Womp, womp...bad wreath purchase

In the spirit of giving you the good, bad and ugly, I figured I'd share my bad wreath purchase, which goes in the category of bad and ugly. It was a womp, womp, womp. You may recall from this post that I had purchased a new summer wreath for the front door. I was a littled annoyed to learn that it would take 3 or more weeks to get here but nevertheless, excited to get a summer wreath up on the front door.

Well ladies and gentlemen...it arrived and was a big thumbs down. It was desribed as being "colorful, texturally rich wreath makes a beautiful welcome! It's handmade on a twig base with lavender and white larkspur, sorghum, green caspia, bear grass, white and blue silk daisy, lavender sinuate. Handmade to last for years."

Here it is as advertised

My flowers in the front of the house are all purples and hot pinks this year so it should have matched nicely. Well first, 16" isn't actually all that big when it comes to a wreath. Or at least their version of 16" isn't that big. I don't count the straw outlyers that aren't really shown well in the picture. Those, in my humble opinion, are just supposed to be added texture, not part of the width of the wreath. Anyhoozle, when they say handmade...they meant it. I could actually see glue gun reminants on the FAKE flowers that were glued in. Need I remind you how I feel about fake flowers? And if I'm splurging $40 on a wreath to "last for years" should it look like I could have made it myself? I think not.

So it was a big flop. I may try this technique from my friend Melissa's blog next since I can't seem to find a wreath that I like. Will let you know how it turns out if/when I try it.

If you see a good classy summer wreath anywhere, let me know!

Heels, Stilettos or Flats?

If you know me, you know that I L-O-V-E shoes. Always have. I tend to think it's hereditary and I got it from my grandmother who also loved shoes. I also loved high heels right up until I had my little peanut. Yep, at nine months pregnant I was sporting high heels and for the most part was perfectly comfortable. But there was something about being at home for three months and not having to wear heels that has changed my entire perspective. My "comfy" heels now kill my feet...and I'm pretty sure that it's not because my shoes suddenly lost their cushion. So now I'm a flats girl. 

As I was sitting on the couch one evening with Nightline in the background they had a segment on high heels. Can you believe there is now a crunch class called Stiletto Strength? It's "BYOH - Bring Your Own Heels - and strut your stuff runway style in this calf-boosting, posture-building, cat-walking diva class." Now isn't that going a bit far? 

Apparently not because there are also high heeled races - literally you run the race in high heels. Really? The last person who ran one of these races was kicking it at a high pace and dove across the finish line to win the honor. Now ladies, that may be going a bit far.

Granted, flats have come a very long way but they still don't make you feel quite as cute as heels do. But neither does chasing after your toddler or running errands carrying a 90 lb 22 lb car carrier in heels either.

So alas, I'm now on the hunt for really cute flats that are stylish, cute and not too "mommy-ish". Afterall, just because we're moms doesn't mean we have to convert to "mom jeans" and cotton sweatshirts. A girl still has to be stylish!

So which are you - heels or flats? Any good spots to find cute shoes (preferably online because lets face it, with working full time, being a mommy and running a household, who really has alot of time to shop around?)

Ivy: A Love/Hate Relationship

Ivy is one of my favorite accent plants. If you can keep it alive, I think it's beautiful indoors. Outside I've always loved it as ground cover or in trees and especially in topiaries. However...I hate it along the walls of a house unless it is perfectly manicured and in good taste. The Hubby, who is in charge of trimming the shrubs, cutting grass and watering everything I plant (I love to plant everything but tend to get side-tracked when it comes to the watering part. Funny how that accidentally happens) Oh, as I was saying, he actually liked the ivy that decided to start growing up along our front door. Now there are not many things in the garden/landscape that he feels strongly about. I finally got him over the trauma of "yes you have to rip out the summer or fall flowers, even if they are somewhat still blooming, so we can plant new seasonal flowers" That was a very big deal for several years. So when he adamantely opposed me pulling it down, I knew it was one of those battles to "pick"...or not pick in this sitch.

But then there are all kinds of little blessings in life...like when the ivy starts to turn yellow and die all of a sudden. And no, I didn't put anything on it or kill it in any way. Although Hubby did ask me 3x and make me pinky swear.

