Boxwood Clippings

Another year has flown by and I get to wish this fella a Happy Anniversary today!

I get super excited when our anniversary rolls around, and this year to celebrate we’re getting bikes! There are a lot of trails in our new neighborhood and it’ll be so fun to go riding around town together.

I am looking for a cute cruiser bike like this one:

sixtwelveplace.blogspot.com

Shopping has been a little more challenging than anticipated. Here are my needs/wants:

Cute factor (preferably white).

A few gears to get me up those hills.

Around $200.

I am leaning towards this Schwinn. Any suggestions of bikes you’ve loved or things I need in a bike?

Happy Anniversary, Brad! Love you lots xxx

Over the last 2 years, Pinterest has squeezed it’s self into my everyday life. It’s an amazing resource of visual overload and inspiration, but also full of fascinating tips and tricks I can’t believe I ever lived without!

These are my top 3 life changing tips!

Placing a wooden spoon over pan when cooking pasta:

Somehow this prevents the boiling water not to spill over, incredible right? The bubbles fold over the top and not down the pan. Obviously, still be cautious and keep a close eye on the heat and pan!

Ironing ribbon with a hair straightener:

I always felt guilty throwing away bits ribbon that I receive on gift wrap, but because it was winkled from bows it was unlikely I could put it to use. This was a real ahha moment to see I could just swipe it through my hair straightener, it totally gives the ribbon new life good enough to reuse.

(Although seen on Pinterest, but originally posted by Real Simple HERE.)

Easy way to clean panini press:

After use, unplug the press and place a damp paper towel in it. This steam cleans then all you need to do is wipe with another towel when it’s cooled.

What are you guys finding over at Pinterest?

We just love the quick fixes, and doable projects please share.

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(To follow Em’s boards click HERE, and mine HERE.)

I have been perpetually obsessed with Anthropologie’s Perpetual Blooms towels for what seems like an eternity…

They are luxurious, beautiful and heavenly. The price tag of a bath towel of $36 is extortionately over my towel budget, so up until now I’ve purchased just one or two hand towels.

Fortunately, Target has come to my rescue – as it often does!

This Threshold bath towel is a fraction of the price at $12.34! Right now, it is currently only offered in yellow, but I am hopeful for different colors in the seasons ahead.

Thanks Target for an affordable alternative!

We had so much fun last week making these star and stripe napkins. A patriotic summer is about to begin next week with Memorial Day and we thought this would be a perfect craft to embrace the months ahead. It’s so easy it could be a perfect activity to do once the kiddos are out of school.

You Will Need:

A Potato

Fabric Paint

Foam Craft Brush

Plain Napkins

Painter’s Tape

Scrap Paper

Directions:

We used this clip art and printed it to use as a template for our potato stamp.

We then cut the potato in half and cut around the template to create a potato stamp.

Next, we painted the stamp with our fabric paint using a foam brush.

After applying paint to the potato we tested it onto a piece of paper. We found we liked to do an initial stamp on paper and then stamp the remaining ink onto the fabric napkin until we needed to apply more paint for an overall uneven look.

(By the time we were done stamping our star napkins we had lots of stamped scrap paper. Stay tuned for another project using this scrap!)

Next up was the striped napkins. We applied painters tape to make our stripes and then painted in between the tape. Again, we didn’t want a totally uniformed look so we roughly painted our stripes.

We felt like little girls again stamping with our potato stamps and now we’re ready for summer barbecues with these summery napkins. Fun and easy are always our favorite crafts!

Good morning everyone, we hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Today we’re sharing this project over at Lil Luna, diy wooden flags…

See you over there!

It’s graduation time! Congrats to all of those who are graduating or have loved ones that are! Celebrations are in order for Sarah and Brock! He made it through grueling law school and after many years both Sarah and I are feeling lucky not to have husbands in school…woot, woot!

No matter if it’s high school or postdoc graduation here are a few gifts we know your grad will love…

Any excuse for a personalized gift and we’ll take it! These canvas and leather cosmetic bags are adorbes and gender-neutral. $24-$28. Free Personalization, gift wrap and shipping with promo code: graduation.

Pearls are always a good idea for any special occasion. This website has a great selection at affordable prices.

For the guys, cufflinks are also great for a special occasion. I like these two-tone stiped cufflinks for $30.

A journal is a nice idea for the grad’s new chapter in life. This one is very cute.

Another idea is a spa or massage gift card to treat the grad after all that hard work. Balloons, flowers and caramel apples will also never fail. Do you have a go-to gift for graduates?

 Another successful trip to the Dollar Tree, this microfiber towel works wonders for my wet dishes.

No more soggy dish towels…holler!!!

Our kind friends over at Caldrea sent us a couple of samples to try, and boy did I fall in love with their Blackcurrant Mint.

