Where has my summer gone? I would really like to know that as well. It’s not like I’ve been on a real vacation or anything like that. Maybe I’ve been uninspired to post because it sometimes feels like the world more or less shuts down during the summer months? Maybe it’s because distractions abound? Or maybe it is just falling into a daily grind which results in sheer laziness? In truth, it doesn’t really matter which reason it is; the end result is the same: no blog updates.

So what has been going on these past few months? The biggest project we’ve been undertaking is trying to buy our first house. I’ve felt kind of strange talking about it because there is so much uncertainty intrinsic to the process.  We started seriously looking into financing in early May. Throughout June, July, and August we’ve been looking for houses. We are looking to move out of the farthest-tier DC suburbs to the small city of Frederick in more Northern Maryland. We are deciding to move farther away from Joe’s work in order to lead a more relaxed life. Although the DC suburbs have been fine, I’ve found myself missing a place with a real sense of identity. The area we live in currently was developed only over the last twenty years or so. It is not a terrible place, don’t get me wrong, but it is a more or a less a series of strip malls divided by apartments and subdivisions. There is nothing wrong with this; it is just not the place for me. Having grown up in a small town, I find myself yearning for living in a place with a sense of self; a place where people take a real pride in their community as a unique place. And I think I have found that place in Frederick. Frederick is a more rural community, though many people now commute from there, but the people who live there really seem to want the city to succeed as a real entity, not just as a place to sleep at night. The downtown is beautiful, historic, and walkable.

Just a taste of downtown

So within that parameter, Joe and I have probably looked at 30 houses, basically everything that is on the market that fits our needs and our price range. It has been, needless to say, an exhausting process. Back in June, we thought that we had found “The House.” Good location, good price, fit what we were looking for. We liked the place a lot, spent Saturday talking to neighbors about the neighborhood, checked it out at night, checked what schools were associated with the neighborhood, figured out our negotiation plan. Early Sunday morning we called our Realtor to make an offer and were disappointed to find out that someone else had made an offer late Saturday night. We were beaten to the punch by only hours. I will admit I cried a little bit hearing that and kind of needed a week or so to regroup afterwards.

We got back on that horse, though, and kept looking, even though our options seemed to be dwindling more and more. At the beginning of this month, we found a house that we liked and made an offer. At this point, we have accepted a counter offer from the sellers and are waiting for the paperwork to be completed. Next week (hopefully) we’re going to be getting our inspections done and so forth, and barring major issues, we are hoping to be closed on the house sometime this fall. It has been hard for me to be in a sort of ambiguous area. The house we may be buying is old, and with an older house comes problems. Part of me wants to get excited and love this house, but the other part of me is trying to be more reserved, fully willing to walk away without heartbreak if there is something seriously wrong with the place. Being in house purgatory makes me feel ambiguous towards the place. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it, it just kind of “is.” And although I am a big fan of shades of gray and ambiguity in movies and books, I don’t really love those feelings within myself.

So just like expected, house hunting has been a real roller coaster of emotions. It has been a lot more mentally draining that I thought it would be. But regardless, I will try to update more often!

But first, starting with the non-food-y things:

Mexican paper flowers

DIY festive Mexican paper flowers from 100 Layer Cake – I vaguely remember having made these a very long time ago. It seems like they would be fun and easy to make; and I think they would look fantastic tied on a wrapped gift.

CraigEasy from Storage and Glee – I am so going to start using this program that re-sorts Craigslist postings into a more easily scrollable, blog-like form with an emphasis on pictures. When I am browsing CraigsList for furniture, the pictures are what I want to see!

A couple “how to’s” are next:

How to Prepare a Round Cake Pan from the kitchen generation – Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a pan so your cake will turn out perfectly. Will definitely reference this one in the future.

Roasted Beets from The Galley Gourmet – I love beets, but have been terrified of the roasting process. This seems pretty simple, I just need some disposable gloves for getting the skin off.

And a yummy:

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen – I am a carrot cake fiend; never thought about Carrot Cupcakes before! My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

Custom Table

 Custom Coffee Table from Storage Glee – Really cool custom made tables that show off your favorite coffee table books. So neat!

Recipe for White Bean Soup with Ham and Rosemary from Kalyn’s Kitchen – This recipe absolutely makes my mouth water. It’s pretty funny how much of a soup fiend I am.

latest obsession: photographs by larry yurst from good bones, great pieces – Lovely panoramic street scenes. I love the bright colors.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins from Annie’s Eats – My favorite kind of muffin!

Terrarium

we like it wild: recycled fixture planters from Design*Sponge – Cute, clever, and crafty terraria made from thrift-store find light fixtures.

