My Recent "Pins" on Pinterest

Hope you're having a great weekend!  Here are some of my latest pins from the past week.  Hope they inspire you to create something beautiful!

Source: Mandy Lynne Photography via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: realsimple.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: Just a Girl via Alicia on Pinterest
Paint color: Iced Green by Benjamin Moore

I've Been Featured on Krylon's "Projects in a Can"

Hope your Memorial Day weekend was both relaxing and productive.  We spent most of our time outside doing some much needed yard work and entertaining the kids.  It took hubby most of the day to mulch the front yard... 43 bags and we still didn't buy enough!  
I'm SO excited to share with you that about a week after I posted the Flower Mirror
tutorial, I received an email from a Krylon rep asking me if I'd like to submit my project on their "Projects in a Can" site.  I checked with a few local bloggers to make sure it wasn't spam.  Being a new blogger, this was the first time I had received an opportunity like this, so I had to be sure!  I got the "all clear" and submitted my tutorial the next day!  As soon as it's reviewed by the department, it will hopefully be available to view on their facebook and twitter... so cool!  I checked today and found it on their web site.  You can view it here in their Creative Corner.

As I've been browsing through their site; I've noticed other projects I've seen on blogs I follow.  It's probably nothing new for so many of you, but being new at this, I was so giddy at the chance to have my project featured!  Many thanks to Kathleen @ Krylon for contacting me!  :)

In LOVE with Pinterest!

My dear friend and neighbor, April recently introduced me to Pinterest and I just gotta say, it was love at first sight!  What is Pinterest you ask?  Pinterest is like a virtual pinboard - a place where you can create folders and collect things you love and share them with others.  It also lets you "follow" collections that other people have created!  It's seriously addicting!  

We've had several DIY home renovations in the works and having access to this kind of filing system has helped tremendously!  I love being able to gather inspiration from ANYWHERE on the "www" and follow other people that have a common taste.  They even have a "pin it" button that aides in letting you bookmark anything you see and add it to your created folders.

Sorting and cutting out pictures from magazines has been drastically reduced and I'm definitely all about less paper around here!  :)  Just look at some of the great finds I've been able to add to my pinboard...

Angled kitchen banquette via Elements of Style
We hope to create something similar to this in our kitchen!

Foyer aqua hall tree via Simply Seleta

Big Girl's Room Art Collage via Hello Newman's!

Beautiful fireplace mantel via A Creative Beginning,
inspired by Layla @ The Lettered Cottage

So, if you have a Pinterest account, I encourage you to add a "Follow me on Pinterest" button to your sidebar so you can share what inspires you with others!  If you don't, you can register by going to www.pinterest.com.  They will send you an email thanking you for joining the pinterest waiting list.  Then, about a week later, you will receive an invitation to join Pinterest.

I hope that you find Pinterest to be just as helpful!  Oh, and by the way, I'm not getting paid to write this, I'm just super excited and HAD to share my newest discovery with you!
Happy pinning!  :)

The Magic of Spray Paint

I'm always on the hunt for re-purposing things in my home.  I used to decorate with a lot of dark, oil rubbed bronzed decor and I've seen how other bloggers have used what they have to change the look.  I'm all about that!  Especially since I still love what I own, just not the color of it!  So I purchased some Rustoleum's Heirloom White and went to town on some accessories around the house.

Here's a picture of them before: 

I had already started spraying the candlesticks when I realized I hadn't taken a picture!  As you can see in the second picture, they were a set of three in black.  So excited to use what I already have!  I spent just under 10 dollars on spray paint... using 40% off coupons from Hobby Lobby!

Here's a peek inbetween coats...

There's the Goodwill clock I showed you in a previous post!  

Almost finished with her transformation!  

What a difference spray paint can make!

Here are some of the pieces in their new homes!

The soap dispenser tray...  now it pops off the counter!   

Before, I couldn't really see it's beautiful detail!

One of my favorite DIY's...  These three painted wallpaper canvases were completely inspired by Thrifty Decor Chick!  For a full tutorial on how to make your own, click on the link!  Thanks, Sarah!  I "lurve" them!  

The mirror, birds and candlesticks make their home on our mantel!  So much better!

This is one of my favorite spots, I was inspired by 

Centsational Girl's kitchen and her dining room table decor.  Love it!  

I couldn't help but post lots of pictures!  

Here's the lamp base in the hallway outside our bedroom.

The other pieces have made their home in our entertainment center, master bath and bedroom.  I'll be sharing in a future post how I used these old but new treasures.

I scoured the house and found some more pieces!  Come back to see what I've done with them.  Some will be painted Heirloom White and others will receive my newest discovery... Krylon's Watermelon and Blue Ocean Breeze!

An oldie but goodie... I found this cheese dome at Goodwill for $3!  I plan on making my own cheese dome cloche!  Thanks to Sarah and Allison!  Hope you're having a great day!

I'm linking up to:

House of Hepworths
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Somewhat Simple
Fun-day Friday @ Little Lucy Lu
Home May'd Spring/Summer Link Party @ The Lettered Cottage

Beef Jerky Marinade

This is a HUGE favorite around our house... even our kids ask for it!  My hubby has been searching for a dehydrator for quite some time now (he likes to do plenty of research before purchasing) and surprised us with an Excalibur Dehydrator. Even before we got it, he was out there on the "world wide web" searching for a jerky marinade and knew that Food Network's, Alton Brown, host of "Good Eats" would not disappoint!

So, without further ado, here's the "oh so yummy" recipe:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak (we have also used a thin cut sirloin tip or milanesa)
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tsp. onion powder                                          
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 tsp. liquid smoke

Here's a few packaging labels of the meats we've used...

Place an opened gallon sized zip-loc bag into a quart size plastic container and fold the tops of the bag over to hold bag in place.  Combine all but the steak into bag and stir with a whisk.  Set aside.

Trim the flank steak (or in our case thin cut milanesa) of any excess fat and cut steak into strips, about half an inch or more thick.  Place all trimmed and sliced meat into your zip-loc bag, seal and make sure all meat is covered.

Place your marinated bag of meat in a pyrex dish, refrigerate and marinade for up to 24 hours.  Least amount of time can be 6-8 hours, but we like ours nice and flavorful!
Note:  Be sure to turn your meat every so often so all meat is well marinated.

After it's marinated for the desired time, line cookie sheets with paper towel and take marinated steak out of bag.  Blot excess juices off the meat and place on your dehydrator trays, spaced evenly so strips aren't touching.  Once you have all your meat on trays, sprinkle some freshly ground pepper over top (optional) and place in the dehydrator, turned to the beef jerky setting.

In about 4-6 hours (depending on the thickness of your meat) you'll have yourself some delicious homemade jerky!  Enjoy!

You'll find me at these parties:

A Bowl Full of Lemons

I'm linking up to Rhoda's Home May'd Recipes Link Party!