Yellow Doors & A Flip Flop Wreath!

I've been visiting my mom in Michigan for the last week and wanted to share one of my favorite projects she recently did. Last summer my parents bought a lake house here which will eventually be their permanent home. The previous owners were really into grey. Like really. Every single wall is painted the same shade of grey, the carpet and flooring is grey, the siding is (can you guess?)...GREY. My mom has been hard at work trying to infuse some color in the place!

Since the exterior is all grey with white trim she decided to paint her entry doors yellow! She picked a Dutch Boy color called Sweet Corn and used an Exterior Paint & Primer blend. I wasn't here for the actual painting but she said it went on easily and dried really fast.

Isn't her flip flop wreath adorable?! She just glued cheapie little girl's flip flops to a wreath form and added a few silk blossoms. So perfect for lake living! Here is a close-up:

Since the "front" of the house faces the lake there isn't a true entrance from the street. The doors above are on the side of the house and when you enter from the street you go right in to the garage...so she painted that door too! Doesn't that door just beg for a cute "Welcome to the lake" sign??

Here is a quick before shot. See the white door behind us? Looks much cuter now doesn't it?! Even though I'm sure you could imagine what the doors looked like before I had to share an Instagram of me and my cutie cousin from the 4th of July. She helped me with the Sundae Campfire Cones post and I promised she could be on the blog. :)

Friday Favorites!

Favorite Funny

It has been sweltering in PA this week, yesterday my car thermometer read triple digits at 8:30pm. I would much prefer a blizzard (really!).

Favorite Spot to Snuggle Up

How inviting does this space look? Lots of Ikea items styled to look super luxe!
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Favorite Chic Powder Room

My taste is always evolving and I love change...Sometimes I think it's a blessing to be a renter. It prevents me from putting up grasscloth wallpaper on a whim. ;)
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Favorite Nautical Bedroom

I am helping design "my" bedroom at the lake. Brian came up with a red, white & blue color scheme (he really wanted a Phillies theme). Those colors lend themselves to a nautical theme perfectly. I love how this room is nautical without being overly themed.
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Favorite Event Hair

Isn't this beautiful? My friend did a waterfall rope braid in my hair for a wedding. It was perfect for a hot summer evening!

Favorite Quote

Our lives have become so centered on social media and sharing even the mundane. Unless it is something really special I just don't see the need to share what/where I ate for dinner, what I bought at the grocery store or that my dog is house broken. It can be easy to fall into the trap of doing things for the adulation of others but I try hard to do what truly make me happy.

Sundae Campfire Cones

I've seen variations of Campfire Cones floating around the web all summer and on July 4th I had an opportunity to try them out!

We wanted to keep our ingredients simple: waffle cones, pineapple, marshmallows, chocolate chips, peanut butter bits, whipped cream & cherries. (Basically an ice cream-less sundae!)

Step 1: Grab a cone and fill it with your favorites! We found that marshmallows work best on the top, they stick together and keep all the goodness in the cone.
Step 2: Wrap your cone in tin foil. Be sure the edges are all sealed.
Step 3: Place wrapped cone around campfire. (The grill works well too) You don't want to put the cone too close to the flames though, your waffle cone will burn!

Step 4: Wait about 15 minutes, open carefully (it's hot!) and ENJOY! In my opinion it is best to take the cones out before everything inside melts to a liquid (see below). Ooey gooey melty goodness, without third-degree chocolate burns.

While munching on our cones we kept thinking of ingredients to try next time. Some of my favorite ideas included strawberries, crunched up cookies, Nutella & banana slices. Mmmm...

Moss Initial Wreath - Tutorial

I've received a few questions about how I made the mossy monogram wreath I shared in last week's Summer Porch post. While I don't have many pictures of the process I figured I could still put together a little tutorial for you. :)

Supplies:
-Grapevine wreath (full size, not mini)
-Sheet moss (I picked mine up at Joann's- Panacea brand)
-Wooden initial (I used a thin plywood one from Michael's)
-Burlap ribbon
-Hot Glue Gun
-Twine
-Scissors
-Sharpie

First thing is first - lay out an old sheet or trash bag. The moss is messy! Unfold your sheet moss, it looks like this:

Flip the moss sheet over. The kind I used had a sticky back so it was covered in paper. That was perfect because I was able to just lay my R down and trace it with a sharpie. Be sure to trace a piece to fit the front! That means you'll want the letter to look backwards while tracing. Cut out your letter then peel off the paper backing. Even though the moss is a little sticky I hot glued it to the letter since this was going outside. Work in sections so your glue doesn't cool before the moss is stuck. I could recommend cutting a little outside of your traced letter, that way you can fold the moss around the edge of the letter. I didn't think to do this, so I ended up using scraps to cover the edges. Either way works!

I didn't cover the back of my letter, it is just facing the door so I figured there was no need. I hot glued a few twine ties to the back and used them to attach the letter to the grapevine. This worked great because I was able to weave the twine into the grapevine for a good {yet hidden} hold.

