september book giveaway!

August 30, 2016

With September here in a couple of days, I am announcing the next giveaway book. It is The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme. This book is fabulous! If I were to write a book, I would want it to look like this! It includes 125 recipes, crafts, and other ‘homemade adventures.’ Adrianna has created a book that is truly a joy to experience. The recipes, creative inspirations, and DIYs are organized by season – starting with Autumn/October. Anyone that reads this book is sure to enjoy a wonderful takeaway – whether it be a new perspective, or a new recipe.

I feel lucky that Adrianna chose to share her ‘good life’ moments with me in the pages of this creatively inspirational book…I am sure you will feel just as lucky when you read it! Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy for yourself. (The photos here weretaken of my own copy of The Year of Cozy.)

The winner of the August giveaway, My New Roots by Sarah Britton is Sheryle. Enjoy creating some of the healthful plant-based selections in this wonderful cookbook, Sheryle! Click here to read more about this title.

Instagram users, please read on! All during the month of September, in keeping with the giveaway book, let’s share things that make our lives cozy! Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share! Have fun with it!

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

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guilt-free birthday treats

August 26, 2016

A birthday doesn’t have to be defined by a cake dripping in sugary icing, does it?

Because I gave up processed sugar at the start of 2016, I decided this year I would make my own birthday treats so I wouldn’t feel obligated to indulge in a sugary dessert that might not even be my favorite taste treat.

My two favorite tastes this time of year? Watermelon and fig…not necessarily combined, of course.

I looked through this month’s giveaway book, My New Roots by Sarah Britton, to get some recipe ideas! I decided to make the Walnut Fig Bars. My love for figs was the motivation for this choice, but it seemed a good recipe to try out for the upcoming fall season as well. (For a chance to win your own copy of My New Roots, click here and leave a comment.)

I also leafed through my go-to recipe book, Clean Slate from the editors of Martha Stewart Living for dessert ideas. This book was given to me as a Christmas gift last year and it jump-started a whole new way of eating – an unprocessed foods way of eating! I love frozen treats and this book included a few recipes for really simple frozen treat ideas. I chose a watermelon-lime granita to add to my birthday dessert selection!

With just three ingredients – watermelon, honey, and lime juice – what could be easier, or tastier, for an icy birthday treat! Watermelon and frozen – a great summer birthday combination!

To make: Pulse 7 cups chopped seedless watermelon, ¼ cup honey and 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice in a food processor until smooth. Pour into an 8-inch square glass baking dish, cover tightly, and freeze overnight. To serve, scrape with a fork into bowls.

My birthday present to myself – unprocessed, guilt-free treats!

Thanks for sharing my birthday treats with me today on Friday field trip! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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take a breath

August 16, 2016

Did you know yesterday was National Relaxation Day?

It seems odd to me to assign a relaxation day on a day when so many people are starting a busy work week. Am I the only one that needs to hit the ground running on a Monday morning? I think this day should be renamed ‘National Take 5 Minutes of Relaxation Time’ for the average person to realistically participate! If you have a whole day free to relax, you probably don’t need to!

With that being said, I am sharing my most recent relaxation time – not an entire day, mind you – but, a couple of hours on the water with some friends.

I hope these photos will inspire you to take your ‘5 minutes’ of relaxation time. Take a deep breath and truly relax – even if only for the few minutes it takes you to look through these photos.

Thanks for stopping by.

(No, that’s not me, but my friend is definitely chillaxing…queen of the world!)

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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tomato time of year

July 26, 2016

Don’t you love fresh garden tomatoes? They are THE best!

I thought today I would get you a little excited about using your grill to bring out the best of this glorious summer food! How will I do this? I am going to show you photos of my top two favorite ways to eat fresh garden tomatoes using the grill!

The first way is with cherry tomatoes. The flavor of these little lovelies is so enhanced when heated! Put some fresh picked ones in a shallow pan, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh garden basil, and heat on a covered grill…so flavorful!

