Category: 2013

2013, living room, movies, organizing

DVD storage solution

by casadeberry9 Comments on DVD storage solution

We didn’t use to own many DVDs. Then we had kids. Then we got chubby. So now we have ton of kids’ DVDs and, since we got our XBox, games and workout DVDs. There were DVDs everywhere, a couple even got damaged because they would be thrown into a drawer with no sleeve or case, so I started to look for a system that would work for us. I wanted things to be organized and for our boys to be able to see where their own DVDs went.

I ended up going with these mini binders from Atlantic:

I bought two – with 4 binders each – and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Plain old grown-up movies are labeled alphabetically, with room for more should we purchase DVDs in the future. The rest are labeled “misc.”, “kids”, “workout”, and “xbox”. There is room for almost 200 DVDs in these binders and they are all neat and organized.

As you can see, we do save cases for movie collections like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, but all the cases from the movies stored in the binders are up in our attic storage, lessening the bulk and frustration of finding a case only to open it and see that the DVD is not inside.

Above the DVD shelf live our votives and wax melts.

I made the little boxes out of chevron tape and one mini-corn dog box (my oldest is addicted!), because, again, the wax melts were all over the place, and the burner is to the left of this cabinet.

Now I need to tackle the CDs. Holy crackers, that is going to be a huge job – I’ll report back in a year or two.

katherines corner

2013, colors, craft, dining room

Bringing spring color inside

by casadeberryLeave a Comment on Bringing spring color inside

A few months ago I made some embellished kitchen towels using Sharpies, in a craft inspired by Heather from Setting for Four. This time I decided to use a bunch of different colors for a very colorful accent to our dining room table.

I had lots of fabric left over from some old curtains and I decided to make some colorful flowers using Sharpies:

Then I cut out the shapes I wanted – even though my “G” ended up looking like a “6”, grr – and appliqued them onto a length of the same fabric. I chose a contrasting color for the stitching so the letters would stand out:

I might also hang it above one of our hutches as a banner when we have friends over. I love that it was such a simple craft and is bringing so much color into our neutral dining room.

We had a few adventures during the boys’ week off, I will share some this week and some Top Secret goings on will have to wait to be revealed next week ;D I will tell you that I just finished a wonderful debut novel by a local author and I can’t wait to tell you all about that, too!

2013, cooking, French, kitchen

Rachel Khoo times two

by casadeberryLeave a Comment on Rachel Khoo times two

My latest girl crush and cooking inspiration is Rachel Khoo, star of The Little Paris Kitchen, a show documenting her cooking adventures in a tiny kitchen in the Belleville district of the French capital. The Little Paris Kitchen was also the name of the smallest restaurant in Paris, a table in Rachel’s apartment where she delighted many guests with laid-back food, as she says, “as Parisians cook and eat.”

I recently got her book and have been drooling over the delicious recipes included. and was planning on attempting one when suddenly, our stove died. The oven, to be more precise. We had had problems with the microwave before and since it was all one unit, once the oven died, we decided to replace it.

Here is our old range, a.k.a. Carol Brady:

Two levels, just like Carol’s haircut 😀 dependable, but showing its age. Also, not having to do with Carol Brady at all, but apparently ti was also illegal, since the microwave and stove were too close together, which meant we could never stir a pot of pasta in the back, and there was a gap between the top of the microwave and the bottom of the cabinet, which was built for a modern-sized range and microwave.

Once we took out the range and microwave and slid in the new stove, a.k.a. Rachel Khoo II 😀 a little detail became clear:

When we re-painted the kitchen last year, we decided not to paint behind the range unit because “it’s not like we’re ever going to move it”. Mm-hmm.

Instead of painting, though, we decided on a decorative touch, using something I had seen at Lowe’s and had been wanting to try:

We did not want to cover the entire perimeter of the kitchen with these tiles, but instead, just add a little pop of sparkly goodness (and cover up all that red!). My awesome husband did all the installing, although we will be having an electrician run a new line for the microwave since it uses more wattage than the old one.

