A New Credenza Made From Recycled Parts

Aaron recently remodeled his studio.

He's still putting in the finishing touches , and then I'll show you the before and after.

But one of the things I can show you now is the piece of furniture he built for the studio.

He needed a shelf of some sort--a credenza--for the space.

So he built one.

It is made entirely of pieces he had lying around in the garage.

He started with the legs.

Aaron has an ever growing collection of table legs.

If he sees a great pair of legs, he stops for them.

I guess he's a leg guy.

He's taken tables from the side of the road, or from a garage sale just for the legs.

He discards the table top and hangs onto the legs for future use.

These legs were from a bunch of art tables that were being tossed by Long Beach State.

They were covered in paint and pretty beat up and horrible looking.

Nothing a few coats of black spray paint can't fix, right?

The top shelf is a simple piece of birch that Aaron had left over from another project.
He varnished it with a coat of polyurethane.
Birch is such a pretty color that he didn't need to do anything else to it.
He did want some color though, so he painted the bottom shelf his favorite orange.
He also added a piece of wood to the back of the bottom shelf.
That's one of my favorite parts of this shelf.
That particular piece of wood came from a huge packing crate.
A friend's neighbor had something huge shipped from Italy.
It came in a big, wooden box.
Aaron saw all that wood and the possibilities.
He tore down the box and has used the wood for all sorts of things.
Sam is made out of a piece wood from that box.
And now, so is this credenza.
Every part of this piece of furniture is made from recycled parts.
The paint we already had, so he spent ZERO dollars on this.
Nice.

You can see the piece is pretty narrow.
He did not want to take up a lot of room in his studio.  It isn't a huge space.
So the foot print is small.
It fits quite nicely in our dining room.
Actually, it is just the kind of piece I have been looking for.

It would be a perfect place to display all our vintage dishes.

I can never find one small enough.  They are always so long.  And wide.
And made for very large dining rooms, I guess.
But this one, it fits just right.
Don't you think?

I'm not going to keep it--it's his piece.
It has however, provided me with the inspiration for the book shelves to be built in the office/schoolroom.
Now I have a vision and we can steer clear of the IKEA shelving unit I was thinking about.
Desperation can cause you to go there.
But this is so much prettier than any IKEA shelving unit.
I can't wait to tell Aaron about his newest project.
I'm sure he'll be really excited.


I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "girls, marry a man who can use tools."
I think my man is pretty awesome.
Just like his furniture.


Love from,
Greta

A Modern Little Chicken Coop

No, we did not get chickens.

I have enough animals to take care of at this zoo.

I don't think I am up to the challenge of taking on any more.

But I admit, I do dream.

Of chickens.

Well, not the chickens so much as the eggs.

Fresh eggs.

From my chickens.

Every morning.

It sounds pretty good.

Because, boy oh boy, do I love a soft boiled egg for breakfast.

Or lunch.

Or dinner.

On a salad.

With sauteed veggies.

Or on top of ratatouille.

But we're not getting our own chickens any time soon.

So what's a not-quite-ready-to-take-on-farm-animals-herself-girl to do?

Answer: find a friend who has chickens.

Enter my friend Christina and the Modern Little Chicken Coop designed and built by her husband, Jeff.

These are their chickens. (well, only one is in this picture.  they have 2)

Jeff and Christina don't live on a farm.
They live in a suburban neighborhood in the OC.  Near the beach.
Jeff is a surfboard shaper.
But they wanted chickens.
Or maybe eggs--I don't know.
So Jeff built this adorable little coop for the fluffy little chicks they got a few months ago.

It is small--just the right size for 2 chickens.
I like that the footprint does not take up a lot of space.
You could have a couple of chickens of your own, even in a small backyard.
I also like its clean, simple, modern lines.
And the colors--you know I like those!
There are plenty of places for the kiddos to get up close and personal with the chickens.
Which they love to do.

But my favorite part of this coop are these doors.
They were Avery's design input.
Avery is Jeff and Christina's 6 year old daughter.
She has an eye for design.
Those doors are egg shaped.

Get it?
Genius.
Adorable.
I wonder if Christina will let me come over and get some eggs from behind those doors?

Another great thing about this Modern Little Chicken Coop is that Jeff designed and painted it to match the aesthetic of the playhouse that he also designed and built for his kids.

You can see the corner of the playhouse behind the chicken coop.

It's green too--with an orange door.

I like that attention to detail.

They're in the same yard, sharing a space and while they are not exactly the same, they obviously go together.  

That's thinking.

But it's no surprise because both Jeff and Christina have an eye for detail. 

