i could : i would

i could:

design an entire room around this chair.

i would:

use this in photo shoots if i were a photographer

found {in perfect shape} today at an estate sale. 

selling it next month in my booth at vintage market.

that means i have a month to not get drool on it.

i love a good find!

when you have a garden. . .

pulling together a healthy summer dinner is e-a-s-y.

let's start with fresh from the garden salsa for an appetizer. 
my favorite summer drink:  gin and tonic

easy throw together salsa:
tomato
onion
cilantro
jalapeno
lime
cumin
garlic
black beans
about that much of each.... i don't measure i just throw it in the processor until it looks/tastes good.

serving up a healthy bowl of pasta is quick and delicious!
{again, i don't measure, just chop and dump}

whole wheat pasta
tomato
basil
cilantro
chicken
feta cheese
a little EVOO and red wine vinegar

would you like some fresh cracked pepper?   bring it on!

too hot to crank up the oven today so no yummy sweets for dessert. 

but ahhh...i do have some yummy dark chocolate!  one square to bring this meal to an end.

easy summer meals.  love them!

tears in my eyes

i tried to be strong.
i tried to not embarrass him by asking for one more hug.
he has been waiting for this week all summer.
but when he walked up the stairs of that bus,
i got tears in my eyes.

my oldest went off to nature camp this week.
it is just a day camp.
he rides the bus to a camp that is about 100 blocks away from our house.
he will play in creeks, learn about animals and be unplugged for 8 hours each day.
i am looking forward to the 4:15 pick up to hear all about his day.
:
i always say that being a mom is one of the toughest jobs. 
the teaching, cooking, cleaning, shopping for necessities, making sure they are safe etc. 
but i think two of the toughest days are sending them off on that first day of school,
and
sending them off to camp.
is it 4:15 yet?

update:  first day of camp...he LOVED it!  whew...tomorrow should be easier for me!  :)

rustic country scones

this is one of my all time favorite recipes.

these are great for breakfast or anytime of day.

i usually add craisins, but blueberry or chocolate chips are equally good.

though this is not a recipe from my late grandma, i do think of her every time i make them.

i roll them out on a pastry cloth that she made for me,

and wear one of her aprons. 

my grandma was always in the kitchen.  always had a full cookie jar of yummy homemade cookies and made the best beef and noodles.

i am so glad i have these happy memories of her.

i am also glad that i have this scone recipe! 
don't worry about rolling them out into a perfect circle, the more rustic the better.
in fact, i don't even use a rolling pin.  i just press it out with floured hands. 
sometimes i cut them into rectangles, sometimes triangles, it really doesn't matter.

topped with butter and some yummy homemade jam, these scones will make your mouth happy.
for the next day, i put them under the broiler for a few minutes.  crispy and delicious!

rustic country scones
2 cups all purpose flour {sometimes i do half wheat flour}
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup craisins
1 {8 oz.} carton sour cream
1 beaten egg yolk
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon course sugar
. . .
in large bowl stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  add craisins, toss until mixed.  make a well in the center.  combine sour cream and egg yolk; add all at once to dry mixture.  using a fork, stir just until moistened.
turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.  knead by gently folding and pressing 10-12 strokes or until nearly smooth.  pat dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick.  cut into wedges.  brush tops with mixture of egg white and 1 Tablespoon water.  sprinkle with coarse sugar.  place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
bake in a 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  cool on wire rack 10 minutes.  serve warm.  makes approx.  12 scones, depending on size.

early bird gets the good stuff

we had to get up early this morning.
mr. traybella had to take his car to the fix it shop and then we had to take him into work.
sales on tuesdays are rare in my neighborhood.
but on the way home from dropping off mr. traybella we saw a SALE sign.
i thought to myself : a) it's left over from the week end or b) it might be a good sale.
so glad we stopped!

i didn't find a ton of things, but enough to make it worth the stop.  and the prices were really good.

a wood plate, XXL bottle opener that i thought were kind of cool.

the old pencil sharpener i will sell in my booth next month.  it will fit in perfectly with the back to school theme we'll have going.

this large wood architectural piece is really cool. 

it may or may not make it to my booth because...

i think it looks great above this picture in my entry.

love this picture that i found last week at a sale for $10...score!

also found this super cool, super long {71"} wood ruler.  not sure what it's original purpose was, but it is super long, and super cool. 

and i also got this old bench. 

a fresh coat of paint and a coffee bag cover and it'll

wind up in my booth for sale. 

sure glad we got up early today...or i would have missed this good stuff!

