House of Earnest

May 21, 2013

Gold Angled Candlesticks

Color blocking is big, but you guys know me, I’m not so huge on color. I decided to execute the trend with gold and grey weathered wood to keep it neutral, but still relevant. The angular lines on these ‘gold blocked’ candlesticks make a piece of 2″ x 2″ hardware store lumber way more modern and worthy of any table centerpiece or mantle.

What I love about this candlestick project is that the nice guys at the hardware store cut them in the lengths I wanted (3″, 5″, and 7″), so all I had to do was make the holes for the candles and get to the painting! Here are the materials I used!

ONE using a 3/4″ drill bit, carve out a hole on the end of each piece of wood. TWO sand the pieces until they’re smooth. THREE stain the wood with a light grey ‘sunbleached’ stain. FOUR tape off in your desired pattern and spray with gold spray paint.

Like a lot of my projects, I really like that there are so many customizations possible. How would you customize this easy project? Lots of color? High gloss?

Let me know!

6 Comments

May 20, 2013

Sipping on Sunshine

in Party Style with 13 Comments

I’ve been so happy to get so much use out of our patio in just the little bit of time it’s been warm and summery outside. This weekend provided a few occasions to get festive and believe me, we took advantage.

Last night we had some family and a few friends over to enjoy some of Matty’s smoked pulled pork (which is awesome) and sip on some summery cocktails – Sangria and Mojitos. Now, it isn’t quite summer yet, but the temps are escalating and something about outdoor cooked meats just gets me in the spirit.

I decided a sort of Caribbean, or mexican style would go well with the smoked pork and be really festive. I served chips with two types of salsa, some garlic and cilantro grilled corn on the cob, an avocado and black bean salad, and of course, the meat.

It was a great time and the food and beverages were simple, mostly make ahead, and it allowed for a lot of chatting and relaxing. Chips and salsa were kept cool atop ice in this chip and dip tray. The two beverage recipes both take help from some store bought beverages, ginger ale in the mojitos and good old fashioned (ha) Arbor Mist in the sangria (it really is the best for making sangria). I served the sangria in a stemless wine glass and the mojitos in a double old fashioned glass, both with block ‘S’ inscriptions, from Red Envelope.

We lingered on the patio until it got dark and the bugs started taking too many liberties and then we retreated indoors, but the few hours we spent outside were warm, wonderful, and very sweet!

The Red Envelope items in this post were provided with their complements, but could not recommend them more. I use the glasses for ever occasion I can because I just love the modern block monogram. I definitely think I know what I’m getting as wedding gifts for this summer’s weddings!

I hope you all have a great week!

13 Comments

May 17, 2013

Friday Faves 5.17

in friday favorites with 10 Comments

ONE raised pattern, handblown glassware is one of my favorite things. I use some similar glasses in a lot of styling and people always as about the source. Although mine were from an outlet, these are very similar and are $12 each from Brooke Farm General Store. TWO How awesome is this rug? And at just $99, you could afford to play with the splash of color in your home. From Urban Outfitters. THREE walnut dinner plate with pretty blue trim is $48 from Anthropologie. At that price, I’d just get one or two and use them as serving dishes! FOUR brass animals on parade! I have the rhino on my living room shelves and love it! $10 each from Target. FIVE this tiered cart is colorful and practical. I think it would make a wonderful addition to a fun bathroom that is lacking in storage. $50 from Ikea. SIX hand screen printed goodies from Lauren Alison are all so so pretty. Take your pick of striking gold or lots of brights. This one is $57.

Happy Friday everyone! I am happy to have a lot of events lined up (a walk for breast cancer and a house warming party to attend) so it will be busy, but filled with fun. How about you?

10 Comments

May 16, 2013

Splurge & Save: Summer Entertaining

in Party Style with 2 Comments

SPLURGE woven sea grass party tub from Williams-Sonoma SAVE oval seagrass galvanized party tub from World Market

I’m all for a good party tub that doesn’t scream ‘plastic cooler’ so when I saw these seagrass versions, it was love at first, wait… second sight.

