DIY - Yellow and White Striped Side Table

Saturday I was in a mad dash to prepare for our party, but our master bedroom nightstands stopped me in my tracks, literally. I was going around dusting and I cleared the tops of the nightstands and stood. in. shock. at how ugly messed up the paint was. They were once a light oak finish, but I painted them white. Well after months of destroying using them, they were not as bright white as they once were. That is when I got to thinkin'....what if I added some yellow stripes??! Is that weird that I think that way??

I quickly (seriously quickly) ran - Windex in one hand, paint and a paint brush in the other - to the garage and back to get started on my impromptu project. Chris spotted me with the paint and said, "Oh no, what project are you doing now?" I just gave him my "I am your DIYing wife so I don't have to answer that question" smile and went on about my project-business.

I grabbed my thick blue painter's tape and eyeballed the width of the stripes. Risky? Yes. I only did it this way 1) because I didn't have time to measure (the party was starting in a couple hours!), and 2) because I eventually want to get new nightstands, so these are not staying in our bedroom forever. Remember, we are newlyweds, so we can't just go out and buy all new things (whomp, whomp), so I am trying my darnedest to make due with what junk we were given. So far we are turning trash into treasure...well at least some kind of treasure!



That adorable coaster was a DIY wedding gift from our friend Dana. Did you also notice we got lampshades??! I will tell y'all about that a different day :)

Happy Thursday!

What I Wore Wednesday - Green Jeans!!

I know, green jeans?! That is what I was thinking when I spotted them. But, then I saw the price tag and they hopped in my basket like stink on poo, or white on rice?? Anyways, I knew for that price I could figure something out.

Since fall has kinda-sorta arrived here in the Lone Star State I have been wearing my boots as much as possible. I promise all winter it will not be boots every Wednesday, or at least it won't be these boots every Wednesday :)



Everyday when I get home I let the dogs out in the front yard for some play time. They hardly ever actually play in the back yard, but the second they are let loose in the front yard, they are running around like crazies! Also, when their Daddy gets home they like to show off their playing skills and put on a show. And then Chris gets them all riled up and they have been known to run smack-dab into me without even skipping a step. Thanks in advance, Wrigley and Bailey, for my future blown ACL because of your lack in looking before you run.

Now for the budget break down:

- Steve Madden Boots: $165 - as I said before, totally justified

- Grey Sweater from Nordstrom: $32

- Black Scoop Neck Blouse: Maybe 20 bucks or less from Banana Republic. I just remember it was heavily discounted.

- Necklace: Free, thanks Momma!

- Kelly Green Pants from Target: $11.78 <-- Yes, less than 12 dollars (holla!)

Do you remember these pants? Well these green gems are the same brand and marked down to the same price. I will admit they are a bit big, but based on my lack of working out since I got hitched, I might need that extra room :) Or of course an extra couple rounds in the dryer could always do the trick!

Be sure to check out my other WIWW posts here!

Happy Hump Day!

Oreo - And Brownie! - Dirt Cake

I mentioned here that we had our 1st Annual Tucker Halloween Party! Since I was bound and determined to consume an absurd amount of sugar, I decided to make an Oreo Dirt Cake. When it was all said and done it somehow ended up with brownie in it as well. Oops! I might be addicted to delicious food.

Here is what I used:

- 1 package of Oreos
- One pan of brownies
- 8oz. of softened cream cheese
- 3 cups of milk
- 1 tsp of vanilla
- 16oz. of Cool Whip (yum!)
- 1 cup of powered sugar
- 2 packages of instant vanilla pudding

This dirty little recipe (haha, I crack myself up) got started by crushing all the Oreos (and eating a few here and there). When I had them good and beat to death crushed, I began on my Cool Whip concoction. Mix the cream cheese, Cool Whip, and powdered sugar together until blended (Side note: I may have "tested" each step of this process to ensure the finest flavors were being made). Once my Cool Whip fluff-stuff was blended, I mixed the milk, vanilla, and instant pudding in a separate bowl. Let that mixture firm up a bit and form a puddin' like texture. Once again, try to mixture to make sure it isn't poison :)

Here is where I would change what I did. I didn't mix the pudding and Cool Whip mixture, and instead layered them. Next time I will blend them together. Less steps and still (I am assuming) the same to-die-for taste.

