Disappearing Act

Something must be done about the fireplace in the master!

Yes, that's the master...See, the master suite used to be the family room before the 1980 addition of the current living room.

So let's be honest, both fireplaces are a bit of an eyesore. But our big beef right now is with the master fireplace because it makes the bedroom really feel like a living space. So we have been brainstorming ways to make it disappear, or at least integrate it into the room so it feels more like a bedroom.

We already have some ideas: paint the paneling and the brick pronto! We are not sure what color to paint it yet, but even just a coat of white might help camouflage it.

When I went online to find more inspiration, I noticed that there is a real dearth of bedroom fireplace pictures. Here's all I found:

Pathetic, I know. But one thing I noticed in all the pics above (from pininterist.com, by the way), is that the fireplaces all jut out into the room like ours does. What's one either side of the them varies; some, like the last picture, use shelving painted the same color as the wall, while the others have some kind of cabinet or furniture piece on at least one side of the fireplace.

So I then decided to search for fireplaces that I like. Here's what I found.

Well, we don't have windows on either side of the fireplace, so that's definitely out. But both pictures (also from pininterest.com) feature cleaned up white shelving and a weightier mantel. This we can do!

So here's our plan as of right now: paint the paneling the same color as the walls (still TBD), paint the brick (probably white), add a beefier mantel, and remove the shelving dividers to create a more open look. (Maybe even paint the back of the shelves!)

Ryan has one more thing he'd like to do - insert a wood burning stove to really crank up the heat since his dear wife is always cold. So the fireplace would look something like this.

Any suggestions for us? Are you seeing something that we don't?

Creating Boundaries

It's inevitable, we all have boundary issues. I am just counting my blessing that the boundary in question is fixable! It's the back fence: the wood is soft, it moves when you lean against it, and it's too short for our large and athletic dogs.

They'll jump that thing in a heartbeat, especially devil dog! So our first order of business once we move is to make the fence doggy proof. It's got to be high enough that the pups can't clear it, but we don't want to block our awesome view from the backyard.

So we are thinking 4 feet of solid fencing, and then something airier and more open for the last 2 feet. Here's what we are leaning towards so far.

Oh, did I mention that I like fences with horizontal planks instead of vertical? Surprisingly, Ryan is right there with me.

I like the variation in plank height in this one above. And in the one below we both like the open caging at the top. Only we would get rid of the geometric pattern and just leave it open, but not so open that a 100 pound Ridgeback can worm her way through.

Check out these fence accessories that I found as I was trolling through pininterest.com, where all the above pics hail from.

I swear the doggies need that lookout bubble! Too cute. Azlan especially would be entertained all day with the neighborhood watch. And I love the idea of pots that can sit right on the fence. It's like a modern planter box, but much cooler, and it would be so easy to change up what gets planted where. The fun colors and reasonable cost ($28 bucks a pop) help too. 

So now it's your turn to weigh in on the great fence debate. How do you feel about horizontal planks? What should be do for the last 2 feet of the fence? 

Fashion Friday: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

I am not one to be doling out beauty advice; it takes me literally 5 minutes to do my hair and makeup in the morning, mostly because I have no clue what I am doing and I do not have the patience to try to learn. But there are a few beauty products that make my world go round, and I thought I would introduce you to one today: Sugar Lip Treatment, made by a company called Fresh. They make them in three shades: Sugar (a clear balm), Sugar Rose (a sheer red), and Sugar Plum (a sheer plum).

I have them in the two shades above, but am itching to get my hands on the clear balm since they all contain SPF 15 and I have been known to slather on some of the tinted balm before a run or hike, which just looks silly.

Here's my disclaimer: I hate lipstick (tastes gross, dries out your lips, and the application is a pain - lip liner, brushes, blotting, and worrying that it is on your teeth), and gloss (my hair and small bugs just get stuck in the goop). But I am a lip balm junkie, and this product imparts the moisture that is so needed this time of year. But more than that, they each impart a soft color that leaves a sheer stain when it rubs off. When you add more balm, the color layers really beautifully. And the best part is that I don't need a mirror. Oh, and did I mention that the packaging is really sleek?

I usually get mine from Sephora, but I have been known to order from Fresh directly, and I just saw that you can get them from Amazon now. I would love to buy them locally, but I don't know who sells them. Does anyone know where to get them in the Monterey area?

What products make your world go round?

Required Reading

My dear friend Lianna of The Real Homeowners of San Jose wrote a post about which design magazines she should read to inspire her and her new hubby to get their remodel on. I agreed with many of her assessments about the glossies out there, but I discovered I had a lot to say on the subject, and a comment on her post is just not enough. So I thought I would share my thoughts with the blogosphere.

Like Lianna, I am still mourning the loss of Domino (and Blueprint). Fortunately, the folks behind Domino have reincarnated it as the online magazine Lonny. And lucky for us, their latest issue just came out at the start of the week. You can check it out here: Jan/Feb 2011 | Lonnymag.com

There is nothing quite like the weight and smell of a real magazine, in my humble opinion - I still prefer a good old-fashioned book over a Kindle - but I am really coming around to many of the online magazines that have cropped up in the last year. Especially Rue.

