The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 19: Laundry Room Roman Shades

I was hoping to be able to show you a finished product today, but I’m stuck.  So instead, I’m going to ask for your opinion!  I have a little window in my laundry room that I thought would be perfect for a roman shade.  I have pinned many tutorials, but once I collected them all together, I couldn’t decide which one would work best!


For a little context, this is the window in the room.  Note that there is not molding surrounding the window…a detail that is really making this decision difficult for me.


Okay, so here are the two types of roman shades I’ve pinned:


Faux Roman Shade from Whitney at the Cerniks
Number one is set inside the window frame and actually uses tension rods to create the folds.  Very easy to do with REALLY simple sewing.  
Number two is actually attached to a 1×2″ piece of wood and mounted high above the window, giving the illusion that the ceilings are higher than they really are.  This one requires more sewing, but nothing too hard.

So, dear readers, please give me your opinion!  Which one would you choose?

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 18: Young House Love

Do you read Young House Love?  John and Sherry’s blog was one of the first blogs I ever read and I’ve been checking in frequently ever since.  I gather so much inspiration from their home projects and they have given me confidence to be creative in my own home.  So when I heard of the release of their first book, Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love, I quickly pinned it and put it on my Christmas list.  After I briefly flipped through it on December 25, it sat on my bookcase untouched…until this week!

I read the entire book cover-to-cover and came away feeling much like I do when I read their blog – so inspired.  The majority of the tips are really quite simple, and even if some weren’t necessarily my taste, my head was still spinning with ideas.

I thought I’d end this post with a picture of a project I’m working on, influenced by the book.  Specifically, it’s Tip #143: Find Free Art.  I went around the house, looking for a few things I could add to my gallery wall in the nursery.  Here’s what I came up with:

  • I’m not sure where I acquired the print of the Madonna, but it’s one of my favorites and I think it would look lovely in the nursery. 
  • The pressed flowers came from the bouquet the boys gave me when I came home from the hospital with our girl.  I’m thinking one or two of them would be sweet in a little square frame. 
  • The kangaroo card was J’s first birthday party invitation.  I love the vintage vibe.
  • The crayon drawing was made by my sister years and years ago.  She painstakingly drew each flower and circle.  I love the design so much so I’m hoping to cut a piece out and add it to the wall.

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 17: Heart Rice Krispie Treats

Day 17…more than half-way through my self-imposed 30 day challenge.  I’m losing steam, friends!  I’m hoping to get a little second strength and finish strong.  I know looking back I will be proud of all I accomplished.  Anyway, today’s pin was laughable and another borderline Pinterest fail.  But I like to keep it real around here, so here goes.  With my husband’s birthday coming up this week, I wanted to make him one of his favorite treats.  I was feeling extra mushy and remembering this pin:
 
Idea and image from Their Little World

I decided to make them into hearts!  Cue the awws.  Well, I couldn’t for the life of me find my heart cookie cutter.  So I thought to myself, “No biggie.  I’ll just cut them into circles and carve my own heart.”  Um…yeah.  Apparently, this is a task I find easier said than done.  The result was a little frightening.  Thank goodness for boys!  They thought they were great and loved every bite, even my husband. 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 16: Menu Monday


I have Pinterest board entitled “Yummy Food” and I’m sure many of you do too.  I pin and pin and pin all of these delicious images and then…there they sit.  Out of over 300 pins, I think I’ve only actually made a handful?  Time to change that.  I’ve declared this first week of February to be “Virtual Cookbook Week” and I’m excited to try a bunch of new recipes.     

My menu for February 4-10:
Monday: Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup from Recipe Swagger
Tuesday: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Skinnytaste
Wednesday: Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry from Quick and Easy Recipes
Thursday: Bacon Mac & Cheese from Iowa Girl Eats
Friday: homemade pizza (maybe using this crust recipe from Barefoot in the Kitchen?)
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: Slow Cooker Pot Roast from Martha Stewart

What’s on your menu this week? 

