pop of pink

pop of pink by domesticatedqueen featuring embellished tops

Monsoon drape cardigan
£55 - monsoon.co.uk

Mango cropped skinny jeans
£40 - mango.com

Wedge boots
boohoo.com

Chanel black wallet
consignofthetimes.com

CA LOU couture jewelry
€455 - colette.fr

Chanel jewelry
€376 - lindestore.com

Stone ring
$30 - witchery.com.au

Sweet and Casual

Sweet and Casual by domesticatedqueen featuring platform wedges

Alexander McQueen cardigan
€759 - unger-fashion.com

Agent Ninetynine long tank top
$30 - generalpants.com.au

Lace skirt
¥5,480 - jshoppers.com

Giuseppe Zanotti platform wedge
$695 - couture.zappos.com

Clutch handbag
wallis.co.uk

Kate spade jewelry
$248 - katespade.com

Silver jewelry
nelly.com

Pop!

Pop! by domesticatedqueen featuring yves saint laurent shoes

Marc by Marc Jacobs silk polka dot blouse
$230 - net-a-porter.com

French Connection hot pants shorts
£34 - johnlewis.com

Gucci canvas bag
€1.290 - veryeickhoff.com

Kate Spade stackable jewelry
$248 - katespade.com

Chanel logos jewelry
€1.289 - lindestore.com

Lanvin hat
€673 - ekseption.es

Stargazer - Lipstick (Bright Red) - Make-up - Stargazer
£2.99 - attitudeclothing.co.uk

Week # 1 Organization Challenge

The first week's challenge was focused on the kitchen countertops and sink. 
(Week # 1) This one wasn't too involved in our home, as we don't have a lot of counter space to speak of, and tend to keep them pretty clear to begin with. I did remove a few unnecessary canisters, to the "baking cupboard", and also cleared out the drying basket that we keep in the second side of the sink. 
As the article states, "Definitely, if you have room, keep out appliances that you use daily, like a coffee maker or toaster (if you truly use them daily). Depending on the size of your kitchen, you may even decide you have enough room to keep out appliances you use on a weekly basis. However, anything you don't use at least weekly, should not be on your counter top." Keeping these tips in mind, my counters are clear and functional. 
This was a great task to tackle first, because it was simple and the results are still noticeable. It's an encouraging way to start a year's worth of organizing. 

52 Weeks to Freedom!!!

... From clutter, that is.
I recently came across a wonderful "challenge" to get your home/life/whatever completely organized over the course of the coming year (thanks, yet again, Pinterest!). I am super excited to get started with this. I will try to update my progress each week, and include any pointers or lessons I learn along the way. The link to the site can be found HERE.

 I believe most of us could probably benefit from a little more organization in our lives, but being the owner of a small house has me especially interested in streamlining our operation around here. We don't have a lot of clutter to begin with, but again- a small house makes any amount seem overwhelming in a short amount of time. 
 If I have any success, I intend to try these methods out in our garage, as well.  Shhh- don't tell my husband. I don't want to falsely get his hopes up. Besides our house being entirely too small for our family, I would say the condition of our garage is my husband's greatest frustration. They do go hand-in-hand, however, because the garage is packed full of stuff we will "need" when we have a bigger home **(FINGERS CROSSED THAT THIS IS IN THE NOT-SO-DISTANT FUTURE)**.
But I digress... 
So, here we go. A new year, a new method of operation. A 52-week commitment to de-clutter and reorganize our "cozy" abode. 
Wish me luck. 
-------------------------------------


PS- Happy New Year! 2012 is going to be GREAT. I can feel it!

Nap time decorating :)

Before D took his nap today, I told him we had a special visitor coming to spend the holidays with us. This is what he will wake up to :)


Super easy- construction paper, scissors, double-sided tape, scarf, magnets, and a few safety pins to keep the scarf from separating.

Much nicer to look at than the usually cluttered surface of our ancient fridge!