What do you use to keep bottles and beverages cool during the summer months? Have a great Thursday guys!!

2 Comments

May 15, 2013

Neon Rope Coasters

in Hand Made with 16 Comments

I love buying materials that I like even if I don’t (at the time) have a plan for them. This project was one of those cases. While scavenging the aisles at the Home Depot, I found some masonry rope that was the perfect neon pink! I bought it with little idea what I was going to do with it and got to brainstorming.

I created these little woven coasters because the contrast with the light wood is so pretty and modern. They’re perfect to have on hand for summer to brighten up even just a simple tray of water for guests.

ONE cut the sticks to 2 3/4″ lengths. TWO securing the ends of three sticks in a hardback book, and pressing down very firmly on the book, start weaving the rope through the sticks, leaving a long tail at the beginning which you’ll use to add a few more rows to the beginning end once you remove it from the book. After each row, be sure to scoot the ropes tightly toward the book and tighten. THREE continue in this method, one row then push & tighten throughout the whole length of the sticks. FOUR once you’ve reached the end, remove from the book and use your beginning bit of rope to add a few rows to the start. Secure both ends on the bottom with glue.

The light weight wooden craft sticks can be found at a craft store with the dowels and the rope is found with the other ropes and chains in the hardware store.

It took me about 30 minutes to make all four, so it’s something you can do on an afternoon in just no time! I think this would also be a fun project for teen girls if you have any of those running around your house. The colors can be switched up too, there are all types of crazy colored ropes at the hardware store and doing this with jute or bakers twine would give a really natural tonal look as well!

Give it a go and let me know how they turned out!

Have a FANTASTIC Wednesday!

p.s. A BIG thank you to everyone’s supportive comments yesterday! You guys light up my life!

16 Comments

May 14, 2013

Words for the Wise

in Random Thoughts with 20 Comments

I’ve been struggling a little bit over the last few weeks with juggling my day job, House of Earnest, freelance projects, and the new adventure, but when I was in the farmer’s market this weekend, I saw a card with this quotation. I just realized that this is a ‘bootstraps’ sort of situation. I can choose whether I’ll be brought down by the crazy, or inspired to fight, try, work harder.

It was last night when I hit one million total pageviews (eeek) for the blog and got my state of Ohio business registration for the new adventure (double eeek) that I realized that this is a great place to be, maybe hard, but great. And I only have you guys to thank.

So, thank you for reading the blog, passing it onto your friends, chatting us up on twitter, Facebook, instagram and what have you. Thank you for coming back each day to see what contraption I’ve created or project I’m sharing. Thank you! I certainly don’t think I’m a legend yet, but boy, is it something to aspire to!

Have a wonderful Tuesday out there!

photo source: cafe fille

20 Comments

May 13, 2013

Hospitality outside Home

in Food with 5 Comments

I don’t write a ton about cooking, but I blog about the home. Entertaining inside of it, decorating it, and creating things by hand that make home a better place. There are cases though where hospitality and the comforts of home extend outside our houses. Being a thoughtful hostess goes beyond my walls today as I am so excited to have the opportunity to take a few freezer meals to some good friends of ours who just had a baby this weekend!

Click the links above for the recipes!

In my whole kitchen repertoire, I make three casserole style recipes regularly – Chicken Enchiladas, Italian stuffed shells, and French Country Chicken. The name French Country Chicken might bring to mind something breaded and double friend, but this recipe is actually reminiscent of the French countryside with braised cannelloni beans, blistered tomatoes all in a thyme sauce. The chicken enchilada dish is one our of favorites, not too spicy, but with a good flavor, and there really isn’t a ton I can say about Italian stuffed shells except for that if you like cheese, you’re gonna love them.

There may not be a couple with a new baby in your life, but if you know someone who is sick, elderly, or just could use a little pick-me-up, this is such a great way to help someone out and show that your domesticity reaches beyond your own home.

If you’re someone who likes to plan your own family’s meals in advance, you can use this same method to freeze meals to eat during the week as well.

