Summer in Style Outdoor Edition

Today I'm joining a talented bunch of bloggers for a Summer in Style Outdoor Edition- blog hop, hosted by Chic Little House.  We're all sharing our favorite outdoor spaces and I hope you enjoy the tour.

Ahh, summer!  It's such a beautiful time of the year.  I love spending time outdoors, sitting here on the porch as the sun comes up.  I also enjoy sitting on the porch watching the rain.  It's very soothing to me.

Our small porch area is also a nice spot to enjoy breakfast, before it gets too hot during the day.

This area used to be our garage.  We recently had it converted to a living space.  We added shutters to the windows to create a cohesive look.

I have always loved the charming look of window planters.  They make a great first impression as we pull into the driveway.

I planted a combination of white vincas, ajuga(carpet bugleweed) and Sprenger's asparagus fern.  Hopefully they'll continue to fill in nicely as the season progresses.
   

Our front door is painted Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball(matched to Sherwin Williams paint).  It's such a welcoming color.

The porch is accented with planters on either side of the door.  I've had these planters for years.  I gave them a fresh, new look with spray paint.


Every year I switch out the annuals planted around the dwarf cedar.


This year I planted a mix of white vincas, ornamental cabbage, dusty miller and Mexican Heather.  Healthy plants really brighten up the porch.

I tossed my dingy old door mat and replaced it with a new one.  I love the layered look.

My hydrangeas are blooming!  I'm looking forward to cutting a few to bring inside.

That concludes my tour.  I hope you enjoyed your visit.  Please continue the blog hop by visiting Newlywoodwards.  The rest of the ladies are tagged below. Be sure to stop by their blogs to be inspired.

MONDAY 6/5 Chic Little House and Cuckoo for Design 

 TUESDAY 6/6 Newlywoodwards and Don’t Disturb This Groove 

 WEDNESDAY 6/7 Cassie Bustamante and Seeking Alexi 

 THURSDAY 6/8 SG Style, Chippasunshine and Live Pretty on a Penny 

 FRIDAY 6/9 White House Black Shutters and Effortless Style Blog

Tasty Ways to Enjoy Breakfast at Home

I love to cook for my family.  I enjoy watching my kids light up as they enjoy something I've made.  Helping my mom and dad out in the kitchen is where I first learned the basics.

Cooking gives me the chance to be creative.  I enjoy taking pictures of the meals I successfully created.  It's fun to look back!

Today I'm rounding up breakfast ideas and sharing some of my favorites.  Hopefully you'll be inspired to start your day off with one of these morning meals.

Sometimes simple is best!  Fresh fruit makes for a healthy breakfast.

Try topping your cereal with sliced bananas and strawberries.

As far as cereal goes, I love the texture of Chex and Shredded Wheat.  Adding in the cut up fruit is a game changer.  It really improves the taste.

Frozen waffles are quick and easy, drizzled with your favorite syrup.  In the chillier months, pumpkin-flavored syrup is delightful.

On the weekends when I have more time and our mornings aren't so rushed, I make a big breakfast.

A stack of big, fluffy, blueberry-filled pancakes are a wonderful treat.

  

I wanted to make something sweet for my husband on Valentine's Day.  Using a heart shaped mold, I surprised him with these pancakes and he loved it!

*Bonus points if you cut your fruit into heart shaped pieces!

My family goes crazy for homemade French toast.  The next time you make it, try blending a couple bananas into the batter.  The difference is so flavorful.

Strawberry shortcake waffles are like eating breakfast for dessert,  which is totally acceptable!  Who doesn't like waffles with strawberries and whipped cream?

Breakfast in bed is a great morning surprise!  I kept it simple with eggs and fruit.  If you put forth the effort, your loved one will appreciate you.

A mix of cantaloupe and honeydew is a refreshing way to start your day.  It's a colorful fruit salad perfect for summer when it's too hot to cook.

When the weather is nice, consider eating outside.  We like to eat on the deck in our backyard.  I light candles, turn the music on and we relax while we eat.

When the foliage is lush and green, our backyard feels like an outdoor cafe.

Your table is the heart of your home.  In addition to the meals we eat, we have meaningful conversations.  Memories are made here!

I look forward to making breakfast and eating with my family.  What are your fondest memories at the table?

Green Tea Lemonade

 I have one sister!  She loves to cook and makes the best savory dishes and drinks.

Through the years she gained a lot of experience in the kitchen.  Recipes passed down from coworkers, our mother, grandmother and aunts are her specialty.  Comfort food that feels like home.

 I'll never forget the time she came to visit and made a pitcher full of sweet tea.  It was the best thing I ever had!  She made it fresh, using a few common ingredients. 

