The Dollhouse, Part II

Now that we've relaxed in the living room, I'll give you a quick tour of the dining room and kitchen. You can see the rooms are a little small, but for the three of us we have plenty of space to maneuver and gather comfortably. Because of the space, I opted for a very informal, almost Grandma-esque dining space. You may recognize this table from a previous post, I bought it from a neighbor down the street for $40 at her garage sale. I spruced it up and further "cutsied" it with some flat, eggshell paint and some toile fabric stretched over the seats.

I looked high and low for the proper China hutch to display my favorite antique dishes, but I also needed something to set my microwave on as I am so very limited in counter top space in the kitchen. My hutch is the only thing downstairs (electronics being the only exception) that I bought brand new. It was a tough pill to swallow- nearly $170, but nothing I found would suit the space, the decor, or the need to hold my microwave. Oddly enough, I have a hutch just like this in New Mexico. It's waiting to make the move with so much else we still have stored out there, but I couldn't wait any longer and urgently needed a microwave stand.

(Pictured below) I found the wallpaper border at Ollies, and for 99 cents a roll, I couldn't pass it up. The print I have hanging in the entryway is practically a larger version of this, so it made for a great "introduction" piece to the dining room. I love whimsical folk art, although it's difficult to really see in this picture. The plate racks were a Freecycle find, and the yellow plates were 25 cents each at Goodwill. I swap the plates with the seasons, so pretty soon I'll be displaying some thrifted Christmas plates and storing these ones until next spring.


The print hanging on the wall was $8 from Goodwill, and if you're thinking it looks a little small and a little too formal, you would be correct. I needed something in this space, so until I find a more appropriate replacement, it will have to do. My favorite print EVER is one from Home Interiors that I received as a gift about 10 years ago, and it too is packed away in storage. It would be a perfect fit on this wall, and I'm always keeping an eye out for another one.


In addition to the out-of-place picture, the simple swag curtains that I have hanging here and in the kitchen are also temporary. ($2 at Gabriel Brothers, so no major investment here) I have my eye on some gingham-checked burgundy and cream-colored cafe curtains, but I'm waiting for a sale or a miracle. They are at Altmeyer's, and so far the lowest I've ever seem them (during a "blowout sale") was $65 per pair. Ouch. Oh how I fantasize about them... the color and style are a perfect match. Perhaps one of these days I'll stop being so cheap and buy them! :)

Here you can see my favorite dishes, so proudly displayed atop the China hutch. You can also see better the border. The "glowing" pumpkins were yet another freebie courtesy of Freecycle- still in the packaging from someones unwanted QVC purchase.

My dollhouse kitchen is quaint, functional, and nicely put together. My baker's rack was one of those "once in a lifetime" finds- I paid a whopping $20 for it at a local thrift store. The items on it change with the seasons.

I HATED the vinyl flooring that was in the kitchen when we moved in. It was yellowing, scratched, and otherwise a complete eyesore. Thanks to a wonderful landlord and a handy husband, I now have a faux slate tiled floor in a warm brown hue. Because the kitchen is so white, the contrast in color was very welcoming.

I realize the wallpaper border in the kitchen isn't too easy to see from these pictures. It's a merry strand of Gingerbread men gaily prancing around the kitchen, and again at 99 cents per roll at Ollies, it had to be mine. I have a thing for gingerbread men, and even though you may automatically associate them with Christmas, this border is not Christmasey at all. Although the week after Thanksgiving I will be breaking out the Christmas stuff, and naturally Gingerbread men and women will run amok everywhere, so the border looks even more at home this time of year.

Well, this concludes our downstairs tour of the Dollhouse! The bedrooms upstairs are still being transformed- my son's room seems to constantly change as he gets older. But I have some wonderful and inexpensive things to share... so stayed tuned for the continuation of our tour!

A Glimpse Into My Dollhouse, Part I

This past September was our two-year anniversary of residency in what I've come to call our Dollhouse. I had given it such a moniker due to the tiny, but adorable layout.

Finding our home when we did was such a blessing... we landed in a great neighborhood in one of the states best school districts. We live in a busy city, but we still can enjoy the quiet comfort of a dead-end street with lots of room out back for tossing around a football, grilling out on the patio, or even planting a small garden if so I choose. Although I have not planted one yet, the disadvantage to that is we are situated right along a large wooded area, which doesn't leave us a lot of sunny spots for planting.

