I'm "the lucky" sister....

I have to brag about my sister today...! She is so talented and has the biggest heart... She has a shop on etsy and you can find it at: www.etsy.com/shop/SunnyDays413 She has the cutest things. Here are a few teasers... but you gotta check it out..! The most darling pieces of jewelry, scarfs, hats, spa cloths and more... so fashionable and the prices are crazy cheap. Trust me when I say these pictures are pretty but they are even more gorgeous in person! So proud to be her sister & I'm lucky I have her...xo

I'm loving this Mediterranean Style eatin'...xo

Mozzarella, Tomato and Avocado Salad

       1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half

       1 carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls

       1 avocado, peeled and diced

       1/3 cup basil

       1 bag of fresh spinach leaves

       1/4 cup balsamic

       1/4 cup olive oil

       salt and fresh grated pepper

       baguette-optional

Meatless Friday's....

I found another awesome recipe! This time on Budget Bytes. Check out this amazing blog...  http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/  Not just great recipes... but the cost to make the dishes are ridiculous... CHEAP.... Love cheap... This Mediterranean White Bean Salad is so easy to make & totally to die for!

Total Recipe cost: $5.90
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.93
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 cans	white beans	$1.84
1 bunch	curly leaf parsley	$0.57
1 pint	grape tomatoes	$1.75
4 cloves	garlic	$0.09
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.21
2 Tbsp	lemon juice	$0.10
15 cranks	fresh ground pepper	$0.05
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.05
3 oz.	feta cheese	$1.24
TOTAL		$5.90

STEP 1: Drain and rinse the beans. Rinse the parsley and chop it fairly fine but do not mince (see photo below). Rinse the tomatoes and slice them in half. Mince the garlic. Combine the beans, parsley, tomato and garlic in a bowl.

STEP 2: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and taste and adjust salt pepper content to your liking. Either stir in the crumbled feta or plate up the salad and sprinkle 1/2 oz. on top of each serving.

Love that hood!

Isn't it so much prettier when the designer uses inspirations of different elements. I just Love the mix/match in both of these kitchens. That copper hood is gorgeous and I love the charcoal island! Matchy matchy sometimes gets tacky tacky, and I really think I am going to try to incorporate the stainless steel with the copper with a pop of that charcoal in my kitchen. I'm totally inspired....xo

Mediterranean-style

 This Lent season we have decided to try a Mediterranean-style diet. It's rich in veggies, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fish. This isn't really a diet though, it's more like a life style change. We get so caught up in the same recipes over and over... meatloaf, burgers, pasta, chicken... repeat! I love salads and I am addicted to Avocado and both of these are a huge part of this meal plan.Check out this website that I found: http://www.oldwayspt.org/about-oldways It has amazing recipes, tips, and it even includes Red Wine! It's a win win... :) xo

 Greek Chicken Salad & Sweet Potatoes roasted in Olive Oil

 

Veggies at your finger tips

 

Cucumber, olives, feta, red bell pepper,& Dill

 

Celebrate the season of Lent...xo

How appropriate that today is called FAT Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday... what to eliminate chocolate, coffee, bread, alcohol, etc...?? I'm not going to think about what I'm giving up, but be thankful for what I am gaining... It's time I start to appreciate the little things and what truly is important. I'm giving up the sweets & drinks to gain a healthy beginning. It only seems right since Jesus gave himself to us that we take a moment and appreciate the pure joy and make the absolute best of the LIFE he gave us! I personally want to dive into a more healthier lifestyle, not only for me but for my family. My girlfriend turned me on to the Mediterranean diet mainly for my husbands heart and blood pressure, but also it's a great meal plan for the whole fam! I also feel like the days get so busy and the weeks fly by that I am going to make a conscience effort to use my time wisely. I love to be outdoors so I am going to plan more bike rides with the kids, beach trips with the family, and more walks with my sweet boxers. I am MOM first and forever, but with the kids getting older I'm finally going to go after my dream and get my real estate license. Lent is a time to reflect and remember what it is that is important to us and make a conscious effort to make some positive changes. I will continue to go to church and tell God how much I appreciate the gifts in my life and vow to tweak the things that I take for granted... and simply make this season about being thankful not regretful...xo

Chalk Board Decor...

I'm in love with the idea of decorating with chalk boards! They are not only practical for leaving messages and love notes, but add such a cool touch to any decor! Who thought those ugly black boards from grade school could turn out to be so chicy! We have been wanting to have a wine tasting party for so long and this is such a great idea! Gotta do this... Love it xo

Simply Beautiful!

Loving these ivory leather chairs with the sleek walnut arms. Beautiful...! Especially with the zebra rug, looks so chic! I'm going with a pewter/ charcoal grey & walnut brown color scheme for my living room and these chairs would look amazing... Gotta find them!!

Beautiful design color scheme to compliment any decor...

