for the love of christa: happy housewarmimg

Let's face it: becoming a homeowner is a big deal. If you are at all scared of commitments (like me!), the idea of a thirty year mortgage is terrifying. Looking at home after home until you find "the one" kind of reminded me of the many botched dates that eventually led me to meeting Dave, "my one." But once you step foot into the perfect home, just like that first glance of meeting that special someone, well, you just know. That's what it was like for my dear friend Christa and her *new* fiance, Mike.

Christa and I have been friends since college where we studied art together. We've spent countless hours pouring over centuries worth of art history, plates and linoleum for printmaking and I even did a little modeling here and there for Christa's photography portfolio. So fast forward to 2012 and here she is, engaged to a wonderful man and now a happy homeowner of a 1925 bungalow township of Philadelphia. So this past week, I went for a little drive to the City of Brotherly Love to visit the happy couple in their adorably cozy home and I brought along a little something, something.

It turns out that there are several traditional gifts that one gives to new homeowners (and no, an Olive Garden gift card isn't one of them!) I made a little basket of gifts with a wish for warmth and love in their new home and here it is:

Wishes for a warm home

Bread, may those in your home never go hungry.

Candles, may you always have light through the darkest of times.

Honey, may you always enjoy the sweetness of life.

Olive oil, may you always be blessed with health and well-being.

Salt, may there always be flavor and spice in your life.

Wine, may you always have joy and never go thirsty. 

Love, light and warm wishes for your new life together.

I bet this won't be the only post you all see about my sweet Christa- after all, there is a wedding to be had and rumor has it she has an unofficial wedding planner and chances are you all know who it is! Yaay Christa and Mike!

play like a raven

It is football season again and it couldn't have come sooner! I love the crisper weather, the late season grilling, the spiced fall beers and spending time with Dave and Harper on our big cozy couch, cheering on our teams.
So to show my allegiance to all things Baltimore, I crafted up a purple and black wreath that I think even Ray Lewis would enjoy. My sparkly little roosting Raven is straight from the Halloween aisle and my plaque serves as an homage to the poem and namesake of my beloved team.
I bet it won't be long until Dave talks me into making a Panthers wreath - it is only fair for a house divided. Until then, GO RAVENS!

baby, you can drive my car

9.5 years and we are still together

Today, I hit a milestone. No, there's no bun in the oven and I still have 2.5 years until the big 3-0. Nope, this milestone is purely personal.

Today, Penelope, my very first (and only car) logged 200,000 miles. The moment flew by but when I saw all of those nines go to zeros I thought about just how incredible the journey has been. I got Penelope on my 18th birthday as a present from my late grandfather. At the time, it was a super hip car and those of you that know me know that "hip" isn't exactly a word that one associates with me. Penelope and I have been all over this great country and she has been such a low maintenance and fun car to drive. I've crammed her with boxes, canvases and cookbooks and moved six times. She was gas efficient before gas efficiency was "a thing." She's delivered me safely to the slopes through Frostburg blizzards and has always made me feel secure during downpours and the worst Charlotte traffic.

We've been through a lot. I've cried on her steering wheel over boys that were wrong for me and words that I wish I could take bake. I've fallen in love with her windows down and the radio up. I've dropped way too many French fries on her carpet and inbetween her seats. There are dings in the paint from epic southern hail storms and gashes on the upholstery from trying to fit 2x4s in through the tiny space that is her trunk.

While I know our days together are numbered due to her increased age and my love of travel, I also know that I won't have as great of a car as Penelope in the future. They don't make cars like her anymore, this I am sure of.

So thanks for taking me where I've needed, wanted and dreamed to go, Penelope. Thanks for a great trip.

that's alright mama

Well it sure has been awhile! I started my new job four weeks ago, and needless to say, the breaks have been on when it comes to our Clever Cap Cod. Between work during the week and visitors every weekend, I just haven't had much time to DIY it up.

What I have had time to do is make randomly themed connections between my new role as a chef in an assisted living community, and well, Elvis. Lets face it, Elvis is the best - especially to our residents that remember bopping in their high school gymasiumss to the King's early hits. Some of our ladies just swooned at the sight of those big blue eyes or those gyrating hips!

So I took Elvis' favorite combination of peanut butter and bananas, printed out a few pictures of that handsome mug, turned on "Blue Suede Shoes" and made us all some smoothies. Here's the recipe!

4 bananas
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups skim milk or vanilla soy milk
2 cups ice
Vanilla, optional

Blend all ingredients, serve with a big straw and a side of Hunka, Hunka Burnin' Love.

