BRING YOUR OWN PIECE :: a Chalk Paint® workshop

Summer is almost officially upon us!  I love so many things about summer....a relaxed schedule, fresh fruits and veggies from the garden, late night dinners with friends....the list could go on and on.  For some reason, summer always inspires my creativity.  Maybe it's the longer days, maybe it's the sunshine, whatever it is, summer is when I start a gazillion projects!

Summer is also the start of our creative workshops at the design studio.

The 'BRING YOUR OWN PIECE' workshop has sparked a lot of interest.  This Saturday's class is full, but we are changing the schedule a bit.  We are going to offer the 'BRING YOUR OWN PIECE' class on Saturday, June 29th instead of the 'HOW TO PAINT FURNITURE' class!

So fun....right!?!

Here are the details....

SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH 10am-12pm

A hands-on workshop using Chalk Paint®, soft waxes and varied techniques. Use our paints, wax and supplies to complete your own project. Your project must be small enough to complete in a 2 hour session {i.e. frame, shelf, mirror, small side table, etc} This workshop will give you the confidence to complete your next -and bigger- project!

WORKSHOP FEE :: $65 {full amount due to reserve a spot, deposit is non-refundable, but may be transferred to another date}

WORKSHOP INCLUDES :: 2 hour class, use of Chalk Paint® paint, brushes and wax, {supplies} painted sample pieces {to take home}, MD HANEY & CO. tote, beverages and snacks. **Space is limited to 6 participants.** 

Call {503.857.8176} or email {info@mdhaneyco.com} to reserve your spot!

SWEET TREAT :: strawberry + balsamic ice cream

Our strawberries are just getting ripe.  It's pretty hard to beat sun-ripened strawberries, fresh from the garden.

I think the only thing that "beats that", is watching little ones hunt for the tasty red treasures!

We picked a few extra strawberries so that we could make a tasty frozen treat.....Strawberry + Balsamic Ice Cream.

Delish!!

I made it a few weeks ago with store bought strawberries.  Let me tell you, fresh-from-the-garden strawberries make all the difference!

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC {AND ROSEMARY} ICE CREAM

Ingredients (1 quart): - 1 pint strawberries - 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on how sweet your strawberries are) - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar - 2 cups heavy cream - 1 cup whole milk - 3/4 granulated sugar (use a little more if you like really sweet ice cream) - 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary - pinch of sea salt - 4-5 egg yolks - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Hull and slice the strawberries and then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and balsamic vinegar and let them macerate for about 15 minutes. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes. Roasting them helps remove excess water, which can make for overly “icy” ice cream.

Mash with potato masher. If you prefer a smoother ice cream, puree in a blender or food processor. {I mash mine}. Cool and place berries and accumulated syrup into a container and refrigerate.

Heat cream, milk, sugar, salt and rosemary on the stove until very hot, but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl and add about a 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the eggs while whisking. This will help “temper” them so they don’t scramble. Return egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove rosemary and strain. Stir in vanilla extract. If you pureed your strawberries, you can mix these now as well, otherwise, leave them separate. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. It’s very important that both the custard and the strawberries are very cold before putting them in the ice cream maker.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions, adding the strawberries during the final five minutes (unless you pureed them). Enjoy immediately if you prefer a “soft serve” consistency, or freeze for an additional couple hours for more traditional ice cream consistency.

recipe adapted from here

Enjoy!!

BEFORE + AFTER :: coffee table

Hello friends!

Last Saturday I loaded Addilyn into the car, left a crying baby {with Matt},  and ventured out to a garage sale.

If I am completely honest with you, I don't enjoy garage sale-ing.  I know a lot of people who love it.  I wish I was cool like that.  I am just not.  But, I need a few pieces of furniture for the new covered patio, and I hate asking my sweet {and quite talented hubby} to always build something for me.

We went to one garage sale.

One.

Pretty pathetic.

But, we did see some old friends so it was a great time of chatting and catching up with each other.

Also, I walked away with this little gem.

$10.

Done.

Sold.

I am not a negotiator, it's just not my thing - kind of like garage sale-ing - but I digress.

It is sturdy, and just the right size for an outdoor coffee table.

The legs are wood, and the top shelves covered in a wood laminate {quite 70's}.

I lightly sanded the laminate and wiped off the dust.

Then I painted her Old Violet.

Just two, light coats.

Slightly sanded, then waxed.

The entire process took less than two hours.

Did I mention that I painted right over laminate?!?

That is the beauty of Chalk Paint® decorative paint, it's made for impatient girls like me!

Happy Painting friends!

AND THE WINNER IS :: a giveaway

At the Open House last weekend, we had a little drawing for gals who signed up to receive periodic newsletters from MD HANEY & CO.