Their whole house is like that; full of well thought out touches so that it all works together perfectly.

So, are you inspired to get some chickens of your own?

They're all the rage these days.

All the cool kids have chickens.

And just to prove that point, I'll be showing you another friend's chicken coop later this week.

Cassie's husband Ross built her an amazing chicken coop too.

(that's Cassie of the amazing urban Pocket Square Farm and backyard dinner extraordinaire)

I can't wait to show you.

I do, after all, have a little farm girl in me.

I raised a rabbit in 4th grade.

I was in 4H and showed my rabbit at the fair.

I also worked at the library.

Man I was awesome back then.

I'm linking up to Life Made Lovely today.  

Go take a look for inspiration to start your week.

Love from,

Greta

PS  Great post over on my other blog about saying YES! to life and some great posters too.  Take a look!

Bruce Paltrow's Buttermilk Pancakes

I am always on the lookout for the perfect pancake recipe.  

I like pancakes made from scratch--I'm not a fan of Bisquik.

But if you are, we can still be friends.

I'll just win you over to my side when I find that perfect recipe.

When.

I'm still looking.

Because, despite a lengthy search, the perfect pancake remains elusive.

Actually, I have found a "healthy" pancake recipe I like.  

They are especially good on a cool morning when you want something with a little more substance to start your day.  (read more here)

But I am still hunting for "treat" pancakes.

You know the kind you eat for breakfast on Saturday morning, preferably with bacon, when getting a healthy start to the day is not really a part of the experience?

So you can imagine my excitement when I read about Bruce Paltrow's Famous Buttermilk Pancakes.

Bruce Paltrow being Gwyneth Paltrow's father and his pancake recipe being, in my eyes, one of the most important in her cookbook.

(see my review of her cookbook here.)

I think her cookbook is so much more than just a cookbook.

It is really a memoir to her dad.

In fact, my favorite part about her cookbook was reading about her and her father.

The story of their last meal together brought tears to my eyes.

I loved the way he talked to her about what he'd learned in life, how much he loved being her father and that his only regret in life was that he had not had more children.

I could not help thinking of my own dad as I read.

Not every daughter is fortunate enough to have a deep and meaningful relationship with their dad.

I am a fortunate one.

My dad is, and always has been, one of my heroes.

I fully understand Gwyneth's desire to remember her father and share him somehow with the world.

These pancakes, the ones he perfected over years, are a very sweet way to do that.

Don't you think he'd like to know that there are lots of us standing over the stove on a Saturday morning, flipping his pancakes for our family?

A sweet remembrance indeed.

Here's the deal with these pancakes.

They're buttermilk.  

That means they have a tang.

And even if you think you won't like that, you should still give them a try.

Because that tang is good.

Here's another thing about these pancakes, they're easy.

You mix them up the night before, cover them, and let them sit in the fridge until morning.

It takes 5 minutes.  Maybe less.

(a word on the "sitting out".  the recipe does not say sit out in the fridge. it just says sit overnight.  am I a complete moron because I wasn't sure if that meant sit out on the counter or sit out in the fridge?  maybe I am.  in the end, I think fridge is the way to go--there is butter and milk in there)

I love waking up knowing that most of my work is done and a hot breakfast awaits.
Hot, homemade breakfasts really make me feel good.

When you uncover your batter it will look like this: bubbly and rather thick.

You add a bit more milk to get it to the consistency you like.

I like thinner pancakes, so I added more milk.

Next time I think I'll add a bit less because they were a touch too thin this time.

Then you oil up your griddle and go.

(one of my most favorite things about my old stove--my griddle.  it makes me happy every time I use it)

I failed to get a luscious picture of these cakes: one with butter and maple syrup dripping down the sides.
Sometimes my kids get impatient with all my picture taking and just want to eat.
Besides, I was flipping pancakes, frying bacon and eggs, making coffee and carting it all out to the patio.
I had my hands full.
But you get the idea.

And I assure you, they are good pancakes.

Everyone ate them and approved.

If that doesn't get you to give them a try yourself, then nothing will.

The recipe makes a lot of cakes.  Especially if you thin the batter down like I did.

I'm going to work on it a bit to make it my own.

And maybe someday they'll be Greta's famous pancakes, as inspired by Bruce Paltrow.

And my kids will remember me standing over the old, white stove, flipping pancakes on a Saturday morning.

It's not a bad thing to aspire to.

Because good food is a good thing to pass on.

Hope you give these a try.

Happy eating!

Love from, 

Greta

Get the recipe HERE

I was going to be all professional and type the full recipe for you.