Serves 4

Thank ya, thank ya very much!

man-ish cave

My husband is the man I always dreamed of marrying. He is brilliant, compassionate, wise, and oh-so-handsome. What my husband is NOT is super manly - no power tools, no truck, not the biggest fan of beer, and doesn't particularly care for construction, hunting, contact sports, etc. He is the epitome of  gentlemanly - he always gets the door for me (he forgot it once in 5 1/2 years), free-flowing with kind words, and just very sweet. So when the topic of a "Man Cave" came up for the new house, he laughed. Would this mean that it would be his space only? That he wasn't supposed to allow me in his "cave"? He hated that idea. Unless he's watching Battlestar Galactica, and doesn't want my cynical commentary, he wants me cuddled up on the couch with him - eating some homemade cookies and watching football (because truth be told, I love football more than he does!) or a Bollywood film. So one of our favorite parts of our Cape Cod is the beautiful finished basement, complete with two cooling ceiling fans, can lighting that dims for movie night, rich wooden floors and a cozy wood stove for those chilly winter nights. We got a great, North Carolina made, sectional sofa from Value City that was previously a floor model with a nice $459 price tag and positioned it for optimal Ravens football watching. We just love this room, man cave or not!

dreams of delhi

aqua + butter yellow

The Bollywood-inspired bedroom is coming along - although we have our fingers in so many projects inside the cape cod, we seem to be making slow but substantial progress on our bedroom. One of our greatest new finds is a quartet of pillows to top our cozy hotel-inspired duvet. Again, Marshall's is the place - and I tell you what, they continue to dazzle us with gorgeous Indian goods that are actually from India.
Still thinking about the perfect wall color - any recommendations would be welcome. After all, it is a big commitment.

Room service, please!

pillows of heaven

I love gnocchi. I especially love homemade gnocchi. But notice, I didn't say my homemade gnocchi.
I'm not Italian, not even a slice. And I often find myself at a lose when it comes to making popular dishes in an authentic Italian way. My sauce never turns out as savory, my meatballs are never as plump and my eggplant Parmesan tends to be kind of bland. Sure, I can follow the recipe just like anyone else, but there's something missing - at least to me. The reason? Well, I know some pretty spectacular Italian cooks, and perhaps I'm just plain spoiled with all of that amore of theirs - the thing that keeps my Italian from being an aria rather than a 50's pizza parlor tune.

Little pillows, pre-boil

Well, friends, I may have hit the jackpot with Mario Batali's gnocchi recipe. Don't deviate and I guarantee that these little pillows of heaven will make you want to give the big orange crocked man a kiss - and maybe me, too!
Oh, and I paired mine with a blissful orange tarragon Alfredo, brocollini, and sauteed mushrooms - you can go crazy, but even some garlic and butter will do these little gems right Fancy or not, ditch the Italian restaurant tonight and try this homemade goodness for yourself.

Gnocchi, cooked and tossed in orange-tarragon alfredo

Ingredients
3 pounds russet potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, extra large
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions
Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and pass through vegetable mill onto clean pasta board.
Set 6 quarts of water to boil in a large spaghetti pot. Set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups water near boiling water.
Make well in center of potatoes and sprinkle all over with flour, using all the flour. Place egg and salt in center of well and using a fork, stir into flour and potatoes, just like making normal pasta. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch.
Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces. Flick pieces off of fork or concave side of cheese grater until dowel is finished. Drop these pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute). Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming dowels, cutting into 1-inch pieces and flicking off of fork. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them to ice bath. Continue until all have been cooled off. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/2 cup canola oil and store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours until ready to serve.

Finished!

simply mad

I love AMC's Mad Men. Those of you that know us well know that on Sunday nights at 10:00pm, the Merryman's are watching Mad Men and should not be interrupted. Some of you even came to our Mad Men cocktail party to celebrate the shows latest season premier, complete with deviled eggs, an old fashioned or two and other sixties inspired treats.

Sterling mid century style sofa and chair, Bob Williams+Mitchell Gold ottoman in avocado

The thing that inspires me most about the drama is the style. I love the colors, the lines, and the design of everything from the offices of Sterling, Cooper, Draped price to the dresses and hairstyles that Betty, Megan, Peggy and of course, Joan show off every week. Perhaps it is how the design and the fashion interpret the times - the changing political climate, the rise of all things enlightened (Hari Krishna, anyone?) and how everything from civil rights to domesticity were pulsating and swelling to new sounds by Joan Baez, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and of course, The Beatles. What does any of this have to do with my new home? Well, I'm sure you can see.