It took me a while to finalize the decorating and furniture arrangement in this little space. In fact, I've only completely finished doing so within the last few months. My goal was "less is more". I wasn't quite going for a minimalistic approach, as someone who knows anything about primitive country decorating knows that really isn't possible.

Instead, I looked for items that are both functional, decorative, and inexpensive. That is one thing I love about country decorating- it's okay to have a couple nicks and scratches here and there! I definitely hit the mark in the "inexpensive" category. I've managed to pull together a comfy living room, dining room, and kitchen on the cheap. How cheap? Check THIS out-

The most expensive item in our living room is naturally our TV, which was purchased last year on Black Friday at Target. It was one of those items worth standing in line for two hours for. Although you can't really see it from this angle- it's off on the far left.

My couch and love seat were clearance items from Ashley Furniture. It had previously been bought, then returned shortly thereafter, which meant a killer discount for cheapskates such as myself. And since the original throw pillows were not available with the set, I got a $40 gift certificate to purchase pillows elsewhere. I found these burgundy-backed cuties at Wal-Mart for $4 each, which meant I got to pocket another $24. They even threw in a complete set of replacement cushions for when the others start to loose their sponginess. OK- so what's the total for this set? Including my $24 credit for pillows, I paid less than $300 for Ashley furniture. Don't hate me!

The coffee table was a freebie, courtesy of Freecycle. (You'll be seeing a lot of Freecycle finds throughout the house). I realize it isn't necessarily primitive in nature, but the color of the wood and the size work well in the space. Until I find a proper replacement, it's staying put because it's actually grown on me. I pulled the room together simply by throwing down a burgundy area rug from Home Depot.

I fell in LOVE with the wrought-iron rooster lamp in the corner from Ollies Bargain Outlet, and since I get a 20% discount every time I shop there, it was a steal at $16. The table it sits on was a cheapie at Dollar General for $8, but the cheapiness is well hidden under a Martha Stewart layered tablecloth that set me back $4 at Ollies- $3.20 specifically with my discount. The swag above love seat was also an Ollie's find- with my discount I spent less than $15 for two. Oh, and the candle sconce to the right of my Mother-in-Law's picture was a $2 deal at Goodwill. I would have loved to find two, but it seems to be at home where it is, even without a twin.

The long shelf was purchased at Michael's ($12). I wanted a long shelf to display items seasonally. I stained it at home with a $1 can of Minwax I found at a local dollar store. The curio on it was something I had received years ago as a Christmas gift from my Mom. I dressed it down with a checked "curtain" from fabric I had on hand. It was a little too contemporary, but sitting in the middle of two of my son's "antique" photos dresses it down. I was very pleased with this whole arrangement, as it took me a while to figure out just what to do on this long, boring wall.

The skinny primitive folk art paintings were pricey for me, but when I saw them I knew they were meant for the empty area on either side of my long shelf. They matched, practically to a T with the hand-painted door I have hanging above the TV. (see below) The folk art paintings were $10 apiece, which really isn't that much, all things considered. The painted door was something I had been eyeing at the Craftique store around the corner where we live, but at $40 it was over my budget. Thanks to a $20 gift certificate, I decided paying $20 for this focal point wasn't such a bad idea. It worked out perfectly, although this photo really does not do this piece any justice. To hide the screws that are actually holding this heavy door up, I pounded in two nails adorned with wooden stars. I paid $1 per star, and my Mom thinks I totally overpaid.

The only area in the living room that is still a work-in-progress-of-sorts is this closet area. Right now, it's a catch-all for winter coats, blankets, the vacuum cleaner and other miscellaneous junk. We have our TV sitting on another Freecycled coffee table, although it serves that purpose okay, in addition to having an open area underneath for DVD storage, it's not a permanent arrangement. My goal is to remove these closet doors and my husband has agreed to build a custom entertainment center to fit snugly right in this closet area. It's location is great for TV viewing from either sofa, and it will free up this area for a nice high backed chair I have sitting in the upstairs landing. He said he'd work on that this winter after the holidays, so I'll update it's progress later on.

