Storage Solutions For Your Home

Are you like me and have a place in your home that houses things you don't know where to put?  We live in a new home and one of the tasks I've yet to tackle is the guest room. I currently have my party supplies (mason jars, beverage holders, champagne flutes, etc) just sitting in the guest room. It's not ideal but with an unfinished basement it's hard to find storage for everything. I've been thinking about ways to minimize the clutter, something I hate.

Here are a few options I'm considering.

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I'm seriously considering this. It's a great way to store extra glassware and it's super stylish.

 

 

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This would be perfect and solve my problem 100% but being that we're not sure how we're going to finish the basement or the extra bedrooms I don't want to invest in a piece like this, set it up and then have to move it all around the house.

 

 

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This is another fabulous idea and something I could do now. Our coffee table is a mini trunk that I bought at the Christie Antique Show last year. I could definitely fill it up.

 

 

So tell me, how have you maximized the storage space in your home? Any tricks you'd like to share?

 

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a great give-away!

 



Thankful

Lately I feel like there's a lot of good going around. My best friend is getting married to her high school sweetheart on Saturday, her sister and a friend of mine just had a gorgeous baby girl last night, we've had a gorgeous summer, my little family is doing great, and so on!

Sometimes I think people, myself included, need to sit back and be thankful for all they have.

So here you have it!

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Have a wonderful Tuesday! xo

Decorating For Fall

Is anyone else itching for their front porch to be decked out with fall mums and pumpkins? Yes, yes, I am wishing away summer again, don't hate me!

There is just so much to love about the fall - the gorgeous colours, my birthday, Thanksgiving, fabulous boots, do I need to say more?

This is the first time I've had my very own front porch to decorate and I plan on having fun with it.

In case you need some inspiration, here you go!

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The second and third image are my favourites. What about you, which photo are you loving?

Make sure to check in all week because I have a great give-away coming up!

Trendy Fall Outfits

First off, sorry the posts have been few and far between this week. Work and life are a bit nuts right now and unfortunately blogging had to take a back seat. Hopefully things will be a bit more calm next week.

I don't know about you but I totally have the urge to put on my brown boots and pretend it's already fall. Ya Ya rushing away summer is horrible but I don't care, I'm ready for my favourite season!

Do you have a favourite fall staple? I covered blazers earlier this week and they're definitely one of my favourite fall pieces.

Here are some great outfit options for our upcoming season.

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Brown boots make me weak in the knees. I bought a pair in Italy on my honeymoon and cannot wait to zip them up in a few weeks.

Are you liking what you're seeing above? What's your go to fall piece?

Have a great weekend!

Fall 2012 Blazers

I'm not mentally ready to do a full fall 2012 fashion post so I thought I would touch on one of my favourite staples, the blazer. Yes a blazer can be worn in the summer but to me, they're a perfect fall accessory!

I have a couple blazers and am always on the look out for other ones.

Here are a few I think everyone can enjoy.



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Are you a blazer lady? Are you digging the two tone blazers?

Artichoke Pesto Zucchini Bites

This summer I have fallen in love with zucchini. I've never liked it but something changed this summer and now I can't get enough of it.

We're having a dinner party on Sunday and I plan on making a new recipe my mom got that I'll be sure to share next week.

In the meantime, how amazing do these zucchini bites looks. We're also having people for dinner on Friday night (yes, two dinner parties this weekend) and I think I'm going to try these.

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Ingredients:

• 2 lbs zucchini (about 2-3 large zucchini)
• 9 oz package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and squeezed of excess water
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• the leaves of half a bunch of parsley (about a cup)
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 oz parmigiano reggiano, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Cut the stem off the zucchinis, then use a mandolin to slice them into long thin ribbons. They should be about 1/8 inch thick, if they're too thin they won't stand up on the own, but if they're too thick, they won't be flexible enough to roll. Give each one a little sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the grill to high, and do a quick sear of the zucchini. Since they are really thin, they should only be on the grill for about 30-60 seconds, just enough to take the raw edge off and give them some pretty little grill marks. Remove the grilled zucchini ribbons to a plate.
3. In a food processor, throw in the artichoke hearts, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, walnuts, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Let the food processor run for a good 20 seconds, until everything is chopped up, and be sure to stop and scrape down the sides from time to time. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil. Scrape the pesto out into a bowl, and stir in the grated parmesan. Taste it to check for proper seasoning.
4. Place a spoonful of artichoke pesto into each zucchini ribbon, and roll it up into a little roll. The artichoke pesto is sticky so it should stick together well. Serve and enjoy!