And now is where the extra calories ingredient got added in. I took a look at all the prepped items and was afraid there would not be enough to fill my bowl/feed everyone, so I decided to bake a pan of brownies and mix the crushed Oreos in with the fudge brownies. Are you drooling yet? Because at this point in the cake-making-process I had consumed my weight in sugar and had not eaten a balanced meal since lunch. YOLO. Whoop!

Crushed Oreos and brownies. How good would this be with ice cream?!?!

Once you have everything prepped - crushed Oreos/brownie, Cool Whip fluff-stuff, and pudding - it is time to start layering. I put mine in one of my favorite bowls my Mom gave me. It is glass so people can see the scrumptious layers, but any large bowl would work. Start with layering the bottom with the crushed Oreos and brownies, then the Cool whip fluff, then pudding, then Oreos/brownies. Repeat until you have a) licked the bowls clean, or b) run out of room in your bowl.

I made mine Friday night (Such an exciting couple Chris and I are. We bake and go to bed at 9:00pm on Fridays. We are that cool.) so it could chill overnight.

It was so freaking good. That is the only way to describe it. And it was a total hit at the party. I will be making this again!

Have you made any delicious/spooky Halloween treats?!?

1st Annual Tucker Halloween Party

The girls at the party. A tooth fairy, flapper, spring chicken, smartie pants, old woman, cowgirl.

Over in this post I mentioned I was wanting to have a Halloween/Housewarming party at our house even if Chris thought the house wasn't "ready."

Well, ready or not we had a par-tay and it was perfect! The entry way walls were only halfway painted and we have a lot more DIYing to do, but everyone loved getting to see the house, eat great food, dress up, and play games. Oh, did I mention eat great food? I ate my weight in sugar, and loved every second of it.

I was running around like a normal crazy person all day in preparation for the festivities, so I had about three minutes to get ready and put on my costume. Luckily hopping into my "Spring Chicken" costume didn't take much time :) Chris was a (cute) gorilla! I purposefully chose a costume that needed little time to put together because I knew I'd be baking little bacon wrapped smokies (drooling? they were like crack. no one could get enough!) and making punch up until the last second. Luckily my bestie (from before kindergarten), Kirstin, was there to lend an 'old' hand.

Thanks, Jessica, for snapping these pictures!
 



 

Kirstin's husband Tyler, on the left, looked just like an old man. He did the make-up perfectly! Someone saw him and Kirstin walking up to our house and thought it was someone's parents!

I made Oreo dirt cake, punch with teeth and eyeballs, and bacon wrapped smokies. The smokies went so fast I never had a a chance to take a picture! Recipes to come!

Thanks to everyone who came! Let's make it a tradition!

New Rug and a Few of My Favorite Things

Last week I had to return something at Target. Of course no one can just go in, return their item, and walk out, right? Right! You must shop since you made the effort to drive there, park, and walk inside. A reward is necessary for that effort.

I like to consider new items for our home presents for both Chris and I (it isn't my couch, it is our couch, etc.). While walking around with this mentality I ran across the rug section. I We have been in search of a new rug for our living room. Rugs USA has amazing sales, but when I saw this particular rug, I couldn't resist. I had already been eyeing it online...in reality, the plushness feels great on the tootsies!

The previous rug we had in the living room was a jute rug I ordered off Overstock a couple months ago. Great, great rug, but it didn't give off the warm and cozy feeling I was going for.

I thought Chris would never notice the game of musical rugs I had played, but within the first 30 seconds of entering the house he said, "Oh babe, I like that rug." Then he showered and came back out to the living room where I spotted him, bare naked footed, feelin' the rug. Us Tuckers love cozy things.

So where did the jute rug go in this little game of lets-switch-the-rugs-around? It ended up about 20 feet away in the dining room. I love when rooms get completely new looks by moving pieces around. It's like a whole new house!

Once I clear my table of textbooks and calculators I will post more revealing pictures of the rugs and their new spaces. Hopefully I will be getting a new camera soon (hint, hint Christopher) and when that happens be prepared for a large photo dump of the hundreds of photos I will properly take of our home. Not dissing Instagram, but I can only take the blurry pictures a little while longer :)

Now onto a few of my favorite things this Friday...the last Friday of October...where the heck did 2012 go?!?!

Two of these Christmas stockings will be ordered soon. I am currently obsessed with all things Ballard.

Ski Teal We Drop has been on my fingers and toes lately and I am in love.

 

I have never owned a curling iron. Crazy, right?! I have naturally curly hair, plus I just used my straightner. Well I bought this one and I am super-duper happy with it!  

Have a great weekend!



