DIY Foot Stool Makeover

I have short legs.

I have a chair where my short legs make said chair uncomfortable.

But, I LOVE my chair.

So, I have been on the lookout for a short foot stool.

One that I could just place underneath the chair and scoot out when needed.

BINGO!

I have been on the hunt for quite some time. And I always thought that I would end up finding an antique or vintage one to makeover. But, they were always quite expensive. But then I was shopping at Ross.

Yes, Ross!

And I found this puppy.

Not bad in-of-itself.

But, it really isn't my style and it was damaged.

Here's a tip: if it is noticeably damaged, ask for a discount. 

The worse they can say is no.... but, you might end up with a 10% or so savings!

And the original price of this foot stool was worth taking it home to makeover anyway!

Now, here in lies a confession.

I have NEVER reupholstered anything.

Repeat... I have NEVER reupholstered anything!

And I called myself a DIY/Decorator.  Ha!

But, in my first attempt I injured myself.

I sucked it up.
Grabbed myself a Phineous and Ferb band-aide.
And resorted to Plan B.

Plan A was going to be dismantle the foot stool and reuse the nails and brass nailhead trim.

Plan B was just recovering it over the pre-existing fabric.

So, here were my steps to Plan B of a DIY Foot Stool Makeover:

1. Cut fabric to size.

2. Use that fabulous Rub 'n Buff I talked about in this post to gold leaf the legs.

3a. Yell, "Chewie, no!" About 10 times to get the lil' bubba to stop chewing at the fabric. {Yep. I knew that nickname was gonna nip me in the butt.... Sir Chewbacca is just too long when shouting out disciplinary NO's.}

3b. Cover with fabric. Fold over ends and nail into place.

I pulled the fabric tightly and placed nails about every 1.5". I utilized a linear fabric so it was pretty easy to see that I was keeping my fabric straight. I completed the one side first and then went to the opposite side next. Then the other two ends were folded like I was wrapping a box and nailed into place.

EASY-PEASY!

Not too bad for my first time in upholstering.... is it?

This fabric came from my cousin in Guatemala. I LOVE how it is somewhat a modern take on a typical Guatemalan weave.

He knew my bedroom had a lot of black, white and grays in it.

See how perfectly this works!

Even my kiddo {who has quite long legs for his age} can use it.

Just so RELAXING!

Now, it will be easier for me to relax and enjoy a quiet time at this chair.

It is looks good, too! A WIN-WIN!

Planning to link up at:
FRIDAY: Tater Tots and Jello, Serenity Now, At the Picket Fence, A Little Knick Knack, The Shabby Nest, Hot Fun in the Summertime over at Bliss Ranch! Miss Mustard Seed, Just Winging It

SUNDAY: Under the Table and Dreaming, Nifty Thrifty Things, One Artsy Mama

MONDAY: Home Stories A to Z, Midwestern Girl DIY

TUESDAY: Not Just a HouseWife, Tip Junkie

WEDNESDAY: Savvy Southern Style, Home Happy Home, My Girlish Whims, Lil' Luna, Creations by Kara

THURSDAY: The 36th Avenue, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Confessions of an ADD Housewife

Marvelous Artsy Find

I love to comb through the antique stores in the Design District.

Kiddo.... not so much.

But, he is SUCH a trooper!

Anyway, there are so many interesting and gorgeous finds in these shops.
So many unique and different items.
I LOVE it!
It is truly THE BEST way I could spend my "alone time".

Some people read, get mani-pedis or sleep... I browse the antique stores.

Surely, I am not alone?!?!

It was about a week ago that I came across these vintage numbered artist signed prints.... for a fabulous price.

It's the artwork on the far right. It's entitled "South on the Colorado".

I thought the hubsters wouldn't really go for it since it had purple in it. Something that seemed a little "girly". But, the silver frame and white matting was just too amazing for me to pass up.

But, I did.
Pass it up.

Then a week later, I went browsing with my kiddo. And these prints were still there... a sign!

I have been trying to streamline the decor of our Double-Wide in the Sky. Choosing bigger bolder decor elements and complementary colors to blend in with all the color pops. I decided to stick with jewel colors. The obvious favorite is teal, and the peridot and olive green colors. I have also been incorporating more sapphire blues.

So, these prints were really a great addition: sapphire blues with amethyst hues.

