Author Archives: Stef

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About Stef

Family: Husband (Tom) and little man Lincoln James. Dwelling: A 1967 Ranch home that changes every day. Homemaker tip: Don’t be afraid to fail. A bad meal can always be fixed with a frozen pizza, a dead plant can be replaced and paint can cure a room. I consider my style: Contemporary with a vintage flair. I love a sleek piece of furniture with the contrast of an old vase or a stack of old used books. I cannot live without eating: Italian Beef sandwiches. I am Chicago-bred and love a good beef with sweet peppers. Pizza is a close second. Three foods you will always find in my pantry: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crushed Tomatoes and Chicken Broth. My cooking mantra: Even foods that were destined to be bad for you can be recreated in a healthy way.
by | April 23, 2010 · 4:17 pm

And the winner is…

The winner of the Organic, Shaken and Stirred Cocktail book, written by Paul Abercrombie, is HAP reader Deb! Read Deb’s comments on how she lives a green life: 

i love that everyone is posting ways to be more green! very inspiring….

– last week we installed two rain barrels, and have them positioned at both the front and rear of our house to (hopefully) provide summer watering for all of our plants.
– i always use canvas bags when grocery shopping.
– have spent the good part of motherhood drilling into the kids’ heads the importance of turning off a light when leaving a room, as well as turning off the faucet when brushing their teeth.
– composting in the yard
– planting a veggie garden with the kids. not only do they help out, but they love eating their own grown stuff!
– walk with kids to school and other local businesses, and bike if they’re a bit farther away.
– reduce, reuse and recycle!!

Happy Earth Week everyone!

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by | April 16, 2010 · 7:54 am

Glee: Home Inspirations from a Gleek

I will say it loud and proud: I’m a Gleek! It may be the dream that my life will one day randomly break into song or the one-liners I get from watching the show each week, but I can’t get enough of Glee!

With the return of Glee for the spring season, I have been inspired to create a few home Glee inspiration boards. It is hard to argue with the pure genius of the musical sitcom humor of Glee, from the snarky Sue Sylvester to obesessive compulsive Emma. Inspiration for the home lies within every perfect detail of the show, from the bold red and yellow of the show’s logo, to Rachel Barry’s preppy argyle and Sue Sylvester’s track suits. Keep reading to find out how you can Gleek out your home!

Red and Yellow Inspirations

It is pretty hard not to feel uplifted with the red and yellow color combinations, perhaps it makes you want to break out in song. Choose anyone of these items or mix and match throughout your house. Make your own slushies with the Hamilton Beach red blender. But I suggest drinking them over getting one in the face. 

Clockwise from the top left: Etsy Ruthscrafts Abstract Cushion Covers; Hamilton Beach Electric Blender; Anthropologie Iris Quilt; CB2 Triumph Lounge Chair; Etsy Alice in Paris Red Poppies in Striped Vase; ModCloth Awesome Breakout Mug

Sue Sylvester Inspirations

Racing stripes and clipboards may not be your thing, but you can still take a thing or two away from Sue’s style. Use this sleek bathroom scale to stay on top of your game, mix yourself a shot of espresso to keep your energy boosted all day, admire yourself in these gorgeous West Elm mirrors or display your trophies on the CB2 Lobster Credenza. 

Clockwise from top left: Lunis Memory Bath Scale; West Elm Floating Wood Floor Mirror; Ikea Androp Rug; CB2 Halogen Lobster Cradenza; Jura Caspresso Espresso Machine; Lacoste Eclipse Club Bedding

Rachel Barry Inspirations

Everyone can be inspired by Rachel’s pristine preppy look and go-getter attitude. You may not want to wear knee-high socks or button your cardigan all the way up, but you can take her look and make it work for you. You can even DIY some argyle vases using that one sock you have lying around.

Clockwise from top left: Seersucker Scalloped and Embroidered Linens; Design*Sponge DIY Argyle Sock Vase; Etsy Recycled Sheet Music Picture Frame; Pottery Barn Melamine Talavera Salad Plates; Anthropologie China Plate Wall Clock; Crate and Barrel Brighton White Vanity/Desk

How would you Gleek out your home?

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by | April 9, 2010 · 7:47 am

Organic Safari Nursery Part II: DIY Painted Picture Frames

When looking to fill up the walls in Lincoln’s nursery, I came across a website that showed beautifully simple brown and white picture frames. I fell in love, but I was not in love with the price. My budget did not account for $60 frames, so I decided to take it upon myself to recreate the frames. 

