Second Annual Birthday Theme Contest

Hi all!

It's that time of year again!!

I'm already making plans for my birthday.

Yes, it is still 3 months away.

Yes, I plan my own birthday party.

And yes, the winner will receive a prize.

This years party is on a Saturday night! Yay! Much better than a Tuesday, right?!

I've been searching and searching for themes and ideas for this years shindig and having no luck!

The problem is I want to have a co-ed party, but I'm always thinking that the men hate dressing up or doing costumes etc etc.

Sucks to be them ;)

I'm also looking into Derby themes but not a whole lot is coming up other than the Kentucky Derby. We have track about 20 min away, which is doable...Limo ride..??

What do you guys think??

As far as prizes go...Lets see...

For the person whose idea/theme I pick will receive a $10.00 Shutterfly gift card.

Try to include as much detail as possible to your suggestions:)

Remember last years bash?

It will be hard to top it!

But this is my 8 year anniversary of my 21st birthday after all.

Pin It, Make It Monday #2

Sorry this is so late in getting posted.

I have been at the dentist since 8 getting my face frozen cavities filled.

I love the dentist.

You know what I love for real though?

Vietnamese food.

SO good!

I've had these rice papers in my pantry for forever and 

Found this recipe 

and knew it was meant to be!

 Soaking the wrappers...

Filling....

 Here's my little baby, all wrapped up!

I substituted the shrimp for ground beef seasoned with ginger and garlic and hoisin sauce. 

It was gooooood.

And can I just tell you that this dippin' sauce is THE sauce!

It's the sauce I always want to make but fall short of perfect.

My only substitution was to omit the diced jalapenos.

I had none so I used some Sambal Olek instead.

You need to make these!!

The First Pin It, Make It Monday!!

I was a little nervous about what pin I should try and do this weekend.

I wanted it to be a big one.

Yet do-able.

I think I found one that anyone can do!

I'm in love with subway art.

I know its not the newest trend on the blogging block, but it hasn't stopped popping up on Pinterest!

I'm waaaaaay to cheap to buy one, and I wanted mine to be special as well.

On Pinterest I came a cross this girls blog.

She's awesome!!

Her blog made me want to do E-V-E-R-Y project she's made.

She's just that awesome.

And frugal.

I like frugal.

So here's my first attempt.

Every place that Ben and I have been to together.

 I know it's not your normal white on black, but that didn't really go with our bedroom anyways.

 I also really like the clean, crisp-ness of the aqua on white.

And this is just a little snap of us.

I hope you enjoyed the first Pin It, Make It Monday. 

I know I felt very productive in actually doing something with my pins!

Don't forget to Check out Becca's Blog, www.gardenberger.blogspot.com for detailed instructions for making your own subway art!

Pin it, Make it.

If you're on Pinterest then you already know how addictive it can be.

It's bad people.

Like, Intervention, bad.

But sometimes really great things come out it.

Great meals, genius tips to solve everyday problems, and of course party ideas!

I'm guilty though, of pinning and not doing.

Now I'm going to try and make something at least once a week that I've pinned.

Here's a heart photo prop I made after seeing it on Pinterest.

CLICK HERE To see the original idea

Whether it's a meal, a craft or whatever! I'm just going to do it! 

And on Mondays I'll post what I've done.

If any of you do one thing too, share it with me!

Back to Pinterest!

See you Monday!!

Living Room Blues

I don't know about you guys, but I'm SOOOOOOOO ready for spring.

Seeing as I live in Alberta, I'm know I'm going to have to wait another 2 months.

That doesn't stop me from feeling the spring vibe!

I want light turquoise pants!

I want to plant a garden!

I want to paint every room in the house!!

Probably can't get away with the first two, but I'm on the hunt for the perfect hue for our open concept living/dining/kitchen area.

The same neutral tan colour is making me feel Blah.

I went to the paint store this afternoon and found a few that I like. I'm pretty much leaning towards 19 different shades of the same pale blue-green colour.

Typical.

Now I just need to narrow it down to something bright, but not cold, light enough that it will not turn my cabinets a pinky hue, and warm enough that it will still match my existing furniture, drapes, hardwood etc.

Here are the colours I'm 'feelin', in no particular order:

1. Titanium, 2141-60, Benjamin Moore

2. Crystalline, AF-485, Aura 

3. Moonshine, 2140-60, BM

4. Green Tint, 2139-60, BM

5. Stonington Gray, HC-170, BM

 This a old pic of the dining area, but the colour is still the same, Wilmington Tan from BM.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'm all ears!!

Office Re-Vamp! A Surprise for My Mom (& Dad)

This has been a long time coming to you guys.

Since Christmas.

Part of the reason I wasn't blogging (even though I had a crap-load of stuff to show you) was that everything I was making and planning was for my parents office.

Ben, and my brother Caleb and I decided to surprise my mom with a fancy-schmancy new office.

And by that I mean, I decided.

We had about three days to complete, so I started planning in October.

Biggest inspiration was my parents love for Restoration Hardware.

Which, coincidentally made it easy on the budget.

My parents have been collecting old stuff forever, I ended up using stuff they already had.

Along with a few trips to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, we were in business!

Alright, enough chatter!

Here are the before pics!!

Pretty red right?

Pretty dark right?

Just and FYI, all these pictures were taken with my iphone :( 

Sorry for the poor quality and lack of editing!

Here's the reveal!

It happened on New Years Eve, Ben and I were at the Keg for a dinner party and Caleb had left for work out of town.

Mom and dad had just driven home (some 10 hours) from Summerland.

And walked into a room with a big bow on the door!

  Ben put up 1x8" cedar boards on the ceiling to look like exposed beams.

And I made a 'birdcage chandelier' out of wire hanging baskets and an old chandelier from Habitat for humanity.

My moms favourite part in Pride & Prejudice, hand written on a new lampshade.

Before pic of the old couch...

Waaa-lllaaaaa! 'New' couch!

I know you can't really see it, but the black framed picture is one that my mom has had for years. It's a pic taken by the Vancouver Sun back in the 1960's of her with Pierre Trudeau.

It's just such a fabulous picture that really captures the era.

It needed to be on display!

Next to it is a pair of vintage boxing gloves, stuffed with horse hair.

My had has two pairs that he used to box with his brothers when they were kids.

Salvaged galvanized shelving from habitat for Humanity ($2)

As well as a desk Ben made from an old steel door.

The paint color I picked was from Cloverdale.

I'll link up to my Pinterest board here so you can see where I got some of my ideas.

 Thanks for stopping by!