Although I worshipped for years at the altar of Domino, I actually look forward to reading Rue more than Lonny. Gasp! And while I think that the spaces in Lonny might be fun to visit for awhile, I see more of myself in the spaces in Rue.

With all the schoolwork I bring home regularly, I don't have a ton of time to read, but I do look forward to perusing Sunset and In Style before bed or on a lazy weekend morning. I always want to steal ideas from Sunset's featured remodels, take their suggested trips, and and try their recipes. I keep hoping maybe one day I will get into the garden and landscaping portion, and I think Ryan does too...

And although I don't keep up with the latest celebrity gossip these days, a small part of me enjoys being let into a celebrity's home or hearing their takes on the season's fashions, so I really enjoy the fashion and celebrity highlights in In Style.

Lastly, as soon as we move I am going to subscribe to House Beautiful. Whenever I see some eye candy on another blog or a pic that inspired someone's room redo, 9 times out of 10 it comes out of this magazine.

Now it's your turn. What's your bedtime and weekend reading? Am I missing anything out there?

We Passed With Flying Colors

This post will have to be brief since I spent an hour and a half last night scanning and uploading documents for our lender and didn't get to any of the work I had hoped to tackle. Oh, well! I am cheerily reminding myself that...

Image courtesy of EmersonMade

But the whole night was not a loss because we passed our home inspection with flying colors! Can I get a whoop, whoop? The are a small list of things that need to be fixed. And the only surprise is that there are not more problems considering the house is 51-years-old. The punch list mainly involves electrical issues like re-servicing outlets that don't work - one of which powers our dishwasher! - and some other miscellaneous things like strapping the hot water heater into a stud instead of drywall. The biggest item on the list is that the roof will need to be redone sooner rather than later, but this was not a shocker. Just check out the pic below if you want some proof. 

I am looking at it as a great excuse to bump up the curb appeal and get rid of the weathered dark brown composite in favor of something a little easier on the eyes. 

On deck for today are our appraisal and the water district inspection. The appraisal is really the last hurdle that we need to overcome before we remove the contingencies and cruise on into closing, so please keep your fingers crossed that the house appraises at our asking price! 

Chicken Enchiladas

I was introduced to this recipe by a roommate in college, and have made it so regularly over the years that I don't have it written down anywhere. It's high time to change that! I normally try to cook from scratch as much as possible, but these enchiladas are true comfort food, and except for the time it takes to cube or shred the chicken, it doesn't take long to throw together thanks to the short list of ready-made ingredients.

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I like free range. What can I say? It's the granola girl in me.)
2 onions
1 small can of fire-roasted diced green chiles
8 oz sour cream (I use low fat)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (I use low fat)
6-8 flour tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce
1 small can sliced black olives
grated cheese (cheddar or jack works well)
salt and pepper to taste

Prep
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the chicken breasts and 1 quartered onion. Return to a boil for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and cube or shred chicken. Set aside and discard the onion.

Finely dice the second onion and saute with some olive oil (in the same pot used to boil chicken) until the onions are translucent. Add cubed/shredded chicken, chiles, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup. Stir to combine.

At this point, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Spoon the chicken filling into tortilla and gently place enchilada in the baking dish, folded side down. Continue until baking dish is full. Cover generously with enchilada sauce, then sprinkle with cheese and top with olives.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the tortillas are starting to crisp. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. (I like to serve it with some black or refried beans.)

Sorry the lack of photos. It doesn't photograph well, but it makes a mean leftover! We feasted on them for the last two nights and I still have a little leftover for lunch. Enjoy and please keep your fingers crossed that we pass inspection today!

The Great Purge Marches On

In an effort to be ready to move in a mere 25 days, I have committed to taking stock and clearing out one kitchen cabinet per day. On Saturday morning (before 7 am no less), I tackled the two cabinets that store dry goods and function as our pantry. First I cleared out all of the expired goods, which were about 8 cans and jars total. Then I took stock of what I could use to make meals in the next 4 weeks and, combined with what's in the freezer and the fridge, came up with dinner menu. (Please excuse the spelling. Ironic, I know; the English teacher that can't spell!)

Up for this week are chicken enchiladas, split pea soup, and Mediterranean tuna noodle casserole, as well as some chili that my mother-in-law is graciously making us. I am committed to buying only the ingredients we desparately need to complete each meal, which will most likely mean tweaking recipes slightly to use what we already have so nothing goes to waste and we don't have to move it. Perhaps these variations will prove to be even better than the original recipes I have been using for years!

It's a busy week for me. I am back to work today after a glorious 3 weeks off, tomorrow we have our home inspection, and for those of you familiar with the BTSA (otherwise known as the bane of the new teacher's existence), I have my mid-year check due on Friday. Agh! One day and one item on the checklist at a time. Hey, at least tonight's dinner is already fixed. Yay for leftover chicken enchiladas!