Pumpkins and Pine Cones and Leopard, Oh My!

Since this is my first year owning a house, being married, not a full-time student, and not living with roommates (Chris and I call each other roomies for life, but that doesn't count) I really wanted to go ALL OUT with the holiday decorations, buttttt then I see the prices of some things and I want to scream out "who is really going to pay $24.99 for a plastic pumpkin when in one week it will be a dollar?!?! I place it back on the shelf like I am just not interested.

I have decided this year is going to be the year of buying all my holiday decorations the day after the actual holiday. Yes, I may decorate for each holiday after it has already passed, but hey!, there is no rule saying I can't have pumpkin around my house all year long. Actually I do have this husband who will probably object to that...

Anyways, since I am cheap not willing to pay full price for decorations this year I have been buying little items here and there. I mean I have to have something laying around indicating that the temperatures are no longer in the triple digits. Que the pumpkins and black - or glittery orange - cats and purple skulls to remind me that fall is upon us.

The black vases were garage sale finds for $.50 a pop and the black flowers, cat, and skull were Michaels finds. These little arrangements may be decorations in preparation for a little get together this weekend, but then again, maybe they're not. Ok, they are, but I can't show you anymore than that!

Moving on now to my lame minimal fall decorations. I wouldn't even really call them decorations, more or less some pine cones and pumpkins. I had these grand plans to have a fab table setting, but since we opted for no formal dining room in our house it is hard to have a fully decorated and funtional table (I usually spread my textooks all over the table, along with financial calculators, coffee, and lots of snacks). It was getting reallyyy annoying moving my fall inspired place settings from one place to another. I don't regret only choosing a house with one eating space, I just know what I want in my next house! Oh Chrissss.......

Now for Christmas decorations...no I have not whipped out the Christmas tree yet, but I am really tempted to...has anyone seen the to die for rooms in the Ballard Designs magazine? Oh. My. Gosh. I just want e v e r y t h i n g. I mean look at these rooms. They have Christmas AND leopard print all in ONE ROOM. Yes people, the best print in the world and the best holiday joined forces and graced these glossy pages to create a design masterpiece.

Is this room not perfect?!



As for this year's Christmas decorations, I did buy all of our ornaments last year on sale the day after Christmas. Chris proposed on December 17th, so I knew we would be needing our own decorations! Does that mean I won't but more ornaments this year after Christmas? No, but at least for this Christmas we are covered. I want to have options when it comes to Christmas decorations, so more than one set of ornaments is necessary wanted.

I can't wait for the after holiday sales this year. I am kind of sad we are not rollin' in the pumpkins and spiders for this fall/Halloween, but I know next year we are going all. out. Yes, the Tucker's will be that house on the block; decked out. I can hardly wait! 

What I Wore Wednesday - Michael Kors and Stripes

I have expressed my love for Michael Kors here talking about items that I want, but now I am going to talk about MK shoes that I have. Obviously champagne taste is genetic. Or at least I am blaming it on Meme :) Now if only she left that Gucci purse lying around somewhere...

This outfit is composed of items that range in single digit prices, to triple digit prices (Gasp! I splurged, but don't worry, I justify everything!).

I am dying to wear more fall-ish clothes, but with temperatures in the upper 80's, Texas forces me to keep the sundresses close. I just. want. to. put. them. away! "Supposedly" we are getting cold weather this weekend. I am not holding my breath.

Last weekend we headed to the Hill Country to celebrate Meme's life and I chose this navy and white striped dress, my bubble necklace found in Canton, and my MK nudies (Yes, I just made that word up. Inappropriate? Nah!).

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, needs/deserves/isn't living unless they have a pair of nude pumps. Or wedges. Basically I love nude shoes and I love Michael. He makes my speakers go boom boom. As does Chris, but Chris doesn't design shoes...am I justifying this purchase well enough yet? No? Okay, I'll go on.

Ya see, I bought these pumps last spring when I needed a neutral pair of shoes to wear to all my bridal showers, yet I wanted them to be comfortable fashionable enough to wear to work. These peep toe cuties did just the trick, and with a little no convincing from my buddy at MK, I was sold. I must say, they are getting their monies worth!

We took these pictures in the dining room at my Granddad's retirement home, so we didn't get to have the normal let's-take-a-million-pictures-and-choose-a-couple of them photoshoot.

Nude color + MK = LOVE

Isn't my cousin Erin GORG???!!!