But I have done most of this post one-handed while nursing a baby, late at night, so I am just giving you the link right now.

Sometimes I just have to take the easy way out, you know?

Go check it out and make some cakes this weekend!

Cookbook Review: Gwyneth Paltrow's "My Father's Daughter"

I read cookbooks like novels. 

I have for as long as I can remember.

One of my favorite books when I was a little girl was a cookbook.  I still have it.

And I still have each page nearly memorized from looking at it over and over again.

The next cookbook I remember loving was this one.

I have always loved breakfast best, as my long standing affection for that cookbook proves.

I think the first time I checked it out from the library I was in the 4th grade.

I'd like to own my own copy one day.

So it is no surprise that each time I come home from the library I have at least 3 cookbooks to read.

I don't buy many cookbooks. 

I usually check them out first and only if I really, really love them will I consider buying them.

I've accumulated quite a wish list of cookbooks I'd like on my shelves.

I'll share it with you one of these days.

On my last library trip I picked up this cookbook.

And I think I'd add it to the list.

Ever since I saw Gwyneth's new cookbook in Bon Appetite magazine, I'd been wanting to read it.

It did not disappoint.

Beyond the recipes themselves, there are a couple of things that make this cookbook very enjoyable.

First of all, it's personal.  

I enjoyed Gwyneth's reflections on her father, her children and her relationship with food.  I like to know the inspiration for her recipes, and how food is an integral part of her life.  

For me, it makes the recipes more real and approachable.

It makes me want to try them.

I also liked her honesty about adjusting recipes for her kids' tastes.

Now maybe you are the one who never changes anything part of a meal for your kids.  

You are an "everyone eats the same thing or they can go to bed hungry!" kind of person.

Well, I'm not.  

There.  The truth is out.

Of course, I'm not going to make 6 separate meals every breakfast, lunch or dinner, but I am not going to make everyone have salami on their pizza just to prove a point.

There are things I don't care for, some things I like better than others in my salads and not everyone likes their toast cooked the same way.

Or their eggs.

I like my eggs runny, not dry.

If I had to eat dry eggs every day because that was how they were made for me, I would be bummed.  

I think it's OK to acknowledge our kids' food preferences without turning them into selfish brats.

There are plenty of other ways to accomplish that, don't worry.

So, yes, when Gwyneth talks about making fish a different way for her son, than for her husband and herself, I appreciated her honesty.

Like I said before, it makes her real.

And the recipes, which are, after all, a rather important part of a cookbook, are good too.

There are fresh and healthy ones.

Simple ones.

Recipes for comfort food.

Special occasion recipes that require a bit more effort.

There are lots of vegetable recipes.  

Lots of poultry and fish since she does not eat red meat or pork.

I can't wait to try some of those fish recipes.

I loved all the salads.

At first I was a bit disappointed with the desserts.

Most are quite healthy and I rather like desserts with lots of butter and sugar.  (this is a favorite dessert cookbook)

But it is good to have some "healthy" dessert ideas on hand for the kiddos--muffins and cookies you can give them for snacks and not feel badly about it.

And, since I am now going dairy free (with thanks to my little Davy boy) I am looking at those dessert recipes again.  They're looking a lot better now since butter is out the door.

And, the breakfast recipes are great.

That's critical, you know.

I tired the buttermilk pancake recipe right away.  (before I went off dairy)

It's Gwyneth's father's famous recipe.

It was goood.

Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it.

Love from,

Greta

In fact, just go buy your buttermilk now, so you'll be ready to make pancakes on Saturday morning. Bon Appetite!

If You Wait For It To Be Perfect, It Might Never Happen (and vintage, enamel fireplaces)

I dream of this fireplace in our back yard.

Sitting around it in comfy chairs, warm from the light and heat of the fire.

It would be perfect.

But sometimes waiting for perfect is a long time coming.
Especially when a fire place like that is upwards of $800. (or much more)
And we just don't have that kind of cash lying around.
Besides, the rest of our back yard is not yet fit for a beauty like that.
It's, shall we say, a work in progress.


But does that mean we don't make the most of what we have?
Does it mean we wait, unhappy, until things are just right?
Nope.
We make do.
We enjoy.
We surprise our wives with this when she comes home from an evening grocery run.

Using a bucket of sand from our trip to the beach earlier that day, some old bricks, wood he'd been saving for just such an occasion and some lights strung up kind of ramshackly (like that word?) my husband turned our driveway into something pretty nice.
Pretty romantic.
Pretty perfect.