Up-cycled storage

Feeling crafty this morning, and always needing more toy storage, here's what I came up with...
Wipey box turned toy bin. Quick, cheap and pretty cute, I think.

What's cooking tonight!

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
- 1 Tbsp. veggie oil
- onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1, 4 oz can diced jalepenos
- 1, 4 oz can chopped green chiles
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ground cayenne
- 2, 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
- 3 cups cooked boneless chicken breast, chopped
- 3, 15 oz cans white beans (white kidneys, cannelloni, chickpeas, etc) drained
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese (more is OK, too)
---------------------
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-low heat.
Add onion, cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
Mix in garlic, jalepenos, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne.
Cook, stirring, until tender (3 min or so)
Mix in broth, chicken and beans.
Simmer 15 min, stirring as needed.
Remove from heat.
Slowly stir in the cheese until melted.
Serve warm, with a crusty bread or corn bread.

Now Taking Orders!

   I'm a big fan of supporting local businesses, crafters and artists. Their products are made with talent and love. The same certainly can't be said of some machine in a factory somewhere, programmed to make whatever mass-produced crap it was intended to. My sister is also a supporter of this cause, and gave me a good idea. 

   In thinking about the holiday shopping season soon to be upon us, she said she might have to commission me to make some gifts for some lucky recipients on her list. And I got to thinking, why not see if anyone else is interested as well? On my blog are several examples of the things I have made in the past. There are also quite a few items I haven't posted about, but I will work on getting some of those photos up as well. One of my favorite things to make, and give as gifts, are the hobo totes. Every time I do, I have someone else ask me if I would make one for them, as well. 

   Long story somewhat shortened, I am now taking orders. Give a heartfelt, quality, handmade gift to someone you love- Or to yourself :)  Check out the "Past Projects" page, as well as any of the other posts to see what I can do. If you have something else in mind that I haven't posted about, just ask. 

  Here are some ideas and prices:

• Hobo tote (large) - $35/ $30 (medium)/ $25 (small)
• Baby girl dress/toddler tunic - $20
• Baby girl skirt - $15/ Toddler skirt - $20
• Burp-clothes - $15/two large-sized
• Table cloth - $20 (small)/ $25 (medium)/ $30 (large)
• Table runner - $15 (small)/ $20 (large)
• Place mats - $30/set of 4
• Cloth napkins - $20/set of 4
• Grocery bag holder - $15
• Throw pillow - $15
• Pinwheel pillow - $20
• Curtains or drapes  - depends on the size of the window 

*When you contact me about placing an order, we will discuss what colors/styles/patterns you are interested in. I can then send you photos of fabric options.

*I also refinish and repurpose furniture and other items (lamps, etc). If you have an item that needs some new life breathed into it and aren't sure where to start, I'd be happy to help.

***With any of the above listed sewn products, prices may be negotiable if you supply fabric you would like me to use***

ANYONE PLANNING TO BUY AN IPHONE 4S-READ THIS!

   I just ordered my iphone 4s, at the "upgrade" price because I was patient enough not to jump at the iphone 4, when I first became eligible. I wanted to share this with any of you who may be thinking about buying one, because some requirements have changed. 
   This info applies to AT&T customers, and I am not sure if any of these changes have occurred with other carriers, as well. If you are new to AT&T, or this is the first time you are buying a smart phone,  then this info doesn't really apply to you, either. However, if you already have an iphone (or other smart device) and are attempting to buy the 4s online, you will see a message saying your data plan is no longer sufficient and AT&T is trying to replace it with a comparable one. My old iphone plan had an unlimited data plan, which is no longer an option. If you also currently have an unlimited data plan, DON'T BUY YOUR 4S ONLINE. CALL AT&T to purchase it! 
   The existing customers who already have an unlimited data plan are going to be "grandfathered" in to their new plans, and are able to keep their data unlimited, for the current price they're paying. If you buy your phone online, your unlimited plan will be removed when you choose the new option, and you will NOT be able to get it back. If you call AT&T and order through a representative, they will make a note of this in your file, as well as send you a confirmation email, that you are still going to receive UNLIMITED data with your plan (make sure you ask your customer service rep. to specifically mention the data plan in your post-call email).
    You will have to call AT&T to activate your phone when you receive it, and mention the unlimited data plan you are eligible for, as a previous customer. As I said, there will be a note in your file, and also an email to help you prove you deserve to be on the unlimited data, once again. 
IF YOU DON'T DO THIS WHEN YOU BUY YOUR IPHONE 4S, YOU WILL END UP WITH A NEW, LIMITED DATA PLAN. IT WILL BE EXPENSIVE, AND IF YOU GO OVER YOUR LIMIT THEY WILL CHARGE YOU FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DATA USED. 

