Befores and Afters

When you have a limited budget and you are working with other people's stuff that was left behind or items that have to be left for the next people living in the house, it's hard to decorate... BUT!!!! you can always come up with something... I saw a lamp shade with a BELT at a store last fall, Absolutely loved it!!! So I tried this.... so badly wanted a cuter bow, but every website I looked at had the classic shoelace bow... and sadly, that's what I used, but please if anyone knows of any cool bows send them to me!!
So the ribbons were left behind and the lamps go with the apartment. can't get cheaper than that.
(also easiest way to clean lamp shade is with a lint roller) heck yes!

Fluffy Pancakes

These were super yum! My husband recommends them with peanut butter and large amounts of syrup like all the other variations of pancakes I make...

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites

In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Stir in milk and egg yolk until smooth.
In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Bruschetta

Italian in the air!

1 loaf of italian or french bread, sliced*
4 varieties of tomatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
parsley
cilantro
basil
oregano
salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of vinegar (optional)
mozzerella cheese (optional)
olive oil

Cold option.(have tomatoes stored in frig) Mix tomatoes with vinegar. Add seasonings. Keep refrigerated.

Warm option. Mix tomatoes and seasoning. Set aside.

Brush the slices of bread with the oil (enough to cover the bread but not soak it). Fry the garlic with a little oil in medium-high heat. Fry the bread on top of the garlic, repeat on other side when golden brown. Remove from heat and place the bread on a baking sheet in a warm oven, while you finish frying the rest of the bread.

Cold option. Scoop cold tomato mixture onto warm bread and serve immediately.

Warm option. Top room temperature tomato mixture on the bread in the oven. Top with cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

*Only use as many as you plan to be eaten. These do not reheat well.

Pancakes

Just so you know, this feeds a hungry man and normal woman. That's it. Double, triple, whatever as you need. I've also done this in a brunch setting. Two batches of this recipe served with eggs, bacon, coffee, juice will feed 5-6 normal size people. Good luck!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk and oil. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
Pour or scoop the batter onto the hot griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

shutters

all in favor of not spending money on shutters! I mean really, I bought a cute little one at an antique store last year for like $10. I really had to talk myself into that one... I didn't buy the identical one (in another part of the store) for $12. A friend very nicely left a shutter behind when she moved out of the apartment I am currently in. I am still trying to find the perfect spot for it because it looks fantastic next to my white curtains but it gets no attention there. my sister helped me go dumpster diving for more shutters (shown in the picture) which I saved from their home in an empty lot (full of trash, i might add). We got some curious looks but no one stopped us, thank goodness! So now I have 3 shutters that I need to find perfect spots for. The hard thing about decorating my current home is the fact that I have wires, computers and other such electronics runny ruckus in my house. I love that I have a very talented husband but I wish God had also blessed him with organizational skills, alas He has not. (of course my collection of organizational magazines is not helping) I am currently trying to go through them and absorb their wonderful wisdom. this house looks nothing like the pictures in the magazines, even on good days!