Tag: DIY

in bloom

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nothing screams spring to me as much as fresh cut flowers. since there are so many varieties and arrangements that can be created a beautiful bouquet is and easy way to add newness to any space.

this season i have a few inexpensive favourites that i keep playing around with to create new designs. flowers don’t have to be expensive, and you don’t need to buy a lot of them, just know which ones you like and the colours that will best accent your space.

tulips have been my go to for the last few months. they come in bouquets of 7-15 flowers and can be split up in smaller vases to use around the house. the trick with tulips is actually to keep fewer flowers in one vase as they tend to wilt when too many are kept together.

i also have a tendency of buying what people call “filler flowers” and mixing and matching them to create my own spin. i love daisies, carnations and baby’s breath which are all fairly inexpensive and can be mixed together nicely to create different looks each time

most Mother’s expect some form of flower arrangement for Mother’s Day. putting your own spin on it can make the arrangement more personal and less run of the mill. i just put together three mason jars for Mother’s Day which cost nothing to create and will be a nice to change to the standard bouquet of roses or orchid pot.

xx- aboutthesmallthings

better than licking the bowl

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i’ve never been much of a baker. i’m the kind of cook that finds a recipe and kind of sort of follows it. i like to make my own tweaks and changes and you can’t really do that with baking. if one measurement is off you get bagel cake instead of short cake or solid lumps of cookie instead of ooey gooey goodness. that said, my boyfriend does have quite the sweet tooth and every now and then i like to throw together a sweet treat for him. since i’m a baking novice but still want to look like i know what i’m doing i’ve gone for easier recipes that look way more complicated to the untrained eye. i started with slutty brownies (huge success!) and the stared searching for other recipes that were fairly easy to execute but that the final result looked semi-pro.

and then i stumbled across this gem. again, combining the things everyone loves into one bite size morsel. i found a recipe, for cookie dough fudge. it was the kind of recipe that brings you back to making cookies with your mom and wanting to lick the batter right off the spoon, and then getting the lecture about how raw eggs were bad for you or something. blah blah, you just wanted to eat the cookie dough! well, this recipe has successfully recreated an edible cookie dough with no raw eggs that is incredibly rich and delicious, and even easier to make.

I highly recommend throwing this together for your next dinner party, graduation, holiday meal or saturday night girls’ night. really, it’s good for anything and tastes like cookie dough heaven

Ingredients:
Cookie Dough:
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 c. mini chocolate chips
Topping:
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2/3 c. milk chocolate chips
Directions:
  1. In a large bowl, mix together butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  2. With the mixer on low speed, alternate mixing in flour and sweetened condensedmilk and mix until combined.  Gently fold in mini chocolate chips with spatula.
  3. Line 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.  Press the cookie dough into the pan (the cookie dough may be sticky, so lightly flour your hands).
  4. Cover the bars with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight until firm.
  5. For topping, combine the peanut butter and milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until smooth.  Spread the mixture over the cookie dough bars.  Chill the bars for 1 hour or until topping is firm.

xx-aboutthesmallthings and enjoy!

a little slutty

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slutty brownies that is. i have no idea who came up with the name, and i’ve seen PG-13 versions of the dessert, but with such an indulgent item, go big or go home.it’s the world’s simplest concept- layer of cookie dough, layer of oreos, topped off with a layer of brownies. what could be bad about that? the answer is literally nothing. they’re super easy to make and a huge hit for valentine’s day. i took the leftovers to the office which was also another huge win (for me because i didn’t eat them all and for everyone craving that mid-afternoon snack).

i highly recommend making them. everyone will love you. seriously

Recipe below-

Cookie Dough
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Oreo
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos

Brownie
1 box of your favourite Brownie mix
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.

2. For the Cookie Dough: Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of prepared pan. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix according to directions, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. Brownies may still be gooey in the middle when still warm, but will set up perfectly once cooled. Enjoy!!

*Place the pan in the fridge to speed up the cooling process, but plan on at least 2 hours for brownies to cool / set up completely.

