What would I do without my vacations?

You may ask, vacations, didn't you JUST go on a vacation and yes I did!  I'm just super lucky to be able to go on another so soon.  We went to Sin City, Vegas baby:)   It was a short, but sweet time Las Vegas.  The hubby and I went to Vegas for his buddy's wedding, he was the best man.

This was the fabulous hotel we stayed at, The Bellagio:)

The Bellagio holds a special place in my heart because this is where the hubby proposed:)

We had a spectacular view from our room, too!  It was overlooking the fountains and the strip.  We couldn't have asked for anything better.

Inside of the Bellagio at the gardens it was quite the site:)

2012 Checklist!

Sometimes projects and myself just don't get along, unless if I make a list of some sort, so that's what I'm planning on doing!  I think by putting this on my blog then I will be more willing to completely finish or in some cases even start these projects!  I hope I'm not the only one who has this problem....  I've been thinking about my 2012 list for a while now and this is what I came up with:

1. Make my closet pretty and organized.  Right now my closet is just blah and not too organized.  I need to spruce it up a bit and here is some inspiration that I have found on other sites

Censational Girl

I Heart Organizing

I love the stripes in the first closet and the simplicity of it and the second one I love the organization of everything.  I know these aren't closets for your clothes, but I like the design aspects of them.

2.  Lose Weight.  Isn't this on everyone's to do list for 2012?

3.  Make curtains for our bedroom and our other bedroom.

4.  Make a full length mirror for our bedroom such as this one:

Love these mirrors....the one I make won't be quite this big though.

5.  Work on mini sewing projects just for fun! Especially one like this one I just finished!

Wine Cover

6.  Organize, organize, and organize with boxes and totes, or whatever will do the job!  The ones below are cute and functional:)

The City Sage

7.  This summer give some special attention to our landscaping and possibly try to grow a garden!

8. DIY Wedding Photo Canvas.  I haven't printed off any wedding photos yet and we were married in July...yikes!!!  I thought these would be perfect to try out with our wedding photos:)

What's on your list or do you have one for 2012?

Until next time!

Easy, Fast, and Yummy Casserole

I bet right now you are thinking, NO WAY!  How can all of those words be in the same phrase together, but I kid you not this recipe is all of those things;)

This weekend the hubs mom and dad came over to our place to help on the basement.  While they were doing that I was slaving over the stove all day, not really....like I said this recipe is easy, fast, yummy, and I'm going to add healthy!!!  You really can't go wrong with this recipe.

It is called Chicken Stuffing Casserole, how orginal huh?

Well, these are the ingreidents and steps that you need to take in order to have a delish dish!!!!

Ingredients:
1 10 3/4 oz can of fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 box of dressing
1 cup of milk
3  chicken breasts cooked and cubed (aka cc)
2 cups of fat free mozierella cheese
3 cups of broccoli florrets (cooked of course)

Step 1: Set your oven to 375 degrees
Step 2: Since I bought the microwave broccoli florrets in the frozen food section,  I just put them in the microwave for 5 minutes and let them cook.  This was the first time that I used this product for this recipe and I must say how much I loved it because it was so easy and quick!

Very easy and yummy:p

~Wine Cover Love~

So far this weekend, I have been keeping super busy between cleaning the house, helping in the basement, and working on my crafts.  I just had to get my craft on this weekend and I wanted to share with you all what I finished.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love sweet wine.  Now, I don't mean I drink it all the time, I just have a passion for wine.  It is definitely my alcoholic drink of choice:)  Also, anyone who knows me   will tell you I have fallen head over heals for Pinterest....sigh!!!!  I guess, really who hasn't?!?!?!?

So the other night, I was going through the P boards and I came across a gem of a tutorial for a wine cover!  I thought to myself this is perfect and pretty cute:)  Plus, I could try out my brand new Brother sewing machine for only $50 that I bought the day after Thanksgiving!

Sew Sane Jane

You can find the lovely tutorial on the link above!  You should try it because after my first one it was really cake to whip up.  You can't beat the price either, they are so cheap to make.

So, I thought I would make one for myself and if they turn out well then I would make some for my friends, just because they are so awesome:)

Yes, they are the best frans a girl could ask for:)

Organization = Pure Bliss:)

Here in Iowa we were blessed with 6 inches of white, fluffy snow:)  You know what that means, a SNOW day!!!  So, I didn't have work today and I accomplished quite a bit such as: cleaning bathroom - check, pick up bedroom, living room and kitchen - check, check, and check, help hubby in basemnet - check, and organizing the coat closet.  I must say the coat closet was looking pretty scary and I hate when things are a complete disaster!

Warning, warning....when I say disaster, that's what I truly mean.  So, please excuse the mess!!!

