Creative Dress Up Storage

I’m trying to finish up showing you all of the projects from Kate’s room (we have been talking about her room for a loooong time)!  Her room has truly been such a fun room to decorate and a labor of love because almost everything is redone, refinished, repainted, recovered, DIY’d, or purchased second hand. 

About a year ago, we were shopping at a vintage market, Urban Mining, in Kansas City, and stumbled upon a great piece of worn wood with knobs.  After a little contemplating, we decided it would work in Kate’s room as a creative dress up storage solution.  I think I paid $15-$20.

Dress up is big in our house, especially with Kate.  I thought it would be the best use of space to hang these dresses in her room, on a large wall that needed a little something.

I thought about painting and changing the knobs, but in the end just cleaned it up and left it as I bought it.  I like the fact that it is chippy and worn looking, and the knobs never show anyway.

Kate loves having her dress up stuff at her fingertips.

I also keep a pink basket on the floor next to the dresses with all of the crowns, shoes, gloves, etc.  Everything has a specific spot in this house-it keeps me sane!! :)

I think there is only one more project to share (that I recently finished) and then I will add some pictures of her whole room.  I’m hesitant to ever say rooms are “done”, but the big things are complete!

Other Project posts: Ombre Monogram, Silhouette Plates, Painted Pink Headboard, Fabric Bunting, Gallery Wall, Thrift Chair Redo, Pom Cluster, Fabric Flower Bouquet

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Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups

We had a neighborhood cookout this weekend and tried a new appetizer recipe, Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups, adapted via this blog.  They were easy, delicious, and gone very quickly!

Throw all ingredients together, mix, spread, roll, chill, cut, and serve!

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I boiled and shredded)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis, drained (I used mild)
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheese blend (I used a mexican blend)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used paprika because I didn’t have this)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
6-8 large flour tortillas (I used 7 spinach & herb tortilla)

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, spices, garlic, cilantro and scallions. Mix together.  Add cooled chicken and stir together.

Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean. Roll each tortilla tightly.  At this point, I individually wrapped each tortilla in plastic wrap and chilled them for about an hour.  Cut into slices, remove wrap, and transfer to a serving platter.

*These were not super spicy, because I used mild rotel and paprika, but they were absolutely full of flavor and I will be making again for sure!

Summer Fun Chalkboard Wall

Drew “graduates” from Pre-K today (I may or may not shed a tear this morning and I never thought I would be like that) and yesterday marked the last day of preschool for both kids, which means it is officially summer in our world!  Moving from San Antonio, and living in the south for 10 years prior to our move to Kansas, we enjoyed very mild winters.  This winter in Kansas was a long one for us, so bring on the warm temps, later bedtimes, vacations, summer wardrobe, and dirty little feet!

We worked on our summer list this week.  It never really changes much, but my kids love doing it.  This year, we utilized our chalk wall, and we certainly have no excuses to ever be bored!

We have room to grow a little bit as the kids keep coming up with more ideas every day.  They wanted to autograph the bottom too.

I’ve never really been big on buying my kids lots of “things”.  Truthfully, I am the mom that if Drew asks for something in February, I tell him to put it on his birthday list (his birthday is in August)!  They have actually started saving their own money to buy things they really want (mean, mean mom, right??)!!  I do, however, love to give the gift of experiences, and summer is really a great time to do this.

We never really get to everything on the list in any given summer, but this is a good blueprint to work from.  I’ve said this many times, but ages 4 and 5 have been my absolute favorite stage/age, so I’m sure this will be such a fun summer!

Before it’s officially summer, Drew has to graduate this morning.  On to half-day kindergarten in the fall and he could not be more ready or excited!  That short haircut makes him look way too old, I can’t handle it!

This little lady will be moving on to Pre-K next year, and luckily gets to have her brother home in the afternoons to play.  Because they are close in age, I know she is a bit jealous that Drew gets to go to “big school” next year.  Why do kids want to rush it, and parents want to stop time in its tracks?

Drew took off his shoes and t-shirt last night and spontaneously ran through the sprinkler with a neighbor at 7:30pm.  He was in heaven.  Welcome to summer.  xoxo 

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Recent Happenings

Just so you are aware, I have added a hover “Pin It” button in the upper left hand corner of all pictures on the blog making it easier to pin ideas from this blog!  I have also added a little space on the right sidebar of my recent “pins”.  Click on that image to start following me! 