The second, and very best way, to enjoy fresh tomatoes on the grill is in pizza! And, grilled pizza is the best! You don’t need to get fancy…the fresh tomatoes do all the work! You can buy grocery store pizza dough and add whatever toppings hit your fancy. Sometimes we just put tomatoes, olive oil and fresh garden basil and that’s it!

Am I putting you in the mood to grill up some fresh garden tomatoes? That is the goal! And, eating your creation al fresco is a must! :)

I hope I have inspired you to come up with your own grilled tomato combinations! Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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girls night out

July 22, 2016

Making Mason jar terrariums is a fun and easy summer activity.

For today’s Friday field trip, I am bringing you to an outdoor garden to share this activity on a stunningly gorgeous summer evening. Cold drinks and interesting conversation are the perfect accompaniments for this fun outdoor get together.

Why not add this activity to your next summer soiree? A very basic terrarium can be easily created with Mason jars, potting soil, charcoal, and decorative pebbles. All the materials needed are easily purchased at a local dollar store or discount store.

To create the terrarium, a 1” layer of pebbles is added to the jar, followed by a thin layer of charcoal and 3” – 4” of potting soil. From there, moss and/or small plants are added as well as any decorative items. After a light watering, the terrarium is complete and the lid can be screwed on.

Adding a decorative feature like a small mushroom or animal gives the terrarium some extra character. (The owls used in these terrariums are actually beads that were attached to toothpicks.) Providing raffia to your guests to tie around the mouth of the jar of the finished terrarium is also a nice detail to include.

As an option, cute little instruction cards can be created and printed on a home computer. Instruct the new terrarium owners to mist the garden lightly occasionally and to remove the top for a while if too much moisture develops.

I hope I have inspired you to have a little terrarium building activity at your next get together – the perfect way to spend a beautiful summer evening!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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bridesmaid proposal bags

July 12, 2016

Today, brides-to-be don’t simply ask a few close friends to serve as their bridesmaids. Rather, they create a whole “would you be my bridesmaid?” occasion to request their friends’ services.

The most popular way to do this seems to be a ‘bridal box.’ This is when a box is sent to each potential bridesmaid through the mail. Inside each box is a gift chosen by the future bride, requesting each recipient serve as a bridesmaid.

I thought; why not use a ‘bridal bag’ instead of a box! A custom bag seems so much cooler than a box!

Working with the future bride and my favorite custom bag creator – Ralph & Martha – this is what we came up with! (You may remember Ralph & Martha from my anchor bag post – click here to see more on that.)

The resulting custom creation was a vegan leather bag displaying each gal’s initial in metallic gold and a gilded tassel pull! When completed, the bride enclosed little surprises inside each bag before distributing them.

We toyed with the idea of printing the text ‘would you be my bridesmaid?’ on a custom fabric for the lining, but decided against it. Instead, the bride wrote an individual personal note to each potential bridesmaid and the lining fabric was used as an opportunity to give a hint of the wedding ceremony location.

The same fern fabric used for the bag’s lining was used to create a surprise bag for the bride-to-be!

I hope you are inspired to create, or help create, a bridesmaid proposal that is unique!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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99 cent diy table numbers

July 5, 2016

The cost of throwing parties, particularly weddings, has gotten crazy expensive. The good news is that the little details that make events special can definitely be beautifully executed with very little cost. Like my friend Phyllis says “it’s not what you have, but what you make of it.”

These easy DIY table numbers are made from 99 cent plastic – yes, plastic – Ikea photo frames! You may need to spend a little more than 99 cents to create one if spray paint and paint pens aren’t part of your craft supply repertoire. I happen to have both of these items on hand.

You can choose a color spray paint that best matches your party décor, but choose one with a label indicating adhesion to plastic. I like metallic paints because they add an air of elegance to the final product.

Purchase one frame for each party table. Unwrap each frame, removing the two acrylic plastic inserts and place them aside. Spray the 2 pieces of the frame(s) completely with 2-3 light coats of paint, following the directions on the spray paint can.

