Thrifting and Nails

My husband and I save our change.  We keep vintage tins on our dresser for pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.  We'll save our change all year, or for two years until the penny jar fills up, because it's always the first to fill up.  Then when that day comes we roll up all our saved coinage, and exchange it for paper bills.  We usually end up with a nice little stash of cash.  Yesterday we decided that day had come, and set to work.  We came up with $113!!! With our new windfall we agreed it was high time we bought ourselves an actual coffee table.  We are currently using a trunk, and it would be nice to have something we could put our feet under.  Or even better yet a drawer we could hide our remotes in.  So today we went on a hunt for that perfect coffee table we've been dreaming of.  

I was hoping to be sharing our great find with ya'll today, but no such luck.  Darn!  We did check out some awesome antique/second-hand type stores, and though we didn't find a coffee table we did find a nightstand for Aaron.  We were really pleased with this find.  Now we can return the folding chair we were borrowing from my parents.  Though now I feel like we have to find Aaron a table lamp, and that wasn't previously on my Desired Furniture list for the house.  

The furniture hunting took up most of our day.  By the time we got home it was almost time for dinner, and Aaron and I have plans to go out tonight.  We are going to see The Spinto Band play at a bar in Philadelphia.  I went to college with a couple of the guys in the band, and I've seen them play a few times.  Their shows were always a blast, so when I heard they were having a record release show in Philly I knew I wanted to be there.  

So when I got home today I decided it was a good idea to fix the nail polish paint job I did on Valentine's Day.  I didn't think it was completely awful.  I liked the color combo a lot, but the hearts were mega messy.  Actually when I pinned a photo from that post, I immediately got a wretched comment saying "there are some things we shouldn't try doing ourselves"!    I try not to let that sort of thing get to me, and I know that paint job wasn't my best work, but that comment hurt.  A lot.  Some people can be horrible, especially on the internet.  I know I'm no pro at painting my nails, but I'm trying, and practice makes perfect (or at least better).  So I'm thankful for those of you who stick by during my nail fails.  I hope to get better one day, but like they say you have to fail at something to get good at it.  

I used the same colors as the previous nail job.  Though I skipped using the markers, I think they bleed too easily.  I also used a little dry glitter and clear polish on the heart on my ring finger.  I need to buy a new nail art pen, I think the old one rain out of ink.  I want to try a different brand.  Do you use nail art pens, and have a brands you'd recommend?  I'd love to hear all about your favorite polishes!    

Have a great weekend, and happy DIYing, chris!

Green Bean Casserole

Happy Nom Nom Monday!  Today I'm sharing what I made for my family's Thanksgiving feast, Green Bean Casserole.  It's a dish that's been part of our yearly get-together since I can remember, but this year I added some extra ingredients to raise the flavor bar from mediocre to amazing.

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons of butter

- 1 large white onion

- 1 lbs of mushrooms

- 2 to 3 cloves of garlic

- 2 sixteen oz. bags of french cut frozen green beans

- 1 can mushroom soup

- 2/3 can of milk

- 2 cups shredded cheese 

- 2 tablespoons of sour cream

- 1 can of french fried onions

Directions:

Dice the onion and mushrooms, and mince the garlic.  Melt the butter in a large frying pan.  When the butter is melted add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Half of my family doesn't think they like mushrooms, so I cut the mushrooms up really small so they wouldn't know they were eating them.  I know.  I'm tricky, but hey it works!  

While they are sautéing boil water in a giant sauce pan, and preheat the oven to 350ºF.  When the water is boiling add the frozen green beans.  Let the water come back up to a boil, and then lower the heat, cover and let simmer for about 8 minutes.  Drain, and rinse with cold water.  Transfer the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the giant sauce pan.  Pour in the mushroom soup, milk, and shredded cheese.  I used cheddar, and this fancy morel and leek jack cheese.  

Once the cheese has melted add the green beans and sour cream.  

Add half the french fried onions.  Mix everything together.

Then transfer to a casserole dish.  Pop in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until bubbly.  In the last five minutes add the rest of the french fried onions.  

I used my pretty thrifted pyrex dish, which matches oh so perfectly.

Everyone thought this was extra yummy.  Or so they told me. Maybe they were just being nice, but I thought it was better than prior years.  We used to cook this with just green beans, mushroom soup, milk, and french fried onions.  The fancy morel and leek jack cheese plus the fresh onion, garlic, and mushrooms just rocked the flavor out of this kitchen.  I'll definitely be cooking it this way from now on.  

Happy Nom Nom Monday, chris!

Cute Hot Summer Outfit

Since I haven't been getting dressed up lately I haven't been making an outfit posts.  When I got dressed up yesterday (for my brother's engagement dinner) I knew I had to have Aaron snap some photos.  I wore this outfit in the spring on a rainy day, but I restyled it for the hot summer days we've been having. 

dress -- H & M

slip -- thrifted vintage

belt -- Target

necklace -- my cousin made the pendant, and the chain was a gift

bracelet -- inherited from my step-grandmother

sandals -- DSW Mix No. 9

My cousin made the glass pendant for this necklace, and I always get at least one compliment when I wear it.  The gold chain is an antique from my mother-in-law.  She gave me the diamond for my engagement ring on it, and when I got the ring the jeweler was really impressed with the chain.  Apparently they don't make this type of chain anymore, because it's super delicate.  He cleaned it for me, and gave me a large silk lined padded box to keep it in.  

I almost feel off the rock when I was stepping onto it, and Aaron was sure to snap an action shot.  :)  

This is the only pair of sandals I own, and they are perfectly summery.  

I'm not really sure what I'm looking at or doing in this photo, but it makes me think of Alice in Wonderland.  Maybe I'm about to fall down a rabbit hole.  

I love all the colors in this dress' intricate pattern.  The blue lace and silk slip is the perfect addition to lengthen this short dress, and make it family appropriate, while still keeping it dainty and feminine.  Oh, and don't worry that weird stuff on my knuckles is just paint.  No, I don't have some gross skin disease, but I do have super veiny hands and wrists.  

And before I go here's an outtake.  Goodnight, and Happy DIYing, chris!