How I Got Crafty This Weekend

Once again, I decided to make a baby girl's skirt, that certainly isn't going to be worn by any little person in my house. Maybe I'm just stock-piling these adorable duds in the hopes that one day I do have a daughter to play dress up with : )

Front 

Back 

What's Cooking Tonight...yum!

Grannie's Potato Soup

• 1 pound of bacon, cut into small chunks, 1/2" wide
• 3 large Russett potatoes, cut into 1/2 " cubes (skin on or off)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• salt, pepper and garlic powder (to taste)
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until it's very crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and place a few tsps. of the grease in the bottom of a large, stock pot. Reserve the rest of the grease to add small amounts back if needed during the next step.

 In the stock pot, saute half of the potato cubes until they are starting to soften. Add the onion and saute about 2 minutes until they start to soften. Finally add the remaining potato cubes and continue cooking until they are starting to soften. By then the first batch of potato should be starting to brown lightly. Cooking the potatoes in two stages is called "layering" and results in some very soft and some moderately soft, so the soup has texture.

 Sprinkle the flour over the onions and potatoes and stir it in a but to get all the flour moistened with the bacon fat. Add a bit of additional fat if needed. Allow the flour to cook for a minute or so to cook off the flour taste but don't cook it until it starts to darken. Add the chicken stock and stir gently to mix. As the stock heats it will start to thicken from the flour and some of the potato. Let simmer for 15 min. Add milk in 1/2 cup increments to keep the mixture soupy, and continue to simmer another 10-15 min.

 Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add in the half & half to adjust to a thin, creamy consistency.  Continue to simmer, checking to make sure all chunks of potato are cooked thoroughly. Finally, add about 3/4 of the crisp bacon bits and the shredded cheese. Reserve the rest of the bacon for garnish.

Simmer for another few minutes and serve. Top each serving with a few bits of bacon and slices of green onion.

*I'm serving this with grilled monterrey jack cheese and tomato sandwiches*

Coming to you from on location...

Here's what I'm looking at right now:

View from the back patio

    Any of you who have been to my house know it is far from perfect. It's tiny and it's on a busy road. Our growing family desperately needs more room, and our eyes are always on the market for something bigger! The one thing I will miss when we move (besides all the wonderful memories we have from living here), will be this view. You can see for miles down the valley, with only one far away house in sight. We love to watch the small airplanes fly overhead to the municipal airport, whose light can be seen circling in the distance, at night. There is plenty of privacy for our little ones and their dogs to play and make as much noise as they want, and for Mommy and Daddy to have late-night bonfires. It seems like every 5 minutes my two-year old is asking me if we can go outside, and we usually do.
    One of my favorite aspects about having this incredible view to enjoy is watching it transform from season to season. Though the leaves are just beginning to change, within a few weeks this same picture from above will look like this:

Red, orange and yellow as far as the eye can see

And a few short weeks after that, it will look like this:

We get to watch the deer in the garden all winter

    Since I became a mother, the years are truly flying by. Everyone always warns you that this will happen, but it's  hard to believe until you experience it first hand. It seems like every time I look out the kitchen window (at this view), it has changed to the next season. Soon, winter will cover us with it's frosty blanket and we will be able to watch the storms roll down the valley, just as we do in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Each season brings its own view, its own gifts. It's so beautiful to see the land slowly peel back the brown layer left behind from months of snow and cold, to reveal the bright greens of Spring that promise new life and new beginnings.