The print above is entitled "North on the Colorado".

I texted the hubsters a pic... and he fell in love with them too! 

{We have such similar taste in art! BONUS!}

Amazing!

The price was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING for the two framed, numbered and signed vintage prints. 

I did not pass them up this time.

Instead, I brought them home....

...with the intention of adding them to my gallery wall.

Therefore, I had to change up other items on the wall to make room.

This also because of my anal-retentive disorder for precisely level and equally spaced items forced me to actually reposition the hutch and main painting {with the gallery light} by only 4" to the left.

So, 4" to the left and 30 minutes later I went from this:

To this:

I really like how it seems to flow much better with the rest of our Double-Wide in the Sky.

I could NOT give up my George and Martha silhouettes... which I found at an antique store for only a few bucks!

There seems to be more of a cool and serene feel with these added prints.
The purple doesn't read purple in the overall colorscape. It is definitely blended with the jewel tones.

I am SO LOVIN' it!

SUCH A FANTASTIC FIND!

Healthy Banana Blueberry Bread

I promise you this hasn't turned into a baking/cooking blog.

Seriously.

Although, the most recent posts seem to demonstrate something quite different.

But, if you can bare with me a little longer....

I'd like to share with you a recipe I morphed from about 5 different recipes created:

HEALTHY BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAD! 

And when I say healthy... I mean

whole wheat.... oats... fruit.... low sodium... low fat.... no added sugar {Truvia was used}....

YUMMY!

And not bad for your thighs {a fellow blogger friend might be pleased with this}.

And believe me, this bread IS yummy! It actually got a huge stamp of approval from the hubsters... as actually being something he assumed I purchased at the bakery. Whoah.... that's a huge compliment {on a healthy bread}!

It all started with these pathetic looking mushy bananas.

Most of you know how this story ends..... typical fate of said bananas = Banana Bread.

No different here.

But, I looked in my fridge and I had some blueberries I wanted to use too.

So, I changed it up a little bit and added a few other companions to the mix!

INGREDIENTS
3 mashed very ripe bananas
1 cup blueberries
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup Truvia
2 1/2 tsp sodium free baking powder {Featherweight}
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together all dry ingredients {except oats}.

3. Add oats to dry ingredients and mix together until well combined.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce, eggs and bananas.

5. Add the blueberries to the wet mixture.

I added some blackberries to the top of the loaf.

6. Bake in a greased loaf pan for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees.
{Check with toothpick to verify loaf is baked all the way through.}

ENJOY!

Store bread in refrigerator for a couple days {if it lasts until then}.

HEALTHY BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAD! 


Your thighs can thank me later...

unless....

of course you eat this warm bread with some vanilla ice cream....

.... then.... not so low fat. Ha!

I plan to link up at the following:

THURSDAY: The 36th Avenue, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Confessions of an ADD Housewife

FRIDAY: Tater Tots and Jello, Serenity Now, At the Picket Fence, A Little Knick Knack, The Shabby Nest, Hot Fun in the Summertime over at Bliss Ranch! Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

SUNDAY: Under the Table and Dreaming, Nifty Thrifty Things

MONDAY: Home Stories A to Z, Midwestern Girl DIY

TUESDAY: Not Just a HouseWife, Tip Junkie

WEDNESDAY: Savvy Southern Style, Home Happy Home, My Girlish Whims, Lil' Luna, Creations by Kara

Low-Sodium Pizza

By now you know that I have a little bit of a "bum ticker".

I mean my ticker has done quite well since my last major surgery. But, I am always watching it.

So, I try to be all about healthy eating.... especially a low-sodium lifestyle {for the most part}.

Don't get me wrong... I TOTALLY devour love a big gooey juicy jalapeno bacon cheese burger on a white bun about once a week every now and then. You gotta have a little fun in life.... right {note, have you seen my cupcakes of late: Maple Syrup Bacon and Margarita Cupcakes?}?!

Anyway, back to my low-sodium cooking...

I wanted to show you how I cook a pizza. With a VERY low-sodium crust and pizza sauce!
Yes, it all is pretty much made from scratch, but once you get it down, it's pretty darn easy.

It would really be beneficial if you have a bread machine for the crust, unless you want to knead and knead and knead the dough on your own. This is my machine which I purchased on Amazon about 4 years ago... and it is still ticking, even after the beating upon beating I have given it!

