my new work space

At the beginning of the year I decided to create a work space for myself in our basement.  I'd been working/blogging from a small desk that doubles as a nightstand in our master bedroom, but I was ready for a larger space.  I wanted to create a space that was all my own where I could house my office, craft and gift wrapping supplies.  I already showed you the simple chalkboard calendar I put together, how I organized my office and craft supplies as well as the chair I fell head over heels in love with.  Today I'm showing you the whole space! 

Since our basement is one big open space, I wanted to create a little visual separation.  I used paint to create a little "room within a room". 

Painting this little area helped to make the space feel separate from the rest of the room, yet it all still flows thanks to the color scheme. 

I love vintage suitcases for stackable, accessible, stylish concealed storage!  I've got a ton of craft and gift wrapping supplies stored in these babies. 

I'm really happy to finally have my very own work space!  And I think it just goes to show that it's not about having extra rooms; it's about getting creative and maximizing space in the rooms you have.  

Sources: 

Desk and Chair - Target 

Lamp - Marshalls

Horse Paint by Number - Feather Your Nest (local shop)

Baskets - Target 

Galvanized Wall Organizer - Target  

Vintage Suitcases - Street Scene (local shop) 

Marble Vase - Adele (local shop) 

Gold Frame - Hobby Lobby 

Zebra Rug - Rugs USA 

Chalkboard Panels - Home Depot 

simple diy - framing with book pages

Since I posted the reveal of our pink and red powder bathroom I've received bunches of questions regarding the artwork.  I gave the source info for the black and white sketches as well as the derby print in the original post.  However the large floral piece was a actually a little diy project (of sorts) so I wasn't able to tell you all where to find one for yourself.  

Today I'm finally sharing the deets on this super quick and simple diy.  It's such a simple project that I didn't even bother photographing the process.  All I did was use mod podge to mount a floral print (that I purchased at Hobby Lobby) to a blank canvas.  Then I used some book pages I ripped out of an old book (that was already falling apart) to frame the print.  Mod podge (I used the matte version) worked like a charm both as a glue and a nice sealer to protect the surface.  That's it in a nutshell!  This was a nice way to "frame" the print without an actual frame, but it also was a great way to get a larger piece of artwork from a smaller sized print.  And considering how inexpensive prints are and how often canvases are on sale this was also a nice bang for the buck project.  

The mod podge also created a few wrinkles in the print which added a fun vintage-y look to the print.  If you didn't want to use book pages, old sheet music or even scrapbook paper would be a great looking alternative.  

Artwork doesn't have to be framed.  And often times showcasing artwork outside of a typical frame can really shine a special spotlight on your piece.  When your art print only cost you $7.99 you feel a little more creative freedom when it comes to experimenting with alternative framing options.  ;) 

plantain waffles

Snow days in my house mean waffles!  Because when there's a foot of snow on the ground outside and the temp is below zero you need something yummy to warm up your day.  These waffles are sooooo easy to make, and they are totally allergy friendly as well.  These waffles are not only gluten and grain free, but they are also egg free, dairy free and nut free!  Everybody deserves waffles........no matter what food allergies you have! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of pureed plantains (about 3 plantains - 2 yellow, 1 green) 

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil 

Directions: 

Warm up your waffle iron.  Grease your waffle iron well with coconut oil.  Use a food processor to blend your plantains until completely smooth.  Measure 2 cups of the pureed plantain and add to a bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix together.  Add batter to the iron and let cook for a couple of minutes or until your waffle is browned to your liking.   Be sure to oil the iron between each waffle.  Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy! 

*The key to the taste and texture of these waffles is the mix of yellow and green plantains.  The ripe yellow plantains are naturally sweet so there's no need to add any sweetener to the batter.  The green (not quite ripe) plantain keeps the texture from being too gummy.  Making sure that the iron is well oiled will ensure the perfect cripsy-ness.