So this weekend as I was repotting all our window boxes, I got the sudden urge joy of pulling it down. There's only one problem. It left ugly ivy poop behind, seen here:

You can see the trail it was taking, not pretty alive or dead really.

from afar so you get the big picture...and Jackson & Stella at their post

And a close-up of the ivy poop

So does ANYONE know how to get it off? It's on brick so it's in all the crevices. I thought about sanding it but then was concerned it would take off part of the paint. I don't have a sample of this ugly oh-so-lovely green color and I'd rather not spend the time or $$ repainting the entire house (or would I? it would give me an excuse and the Hubby couldn't complain argue too much). Call me crazy but painting my house 6 months pregnant in the dead of Columbia summer is not my idea of fun. And I'm too cheap to pay someone the $1,000's of greens it would cost.

HELP! I plan on scouring the stores and internet this week to figure it out but if you have a suggestion, please let me know!!! Proven solutions are always better than experimenting. I'll post the "how to" on ivy poop once I figure it out.

I will beat you ivy...you can't stick to my house forever.

Oh and for those wondering, yes it was a little upsetting to Hubby when he learned I had pulled it all down. Insert #4: "and you promise you didn't kill it on purpose?"

Fun summer salad - mediterranean style

Ok so since I've been pregnant for oh...14 months now I can't really say that I've been in to cooking so much, especially in the beginning trimesters. But, starting around the middle of the second trimester I start nesting which includes cooking and baking. Makes the Hubby so happy. Not long ago I made a Pea Pesto Pasta Salad (recipe to follow in another post) which he thought was delicious but he also requested a pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes. Off to the internet I went...here's what I made and what has now been deemed the Hubby's favorite (and he's not a fan of pasta salads so that's saying something). 


Mediterranean Pasta Salad
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 
3/4 balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs drained capers
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1lb whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente
12 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered (I used grape tomatoes)
8 oz feta cheese, cubed
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup minced pitted black olives (oil or water cured)
1 jar artichokes, drained


Blend first five ingredients in a blender or food processor briefly, just enough to chop everything together. Add this dressing to the drained HOT pasta in a large bowl. Toss to coat well then let cool, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients (and salt and pepper to taste if desired). Cover and chill. 


For more sustenance, add shrimp or chicken. I recommend greek chicken (coat chicken with olive oil then add greek seasoning and grill, cut in to bite size pieces. Also good on garden salads!). I think it might even be good with kielbasa in it. Make it whatever you want! 


This will definitely be a summer favorite in the Schrall House! Let me know if you try it and what you think. 

A walk through the wilderness...

I haven't mentioned this to many people because I don't like to complain or whine. Instead, I just push through or try to recalibrate on my own. Probably the only person that really sees it would be the Hubby because well, he lives with me 24/7 and quite frankly can't escape! After Charlie was born, I have had a hard time discerning God's will for me in almost all aspects of my life. Well, except one - that He wants us to have baby #2 and that's only because He made that happen out of the blue when it medically shouldn't have been possible. Otherwise, it has been hard to discern anything. I've grown accustomed to always asking for guidance and direction in any decisions, including the small ones, and God always answering pretty clearly. I seemingly feel like I float through life now, struggling from one day to the next, not really hearing from Him. Now don't get me wrong, some days and weeks are better than others but overall I have struggled with knowing how to fit in working, being a mommy, being a wife, fitting in volunteer time, etc. The hats have been starting to pile up and nothing has been fitting very well...literally and metaphorically. 

So what did I do? I push through assuming it will get better. Some days I am joyous, other days I am just frustrated and crabby. I'm sure part of that has been hormones since my poor body is all out of whack. Whose wouldn't be being pregnant for 15 months solid now!? But instead of praying and waiting for God to show me what He has in store for me, I took things in to my own hands. I have been too impatient to wait because life seemed to be happening so fast I couldn't just sit idely by. 

Big mistake. Huge.  (10 pts for anyone who knows what movie this comes from. It's one of my faves. Hint: this line is followed by "I have to go shopping now!")


So I take matters in to my own hands convinced it is going to be OK. Turns out I don't make the best decisions apart from Him. When it finally hits me that I've made some bad decisions, it is too late to turn back. I'm not going in to specifics simply because I don't want to jeopardize anything at this point. So what do I do now? I push through. Don't I ever learn?

Does it yield me joy? nope. Does it reduce my stress level? nope. Instead, it just makes matters worse. 

Now my poor Hubby tries his best to coach me but lets face it, sometimes your spouse just can't be the one to do that at certain times. So for the past few months, six to be exact, I have been up and down, some days joyous and hopeful, others just frustrated and "Debbie-downer" with a glass-half-full attitude. Totally not me. Again, hormones do play a part but I can't blame it just on hormones. And it's not post-partum depression either. I know the difference and this isn't it. 