*Feel free to use store-bought cookie dough to make this even easier!

xx- aboutthesmallthings (trust me, you’ll thank me)

counting down

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each year, on the 363rd day of the year, i ask myself the same question: what am i doing for new year’s eve? the truth of it is, i’m not really one for the big new year’s festiviites. each time i’ve attempted to go to one of the “typical” new year’s soirees thrown by a club or restaurant, i end up very disappointed in how my night played out. i call it my new year’s curse, but have found that the best new year’s celebrations i’ve had to date are the ones spent with close friends or family at home.

don’t get me wrong, i love a good party, but i like it on my own terms. i get to create my own theme, make my own food, indulge in my own decor. i don’t have to fight the crowds or the long taxi lines at home but i still get to have a fun filled party night without the hectic-ness or the chaos

so my plan for this year? a sparkle and shine themed new year’s eve bash at a friends house. in order to create a new year’s eve celebration that is memorable and fun i have my celebration essentials all set and ready to go

My NYE essentials include:

  1. My polaroid camera to capture and instantly print the memories of the night
  2. My New Year’s camera props
  3. A dark and sparkly manicure (Essie “Over the Edge” and Julep “Chatoya” make the perfect NYE look)
  4. My Michael Kors Elsie Clutch (holiday gift to me from me!)
  5. Mac Rebel lipstick
  6. The highest high heels I own

What are you’re NYE go to’s? Whatever they are, have a wonderful night and a happy New Year!

xx- aboutthesmallthings

it’s all about the small things

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at this time of year everyone is moving so quickly in so many different directions that sometimes it’s good to stop and say thank you to the people that make our every day lives just a little more pleasant. there are always a lot of people to gift each holiday season, and sometimes it’s the people we move to the bottom of the list that actually merit the most thanks. it’s also not about how much you spend, it’s about showing people that you’ve taken the time to acknowledge the difference they make in your life.

for instance, i have by far the best building superintendent you could ask for. he is always smiling and pleasant and knows everyone by name. he is always so grateful that when we have an issue in our apartment that we are understanding of the time it takes to resolve the problem. this is someone who at times moves to the bottom of a holiday gifting list but it’s the smallest thing to show you appreciate the time he takes to remember your name that counts. the best gifts i’ve found in these situations is a nice bottle of wine, a gift basket for his family or anything of the homemade baked variety

this year, i’ve been baking away in order to say thank you to the people that help me the most in my life. my budget is tight this year but a few ingredients at the grocery stores and some dollar store wrapping go a long way to make someone feel special at holiday time. this is a great office gift for people you’d like to thank but aren’t able to go out and buy gifts for. cookies and pastries definitely say a sweet “thank you” over the holiday time

remember, at the end of the day, it’s about the small things in life that make the biggest difference

xx and happy holidays! aboutthesmallthings

baby it’s cold outside

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i am not the biggest winter fan, even less so after coming back from a beach vacation. coming back to snow and slush isn’t quite the same as watching the ocean get closer and closer as a plane begins its decent into a warm climate. the return to winter comes with many challenges- winter boots, winter jackets, impending snow storms and the worst- the ever so fun back from vacation cold.

i just returned back from the sun to all of the above with the worst of the worst snow storm and a nagging sniffle threatening to turn cold at any minute

so what did i do? i retaliated that’s what! by making the world’s fastest, simplest and most delicious chicken soup

anyone who says making soup is time consuming has never tried this recipe- it’s 10 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cook time

the result? delicious and comforting homemade chicken soup!

Ingredients

  1. Chicken breasts (for a small portion like the one i made last night, i used two boneless chicken breasts)
  2. 5 carrots
  3. 4 celery stalks
  4. Half an onion
  5. 3 cloves of garlic
  6. Salt and pepper to taste
  7. Enough water to cover all ingredients and create the broth

Recipe

  1. Roughly chop the onion, carrots and celery and put aside
  2. Fill a medium size pot with water, add salt, and bring to a boil
  3. Chop your chicken into mid size cubes (if you’re using chicken with the bones, don’t cut anything off the bone, leave them in as it adds more flavour)
  4. Once the water begins to boil, turn the heat on your burner down and add your chicken. Simmer for 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
  5. Add your vegetables to the water (including your garlic) and the salt and pepper to taste
  6. Leave your soup simmering for 30 minutes
  7. Voila! Soup!

