Early Spring Cleaning

    Spring cleaning has begun in the Linde household!  I've done the same thing at my office.  Decor has been updated, cleaning started and finished, (though decor not so much at the office, still have a little ways to go!) We went through a huge filing project and went through at least 15 years worth of files.  Good news is it will now be much much easier for next year when we only have to throw out a few files.  They are now nicely and neatly organized by year. 

     I wish I could say we were done cleaning and organizing at our house too.  This year I am going to focus on de-cluttering.  It will be hard.  My husband and I like things.  We like stuff.  And that's ok.  We just need to get choosier about the kind of stuff that we keep.  Like the out-of-sight stuff.  But really we need to clean it all out.  I think it's gotten a little out of hand.  I will feel so much better once I have all of our surfaces cleaned up and cleared off.  It really isn't as bad as it sounds.  But lets be honest here....any flat surface is a stuff magnet: mail, dishes, nick-nacks, discarded purse items, bullets, writing utencils, coats, clothing....you name it.  

  Our formal livingroom was in much need of an update.  While the furniture in it was comfortable and nice, let's face it; it was the furniture that Husband had had from his single days apartment.  Bottom line, it was time for an upgrade.  Everything else in the room is pretty much light and airy so we needed something that was going to stand out and not just blend in.  

    After a little looking around, we finally found the couch at Sunshine Furniture.  We really liked the contrast.  I think you all will agree.  We also kept the old pillows (for now,) and added a few more to tie in the lighter colors.  The two cream ones with designs came from one of my favorite stores, Garden Ridge.  They were on sale!  The one in the middle was hand drawn by a man at the Vintage show called 2 Girls and Junk that I posted about a few weeks back.  I love it! It says "If Vintage is wrong then I don't want to be right." $15 and he could write anything you wanted on it.  

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

Don't you love it??

    My coffee corner is a constant work in progress.   I'm never happy with it for long.  But I'm starting to like it more and more. These canisters were $29.99 from Cracker Barrel and were just sitting up in our attic in a box ever since our wedding.  (We used them at the wedding in which to put candy.)  The coffee sign was $5.99 from.....Garden Ridge!  Cow creamer $4.99 from Target, and the double stacked teapot/teacup was a Christmas gift from one of my best friends!

Our pantry was my first home organization project this year!  Just a few toes, some labels, and some patience helped lead to this wonderfully organized pantry.  Storage cubes were $6.99/piece from Target.  I separated them into Pasta/Rice, Breakfast, baking, condiments, and one the shelf not pictured- snacks.  Snacks actually got 2 cubes.

    A new springy tablecloth from....Target! $4.99 on clearance!  You will notice a couple of recycled pieces from my Christmas/Winter tablescape.

     {And a sneak peek at my next project for my booth!!}

New Years Soireé

We finished last year out with spending time with friends and family.  What better way is there to spend it?  I had a fun time organizing and planning a little intimate party at our house with some of our closest friends and family.  I made several dips, (all of which was my first time making them,) and had lots of munchies to dip in them, made a signature sparkling Apple Cider Punch, and had a wonderful time socializing.  Surprisingly the cheesy artichoke dip was a huge success!  Never have I worked with artichokes more than just ordering an artichoke dip while out.  But I promise I made this one my self!  It was easy!  Too easy... I also made a Mexican corn dip and a Mint Avocado dip, (whose recipe I got out of a Better Homes and Garden magazine whilst frantically cleaning for the party.

{A sweet picture of Daddy with his 'grand-dog, Bandit on New Years Day}

{Some of the delicious dips I had fun making!}

{ My theme was red/white/silver.  Funny story about the drink dispenser.  It was something I'd gotten from Kirkland's with a gift card from our wedding shower.  The party was my first time to use it.  Who would have thought to check and make sure the nozzle was completely screwed in??  Certainly not I...  Drink made, bacon cooking in the over, mixing up another dip; I noticed a little pool of punch under the dispenser, which was sitting on the stove top.  Hmmm, I must have spilled some while I was pouring the various ingredients into it... Wrong!! 

 Upon further inspection of the pour spout, I spied with my little eyes a small rivulet of punch flowing from beneath the spout.  I put my finger under it, it stopped.  I took it away, that little rivulet was back.  "David, come quick!  It's sprung a leak!  I don't know what to do!!"  Were a few of my frantic cries as I summoned my husband to the kitchen.  Looking at the stove top, I then saw that there were puddles of punch...everywhere!  

Good thing there was a lip on the stove or it could have been a lot worse.  

  As Husband was trying to figure out how to help me, I continued frantic cries of it's leaking, it's leaking!  All the while, our puppy was staring at me very confusedly... like Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?  Why is she acting all crazy?  That is a very good question, Bandit.

  For our wedding, we had also received a beautiful clear glass serving bowl.  And guess what?  It was the perfect size to pour the leaking punch into.  And I mean purrr-fect.  Crisis averted.  I was thinking I was going to have to wrap the spout in electrical tape, upon thinking so, I began looking for a roll of electrical tape which I knew had to be there somewhere.  I'd spotted it earlier in the day, I just knew it!  Thankfully, it all came down to having to screw the nozzle all the way in.  Crisis averted, Mommy calm down, and happy Husband.  You are welcome, for a delicious punch!  Who knew so much went into making it??

Happy Tuesday!!