I hope everyone had a fantastic mother’s day weekend, especially my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister, and all of my mom friends!  Breakfast in bed, a family walk, some yard work, a picnic lunch, 4 hours of fishing, Kate’s soccer game, and it was early to bed for me!  We had wonderful weather and spent some quality time making memories! 

We caught six fish, and found a new family hobby in the meantime!

We are continuing to explore our new city (not so new anymore, but haven’t even come close to doing everything we want to do yet)!  You can’t live in Kansas City and not love a good Boulevard beer.  We took the brewery tour this weekend, and yes, we brought our kids (they are lucky we don’t have a lot of help, because they end up getting a lot of random “life” experience going everywhere with us)!

Drew even answered a question on the tour! 

We are also lucky to have a MLS team in town.  Our first Sporting KC game!

Demolishing a bag of cotton candy was one of the highlights…

I have found a few fun items while out thrifting recently (working on a post about my thoughts on thrifting that will be up this month).  One item was this little industrial cart I bought for $5.  I have been wanting a “plant cart” to display my ever growing plant collection (hoarder), and I thought this would be perfect.  I’m thinking I will trim the metal out with gold Rub N’ Buff, and paint the base in a dark grey and add some new casters.  I have a perfect spot by a bank of windows to place her once she is all shined up!  I have a slight obsession with carts and for some strange reason I can appreciate this dusty, old thing for what she will be after I’m done with it!

I went to a dessert exchange with a friend recently and made these little fruit pizzas.  The base is a chocolate chip cookie, topped with homemade cream cheese frosting, topped with fresh fruit.  Very pretty and very tasty!

I pulled into the driveway last week and saw this crawling around.  I freaked out.  It was too big to stomp on.  I ended up throwing a box over it and started stomping. I think we determined it was a wolf spider and I hope to never see one ever again!

It looked like this one day...

And we had this this next…crazy Kansas weather this year!

A special Pre-K art show with my little guy.  He has changed so much this year.  One week left of Pre-K and then he is off to Kindergarten in the fall.  I just can’t believe it.  I could cry just typing this.  Oh, and he may or may not look just a little like me :)

“Take your kids to work day” proved to be a fun and tiring experience for these two…

Coach pitch is in full force now.  I don’t think there is anything cuter than a little boy in a uniform and baseball cap.

We are having 70 and 80 degree temps this week and it’s the last week of preschool for my kiddos.  We are working on getting our summer to-do list of activities compiled this week.  I think I need to move my blogging outside…it’s just too nice to be indoors on a computer!  Hope you all have a great week!

Spring Porch

It finally feels like spring around here after a random snowfall in May and record breaking low temps for the month!  We have been working hard in the yard, landscaping, and sprucing things up outside.  For the porch, I reused an old DIY wreath, bought some new pillows for our rockers, and added a few plants/ferns. 

Props to my hubby (and thanks to all the rain we’ve had) for keeping a lovely trimmed, green, edged, and weed whacked lawn!  He is in charge of the lawn, and I am the resident landscaper, mulcher, weed puller/killer, and overall “presentation maker”!!  :)

I love having a front porch and rockers seemed like a fitting choice.  I wanted to keep the porch simple and classic looking.  I love the black accents against our brown house.

I’m still looking for a little outdoor table to put in between the rockers and I will probably change up the wreath for summer. 

I trimmed a couple of terra cotta pots in gold and filled them up with greens and pinks.

My mandavilla trellis plant was the only perennial that did not come back this year, so I replaced it the other day.  It should be crawling up the trellis very soon!

I’m working on getting our back patio finished up and have a few more things to plant before I take some pictures.  Soon it will be time to grab a drink and enjoy all of it!  Happy Spring!

Painted Front Door, Modern House Numbers, Spring Wreath, Double Up a Door Mat

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http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/
http://lilluna.com/
http://whipperberry.com/
http://www.somewhatsimple.com/
http://craftionary.blogspot.com/
http://itsoverflowing.com
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http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/
http://www.skiptomylou.org/
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/
http://lollyjane.com/