Feeling Bubbly

Posted on May 7, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Hey bloggy friends! Kevin and I are headed to Florence today! Our trip is almost half over already – I guess time flies when you’re having fun!

Today we have one of my best blog friends, Ashley from Attempts at Domestication, here to teach us how to make her adorable burlap bubble wreath! It’s one of my favorite projects she’s done so far, but be sure to head on over to her blog and check out some of her other awesome projects (like her gorgeous nightstands and DIY dining room curtains)!

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Hello there LHBH readers! I’m Ashley from Attempts At Domestication, it’s so nice to meet you!

While Jess and Kevin are soaking up the luxuries of Europe I’m here sharing some one of my favorite seasonal DIY projects, making wreaths. My favorite wreath I’ve made to date is my burlap bubble wreath.

All you need is about 2 yards of burlap, a foam wreath form, and a pack of sewing pins. If you want to make a wreath like this you really need to use foam, it makes it WAY easier. Start by wrapping a few strips of burlap around the form, so there’s no white foam poking through and pin it in place. I had already jumped into the project at this point but you get the idea.

Now it’s time to make your “bubbles”. Start with a piece of burlap that’s around 4″x4″ (I definitely didn’t measure each square, just eyeball it).

1. Fold the square in half to make a triangle by bringing two corners together. (I used the blue pin to help show you which way I was folding and pinning.)

2. Bring the left corner of the triangle down and line it up with the bottom corner on the front side.

3. Fold the right corner down and line it up on the back side. This is your “bubble.”

4. Pin the bubble to you wreath. It helps if you try to pin it behind the other bubble to hide your pins. I really had to do this since I used colored pins. (They were on sale )

Keep going around the circle until you have a full wreath. Don’t worry about decorating the back, unless you really want to, but the wreath will lay flatter on your door without bubbles on the back.

The best part about this wreath is that it can be decorated differently for each season. In the fall I attached a few leaves and some brown ribbon…

…and in the spring I made some fun fabric flowers to brighten things up.

If any of you try this project out I hope you’ll let me know! Happy crafting!

Thanks so much for having me Jess! I hope you’re having a blast!

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Viva I’Italia!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Good morning! After an amazing day in Innsbruck, Austria yesterday, we’re finally in Italy! We’re here in Venice until tomorrow, then hop a train south to Florence and Rome! Follow us on Instagram (@littlehousebigheart) and twitter (@lilhousebgheart) to see some pics from the trip!

And today, here to help us all get in touch with our inner Italian is Rebecca from Happy Accidents!

Rebecca’s a newcomer to the blogging world (and a fellow engineer) but I’m already in love with her blog (especially these adorable Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cupcakes)! She’s here today to share her amazing trip to Italy with us, so sit back and enjoy her phenomenal photos! When you’re done here, pop over and check out her blog!

***

First I want to say THANK YOU to Jess (and Kevin) for letting me guest blog for them. I only just started blogging and have recently been super busy (we sold a house, moved into an apartment then bought a house and moved in there all within 1 month) but I hope to get a lot more active in blogging and Little House Big Heart has been a great inspiration to me for over a year of following along [LHBH EDIT: Aw, Rebecca, we're blushing!].

When Jess posted they would be going to Italy, I was excited to volunteer to share some Italy insight and blog about my trip there almost 3 years ago. Let’s look at some of the sights I really enjoyed and I’m sure we’re all excited for Jess and Kevin to see so we can hear about the entire experience.

After a brief layover in Munich Germany (Jess and Kevin visited here, too), we landed in Rome and got a taxi ride in to the city. When planning our trip we decided to go on a tour because neither my Mom nor I have been much of a traveler. We chose Collete Vacations and I could rave about them for weeks. Everything was thoroughly planned out, we had plenty of free time to explore on our own and we even got to see sights I didn’t even think of when we decided on the locations in Italy we wanted to visit. In our Italian Vistas tour we got to see everything we wanted and more. It may have been more expensive than planning out ourselves but the convenience of the travel was worth it. And they only left without us once…

Rome was absolutely fantastic. I could have spent 2 weeks there alone. There are a million sights to see. We walked around on our own twice and covered only parts of the city. My parents have since gone to Rome twice (lucky ducks) and still find new things each time they are there. My main points of interest were the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the Vatican (although it’s technically its own country). None of these places disappointed.