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the women's ministry dinner at church. Honestly, based on the day I was having, I probably wouldn't have gone except that I had committed to decorating 2 tables for the dinner. Boy, does God give you encouragement when you need it most. 

I arrive to find two great friends ready to help decorate with me and several others willing to pitch in when we were running out of time. Then we start the evening with a pot-luck dinner and laughter. Very casual. I'm still giggling over a story of underarm hair and shaving (name withheld to protect the innocent and hairy). Then the music begins and every song that was sung, every prayer prayed and every scripture read spoke to me. There was a testimony very similar to my story, how she tried to take control then fell apart and how she is finally coming out of the wilderness by trusting God's love. I honestly felt like the entire evening was orchestrated just for me, even down to the great pep talk I got from the Hubby just before I left (yes, they do work from time-to-time). 

I know it's not an easy road back out. I still need to find the path out of the woods and learn to forgive myself for making some bad decisions, which is probably the hardest part. Afterall, I'm my own worst critic. But I do feel a bit more hopeful today knowing that even though I messed things up, God can still make them better because He loves me. Last night was just a little gift from Him to show me that love. It was just what I needed to not feel like He would punish me for my mistakes.  

So thanks to all the women last night who sang, encouraged, listened and laughed with me. You don't realize how much it did my heart good! 

I hope you can lift someone up now, tomorrow or in the near future. You may not realize how much they needed a cheerleader.

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;
the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. - Psalm 147: 10-11

Blue...oh so blue

Well that's what I was going for at least when I first decided blue should be the color of our bedroom when we first moved in. You may not know this but my mom and grandmother L-O-V-E(d) the color blue. I missed that gene. I like blue, just don't love it like they do. I am more in to the oranges, naturals and greens. However, I do admit that I have always loved blue in a bedroom so when we moved in to our house 4 years ago, I thought it was the perfect time to go blue.

To set the the stage so-to-speak, I envisioned a light, airy bedroom with pretty shades of blue in the royal blue family. No other color necessary, just shades of blue mixed with some white airy curtains - you know fun and uplifting in shades of blue.

What I got...hodge-podge blues that left you squinting instead of soothed.

Here's where we started - bland and boring:

And here is us in action...well I seemed to be taking a little break but I did work. Promise.

I really did paint that day...I just needed a little rest break

And here's how it first turned out. Not bad but not really what I was going for either. The blues were too bright and it was more screaming "WAKE UP!!" instead of "Ahhh...peaceful serenity".

So we lived in the WAKE UP blue bedroom for a while. I added curtains that were floral in nature with blue hydrageas in the pattern (Daniel hated them) to see if it softened the room up...but no dice. Too bad I don't have a picture of them. I still have them despite the fact Daniel wanted to burn them when I took them down.

When I started nesting while I was pregnant with Charlie, I decided not only were we going to paint the living room, hallway, new nursery and guest room but why not tackle the bedroom as well? Pretty much every room but the kitchen and bathroom. I mean I really went on a super re-decorating spree. Here is what I finally landed on in the bedroom and now it's much more "ahhh, blue serenity" than "WAKE UP SUCKA!"

I was super stoked when we were re-decorating when I found the comforter at Target (i.e. cheap). It has a very subtle, classic print that is mostly khaki but has touches of blue as well. In my opinion, the room is not completely done. There's all kinds of finishing touches I could add or tweak but I'm not willing to spend the money on them. Maybe in a new house when we have more space but for now, this is finally the softer, blue serenity-ish room I was going for originally.

So remember, if first you don't succeed - try, try, try again - but hopefully third time is the charm!

Do you have a pretty blue room? If so, send me pictures! Maybe I'll be inspired again if we ever move to a new home.

The Kitchen - happily ever after and a bit in between!

WOW what a difference 4 years can make in the look of your home...especially if you are a DIYer like I am or love to change things up until it's just right.

As I was organizing some pictures on the computer, I ran across my folder entitled "house pics". I couldn't remember what was in there so I decided peruse. I found the pictures of when we first moved in or actually, before we moved in and were painting. I had forgotten how bland the house looked and how much we've actually done. There seemed to be a common theme in three of the major rooms (master bedroom, living room/dining and kitchen) - I apparently couldn't figure out what I wanted. What came with the house was blah and boring. Daniel is half Cuban so he is not afraid to let me use color - so I did. But obviously it wasn't quite right so I tweaked yet again to get the final product.

I'm not counting the other rooms in the house since they have been switched around due to the ever-expanding Schrall Family.