Wall color recommendations anyone? And no, Lowe's hasn't come out with a Mad Men line, yet.

for the love of lindsay: mad about you

In the words of my friend's new husband, Gianmi, "Jen, you were born to be a bridesmaid."

If I weren't already happily married this statement might have worried me a smidge. I knew what he meant though, and I so appreciated the sentiment.
There were a lot of little things that made Lindsay's bridal shower pretty special. In a previous post, I shared my handmade bunting that was fit for an English garden party. This time, I am sharing something with a little more whimsy that ended up adding a special touch to the female bonding that was happening over bellinis and finger sandwiches.


Guest libs! Mad libs made especially for the shower that guests could fill out. They were sweet, funny and a more updated version of the "sharing of advice" that happens at most showers. This is what they said:

GUEST LIBS: WEDDING EDITION
LINDSAY + GIANMICHELE
WEDDING ADVICE FOR THE HAPPY COUPLE

My name is ______________ and I’ve known the couple for
                       (proper noun)
________ years. I _____________ all the way from ____________
(quantity)                       (verb)                                        (noun)
to celebrate this day. I am so __________________ that Lindsay
                                                       (adjective)
and Gianmichele are tying the knot! They have to be the most
___________________ _____________________ and I wish them
          (adjective)                             (noun)
___________________ ____________________ for many years
           (adjective)                            (noun)
to come. My best advice? Don’t forget to __________________
                                                                              (verb)
before you _______________ and ________________ after the
                           (verb)                             (verb)
________________. I wish you a lifetime of health, happiness
          (noun)
and ________________________ _________________________.
                  (adjective)                                       (noun)
Oh, and one last thing: __________________________________.
                                                             (song lyric)

So my one last thing?

All you need is love.

let there be light [and some color too]

Farm house lanterns + dark gray shutters

No lie, y'all - I've been busy. Dave and I still haven't caught up from our epic five day wedding extravaganza to celebrate our dear friends Lindsay & Gianmi. Being a bridesmaid, hosting a shower and catering the aforementioned shower took up a lot of time and now that we have nothing but gorgeous pictures, fond memories and a pile of laundry, I can transition back into new homeowner mode.

So here are a few things we had gotten accomplished before our weekend of love in North Carolina.

We changed out the old, cookie cutter light fixtures and installed rustic farm house lanterns with speckled glass, rust finish and of course, CFLs. Nine out of ten moths agree, the lights look fantastic.

Fab pattern for a door mat, wouldn't you say?

We ordered a new patio set. Target.com had an awesome sale on this mustard and gray set and I just love the design - cost effective and beautiful? Why, yes please!

Gray + yellow

I painted our four year old, super weathered bistro set ... the table even got the Carolina Panther treatment (it looked great with the yellow seat cushions, so I couldn't protest my husband's choice of paint color!) You'll see that soon once I get the final coat of paint finished up.




Lastly, we painted out shutters and door a nice dark gray. It was hunter green before, and the upgrade makes the house look a little more modern and definitely a lot more polished. And since I am prone to going overboard with neutrals, a great mat at the entry provides a little color.

Next up, the two guest rooms and guest bathroom. T-minus two weeks until guests begin to arrive! Stay tuned.

fruits et fleurs

Four years. That is a good chunk of a person's life. We spent four years in high school. For most of us, our undergraduate career took that long. Wow,

This past Thursday Dave and I celebrated four years of marriage. It really only seems like yesterday that I walked down a magnolia-lined path towards my husband in Savannah, Georgia. Our wedding was extremely intimate with only thirty guests - it was everything we wanted it to be. Now, four years later we have moved four times (three in North Carolina, and now here, in Maryland), we have a dog, thriving careers and an extraordinary amount of special moments. We've traveled, and dined, and all of it was that much better to share those experiences together. Don't get me wrong, that times have been tough and priorities have certainly been mixed up like a bowl of nuts. I am fortunate enough to have a husband that listens to my concerns with an open minded, human (not husband) based perspective. Of course he wants to be protective, all husbands do. Protective isn't always what I need though - I often require level headedness and a great deal of compassion. I think after four years, we still haven't necessarily found of a method to harmonious marriage, just a haphazard road map scribbled in a few different languages with some coffee stains and chocolate smears for good measure.