The winner receives 2 dozen freshly baked chocolate cookies {I am thinking double chocolate chip with sea salt, but I haven't quite decided}, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers!  All delivered to the front door, or place of work.

So fun....right?!?

And, the winner is....

Betsy, I will email you to get your address and find out when I can drop off "the goods!"

Have a lovely weekend ladies!

PS~  If you would like to sign up for the newsletter, just leave a comment and I will be sure to add you to the list!!

FABRIC FLOWER POSY :: a tutorial

I know there are a lot of flower posy tutorials floating around the internet!  There are so many cute styles to choose from!!  I thought I would share my favorite fabric flower posy, it is super easy, and a great way to use up those cute fabric scraps!

 First, you want to gather your fabric pieces.  I just use left over scraps, but of course you can by specific fabrics!

Next you want to cut your fabric into two or three different sized circles.  I used a small canning lid for the template of my largest circle.  The sized and cut the other two accordingly.

If I am going to take the time to make a flower posy, I cut up plenty of fabric pieces.  It is much faster to make several at once as opposed to one at a time.

You will want to cut a felt circle, about the size of your smallest fabric piece.  You will be hot glueing your fabric petals to the round piece of felt.  I will show you the felt in a couple of steps....I forgot to take a picture of it!

Fold your fabric circle in half....

and then in half again.  Put a dab of hot glue at the bottom intersection of the fabric so that the petal holds this shape.

Glue all of your folded fabric pieces to the circle of felt.  You can layer folded fabric pieces to make your posy extra full.  I glued a hair clip onto the back.

You can sew or glue a button, or any cute embellishment.

I love making them for Addilyn's hair.  However, I also love adding them to my sweaters, tops or bags.....the possibilities are endless!

Happy creating!!

OPEN HOUSE :: and inspiring creativity

Thank you to all of the lovelies who made their way to Carlton to help us celebrate our Open House!  Friday marked our first official day of this new chapter in our business.  I have dreamed {for years} of having a creative space to inspire others and work on projects.  I feel so blessed to now be at that point in my life!

Every Friday, the design studio will be open from 9am-7pm.

My little collection of home decor, vintage items and handmade goods continues to grow.  My hope is to have items rotating every week.  So, for the fabulous gals {and men} who want to stop by every week, there will always be something new and different.  We will have our various classes every month in the new workroom Matt remodeled.  Once I have finished decorating the workroom, I will post pictures!

I am really excited to offer unique and fun party supplies!  I always struggle with finding items I want when it comes time to throw a party.  I searched high and low to find my favorite items.  There are still items I want to add, but this way it is super easy for YOU to find little treasures when you are ready to throw a party!

My little assistant truly is a joy to be around!  She loves helping and 'painting'.  What a treat to get to be with my sweet little girls all day.  Some days they drive me crazy, but I know before long they will be in school and I will miss all of our times together!

Thanks again to new friends and old friends that made their way to Carlton this weekend, it truly was a treat!

Have a lovely holiday!

A FEW FAVORITE :: cookbooks

Now that sweet baby is one month old, I figure I should get back into the routine of preparing dinners for my little family.   I do enjoy meal planning and preparing meals.....not all of the time......but for the most part, it's something I look forward to.

I find about half of my recipes online.  The other half are from some of my favorite cookbooks....

The Farm Chicks cookbook is full of easy, and tasty recipes for breakfast, lunch, dessert and appetizers.

I was just given this cookbook by a sweet friend.  I love Ina!  I read through the cookbook in one afternoon and can't wait to start trying some recipes.

I love cooking from Ree's cookbook.  I usually cut the recipe in half, but she makes reading a recipe super easy!

The Four Season Farm is my "go to" cookbook.  I try to cook seasonally and with a lot of garden-grown-goodness.  This cookbook not only has great recipes, it is a great source of inspiration when you have an abundance of anything in the garden.

What are your favorite recipe resources?  Blogs? Pinterest?  Cookbooks?

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND OPEN HOUSE :: at the design studio

Chalk Paint® :: summer workshops

So, my little assistant has been helping stock and decorate the design studio.  She is quite entertaining!  Although the process would go much faster without her help,  she brings such joy and laughter to the table, it would be too boring without her help!

I just finalized the Chalk Paint® decorative paint summer workshop schedule.   It's going to be so fun!!  If you haven't used Chalk Paint before, you  are in for a real treat!  It is a easy and unique paint, one that almost guarantees amazing results each time.  Seriously!

For anyone attending one of the workshops from out of town, we are happy to offer a 25% discount off of their nightly stay at the Loft!  Pretty fun.....right?!?

If you have questions, or would like more details, feel free to call or email!!  I will post some fun 'BEFORE + AFTER' Chalk Paint pieces later in the week.

Until then, have a lovely day....

ICED COFFEE :: made at home

I don't know about you, but come 3ish in the afternoon, I am craving something sweet.

