Birds of a Feather

Well it seems like I haven't gotten the chance to post in what seems like forever. I thought I'd buckle down & try to get back into it!

I wanted to start off with my guest bathroom!

I'm usually not one to go for crazy bright colors, or just any color that isn't a neutral natural color. I made myself step out of the box & go with a medium toned teal. Let me tell you... I love how it turned out! I found some gorgeous towels with bird theme on them at Target & snatched them right up. The counter decor came from a mix of places. 

I still have a few finishing touches to put on the bathroom, but it's pretty close to being done.  I think my favorite part is the counter decoration, I just love how it all came together.

Check out my list of stores...

White Ruffled Shower curtain: Amazon.com

Silver Metal Candle Holders: Goodwill (they were black & I spray painted them silver)

White Glitter Candles: Target (xmas clearance)

Silver Metal Bird cage: Ross

Green Round Topiary in Brown Vase: Home Goods

Bird Theme Towels/Wash Clothes: Ross

Decorative Glass jar: Hobby Lobby

Small Bird Nest: Dollar Tree

Have any questions or just want to share some of your decorating tips?

Email me at Mrs.Armstead@live.com

Make sure to follow me on Facebook too!

Wall of Fame

So I've been obsessing over our family photo wall! I have moved it twice & then rearranged it for a third time. Ben is convinced that I'm going to cause the walls to collapse because I put so many nail holes in them.
I do have to say 3rd time is the charm... Or so I hope it is!
Here is a little sneak preview of what I got accomplished. It's currently over the couch in the family. I hope you guys like it! I would sure love your feedback. Once the whole living room is done then I will post more photos. Also I will eventually take some more professional looking photos with my awesome camera & get them posted one day! I'm so behind on everything :(
Also I wanted to show you my process of how I arrange it before hanging it on the wall. I place them on the floor & go from there. It's easier to see what it looks like first hand when it's all together.

Tortilla Soup!

Once it starts to get even the slightest bit cool I instantly start making soup! My family is crazy about soup & it's such an inexpensive, easy thing to make. Lately we've been living off chicken tortilla soup & I find myself making it at least once a week, sometimes more! I wanted to share my recipe with you, so your family can enjoy it as much as we do.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin

- 2 large chicken bullion cubes*

- 4 cups of water*

- 1 cup of frozen corn kernels

- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1 cup of chunky salsa

- 8 ounce of crushed corn tortilla chips

- 1/2 cup shredded mexican style cheese

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook & stir the chicken in the oil for about 5-10mins or until cooked through. Add the garlic & cumin, mix well & cook for another 5mins. Then add chicken bullion, water, corn, chili powder, lemon juice, & salsa. Bring to a boil & then heat on low simmer for about 20-30mins.

2. Take crushed tortilla chips & put desired amount into bottom of individual sized bowls & then pour soup over chips. Top with desired amount of cheese. (Also sour cream, green onions & avocados are great toppers too)

*you can also substitute the water & chicken bullion cubes for 2 cans of chicken broth if you prefer

Here is Barrett chowing down on his soup for lunch. He absolutely LOVES it!! His favorite thing is to dip the tortilla chip right into the soup & scoop out chunks of chicken & corn that way. He also loves stealing spoonfulls out of Ben's bowl!

Entry Way on the Way!

Tonight I got a chance to work on the curtain for the entry way. We have a small window next to the door & I love how it lets light into the entry way. Problem is... people can see right in! I didn't want to cover it up with blinds because I wanted the light through, but then again I wanted some privacy.
I decided I would go with a sheer curtain. I ran into a couple little hiccups though. First problem is window sheers for that size can run $20 & up, no thank you! I decided I would keep an eye on clearance at Target, like I usually do. To my surprise I found a pair of cream sheer curtains for $1.98!! That's right I said I found some for under two bucks, score score score :) I quickly came to realize this "pair" of curtains was no longer a pair, hence why it was on clearance. No biggy though because just my luck I only need one curtain. Second problem was that it was about 10 inches too long. Problem solved, again, because I can sew.
Well here is the finished product. Custom fit by your's truly & only $1.98!!! Yes yes yes! Perfect color to accent the rug & to keep the space full of light.
Even though I got this little curtain accomplished there still is so much more to do! Oh gosh I feel like this house will be my never ending project. One step at a time though :)

Curtains!

Okay, so don't mind the horrible pictures my ipad takes, but here is a little taste of what I've been working on all night! I've always wanted ceiling to floor curtains & they are super pricey, so I thought I'd just make some of my own! I adore how they turned out.
I didn't get a chance to work on the sheer curtains to go behind these ones yet though. We're a tad low on funds, but once I get the chance I'll go get the rods for the sliding door & get those curtains up too. It's nice to see some things slowly coming together & a plus to finally get some privacy. Next is to get the dining room curtains done & them work on getting all Barrett's toys out of the living room!
Don't worry, I'm hoping to post some good pictures of things once I get the opportunity to.

Twenty Thirteen

I'm super excited to start 2013!! We get to start our new year off as home owners & lucky parents to one crazy adorable 15 month old boy. What else could we ask for?!
We have been & are surrounded by some amazing friends & family. My parents are super supportive, giving, loving & Barrett can't get enough of them. My sister always finds time to stop by & get quality time with Barrett & help me out with the new house, even though she is swamped at work most weeks. We've also made some amazing friends over this past year & I'm more than thankful to have met them. I love everyone in our life & everyone that has made a huge effort to be in our life as well XOXO
We have such an amazing year ahead of us & I can't wait for it to start!! Thank you for everyone that has helped us get where we are today & showed us that good things can happen to good people. Happy 2013!!!