Blackcurrant is a favorite flavor of the British Isles, so the smell brings me back to my childhood summer days. Isn’t it funny how scents can have that reminiscent effect? I feel an extra bounce in my step with every hand wash!

If you want to see how England smells to me, pick up a bottle. Even better, they’re on sale at Target this week, $6.79 for the hand soap and $5.09 for the dish.

Plus I just adore the packaging, blue fits right in with my kitchen decor! Do you ever buy such products on looks alone?

I stumbled upon this image a few days ago on Pinterest:

Hello lights!!! After paying hundreds of dollars on commercial-looking pot lights for our kitchen, these pretty flush lights look so much more appealing to me.

I was at my new favorite store, Home Depot and saw this similar looking flushmount in the lighting aisle for only $9.98. Wowsers!

Hampton Bay Antique Brass Flushmount

The finish in person is way more bronze-y like the top image. Singly I’m not so sure, but repeated I’m thinking this could be a great upgrade lined along a hallway. What do you think of them?

We’ve had some major gifting around here lately, so we got together to make some basic craft bags a little more interesting…

First, we used a pencil to draw our message and then used India Ink and a flat paint brush to paint over our pencil guide. The India ink makes the writing extra shiny and smooth, but you could just use regular craft paint for a similar look.

We’re all about really simple ways to make gift-giving a little more personal. What are your favorite tips?

Just a little reminder to tell your mum and all your special ladies how much you love and appreciate them this Sunday and always.

Of course flowers always help spread the message too.  These beautiful hydrangeas are from Trader Joes and only $6.99, can you believe that? They are my very favorite flower.

Mummy Clayton you are one heck of a lady, and the best role model we could ask for. We love you very much, and think you are amazeballs!

Love, Sarah & Emily x

Come spring I am dying to pull out my pink and coral clothes from closet hibernation. The same holds true for my toes! I have been obsessed with NYC’s Prospect Park Pink for the past few weeks.

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It’s the perfect blend of peachy pink and has my toesies excited for the months ahead. It dries in a rapid 60 seconds and cost only $1.99 at Target!

What colors do you gravitate toward this time of year?

There is no question that no matter the budget most people are disappointed in their closets. Here are a few tips that have helped us have semi-decent wardrobes through tight financial years.

First: Everyday, Neutral Basics

Black leggings, two pairs of great fitting jeans, two black tees…two white…narrow down your weekly basic wardrobe and spend your money maintaining basics before anything else. You’ll always feel and look great if you have an awesome pair of jeans. Make sure to sign up for emails from your basic clothing brands so you know of sales, coupons etc. Shade Clothing, Old Navy and Gap are a few of our favorites for basics.

Second: Seasonal and Colorful Accessories

We add color and fun to our outfits mostly through scarves, jewelry and shoes. Accessories are the perfect way to keep up with current trends, and requires only a small budget. Target and Charlotte Russe are our go-to shops for affordable accessories. See here, here and here.

Buy Out of Season

The best shopping deals usually come at the end of the season. If you wore out your boots this winter, now is the best time to get a steal. I just bought a similar pair to these Enzo Angiolini leather boots at Macy’s for $30.

Shop Discount Stores

If you’re a shopper like us and often feel the urge to hit the shops try the thrift store, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx instead. You’ll have to hunt for a good find, and get a thrill from spending a fraction of what you normally would. Em’s coat was one of her all-time favorite Rack finds!

If You Don’t Love it, Don’t Buy it!

If you don’t love it, don’t buy it! It doesn’t matter if it has 95% off the original ticket, guaranteed you won’t wear it if it doesn’t both look and feel great…trust us on this one and save your pennies!

Patience is a Virtue

We are big believers in if you fall 100% in love with something to buy it. However, make sure to ask yourself how often you will wear it, and what you will wear it with. If your answers are “everyday” and “I could wear this with anything” then it’s probably a good item to invest in. If your answer is “maybe if I ever go on a cruise, or “when I lose ten pounds” run away. Believe us, it is always a good idea to think about a big purchase for a week or so before purchasing.

Support Great Stores

If you can’t wait for for sales and discounts, make sure you are buying from a great store. We love Nordstrom and are happy to pay full-ticket price for a great customer service shopping experience and return policy.

Do you have any tips on budgeting for your wardrobe? We’d love to hear your thoughts! We hope our tips will help you love your wardrobe once and for all!

Williams Sonoma is one of those stores that is totally inspiring. I’m not a chef by any means, but with only one foot in the store I can feel my domestic goddess setting in.

Their prices are higher than our usual places, but these products are my faves and well worth the investment.

No.1 Assorted Kitchen Towels, oh so lovely and thick, and a pack of four matching is very rare and ubber cute.

No.2 Pot Holder, adorable and sturdy but I’m mostly in love because it matches the apron.

No.3 Apron, forget the super cutie ones, this one makes me feel like a pro…hum I wonder if my food actually tastes better when I use this in prep?! Oh, and of course keeps me clean…even when hot grease comes a spittin’.