But, if you are really about making low-sodium food, a bread machine is an AWESOME investment. Especially, when a standard slice of whole wheat bread can be over 150 mg of sodium... or look at the sodium content of rolls, etc. It is an area of much added sodium you can practically eliminate.

Take for example, pizza crust. This recipe has lowered the sodium content of the crust from around 440 mg of sodium per pizza slice to less than 1 mg! And for an added healthy bonus.... I have altered a recipe I found in the No-Salt Lowest-Sodium Cookbook by Donald A. Gazzaniga to be whole wheat.

HUGE difference!

INGREDIENTS for the CRUST
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat bread
3/4 cups best for bread machine flour {or white flour}
3/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp lukewarm water
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp of bread machine yeast

DIRECTIONS
1. Coat your bread machine bucket with a thin layer of cooking spray.
2. Load the ingredients into the bread machine starting with the dry ingredients first. Place the bread machine yeast into the appropriate compartment of your bread maker.
3. Set the bread machine on the dough cycle and let it run. {My machine takes 45 minutes}.
4. Remove the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured board until the desired size of your pizza.
5. Transfer the dough to your pizza pan.
6. Flute the sides to create a crust.
7. Use a fork and prick holes throughout the crust's surface.
8. Cover the crust with a light towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

INGREDIENTS for the SAUCE
2 cans of Hunt's No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
3 Tbsp garlic {or less according to your taste}
2 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions

DIRECTIONS
1. Place all ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce to simmer and cover.
3. Let simmer during bread machine process of the the crust.

Note: You can use fresh tomatoes in this process. However, I do take it to the extra levels of boiling and peeling them, etc. So, utilizing the No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes {you will need to pulse this mixture to create an actual sauce} or No Salt Added Tomato Sauce {NO need to pulse} is just plain EASY!

TOPPINGS
Have fun with this step!
This is what I used on this particular pizza:
Green Peppers
Zucchini
Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese
Low-Fat Parmesan Cheese
Smoked Chicken Breast
{I bake low-sodium chicken in my crockpot and freeze in individual packages to use on pizza or chicken enchiladas, etc. Yes, there is such a thing as "low-sodium" chicken... some chicken companies add A LOT of salt to the chicken for added flavor and weight... so read your labels! I have also been known to use Extra Lean Jenny-O Ground Turkey. It has a low-sodium content and I prepare the meat in batches and then freeze in individual packages to use on pizzas or in chili, etc.}

There can be low-sodium cheese options out there. However, I only use a small portion of cheese.

Get the kiddos to help. My kiddo always has a lot of fun placing the ingredients on top of the pizza.
We will even make silly faces sometime with the veggies. We are all sorts of crazy like that... ha!

DIRECTIONS
1. Place prepared sauce on top of prepared crust.
2. Add desired toppings.
3. Place in preheated 500 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown.

ENJOY!

I plan to link up at the following:

THURSDAY: The 36th Avenue, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Confessions of an ADD Housewife

FRIDAY: Tater Tots and Jello, Serenity Now, At the Picket Fence, A Little Knick Knack, The Shabby Nest, Hot Fun in the Summertime over at Bliss Ranch! Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

SUNDAY: Under the Table and Dreaming, Nifty Thrifty Things

MONDAY: Home Stories A to Z, Midwestern Girl DIY

TUESDAY: Not Just a HouseWife, Tip Junkie

WEDNESDAY: Savvy Southern Style, Home Happy Home, My Girlish Whims, Lil' Luna, Creations by Kara

It's a Dog of a Day

So, I had hinted a little while back about Joyful Additions....

Well.... here is to waiting no further....

INTRODUCING...

SIR CHEWBACCA

We call him "Chewie" for short.

Yes, we are Star War Geeks ;)

And, so is our dog!

He is the PERFECT complement to our family.

We just did not truly know how quickly and to what extent we would love this little furball of a pup.

Even after he poops and pees all over the floor!

Yes... we are going through that house training thing. uggh! He is only 11 weeks old. Why can't he be like my kiddo who potty trained in one day -- yes-- ONE day! I guess I won't get off that easily for this child.

But, then he is just a furball of cuteness!

Who is such a JOYFUL ADDITION to our lives.

Do you have any joyful additions of late?