Something to Leave You With

After several days of working on the house, I will be heading to Tennessee for a family wedding. I am so excited to see family I haven't seen in awhile, including my uncle who is very home remodel-savvy. I called him about a month ago to ask for some advice on flooring, and while telling him what we were working on, he said "Well, you're young and foolish enough to undertake all that..." Now I know just how right he was. We are so foolish to have started this. But hopefully, it will be done soon.

Here are some lovely photos of inerior design that I have been lusting after lately.

Vacation 'O Fun for the Remodel 'O Fun

Alan and I are taking the few days off work to get some work done around the house. We hope to refinish the hardwood floors in three of the rooms, and finish getting drywall up in the kitchen. Getting that dry wall up is taking way more time than we originally figured (like all of this has), and we are both so ready for it to be done. I can't wait for the floors to be shiny and beautiful, for my kitchen to be painted a beautiful orange, for my bathroom sink to be installed, and for all the electricity rewiring to be done. I miss having evenings where there isn't a ton to do. I miss being able to come home, ride my bike around the lake, sit with Alan drinking a glass of wine, and then....do nothing. I miss nothing. I miss just sitting with nothing to do. I'm okay with nothing...as long as I have a house around me that is finished, that is. Hopefully this week goes as planned, and we will be finished. Soon-ish.

All I've Got Is "Before" Pictures

This is the kitchen in the "Before" stages. These were taken a couple of weeks ago, and I wish I could say there have been significant visual changes, but there aren't. However, there have been significant changes taking place. Alan and our amazing neighbor have been rewiring all the electric in the house. As an electrician, we had Amazing Neighbor come over to give us some advice on how to properly install some more lighting in the kitchen where there was one (ONE!) single light bulb for the whole room. His professional advice was we either rewire all the electric in the entire house, or get the hell out of dodge. Apparently, our house was wired by morons. Morons who shouldn't have ever tried their hands out at a field of work where electricity, thousands and thousands of volts of electricity, are involved. Apparently, it is also a miracle the house hasn't burned down, multiple times. Some times we can see Amazing Neighbor's crawl when he sees how some of the work has been done.

However, these are some before pictures on the kitchen, where walls and ceilings are currently going up.

Here's the entrance into the kitchen. Vapor barrier has been put down and subfloor will be installed.

Subfloor going down.

While tearing old walls down, we found a place where a door previously was. We think maybe the door was covered over, Coraline style, so we don't enter into other very dangerous dimensions.

This is the wall where overhead storage will be, with the refrigerator, microwave, and stove underneath.

All 64 Colors, With the Sharpener on the Back

It is funny to think that for the last 7 or 8 years, I have said that my favorite color was black. It looks good in all seasons, hides stains better, and matches everything (even brown in my opinion). My first apartment was mainly black and white. The house will be anything but. Last night I was looking over my photo files on my computer and checking things out that I have in my "Paint, Make, Do, Sew" file. It was all bright, vibrant, beautiful, look at me! colors.

I've never liked screens too much, but this one won my heart.

I would love to learn how to embroider, just to make pillows like the one on the left.

Love this headboard.

There's no way Alan would ever let me do this to the wood floors at the house, but a girl can dream.
I've been searching for fabric like this, but I'm not looking in the right places apparently.
I am a huge fan of painted chairs.
This is shockingly similar to the screen, but its ruffled! Love, love ruffles!
I love zinnia graphics, and this pillow is amazing.
This little girl's room is fantastic.
Hooray!

Vegan Spinach Alfredo Pizza

My God do I love Spinach! And Alfredo sauce! Annnnnnnnnd pizza. There's no one in the world who doesn't like pizza.

Awhile back, I decided to combine some of my favorite foods into vegan deliciousness. This is what I came up with. After several different dinner parties, and the reactions from those who attended, included my very finicky grandma Momo, I know that it is, indeed, delicious. I hope that you decide that tofu is the way to make alfredo from now on. And honestly, it is much cheaper and much easier than actual alfredo.

These are the necessary ingredients. Except olive oil. I forgot to put that in the picture.

Preparing a pre-made pizza crust with olive oil and rosemary and garlic.

This is the spinach alfredo sauce in the blender.
This also makes an awesome dip.
The pizza when it is done. Oh man, so good.

Crust:
Ready made crust, I use a normal pizza crust (none of that paper-thin crap)
2 Tbl Olive Oil
1 Tbl Rosemary
1 Tbl Garlic Salt (or garlic powder if you're watching your sodium intake)
Sauce: (this is going to make 2 batches of sauce. make two pizzas and double the rest of the ingredients if you like, or just save the other half of the sauce for dipping later)
1 block firm Silken Tofu (yes, you have to buy the Silken version)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 handful fresh basil
1 tsp crushed red pepper seed
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast (look into this Super Food folks!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Topping:
4 Cups spinach
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
Italian seasoning to taste

1) Pour 2 Tbl Olive oil on pizza crust. Spread around. Top with rosemary and garlic. Cook in oven at 425 degrees for 12 minutes.
2) While crust is baking, puree ingredients for sauce together until completely blended.
3) When crust is finished, top with spinach. Yes, it is going to seem like a lot of spinach. It will cook down, I promise. Top with sliced tomatoes. Top all that with Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper if you like.
4) Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
5) OMG enjoy!