Informal Living Room Mood Board

Our informal living looks like this

It needs some serious help. That couch is a hand-me-down from at least 4 people and it is seriously uncomfortable. I can not wait for the day that we get to demolish it! I like the green in there, but our whole entire 1st floor is some shade of green. I want to paint the walls a gray color and build some white chair rails.

After months of looking for inspiration online I came up with this mood board

We already have the giant Ikea Flat Iron Building NYC Picture and the Avington Coffee table and Avington TV Stand  from Target. I also have a plain grey area rug in there.

Master Bedroom Mood Board

Currently our master bedroom looks something like this

We haven't really done anything to it since we moved in and I'm am dying to make it our own.

We already have good bones like the fireplace and built ins, but it needs to be unified. We also desperately need curtains. I have been looking online for inspiration for a long time and finally came up with this mood board.

I want to paint the walls Flower Wood by Behr. We had this color in our last bedroom and I loved it. It's kind of taupey-purpleish-brown. I want to by a four poster bed someday, but since that won't happen for a while I plan on DIY'ing my own tufted headboard either in cream or gray. I will also be DIYing the sunburst mirror and it will hang over our bed. I want the deer head over the fireplace and we will probably get a fluffy rug like these

Target Medallion Shag Rug Target Cream Shag rug

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I found this amazing recipe from Emeril on the food network. You can find it here Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

It adds a little zest from and orange that makes the whole dish! It is really one of my favorite desserts now. The Rhubarb tones down the sweetness of the strawberries. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 cups diced rhubarb
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, and halved, if large
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
• 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• Pinch salt

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, orange zest, cornstarch and orange liqueur, and toss to thoroughly combine. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and transfer the fruit mixture to the prepared casserole.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 9 tablespoons of butter, flour, remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar and salt and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden brown and crispy and fruit is bubbly in places, about 45 minutes.
Cool briefly and serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, or creme fraiche, if desired.

First Post

So, we are a little behind on blogging the adventures, and I have a big trip coming up so I had to get this going.
We just got back from Seattle with a detour into Vancouver, BC.  I'll have to add more later, but the area is best summarized by my Seattle friend:  "All that you have heard about it being dreary and dark-- its worse.  But when its clear, its the most beautiful thing you've ever seen."

Last year, my friends and I went on our first Iron Butt Association ride, and this year we decided to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway.   Pictures to follow!

--John