For a play by play with images click here.

Is there a new vegetable you're loving this summer? What's your favourite vegetable dish?

Raspberry Sorbet In Lemon Bowls

Holy moly this week took a long time to end, too long! We have a very busy weekend but thankfully nothing on the schedule for tonight. I need a night to decompress.

I came across these the other day and thought they'd be perfect for a hot summer's day. I know it's raining and gross right now but imagine how perfect these would be at your next bbq!

You'll need to make sure your lemons are a decent size and not too small.

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What do you think, something you'll be adding to your next menu?

Have a great weekend!

DIY Sprinkle Rim

The husband is big on cappuccinos and lattes. We have one of those big machines and he loves it. Whether we're by ourselves or have 30 people over he's always making an espresso or something.

It's the Italian in him!

When I saw this on Hey Gorgeous I knew this was something I'd have to show him. She's doing it with shot glasses which would be perfect with Bailey's at a party. I'd also rim out latte glasses and serve them. How cute would a latte with sprinkles be!

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I'm always looking for ways to add a wow factor to any party and this would be a great way.

What do you think, would this wow you?

Wedding Fashion

There is a whole lot of wedding happiness going on in my group of friends. My best friend is getting married in a few weeks and my other friend just got engaged over the weekend! Needless to say, we talk about weddings A LOT and I love it. One of my favourite wedding topics is fashion. The brides dress, bridesmaid dresses and attire for the guests.

You might have seen my post last week on wedding shoes and today I want to feature some wedding dresses for the guests. Depending on how formal the wedding, you can rarely go wrong with a fabulous cocktail dress.

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I personally think this dress would be best suited in the fall or winter.

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What's your go to wedding attire? Do you have any weddings coming up and you aren't sure what to wear?

Summer Party Ideas

It's FRIDAY! I don't know about you but I can't get enough of long weekends in the summer. Three whole days to do whatever you want is glorious to me.

We're having a summer party on Saturday with some friends. Basically anyone who isn't lucky enough to be away at a cottage is coming.

Here are some party ideas I'm hoping to incorporate into our night.

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I love adding candy to any party. Who doesn't love some sugar?!

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How adorable is this. I worked an event on the weekend and they did this.

I love this idea for the dips rather then using bowls.

I want to make a punch or sangria. If anyone has a good recipe please share it!

There you have it, a few things I'll be adding to our summer party.

What are you doing this weekend? Any fun party tricks you'd like to share?

Have a safe & fun long weekend!



DIY Chalkboard Wine Glass

We're having a party this weekend so I've been searching Pinterest for some fun, easy party tricks that will add a little flare to the night.

I am a wine drinker. I don't fancy beer or mixed drinks, just a nice glass of wine, so when I saw them I immediately loved it. I'm thinking about going to buy an affordable set of wine glasses and doing this.

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Click here for the full how-to tutorial.

Tell me, are you a wine drinker? Would you do this?

Chocolate Filled Strawberries

A few months ago I blogged about delicious cheesecake stuffed strawberries. I've had them twice since then and let me tell you, they're heavenly.

I recently came across chocolate filled strawberries and think they're too amazing to keep to myself. I don't know about you but I have a serious love affair going on with Ontario strawberries right now. Scoop some chocolate in them and I'd be one happy lady!

How freaking amazing do these look!!

Ingredients
15-20 strawberries (the larger the better)
1 bag of Milk Chocolate chips (I use the 11.5 oz Guittard milk chocolate chips)

Directions
1. Cut the stems off your clean strawberries and carefully scoop out the top of the berry. The deeper you scoop the more chocolate it will hold. I used large strawberries so I scooped about an inch down.

2. Pour the entire bag of chocolate chips in a glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 second intervals. Make sure to take your bowl out every 30 seconds to stir the chips. Continue until all chips are melted.

3. Place your strawberries in an egg carton so they sit straight up. You could also use little Dixie cups. Now you can either spoon your melted chocolate into the berries or use a funnel or piping bag. I used a little baby spoon and it worked fine. Your choice.

4. Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until they harden a bit. Enjoy!

Note: As someone noted there is a small chance that salmonella could be found in an empty egg carton so if this concerns you it is safer to use an ice cube tray or mini muffin tin to hold the berries while the chocolate hardens.

And there you have it, chocolate filled strawberries! We're having a party on Saturday and I think these are being added to the menu.

The recipe and picture came from here.