So today I started pinning on Pinterest and can finally give my word files a break. Copy, paste, and repeat all day long! Love that it saves and keeps all your inspirations... So cool! Found this great natural wall tone with this amazing collage. I am sooo copying this for my new living room. I love how the wall color drifts so elegantly to the focal point of the pictures. So calm and just simply Beautiful...xo

Love the feel of Breezy designs…

Christmas is done… fa la la la…! If you are anything like me I enjoy the season thoroughly, however…when it’s over it’s over! I skip right through the rest of the winter and get a jump start on summer. I still bring the outside in… I replace the pine cones with conch shells, the pine trees with palms, and design my room around an over sized picture of a beautiful Caribbean scene. I have been combing the internet for some fun breezy designs because it's time to redecorate my living room. So far I found some great linen panels to go with my bamboo shades and I am going to replace the carpet with walnut floors. I want it to be cozy so Mike and I have our own space since the kids are getting older their friends and them have taken over the family room. I want it to be elegant, but comfy! Thinking maybe some great fluffy pillows, adding a plantation ceiling fan, a large coconut candle to smell the beach, some great books of world famous beaches for the coffee table so I can pretend that's my view, and maybe popping the room with a mango orchid to boot! I was also thinking about adding a fun collage of black and white action shots of the kiddos at the beach... Yay beach trip!! I guess it's time to get inspired... going to search decor pad for some ideas. Is it wrong that I can spend hours looking at decor...?
So what :) love it...xo

I totally appreciate Rustic Beauty...

I love to decorate with beautiful pieces that have natural design. Rustic finds are simply beautiful! I love how they left it alone, but just added some fresh new flowers to compliment the aging container! Love this inspiration...xo

Hip & Elegant Kitchen Designs…

My girlfriend owns a beautiful cabinet company in Lake Mary called "Uptown Cabinets" and is being featured in our Lake Mary Life Style magazine! My passion is writing and decor so she asked me to write her article. Here goes...xo


Kitchens in the 1940’s used to be hidden away to hide the mess and dirty dishes, now they are truly the center piece of our home. Kitchen layouts have evolved to accommodate the modern family, so design it cozy and inviting enough for your family to come together, but add just enough elegance to entertain your friends!

Cabinets to the top! When it comes to storage make sure to take advantage of every single inch of your wall space. Cabinets that go up to the ceiling not only create a very tidy look, but they are great for storing items you rarely use. Take advantage of your smaller areas to create skinny pullout pantries for corralling spices and snacks. Open shelving is not only trendy, but very practical for your pots and pans as well. Line the shelves with 2” stone, the same material as your counter tops to give them style and easy access to slide the pans in and out. When designing your island make sure it’s big enough to be useful and practical, but pretty enough to give the kitchen some heart, after all they are the centerpiece of your kitchen.  Large Square Island’s can be designed to easily access your garbage, dishwasher, and even a recycling cabinet. Adding 8 inch cupboards around it will be great for storing glassware and cans. Keep in mind what you’re storing and measure it, shallow storage is key to staying organized and prevent clutter. Sleek hardware is also a great touch. Long brushed nickel pulls give a flat-panel cabinet a sleek modern look. You can even hang them horizontally just to mix things up. Darker shades of cabinets are really in, you may think it makes the kitchen look smaller, but by using your lighter color counter tops and a fun back splash it really accents and makes the room look brighter and gives drama to your kitchen. Copper, stainless, hardwood and glass represent some of the hottest tile trends currently popping up in hip kitchens and baths. Glass accent tile is really exciting right now! Use it for your kitchen back splash to add depth, sparkle, and luminescence. Engineered quartz counter tops are also hot right now, not only are they bacteria-resistant, but they are harder than granite, so you can cut right on it. It’s a great heavy surface, but the consistent color makes it feel light and clean. Lighting also is a great way to add depth to your kitchen. Hang some lighting over your island and remember odd numbers are always more pleasing. Although standard height is 42" from the counter, you can eyeball it and hang them higher so they won’t block any views.

Remember... design to socialize because in the Kitchen is where it’s at!

The Zoey Project...

Zoey is turning 12 and looking forward to having a new "tween" room! She's just like her mama she loves a tropical feel! I'm going to use this idea and make her a headboard out of bamboo and incorporate her shell collection. Also, I am going to find some toss pillows that are coral, green, and blue to add to her fluffy white bedding. Another beach trip is calling our name so I can get some fun action shots of her and her girlfriends and sis at the beach to put on her wall. Toss in a surf board and she will look coastal livin...:) xo

 

This one's for you sis...xo

Had a fabulous weekend with you ...! Been thinking about your new paint color and wanted to share some ideas... Pewter or a creamy beige really will go beautiful with your stone and your hickory floors. It lightens and brightens, but also adds a nice zen tone to cozy up your whole house. Plus, it goes with color or earth tones and looks amazing...! I found some color schemes that are similar to your decor and those tones would look so beautiful in that gorgeous house of yours...xo

Blending my styles...

I totally Love love love this bedroom! Today I was researching what kind of style I have..? I truly adore all different types of designs. I get so inspired by the different types of styles from Belgian, Scandinavian, Indian, French, African, & Asian... See, I can go on and on and on lol! I love a simple natural style with a pop of Bohemian pizazz. Plus, I like to blend rustic with modern styles too. So, I guess the moral to this story is... just embrace the things I love and make it my "own" style..:) xo

Decorate with natural treasures...

I love natural decor and bringing the outdoors in literally with twigs, stones, sand, shells, wood, rustic antiques, & more.. I got these great inspirations off the internet! Time to grab the fam and get outdoors, it's gonna be fun fun :) well... lol for me! I'm excited... just a walk away from my next design...xo