Please excuse the mess...

Top part of the closet

Style for Less

Hey All:) Here we are yet again, (almost) Friday!  The weather man is predicting another snow storm here in Iowa.  I say bring it on because I'm ready for it.  I think I live for the snow in the winters!

I made my weekly stop at the Hobby Lobby and yes I found some wonderful purchases!  Recently, I've just redecorated our bedroom, well I'm still in the process.  I tend to be pretty picky about the wall decor that I buy and I have checked out Hobby Lobby, Kohl's, and Gordman's, I couldn't find anything that went with the theme of our bedroom.  Sooooo, I just DIYed my own:)  

I have been kind of antsy lately, actually deprived from crafting, so it was about my time to put something crafty together.  Since my color scheme is purple and gray, I wanted my wood/wire color to be darker also, so I found these lovely little guys at the Hobby!

Isn't it just lovely? It goes perfectly with my other decor too:)

They just sparkle once the light hits them:)  LOVE them!!!

I'm In Love!

Ever since the hubby and I got hitched over the summer, I have been ordering things non-stop from the fabulous Shutterfly!  I just can't get enough of it.  Plus, the best part is that they run such great deals or give you such wonderful coupons you really can't pass up purchasing pictures or arranging a perfect picture book:) 

Don't get me wrong the process of putting a picture book together, especially one where that you tweak, can be very time consuming, but so much fun:)  I just made one for our honeymoon to Hawaii and this is a sneak peak of some of it!

I like the picture boarder.

I love the arrangements:)

On Shutterfly, they actually have a place where you can customize your book to whatever your liking may be!  That is just what I did and i love how it turned out!  Don't you?


On top of that, I just recieved a $20 coupon on any purchase from Shutterfly.  Of course, I had to order some pictures.  Here's to hoping that they turn out really nice!!!!  I'm crossing my fingers and toes because I just may be making a DIY photo canvas to use in our basement.  I hope it turns out:)

How has your experience been with Shutterfly and have you found any great dealos from them?

I hope all is well with everyone and that you are enjoying your lovely week!!!!!  Until next time.....  :)

I've linked up on: My Girlish Whims, 

Ugly Christmas Sweater Par-teee

The last 2 weekends ago, the hubs and I hosted an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party and it turned out to be a blast!  We provided food, drink, and just play fun:)  We even had a White Elephant gift exchange.  It was a little after holiday vaca, but everyone was super busy around that time and it just worked out better to have our party at a later time!

Enjoying the company:)

Lucy sporting a pink sweater!  i couldn't find any sweater that was really ugly in the dog section!

Plenty of delicious yummy food to choose from:)

Adorable Little DIY Hand Bag!!!!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend:)  It is already Sunday:o  Before I start with my project that I wanted to share with you all, I wanted to say a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful husband!!!!  It is his birthday today.

Happy Birthday Hunny:)

And So It Continues....:)

Hey All!!!  I have some very exciting news to tell you and of course it has to do with our basement renovation:)  We went to our home away from home, Menard's and saw that they had our vanity choice on sale along with our counter top for our bathroom.  I just had to have my hubby take a picture of the samples, so all of my followers could see our progress or should I say choices!!!

Vanity color and style of the cabinets:)

Some Basement Inspiration:)

Well, I have been keeping myself busy lately with finding some inspiring basement ideas!  I want to take some inspiration a little here and a little there, piece it altogether, to mold it into what we would need....  So, here are some different ideas/pictures that I have found from HGTV on Rate My Space and a couple other blogs!  I just have to say that I LOVE Rate My Space (HGTV) part of the website because it is ordinary people doing real reno's and special touches to their homes:)

 Here is one idea that I wanted to try for our stairway going to the basement:

This is tiny I know:(  Look at the paint job though....it is very neat!

I would like to do this to our entryway down the stairs to our basement...I don't know how this would work though..hmmmm?!?!?  i like the idea of the neutral striped colors:)

Let me explain what we are planning on doing, we want to have a bar/ table area on one side, 

HGTV - Rate My Space

 What I really like about this bar is the display shelving for the alcohol and I love the modern feel to it!

New Year = New Me & New House:)

Hey there fellow Bloggers!!!  It sure has been a while since I've been on here!  I have been busy with putting away Christmas gifts and finding new homes for them:)  Our house is already short on storage and yet we still have to figure out what to do with our gifts...YiKeS!!!

The hubby and I had a fabulous holiday!  It was spent with family and we had TONS of yummy food.  I can't believe that Christmas is once again over with!  It always goes by soo fast...    I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and will be enjoying the new year to come!!!!

Yes, and even our puppy got Christmas presents:)

My lovely gift from my awesome hubby:)