I've learned a lot about myself since becoming a homeowner - what styles and color palettes I lean toward, the textures I prefer, the projects that I enjoy doing (painting) and the ones that make me hate everything (anything that involves measuring). But one of the biggest revelations has been that Halloween is my favorite holiday. If you've seen my house at Christmas, this might come as a surprise - and don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too! But at the end of the day, Halloween reigns supreme for me. I think part of what I love about it...
BLOG, RECIPES
LOADED SWEET POTATO BOWLS RECIPE
Disclaimer: this post is a love letter to sweet potatoes. Although pickles will always reign supreme as my favorite food, sweet potatoes are definitely up there for me. They're so versatile and they're delicious no matter what form they take. Sweet potato fries, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes - I love them all! As an added bonus, they're full of nutrients. I try to incorporate sweet potatoes into one meal per week in our household. That usually means serving them as a side, but every so often they'll be the star of the meal. That's the case for this...
BLOG, INTERIORS
TEN SPACES THAT EMBODY SUBTLE FALL DECOR
To me, by far the best thing about living in the Northeast is seasons. Although my tolerance of the cold continues to decrease with age, there's something so special and refreshing about the start of a new season. And when it comes to the seasons, I'm a firm believer that fall is the best. Maybe it's my love of college football or maybe it's my love of all things pumpkin, but there's this excitement that comes each September as temperatures begin to drop and leaves start to change.
BLOG, RECIPES
SALMON WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE RECIPE
I first made this salmon recipe last month, and it took a couple of tries to get right. Darian and I both love green peppers, but we're not really fans of plain red peppers. Roast them, though, and it's a different story! In an effort to incorporate some new vegetables into our meals, I decided to try out a simple roasted red pepper sauce to pair with salmon and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. This recipe pairs fresh, flaky salmon with a zesty roasted red pepper sauce for a meal that's hearty but refreshing. I love to serve...
BLOG, INTERIORS
OUR HOME OFFICE DESIGN PLAN & INSPIRATION
Ever since we completed our guest room makeover, I've been more motivated than ever to finish more rooms in our home. We are definitely members of the 95% club - we have a bad habit of completing about 95% of a room in a reasonable amount of time and taking months (or years) to finish that pesky last five percent. Now that our guest bathroom project is almost complete (all that's left to do is get a new toilet installed, and we're waiting a bit for that), I've been going back and forth about which room to complete next. Although...
BLOG, DIY
HOW TO INSTALL PEEL AND STICK FLOOR TILES OVER EXISTING TILE
If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram, you know that we spent our last weekend of summer giving our guest bathroom a budget makeover. We painted the bathroom and changed out the mirror and lighting when we moved in, but since then it’s remained pretty much untouched. So needless to say, it was past time to give this room a little love. In addition to replacing the vanity, sink, and faucet, we installed beadboard wall treatment and finally did some much needed caulking. But the thing that made the biggest impact was installing peel and stick tiles over...
BLOG, INTERIORS
THE BEST FALL DECOR UNDER $25
When it comes to decorating my home for fall, I like to take a more subtle approach by focusing on cozy textures, warm colors, and seasonal florals. I wrote this fall blog post 4 years ago, but I still stand by my recommendations for how to make your home feel like fall. A little plaid, some fall-colored florals, and cozy fabrics and textures can go a long way, but I still can’t say no to a few cute glass pumpkins. As I was hunting for some additions to my fall decor collection, I rounded up some of my favorite fall...
BLOG, RECIPES
VEGGIE BURGER BOWLS WITH SPECIAL BURGER SAUCE RECIPE
Growing up, I was never really a big fan of burgers. My parents didn't let us eat fast food often, so they weren't something I thought about that much. Strangely enough, I didn't really develop a love of burgers until I stopped eating meat. As much as I wasn't a fan of regular burgers, I love a good veggie burger. We're lucky to have three phenomenal burger places in Frederick, and each of them boasts a DELICIOUS veggie burger - so since moving here, my love of veggie burgers has grown exponentially. I think what I've realized is that it's...
BLOG, LIFESTYLE
MY FAVORITE PURCHASES | SPRING AND SUMMER 2023
It's officially September, and I don't care what the calendar says - in my book, fall starts on September 1st! So in honor of the unofficial end of summer, I thought I'd share some of my favorite recent purchases. I typically only include one season in these roundups, but since it's been a while since my last one I decided to include purchases from both spring and summer. Each of these purchases is something that brings me joy every time I use it. Keep reading for my favorite purchases of spring and summer 2023!
BLOG, RECIPES
BUCATINI WITH FRESH SUMMER VEGGIES RECIPE
Today I'm sharing the recipe that reignited my love of pasta. In this recipe, fresh zucchini and basil, juicy cherry tomatoes, and crunchy corn come together in a zesty lemon sauce for a pasta that's simple but flavorful. I prefer it with bucatini (my favorite), but it would be great with any type of pasta! Everything comes together in 30 minutes flat and it's the perfect meal for a summer night on the patio. Try it out and let me know what you think!