During our free exploring time in Rome we headed “downtown” to see all the sights it offered. Our hotel was only a couple blocks from so many points of interest, mainly the old and new forum. Various churches such as Basilica de Santa Maria Maggiore (dedicated to the Virgin Mary), San Pietro in Vincoli (home of the statue of Moses) and San Pietro in Vincoli (build to house the chains that bound St. Peter).

Panoramic of the Old Forum. Much of it was destroyed and built over top of.

Museo Sacrario delle Bandiere – remarkable marble carvings

Having taken a class in college on Ancient Greece and Rome I was fascinated by the Colosseum. It’s prominent anywhere in downtown Rome and allows for incredible photos. I could have looked at it all day. Pictures don’t even do it justice. The layers of history, the views of the city from it, the SIZE…all amazing.

I seriously can’t get over this giant beauty

Some of the “new” forum on the right

You don’t know what old is until you visit Europe and personally I feel Rome.

Viewing the different levels from the inside

The Trevi Fountain is the best place for a relaxing stop during the afternoon. It’s a bit of a walk from “downtown” Rome, but the water makes it cool in hot weather and the gentle sounds of water are so relaxing. We got sandwiches and gelato (YUM) and spent an hour or so here.

Just can’t get enough of this picture

Myth has it that if you throw a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand you’ll come back to Rome someday. Of course they told us this BEFORE telling us that going to the Vatican technically meant leaving Rome and coming back. But it worked for my Mom to come again so I’m sure it will for me someday. Hope Jess and Kevin don’t miss a chance to throw a coin!

The Pantheon in Rome is a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome. The most fascinating feature of this building to me (as an engineer) was the that the circular part of the building is built entirely out of unreinforced concrete which has stood for over 2,000 years with a hole in the middle (the oculus) open to the sky. It really is an architectural wonder.

Spectacular with the sun shining in

The portico connected to the rotunda is held up by 8 LARGE granite columns. My parents said there is a fabulous cafe across the street from here where they spent many evenings sipping wine and enjoying the sights

We spent a long afternoon in the Vatican. First we visited the Vatican Museum and walked through various galleries of art, sculptures, maps, painting and various other “collectables”. We couldn’t take pictures in the Sistine Chapel so we got a briefing out in the gardens ahead of time. It’s amazing in there. I’m not Catholic but it represents so much. Having been here actually made the election of the Pope much more interesting to me this year. The painted ceiling depicting The Last Judgment, knowing the time and energy Michelangelo put in to it, is breathtaking.

Map room with paintings on the ceiling

Leaving the Sistine Chapel we went into St. Peter’s Basilica. Architecture in here including the dome (which is the largest in the world) is astonishing. There is enough history here to explore for hours.

I hope Jess and Kevin really enjoy taking in the sights and history of Rome, but don’t forget to have some fun too.

After taking a boat trip to The Island of Capri out of Naples (I heard they have great pizza) and another boat afterwards to Vietri Sul Mare, we headed to Pompeii the next day. Again, it was hot, but the sights and history were captivating. I spent a unit of a class in College learning about Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius so this was another trip I was excited for. How anything is left standing after the natural disaster and all these years is inconceivable.

Streets along the shops

Inside a shop

Maybe it’s the engineer in me, but the buildings that still stand and layers of materials for construction is so interesting to see.

Remnants

A fun fact about Pompeii is they have welcomed stray dogs to call this home for years. Various mosaics that survived even show the love for dogs. As dog lovers themselves, I think Jess and Kevin would enjoy this.

After a drive along the coast and through a bit of Tuscany we made it into Florence. The tour hit some sights of Florence such as the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and then gave us little self-exploring time.

The Façade is the collective work of various artists

The Duomo

We also saw models of famous statues such as The Statue of David by Michelangelo. We actually visited the Accademia Gallery where the original statue is kept but there are no picture allowed.

Palazzo Vecchio (David is off to the right)

Another stop of our tour took us to the Basilica de la Santa Croce. The tombs of many famous artists are here such as Leonardo De Vince. The architecture in this church is so intricate (what church in Italy isn’t?). The detailing on the ceiling really caught my eye. DIY anyone?

I’d highly recommend that Jess makes sure she gets a chance to explore the shopping carts. It’s never ending and you could seriously get lost, so drop bread crumbs.