**Linking up over at In No Simple Language today!**

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 15: A Little Gift for a Special Cousin

My cousin is one of my favorite people in the world and it was her birthday this week!  I bought her a little candle from Coco & Bubbles and wanted to try out one of the wrapping ideas on my “Gift Wrapping Ideas” Pinterest board:         

Inspiration pinned from One Fine Dae
 
My version differed slightly because the candle was bulky, but I love the outcome!  I will definitely use this packaging idea again! 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 14: Foodie Penpals

The Lean Green Bean

I love mail, don’t you?  E-mail is great, but there is nothing like going to the mailbox and finding something other than bills there!  Last year, I participated in a blogger swap and I hosted two Mamma Support Swaps.  Both were so incredibly fun!  So when I heard about the Foodie Penpal Program, I couldn’t wait to sign up! 

I met two new girls by participating in Foodie Penpals: I sent my package to Katy at Savor Life’s Flavors, and Heather at Happy & Simple sent one to me! 

Katy lives in Massachusetts and is a New England Patriots fan…yay!  I decided to go with a Football Muchies theme for her box and included a bunch of semi-healthy choices.  This is what I sent:

When Heather’s box for me arrived, the entire family was so excited to see what was inside!  She really knocked it out of the park…we loved (and quickly devoured) everything!!

 
These dark chocolate raspberry bites were amazing.  I need to contact Heather and get the recipe!

I had such a wonderful experience and can’t wait to swap again!  Foodie Penpals occurs monthly, so you can jump in at anytime.  If you’re interested, read more here. 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 13: Laundry Room Inspiration Board

I am writing today’s post from the laundry room.  Well not really, but I might as well be.  With four children and an active husband, I seem to be in there on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.  Oh laundry, you are a chore I am learning to love…
 
Anyway, if I am going to spend so much time in one room, I might as well make it pretty to look out and be in, right?  Painting, organizing and decorating time!  If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this picture:
 
 
This was the moment when inspiration hit!  After I got my thoughts on paper, I checked my Pinterest boards for a few more ideas and this is what I came up with: 
 

I plan on painting the room the same color as the first floor, Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan.  I’m just a little bit in love.  Neutral, but not drab.

1.  We currently have wire shelving above our washer and dryer.  They are fine and get the job done, but I hope to eventually replace them with white cabinets and a hanging rod. 
2. I love the vintage look of schoolhouse lights.  I think this one would work (different from the one pictured, since it is semi-flushmount vs. a pendant).
3. This rug from West Elm is beautiful and in the blue/gray palette I’m going for. 
4. I have one small window in the room.  Still undecided, but I’m thinking bamboo blinds (to add a different texture) or possibly roman shades.  This tutorial is for the faux version and no sew! 
5. Since the laundry room also doubles as a makeshift mudroom, we’ve got all kinds of craziness going on.  Shoes are everywhere!  I’m hoping to pick up two of these Ikea shoe cabinets soon to get things under control.
6. My husband frequently wears a shirt and tie for work, so the ironing board actually gets some use!  I’m hoping to find a space to hang ours up like this.

So that’s the plan!  What about you?  What’s your laundry area like?  Seen any great ideas on Pinterest?  Please share!   

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 12: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As part of our resolutions this year, my little family is trying to cut out processed foods.  The transition has been pretty painless…until we get to the sweet section of the store.  Goodbye Oreos.  See ya later Chips Ahoy!  To satisfy our sweet tooths (teeth?), I’ve decided to make cookies here at home.  Hence, my Pinterest board, The Cookie Project, was born!  Today’s recipe is a good one.  I added a big handful of chocolate chips to mine, but you definitely don’t need them…they are delicious as is.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
orginial recipe from The Girl who Ate Everything, chocolate chips are my addition 🙂

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 heaping cup raisins
1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Melt butter and let cool slightly.
3. Mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk for 2 minutes or until light and creamy. Mix in the flour mixture until just blended. Add the oats, raisins, and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended.
5. Bake 14-16 minutes, until the edges are brown and the centers still slightly soft. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

 

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 11: Snow Crafts with the Kiddos

 
Happy Monday, friends!  How was your weekend?  Did you see snow in your neck of the woods?  We heard rumors of 4-6 inches, but ended up only getting a dusting.  My boys were ecstatic anyway!   
 
 
Afterwards, my oldest and I snuck away and did a snow day craft, just the two of us.  We don’t get one-on-one time very often these days.  It was special. 
 

The pin is from the blog, Art, Paper, Scissors.  For maximum creativity, I explained the craft to M without showing him the picture.  The result was so him!  It is now taped proudly on our wall.  