I am so looking forward to making recipes from Ms. Khoo’s cookbook on our new range. Easy, affordable, laid-back, no-pressure French cooking? Count me in! And let’s just hope the refrigerator doesn’t decide to kick the bucket any time soon!

2013, mood boards

Melissa’s craft room

by casadeberry4 Comments on Melissa’s craft room

When my friend Melissa asked me for a couple of ideas for her craft room, I did that little dance Laura Linney does in Love, Actually when she brings Rodrigo Santoro home from the work holiday party. Obviously, different goals, although I will say that my endeavor had a (ha) happy ending, while poor Laura and Rodrigo only got to make out a little.

The craft room had a row of lower cabinets along one side, an heirloom dresser Melissa wanted to keep, and a nice window to let lots of light in for sewing and other crafts. Melissa wanted to use Behr’s Swan Sea for the walls, which she had leftover from another project, and is ordering a decal as well, so I used those colors to come up with this palette for the room:

She also has a white bookcase, which fit in perfectly with my idea of adding as much white as possible to the room in order to brighten up the muted aqua and wood cabinets. A warm, sunny yellow completes the palette. In the board below, I used stand ins for Melissa’s bookcase and chest of drawers since I could not find the exact items online.

Clockwise from top left: Along with storing craft books, Melissa can use canvas bins for a more uniform look or go the see-through route with mason jars, clear plastic and acrylic bins and organizers for her crafting supplies. I know, from experience how tired your eyes get when sewing or doing other needlecrafts, so I suggested a pendant or task lamp over her sewing machine. The existing white bookcase can be brightened up with paper if Melissa wants a pop of color. A round mirror over the chest of drawers will reflect the light coming in from the window and also break up all the right angles in the room from the bookcase, dresser, window, etc. A brown runner will ground all the wood tones in the room and still stay in the same color palette. Finally, a large piece of pegboard and a kit of various options for hanging items on the board will provide lots of organization and versatility. Melissa has three little ones so maybe she’ll want to hang scissors and pin-holders from the pegboard, and away from curious little hands.

Information for all the items available here.

2013, about me, health

Colorful

by casadeberry1 Comment on Colorful

I’ve been a little MIA for the past few days but today was a very colorful day 😀

I met up with my college friend Carina at our usual nail place and I got that pretty shade of warm red. It’s Essie’s Formal Affair and I LOVE it! I had a bunch of dark reds and glittery reds and burgundies, but they’re more of a fall or holiday feel for me, so I wanted a nice, warm tomato red. This one looks like bright red jello and it makes me smile.

I’m also working on my 3rd beret – I tell you, my mom got me re-addicted to crocheting – and this one is made of a rainbow yarn. Unfortunately I think one of my cats ran off with the tag so I don’t have the brand and name right now – boo.

This one was my first beret, modeled by my awesome and very glamorous friend M.

Next Tuesday I will be undergoing laparoscopic surgery – apparently a bunch of cysts have decided to build a condo building on one of my Fallopian tubes. Or the remains anyway, since I had a hysterectomy almost 4 years ago. The doctor does not foresee having to remove my ovaries at this point so I hope that is, indeed, the case. I have a mini stash of yarn to keep me busy as well as a very nice debut novel I will be reviewing on this very blog. I bet you didn’t know I used to be a book reviewer, eh? Mostly romances but also other fiction and biographies. I am almost done with the book and am taking my Kindle with me everywhere so I can read a few pages here and there. Lovely friends and family are helping with school and karate rides for the boys and keeping me company during the first few days.

If you are on Ravelry, I would love to friend you, you can find me here. My days are filled with pre-op appts., finalizing plans to make sure all is taken care of, and prepping some food to have a stash in the freezer. I will try to pop in before Tuesday – but if not, wish me well. See you soon!!!

2013, ikea, living room

Yellow and green make . . .

by casadeberry6 Comments on Yellow and green make . . .

Yellower green. Or greener yellow. In any case, it’s a color I am in love with right now. So does IKEA, apparently, featuring these shades in a variety of textiles.