**You can make any kind of soup pasta or rice if you’d like a carb with your meal, otherwise the chopped vegetables taste delicious on their own with the chicken and the soup

xx- aboutthesmallthings

project wish list

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i stumbled across a wall decor situation the other day that i’ve fallen in love with

it’s something that can really only be done in a specific space, and unfortunately my current apartment won’t allow for it (my walls are currently occupied with picture frames and large prints). fortunately the plan is to move this summer so i can spend the next few months gathering the necessary supplies for my project wish list.

one of the main components to the success of this setup is finding themed prints. i love fashion and photography so i’ll likely end up going in that general direction. there are a million options to chose from but finding a cohesive theme is key or else the space looks disjointed and confusing. I’ve seen people use actual personal pictures, vintage paris, shoes, fashion sketches, the possibilities are endless. for my theme I’ve looked online and found some great prints of varying sizes on Etsy and also at Chapters.

once the prints are ordered and ready, the next step is finding simple frames. the frames can be all the same color or varying color stories- the idea though is to try and find the frames that will have the print centered and have a white backing behind them

finally- chose a wall. if you’re really daring and have the freedom to do so, paint the wall a complementary color to the room it is in (red, teal, black if you’re really feeling adventurous)

if you’re really looking for a bold statement, add a 3 dimensional center piece to your wall statement. most home decor stores offer a section where your can find a faux deer bust or rabbit bust to hang on the wall. i’ve seen these available at the Simons home section as well as at Indigo

Voila! your wall is done! you can add, remove and change prints as frequently as you’d like, or leave the wall as is without changes. the whole project shouldn’t set you back more than $200 if done frugally (use Winners Homesense for the frames for example as opposed to a framing store)

http://www.etsy.com

xx- aboutthesmallthings

passed the bar

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DIY bar

This particular project was a few years in the making. a friend of mine bought these beautiful old crates from a market and had turned them into shelving in his room. i liked the idea and had been looking for a creative way to increase the storage in my own apartment. i have a very small kitchen and all of my wine glasses, wine bottles and bar accessories were taking up much needed real estate in my cabinets.

the issue i was having is being able to find crates at a reasonable price and really having the time to scour the city to find them. when looking at a market, it has to be in season or nothing is available- this rules out about about 7 months of the year due to the winter and the markets being closed. when looking online you often come across antiques which are beautiful but can range in price from $45-$120 a crate which is more than I wanted to spend for the entire project.

i was about to give up, but on a recent trip to Toronto ended up in a large Winners Homesense. turns out they have an incredible selection of vintage inspired pieces that don’t break the bank. I was able to find an array of crates with different finishes and designs varying in price from $14-$30. i left that day with 2 large crates, 2 medium crates and a small one all for under $100. i also picked up an inexpensive wine rack, a cart from IKEA meant to be used in a bathroom and 2 metal bins that would be perfect in the summer to fill with ice to keep drinks cold. i topped off the whole project with the leftover candles and decor from the engagement party project

the result? a unique bar setup in my living room and more storage space in my kitchen cabinets

xx aboutthesmallthings

backyard whimsy

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recently i’ve had a secret desire to quit my day job and do a complete life 180. there is a part of my brain that is incredibly creative but it tends to be suppressed more often than not due to the nature of my job. so instead of quitting my job and starting over i’m looking for small ways to still be creative within my incredibly structured daily life

the most recent way i’ve been able to do this being an engagement party i was able to help plan. i was able to put together an understated yet whimsical backyard engagement bash (on a budget i might add)

i took to a variety of lower price point stores such as the local dollar stores and the targets in the city and began my mission of finding a hodge podge of accessories that fit my vision. my goal was for no two tables to be identical but that they would all have pieces that fit together. how i was able to accomplish this was through a mixture of dollar store mason jars ($2 for large jars and 3 small ones for $1), lanterns and candles, target liquidation section vases, fabric stores for the runner and 5 identical bouquets of flowers that i mixed and matched in the variety of jars. All of the decorations (except the flowers which put me a bit over budget) came to under $150

the end result? a beautiful backyard that once the sun went down glimmered with candlelight