Which way do I go?

Ponte Vecchio. Bridge with various shops, unfortuantely our only exploring time was late

Although we didn’t get to be here more than a day I can say it’s a city of beauty and fashion from the people to the buildings.

Hotel rooftop terrace

Our last stop in Rome was Venice. It’s awesome to see how EVERYTHING is done by boat from the police boat to food delivery. We left our luggage at the first dock upon arriving in the bus and since we walked to the hotel we watched them unload the boat with it at the hotel. A little bit of throwing was involved…word to the wise, keep your wine bottles separated or else they might break…someone was NOT happy their new leather jacket from Florence was soaked, oops.

Hello Canals!

On our first afternoon in Venice we took a boat to the Island of Murano where they are famous for glass blowing. In 5 minutes this gentleman turned a blob of melted glass into a glass horse.

Craftsmanship at it’s finest

The canals are a lovers’ paradise. So beautiful and romantic. We had a bit of a rainy stay here but it did clear up enough one afternoon to allow us to enjoy our gondola ride. I really hope Jess and Kevin get to enjoy this with a bottle of wine. Or a 2 liter of wine….

The waiter tried to convince us to get the big bottle (on right) but we said we wouldn’t drink that much, after 2 regular bottle we then bought the middle sized on. When in Rome…(I mean Venice)

The boat dropped us back off at the Piazza San Marco where we visited St Mark’s Basilica. The floors of the church actually roll like soft waves. The weight of the building, build from various sources of marble are so heavy that the floor has shifted over time. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed inside. Venice sits on shallow waters and individual “islands” are held up by piers or large floatation devices. Have you seen James Bond Casino Royale? It’s not all movie magic!

Extraordinary color variations in the marble. Very grand indeed

Another must visit near to St. Mark’s Plaza is Doge’s Palace. It was once the residence of the Doge of Venice but is now a museum. It features the Bridge of Sighs linking the palace and the prison which is named as such because you could apparently hear the sighs of the prisoners inside. It was undergoing architectural restoration when we visited so we got just a little view from the outside and were able to walk through inside and look out. At least prisoners had some nice views of the Canals.

I don’t spot any prisoners in orange stripes!

Anyone wondering how the tour company left us once? We were at the Spanish Steps in Rome on the first night, wandering around as a loose group and the tour guide said meet back here in 15 minutes so we can walk to dinner. We got to the meeting spot a few minutes late and they were gone. We stayed close by for a minute or two (found a couple who was also left) then the tour guide came back for us a few minutes later. It was still a great night though with wine and pasta topped off with Italian espresso!

Anyone else been to Italy or the other spots Jess and Kevin are visiting? Please share your experiences in the comments below. I can tell you I only touched on everything these beautiful cities (and Italy) have to offer.

How to Survive Your Kitchen (or Lack Thereof)

Posted on May 3, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Good morning, everyone! Kevin and I are trying to make the most of this rainy day in Munich by going on a self-guided, impromptu foodie tour of the city and maybe having a beer or two here and there.

Today we’re excited to have the first of two guest bloggers from the UK, Karen from Well I Guess This is Growing Up! Karen and her husband Joe are newlyweds (and I mean really, really newly weds) with a fabulous fixer-upper. It’s pretty inspiring to see how far they’ve come with what they started with, so make sure to go give them a read when you’re done here!

***

Hello! I’m Karen. I’m new around these parts. Like Jessica and Kevin, I’m a newlywed – since last month so like, really newlywed – and me and my husband (still feels weird saying that!) are trying to spruce up our home of 2 years, one paycheck at a time.

One of the things I have enjoyed so much in that time is tracking our progress through blogging, and reading all about the other people out there in the same boat as us! Hooray, we are not alone!
So, as DIY is a big focus around these parts, and I so very much want to make a good impression to the readers of Little House Big Heart I thought this is what I’d discuss today. We’re all renovating or decorating at some point, so I wanted to give some of my personal top tips on how to live without a kitchen.

Yes, you read that right. Perhaps I should explain…Our house was abandoned when we bought it. It had not been updated since it was built in the 1940s and had no heating, double glazed windows, bathroom or kitchen. (I know what you’re thinking, how did anyone even live here, right?)

