Taking it Out

This is finally the time of year when the weather starts to warm up, gardens start blooming and everything is green.  The outdoors is an often neglected area that is really an extension of your house .. so lets put away the weather beaten chairs and white plastic table .. it's time to make your outdoor room stylish, comfortable, and weather resistant.  Sounds simple.

The time and effort it takes to spruce up your outdoor living area will not only extend your living space giving you more room to relax and entertain but also inject much needed relaxation.  Being able to get outside to enjoy nature is good for your health (Dr. Shana says)

xo - Shana

Container Gardens

Looking for an easy and convenient way to garden?

In search of a backyard but reside in an urban jungle?

Allow me to introduce you to the wonderfully creative world of container gardens.  Containers can hold every type of plant from ground covers to flowering plants and small trees.  Container gardening is an easy way to introduce landscape decoration to a small space.

How tranquil?!

Where to look first .. between the gorg tile work and those plants

I love the idea of trading socks for soil and recycling old furniture

I am SWOONING over the ornamental grass in matching pots

An old birdbath with succulents .. yes please!!



These container plantings add perfect elegance to the front entry



Exuberant plants can add an over the top lushness to the entry

xo - Shana


My personal fave..

Green Wallpaper

It seems as though I keep hearing that wallpaper is making a comeback … is it still coming or are we there yet?? 

Anywho I am totally bananas over this GREENER approach to wallpaper, a way to have a room that is completely unique to your style & taste and cost virtually nothing…recycled paper goods as wallpaper.  This can be ANYTHING you love or just plain think looks good.

I mean we’re talking pages from your favorite novel, sheet music, maps, newspaper.  I mean how romantic would your favorite poems look?  How about pages from a Dr. Seuss book for the little ones?  The possibilities are endless but the idea is SO simple.  I’m planning on decoupaging the built in bookcase in my bedroom with pages from an old dictionary, as I L-O-V-E the dictionary.

Instructions:
~ Paper good of your fancy
~ Wallpaper paste
~ Sponge brush

~ Old credit card

~ Paint brush

~ Clear sealer

Lay the book page (etc.) face down on a protected surface, using the sponge brush, brush a thin layer of glue over the whole page, making sure to get the edges.

Place book page on surface and use an old credit card to smooth out the paper, make sure you are careful not to put too much pressure as the paper can tear.  The object is to get out any wrinkles or air bubbles.

Allow to dry overnight

Brush on a coat or two of clear sealer (non-yellowing) to protect your work, make sure everything dries completely between applications.

Completely easy-peasy and fab!!

xo - Shana

So Fresh and So Clean

I thought that today I would do a little break down of my cleaning habits.  Not to be confused with the big clean that happens seasonally.  I have a little bit of OCD and am obsessive about keeping a clean house, despite the efforts of my four darling children. 

My daily 10 second tidy goes a little something like this:

• wiping down the kitchen counters and stovetop
• loading, running, and unloading the dishwasher
• sorting the mail (paying bills & shredding junk mail as I can't stand piles of paper)
• wiping down the sinks in the bathrooms (yes with 4 children this needs to be done daily)
• taking out the garbage

 These little efforts help me to sleep easier and take about 20 minutes total; not to mention they go a long way towards making the house feel nice and clean. 

Then there are a few things I like have to do a couple times of week:

• vacuum the bedrooms and area rugs (my house is very high traffic)
• laundry

When it comes to wiping things down, things like the counters and stovetop, I l-o-v-e method all purpose cleaner.  The smell of the pink grapefruit is ah-mazing and the fact that it's a green product, so it's non-toxic and contains biodegradable ingredients.. fabulous!!  In fact I only use method cleaning products as I can't stand the harsh chemical stench that the majority of the cleaning products give off.  So that's the cleaning schedule that works for me.

xo - Shana

PS. method did not gift me any of their wonderful products, they don't even know I exist.



Fridaylicious

I am having a love affair; Chocolae Dipped Coconut Macaroons - so wickedly good and insanely addicting.  Every bite is an explosion of rich buttery chocolate coconut goodness, I smile just thinking about them.  Now don't get me wrong these cookies don't need to be dipped in chocolate they are delicious as is, I just personally prefer a little chocolate.  Besides as someone I'm sure is quoted as saying "chocolate makes everything better".  When you factor in how ridiculously good; oh did I mention how easy these are to make... I am truly baffled as to why it took me so long to discover how ah-mazing these are! 

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Makes abut: 3 dozen cookies

For the cookies:
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
3½ cups sweetened flaked coconut

For the chocolate dipping:
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt until combined. Stir in the coconut until well blended.

3. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Form the cookies into loose haystacks with your fingertips, moistening your hands with water as necessary to prevent sticking.

4. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets until slightly set, about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack with a wide metal spatula.

6. Once the cookies are cooled to room temperature (about 30 minutes), line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Melt 8 ounces of the semi-sweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the remaining 2 ounces chocolate until smooth.

8. Holding a macaroon by its pointed top, dip the bottom a ½ inch up the sides in the chocolate; scrape off the excess chocolate and place the macaroon on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining macaroons.

9. Refrigerate the macaroons until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.

xo - Shana

It's Time for a Vacation

So after listening to the most depressing weather forecast, another 5" of snow is expected tonight, I have had enough.  I have begged and pleaded with Mother Nature and I've got some stern words for a certain ground-hog too.  So in an effort to try and salvage my sanity I have booked two vacations.  If only one of these vacations was for tomorrow, lol. 

Vacation number one which is Memorial Day weekend and adults only (Momma needs a vacation) will find me here:

 Well maybe not in this exact spot, but pretty darn close  :)

 Definitely laying on a beach side bed being served food and drinks though.

While my afternoon siestas will be right here.

Vacation number two this July will be the family vacation.  We had been making an annual pilgrimage to the Outer Banks, however this year we decided to skip the 10-14 hours in a car with 4 small children.  Instead this summer we will be traveling 3 1/2 hours to live it up here:

How FAB-U-LOUS?!

There is something about lighthouses that I adore.

My youngest has already told me he is hoping to see this.

xo - Shana



PS. In case you couldn't tell by the pictures, I will be in the Dominican Republic and Cape Cod this summer.

Zebra-riffic Birthday Party

This past Saturday was my daughters 12th birthday.  What better way to celebrate ones birthday than with a sleep over party that includes your 9 closest friends?  I mean honestly does it get any better then that?  Well throw in some zebra print and you have got the recipe for a wildly successful party (pun intended). 

The bar was draped with zebra fabric which had shimmery threads and became the perfect spot for snacking

 

The two pictures framing the entertainment center were covered with zebra wrapping paper, as was the hurricane.  I thought the two lamps worked well as the design on the shade was small but still provided interest and movement.  The streamers also were zebra print.

How ah-mazing it that cake?!  It was SO delicious too!

Since they say the devil is in the details, I also got zebra napkins and plates, both from Marshalls.

The girls had a blast dipping the marshmallows and fruit into chocolate, and the pinwheels were a huge hit as skewers.

I'm still not certain why it's called a sleep over party as there wasn't any sleeping at my house this past Saturday.

xo - Shana