In the mood to do a few wintery activities with your little ones?  Check out these links:

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 10: Quiet Strength

A little known fact about me: I love football.  I love the strategy of the game and the comraderie of the fans.  And even though I am a die-hard New England Patriots fan (and yes, let’s not talk about last week…), I have a lot of respect for many other players and coaches.  One of those is the former coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy. 

His book, Quiet Strength, has been on my Pinterest “Book List” board for weeks now.  So with the end of the football season near, I decided now was a good time to read!

All in all, I enjoyed it.  Some parts were easier to read than others.  I stumbled through the name-heavy parts as well as some of the game play-by-plays.  But the life lessons alone were worth the read.  So many nuggets of truth.  I jotted many of them down; I know they will be helpful as we raise these boys of ours.  
 
Food for thought from the book:

“To whom much is given, much is required–whether it’s privileges, responsibilities, or material items.  And if God has given you a lot of ability, I believe you should be held to a higher level of expectation.” –from page 19

During one season, he studied the book of Nehemiah:
“I learned three key truths from Nehemiah.  First, Nehemiah’s opportunity came in God’s time, not his own.  Second, Nehemiah diligently prepared his mind and his heart so he would be ready when God’s time arrived.  Third, Nehemiah needed to be prepared to take on the problems, doubt, and adversity that would come his way both from the outside and from within.” –from page 87

What he expected of his players as a head coach (I love this list for my boys too!):

  • “Be a pro.
  • Act like a champion.
  • Respond to adversity; don’t react.
  • Be on time.  Being late means either it’s not important to you or you can’t be relied on.
  • Execute.  Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it.  Not almost.  All the way.  Not most of the time.  All of the time.
  • Take ownership.

Whatever it takes.  No excuses, no explanations.” –page 116

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 9: Home Cold Remedies

All of us here at the Big White Farmhouse are battling a nasty cold.  I’m almost positive that my husband brought it home from work and it has quickly traveled from child to child to me.  From the looks of my Facebook and Instagram feeds, it looks like we’re not alone.  This winter has been rough! 

I’m on a mission to get my family healthy and stay that way, so I went to my Pinterest boards for ideas and inspiration.  Here are a few things I’ve got on my to-do list:

Make chicken noodle soup.  Perfect for cold weather and sick bellies.  This recipe looks quick and easy if you have all the ingredients on hand.  This chicken noodle soup recipe can be made in the slow cooker!

Buy more hand sanitizer and soap for every sink.  Time to review our hand-washing habits! 

Stay hydrated.  Drink lots and lots of water.  Tea with honey is also a good choice.

Boost our immune systems.  Get lots of rest.  Eat fruits and vegetables.  Remove as much stress in our lives as possible.

 
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Many of these ideas were taken from R29’s Ultimate Cold and Flu Survival Guide.  What would you add to my list?

{30 days of pinspiration} Day 8: The Beginning of my Home Office

Our home has a small room that is generally used as a formal sitting area.  But with four kids (and three of those being rambunctious boys), there’s nothing “formal” about this house!  So instead, we decided to designate this space as a home office for me.  I am so, so excited!


The requirements for this space were:

  1. A desk for scrapbooking, computer work, etc.
  2. Bookshelves of some sort
  3. Storage!  Kids toys, scrapbooking supplies, and other crafty odds and ends all need a place.

I already had the desk, but needed something that worked for numbers 2 and 3.  After a lot of research, I went with the Ikea Expedit mostly because it was inexpensive, but had plenty of room. I also liked that I could fit baskets along the bottom to corral a bunch of the kids’ toys. Functional and attractive…my favorite combination!

Here is the room so far:


Good thing I like to keep it real.  I still have so much work to do!  Each little section needs simplifying (I just threw a bunch of things in there and have yet to tweak them) and I need a lot of organization.  After a lot of Pinterest perusing, these images really caught my eye:

 


And since I love a list, here’s a bulleted version of what’s left to do in this room:

  • Paint the room to match the rest of the first floor
  • Find something to put up on top of the bookcase (maybe start a vintage globe collection?)
  • Purchase a longer curtain rod and install
  • Hang up window treatments
  • Find an interesting floor lamp for the corner
  • Get a rug to anchor the desk
  • Purchase accessories and storage items to corral scrapbook supplies and odds & ends
  • Clear the clutter!
  • Purchase or DIY a bigger brainstorming bulletin board

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