Finally I tied a burlap bow. I attached the bow as well as the long ribbon ties. By attaching the ties it has helped keep the burlap from fraying, a lesson I learned from my Christmas wreath. I've had my wreath outside for several months now and it is holding up really well. I believe this is in part to the sheet moss opposed to loose moss. As my wreath has been outside the moss has changed color a bit, you can see the difference from the first & last pictures. It started out bright green and is now a muted green-brown. I actually prefer the latter, I feel like it looks much more natural!



I'm linking up with: Glamorous, Affordable Life, Liz Marie Blog

Adding Summer Curb Appeal to a Cookie Cutter Condo

We live in a condo and there are lots of rules about what you can and can't do to the exterior.
-Everyone must have the same exact front door, porch light, fire alarm, etc...
-"Decorative" items are to be kept to a minimum.
-No planting of perennials allowed!
I was able to come up with a few small touches to take our entrance from stark & impersonal to warm & welcoming. First up, a little burlap garden flag. Cute, no?



My solution for the "no planting" rule - I filled an urn! At first I was skeptical about how a single urn would look but our porch is too small for a pair. I actually really love the look...symmetry schmmetry. I've seen potted hostas all over the web this spring and decided to try one. I wanted to add some color so I framed my hosta with hardy wave petunias. They are flourishing even though the area is pretty shaded!



To dress up the front door I made a mossy monogram wreath. I actually made this a few months ago as my spring door décor but I love it so much I decided to keep it out for summer. I just added the pink blossom to tie it into my potted flowers. I've had the wreath outside for a few months and it is holding up really well!



Considering what I have to work with I love the results! :) I hope this gives you some inspiration to dress up your apartment, condo or house. Even if its a rental it doesn't need to be blah! How do you make your entrance welcoming?



I'm linking up with: Project Inspire{d} at Setting for Four, Tutorials & Tips @ Home Stories A to Z, Give Me The Goods Monday @ Rain on a Tin Roof, Liz Marie Blog

My Summer Road Trip Essentials

Since we are preparing for an eleven hour road tip I wanted to share my SUMMER ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS. I've been making long road trips since I was a few months old so I like to think I'm a bit of a pro. Here are my top 10 road trip essentials:

1. A Travel Pillow
Whether I'm traveling by plane, train or automobile I never leave home without mine! My personal favorite kind is the squishy microbead neckroll. Its not only for resting your head, I keep mine in my lap to prop up my book, lunch or whatever.

2. A Great Playlist
I always load my iPod with awesome road trip playlists but the radio works just as well. Plus it's fun to listen to the local station for whatever city you are passing through.

3. Reading Material
My Nook has been a road trip savior! In the past I always packed tons of books (God forbid you run out of books on vacation, the horror!) but now I can load my nook with several books & magazines and only have to carry one thing. Plus I can watch Netflix, surf the web or play games on it (provided I have Wi-Fi).

4. Caffeine
We travel at night a lot to avoid traffic so I always like to caffeinate. I'm not advocating that you main-line Red Bull, but coffee & Diet Coke work for me...especially when driving at 3 AM! I've made the drive from PA to Michigan so many times I can tell you which rest stops have Starbucks (2nd one across the PA/Ohio border!).

5. Snacks
Although I like to stop for meals to stretch my legs & give my eyes a break it's always good to have some quick snacks in the car. The hubs and I agree that we must have gummies, chips and Red Vines. I also like to have some Larabars for when I want something with a little more substance. They are also great for a quick breakfast if we're in a hotel.

6. Sunglasses, Flip Flops & Comfy Clothes
Sunglasses are always a must. I like to wear flip flops to travel since I can slip them off & on easily. Nobody wants to wear shoes for an eleven hour car ride! As for clothing, my favorite road trip outfit is made up of capri yoga tights, a cute but comfy tee and a lightweight hoodie (just in case!). I'm as comfy as I would be in pjs but I don't look crazy when we stop for a rest!

7. Hand Sanitizer or Wipes
This one doesn't even need an explanation...have you seen some of the rest stops out there?! The worst I've ever seen was a pair of overflowing porta-potties (that didn't lock) about 10 feet off the MassPike. Yuck, thanks but no.

8. Multi-plug Car Charger
I have a car charger that fits my phone, the hubs' phone, iPod, nook & GPS. Perfection.

9. License Plate Bingo
This is an absolute must! There are lots of printable game boards if you do a google search but I am so excited to use my new License Plate Game app for this trip. I love to play this game with a carload of people. Everyone can't help but join the fun of calling out plates! Even my dad likes to play. ;)

10. A Buddy!
The most important essential! Good company makes the trip that much more fun.

Two other essentials that just missed the cut (because everyone has them anyway): maps and/or GPS and your cell phone!
What are your road trip essentials? Happy & safe travels this summer!