I mean! I will be posting a new picture that Carolyn took each day for the next four or five days.
In the mean time check out Carolyn Bowles Photography.