While the paint is drying, you can add the desired table number to one of the 2 acrylic pieces using a white, (or whatever color you choose), paint pen. Be sure to remove the protective plastic covering the acrylic before you begin. If you aren’t comfortable drawing a number freehand, no worries! Simply print out a number/type style you like from your home computer and trace it! That is the beauty of the acrylic! Once completed, you can put the second piece of acrylic carefully over the painted piece to protect it from scratching.

Lastly, screw the bottom piece of the frame into the top section and slide in the acrylic pieces.

Beautiful, right? These table numbers coordinate well with many different party themes and decors. I hope I have inspired you to give them a try! Of course, you can always use your painted frame to display a photo!

Note: I used Rust-Oleum metallic spray paints in the colors – some photos are in pure gold and some in hammered rosemary. The pure gold is a smooth finish. The Rust-Oleum hammered metallics create a textured paint finish that you can see in my close-up photo above.

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

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laguna beach!

June 24, 2016

I recently made my first visit to Laguna Beach! It may have been a brief encounter, but it was a fabulous one! I am sharing a few photos today on Friday field trip.

I was in awe of this iconic beach and I had to be sure and document my visit with a few photos. I hope they inspire you to take a trip to a beach – no matter how brief – on one of these marvelous summer days!

I didn’t do any shopping that afternoon in Laguna, but I did bring back a valuable memento. Holding the papers on my office desk is a smooth, pale gray, heart shaped stone that I have marked very carefully in white permanent marker with the letters L-A-G-U-N-A.

It is a reminder that I will be back someday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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family heirloom before & after

June 21, 2016

I am excited to show you a finished piece I have been working on for quite some time. You may have seen a little sneak peek of my progress a little while back, but today I am showing the completion of the project. The piece is a special one because it is the only piece of furniture my friend Tracy kept from her mom’s home after she passed away.I wanted to transform this old buffet into something a little more current for Tracy’s home. First, I did some cleaning of the piece. Then, since the piece had been exposed to a lot of smoke and I was afraid the paint may not adhere properly, I took an extra step of starting with a coat of shellac. Then, I painted the piece with two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old Ochre, making sure to use visible brush strokes – I think that adds some character for an aged look.

After I had the entire piece painted, I decided I should have kept the top of the piece in a natural wood! So, I stripped off the paint I had already put on and gave it a really good sanding with an electric sander. From there, I added three coats of stain and a clear sealer. I had made the right choice…I loved the way the top came out!

For the rest of the piece, I highlighted some areas with Annie Sloan Country Grey. I love the subtle contrast between the Old Ochre and the Country Grey paint. I also added a wash of Country Grey and water to add some depth of color. Next, I added a coat of Annie Sloan clear wax. I did some light distressing before adding a second coat of wax and added some dark wax in areas. I think the piece has a great aged look without being overly distressed.

Next, I needed to update the furniture’s hardware. The original knobs were very simple. I decided to use something a little more ornate and found some knobs I loved for the piece at Anthropologie. The pulls were a little harder to figure out. You can see one of the old pulls above. I wanted a more updated look, but nothing was available that appealed to me in the width of the old pull. I ended up making a special order from Klaffs – a large bath and kitchen store in my area. I would have to fill in the holes from the old pulls and drill new ones to accommodate a newer sized pull. It took me a couple hours to look through a large selection of pulls before I made a decision, but ordering the new hardware was definitely the right decision…the new pulls are great for the piece!

I think the new hardware is perfect!

Don’t you agree?

And, I think the decision to stain the top of the piece was a great one as well! The piece is ready for its new home! I hope it serves Tracy’s mom’s memory proud!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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creating white sea glass

June 14, 2016

Last week, I showed you how easy it is to create a sea glass look to glass using the new Krylon spray paint. I showed a couple of examples to get you inspired.

I received so many emails asking why I didn’t include the ‘ice’ color in my post, I decided to dedicate today’s post to a demonstration of that particular color!

The ‘ice’ color of the Krylon sea glass spray paint actually happens to be my favorite of all the colors! I guess I should have included it in my post last week, but here goes! As I mentioned last week, it takes mere seconds to complete a spray painting project! Here you can see me spraying a cute little Weck jar.