My go to afternoon treat is usually a home made iced coffee.  The recipe is from the ever so talented Pioneer Woman.  I don't often have time to read through her blog, but when I do, I always walk away laughing and feeling inspired.

Iced Coffee ::

1/2 pound of good ground coffee

1 gallon of filtered water

milk, half & half

chocolate syrup

ice cubes

:: Grind 1/2 pound of coffee beans.  In a large bowl {or container} pour in your ground coffee, add 1 gallon of filtered water.  Stir the coffee and water together.  Cover with lid or dishtowel and let it sit for 8-24 hours.

Take a fine mesh strainer, or add a couple of layers of cheesecloth to a larger stainer.  Slowly pour the coffee mixture through the stainer.  Be sure to not let any coffee grounds escape through the strainer, I know from experience.....iced coffee doesn't taste good if you are chewing coffee grounds!

Store the coffee goodness in your refrigerator.  It will last a few weeks, although, I go through mine much faster than that!  

When you are ready to make a drink::

Fill your glass with ice.

Fill your cup 1/2 full with the coffee goodness.

Top off your cup with milk, 1/2 & 1/2, or a little bit of both.  

If you like a little sweetness, add some chocolate syrup, or any flavored syrup, and then give it a good stir.

I usually add some whip cream to mine.....

And there you have it, the perfect iced coffee!

Enjoy!!!

PS ~ If you want really detailed instructions, pop over to Pioneer Woman's blog.  She is much funnier and more detailed than I am!!

before + after :: BACK DECK

When we renovated our home 7 years ago, we decided to add a concrete back deck.  It was about 5 feet off of the ground and underneath was covered/enclosed storage.  The deck is on the South side of the house and gets hit hard with sunshine and pounding rain.  Eventually, the concrete started to leak.....

We 'ignored' the problem for a couple of years, last summer, Matt decided we needed to address the issue.  Let me tell you, it was a big issue!  All of the existing concrete deck had to be removed.  We decided to go ahead and cover the deck....while we were at it {wink}, so we could enjoy the outdoors more than 3 months out of the year!

It took Matt about 6 months {working the occasional evening and weekends} to finish the space.  I still have decorating to do, but I thought I would show you the new covered deck.

The weather has been amazing for the past few weeks.  I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed sitting out here, cuddling with my sweet little babe!

Like I said, I still have some decorating to do.  But, let's be honest, I am not sure when I will get to that ;-)

Have a lovely day!!

FAMILY :: new baby Savanna Lyn

I thought I would take a quick moment to post a photo of our newest little addition.....

Sweet little Savanna Lyn was born Tuesday {April 23rd} at 7:30pm.  She was the perfect size...7 lbs + 3 oz and 19 1/2 inches long.

We love her to pieces and are soaking up every moment of down time.  I promise to post regularly in a week or so.  We have a lot of fun projects in the works and I can't wait to share photos!!

THE LOFT :: busy season

 

Well, the month of May signals the beginning of the busy season for us in wine country.

The the past five years, the vacation rentals have kept me super busy from May until November.  I am really enjoying just have the LOFT space to rent out, it is quite a bit more manageable than two vacation rentals!

I was thinking this morning of a few of our favorite little weekend get-away places here in Oregon, I thought I would share them with you!

The Inn at Canon Beach

Canon Beach is one of my favorite beaches along the Oregon coast.  There are many lovely places to stay, but The Inn at Canon Beach is fabulous.

Camp Sherman

I have great memories of staying in Camp Sherman with dear friends.  I know that wonderful memories make a place seem so much sweeter.  But, Camp Sherman is a beautiful and charming place to stay or camp if you want some Oregon sunshine and fresh mountain air!

Timberline Lodge

It's been years since I have stayed at Timberline Lodge, but it is a beautiful and magical place to stay, especially during the holidays.  When I last stayed, we went snow skiing all weekend, but I know it would be a great place to stay even if you didn't ski or snowboard!

I am sure other fabulous places will come to mind, and there are so many great places all over Oregon!  I would love to hear of other places you have stayed in Oregon!!

FAMILY :: taking some extra time to love on my little one

So, baby #2 is due any day.  We are beyond thrilled to be blessed with another little life to take care of.  I may have irregular posts over the next two weeks as I soak up time with my sweet family.

I will be having #2 at home, just as I did with Addilyn.  I feel incredibly blessed to have an amazing mid-wife, a very supportive husband and a wonderful family.

I promise to post pictures when #2 arrives.....

Until then, have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your precious time with your family too!

shop update :: adding CHALK PAINT decorative paint soon!

Matt gets back late tonight from a two day training in North Carolina.  Why would a sweet man like my husband fly all the way across the US just days before our new little bundle of joy is due???  Because I encouraged him too...and we are crazy like that!!  {Well, anyone who knows us knows we are not crazy, actually a bit too practical and even boring at times!!;-}  And, it's a really cool product that we want to be able to stock sooner than later!