I hope you’ll give these three easy freezer meals a try and let me know how you (or someone close to you) likes them.

Have a great week guys!

p.s. We have winners in our Corksicle and our Mrs. Meyers Clean Day contests! The winners have been notified, so check your inboxes!

5 Comments

May 10, 2013

Friday Faves 5.10

in friday favorites with 5 Comments

ONE dip dye hanging pendant basket would make a great DIY! This one is from Serena and Lily and is $195. TWO this shagreen pillow cover is so pretty and comes in four colors – I love it! $90 from Maresca Textiles. THREE It’s not a secret that I’m obsessed with pretty hand towels and these are no exception. They’re handwoven, naturally textured, and so subtly pretty. $22 each from Jayson Home. FOUR who doesn’t need a cute little pouch for something. I like to keep my iphone charger, earphones, and zip drives in one for technology on the go! $20 from Red Envelope. FIVE this little stool is the perfect contrast between dainty and rustic. It would go wonderfully beside a bathroom tub! $68 from Serena and Lily. SIX cinco de mayo may be over, but a set of colorful papelitos from AyMujer can be customized for weddings, showers, and every fiesta in between. These shown as $18 for two sets.

This week has been beautiful around here, which made it a little more relaxing than most weeks. The sun stayed out until past 8 pm, the green trees are all blooming, it’s just perfect!

I am super eager to take advantage of the wonderful weather for the rest of the weekend also. I do have some other excitement on my agenda, however. We’re heading to a local casino to party for Matt’s grandmother’s 93rd birthday (she loves slot machines!) and I’ll try to take in the fun and try my hand and some roulette.

If you’re still up in the air about what to do for Mother’s Day, have an easy tea party with full shopping list and recipes here! Have fun!

5 Comments

May 9, 2013

A Space to Create

in Home Decor with 10 Comments

So, I maybe mentioned a little blurp on twitter a few weeks ago about a few meetings that Matt and I had to work on a new venture that we’re exploring. It’s still so preliminary, but we’re to the point where we need some space to get some serious work done.

Although I LOVE my home office, the desk is small and there is very little storage. We need something that works for the both of us and has enough opportunity for organization for this new secret adventure (it won’t be secret for too long! We’ll let you guys know soon!).

Storage is key here as we’ll have a fair amount of samples, swatches, papers, and whatnot that comes along with such an endeavor. We currently have just a small bookshelf – not nearly enough to help keep us organized. You know how much I love the library look – I even modeled by bedroom after a similar look!

But back to the office – a big desk with enough room for two of us to have computers and space to create is so important. I love the dual desk which doubles as a work table.

Here’s the thing, though. Being a part of our home, I want it to still be incorporated in the decor – to be warm, cozy, and approachable. So to strike to perfect mix of efficiency, organization, and homey-ness, that is the challenge.

I found an awesome site that does lots of beautiful, bespoke, made to measure home study furniture, but they’re only in the UK, so those of you in England – you’ve got a resource! For me here in the US, I’ll keep looking for something to help me get the look I’m going for.

So, I don’t want to be such a jerk and give you so many cliff hangers about our next steps, but the idea is just a little too young to bust out. Soon though…Soon!

What are your thoughts? Do you have a home office? How does it work for you?

photo credit 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

10 Comments

May 8, 2013

Candlestick Floral Centerpiece

in Party Style with 8 Comments

I had so much fun creating these little mini bundles of blooms that I currently have them sitting all around my house. I love how sculptural and impactful a burst of color is coming out of a thin, tall candlestick.

I had been spotting candlestick floral arrangements in more formal events and have been pinning them here, here, and here, but I wanted to move on the idea to something a little more casual and suitable for our everyday lives. I used a cluster of these guys in my Mother’s day tea, but one by the bedside, one in the bathroom and a couple on the table means your whole house can be filled with the freshness of flowers with just a few stems.

It seems so easy, but with the weight of these flowers’ heads, they’d all fall out of the candlestick if it weren’t for my one little trick. Continue Reading…

8 Comments