Stationery – mr. yen from print & pattern – simple graphic paper goods. I want these so badly!

Bandits from Storage Glee – Little elastic/hook band thingies. Hard to explain, but really cool. I hope I can get some of these when they are produced; they seem super handy!

Tzatziki Recipe from two peas and their pod – I Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors so much, and refreshing yogurt sauces are a part of these cuisines. Never thought about making them myself before, though. This would make a fun project along with making my own pita bread.

Yellow Chairs

yellow bistro chairs from the style files – Quick, cute round up of yellow chairs outdoors. Makes me desperately want a brightly-painted outdoor dining set. I wonder if these cheapies from Ikea would take well to a spray painting?

Penguin Threads Deluxe Classics from poppytalk – Classic books with gorgeously illustrated covers that look like embroidery. Want.

Baker Kavanagh Architects from desire to inspire – Gorgeous modern interiors that incorporate gorgeous woods. The staircases are completely drool-worthy.

I guess I’m on a huge DIY kick – here are three cute and fairly simple projects:

DIY: Patchwork Picnic Blanket from Centsational Girl – Perfect for spreading out for a (well sun-screened) afternoon nap or for a fabulous picnic meal.

A bowl full of rosettes (tutorial) from kiki creates – I love these cute little flowers. I think they would make fabulous brooches!

DIY: Colorful Dessert Stands from Centsational Girl (again) – Made from garage sale or dollar store finds, these brightly colored stands are totally up my alley.

That is one thick bowl of chili!

Kathy’s “Dump It in a Pot” Chili

• 1 package (16 – 20 oz.) lean ground beef or ground turkey (Heck, you could probably even use vegetarian crumbles if you wanted to make this a vegetarian meal)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-2 green peppers, chopped
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 – 2 tsp. cumin

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef or turkey, onion, green pepper, and garlic until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent and tender. If needed, drain fat. Stir in the beans, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilies. Add chili powder, basil, oregano, black pepper, and cumin. The chili will be quite thick and stew-like. If needed/desired, add a couple of cups of water to thin it. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let simmer at least 20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese if desired. Pairs well with cornbread or tortilla chips.

Blue Trees from Poppytalk

The Blue Trees from Poppytalk – An art installation for the Vancouver Biennale. So lovely.

Devil’s Food Cake from The Pastry Affair – This cake looks so yummy, I can’t wait for an excuse to make a cake! Also, since baking a layer cake is on my 25 Before 25 list, I think I need to get on this one ASAP!

Striped Coffee Table and Drawer Console from design*sponge – I could take or leave the coffee table, but the console absolutely makes my heart sing. I have been on a several-year quest for a buffet for the dining room, and have been having a bear of a time finding something stylish and affordable. This Ikea hack look great! Unfortunately it appears the drawer units are near impossible to find, and may even be discontinued. Still, the idea is a great one, and it may be implemented with similar products from other stores. Want!

Cheap Plastic Wardrobe Turned Spray Painting Tent from Apartment Therapy – Living in an apartment with minimal outdoor space, I had figured that any spray painting project would be too risky on our tiny balcony. This solution, at least for small items makes a ton of sense and gives me a bit of motivation to maybe try this whole spray painting thing.

Making Paper Orchids: The How To from in words and pictures – Gorgeous cut and glued paper orchids. I can imagine them in white or in naturalistic colors, perhaps framed in small individual shadow boxes, mounted in a series. I have got to try this one!

Right now, the nightstands in the bedroom are white metal Eero Saarinen Tulip table (cheap) knock-offs from Target. We’ve had them for a couple of years, and although they are a fun style, I have never been particularly happy with them. The tabletop is ridiculously flimsy (I got what I paid for) but still, putting pretty much anything on the table causes it to bend at an angle. Even alarm clocks and simple lamps cause the tables to bend awkwardly. I am also unhappy with the size of the tabletop. All Joe can fit on his is his alarm clock and lamp. Clearly not adequate.

So for the past handful of months I have been on the unsuccessful search for attractive, functional, affordable side tables. I want a drawer, or a shelf, or both. I want a sturdy table with a large-enough tabletop. I want something that will compliment our current bedroom furniture. I want something that won’t break the bank. It seems like it should be easy, but it is really not! So far I have found nothing that appeals to at least a majority of these desires. And I am getting so frustrated! It is like if I find one that fulfills two or three of my criteria, it fails the last one. And the one that they normally fail is the factor of affordability. It is just mind-boggling to me the prices for side tables, even at places that are usually known for their cheap furniture. Factor in that I need a pair of tables, and I get head-bangingly frustrated with the whole thing!