We are really excited to be offering Chalk Paint decorative paint at the shop.  This product is amazing.  Seriously, I can't wait to share more about it.  If you haven't heard of it, you should check out the website.  

I hope to have the online shop updated {with the Chalk Paint} by the end of the week.  I will keep you posted!!

Look at a few of these beautiful furniture pieces done with chalk paint....

 All of these beautiful images are from the Annie Sloan website.

Aren't they lovely?  Soon I will post a few pieces that I have refinished and currently have sitting in the shop.  We plan on opening shop next month....I promise to share more details soon!

In the mean time, have a lovely Spring day!

VANILLA BEAN SCONES :: a sweet treat recipe

We celebrated Matt's birthday on Wednesday!

He likes things pretty simple.  When I asked if he wanted to go out to celebrate, or have me cook a birthday dinner, he decided he wanted to stay in and enjoy a birthday dinner at home.

Fine by me!

He asked for beef tacos with corn tortillas....corn tortillas that are deep fried.  I {obviously} complain about how labor intensive the tortillas are, because for him it was a real treat......sweet guy.

Anyways, for his birthday breakfast, he asked for Vanilla Bean Scones.  I thought I would share the recipe.  They are really simple and they always turn out perfectly!  These scones have a hint of sweetness, and the perfect amount of vanilla.  The perfect compliment to a cup of hot coffee or tea!

VANILLA BEAN SCONES

Ingredients ::

2 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup cold heavy cream 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 2 tsp. of good vanilla extract

GLAZE :: 1 vanilla bean, scraped  ||  1/2 cup confectioners' sugar  ||  2 tablespoons of cream or milk

In a mixer, combine flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder and salt using the paddle attachment.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2 inch pieces.  Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the butter is mixed in and is the size of peas.  In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, whipping cream and scraped vanilla bean goodness with a fork.  Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the cream and egg mixture.  Turn off the mixer once added.

Dust the counter with flour.  Turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  Add some flour onto the top of the dough, then pat it out into a disk - about 8-9 inches in diameter.  Cut the disk into 6 pieces like a pie.

Separate the pieces and put them on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

To make the glaze, stir together cream,  vanilla bean goodness and powdered sugar.  Glaze them while they are still hot.

Enjoy!!

What I am reading now :: gardening and canning resources

Things are busy here at the Haney household as I try to wrap up last minute design projects, stock the shop and prepare for baby #2!  I thought I would just pop in to share what I am reading.  I know you would love these books, especially if you love gardening and cooking!!

FOOD IN JARS is a fabulous read/cookbook if you want to learn more about, and experiment with canning.

ORGANIC GARDENER'S COMPANION is a wonderful resource for planning, planting and tending to your organic garden.

ORGANIC GARDEN BASICS is great for the beginning gardener and the seasoned gardener!

With the temperature warming and the sun shining a bit more here in the Pacific NW, I am anxious to get outside and start working in the garden.

PEANUT BUTTER + JELLY BARS :: a sweet treat recipe

I thought I would share an easy {and really tasty} dessert bar recipe.  This recipe is from Ina Garten, one of my all time favorite cooks and food network stars.  I just adore her, not to mention she is incredibly talented!!

These bars are the perfect combination of salty {peanut butter} and sweet {jelly + sugar}.  They are great for an extra sweet breakfast treat, or a yummy dessert treat.

Ingredients::

• 1/2 pound || 2 sticks|| unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter, {I used ADAMS creamy}
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry jam or other jam
• 2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions::

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!!

YUMMY WATER :: a great resource for flavored water

I thought I would share a fun website that someone sent me....a website with different ways to flavor water!  I am always looking for ways to drink more water.  This is an easy way to get everyone in the family to drink more water!  Plus, it is so pretty!

The Yummy Life

Right now, we are loving the Pineapple Mint flavored water.

Hope you feel inspired to create some beautiful, healthy flavored water!

**both images are from the yummy life website**

BEFORE & AFTER :: a master bathroom remodel

I guess this isn't technically a 'before + after' post, because I can't seem to find any 'before' photos!  So, below are a few 'after' photos of the master bathroom Matt remodeled for the lovely clients who live on the golf course.  Their other two bathrooms were the most recent 'before + after' posts.....

The finished bathroom now has two vanities, a his + hers.

The window adds great natural light and the plantation shutter add plenty of privacy.

The walls and floor received new stone....

More of the split faced marble that we saw in their den bathroom.  Isn't it beautiful?!?

The pendants add a lovely feminine touch.

I am so sorry that I don't have 'before' photos!!  I hope you enjoyed the few 'after' photos that we snapped!

Have a lovely Easter weekend!

~Darci