The kids were all asleep.  We sipped coffee under the lights, warmed our toes by the fire, listened to Nat King Cole and enjoyed what we have.
And we made plans for the future.
Whether we get that beautiful mid century fire place or not.
We'll still be happy.

And the next night we built a fire for the kids and we all roasted marshmallows.
Guess what?
They thought it was perfect too.


What are you waiting for?
Get out there and live life--perfect or not--just enjoy it.
Love from,
Greta


Just to tempt you, or treat you, here are some more vintage enamel fireplaces.
Enjoy. Here, here, here, and here.  I love them all!
Read this post to see a very cool Eichler house and the fireplace in its natural setting.
Enjoy.

Collecting: A New Favorite--Vintage Dansk Kobenstyle Enameled Cookware

Hi friends!  I'm back.

It has been quite a while and I readily admit, I have missed being in this space.

Not there has been heaps of time for blogging.

What with the 4 kids, severe sleep deprivation, learning my way around this new computer and updated programs and such.

But still, I would have fit it in.

As I am now, at 11:57 pm.  Because I plan on being really, really tired tomorrow.

Oh well.

Right now, it's worth it.

(you may not see me back here for a bit as I recoup.  but, whatever.  we're just doing what we can around here these days)

Since I've been away, I have created a big list of things I want to blog about.  

Because I love these beauties so much, they made it to the top of the list.

Behold the cookware of my dreams.

Aren't they beautiful?

The shapes, the handles, the enamelware, the modern lines, the colors, oh sweet mama! the colors!

Yeah.  I like them.

A lot.

Alas, they are not mine.

A sweet friend recently (well not that recently.  i just stink at returning things in a timely fashion) brought a meal over to our house in her awesome pots because she knew how much I'd like them.

Now she probably thinks I am planning on keeping them.

Meals being brought to you is just one of the many wonderful things about having a baby.

Meals being brought in cool pots is just one more of the many wonderful things about having a baby.

I was so smitten by these pots and pans that I had to take pictures.

And then you get on the internet and you find out where you can purchase your own pots.
STAT.
Look at this paella pan.
I don't plan on making any paella.
But sitting on my dining room table full of fruit, this pan would make me so very happy.
And yes, in addition to turquoise, I think yellow is beautiful.
It looks pretty great with my red too.

One of the great things about these pots is that they are enamelware.
Like Le Cruset.  But without the price tag.
Besides, I think these are so much better looking than Le Cruset.
These are art.
These I want to display.  Le Cruset belongs in the cupboard.

Why is enamelware so great?
It's non stick without the creepy coating.
You can cook anything in these; for example, deglaze your pan for that beautiful sauce, but not be scrubbing the pan for days.
They can go in the oven or on top of the stove.
They are American made, Danish designed and are vintage; therefore, they have stood the test of time.
I appreciate that.
The only downside in comparison to the Le Cruset line is the weight.
Le Cruset is heavier, so you can do that long slow cook that works best in a heavy bottomed pot.
I may want to add one Le Cruset dutch oven to my collection (you know, when I have an extra $250 laying around to spend on a pot) for that reason.
But aside from that, I am planning on procuring a full arsenal of these Dansk enamelware pots.

They come in all sorts of beautiful, bright colors besides the yellow and the turquoise.
I like almost all of them.
The turquoise is, of course, a favorite.  But also, the yellow, the orange, the white and oh yeah! the red!
I am kind of over the moon about this cookware.
I am ready to have some lovely pots for cooking.
Ours are 13 years old and have not stood the test of time.
They were not pretty to begin with and sure as heck are not now.
I am ready to upgrade.


If you want to know more details about the history of this line, this link from Apartment Therapy is very helpful.
And this one shows some of the other pieces that are available such as pitchers (so want one of those) and tea kettles.
Lastly, if you search for these pots on google, you'll bring up lots and lots of finds.
There are a ton for sale on Ebay and Etsy.
And you will be just as surprised as I was to find that the prices are actually affordable.
I can't wait to start my collection!


Good to be back.
Look for here a bit more often.
As sleep, or lack of it, allows.
Love from,
Greta

I'll Be Back

Our computer bit the dust.

It was time.

I won't even tell you how old it is.

But we were going to make it last as long as it could.

And we did.

We are not big technology people.

We don't get the latest and greatest techno gadgets.

But there comes a time when a power outage takes out the whole neighborhood and your computer too, and then you must face the sad truth.

The computer is dead and it is time for a new one.

Not sure how long that is going to take.

So I'll be missing for a while.  

Consider it my summer break.

But I'll be back.

I have some new recipes to share, clutter answers to your clutter questions and so much more.

Check in, will you?

Love from,

Greta