Almost two years later I’m very happy to say we have introduced most modern housey related items into the home such as a bath tub and radiators and I’m happy to report they get along like a house on fire. Scrap that, terrible analogy….But the kitchen is next on our list. Sure there was a room dedicated to a kitchen. But with no sides, cabinets or cooking appliances whatsoever, I think it would be a stretch to label it this. Needless to say, we’ve had to get creative whilst we save up to renovate and install this “kitchen” later in 2013. In the meantime, here’s how we survived:

1. Everything is a kitchen side
When you don’t have any real home for utensils, the kettle or a microwave, it’s easy to feel a bit lost. We were lucky enough to find a wooden table left in the house. After a strong scrub, it’s now home to our microwave, toaster and dishcloths. Score! Our washing machine is now our official kitchen side which is used to prepare all the food – Just call me Mrs Glamorous! Seriously though, if you’re struggling, get to your local charity stores or see what’s going on Freecycle (or I hear Craigslist is good in the USA!) I bet you’ll find some good quality furniture to tide you over. As long as it’s clean, use it! You’ll look back years later and have a good giggle trying to make a round of tea on the floor of your hallway because there was nowhere else to do it when you moved in.. Not that this happened to us or anything…

2. Sign up to discount and voucher websites
The first 2 weeks we lived in the house we ate nothing but takeaways and boy did me and my waistline regret that. However, there is nothing wrong with signing up for offers and taking advantage with exploring your local area whilst you’ve got a good excuse to! One thing about being unable to cook properly is that we have really found the greatest little restaurants nearby. Not a great solution for everyday but if you’re renovating in a short period of time (like normal people do! – Why didn’t I think of that?) you may as well make the most of it!

3. Get creative
You don’t need a huge fancy oven to prepare your meals. Have you seen those mini versions with one hob and a microwave size oven? That will do! We bought an oven second hand for £40 as the house didn’t have one – it’s from the 1950s and now only 2 hobs work. But, we’ve managed! It helps me get creative and keep cooking simple. Plus, it’ll make my return to baking that bit more special, when we have a full oven again. Cakes all round!

4. Keep essentials close
We have no storage whatsoever. Want to see where I keep my pots and pans? They’re still in a cardboard box. After almost 2 years. Anything in the way of baking items, or fancy crockery is still in storage, because quite frankly, we can’t use them! But, items such as the kettle, a few essential pans and microwavable bowls are all in one box, ready to go. Why complicate things?

5. Get a barbecue
I honestly don’t think we would have eaten if it weren’t for our BBQ – and you know what, we got a bargain one for £3. Can you believe that? If the weather is good, make the most of it and eat Al Fresco. And hey, even if it’s NOT good. We had a family gathering last Bonfire Night (Do you guys have that in America? It’s just a bit excuse for fireworks, it’s fab!) It was Winter, therefore raining and cold, but we put up a marquee in the garden, asked family to bring some food and we put the barbecue on, and watched fireworks with some burgers. It was awesome.

I know most normal people take to renovating their home in a shorter space of time, but just in case anyone else is suffering without a fully functional kitchen, I hope you enjoyed reading my tips and know that you aren’t alone! Here’s to 2013 and the year of the Kitchen for me!

Chippity-Doo-Dah, Chippity-ay!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Good morning! Kevin and I landed in Munich about fifteen minutes ago (3:45pm local time, 8:45am CDT), so our vacation has officially started! And here to help us kick it off in style is Kelly from Corner of Main!

Kelly is truly a girl after my own heart! She’s an engineer-turned-eye-doctor and has not just one, but two Kevins in her life: her hunky husband and her incredibly cute baby boy! On her blog she shares tons of great DIY ideas, recipes, and pictures of her adorable Kevins.

She’s got a great post for you today, so read up here and then head over to Corner of Main to check out more of her blog! Oh, and thanks Kelly!

***

Hi Everyone! It’s Kelly from Corner of Main. Thanks so much for letting me stop by, Jess and Kevin! Today I am bringing you an awesome tip that I read in This Old House Magazine. It’s a simple way to touch up chipping paint without having to drag out a big ol’ gallon of paint or clean brushes (or all the other fun that comes along with painting).

