Weekend Finds

I found a great estate sale on Thursday and got my paws on some cute stuff! I'm probably most excited about the little condiment rack... although it isn't vintage, it's still adorable. If you look closely, you'll see that I decided to fill the syrup container with sprinkles. I probably use sprinkles more than syrup anyway. Ha.

I also found something my kitchen has been missing... a dutch oven! For $15! I can't wait to bake some bread and make some soup when the weather cools down. Until then, I'll just admire the color. My kitchen could use a pop of red.

DIY: 4th of July Cupcake Bunting

It's almost time for one of my favorite holidays! To get into the spirit, I decided to go through my craft box today and come up with a simple patriotic DIY. I ended up making this mini red, white, and blue cupcake bunting. Here's how to make your own...

What you'll need:

• construction paper (red, white, and blue)
• toothpicks
• thread
• hot glue

Start by cutting tiny diamonds out of the construction paper. 

Fold the diamonds over the thread and hot glue them shut.

Add a dab of hot glue to the top of each toothpick and wrap the thread around it. Cut off the excess.

That's it! Making a cake? Just make a larger version using lollipop sticks or bamboo skewers!

Summer Ad Sale: 50% Off All Ads!

Psst! From now until the 4th of July you can purchase an ad for 50% off! Head on over to the sponsor info page and take a look at the options. Use promo code SUMMERSALE upon purchase to receive the discount!

Movin' On Up (literally)

I'm moving this week and I'm SO excited about it! My new apartment is upstairs (unlike my current one), bigger, and brighter! I signed my lease today and can't wait to move in. I took some measurements this afternoon to figure out where my furniture will go so I've been focusing on that instead of actually packing, you know, because it's more fun. Ha. I can't wait to get everything set up and show you guys some photos!

Homemade Ginger-Peach Soda

I found this recipe while flipping through a Country Living magazine a few weeks ago and just had to give it a try. I'm glad I did because it's delicious! Here's how to make your own...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
• 2 very ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
• 2 liters seltzer, chilled
• fresh mint leaves, for garnish

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for about 30 minutes. Over a medium bowl, pour simple syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing minced ginger against sieve with the back of a spoon to extract flavor. Discard ginger. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled.

Evenly distribute peach slices among 8 glasses. For each glass, lightly press peaches with the back of a wooden spoon to release their juice. Pour about 2 tablespoons chilled syrup over peaches. Add ice cubes then top with seltzer. Stir to distribute syrup, peach juice, and seltzer evenly. Garnish with 2 mint leaves. Remaining syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Add some vodka or rum to give these drinks a kick!

Rancho Los Cerritos

About a week ago my mom and I went on a tour of Rancho Los Cerritos. You may recall the photos I posted back in March of our visit to Rancho Los Alamitos. These local historic sites (both owned by the city) were at one time owned by the Bixby family, a family that was very influential in the growth of Long Beach. 

I don't know about you but I love learning about local history. Luckily, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and I learned a lot. I must admit though, my favorite part about touring these sites is the opportunity to take photos of them. 

Recent Finds

Last weekend I got up early and went with my dad to an estate sale in the hopes of buying a kitchen dining set that I knew would be there. Although we arrived two hours early, there was a line of about 25 people ahead of us and when the sale opened, someone grabbed the dining set before me. So... the hunt continues. I did manage to get my hands on a few cute things though... two trivets and a neat piece of Pyrex to add to my collection!

Better Late Than Never

If you're a fan of Arrested Development, I'm sure you've heard about the banana stand world tour in celebration of Season 4. It was in LA for a few days about a week and a half ago but I missed it. I was so bummed. Luckily, it came to Balboa Island today and I got off work just in time to check it out! 

We waited in line for a while but they closed up just when we were getting close (see below). That's alright. I'm just glad I got a chance to see it and take a few photos!