To finish Part 1 of The Dollhouse's living room tour, I'll point out a few features in the entryway. As soon as you open the front door, you are looking strait up the stairs. The mirror to the left was another Goodwill goodie for $4. The folk-art print hanging on the wall behind the stairs is also a Goodwill goodie, if memory serves correctly it was also $4. It's an ideal match with my dining room wallpaper border, which was a lucky find I will show you in my Part 2 post.

The little corner table has a hand-painted rooster scene, and it was purchased a long time ago from LTD Commodities. Like the green curio shelf on the oppisite wall, it made the trek cross country when we moved from New Mexico.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your visit today. Please come back soon- we'll relax in the dining room with some tea and scones!

Recipe of the Week; CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Let the fun begin! I realize we haven't even discussed Thanksgiving, but as I was careening my cart through the supermarket this morning, the baking isle stood at full cookie-baking attention with piles sugar, spice and everything nice for Christmas cookies. I pushed right past the big frozen birds and loaded up on sprinkles and assorted chocolate chips, mentally making a list of what tried and true favorites will be baked up this year, as well as what new recipes I've come across that look like fun to try.

Two recipes, courtesy of Land O' Lakes butter, are on my new recipes list this year. I always seem to opt for fussy, pretty cookies, then regret doing so when I'm elbow-deep in flour when it's too late to change my mind.

The following two recipes really are pretty, but also seem a little less labor-intensive. I'm anxious to get started... in fact I'm getting so excited to start my baking I've actually scheduled two vacations days from work so I can do just that. Obsessive, perhaps. But rewarding without a doubt!

The first recipe is for Biscotti, with a holiday twist. In all of my years baking, I've never made my own Biscotti, which is so wild because I love to dunk it in coffee. Land O' Lakes tells me that "The lively aroma of sweet peppermint will drift from your oven as you bake these small and tender Biscotti cookies." I surely hope so.

CANDY CANE BISCOTTI

1/2 cup butter, softened
12/ cup sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cups finely crushed peppermint candy canes

For the coating:
1 14-oz. package (almond bark) vanilla candy coating
2 drops red food color
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, if desired
decorator candies, sugars or crushed peppermint candy canes, if desired

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in large bow. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs, continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder; continue beating until well mixed. Stir in crushed candy.

Divide dough into fourths on lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands. Shape each into 9 x 1 1/2-inch logs. Place logs 3-inches apart onto lightly greased large cookie sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are cracked and ends just start to turn light brown. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.

Carefully remove logs to cutting surface. Cut into 1/2-inch slices with sharp serrated knife. (Discard ends). Arrange pieces on same cookie sheet, cut-side down. Continue baking for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once, or until cookies are lightly browned and crisp on both sides. Remove to wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Melt candy coating in double boiler or microwave according to package directions. Remove from heat, stir in food color and peppermint extract, if desired.

Dip each Biscotti half way into warm coating; shake off excess. Place onto waxed paper. Immediately sprinkle with candies, sugars or crushed candy canes, if desired. Let set at room temperature until coating has hardened. (About one hour).

* * * * * *

I thought this next recipe would be a nice addition to the cookie tins this year. It's a decorative cookie, but without rolling out all that dough and fiddling with cookie cutters. Not that I mind doing that- my son and I religiously "paint" cut out sugar cookies every year, as was the tradition when I was growing up. You know, when I really think about it, for me Christmas cookies aren't necessarily the little treats themselves- it's the memory of the time spent together in the kitchen and the delicious smells that linger in the house during this time of year. A cookie is just a cookie, but a memory is something that touches all of senses...

CINNAMON CABINS

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Frosting:
1 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons of milk
white nonpareils
red and/or green food coloring, if desired

Combine 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, egg and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cinnamon. Beat until well mixed. Divide dough in half. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide each half of dough into 15 portions. Work with 5 portions at a time, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. Roll out each portion on unfloured surface into 7 1/2-inch long rope. Cut each rope into 5 (1 1/2-inch) logs.

To assemble cabins, place 3 logs horizontally onto ungreased cookie sheet to form cabin; press logs together slightly. Place remaining 2 logs in an inverted "V" shape above cabin to form roof, press together slightly. Repeat with remaining ropes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Combine all frosting ingredients in small bowl; add enough milk for desired consistency. Frost or pipe cabin roofs, sprinkle with nonpareils. Tint remaining frosting; decorate as desired.