This is a Before and After photo of a wall in our nursery. The chair rail was painted white when we moved in, and we put more white paint over it. Unfortunately we realized that whoever painted over the wood trim initially either didn’t sand the wood or didn’t use primer, because it is constantly chipping now! This wall happens to be right behind our rocking chair, so it gets banged into daily. We don’t really feel like stripping the paint, starting from scratch, or lugging the gallon of paint upstairs every other day, so we have been living with the dings…until last week that is!

A couple of months ago I read a great tip in This Old House Magazine and I am happy to share it with you! An easy way to touch up paint without having to deal with the mess and clean up of painting is to fill a small nail polish bottle with your paint color and use it as needed. Genius! As soon as I read this tip I knew I was going to try it in the nursery. It took me a while, but eventually I took out an old bottle of nail polish and some nail polish remover…

I used clear polish just in case there was any pigment leftover (I doubt that was necessary, but I figured what the heck). I began by pouring what was left in the polish bottle in the trash. I then attempted to remove the remainder by pouring nail polish remover into the bottle. This did not work…so definitely skip that step! Go right to the acetone. Kevin had some in the basement, and because it is so strong it worked like a charm. I filled the little bottle up with acetone, closed it up, shook it around, poured it out, and boom…

Clean bottle and brush all ready for paint!

I then made a small funnel with an old water bottle and painters tape (I just had some laying around, I am sure any type of tape would be fine). Obviously I then used the funnel to pour the paint into the tiny bottle.

Make sure you put something on your table first…if you are anything like me you will spill/blob/drip paint all over.

So, that’s it! Now you are ready to do some touching up! This idea can be used for so many things. I know we can use it in our dining room…one too many dog toys hitting the wall has caused some paint to chip off the trim, or in the kitchen…our painted kitchen cabinets have seen better days and I don’t know if we are ready to repaint all of them. So many possibilities!

What do you think? Do you have any chipping paint that could benefit from this? Do you have any other painting tips?

How to Pack 2 Weeks in a Carry-On

Posted on May 1, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Welcome to the Little House, Pinterest friends! If this is your first time to Little House. Big Heart. be sure to check out our other travel related posts here! Please feel free to ask any questions you might have about packing light in the comments below; I’ll answer them as soon as I can! You can also email me at littlehousebigheart {at} gmail {dot} com.

It can be done. Let’s just start there. It is possible to pack for a two-week European vacation of uncertain weather in a standard, airline approved carry-on.

Before you start packing light there’s a few things you need to consider.

First, take a look at the forecast. For us, the weather is really uncertain. It’s supposed to be cold and rainy in Munich and Innsbruck, but then get warmer and sunnier as we go south to Rome. This means that we have to plan for packing rain boots, rain jackets, and lots of layers.

Next, consider how you’re traveling. We’re allowed two checked bags each on our international flight, but aren’t using them. Why? Because the idea of lugging gigantic wheeled suitcases on and off trains, through cities with cobblestone streets, and up and down stairs at B&Bs is a nightmare – one that we lived on our Europe trip last year and have no desire to repeat.

Take a look at your carry-on bag. The ideal carry-on has crazy wheels (that spin in all directions), tons of pockets, and reinforcing on all the external seams. We got my carry on from Tuesday Morning for about $90. It’s London Fog brand and is, if you’ll allow a little nerdy humor, a little like a Tardis (it’s bigger on the inside). This puppy has more pockets, nooks, and crannies than any suitcase I’ve ever seen. It’s sturdy and unique looking; I’m not likely to walk off with the wrong luggage.

Next, contemplate what you plan on packing. Before this trip, I’d take an outfit for each day. Now, I take just enough clothes to get me through a week. Yes, this means that we have to do laundry mid-trip, but we don’t mind. If we can’t find a laundromat, we’ll just hand wash everything and hang it to dry. As for detergent, we plan on grabbing some once we land. No point bring it along for the flight if we can just pick up a bit later.

So what exactly did I pack for two weeks sightseeing in Germany, Austria, and Italy?

I packed four pairs of pants: one pair of colored jeans, one pair of skinny jeans, one pair of boyfriend capris, and one pair of (longish) shorts.

I packed one maxi skirt and one dress.

I packed six tops: one long sleeved striped tee, two basic V-neck tees in white and black, one black camp shirt, one chambray button down, and one tank top.

I also packed three jackets: one jean jacket, one olive military jacket, and my Columbia rain jacket.

