My Pottery Barn :)

So here is my newest home project, finishing our second bedroom on a budget! This is the only room in the house where I really infused my love for all things vintage/romantic. I am pleased with how it all came together, especially since I mostly used decor that I had previous to getting married, or made the decor for $5 or less!

So here is what I put together:

This was another $5 project. I bought the scrap wood from Lowes for $.25! The picture doesn't show at all put the letters have a rustic feel because I sand papered them to show the black paint I first covered them with. Also, I wrapped the whole project all in a dotted lace to soften the rustic look. Surprisingly Sam loved it! I just like it.

Our large desk in our second bedroom.

Lace, twine, & rustic wood. The frame in the back was actually made of old barn wood. I picked it up last year in Fairview, UT.

I wrapped old votive candle holders with lace I already had.

So the wooden love project almost was a disaster. Nothing was working to my advantage... the wood looked horrible painted (its not real wood), I basically broke my can of white spray paint which was spattering all over my wood, leaving horrible paint spray marks and covering my hands. I learned quickly how difficult removing spray paint is from skin. So while the painted letters and wood were drying I spent a good 30 minutes rubbing the spray paint off with olive oil! So frustrating!

I'm also posing a really easy but yummy crock pot recipe I made the other night. I usually like to try new recipes, never know how they will really turn out. Well Sam asked me if he could invite his best friend Rich over for dinner after they were done playing ultimate frisbee together on Tuesday. I had a moment of panic when I realized, 'no one knows if dinner will be good or not!' Well let me tell you, it passed with flying colors! Both Sam and Rich loved it. So here is the recipe if you want to try an easy, unique chicken dish!

Spicy Peanut Chicken (My altered recipe, from a crock pot message board, don't remember where from! But the message board said this is was originally taken from a South African dish!)

4 skinless breasts
1 large onion, chopped (I didn't have one, so didn't even do this! But I'm sure it would be good)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomoatoes with green chilies, undrained (I used texmex style diced tomatoes)
2 Tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Mix onion, diced and crushed tomatoes, honey, cumin and cinnamon in 6qt slow cooker. Place chicken in slow cooker (I cut mine in chunks). Spoon tomato mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. (I have an insane crock pot and it was done in 6 hours)

Stir in peanut butter until melted and well blended. Serve chicken and sauce over couscous or rice. Serves 4

So I originally cut this recipe in half for just Sam and I. When I knew Rich was coming over, I used a wooden spoon to shred the chicken for it to go further. The chicken was so tender it fell apart easily just using the spoon! Eating it this way was delicious! Rich's quote for the evening, 'we are eating like king's tonight!' I recommend you give it a try!