Shabby Frame? Shabby-Chic Tray!

I'm finally getting around to completing all my projects that are scattered about my apartment, maybe by this time next month they will all be done. I've sworn I'm not going to go thrifting or come up with any new projects until I get the ones that are piling up done and our apartment is decorated for Fall.

For today's project I turned an old picture frame into a tray that will sit on our coffee table. It looks like someone already had this idea with it because it already has these old handles attached to it and little pads on the back that elevate it off the table. However, it wasn't fabulous looking and needed some TLC. 

Tools Needed:

1 old picture frame

2 handles of choice

Paint

Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic Glue

Ribbon

Scrapbook Tacs

1. Start with old picture frame of choice and remove the glass where all that is left is just the frame part

2. Paint the frame any color you like - I choose Martha Stewart's "Cloud" for the frame part and a pearl color for the backing. You'll have to excuse the old "Twister" towel; it is the only old one I could find.

3. Once the paint dries use wood glue to attach the board that came with the frame to the back of the frame minus the glass. You can keep the glass for another project or toss it out like I did to keep myself from dreaming up something else. 

4. Attaching the mosaic tiles is simple and quick to do and add a wonderful touch to an otherwise plain tray. Simply spread the mosaic tile glue where you want to stick the tiles and then stick the tiles on. They dry super quickly and you don't have to wait forever for them to adhere, so make sure you get them where you want them on the first try. 

5. While I was waiting on the paint to try I discovered that ric-rac makes awesome flowers due to their shape. I just rolled the ric-rac and they turned out great! Instead of using somewhat costly buttons I found scrapbook pins that came in a pack of 20 for $2.99. I used one of them for the center of one of the flowers.

6. Next, I simply attached the flowers to the tray and ta-da it is ready to go. 

It now sits on our new coffee table. I'm not sure if we will actually ever use it as a tray, but it was fun to make and I love the colors. I even considered getting some magnetic spray paint, hanging it on the wall, and using it as a memo board. for notes, recipes, lists, etc. 

Have a great Sunday evening everyone!!!

Sicilian Nachos and French Apple Cake

This blog will not have any pictures, just be prepared. While the names of the these two foods sound absolutely wonderful, the looks of them not so much. Even though I love to cook and bake I have found that living in a small apartment with an even smaller kitchen isn't very motivating to cook. That coupled with the fact that I cannot use any of my wonderful Calphalon pots and pans, new dishes, and new bake ware that we received as wedding presents doesn't help. However, lately I have been in this mood where I have wanted to cook and bake something everyday. And just to put everyone's mind at ease no, I'm not nesting or some nonsense like that.

Okay, I have digressed, back on to the Sicilian Nachos. I found the recipe in my monthly Taste of Home magazine. Looked amazing in the picture and I couldn't pass it up. The word "nachos" was a tad bit misleading due to the fact that the "chip" part of it was actually French Baguette, which quickly got soggy when you pour the topping on it. The topping consisting of ground beef, carrots, garlic, red pepper, red onion, bay leaves, and basil. In my sweet husband's word "tastes like spaghetti." Indeed it did...Sicilian Nachos = fail.

The French Apple Cake as well looked delicious in the picture..not so much in the real. I misread the instructions and put all the cream cheese in the cake part of it and didn't save any for the topping, the caramel hardened too quickly, and when I popped it out of the spring foam (which Brandon said was broke when I popped the bottom out of it) the apples came off. Adding the extra cream cheese was really a blessing, it was like an apple cheesecake. Next time I make it, I will post pictures and give recipe with my new version minus the caramel add the extra cream cheese. On a side the note the coffee I made in our french press was wonderful.

I would say the best part of the supper was the 6 pack of Craft Beer I picked up at HEB and the Starbucks coffee with dessert.

Tomorrow night = leftover "spaghetti" sauce and apple cheesecake with caramel scraped off.

Britni's Birthday Week

So, my 24th birthday was perhaps one of the best birthday's I have had thus far in my short life. Not only because I turned an even number, but because I have a wonderful husband and family. I tend to want to have a "birthday month" but that didn't go over so well with the husband - he actually thinks it is quite ridiculous that I make such a big deal out of my birthday. However, being the good adoring husband he is, he gives in to my crazy fanciful ideas and this year really out-did himself with the birthday festivities. I didn't quite get to celebrate all month but I did get wonderful presents at the beginning of August from Brandon. Then nothing for weeks - can you believe that? I know, I was quite shocked myself.

With my birthday being on a Wednesday, Brandon gave me all my presents on Tuesday since I would be spending the rest of the week with my parents. I shall not recap all the wonderful things he gave me, but he's going to have a hard time topping this birthday. Moving on to the actual day of my birthday...I got to see my daddy on our b-day for the first time in 2 years, which was a blessing enough by itself. I got my daddy a great coffee table book that is all about horses and in turn my parents know me so well and my love for sparkly things :) I went home with my parents on Wednesday, but sad because I wouldn't see Brandon until Friday.

On Thursday, mom and I shopped till we dropped, visiting all of my favorite places - ann taylor loft, anthropologie, banana, etc. Our dinner consisted of cupcakes from Central Market and listening to live music. Friday was another full day of shopping in Weatherford followed by dinner with mom, Brandon, Colby and one of his friends (sorry I forgot his name). Saturday was a pretty lazy day followed by getting all dressed up and going downtown Ft. Worth and eating at Reata.  

Dinner was quite the experience. I now know every detail of the people's lives sitting beside us. It is a gift I have for being able to pay attention to 10 things at once. Oh well back to dinner, I ordered this Cherry Vodka Limeade thing since Cherry Limeades are one of my favorites...well anyone that knows me knows I need high liquor content in my drinks..well that $11 Cherry Vodka Limeade didn't do it....so I resorted back to my normal Crown and Ck...as Brandon calls it...You know 5 parts crown 1/2 part coke..and that was only $7. I should have just had 2 maybe 3 or 4 of those. Brandon just stuck with his Shiner. For starters we had bacon wrapped quail, both of us had steak, shrimp, mashed taters, and bacon wrapped asparagus. For dessert we had these amazing tacos with vanilla bean ice cream, bananas, strawberries, and fresh mint. They even wrote Happy Birthday on the plate, sadly they did not sing to me and make me do ridiculous embarrassing things.

On our way out I went to the little girls room on the way in and the lady sitting next to us (the one that I now know her whole life story) screamed at me Happy Birthday!!!! Clearly she was paying attention to our conversations too.

My 24th was definitely the best b-day so far...give it another week and it will be about time to start planning the next one.