No.4 Ice Cream Maker, this one was a gift and we’ve LOVED it. Simple ingredients turned and chilled together makes a guilt free treat. Why is it that EVERYTHING is better homemade?

No.5 Gourmet Knife, we received a whole block for our wedding, but find ourselves using this one 50 times more than the others. Cutting tomatoes has never been so blissful.

No.6 Cook Books, to die for photography and do-able recipes. I love the few books I have, but this one is a fave to give at weddings, for that couple who already seems to have everything.

No.7 Le Creuset Dutch Oven, you know we love these babies. Sold everywhere, but we always tend to love their colours best.

No.8 Swissmar Peelers, gift from daddy-in-law who’s a Williams Sonoma snob! When he bought these over, I thought they were totally unnecessary at $18 but they are seriously a dream. Now I kinda look forward to peeling my potatoes…kinda!

No.9 Panini Press, another gift and this one seriously changed my life. Cooking for two, this is used almost every night, especially in the summer. Grilled cheese has never been so good, or easy!

No.10 Personal Embosser, this one is on my wish list. Hello Santa, did you get that?

Although their prices are pricey they have amazing sales. Seasonal clearance is especially great, and often find things 75% off, sometimes more.

It’s a great place to window shop and if nothing else, and they have delicious samples!

I’ve always loved clothes pegs, maybe because I loved washing day when mum would hang the yummy smelling laundry out on the line, (ha, sometimes when I tell stories of my childhood Brock asks me what century I grew up in!). Anyhow, these are super versicle little tools, here’s how they I like to put them to use.

As a place setting:

Helping to organize my ribbon ends:

 As a label for my plants:

As a tag on a gift:

Plain old chip clip, or in this case marshmallow:

A pack of these run about $1…holler, I can’t think of any think more handy for that price.

How do you put yours to use?

Last week our best friend, Bri came to check out the new abode with her two kidlets. I don’t know how this woman even has an extra second to be so cute, but she brought me over the most perfect housewarming gift of herbs wrapped in burlap:

It was just what I needed to add some life to the house and to get me in to the kitchen. Such a great housewarming present right?! It would also work wonderfully as a hostess gift. Thanks a million Mamasita ;)

Good morning everyone! Hope you are all having a great week. Today I’m happy to share the something I am SO excited about…our dining room! After years of dreaming it’s so great when things are actually happening! I couldn’t wait for the room to be complete, so here’s a sneak peek at our recent purchases:

Williams-Sonoma Harvest Table purchased at DownEast for $799.

I know this is a lot for a dining table, but with both leaves in it’s a ginormous 114″ long where all of our family can gather. It is super sturdy and with the distressed finish I’m hoping scratches and dings will only add to it’s character?!

Tall Windsor Chairs from Oak Express $76 each.

These chairs are regularly priced $96 each, but the black is being discontinued so they were only $76 each. I also bargained for two for chairs for $30 each due to slight damage, it never hurts to ask! You know how long I’ve been dreaming of windsor chairs, I’m hopeful that my taste will remain as timeless as these chairs.

Basic Chandelier from Lowe’s $80.

$80?! Yes, I will take it! I’m enjoying the chandelier without shades for the summer, but can’t wait to cozy it up with little shades in the fall.

This is how it’s looking so far…

I posted this image a while ago which oozes country-classic comfort and the look I love.

Our walls are empty and bare, but hopefully we’ll get to country-classic cozy eventually :)

Ever since we moved into our house back in ’07, I’ve been wanting to change out the builder grade lighting. The vanity lights were on top of that list, but all the ones I fell in love with were more than I wanted to pay.

That is until we found these little beauties at the Home Depot last week:

2 Light vanity sconce only $24.88

3 Light vanity sconce only $26.88

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Similar looking fixtures are going for a lot more, look at these:

Although lovely, this one is $129 at Pottery Barn

And this one is $149 at Restoration Hardware

For 1 of PB or RH fixtures I could have about 5 of the Home Depot versions; more than enough to switch out all the vanities in my whole house. I’m convinced, so’s Em…are you on board?

The only question is, do you prefer the 2 lights or 3? I’m still debating!

(HERE’S what my bathroom looks like now.)

We just got word that we made it to House Beautiful’s Top 5 Blog Posts of the Week!!!

Today we are sitting in this Inexpensive Neutral Living Room celebrating and having a major Boxwood scheduling session.

Thanks for the mention House Beautiful!

This weekend was beautiful. It’s the first time I’ve felt warm down to my bones this year! I celebrated with a steak salad from Cafe Rio and a Diet Pepsi out on my back porch…looking at my dirt. I’ve been only consumed with the inside of the house thus far, but now the warm air has arrived I have started dreaming of luscious green and white outdoor living…

Can’t wait to make our dirt green some day…how do you make your outdoor spaces inviting for warmer weather?