Design On A Dime

Or no money at all! Just use your imagination and you too can change your boring, drab rooms into artistic creations. For your viewing pleasure, let's take a look at this beautiful "handpainted" boutique headboard, courtesy of Kayla, our in-house designer. Truly one of a kind!



Here' a closer look. We wouldn't want you to miss out on the intricate detail!



But don't stop there- adding some "antiquing" on the posts adds charm and gives it just the right touch. Just ask Evan, Kayla's apprentice and up-and-coming local artist. He created and perfected this never-before-seen technique. Just marvelous!



Now, to perk up those washed-out walls, Kayla designed a mural of flowers. Complete with a delicate little butterfly. Can't you just smell the spring breeze?



And instead of a switch plate cover, why not embellish around the cover? This cuts costs and the needless wasting of the intact cover, while adding a custom look.



I hope you enjoyed this presentation of Kayla's latest line- "Floral Fantasy." You can find more of her work and that of her apprentice at "Nook & Cranny," a darling little shop on the corner of Pranks and Shenanigans, just past the Haughton homestead. ;)

Cookin' with Kayla

Kayla is such a little helper and LOVES to help with anything around the house. I kid you not, this child begs to help vacuum and do the dishes. Weird, I know! She is her father's daughter. ;) She loves cooking with me, especially since she gets to wear her cute little apron! So last week when we had to make a cake for the Cub Scouts Blue and Gold Dinner (Ryan and I are pack leaders for the Bears and Wolves) she of course offered her expertise! We opted to make a yellow cake from scratch with a cream cheese frosting. And since the theme for the night was patriotic, we used strawberries and blueberries for our very own USA flag. Is your mouth watering yet? Mmmm, yummy!

Here's Kayla mixing our secret ingredients. Which aren't really secret since it's from my Betty Crocker cookbook.



Making sure it tastes just right!



The finished product! I found the frosting recipe on this awesome website- here's the link
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Frosting-II-2/Detail.aspx?src=etaf
Only I altered it a bit. I used half the cream cheese and butter and used 1 1/2 tsp vanilla for a richer taste. It made the perfect amount. Unless you start sampling that is!



Anyway, we're off to make some cookies. After I clean up my horribly dirty kitchen. Shh, don't tell Ryan. :) Let me know if you have any great recipes to share!