playroom redo

i have been in a bit of a funk lately.
usually i am always rearranging furniture, painting, redoing a mantel.
i think, just maybe, i am finally happy with the way my home feels...for now anyway.

so last week i was downstairs playing with the boys and got the urge. 
the urge to purge.
one thing led to another and next thing you know the entire playroom was
turned upside down and moved all around.

first we sorted through all the baskets and bins into three areas.  keep, donate and trash.  the last of the baby toys were packed into a 'save for future' box.  does anyone else do that?  i just can't part with some of my favorite wood toys and have to save them for, hopefully someday, grandchildren.

labeling clear tubs makes it easy for everyone to see what's inside.

the boys still really love doing art.  so an art area in our playroom is always a must.  they can sit for hours drawing and creating.   they also really enjoy creating with the recycled pieces that i throw in this area: paper towel tubes, egg cartons, empty cereal box, etc.

though the rest of my entire house is decorated in white, cream and browns i must say that i love all this color in the playroom.  as it should be since this is the boys area. 

love this old truck that i found at a neighbors garage sale. 

i laugh when the boys ask me "is that a telephone?  why does it have curly cord on it?" 

we created some space to display all the lego spaceships that get built.  at times it is difficult to decide what toys to keep.  with a four year span between the boys they both play with such different things.  but usually C just wants to do what his older brother M is doing and now that's building lego spaceships.

so now we are condensed into one play area instead of two.  it makes me sad to pack some things up, donate and even throw away some of the toys that get broken.  i think i have watched toy story too many times! 

but as the boys grow, so does the playroom.

we now have a space for a music area.

M is taking electric guitar lessons and his teacher now comes to our house.  so having this extra space to practice and have lessons works out perfect.

even C wanted his small piano and cheap guitar in this area.  because when M is practicing, so is C.  i love having music in our house...rock on!

the music area still needs something on the walls.  in time i will find something that works.

if you have some ideas, please send them my way!

better get this posted, i hear the boys waking and well, we've got some playing to do.

i am drooling...have you seen this?!

it is happy hour as i post this 'news' tonight. 
and no i am not out having had one too many gin and tonics and drooling all over myself.
i am though
drooling over this...

i was so sad when they stopped publishing country home magazine.  it has been one of my all time favorites. 
i squealed when i saw it on the stands at the market today.
i can not wait to get the children in bed tonight and sink into my double pillow top high thread count sheets with this new issue!!
the editors say " we couldn't be more excited to bring back the country home title!  watch for the next issue of the publication on your newsstands in September, when we will be all about warm interiors and seasonal decorating".
i can hardly wait! 

dreaming : with my eyes open

i am a day dreamer.  always have been.  there are many nights i lay awake pondering my day dream. 
i have had lots of dreams, which makes mr. traybella a bit crazy.
at one time or another i wanted:
a cupcake bakery.
a coffee shop.
open a b&b in the greek islands.
a home decor shop.
but it's a good thing i woke up from all those dreams, because if i didn't, there wouldn't be any room for my new dream!

i started this dream on our way back from our florida vacation.  we were in tennesee, so so beautiful, and this dream just popped into my head.  i have actually had this dream before.  the dream of having my own barn.  but this dream had all the finishing touches to it.  AND this dream could actually make me some money, which gets mr. traybella attention for a few seconds. 

this barn is beautiful, but i would paint it white.

the inside is so unbelievable.

i've got the boys on board by promising them a movie theatre in the barn and

some extra fun things like slides and zip lines.
i even have a name for this dream of mine.  but i won't tell it yet. 
it's a dream that will have to wait awhile to come true.
some more tweaking.
a business plan.
and of course getting mr. traybella on board!

so tell me, what dream keeps you up at night?

{all photos by me}

new blog on the block

in the past i have done a post on this book:

it is such a fantastic book, if you didn't get the chance to read it, you should for sure put it on your summer reading list.  
well now the butchers daughter, Mary B. Lucas, has her own blog!
i do hope you'll pop over to visit her at the Butcher Block Exchange and welcome her to blogland.
her blog provides lessons and wisdom and who can't use more of that?! 

an addition

oh how i love a project.

it can be anything.

repainting, rearranging furniture, or putting on an addition.

i also was longing for some more girl power around our house full of boys. 

well this summer.

we finally did it!

we added an addition to our house.

it's small, only 4 feet.

but oh so sweet, cute and adorable!

introducing . . .

Kamari

the sweetest 10 week old black lab.

it's like having a baby in the house again.

up during the night and following her EVERYWHERE!

we are so in love with her!