Styled and Savored #008
Your weekly curated guide to great finds that make your home life easier, fuller, richer, and happier.
Here in Florida, Spring has definitely sprung. On one of my daily walks around my neighborhood a couple weeks ago, I was amazed at how – seemingly overnight – the grass and trees looked so much greener, the plants and flowers had perked up and started to bloom, and the temperatures had crept up a skosh, but were hovering in that wonderful range that makes you wish it could be this way all the time.
I know some of you may still be experiencing some pretty cold temperatures – like a dear friend of ours from Ohio who said they were still in the upper 30s most days – but despite the colder temperatures elsewhere, Easter is just around the corner. With that in mind, we wanted to share some extremely cool and fun crafty Easter eggs you can create without the use of artificial dyes.
The dynamic duo at the Alice & Lois blog recently shared a compilation of DIY decorated Easter eggs they’ve written about over the last few years, and they are a sight to behold.
Using just a few basic items like faux craft eggs (if you want a more permanent and reusable Easter egg), sponge brushes, felt sheets, chinoiserie paper napkins, washi tape, nail polish, and mod-podge matte sealer you can create some or all of the exquisite Easter eggs in the linked tutorials.
The thing that’s wonderful about these crafty eggs is that they’re something you can get your kids or grandkids involved in for an afternoon of fun and family time.
Give these a try, and show us pictures of how they turn out. We’ll feature them in a future Styled & Savored post.
Creating a vintage, tiered dishware serving tray
Sticking with Easter crafts, this amazing project from the Inspired by Charm blog is one that you can certainly use for Easter because it really lends itself to a Springtime celebration if you choose floral patterned dishware, but it could also be used for any event your hosting – like baby and bridal showers, afternoon tea parties, etc. – as it makes for an exceptionally charming and unique addition to any table.
© Inspired by Charm
The tiered serving tray project repurposes vintage dishware, which can be found at thrift or secondhand stores on the cheap. The only other item you’ll need to create this gorgeous serving tray is some industrial-strength glue.
Best of all, you could go completely overboard and create themed serving trays for every holiday or occasion using this technique.
Growing elephant ears
My friends know I love foods you find at fairs and carnivals. There’s nothing better than the decadent vittles served up by questionable carny workers. One of my all-time favorites is the delicious, cakey, deep fried pastry called an elephant ear.
Wait…what?! We’re not talking about those kinds of elephant ears?!
OH! The plants called elephant ears. Got it.
© A Beautiful Mess
Ok, well, the elephant ear plants (Colocasias, Alocasias, or Xanthosoma for you technical-minded readers) aren’t nearly as tasty as the carny food I thought we were going to talk about, but they do make a beautiful addition to your home, inside or outside.
This article from the A Beautiful Mess Blog discusses how you can make these lush, tropical beauties part of your home decor even if you don’t live in a warm-weather climate. The post is very comprehensive, discussing everything from how much water, sunlight, fertilizer, temperature, and humidity elephant ears like best, and it also covers how to plant, repot, and prune the plant so they thrive.
If you’ve got a green thumb, elephant ears might be a plant you want to experiment with, as they are fast-growing, and can become a nice focal point in your flower beds or garden.
Splish Splash: Thinking of adding a pool to your home?
Since we’ve been talking about Spring, that also means Summer isn’t too far behind, along with red-hot temperatures come July-September. One fantastic way to beat that heat is to jump into a backyard swimming pool.
© Aloha Custom Pools
If you’re thinking of adding a pool, this post from the Builder Boy blog has all the details from deciding what kind of pool is best for you (concrete, fiberglass, or vinyl liner), the pool’s design and additional features, navigating the permit process, the timeline of construction, and the cost to build.
If you hurry, you MIGHT just be able to get one built in time to enjoy it before summer is over.
As an aside, we love building homes for customers who want to enjoy a swimming pool, and we always turn to Aloha Custom Pools as our preferred pool subcontractor. Give them a call if you’re thinking of adding a pool to your existing home, but first, read the blog post above to better educate yourself on what to expect during the process.
Relaxing by the pool with a tasty libation
Once you have a pool, there’s nothing better than floating on that inflatable pink flamingo with a refreshing cocktail, and for that we turn back to our friends at the A Beautiful Mess blog for one of my favorite summer adult beverages – Lynchburg Lemonade.
© A Beautiful Mess
I love bourbon, and I’m also a real fan of the sweet, tart combination mixed up in a cold Lynchburg Lemonade recipe. Think of it like a tall glass of lemonade with a kick.
Now, their recipe calls for Jack Daniels to provide that kick, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that choice. However, I’d advocate for stepping up your whiskey game a bit with something like Maker’s Mark, Elijah Craig, or Bulleit, but of course, it’s up to your personal taste.
Stir up one of these rejuvenating Summertime beverages as you dip your toes into the cooling waters of your new pool.
I’ve got my drink, now what’s for dinner?
The last item on our list this week is this scrumptious recipe for a sausage and white bean skillet from the Averie Cooks blog.
© Averie Cooks
I’ve talked previously about my love for sausage of all kinds. It’s better than bacon, in my opinion (I said what I said), and this recipe calls for Italian sausage, which is one of my favorites. However, this dish also calls for a lot of other ingredients I’m a fan of, including cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, kale, onion, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
You really can’t go wrong with that combination, and I’m ready to give this recipe a try immediately.
That’s it for this week. Let us know your thoughts about any or all of the featured posts in this edition of Styled & Savored, and tell us what you’d like to see us cover in future editions as well.
