Kitchen Mini-Makeover

You may recall I was doing a mini-makeover on the kitchen at LaNa some time ago.  I recently realized I hadn't posted any after pics...so, here goes! 

 When I moved in the kitchen was pretty bare and painted in a flat white almost like a primer.  Not very flattering!

With the help of friends, I painted the kitchen "Tornado Watch" - lighter on the walls and darker cabinets.  I liked it at first...then, I started to feel like an OSU fan with the colors.  Not good in Wolverine territory!

Love that our little Navin is in some of these shots.  We miss him TONS!



I decided to go lighter with a glossy white cabinet while keeping the "Tornado Watch" walls.  It brightened up the room and makes it feel less busy.  I'm loving it! 





Don't mind the clutter...there was actually some cooking going on in here!!





Evidence that cooking took place!  BBQ chicken on fresh spinach with mock mashed potatoe (aka cauliflower!)!



Creative uses for a wine holder!

Ikea wine holder painted red...



turned magazine holder!

Breakfast for Dinner!





 

Srambled eggs with cheese, veggies, avocado, sour cream and salsa! And, a chicken sausage with sage.


Made just last night...delish!

LaNa 3-year Anniversary!

On January 11, 2011 we celebrated 3-years at LaNa!  We've had many great times with wonderful friends and family inside these walls.  Let the good times continue for 2011!!

My latest project was an overhaul on our linen closet.  I just love linen closets!  However, ours is small and was looking pretty cluttered.  I've done a bit of organizing and even removed the door!  We love it!!

BEFORE

AFTER

Gibson checking out the project!

I added some rattan baskets from Target, a curtain from TJ Maxx, and the tie is from a wedding gift (I love to reuse!!).  All we need is a hook at the side to hold the tie back and this project is complete!  Total cost was around $65 for baskets and curtain panel.

Displaying Wedding Pics

I've been trying to think of a nice way of hanging some of our favorite wedding photos and stumbled upon this shot from Our Little Beehive:

Love it and am thinking of a way to incorporate at LaNa!

Getting organized!

18 Things You Can Get Rid of Today

I LOVE purging!  Makes me feel so productive. 

How about you?  Do you like to purge?

Trying to stay warm...

This includes Gibson too!

BEER!

Clever!  But, I still like taps...there's an art form to pouring a beer that this invention misses.  Kind of like screw tops on wine bottles.  I love the process of opening a wine bottle with an actual cork!  Nonetheless, this is a neat invention. 

Plant a Beautiful Terrarium: Windowsill herbs

Midwest Living® Magazine

Plant a Beautiful Terrarium: Windowsill herbs

Create a terrarium: First steps

1. Select plants for your terrarium. Dwarf and slow-growing plants that thrive in warm, moist air work best. Plants with different heights, shapes and textures add interest.

2. Gather ornamental accessories. Small pebbles can resemble rocks and boulders; small branches and moss give your garden a natural look.

3. Choose a clear container large enough to hold the plants you want to enclose. Wash it thoroughly.

4. Put down a layer of drainage material, such as pea gravel. Depending on the size of your container, you'll need about a half-inch to 3 inches of pea gravel.

5. Sprinkle with fine charcoal (generally available at garden centers), which absorbs gasses and chemicals.

6. Layer 2 to 6 inches of a sterile peat-based potting mix over the base.

7. Gently tap plants out of their pots. Trim rampant roots to encourage plants to grow more slowly and to more easily fit into the shallow, restricted root zone in the container.

8. Place plants in holes and press soil gently around the roots. Use long-handled tools if necessary to avoid damaging other plants. Start in the middle and work outward.

9. Add finishing touches such as moss and rocks.

10. Mist with water to settle the roots and clean the plant. The soil should be moist but not soggy. Cover your terrarium. (You can also leave your terrarium open, but it will need more frequent misting.)

Caring for your terrarium

Light: Put your terrarium where it will get enough light to satisfy the plants' needs, but keep it out of direct sun, which will overheat the garden.

Water: Check moisture levels periodically, and mist if your terrarium needs water. Plants should not dry out, but they also shouldn't be overwatered. If spots of mold or mildew appear, your garden has too much moisture; remove or partially open the lid for two or three days to improve air circulation.

Pruning: Prune plants to keep them from overgrowing their neighbors. Remove dead plants and plant parts as they appear.

This looks WAY too easy!

and, SUPER yummy!

Small house living...could you do it?

Second Act - Jay Shafer's Tiny Home @ Yahoo!7 Video

Homemade Soft Scrub...

Dimmer craze!

I just watched this video of how easy it is to install a dimmer switch...and, now I'm trying to think of all the lights at LaNa where a dimmer could be installed!  I'm thinking this could be a fun and easy (and energy efficient!) weekend project!

