Nana Next Door

Bakeable Banana Smores

adventure 5:35:00 PM

I take packing very seriously when it's time for us to go on a camping trip. The one thing we can't do without is the campfire dessert! Even if you're just camping out in your living room, you can enjoy this amazing treat. Just stick it in the oven and bake until it's a gooey mass of deliciousness. All you need are bananas, marshmallows, Reese's minis and graham crackers. Everything is fairly self explanatory. Just layer it up and heat it up.

I wanted to include a picture of it after it was removed from the fire but it was too dark. You'll just have to believe me when I say it was a beautiful. Just make sure the chocolate is melted and the marshmallows are puffy!

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Medician Cabinet Clean Up

Bathroom 11:36:00 PM

My parents bought their house when I was in 8th grade. I'm almost 28 now, which means they've spent almost 15 years in that house. There are a few things in my childhood home that have gone by the wayside over the years. Now that my sisters and I are living out on our own, my parents decided to rent out our old rooms for some extra income. The medicine cabinet in the shared bathroom has seen better days. Instead of replacing it, I fixed it up with two coats of white Rust-Oleum Flat Protective Enamel. You can find it on Amazon through my affiliate link below:

The medicine cabinet was pretty easy to remove. I was able to do it quickly all by myself. Once the cabinet had been removed, I wiped it down with a damp cloth and let it dry. I went over the rusty spots with 80 and 120 grit sandpaper. There was quite a bit of rust and I wanted to make sure it was prepped well enough that the new coat of paint would stick. After the rust was cleaned up and washed off, the cabinet was ready for paint!

I taped the metal edges and the mirror part, laid down some butcher paper, and painted away! Some areas were a little bit over sprayed so it got a little drippy. I just waited for it to dry, sanded it down a bit and sprayed that spot again. Two coats seem to work perfectly.

And, thats all it took! It dried quickly so I did one coat in the morning and one coat in the late afternoon. The cabinet was ready to be put back into the wall the very next morning. This project was so easy but it made an incredibly big difference in the bathroom!

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A Place To Call My Own

Design 7:47:00 AM

The last several months have been an insane whirlwind of paperwork, furniture shopping, and cabinet painting. Apparently, that's what happens when you purchase a home. Which I did! It's a modest two bedroom condo, but it's all mine.

All this craziness has resulted in a very sad and neglected blog. The good news is that there will soon be a slew of fun DIY and decorating posts. Honestly though, I've been painting for weeks. I started by reading blog posts to get some insight and I'd read that it would take about a week to complete the kitchen cabinet painting project. Right. About a week if you don't have a full time job or children and endless time on your hands. And, I say this with a very small kitchen. But overall, I would say it turned out nicely. I have four more doors to finish and I can't wait to share pictures once I'm all done!

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5 Podcasts For A Restless Mind

audio 4:26:00 PM

This American Life

If the best way to understand someone is to walk a mile in their shoes, This American Life would be the shoes you wear to the destination. Each episode is a collection of stories based on a theme; most are true with an occasional fictional piece mixed in. It can be an emotional rollercoaster at times but it's always informative and entertaining.

99 Percent Invisible

99 PI is a podcast for design enthusiasts of any kind. Each segment pulls an artistic element from everyday life and creates an in depth story filled with history, functionality, and a simple appreciation for good design. The host, Roman Mars, explores a variety of topics including architecture, cities, objects, and art. His exceptionally soothing voice makes for absolutely aesthetic audio.

Criminal

Crime show lovers need to check out the Criminal podcast. Hosted by Phoebe Judge, each episode digs up intriguing crime stories and gives listeners a close up examination of each case. Some stories are lighthearted while others are deeply suspenseful. Regardless, they are always well told and engaging.

Embedded - NPR

Embedded is a relatively new NPR podcast that started last March, so it doesn't have a ton of episodes just yet. The ones that are up are great pieces of investigative journalism related to a current event. The podcast takes a news story and makes it personal by getting to know individuals involved.

The Clever Podcast

From the creators of Design Milk, the Clever podcast is fodder for creativity. Each podcast is an hour long, in depth interview with a big name in design. Guests include artists, architects, fashion designers, photographers and more. Learn about their story of success, what their daily schedule looks like, and where their inspiration comes from.

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A Coastal California Christmas

adventure 9:45:00 PM

I know, I know. It's been almost a month since Christmas. I've been dragging my feet on getting this post up but I don't want to miss the chance to share the pictures from my trip. My family and I cruised up the 1 freeway over the holidays. It was a 4 day vacation that started on Christmas Eve. We took a day to drive through Santa Barbara, San Louis Obisbo, and Big Sur before making it to San Francisco. The drive up the coast is beautiful, even with the rain that came and went sporadically.

Our first stop was Solvang in Santa Barbara where we were able to feed ostriches. If you've never seen an ostrich before, they are ginormous! I'm standing on a raised platform that brings me eye level to the birds so this picture does not accurately portray how large these birds are. If you ever get a chance to encounter one, I would highly recommend it. They aren't the brightest things but they are a sight to behold.

Imagine a little Danish town picked up and dropped into the middle of California. That would be Sovlang. The houses are quaint and they are known for the aebleskivers (think doughnut holes but different). Unluckily for us, all the bakeries closed early for Christmas Eve and we didn't get our hands on any of that deliciousness.

After a night near Hearst Castle, we headed to Big Sur where we noted everything nature-y is significantly more vibrant than SoCal. The water was an incredible swirl of blues and greens despite how cloudy it was.

About an hour away was the Point Lobos State Reserve. The weather made the park seem especially moody. Regardless, the place was packed. It was Christmas day and we were having difficulty finding parking.

We made it up to SF late on Christmas day and checked into the hotel. Monday was spent exploring the city like the tourists we were. The Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, SFMOMA, and Golden Gate Park.