I, by no means, consider myself a painter or an artist. I have a shaky hand and a propensity to hurry through projects that take great patience. Therefore, if I can create these frames, anyone can. 

I searched the aisles of Michael’s arts and crafts store and was able to pick up all necessary supplies for a total of $13. Here is what you need:

  • Unfinished wood picture frames
  • Acrylic paint
  • Wide and narrow paint brushes
  • Painter’s tape
  • Single hole punch
  • Cardstock

Start by painting each frame a solid color. I chose to have two brown and two off-white frames with alternating stripes and polka dots. Allow the frames to dry. 

For the striped frames, use painter’s tape to make straight and evenly spaced lines across the frame. Paint within the tape and be careful not to glob on too much paint or the paint will run under the tape. Allow to dry before removing the tape.

For the polka dot frames, cut out a small piece of cardstock or cardboard and use a single hole punch to make your template. Hold the paper over the frame and paint within the small circle to create polka dots. I randomly placed them about until I was happy with the final look. 

These frames are very easy and help give the nursery that naturally playful look. I paired these frames on the wall with, dare I say, a vintage cross stitch ABC that hung in my husband’s nursery back in the day and a bamboo shade to block the light so Lincoln can sleep peacefully. 

I have yet to add pictures to these frames and the look of picture-less frames is really starting to grow on me. What do you think? Pictures or no pictures?

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by | April 2, 2010 · 6:53 am

Dying Easter Eggs – Au Naturale

We can’t fight it. Nowadays, natural is in. So I decided to take an old Easter tradition back to the good old days and dye them using tea bags. This is a process that my great grandma used to use. It is fun, easy, and it gives your Easter eggs that very natural look that is all the rage. 

All you need to do this is a pot, eggs, water, vinegar and tea varieties of your choice. I used passion fruit, blueberry and chai tea. 

To make the eggs:

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Add 2 TBSP of vinegar and a 2-3 tea bags. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Turn the eggs every once in a while to make sure the color sets in evenly. Remove from water and place on a drying rack. 

The chai tea turned out to have the boldest color and the passion fruit and blueberry gave the eggs a purplish-gray color. These eggs would be great for a centerpiece for Easter brunch or outside for an easter egg hunt!

Rumor has it that you can use other household kitchen items, such as spinach, different spices and onion skins. I have yet to try this. If you’ve tried it, please share with us, or share any of your other fun Easter traditions!

Have a blessed Easter!

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by | March 26, 2010 · 8:45 am

Organic Safari Nursery Part 1 – Vinyl Wall Decor

Since the anticipation of the arrival of little Lincoln, I worked to transform my old office into his nursery. I finally decided on an organic safari theme, using soft greens and tans (gender neutral!), organic and sustainable materials, some easy DIY projects and a touch of nostalgia. Lincoln’s room turned out very soft and calming which is wonderful at one in the morning, and three in the morning and five in the morning…

One of my favorite additions to the nursery is the use of vinyl wall art. I purchased this tree and owl piece from Surface Flik through Etsy. Vinyl wall art is an easy way to transform a room without trying to paint yourself or having the expense of hiring an artist. There are hundreds of designs, words and phrases out there that you can pick from. They all come in different sizes, so they work in any space, whether you are  looking to add a little something to a small spot on a wall or add some height and a focal point bigger wall like the one in Lincoln’s nursery.

The art comes in a few separate pieces. Depending on how large your art is, the project can be a little bit time-consuming but not at all difficult.  All you need is some painters tape or masking tape, a pair of scissors and a credit card or other hard plastic item to help adhere the decal to the wall. To watch the full installation video from Surface Flik, click here. 

Tips I learned while installing vinyl wall art:

  • Go slowly. You have to keep your patience to avoid getting bubbles or creases in the art. 
  • Measure and set up exactly where you want your art before beginning to install. 
  • Install it with a friend. I would never have been able to do this as well by myself. My mom was nice enough to visit and help me. It is always good to have a second eye to make sure things are straight. 
  • Step back and enjoy your work! It is very satisfying to step back and admire it when you are finished. 

Check back in a few weeks for some more DIY nursery projects!