Christmas at LaNa

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Zingermans Roadhouse

Local beers, pimento cheese dip, and Ancho Beef Chili Cheddar Fries! Yum!!!!!




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Wedding Details

We recently got the pictures back from Kat Foley from our wedding.  They are FANTASTIC!  This picture makes me smile as I love my wedding shoes so much!!!

I also adored my bouquet of dahlia's from a local farmer (aka The Dahlia Man @ A2 Farmer's Market) and put together by a friend.  We included rosemary in the bouquet for rememberance of my beloved sister, Robyn.  IMY Robyn!

A visit with Santa

I took Gibson and Lola to Green Pawz, our go-to pet store in Ann Arbor, over the weekend to see Santa.  My mom and her dog, Kaleigh, met us there too.  The dogs dug Santa and I loved that our donation to pose helps FIDO the organization where we adopted Gibson almost 1 year ago. 

Gibson's with Santa



Kaleigh with Santa



Snow!

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The Story of a Dollar in Ann Arbor

Starring my friend, since kindergarten, Sam!

I'm dreaming of....

A new front porch for LaNa!  It's at the top of our wish list!!  I saw this porch makeover on Young House Love and have porch envy!

Gotta have it!

Honestly, I can see this at LaNa!  While we're running out of wall space, I know we could make this fit somewhere in the kitchen!!!  I found this print via Fine Artichoke - Original Art for Hungry Walls.


Michigan - 12.5" x 19"
Silkscreen on recycled French paper
Edition of 100 - $30
Check out John Holcomb’s website here:
www.shorthandedstudio.com/

Be sure to check out John's other U.S. States in his "United Plates of America" series!

Clever idea for dog and cat beds!

And, if you're in my area, they sell this product line at Green Pawz!

Michigan Etsy Seller

Most of you know that I adore Etsy!  LOVE LOVE LOVE it! 

A good friends sister-in-law sells star urchins in her shop on Etsy called kissa design.  The star urchins, sometimes known as porcupine balls, are based off of traditional Polish folk art and can be used for holiday decor, tree toppers, a modern accent in your home, or even as wedding decorations.  I just love them and am thinking about some for my holiday tree! 



So fresh and crisp - love them!!




This leopard print tree topper makes me smile!



All images are property of kissa designs.

Adding this to my Christmas list!

for ME cause I'm diggin' it!!



A great little pillow by lovecalifornia on Etsy.  Other states available too!

Gotta love...

Fresh sheets, new down comforter, and a heated mattress pad. We will sleep tight tonight - even Gibson is enjoying it!


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Trip to the Finger Lakes

I just back from a trip to the Finger Lake region in New York.  It was beautiful!  A fun road trip with my mom, wine tasting with family and friends, and beautiful scenery = fantastic!  Here are some pics from the journey and links to some of my favorite wineries we visited.


Shaw Vineyard - incredible wine!  I loved each one I tasted including the whites which is a big deal considering I lean towards reds every time.  Great atmosphere, laid back, and they frown on tour buses which I think makes the tasting experience more personal. 
J.R. Dill Winery - new winery on the lake owned and operated by a 27-year old!  How jealous I am!!!  Good wines too!
Penguin Bay Winery - loved the bubbly!
Rasta Ranch Vineyards - decent wine, LOVED the ambiance!  Felt like I was back on Haight Street!


My mom en route to wine country!

 

Beautiful sunset along a New York highway

 

Our cabin overlooking Seneca Lake, NY.

A little dark, but at our first winery of the day and very excited!



Beautiful fall colors



We stopped "wining" long enough to enjoy the tastes at the Finger Lakes Distillery.



A lovely merlot from Shaw Vineyard - one of my fave stops along the trail. 
Note: the lamp at the side was scored at an antique shop in Angelica, NY...a super cute village we discovered on the way home. 

Another kind of FALL at LaNa!

To our surprise, part of our tree decided to FALL last night in the strong winds!  We were extremely thankful that it didn't hit the car!!

Fall at LaNa



Porch before

Porch after

Random collections - love it!

Cookies for a Cure!

A friend and Art for the Cure of Cystic Fibrosis committee member's son has started Cookies for a Cure to raise funds towards finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. 

Kudos go out to this grade schooler for his interest and dedication to help this cause.  We salute Dru and support him in his mission to raise $700 by selling cookies at all Michigan football games (on Main at Pauline).   

If you aren't in our area, but would still like to support the cause, please visit his fundraising site at www.cff.org/GiftReg/DruCampbell.   

A great article is currently available with more information on Dru's mission.  In addition to his cookie stand, Dru is one of our beloved Kids for the Cure artists at our annual art auction. 

Yeah Dru!!