Happy Hanaversrie

Our 12th wedding anniversary was this past Saturday, and my son made us some cute cards to cherish forever. And yes, this is just how he spelled "Hanaversrie".

My sweetie surprised me with a dozen pink roses and a beautiful silver pendant and bracelet that was tucked under my pillow for me to find that evening. He makes me feel like such a crud ball, as I only gave him a sappy Hallmark greeting card over dinner. I guess that's why we've successfully survived 12 years of marriage... he's so giving and I'm so accepting. :)

In past years I've made top-ten lists of various things, such as "Top-Ten Reasons I'm Glad I Married You", and "Top-Ten Things I Like About You". This year it was "Top-Ten Things You've Said That Nearly Made Me Pee My Pants." Yes, laughter is the key to a successful marriage- and ours is inundated with it. Some of the things only Todd and I understand. The rest- well, aren't funny to anyone else but us:

10. "Even your Father-in-law, sleeping on a cot".

This is actually an excerpt from a poem Todd wrote on our anniversary years ago. I told him to write me something romantic, and some how this line ended up in it. It started out as "Through the years, we've been through a lot...." then was followed by this line which had to do with something crazy that was happening in our lives then.

9. "That's a lot of mother-$*#&@*! bees!"

We had an invasion of Africanized honey bees build a colony in the eaves of our house when we lived in Phoenix. I think this sentence sums it up.

8. "Daniel Boone can kiss my @$$."

Todd said this with a lot of disgust when we were driving on the Daniel Boone parkway in Kentucky several years ago. It was his first real experience with toll roads.

7. "If it's you-well stop it! If it's not, then never mind!"

I can't explain this one. You just had to be there. Let's just say to this day it was one of the funniest moments in our marriage.

6. "Don't make fun of my hairy-tits".

He actually said heritage, but they way it came out was not what I interpreted.

5. "Stinky and Stinkier are coming to the race with us this year."

He was referring to some wonderful, but hygiene challenged friends of ours that came with us a Nascar race at PIR once. Let's just say 90 degree temps and friends who think deodorant is a tool used for mind-control by the Devil are NOT a good mix.

4. "You know you sit in your office jammin' to Snoop all day".

Todd said this after we starting dating, after hearing how I detest rap music.

3. "You're just so... some how".

At a complete loss for words when trying to tell me one evening what he loved best about me.

2. "That's a potato for your @$$!!"

Todd said this- and not quietly- during dinner at Lone Star Steakhouse after being served the biggest baked potato either of us have ever seen. It was the looks of fellow patrons that made it even funnier.

1. "You had me at Yah-teh".

If you've ever been any where near Gallup, NM you might understand this. Todd said this to me, shortly after proposing in 1997. It was obviously at a time when Jerry McGuire was a popular movie, but the reference to it and it's absurdity during a special moment in my life seriously almost made me pee my pants. I should have known then I was marrying a comedian.

I Hate Cub Scouts

Towards the beginning of this school year, my six year old son decided he wanted to join Cub Scouts. Well, it sounded like a good idea. And being me, I told him that whatever he committed to he had to stick with for the whole year. Scouts is an ongoing thing throughout the school year. And it's a very involved activity- meetings at least three times a month, in addition to special outdoor activities, fundraisers, food drives, parades, flag ceremonies... it takes up much of my very scarce free time.

So what do I do? I volunteer to be a Den leader. And then I agree to be the advancement chairperson, which is overseeing the awards and advancements for not just the Tiger den of 11 kids- but the whole Pack of nearly 60 boys. Why did I do this? I keep asking myself this. I can't just quit- the boys are what is keeping me going. They're so darn cute those little shirts and kerchief's.

And to make matters even worse, my son told me last week that he doesn't want to be in Scouts anymore, that he doesn't even like it. Urrrghh.... well, I can't allow him to quit, because then I will be going back on my rule- "You don't quit something you start". Which means I can't quit something I start. My husband keeps telling me to quit. To just say that it's become too overwhelming and I can't commit to it. Then what? Leave the boys hanging? I'm not that cruel. Besides, I have to see all of these parents all of the time, and I don't want them thinking of me as a flake, or worse yet, having one of the boys say something to TJ about his idiot Mother.

So I've resolved to stick with Scouts throughout this year. Once April is here, I'm done. Secretly I Hate Cub Scouts. Good thing none of those parents read my blog.