We usually have brick/rust and brown colored throws on our sofa but it’s definitely time to lighten up the look. The lovely green throws would look great in my neutral living room, as would the cream one. I also love the cushion covers, although any pillow on my sofa quickly becomes the cats’ favorite spot or weapons for the children. Seriously.

The bird prints are adorable. I’m completing the gallery walls above my corner desk and would love a little groping of these sweet prints.

So, yeah, it’s sounding like a trip to IKEA is in my near future, no?

2013, flowers, fruits, gardening, husband, lavender, outdoors, veggies

Springing and stretching!

by casadeberryLeave a Comment on Springing and stretching!

These last few days have blessed us with glorious weather here in Sili Valley. The sun has been out, but it hasn’t been super hot, I’ve been loving it! This past weekend we decided to hit our local gardening stores – two of them!


Our front yard got some much-needed brightening up with these trailing white flowers on the hanging baskets:

My youngest was determined to get some yellow goodness ;D

In the backyard, we started our herb garden:

My husband added a brick border to define our salad greens area:

Caged and ready!

We also planted more potatoes, including some purple varieties. Our potatoes come back every year but we wanted some russets as well, and then we saw the purple sets. Can’t wait to eat some of those! Our onions and chard are doing great, they come back, too, and hopefully our garlic will do well this year. My husband planted two blackberry bushes in the side yard. We have a blueberry bush that is my boys’ favorite treat. Hopefully the vine will do well again this year so we can make some grape jelly again, and I look forward to the lovely scent of my lavender plants.

My husband and I have the sorest hamstrings ever from all the planting and weeding, I’ve been stretching because otherwise the pain doesn’t let me sleep very well. I hope you’ll follow our gardening adventures this year, I’m very excited to see how our veggies do!

2013, birthdays, craft, husband

Minecraft Party, part 2

by casadeberry5 Comments on Minecraft Party, part 2

So, when I woke up at 6:30am on the morning of my son’s birthday party, I went to the garage and found my husband doing this:

The poor man had spent all night working on the creeper piñata and diamond sword. They looked great, though, so I would say it was worth it. Our boy was very impressed:

The piñata was made out of cardboard but my husband made it so that the head rotated. All the candy was stuffed into the belly, so it didn’t have a lot of give. The sword is made out of wood and painted in various shades of blue to give it that pixelated look from the game.

After the complete destruction of the poor creeper, we saved the head, as we always try to do, and added it to our growing collection of piñata and costume heads.

And that was our Minecraft-themed birthday party!

Weekend Bloggy Reading

2013, birthdays, decor, entertaining, green, husband, parties

Minecraft Party, part 1

by casadeberry5 Comments on Minecraft Party, part 1

Minecraft is everywhere. Just about every kid I know plays it, and just about every parent I know knows about it. It’s like Legos, but online, and each block has different properties. So of course, my oldest, a fervent fan of the game, decided he wanted a Minecraft party for his 8th birthday. Being the craft-crazy parents that we are, we happily obliged.


Can you tell I went overboard with the square/block theme?


I totally stole the popcorn baggy idea and creeper background idea from Puerta Bella. The popcorn baggies were a hit, every kid (and some adults) grabbed a baggy each and went on their merry way, eating popcorn. I loved that there were no hands grabbing popcorn from a big bowl, that each person could get their own popcorn. The Red Vines TNT idea was shamelessly stolen from Seaside Interiors, and I used some square candle holders I already had, the kids loved it!

I decided to make mini sandwiches, cut to look like blocks, of course. We had Chicken Pesto, made very easily by mixing cooked chicken and mixing it with some of the pesto I made last week; Peanut Butter and Jelly; and Tuna Salad.

My mother in law baked the yummy cakes and my husband decorated them. We had one creeper and two “dirt blocks”:



Aren’t those candles fun? My husband saw them at the store and grabbed them, I’d never seen them before. The sides of the dirt blocks are a mix of oreos and graham crackers. We also had block candies and starburst to complete the “block food” theme.

On Friday, I’ll tell you all about the awesome piñata my husband made!