I’m surviving with only three pairs of shoes (not counting my rain boots): one pair of flat sandals, one pair of heels, and my Sperrys (for walking).

I also packed a few accessories: three belts, two scarves, and a few (cheap) necklaces.

I also packed enough unmentionables and undershirts to get me through a week.

To pack all this, I folded and then rolled each piece as tightly as I could. This method not only saves space, but keeps your clothes from getting to wrinkled. Once rolled, I packed everything into three packing cubes. [EDIT]: My packing cubes came with an old luggage set, but if you’re looking for some I’d suggest these from eBags. They have the same sizes I used here and have some really fun colors.

I’ll be wearing the jeans, chambray shirt, and Sperrys on the plane. Everything else tucks away nicely in my carry on. I make sure to use every avalible bit of space: stuff belts in shoes and socks anywhere you see a void.

Finally, I threw my rubber boots in on top.

Everything else – my toiletries, makeup, kindle, and whatnot – live in my tote bag.

And that’s it. Two weeks in a carry on!

We’re so excited to be going and even more excited for all of the FABULOUS guest posts coming in the next two weeks! I hope you enjoy reading their posts as much as we have!

Have you ever packed for two weeks in a carry on? Could you do it?

8 Things I Never Travel Without

Posted on April 29, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

In case you hadn’t noticed, Kevin and I travel a lot. While we love the Little House and discovering our adopted hometown of Dallas, we absolutely love the thrill of discovering new cities, their culture, and most of all, their food.

And while we try to immerse ourselves in the local culture as much as possible, there are a few items that I never, ever leave home without.

1. BB Cream: I just started using this product and let me tell you – it’s awesome to have in your travel bag! I use it in place of foundation when we travel because it’s light, easy, and has SPF 30 built right in.

2. Zicam: There is nothing worse than catching the sniffles while on vacation! We keep these zinc tabs in our travel bag to help ward off a cold at the first sign.

3. Hand Sanitizer: Airports are gross. So is public transit. We keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in our day bag at all times for when we want to have a quick snack or just feel gross.

4. Tide Stick: I am a messy person. Get me within arms reach of red wine or spaghetti sauce and I’ll find a way to get it on me – that’s why a Tide stick is a necessity in our day bag!

5. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 sunscreen: I love this sunscreen. It’s light enough to wear all over and comes in a 3 ounce bottle, perfect for when you’re only packing a carry-on (like us!).

6. Tissues: Tissues come in handy for everything. Sniffles? No problem. No TP? No problem. Spill your drink? No problem!

7. Facial Towlettes: It might seem like an odd thing to have in your day pack, but we really love having these facial towelettes with us. After a long day of exploring a city or an overnight flight it’s really nice to be able to wash your face.

8. Dry Shampoo: For me, dry shampoo is a lifesaver. It allows me to tame my mane for one more day without washing it so that I can spend more time out and about and less time with the blow dryer in our B&B.

What are your travel must haves?Anything you suggest we take with us when we leave for our trip on Wednesday?

PS. We weren’t paid to suggest any of these products – we just like them a lot!

The End of Treemageddon 2013

Posted on April 26, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

They came for the tree yesterday. Finally.

It only took a crew of four about 2.5 hours to completely dismantle the tree and remove it from the yard.

Now we’re almost back to normal (except for a little sawdust here and there).

Is it weird if I want to get the shop vac out and vacuum the yard?

On the upside, we won’t have to try and find firewood this summer for the fire pit (which miraculously survived). We’ve got PLENTY.

And just a sneak peak of what we hope to share with you next week: deck progress! We’re loving how it’s turning out!

Finishing the deck in on our pre-trip to do list, so hopefully we’ll be able to share the finished deck with you next week. Oh, and I’m so excited about my packing post! Can’t wait to share that either!

Gearing Up

Posted on April 24, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Just one week from today Kevin and I head are on the road again for two weeks in Europe, visiting Germany, Austria, and Italy! We’re beyond excited!

We’ve got a crazy week ahead of us with cleaning house, laundry, tree removal (tomorrow, yay!), hosting our Bible Study class (Hiya, Honeymooners!), work craziness, the blog, and even finals (for Kevin’s MBA). Needless to say, I’ve started listing. So far this week I’ve made a home to-do list, a work to-do list, a Kevin to-do list, packing lists for both of us, and a contact list for our dog sitter. Oh, and I’ve memorized the weekday Dallas metro schedule to DFW airport.