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by | March 12, 2010 · 10:41 am

Oatmeal Cherry Bars

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I found myself with quite a sweet tooth. To attempt to curb that sweet tooth and stay (somewhat) healthy in the meantime, I made these oatmeal cherry bars which work great as  dessert or even better as a breakfast bar!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 C. old-fashioned rolled oats – finely grounded in a food processor
  • 1/4 C. whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 C. light brown sugar 
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 C. of walnuts
  • 1 C. dried cherries
  • non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Stir together ground oats, flour, 1 cup of whole oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a large bowl. Set aside. 

Beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add oat mixture. Mix until combined. Mix in walnuts and cherries. 

Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly across the pan. Scatter remaining oats across the top. Bake until golden, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. 

You can also substitute dried cherries for dried cranberries, dates or even chocolate chips!

Happy eating!

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by | March 1, 2010 · 3:40 pm

Guest Blog: Meal Planning 101

We are over at Allstate’s Good Hands Community blog again today, sharing our money saving tips on how to plan out your meals for the week. Taking a little bit of time to plan before heading out to the grocery store will keep your wallet thick and your waste thin! 

Check out the GHC article today!

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by | February 19, 2010 · 12:04 pm

Fire: A Celebrate Yourself Party

Some girls were just made to party and if that is you, do you really need a reason? You can always create cause for celebration: your birthday, your Chihuahuas birthday, a new job or promotion, a recent break up with a boyfriend, the purchase of a fabulous new condo. Whatever you want to celebrate, you can.

Fire birthday party

Read all about the Fire “Pick Any Reason” Party at The Life Styled!

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by | February 15, 2010 · 9:30 am

Elemental Parties & Water’s Eclectic Tapas Party

Back in October, the ever-fabulous Catherine Sheppard, a stylist and Fashion Feng Shui guru, walked us through determining our elemental essences and applying it to home decor. This week we’re returning the blog love by sharing entertaining ideas inspired by our Fashion Feng Shui elements over at Catherine’s blog, The Life Styled.

We’ll be giving you a sneak peek at our party inspiration boards and then sending you over to The Life Styled to check out the details, plus playlists, ideas for hostess outfits, and recipes for signature cocktails. We found it surprisingly easy to plan a party with our own essence in mind and would recommend considering it the next time you entertain. Enjoy!

Water:  An Eclectic Tapas Party

When a small group of foodies are getting together, an international tapas party is a great way to create a relaxed atmosphere and provide an intimate environment for personal conversation about food, politics, religion and a bunch of other topics you aren’t “supposed to talk about.” 

Water Eclectic Tapas Party

Incorporating dark hues, animal prints and decor with international flair will set the scene for the perfect water gathering. 

To read the full details to help you throw your own tapas party, click over to The Life Styled.

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by | February 12, 2010 · 8:59 am

Valentine’s Day Breakfast in Bed

This may make me sound like the anti-woman, but Valentine’s Day has never been a big deal  to me. I do however, like to try to find some time to do something special to spend extra time with my man.

Tom works extremely long, hard hours all year-round, so for this Valentine’s Day, I decided to treat him to a little breakfast in bed – or perhaps – breakfast on the couch while watching SportsCenter. With a few cheap (and reusable!) touches from Target, I’ve put together a delectable Cinnamon French Toast with Cranberry Orange Chutney.

Ingredients (for 2):

  • 4 thick slices of brioche*
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
  • non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 C fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 TBSP orange zest
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

For Cranberry Orange Chutney:

In a medium sauce plan, mix cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Cinnamon French Toast:

Preheat griddle. Whisk eggs and milk together in shallow bowl. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Soak each piece of bread for 15 seconds on each side. Spray griddle (set at medium-high) with non-stick cooking spray. Place the bread on the griddle and cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown (time will vary based on the type and temperature of your griddle).

Place french toast on a plate and top it with a spoonful of chutney. Don’t overdo the chutney, you do not want to take away the flavor of the french toast. Or, if you don’t like the taste of cranberries, simply serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and some warm maple syrup. This dish tastes great with an Orange Strawberry Banana Smoothie or a homemade latte.

*A note on bread:  I usually make french toast with whatever bread I have around the house. But if you are looking for the diner taste, go with a loaf of brioche. I picked mine up at Breadsmith. You can also go for challah or a country loaf cut into thick slices. The thicker and denser the bread, the better it soaks up all the good stuff and creates a moist and savory french toast!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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