This dress is so light and comfy. Comfort is keyyyy. It came with a bright pink skinny belt that I am not a fan of (and the belt was too small, but we are not going to mention that because it is not Sarah's fault she has no defined waist or torso and she can't pull off belts. blah.). I usually opt for no belt because it cuts me in half and instead just let the elastic do its thing.

I paired the dress with my yellow bubble necklace because, ummm, I love it. And the outfit screams for a pop of color. Maybe that is how the "designer" was justifying the awful pink belt.

Now for got budget breakdown:

- Dress from Ross: drum roll please...$9.99! Yup, worth all .999 cents.
- Necklace from Canton: $42
- Shoes from Michael Kors: $120, but totally justified remember.
- Grand Total: $171.99

Here is how I normally wear this dress. No, I don't have pictures of it and I am already in my PJ's, so I am just going to describe it to you.

I have these white, $5 imitation Tory Burch sandals. 99% of the time I have worn this dress I throw those babies on, with the dress, and head out the door. Grand total for that outfit is just shy of 15 bucks.

Another way I wear this dress is with brown wedges and a long brown beaded necklace I have. Since I got the brown wedges almost 8 years ago for $5.98 at Target and the necklace just jumped out of my Mom's jewelry box into mine (isn't it funny how that happens?!?!), I'd calculate this outfit to be right around 15 bucks as well.

As you can see this outfit doesn't have to be expensive, it just depends on what you pair it with!

And can I just add that Ross has never in my life come up more clutch than this year. I mean this outfit, this outfit, this outfit, and now this outfit all have pieces from Ross. Who-da thunk it?!

Do you have any great buys from Ross?!

Happy Wednesday!

Walking into a Time Capsule

As mentioned here, last weekend Chris and I headed south to enjoy some family time. It was Abby's 1st birthday (seriously, has it already been a year?! I will give y'all the deets on her birthday bash in another post) and Meme's belated memorial.

Let me start off by saying THANK YOU for all the prayers. I held it together pretty well. The moment I lost it was when Granddad told the story of how him and Meme started dating and then he said, "...and from that moment on it was just me and her, for 64 years." Yup, the flood gates opened and I forgot to wear waterproof mascara. Luckily my Mr. brought along his hankie; he said he knew I would shed some tears bawl my eyes out. Boy, does he know me?!?

Not going to lie, it was tough, but happy all at the same time. At one point Granddad looked at my wedding rings and said, "I might need those back to give to someone else!" Ya, right buddy! We both started laughing. Seeing him laugh and in good health is more than I could ever ask for. Gosh, I love that man.

For decorations my aunt spread out hundreds of photos, journals, spiral notebooks, books, etc. that my Meme had hidden away for yearssss. It was such an amazing experience getting to go through all the albums and journals and take a step back in time. We were able to take home any pictures we wanted. What special memories to be able to hold onto forever.

Here are some pictures of treasures displayed at the party. We could not believe how organized Meme was. Almost every picture had a name and date on the back. Albums were organized by vacation, journals had perfect handwriting from cover to cover.

Look at Meme rockin' the Gucci!! That must be where I got my expensive taste from!

I adore this picture. Look how gently Granddad is feeding her. Nowadays it is who can shove more cake in the other person's face. Men had such respect for woman back then and this pictures shows that. Oh and look at that dress...FAB.

This is one of her journals. In the first couple paragraphs it talks about how Meme's sister dropped Meme when she was little...like I said, she wrote about everything! And her cursive was flawless, as was she.

This stud right her is my Dad. Elementary school stud. Ha!

Remember when I mentiond I won Little Miss California? Well here I am with all my trophies and someone forcing a tiara on my head. I look thrilled, don't I?

Here I am. I sure was pale. And had very blonde/strawberry blonde hair. And my Mom was obviously a killer stylist.

Meme saved almost all of mine and Sam's articles where we were featured in the newspaper. Here I am with my best friend, Alisa, in high school. She was my MOH (maid of honor!).  

Was Meme not GORG?!? Those blue eyes made Granddad melt.

So beautiful.

Meme always displayed this collage of all her grandkids. I am in the clown suit (super cool), in the bottom left corner with my aunt (and no front teeth), and in the top two pictures with my brother and Bob (my haircut).

The time spent remembering Meme this weekend was perfect. She was so loved, and still is. She influenced so many lives. I can only hope to be half the daughter, mother, wife, and grandmother that she was. She was the most amazing person ever and I miss her each and every single day.

Love you Meme. So, so much.

-Sarah