Since moving to Georgia, I've come to learn, sweet tea in the refrigerator is more common than milk.

  

I grew up on the iced tea mix.  It wasn't until my sister's visit did I become a fan addicted.

Now that summer is rolling through, I've been craving my sister's sweet tea.  It's perfectly refreshing and puts a smile on my face as it quenches my thirst.

I made her recipe by substituting black tea for green.  It's loaded with antioxidants and sugar  so there's a health benefit too!

Ingredients

4 cups boiled water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

8 green tea bags(I prefer Lipton)

1 cup fresh lemon juice 

 gallon pitcher

Directions
Place tea bags in pot of boiling water.  Allow to steep for no more than 5 minutes.  Remove the tea bags(avoid squeezing tea bags, so tea won't be bitter).  In pitcher, combine tea, lemon juice, sugar and honey.  Add ice and serve.  Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.


*I love you, Kristen!  Thank you for always making me hungry, even if I just ate! 

Spring Home Love

Good morning, friends!  We've had an unseasonably warm winter here in Atlanta.  Then bam, lately we've been having a cold spell.  

Well, today we're going to pretend that the doors are wide open and spring is upon us as I join 15 other bloggers in a spring home tour.

If you're visiting from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, welcome!  My decor is simple and inspired by nature.  We've been in our home almost 9 years.

 There's a small entryway as you walk into our home.  To define the space and give it purpose; I hung a mirror, shelf and candle sconces.  We place our keys in the bowl and a spring planter greets you!

  I'm a huge plant lover.  Plants breathe life into a room.  In the spring I add even more plants and flowers to brighten my home.

I begin by deep cleaning and organizing to prepare my home for spring.  I also freshen up the trim and baseboards with white paint.

Then I have fun decorating!  Fresh greenery is such a simple and inexpensive way to liven up your home for spring.

I'm always chilly.  I like to keep extra blankets nearby in a basket.

We eat dinner in the dining room so I kept things simple on the table.

A pretty planter filled with flowers is a simple spring centerpiece.

I made a few changes to my daughter's room as well...

Her room is a favorite in the house because it's not surrounded by clutter.  I purchased a vase and filled it with eucalyptus sprigs.  They have an added bonus of smelling nice and refreshing.

 Her bench is nice place to sit while putting her shoes on, or spot for friends to sit when they visit.  

I love pillows!  A new pillow can do wonders for your space.  This graphic bird pillow from Tonic Living really brought my daughter's bench to life.  

That concludes my spring tour.  I hope you enjoyed your visit.  Please continue the blog hop by visiting Lea at Creekwood Hill.  The rest of the ladies are tagged below.  Be sure to stop by their blogs to be inspired.

Hood Creek Log Cabin

A House and A Dog

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Carli

Honey N Hydrangea

Bees N Burlap

Farmhouse For Five

Seeking Lavender Lane

Noting Grace

Don't Disturb This Groove Blog

Renew My Home

This Rustic Cottage

Little Glass Jar

Love Your Abode

Almafied

Creekwoodhill
Nina and Cecilia

*This post was made possible through a partnership with Tonic Living.  All opinions expressed and experiences are my own words.

Interior Dutch Door

We recently swapped our boring, flat panel, hollow core door for a beautiful new Dutch door.  I absolutely love the look of Dutch doors.  They're so charming and nice way to add a bit of character to your home.

Traditional Dutch doors aren't cheap.  To make this project affordable, we purchased a new wooden door and had it cut it in half.

 Our contractor friend, also chiseled out an additional hinge and added the latch hardware.

 I couldn't decide whether to go with a stained finish or a painted door.  Stain is so messy to apply, but I was afraid paint would cover the wood grain.  In the end I decided to paint the door a classic black.  The color works well in our small hallway.  And thankfully the wood grain is still visible!

  

One change leads to another... You may have noticed that we covered up the stripe pattern on the wall.  I adored the stripes, but it was time to say goodbye.  I couldn't quite bring myself to paint over all my hard work though.  I had leftover (removable) wallpaper tiles from a bigger project in my daughter's room and thought, why don't I use them here.  In some areas I had a hard time matching the patterns.  I plan to hang art to hide the imperfections!

 We have a new puppy!(I'll share more about her in another post.)  The bottom half stays closed when we have company and need to keep the dogs away.  So much nicer than using our previous baby gate.     

Our puppy is potty trained so I didn't want to use a crate.  On the other hand when we're not home, I need to keep her safe and avoid coming home to another chewed up rug.  The door has also been a functional solution until she's mature enough to be left loose in the house. Design and function!!