For example, this table is absolutely gorgeous. Nice size, has a drawer, would match our current bedroom set:

Hudson Table from Williams Sonoma Home

Cost? $1790 for two. Uh, no. Not going to happen. Ever. Even if it is handmade. I just can’t do it.

This one is nice. The color is okay, if not my favorite. It is functional and fairly neutral. I like the shelves:

Metropolitan Side Table from Pottery Barn

Cost? $249 each. Less expensive, but more than I want to spend. I like something that looks nice, but to me, side tables are primarily functional, and I am not really willing to spend twice as much on side tables than our bed cost.

This next one has both a drawer and a shelf, which I like; and it comes in white, my color preference:

Narrow-Leg Storage End Table from West Elm

Once again, though, they are $249 each. One wouldn’t think this should be this hard!

This next one is more in my price range – $99.95 each:

Harvey Nightstand in Carbon from CB2

However, this more industrial aesthetic is not one I am usually drawn to, and I feel the proportions might look off next to our more traditional-styled bedroom set. The color is also not my favorite, and I am very nervous about buying another metal nightstand since the current ones are metal and are unsatisfactory.

If I wanted to go match-y with night stands, then this stand would work as it is from the same line as our bed:

Hemnes Night Stand from Ikea

And it fits our price range, as it they are only $59.99 each. But they are way too tiny; the top surface is really minuscule and the scale is completely off when matched with the bed it is ostensibly meant to match.

So what is the answer? Side tables that are perfect are too expensive; the ones I can afford aren’t right. Trawling Craigslist and Goodwill have both proven unsuccessful. Does anyone have sources/ideas I have not thought of yet?

Yellow Patterned Stairs

Fabulous stairs from thehousehome – I’m not sure if these stairs were decoupaged, stenciled, or hand-painted, but I love them!

grey inspiration from the style files – Something about soft dove gray appeals to me very much. The tones here are gorgeous, but my personal preference is for more pops of color to contrast.

Swedish Cinnamon Butterhorns (Kanelbullar) from The Cilantropist – These crescent-shaped cinnamon rolls look positively scrumptious! My mouth waters just looking at them.

The U.S. Map Pillow Tutorial from kiki creates – I think I am going to have to make a series of these for our house, since we have lived so many places. I am picturing a grouping of maybe 5 on our couch in different bright color-ways. Maybe I could use cotton instead of felt, and use some fun and funky patterns!

Recycling Glass Insulators into Pendant Light from *Remodelaholic* – This project uses power tools that I don’t foresee owning in the near future, but the idea is certainly lovely.

before & after: katie’s bright and modern nursery from design*sponge – The nursery is lovely, but I am completely obsessing over the multi-colored, multi-sized alphabet on the wall. I don’t think this design is nursery-specific, and I really want an alphabet wall!

Tulip Fields

Tulip Fields from junkgarden – Aren’t they just gorgeous and inspiring?

Weeknight Bolognese from Annie’s Eats – This meal really does sound easy, and I love that it is a Bolognese sauce that doesn’t use Italian sausage since I’m really not a fan.

50s Wallpaper by Sanderson from Design*Sponge – As I am quite enthusiastic about 50′s design, I find this exuberant wallpaper quite lovely. I certainly can’t imagine entire rooms done up in these papers, but as an accent wall they would be fun!

African Violets from good bones, great pieces – I love this cute little setup of violets. I regret that I have a terribly black thumb because this is adorable.

Collecting: Class Pictures from poppytalk – I like this display of vintage and antique class photos very much. I think the fact that they are all similar scale and black and white make the collection seem unified in a way color pictures would not.

Backyard Scrabble from junkgarden – Giant backyard Scrabble board? Yes please!

Needle-felted Venus Fly Trap from in words and pictures – I’ve long been fascinated by carnivorous plants, but my previously reference black thumb prevents me from enjoying them. This project is a nice facsimile of the real thing, and completely un-kill-able.

Tips for Sewing Your Own Duvet Cover from Apartment Therapy DC – Handy little guide to making duvets. I will not give up my down comforter, so many cute comforters are off the table for me. Using sheets to make a personalized cover is a great solution to limited duvet cover selections.

A triceratops!! from going home to roost – Neat neon dino-shaped planters. I think Joe would love this.

Friday’s Quick Pick: Framed Pucci Scarf from good bones, great pieces- A great idea for framing a scarf as artwork. Since I enjoy the look of scarves, but am not a scarf-wearer at all, this is a lovely solution.