Crafting a Handmade Home
Dear Friends, Have I mentioned lately that I’m just so over winter? I mean, come on, enough with the snow already! But, the past couple of weeks I have been able to tell myself it doesn’t really matter because in a couple of weeks my Lenny and I will be running away from home to some place warm and wonderful! Well, a couple of weeks
This Roasted Garlic Aioli recipe will take your burger to the next level! Roasted garlic aioli is perfect on burgers, vegetables or even fish! Lenny and I don’t eat out very often, but one of the restaurants we love to go to is Red Robin. Their burgers are just absolutely mouth-watering! When our daughter was home from San Diego, we went out to eat at Red Robin and they
Spring is not only the time when the weather begins to warm up and flowers begin to bloom, but it’s also a time when families move. It’s also a time for growing families to move into their new homes. I remember when I bought a house in a fairly new subdivision years ago, my neighbors introduced themselves and welcomed me to the neighborhood with small
Our son Brandon and his wife Jennifer were home for Christmas from Germany. It had been a very long 2-1/2 years since we’ve seen Brandon and we were so excited to have him home. I really just wanted to sit and stare at him for hours – with an occasional hug for good measure. But, I did have to reluctantly share them with the rest
Well, how many times have we seen various chefs, moms, and bloggers claiming to possess the “Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe Ever”? But, guess what? I concede, my recipe – or the recipe I’ve used for years – may not be the best. (I hate to admit that! Sigh…) I just read a recipe on Ali’s blog over at Gimme Some Oven for a Homemade Red Sauce that sounds
I love pizza. I love whole wheat pizza dough. So, it’s no surprise that one of the very first recipes I’m sharing here on The Birch Cottage blog is my favorite whole wheat pizza dough recipe. My husband, Lenny, and I took a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada a few years ago and while there, we ate at Wolfgang Puck‘s restaurant. I’ve been told that
Spring IS just a couple of days away, right? I’m questioning this because it is back in the 20’s tonight. I’m really so over winter! Well, regardless of the weather today, I know it’s going to get warmer – eventually. I also know that with Spring comes Easter. And as I got to thinking about Easter, a few songs came to my mind. And when I
I may have mentioned this or maybe you already know this about me, but sometimes I think I’m the funniest person I know! Seriously! I TOTALLY crack myself up. Well, when I’m not amusing myself by being funny, I’m sometimes amusing myself by being clever. And, believe it or not, this is one of those clever moments for me. I am a big fan
A couple of weekends ago, my hubby and I went on a trip for a long weekend. Included in our trip was four hours of shopping at the IKEA store in West Chester, Ohio. This was our very first visiting an Ikea store! We were both amazed and overwhelmed with the selection. My Lenny was dreading the shopping experience, but once there, he found all
I spent some time today perusing The Wood Grain Cottage‘s blog. Shayna is the creative voice at The Wood Grain Cottage and she has some incredible projects featured on her blog. If you haven’t been to her site – go there now! One of the projects on her site that caught my eye was the Wood File Boxes. I love the idea of these boxes.
I downloaded the “Building a Framework” eBook from Abby Lawson of Just a Girl and Her Blog entitled “Building a Framework” (you can read about it here). I’m not even half-way through the book, I am already feeling inspired. I have so many thoughts and ideas about what I’l like to share with each of you, that sometimes I’m not sure where to begin. I do
Browsing through Martha Stewart’s website today, I discovered that you can actually make your very own chalkboard paint. Not only can you make your own chalkboard paint, but you can make it in any color you want and – maybe the best part – at a fraction of the cost! How did I not know this?! The post on the Martha Stewart site is from
These Healthy Chocolate Chunk Muffins are not just a healthy alternative to chocolate muffins, but they taste amazing! Part of my quest for eating healthier means trying to find alternatives – especially those that help satisfy a sweet tooth. I found this recipe which happens to be a Whole Foods Vitatop Muffin copycat. I found similar recipes all over the web. Also, various sites claimed
Believe it or not, but I’m really sticking to this whole eating healthier journey that I’ve begun. My weight loss has been at a stand still for a couple of weeks, but I actually saw the scales move again yesterday – down 1-1/2 pounds. I’ll take it! The weather has also been a little nicer here in Ohio the past couple of days, so I’ve
Lenny and I were fortunate enough – or maybe stupid enough or adventurous enough – to travel from our home in Ohio to San Diego, California and back last summer. We made the trip in our trusty Ford Freestyle, while towing our little pop-up camper behind us. We made many stops along the way, with Colorado and Utah being some of my favorites. Of course,
One question I get asked frequently is how to arrange photo groupings on a wall. Whether it’s up the stairway, in the baby’s room or maybe over the mantle, it really helps to better visualize the space if you can see it before you hang the photos. Below are some images of a few wall portrait display ideas. Maybe these images will help inspire you
This past Christmas I was looking for an ornament that I could make for each of our seven children. I wanted something special that they could add to their personal ornament collection. I came across some stamped birch ornaments on the Shanty 2 Chic website and decided to try to transfer pictures onto the wood slices instead of using stamps. This summer while we were
I am still in the process of getting my blog setup, but I wanted to post my very first official post anyway! I am super excited to be sharing creative projects, DIY projects, recipes, photography tips and family stories. From my family to yours, welcome to our little cottage!
