april book giveaway!

March 31, 2017

Spring has sprung! And, even though here in Connecticut we still have plenty of snow on the ground, everyone is starting to think about spending more time outdoors.

This month’s giveaway book, Fire Pit Cooking by Vanessa Bante, embraces this outdoor time by providing plenty of family-fun recipes to make over an outdoor fire pit or campground fire.

Bante demonstrates that cooking over a fire is not just for s’mores! With one or a few fun-to-use tools―pie irons, foil, or simply a dowel―you can make family-friendly dishes over your backyard fire pit. With 75 scrumptious recipes like Apple & Cheese Quesadillas, Spaghetti Pie Iron Sandwiches, Maple Chicken with Sweet Potatoes in foil, Pretzel Sticks with Beer Cheese Sauce, Blueberry and Chocolate Iron Sandwich, and Lemon Mousse in Phyllo Cups, every appetite can by satisfied!

Just leave a comment on this post to be entered to win Fire Pit Cooking! Congrats go out to Donna, winner of last month’s giveaway Jar Salads by Alexander Hart. Click here to read more about the selection. Donna, enjoy this great recipe book! Thank you to everyone who participated.

Instagram users, please read on for the April challenge! In keeping with the theme of our giveaway book, let’s share all food cooked outdoors! Did you create a cool meal on your fire pit? A new variety of s’more? Please share photos on Instagram this month using hashtag #pleasuregram. (If you need some s’more ideas, click here.)

Thank you for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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50 shades of gray eggs

March 28, 2017

Easter eggs don’t have to be in bright rainbow colors! This year, I have a gray theme going on. I think I picked gray because I really want to redo a bathroom in gray and gold, but don’t have the funds needed to do a great job! So, for now, my Easter eggs will have to satisfy my bathroom vision!

I started by prepping the eggs. I remove the insides first. This way, if I want to keep the eggs, they are good for as long as I want them!

I use a pin to put a hole in each side – starting with the smaller side of the egg. After I get one pin prick, I add a few more to make the hole a tad bigger. It helps to hold the needle with a dish cloth to get a good grip on it. Gripping the needle near the end and moving slowly, I pierce the egg using a controlled motion.

After both holes are made, I use an opened paper clip to pierce the insides of the egg. Pushing the paper clip in, out, and around many times…the more the insides are broken up, the easier it flows out!

gray and gold easter eggs pleasure in simple things blog

On some of the eggs I added gold with gold metallic paint – sometimes using a toothbrush to splatter the paint onto the egg.

Then, I gently blow on the smaller of the 2 holes to completely remove the inside of the egg. This is a good project during television watching! (Not during This Is Us though – no distractions needed during that show!)

initial easter egg pleasure in simple things blog

Here I used gold leaf to create an initial on one of the dyed eggs.

For the coloring part, I make my own dye using food coloring. I simply mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 cup hot water, and food coloring in a cup – one for each color – making sure the container can fit an egg. I use paste food dye because the colors are more intense, but the drops that most people have in their kitchen work as well. The liquid food coloring requires at least 20 drops to the mixture to make a good egg color.

Now for the fun part…decorating!

I hope I have inspired you to create some dyed eggs of your own. If you need some decorating ideas, click here to see a few of my egg decorating ideas from the past, or click here for picnic themed Easter eggs.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out some of this year’s egg creations. Remember to take pleasure in simple things…like dyeing an Easter egg! xo Jackie

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art to help hunger

March 24, 2017

A work colleague was recently made aware of a really cool community service project and I – with a group of friends – got involved to help the cause!

The charity we identified created an ‘empty bowls’ event. This entailed a modest soup meal donated by a restaurant with the charity offering the meal for sale to the public. Guests at the event also had the opportunity, while enjoying some soup, to purchase an ‘empty bowl.’ The proceeds from the bowls, in addition to the meal, were then used to feed the hungry. A great idea, right?

Are you wondering why someone would be motivated to buy an empty bowl? Well, the bowls were all hand decorated! “Who decorated the bowls,” you ask? Why, myself and my group of friends – in addition to many other volunteers – all in all there were over 1,000 decorated bowls for sale at the event!For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some photos of the bowls decorated by my inspired group!

Some simple pottery bowls were painted, and later fired, in preparation for the ‘empty bowls’ event. Every bowl we decorated (after it was fired) was sold at the event and the proceeds used to help feed the hungry. I love the whole concept of this event!

I hope today’s post has inspired you to participate in some community service – or, better yet, to create your own ‘empty bowls’ event in your area!

The bowls on the left are the ‘before’ and the bowls on the right are ‘after’ the firing process…ready to be sold at the event!

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy your weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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diy easter bird nests

March 21, 2017

In the spirit of spring, today I am sharing an easy DIY for one of the many nests I make out of edible materials. This one is simply shredded wheat and chocolate chips.

The shredded wheat is the original unsweetened variety that comes in the big ‘logs’…I think you must know what I am referring to. For the chips, I have used butterscotch flavored chips – chosen because of the color. You can use the chocolate ones if you prefer a dark brown color for your nests. White chips are also an option and can be used as white or can be tinted with food coloring in any color you choose.

To make: For 4 small nests, you will need 2 shredded wheat ‘logs’ and about 6 ounces of butterscotch pieces. First, separate the wheat logs as shown below and set aside.