Here's what we started with in the kitchen:

Kitchen on move-in - this cabinet houses our washer/dryer.
Quite clever considering we have such a small house.

Ugh those hideous cabinets and such boring beige!

The back door that had a gaping hole in it to let all the bought air out.
And you can see where I was already testing bright colors for the small space.

And here's the in-between...Daniel hated the chocolate brown cabinets. Shortly after we had new doors built because it was just that bad. Yep...this kitchen stumped all my design ideas.

the walls were coral which was great for a "pop" of color...
and we still had the horrible back door...

...but the brown just wasn't working.
Hard to tell in the pics but in person it was MUCH worse.

This one makes my eyes hurt.

This one isn't so bad because it didn't have the white appliances.
I hate white appliances but I'm too cheap to replace ours.

And then we got the cabinet doors replaced. Since we weren't planning on staying long in the house, it wasn't worth the investment to replace all the cabinetry and do a complete kitchen reno. When we replaced the doors and decided they should be a similar khaki color as the floor and counter tops, the wall color didn't work any more (coral just was too pink-y).

And can we say c-l-u-t-t-e-r-e-d? What was I thinking?

Of course that's how it goes...I had already painted...and painted...and painted the cabinetry and now I had to paint the walls. The Hubs boycotted since he hated the brown so much which left it all on yours truly. But I think the final version turned out pretty well. I painted the cabinets a similiar color as the floor and counter tops and changed the wall color to more of a pumpkin/yam color, which is also what I use as an accent in the living room.

The cabinetry is just enough contrast to the white appliances and trim
but not too much to make them standout.

Much better don't you think? Aside from the new cabinet doors, which weren't that pricey ($850), some new hardware and new faucet (thanks to a leaky one that mandated we change it) the rest was all paint choices...good and bad.

So think about that the next time you want to make any changes in your house. They don't all have to be big, major renovations. Sometimes the right paint and accessories can make all the difference in the world!

More to follow on the living room and master bedroom...I think in our next house I'll move in first, then decide how I want to decorate it after living in the space for a little while few days.

Sand, Summer and Shells

Well it's officially been a very long time since I was able to blog...mostly because I went back to work full time, have a little one who is now 6 1/2 months old and all the other responsibilities of a mommy, wife, daughter and employee.

Recently I took down my Easter decorations and just couldn't bring myself to put up my "standard" design elements in my house. After Christmas then Easter, it just seemed so ho-hum. Then viola! The new Potter Barn catalog came in the mail. Now usually I don't have time to look at magazines anymore (I miss you InStyle, Southern Living and People StyleWatch) but on a recent road trip I took a stack with me. Afterall, we were going to be in the car for what turned out to be years 6 hours. I was instantly drawn in to Pottery Barn's summer coastal style (well, in truth I'm always drawn in by their stuff but this time especially so) and it was just the right thing to get my creative juices flowing.

Here is how I brought the summer in to our home with some simple design elements...

This is a side table with a little glass bowl filled with sand, seashells and a simple white candle.

The coffee table adorned with 3 glass containers filled with a combination of candles, moss,
seashells and sand. I added a few of the larger shells on top of the books to make it more casual.
Just enough to make you feel like summer is here.

a close-up of a jar so you can see the innards

And when you add a natural colored basket to the mix, it gives you a place to store your junk stuff
but still keeps with the natural elements of the table

And for the dining table, which happens to be in the same room...

(I have since changed out the candles in front since these didn't match as well as I had hoped)

And it doesn't all need to be seashells and sand...you don't want people thinking you tried to bring the entire coast inside your house. Most of the shells you see in these pictures I found last summer at the beach. But for some variety, I also used natural elements on other tables:

Excuse the foam ball in the bowl...it's supposed to be covered with green moss but
I haven't had a chance to do that yet. The little silver items are a turtle and frog votive holders -
just another symbol of summer.

And while I don't have pictures of them yet because they haven't made it to my front step, I also will be adding these pillows to my sofa. Well, the long one anyway. I couldn't afford the whole set. These pillows are also cute if you want a less expensive but chic way to spruce up your couch (I got them in terra cotta with our monogram).


And don't forget the front door! Here are some options for you. Now I won't give you my opinion on all of these wreaths...some are very classy...some not so much. (Hint: fake is never good...in anything. Opt for real when you can).  I opted for a natural floral wreath versus keeping with the seashell theme, just in case I decide not to do seashells next year.

So be inspired by summer and bring your favorite aspects indoors to spruce up your home! If you have other ideas, please share them with me.