My Favorite Appetizers & Party Dishes

It's time for the Super Bowl! That means gathering with friends and family to watch the game and my favorite: the commercials. I'm also excited that there are so many players who played at NC State. Go Russell Wilson!!

Well, whether you're hosting or going to a party this weekend, you're probably looking for something to make. Here are some of my favorites...  I highly recommend making some of these if you haven't before. YUM!

New Favorites

Chili Lime Shrimp Cups

Cucumber Crostini

Classics

Knorr Spinach Dip

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mac and Cheese Bites

Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip with Ranch

Pigs in a Blanket

Raspberry Brie Bites

Rolo Pretzel Delights

Others to Try

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Dipped S'mores

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Happy Snow Day!

We got a few inches of snow last night! The dogs are super excited that I am working from home today, because that means that they get to play in the snow a lot. Here are some pictures from early this morning when they got to enjoy the snow.

Dogs in the snow

Action shot of Rory stirring up the snow trying to play with Darcy

Darcy

Rory (Darcy went inside to get warm!)

Snow beard!

Running a fast as he can through all of the snow!

Hope you have a great day!

Bedroom Updates

I've been really slacking on posting recently! I decided I should just jump right back in and show you some of the updates we've made in our bedroom.

We added a clock/starburst mirror to the wall above our bed. I had originally planned to put a large framed print here, but found this clock at HomeGoods and decided it was too good to pass up. I like that it's a unique shape and I love the antique-y metallic color.  I haven't taken any good pictures with my camera yet, so this is an all iPhone picture, but oh well!

I'm also working on a new project in this room, although this one is slow-going. I'm adding a gallery wall to the main wall in the room (to the left of our bed in that picture above). I'm planning to create a wall of frames around a mirror that goes above the dresser. Currently, we have a matching mirror and dresser there, but I plan to paint the furniture and get rid of the matching mirror. Here are some inspiration pictures from Pinterest about creating a gallery wall around something like a tv or mirror.

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I'm have already collected a bunch of wood frames in white, champagne, and distressed gray that I plan to use. For Christmas, I received these two Etsy prints that I will use for this gallery wall. Darah at The First Snow Etsy shop has such amazing work!

Here are some ideas for other pieces that I am planning to incorporate:

Anyways, that's what I'm working on right now. The weather forecast looks like it will snow a few inches tonight here, so hopefully I will have time to post again tonight or tomorrow! If you're getting snow where you live... stay safe and warm!!

2013 in Review

As we get started on a new year, I want to go back and see what some of my most popular posts were from 2013! So, here they are:

Tiling the backsplash in the kitchen Part 1

and Part 2, grouting!

This project was a lot of hard work, but it turned out really well. We also saved a ton of money doing it ourselves and by doing it we learned how to lay tile! Plus, if we can do a herringbone pattern, we can do anything, right!?

DIY Raised Garden Bed for ~$30

We loved having fresh veggies all summer, and this project was more than worth it's cost in veggies produced. Plus, it is still holding up well, even in the winter, so we will be able to use this for years to come! The chicken wire prevented rabbits and other animals from getting to the vegetables, but still allowed easy access for us to reach everything. 

Date Night Recipe: Beef Wellington

This recipe was so good! If you're looking for something special to make for an amazing night at home, try this. Make sure you get quality beef and you won't regret it... the beef is the superstar of this meal. Plus, it's very filling, so one filet can almost fill two people, depending on the size. Yummm!

Cucumber Crostini

I made up this recipe on a whim when trying to think of a fun summery appetizer for a party.  I was inspired by tzatziki sauce and cucumber tea sandwiches, and came up with this.  It's so refreshing, and I think my friends and I could eat them any time.

Media Room Update

This year, we completed decorating our media room. This was a fun room to transform, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. We spend a lot of time in here, and now it's both comfortable and pretty! 

DIY IKEA French Pleat Curtains

This is a recent project that we completed for our bedroom, but it has tons of use for almost anyone. I love that you can take standard IKEA curtains and elevate them to something that looks a lot nicer.

60th Birthday Party

We hosted a big 60th birthday party for Kevin's mom in March of this year. It was a lot of fun and we loved seeing family and friends. All of the little details really made the party personal!

Our Next Project

Picking paint for our bedroom really got us going on redecorating our bedroom this year. We have made lots of progress, and I love how it's turning out. We ended up painting the walls Evening Dove by Benjamin Moore. I haven't posted about this project enough, so I'll be sure to update with all of our progress very soon! 

Easy Pistachio Ice Cream

This pistachio ice cream turned out really well, it's a nice summer treat! If you have an ice cream maker, you could be enjoying this in no time!

Christmas Party Recap

I've been absent on the blog for much of the holidays, but I hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends! We have been very busy for almost 2 weeks with parties, visiting family, and traveling. Here are some pictures from our annual Christmas party that we threw before Christmas!

For drinks, we had a bar set up in the kitchen with a his and hers cocktail station, along with wine and festive jello shots. I wrote the drink menu on the chalkboard in the kitchen.  The cocktails were both very popular, but the maple old fashioned was a hit with all of the guys! The jello shots that I made were a modification of these jello shots from a couple of years ago, but made with tequila and cointreau instead of vodka. They had just enough tequila to taste like a margarita but not too much ;).

For food, here's what we had, including links to some of the recipes:

MENU
Chili Lime Shrimp Cups
Stuffed Mushrooms
Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites (similar to this, cooked in phyllo shells)Pigs in a Blanket
Slow Roasted Tomato Bruschetta (recipe coming soon!)
Veggies and Knorr Spinach Dip
Hummus and Pita
Raspberry Brie Bites
Christmas Cookies with Royal Icing
Assorted Macarons via Trader Joe's

We had so much fun with everyone! Here are some pictures from the party.

We love hosting this party every year! It's always a great group of people and a wonderful chance to catch up with friends who live out of town!