Melt the butterscotch pieces slowly over a double boiler just until melted. Remove from heat and gently fold in the prepared shredded wheat until coated. Form four nests on waxed paper and leave to harden. Use jellybeans or small candy eggs to decorate.

These nests make great table decor and are perfect on an Easter table.

I hope I have inspired you to create some of your own nests!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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an alligator encounter

March 17, 2017

A recent work trip to Florida gave me the opportunity to see an alligator close up! I have been to Florida before, but never really got the chance to check one out.

The first one I saw in the wild looked like this:

Creepy looking, isn’t it? Then, I got the chance to hear a little about alligators and their habits at a sanctuary from someone that actually handles the alligators…and, this was one of the monsters he handles!

I found this guy really fascinating! He looked so prehistoric! Look at the surface of his body up close!

Now, look how ‘up close’ the handler got!

Yikes! I would never get close to that one! But, I did touch one of the smaller ones…of course it wasn’t possible for the one I touched to open his jaw the way the big one did!

I hope you enjoyed sharing my first alligator encounter on today’s Friday field trip!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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hanging plants in eggs diy

March 14, 2017

It does seem a little bit crazy to think that while the snow is piling up outside, I am posting an Easter project! But, hey – we have already changed the clocks and Target has more flavors of Peeps on display than I have ever seen in my entire life! There are even Peep Oreos on the shelves! So, I will not feel guilty about starting Easter DIYs!

And, if 2 feet of snow is happening while I post this, so be it! Today’s Easter DIY is a simple one – hanging plants…but, the plants are hanging in eggs! I guess I could have made the egg hangers myself. It would probably have been long and tedious work not to break any shells in the process. And, putting the holes in the eggs would be very delicate work!

Instead, I found the eggs at Terrain for $2.50 a piece…a price well worth the convenience! With hanging eggs at the ready, the project was super simple…I just planted – very carefully – in each of the eggs and hung them from branches. Don’t they look super festive!

If you want to do this project completely on your own, you can empty out the eggs, make 2 holes and add twine for hanging, but I recommend purchasing eggs ready to go from Terrain! Or, if you prefer, plant in eggs that don’t hang. (I like to plant shamrocks or pansies in eggshells.) For this project, I chose to plant in natural eggs, but you may decide to plant in eggs that you have dyed. Have fun with it!

I hope I have inspired you to plant in eggshells!

Thank you for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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tommy bahama’s

March 10, 2017

You know I love posting warm weather photos on snowy days! Well, today we have snow here in Connecticut, so for Friday field trip I am posting photos from a recent business trip to Florida!

These photos are from a lunch at the original Tommy Bahamas! Where is the original Tommy Bahamas? In Naples, Florida.

Located on charming, historic Third Street South and a short walk from the Naples Pier, the original Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar has been a part of the Naples scene of over 20 years.

A meal at Tommy Bahama’s was a nice way to spend some of an afternoon in Naples.

The best part of lunch? (No, not the key lime pie!) Spending time with the people I shared it with. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Have a marvelous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things…like sharing a lunch with friends!

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before & after bedside table

March 7, 2017

Today, I am sharing the ‘after’ photos of the little mahogany side table I shared last post. The piece belonged to the owner’s great grandmother and I was determined to redo the table to fit nicely into her new home.

Did you guess what neutral I chose to paint the piece? I decided on Annie Sloan old ochre. It is a nice neutral that has a warm tone and will combine well with both white and gold tones. The piece will be used as a bedside table and, since I’ve seen the bedding in the room, I decided to find accessories to combine with the piece to look great in its new location!

I started with a coat of shellac since the mahogany was sure to show through a light color paint. Next, I painted the piece with two coats of Annie Sloan chalk paint in old ochre. Then, I added a coat of clear wax. In keeping with the tastes of the owner of the piece, I didn’t do any distressing, but I did add a coat of dark wax in some spots. This accented some of the details and added a little depth of color.

For the hardware, I used the original pull and just added a little metallic to brighten up the old finish.

Lastly, I added some fun accessories to coordinate with the bedroom where the little table will be residing. The tea leaves scented candle, lamp, print, and plant all came from Target. The cute succulent paper I used for the drawer liner came from Paper Source.

For such a straight forward paint job, it created quite an update, don’t you think?

Can’t wait to see the table with the new accessories in its new home!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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its always in the details

March 3, 2017

A February day with temps in the high 50’s? What does that mean? Furniture painting projects, of course!

Because of space limitations, nearly all my furniture redo projects are limited to the outdoors. With the record breaking temperature last week, thoughts of tackling one of the projects in queue was inevitable. I decided to start with a little bedside table that would be a straight-forward project. The owner wants a simple, single color neutral as a finish. And, even though I really want to paint the piece charcoal gray and sand and stain the top, I think it is important to create something the owner would truly love in her home. Especially since the piece belonged to her great grandmother.

The table just needs a little love to make it current.

For Friday field trip today, I am giving you a ‘before’ photo and a little hint of the details I have started to put together to make the piece perfect for the owner. I am putting together some accessories to go with the finished piece to make it really personal to the recipient.

Can you guess what color I am painting the piece?

Remember, the owner wants a neutral. I will give you a hint that it is an Annie Sloan color.

Well, let me get back to work…

I hope you will join me on Tuesday to check out the finished piece!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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before & after bedside table

its always in the details