So with four years brings fruit and flowers to one of our favorite traditions. Since our first anniversary, we have always exchanged traditional wedding gifts. Every year of marriage brings with it a symbolic gift suggestion, and so for the first year of marriage it is customary to give paper while the fifty years calls for gold, hence "golden anniversary." Our first anniversary gifts were great: a fishing license for Dave (for which I received major cool points... I mean, what wife actually wants their husband to go fishing?!) and I received the Thomas Keller box set. Year two was cotton, and year three was wood. For four years, fruit and flowers were the traditional gifts and below are the results.

Peace, love & many years of happy marriage!

bollywood boudoir

So now that we are in the house, it is time to make it our own. We have already done a smidge of work in a few rooms but our priority is definitely getting our bedroom set up. While Dave and I were peeking around Pinterest one day, inspiration came in the form of a print of Lord Shiva, one of the holy trinity of gods of Hindu creation. My husband spent a semester in India as a student so his love for the culture runs deep. I started practicing yoga in high school and have always felt spiritually connected to the subcontinent of a billion - the colors, the spices, the faces and the servitude just dazzle me. So when Dave and I decided to get married, our first choice was to elope to India and have a traditional Hindu ceremony on the River Ganges. Well... that didn't happen for various reasons. So now we are looking forward to our first trip together this March - we will celebrate my 28th birthday on Holi while making the actual trip for Dave's 30th birthday present. While we are at it, we will renew our vows (better late than never!) and spend three days in Nepal.

Back to the bedroom.

Our bedroom, we decided, would the the perfect room to saturate in Indian patterns, textures and colors. How do we do it in genuine way, though? Without using cheap Pier One, Indian-style stuff from China? We agreed that color and pattern were going to be everything in this design challenge and that playing off one would light the spark to make the whole room burn in Bollywood bliss. So here's the spark - two Indian rugs that we picked up from Marshall's for $16.99. It is a start to our spicy Indian bedroom, hot pink and all.

a key to our hearts

Well, we are homeowners. We own a home. Four walls and everything in it is officially ours - not a creepy college renters, or an overpriced apartment tycoon. The home, on land, with trees, a garage and a wood stove - is ours.

Wow.

Closing was a little rocky due to a few over sights of our realtor, over sights that added a few new gray hairs to my collection, but all in all, it was just fine.
And now the overwhelming reality of unpacking, painting, staining, and buying furniture begins. But at this moment, the most important possession of all shines like it is made of pure gold. This little key is absolutely my favorite thing of all. For years to come, this is what lets me into my own little world - where Harper can slide across the hardwood floors as she chases her rubber artichoke, where Dave can relax our big comfy couch and watch football (go Ravens!) and where I can have a kitchen and catering pantry  where everything has its own special place.

Ahh ... home sweet home.

so you think you want to buy a house...

We are less than two days away from being homeowners and boy, does it feel strange. It will have been exactly 45 days since we first stepped through the door of our light yellow cape cod with its hardwood floors, two car garage and picture windows that look out into our private wooded backyard. It was love at first sight.
Buying a home really has been a trying process, mentally and emotionally. After looking at dozens of homes, the energy of our soon-to-be home was so electrifying that I wanted to wake up in it the very next day. The six weeks that followed felt like six months (well, that might be because we have been living in a hotel room...) and our anxiousness has been the source of fatigue and frustration. Now that we are counting down the hours, I've realized how far we've come on the journey of choosing the right first home, and I thought I'd share some pearls of wisdom.

Pearl 1: See a few houses THEN set you budget.

our custard-colored cape cod (with gray shutters and doors coming

 soon!

Yes, really. Don't come into buying a home with a rigid budget. We did, we were disappointed with the slim pickin's, we re-evaluated then bam!, we were writing a contract. I mean, everyone loves the idea of a $500 house payment each month, but just like in every other purchase, you get what you pay for. When we were trying to get a bargain, we realized that what we would have to put into a house wasn't worth the time, frustration and potentially disappointment. When moving to a new area like we did, we had no idea what $100,000, $250,000 or $1,000,000 could buy. Seeing the differences in price points can really offer a lot of prospective and unless you start a conversation with the bank ahead of time, you'll never know what a house price equates to in the form of a real monthly payment. Be flexible and balance the price tag with the location, amenities and your emotional connection with the home.

Pearl 2: Looks can be deceiving  

When you are looking online, keep this in mind: the sellers are always going to put up the best pictures - why wouldn't they? In true Mad Men style they do whatever they can to try to get your curiosity up so that you may want to visit the house in person and potentially sign on the dotted line. Camera angels, lighting, even digital editing can make an almost condemned home look like a pristine mansion (trust me, I know and oh what a nightmare it turned out to be!)
Just don't get your heart set on something without seeing it  in person first. Equally, don't count something out because of a hideous play room or an old-school oven - you can change that sort of thing. A home that has a great layout, a new roof and plumbing or awesome acreage is where the true value lives.

