So, Maybe Every Other Month...

What's this?  Blogger has changed it's format?  Obviously I haven't been around for awhile; but according to blogger, 10-20 people still check this blog daily.  A few of my friends have recently encouraged me to keep writing.  Apparently they'd rather read about my life than actually talk to me.  Figures.

Well, trying to sum up the last two months of recipes, house updates, happy links, and good deals may be hard in one post, so let's start out slow.  Maybe there will even be a follow up in the next few weeks.

Spray Paint:
I'm learning to love spray paint.  A few months ago I spray painted all of our brass kitchen pulls, saving a ton of money as compared to buying new and making a huge impact on the look of our kitchen.  There are a few (silverware drawer, under sink cabinet) that have chipped a little, but it is too be expected as I didn't sand or prime (tisk, tisk).  I could very easily repaint them, but it really isn't bothering me that much yet.  Our house has seven outdoor lights that were a very worn, tarnished brass.  I priced out similar new lights at $35-$200 EACH.  Spray paint to the rescue!

Huge improvement!  I still pause in the driveway on my way out of the garage, just so I can admire the change.  I also spray painted the shiny gold house numbers, as well as the shiny brass kick plate on the front door.  Again, these are the type of improvements that nobody else will notice, but I can't stop staring at them.  This is the paint that I used, with one can getting us through 5 fixtures, the numbers, and the kick plate.  Removing the lights required flipping off the breaker and very basic wiring, just like replacing the smoke detectors.  

Window Un-Coverings:

The formal living room playroom in our house has lots of large beautiful windows.  The house came with lots of large, not so beautiful, window coverings.  They are dark brown pocket drapes that look ruffled on the top and had so much fabric that I could never really pull them open as far as I wanted.  Everymorning I tried to coax them as far to the side as I could, and every night we had to strategically pull them closed to cover the whole windows.  I priced out new drapes, but found that nine large, lined drapes could easily cost $500 +.  So, I lived with them, but day after day I've let them annoy me.  Until the other day.  I was sitting on the play room floor while the kids hit me in the head with toys.  I suddenly remembered seeing drapery clips at a store once, and I had an "aha" moment (aka, a "duh!" moment).  After a trial run with rings from Bed, Bath and Beyond, I ordered these much cheaper rings from amazon.  After about an hour of removing, clipping and rehanging, the results are awesome.  More modern, more open, more light and more visible window space.  The pictures aren't great, so you'll just have to trust me on this one. 

Before:

 After:

Muffins:

I bought a new oven a few months ago, and since doing so, I've hardly baked a thing.  I just haven't been in a baking mood, I guess.  I did, however, make blueberry muffins the other morning.  Browned butter blueberry muffins, to be exact.  I don't think anybody would have guessed that they had browned butter in them, but I knew, and I thought they were delicious.  My children and coworkers concurred.  Find the recipe here. 

Woo, I must be out-of-blogging-shape, because I'm tired.  More to come...