Of course, we’re going to miss all of you while we’re gone. But even though we’re gone for two weeks, you’ll have plenty to read here at LHBH! We’ve got guest posts lined up from the likes of Kelly from Corner of Main, Christine from Casa de Christine, and many more! We’re so excited to have everyone here and go grateful that they were willing to take the time to guest post for us!

We did have a question for you before we go. Do you have any suggestions on where to eat, what to see, or what we absolutely can’t miss in Munich, Germany or Innsbruck, Austria? In Venice, Florence, or Rome, Italy? We know from our previous travels that the best way to see is a city is from recommendations from other people (like Annabel’s awesome tips on London), so share your best travel tips in the comments below! We’d love to explore some of your favorite places!

We’ll be back later this week with more from TREE-mageddon 2013 and some progress on our deck. Oh, and I was thinking of doing a “What’s in my Suitcase” post since I’m packing two weeks in a carry-on! And if you’re one of our guest posters, thanks so much for getting your posts into me! You really rock our socks (and the rest of us)!

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Portobellos

Posted on April 23, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

Today we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled TREEzaster 2013 coverage to bring you (by popular request) the recipe for my quinoa and black bean stuffed portobello mushrooms.

I’ve stuffed a juicy, grilled portobello mushroom cap with quinoa, black beans, and tons of veggies. Paired with some cilantro lime black beans and avocado slices, it’s a perfect Meatless Monday meal; it’s even vegan (I think)!

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Portobellos

prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 large portobello mushroom caps, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package directions
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
juice of one lime
olive oil
salt
pepper

Prep:

For the mushrooms:
1. Preheat your grill.

2. Rinse and trim your portobellos, then dry them. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Place the portobellos stem side up on the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip. Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.

For the filling:
1. If you don’t have any leftover quinoa on hand, prepare one serving size according to the instrucions on the packaging.

2. Rinse and chop the bell pepper, tomatoes, and garlic.

3. In a skillet, heat 2 tsp. of olive oil until shimmering. Add the bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Sweat until the pepper are just soft, then add the garlic.

4. When the garlic begins to just soften (but not brown), add the diced tomato (you could use canned tomatoes, but make sure you go with no salt added) and allow it to cook for about a minute.

5. Add the frozen corn (yes, it can still be frozen) and cook an additional minute.

6. Add the black beans and the quinoa along with the lime juice and cumin. Cook about one minute.

7. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the cilantro.

8. Top the grilled portobellos with the quinoa and black bean mixture and enjoy!

***

This was definitely one of the best things I’ve cooked in a while. The quinoa and black bean mixture is awesome by itself (I brought leftovers for lunch today and will probably eat it cold) and would also be great on some grilled chicken or pork tenderloin.

I usually don’t post recipes the first time I make them, so I don’t have many pictures for you today. If you have any questions about the recipe, please ask them in the comments below!

Don’t TREEt Me Like That

Posted on April 22, 2013 by littlehousebigheart

The running joke around the Little House this weekend was to pause, look out a back window, and exclaim “Holy Cow, Honey! There’s a tree in our back yard!” The more we laugh about it, the less upset we are by it.

Here’s some shot of the carnage. First, the tree from the back corner of the yard looking towards the house and deck (except there’s a tree in the way and you can’t see them).

Next we have the tree as viewed from the patio, looking towards the Little Garden. You can see the tree resting on our shiny not-so-new-anymore copper fire pit.

And what used to be a vintage antique metal rocking chair.

The tree barely grazed the deck, so fortunately all of our hard work on it wasn’t in vain.

On the other hand, our garage didn’t fare so well. The tree landed on the garage and rolled off, punching a hole in the roof and breaking all of the roof trusses. The worst part? The roof on the garage was just replaced this winter.

If you stand at the corner of our deck and look towards the garage (even though you can’t see it), the tree takes up almost the entire backyard.

The insurance man comes on Thursday, but he said we can go ahead and get the tree removed in the meantime (something we’re going to jump on as soon as we can… we’re worried the new baby grass under the tree is going to start to die from simple lack of sunlight).

Thanks so much for all your support last Thursday! We were so bummed and you all made us feel so much better about it! Y’all rock our socks!

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Portobellos

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