Springtime!

As I get ready to finish our Fall cleaning and to button up the house for the cold months to come, I know in the blink of an eye we will be excited to see the buds on the trees and my two-year old will be asking me if we can go outside. 

An Easy Way to Warm Up On a Rainy Day

HEARTY BLACK BEAN SOUP

• 3 Carrots, halved and sliced
• 3 Celery ribs, sliced thinly
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 15.5 oz. can chick peas, drained
• 15.25 oz. can black beans, drained
• 2, 14.5 oz. cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil 
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

Makes 6-8 Servings

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on low, 9-10 hours.

May be served over rice. If you prefer a thicker soup, use only one can of broth, instead.

Garnish with Parsley and some reserved tomato and onion, if you like.

Because I have 2 sons...

I was feeling creative this morning, and decided to construct a baby girl's dress out of some leftover fabric I had laying around. I recently refinished my sewing desk, chair and lamp, and had some beautiful black and white fabric leftover... 
Here are some shots of the sewing desk:

Before

After
Please excuse the ugly blue carpeting- a project my husband will be tackling this winter (maybe I should tell him?)

Here is the chair:

Before

After

And, finally, the lamp:

Before- very juvenile, I know!

After- it's hard to see how many beautiful details there are in these two ribbons

SO, anyway, I had these materials leftover and decided to make them into a dress (funny, considering I have two little boys). Here is the dress, it is now listed in my Etsy shop for sale, because I'm pretty sure my husband won't like it if I let our youngest wear it, instead :)

The resulting dress:

If any of you feel so inclined and know a little girl in need of a sweet dress or top, feel free to click here and buy it!

Repurposed Skirt

Last week I wrote about a skirt I loved, and ruined, that I planned to turn into a bag. Well, between chaotic days of flooding, wind, broken tree branches, plus all the usual stuff that comes along with taking care of two little boys all day (+ their dad), I actually got it done. 


If you have a skirt that you love, but can no longer wear, this is a great way to keep it a part of your collection. I started by taking my seam wripper to both sides of the zipper, to remove it. Then I continued down the rest of that seam so the skirt was completely open (I did the same to the lining). I then cut off the waist of the skirt, to expose the top of the pleats, and opened those as well. I saved the zipper and hook and eye closures to use on a different project. At this point I had one gigantic rectangle of fabric. I took the pattern I made and plotted where I wanted the design on the skirt to be positioned on the bag, and pinned and cut all the pieces accordingly. This skirt was made of linen, and I can't even begin to tell you how much pressing it took to smooth the original pleats. I then constructed the bag the same way I do all the others, and ended up with truly beautiful and unique bag. I think I'll keep this one for myself :)

LOVE how this turned out

I added my own pleats, after taking the original ones out of the fabric

This bag is super light weight, yet spacious and strong.

I wore this bag out the other day for the first time and got so many compliments. I am so glad I was able to take a skirt I loved, and missed being able to wear, and gave it a second life.


<3 Domesticated Queen

Fashionable Rainwear

With the recent weather we've been having, and all of its consequences, let's take a moment to look at one of the positive aspects of all this wet weather- fabulous rainwear! Ladies have been finding fashionable ways to stay dry for decades, and I think most of us would love to borrow some of their looks, even today.

Fab 1950's Leopard Swing Raincoat

I love the bell cuffs on this red patent leather one

Super cute, structured coat

Coral is such a cheery color for a rainy day

POLKA DOTS- which I always love + sunshine yellow!

Great vintage Rheingold raincoat ad

Do yourself a favor and go look around your local vintage or goodwill shop to try to find one of these gorgeous glimpses into the past. I was lucky enough to find one a few years ago (mentioned in a previous post as the one I finally mended), and I fully intend to search for another one as soon as I get a chance...
Today would be the perfect rainy day for a new raincoat, but I think I'll stay snuggled inside with my little ones, instead :)