Talk About a Productive Day!

Today was a whirlwind of productivity. I was a vacuuming, floor scrubbing, spray painting, cooking, ironing, laundering fool. There was also a little fun with the camera...

A few days ago I posted a picture of a black, wire bakers rack. It was destined for green greatness.

Boring before

Amazing after

I put it opposite our bed. Our residence hall coordinator appartment doesn't provide us much space so we have to be careful not to knock it over on our way to the bathroom.

Today was beautiful. Warm, sunny, perfect. We had a home football game today. Of course I didn't go, but it was great hearing the cheering crowd through the open screen door. Did we win? No clue. I'm ok not knowing.

On the menu tonight was chicken and white bean casserole straight out of my Campbell's Soup casserole cookbook.

5 ingrediants (it was supposed to be 6 but we forgot to buy onions this week):

chicken breast

1 can white kidney (cannellini) beans

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 onion, chopped...oops

Put all the stuff (minus the chicken) in a small casserole dish and stir. Place the chicken breast on top. I also put a little extra oregano on the chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for around 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

It was really tasty. The recipe make twice as much but I cut it in half since it's just the two of us. A simple, warm, cozy meal for a Saturday night.

If you're anything like me, you spend much too much time online lusting over fabulous finds. Although I've never purchased anything on etsy, it's only a matter of time before I give in and buy the hundreds of things that are on my wishlist! 

Although I love looking at fun new products, beautiful pieces of art, jewelry (my absolute downfall) and everything else fabulous, I thought I'd show you a few of my favorite things...that I already own!

I absolutely love Fiesta Ware. When I was little, I remember seeing vintage Fiesta Ware pieces at antique stores and I longed for my own collection some day. The beautifully bright colors are so inviting. As soon as Kyle and I started talking marriage and starting a home and a family together, I knew that I wanted to set my dining room table with beautiful green and yellow Fiesta Ware. My grandma so graciously gave me 8 settings of dishes for Christmas one year and when it came time to register, we signed up for more of the perfect pieces. I love opening my cabinets and seeing all the colorful dishes! I swear, food tastes better off of green and yellow dishes.

These are my new favorite shoes. Not just these pair in particular, but any mary janes heels. I have these black ones, a dark brown with a pretty flower (instead of a button), and a light brown pair with a strap that buckles into place. I think I'm a pretty snappy dresser, although I've never quite been able to pull off the cool, vintage look. These shoes are a start.

This is our shower curtain and I have to say that I am in love with it! When we registered, the shower curtain debate was a constant struggle. I wanted something pretty and whimsical. Kyle had no idea wanted he wanted. All he knew was that he hated anything and everything I pointed out. We found this one in the clearance bin at Target and I squeeled, literally, in the middle of the aisle. We agreed that it was perfect. I love birds and the cappuccino and teal colors were just what I was looking for. We have towels in both of those colors and the shower curtain hooks are vintage-inspired glass flowers. I couldn't be happier! Kyle bought me a print that has a birds nest with teal blue eggs and the quote from Emily Dickison "Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul." We don't have the space now in our tiny hall coordinator bathroom, but when we move I can't wait to put it up!

This, friends, is my favorite sweater. It doesn't look like much. It is from Old Navy and cost next to nothing. But when I put it on I feel cool. Cooler than cool. Pair it with skinny jeans, a fabulous necklace and sexy hair (or at least what I think is pretty darn sexy) and I feel on the top of the world. It is also a great Thanksgiving sweater. Mustard yellow is my new favorite color and it definitely fits right in with a chilly fall afternoon. Gosh, I just love it. Maybe I'll wear it tomorrow!

Kyle gave me this necklace for our wedding and it is definitely my favorite! He wanted to get me a strand of pearls to wear with my wedding dress and he was crushed when I told him that a) I already owned a pair of pearls (a beautiful gift from my mother) and b) I wasn't wearing a necklace or anything pearl with my wedding dress. My dress was a one-shoulder deal with a crystal rhinestone brooch. I wore celebrity-style fake diamond earrings but no necklace. This necklace was his pearl compromise and it's amazing.

I love lamp, particularly this lamp, and it sits in the corner of our living room. A number of years ago when I was in high school, my dad and I woke up early and went to a local flea market. I saw this lamp and fell in love. It was marked something like $30 and I haggled it down to $10. I felt pretty great. My dad definitely did not think I needed it, but I told him it was a necessity so he agreed and helped me put it in the truck. It has traveled with me to college and back home for summers. I can't imagine my home without it.

I collect old bottles and have a few dispalyed in the living room. The tall purple bottle in the picture was the start of the collection. I was on an adventure hike with a friend in high school and we found this bottle. The crack is a product of my butter fingers...I dropped it on the way home. Later in the summer, me and the same friend were helping at a Habitat for Humanity site. We were digging and found a huge stash of old bottles. I piled them in the back of his car and took the home. A little dirt and a lot of great memories remain.

My hubby gets home from work in a couple of hours. I have settled in for the night to a book, a glass of wine, and my favorite pandora.com station.

What do you love...that you already own?