  Pearl 3: Find a realtor on your own

Don't get me wrong, our realtor worked for us and ultimately helped us get an incredible home at a stellar price. She did well. Just keep in mind that sometimes buying a home can take months, and that means that when the emotions get the best of you, the last thing you want is a realtor saying she has to cut the day short by six hours after you just drove three hours to meet her because she needs to get to a St. Patrick's Day party (yes, this happened....) Choosing your first home is a very unique experience, and you want a professional - someone that will be polite, patient and above all, honest. That is what we wanted, we just didn't get it. Ask around, research reputable Realtors and meet the realtor that you choose before you sign a non-compete agreement.

I really could go on and on - I have a gray hair now for every pearl of real estate wisdom I've gained. Take your time, be flexible, see the potential and enjoy the process - my husband and I didn't argue one bit during this process because we know each other, and even though our realtor didn't know us well, we sometimes did the work for her by ruling out certain layouts and seeing past the flowered wallpaper or blue counter tops. In the end, there was no compromising and I can say that next to our wedding day, getting the keys to our very own home will be one of our finest moments.

    Happy Home Buying!

for the love of lindsay: bunting

shades of green

Apart from preparing for my upcoming role of homeowner, I've also been looking forward for  another important role: bridesmaid.
My dear friend Lindsay and her wonderful fiance, Gianmi, are tying the knot on June 10th and I just couldn't be happier to experience the day as a bridesmaid, pretty in pink and ready to take in the beautiful bride.
Lindsay's bridal shower is the day before the wedding and it will be nothing short of elegant. Gold-rimmed china, seasonal flowers and locally-sourced food will dot a Chapel Hill area farm where the bride will be showered with gifts, love and a little bit of champagne. I am the caterer and while I will share the recipes of the day later on, I just had to share a little bit of crafting that will add a touch of whimsy to the elegant affair.
To me, bunting screams, "let's celebrate!" So with some paper that was reminiscent of vintage wall paper, linen ribbon and a handy pair of scissors I made NINETY feet of bunting to drape under the tent. It may not be a ticker tape parade, but I think it will make the bride-to-be smile as we celebrate her and her new life as a wife!

shade of pink

my mini

Harper, two months old

I am of the opinion that a house is not a home without an animal. For me, it has always been dogs but I know my heart is open to just about any animal. Give me an anteater and I will build it an anteater abode. Bring over a cow and by golly, I'll make room for it, utters and all. I just love animals - I love their innocence, their curiousity and the overall energy that they bring to a home - no matter if it is a fourth floor apartment or a rustic farm house.
So when we decided to buy our first home, the list of priorities quickly started stacking up:
A big kitchen for me, not only as a chef but as a die hard dinner party thrower.
A large space for a cozy couch and our big TV for Sunday Fundays - go Ravens
A beautiful master bedroom - a special space for just my husband and I - no TVs, no computers, just a place to relax and rest.
But what was the biggest priority? A backyard for our Miniature Schnauzer, Harper.
We rescued Harper from a woman in Tennessee that took in pups that were born in puppy mills and that didn't fit the ideal mold. She and her brothers and sisters were less than one pound, on the verge of contracting parvo, dying from neglect and just begging for a good home. I scooped up that little girl and took her to a veterinarian right away. She made it through the first week like a little trooper and as time went on she got stronger and started to show us her Schnauzerish  personality. Dave and I taught her how to eat solid food, and sometimes I still sit on the floor next to her food bowl and watch her eat. With every kibble crunched between her teeth, I go back to her fighting for her life to just get to some clean water. Four years later, I still tear up thinking about this sweet little thing being sentenced to death because she wasn't good enough.
To us, she is perfect.
So in less than a week, our girl gets a big backyard where she can run and play and dig and hide. Harper will get her own space where she can be a dog and I just couldn't ask for anything more. Seeing her basking in the summer sun or playing in the snow, it will be what makes this new house our home.

the old line state

Welcome back.

Well, welcome to the clever cape cod for you, but welcome back to Maryland for this family of 2.25 - a black and tan miniature Schnauzer accounts for the decimal.

After four years in the Carolinas, this born and bred Marylander is back and making home on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. So join me, my husband and Harper as we enter the exciting world of homeownership. From do-it-yourself home improvement and homemade meals to constructing a chicken coop and enjoying the bounties of a local CSA, we will blog it all - the good, the bad and the clever.

Welcome to our clever cape cod!