Hello Kitty Halloween

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Here is a sneak peek of a little Hello Kitty Halloween set I will be listing tonight! DillyDally is having our first ever Facebook launch and we are all very excited!

To bid or purchase you must "like" the DillyDally fan page: CLICK HERE

Please take a moment to "like" the Tattered Tulips page: CLICK HERE

I love that this set has boutique flair, but is comfy enough for school or even the park!

I also love the "bustling" technique I used on the skirt. To get that look all you do is pinch the fabric and do a button hole stitch! Super easy and would look great on adult skirts or window treatments as well!

This picture just makes me smile! I can't believe my baby girl will be 7 in just over a week.

Squash Carbonara

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Yesterday at the store I picked up a butternut squash...I have never cooked with this before so this morning I went on the hunt for a recipe.

I decided to try this one: CLICK HERE

Butternut Squash Carbonara

(makes 2 servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta
6 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch slices)
2 cups squash (cut into small pieces)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon sage (chopped)
pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions:
1. Start cooking the pasta.
2. Fry the bacon in a pan.
3. Drain most of the fat from the pan but reserve some to cook the squash.
4. Add the squash, garlic, sage and pepper and toss to coat in the bacon grease.
5. Mix the egg yolk, heavy cream and parmigiano reggiano in a bowl.
6. Drain the cooked pasta reserving some of the water.
7. Add the pasta to the pan and toss.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and wait for the sizzling to stop.
9. Add the egg mixture and toss to coat.
10. Add a bit of the pasta water and toss to mix and coat.
11. Garnish with more sage & serve.

I made a few modifications...

I substituted milk for heavy cream because I did not have cream on hand...I also used a little more pasta and added more milk to make a little more sauce. I also added cubed chicken in with the squash. I sprinkled the chicken and squash with minced onion, garlic, salt, pepper and italian seasoning...I did not have sage or fresh garlic on hand. I cooked them in the bacon drippings until the squash was soft and the chicken was cooked through.

I had to google how to peel a butternut squash...slightly embarassed about that, but never the less...a veggie peeler worked just fine.

Evie helped me crumble the bacon and only ate a little along the way! lol

I thought it was delicious! The kids did not care for the squash (of course...rolling eyes) but they tried a few pieces and ate up the pasta and chicken.

I would estimate that this meal was on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

Finally, for Stephanie...here is Marlon Brando screaming "Stelllllla" in A Streetcar Named Desire. I don't know why...but this is one of those stupid movie things that Todd and I say all the time. Don't ask...I already told you I don't know why! lol

Don't Forget the Spray Paint

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I have had a set of home interiors vegetable canisters sitting on my counter for the last 5 years. I know you are thinking...ick...home interior, really?! lol I had an aunt that sold it and I got talked into a party...you know how that goes. But really, I loved the canisters!! I just hated the colors of them...

I was all ready to throw them out when my BFF screamed "NOOOOOOOO" dramatically at the top of her lungs in a Marlon Brando "Stelllllla" type voice. Well, that really didn't happen, but she did say no and that I should paint them. Duh?! Why didn't I think of that? Thank goodness for BFF's, everyone should have one.

Here are the new canisters and a sneak peek at my new wall color that I will reveal after I get the curtains back up.

Before (picture borrowed from eBay because, as usual, I forgot a before picture.)

Chalkboard Contact Paper & Canisters

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I've been needing some new kitchen canisters. So I headed over to pinterest for some inspiration and found these:

These glass canisters can be picked up at most any store, I found them at both Walmart and Target. After some debate, I decided to go with the chalkboard style so I could change what was written on the outside of the canister.

I ordered this nifty chalkboard contact paper and can't wait for it to arrive!

This morning, while reading Cape 27 I saw that she did something similar as a place to collect loose change...can we say genius?! We have loose change everywhere and I will be borrowing her cute idea to corral our change!

Picking Paint Colors

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I've decided to go for it and paint my living room and kitchen light blue. I love the green I currently have...but am just feeling restless and ready for something brighter! I am also going to have my hubby repaint the kitchen cabinets white instead of cream and I am going to swap out my cream curtains for white.

Soooo...the last few days I have been trying to decide on a paint color. Blue is a hard color to pick! I don't want it to feel too powdery or too "baby boy".

Here is a tip I learned from Todd about paint colors....if there is a color chip that you mostly love but you feel it is too dark...you can ask the person mixing the paint to only go 1/2 or 3/4 strength on the color. This was exciting news to me!

The first color I picked is on the bottom right and it was way too powdery. I did a lot of looking around at blogs and online rooms trying to get a feel for exactly what I wanted. Shelley over at House of Smiths has upward by Sherwin Williams in her dining nook and I loved it!! However, it was a little too dark for what I was envisioning in my space. This is where the 1/2 strength tip comes into action. The bottom left is 1/2 of the top, which is upward...and that's the color I am going with...cross your fingers for me!

FoodGawker

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My brother in law recently said... "never eat at a restaurant with pictures on the menu."

Hmm....well, I am not a great cook, but I like to look at food! lol This website I recently discovered is probably not new to a lot of you...FoodGawker

I like that you can save your favorites under your account. Here are a few that I have saved in my favorites. Happy food gawking!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars


Chocolate Cheesecake with Peanut Butter Cream...hello?!!!

New Blinds

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We have bamboo blinds in our family room and I love them! I have been looking for something similar to put in the master bedroom, but had not had any luck finding what I wanted. Finally, I found exactly what I was looking for at Christmas Tree Shops...and they were only $16.99 each. I think they make a big difference!

Here was my windows before:

Here they are now:

Photoshop Art

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If you recall, during the spring I was working on updating my master bedroom. Like any project, there was still some things that needed to be finished.

Remember this corner?

Here it is now after a few updates! (please try to ignore the monster tv peeking out) You can also see my new lampshades in the mirror, I love that they add a pop of color and whimsy to the room.
My next project is going to be the desk chair...

I have been obsessed with eye charts lately, I made this eye chart along with the mr & mrs art in my photoshop program. I then printed them on photo paper. I also made the silhouettes of my children in photoshop. Thanks to my affordable homemade "art", I was able to redo this wall for $49...including the little desk lamp, new mirror, and frames!

Here are some links I found helpful in creating my art:

Eye Chart
Silhouettes Tutorial

Fake Coral

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I love the look of coral and it fits perfectly with the beachy feel going on in my house right now...so when I read a tutorial on how to make your own fake coral, I couldn't wait to try it.

I went to Walmart and picked up a few interesting pieces from the aquarium section. The driftwood is sturdy and was $5, the coral piece was $3.77. I have since picked up a few more pieces of coral, but have yet to transform them. This is what I started with...

This is how they ended after just a few coats of white spray paint!

Family Photography

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My dear bff, Stephanie over at room*6, and I have decided to help each other with family photographs. We both have nice cameras and somewhat knowledge of how to use them. We can do this, right?

In preparation, I have been looking at family photographs that I like to get some ideas for how to arrange mom, dad, and the littles.

Definitely my favorite photographs are when you capture a true laugh from everyone in the family! I also love the use of frames, old couches, and placing family members in interesting positions.

What I don't want to end up with is all the pictures being stiff and posed.

I thought I would be able to purchase a new lens for the project, however after a little research the best lens for the job is $1500. I am hoping to borrow or rent one. Stephanie and I will keep you updated on our little project! Do you have a favorite family photo to share with us?