DIY open shelving

 

open shelving SUCCESS!!!

it took longer then expected (like every design related decision does), but the open shelves in the kitchen are installed & i couldn't be more pleased. i finally have huge open shelving to showcase all my pretty props on & a lot more storage space. the shelf space is reserved for all the items in my kitchen that don't belong in cupboards! the shelves are the first thing you see when you enter the kitchen. they also carry nicely into the open concept dining room. i wanted the shelving itself to be as pretty as the pieces i planned to display on it so i opted for these beautiful brass brackets from rejuvenation! i went with the classic look & chose the arched shelf bracket. rejuvenation has a variety of colour & style options when it comes to open shelving, but i kept things simple. like everything from rejuvenation, the quality is amazing & i have no doubt these shelves will hold all my precious pottery safely. i also got the matching rejuvenation brass switch plates because it is all about the details!

for the shelving itself, i had originally purchased the three foot salvaged honeycomb ponderosa pine shelving from rejuvenation because i wanted to bring in a reclaimed wood element. however, we decided to move the shelving last minute to a much larger wall so i could have several additional feet of storage. we ended up purchasing 8-inch wide x 5-foot long pieces of raw oak from the lumber yard. then we gently sanded & stained it! the natural grains in the oak were just too pretty to cover up, so we left it as raw as possible.

anyways, this is the only sneak peak you will get of the new kitchen until the summer! i just couldn't help but share these shelves the second they went up. now brb while i redecorate & rearrange them on a weekly (ok, daily) basis:)

p.s. if you are wondering where that brass industrial style tangled chandelier is from, it is this one from school house electric.

xo

strawberry banana smoothie bowl

 

happy long weekend! since i know we are all busy with easter celebrations tomorrow i will keep this post short & sweet. i am finally on the smoothie bowl band wagon. i didn't understand them at first being a smoothie lover, but now i am all for them! they look pretty, are fun to decorate with all the healthy toppings you can think of & they are super filling for breakfast time. this would be the perfect breakfast to make for mother's day! it is healthy & it will help fuel mom for the rest of the day, with a side of coffee of course. i packed it with fruit, peanut butter (for protien), greek yogurt (for dairy) & topped it with granola for some healthy grains. this smoothie bowl is seriously so easy to whip up! simply throw all the ingredients into your blender & blend until smooth.

to make my smoothie bowls i used the vitamix ascent a3500. it is vitamix's newest blender & it is so powerful. i found my old blenders would leave behind large chunks of frozen fruit, not something you want in a smoothie. you can read all about the vitamix ascent a3500 here (bonus: it's even on sale for mother's day).

have a lovely spring weekend & happy easter! xo

ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen bananas, sliced
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 1/3 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
  • 1/3 cup almond milk
  • sliced fruit (strawberries, bananas & blackberries) for topping
  • 1 tablespoon granola or muesli, for topping
  • 1 teaspoon chai seeds, for topping

directions

  • place the frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, natural peanut butter, raw honey, greek yogurt & almond milk into your vitamix ascent a3500. blend until smooth.
  • pour into a bowl & top with sliced fruit, granola + chai seeds.
  • enjoy!

this post was created in partnership with vitamix! thank you for supporting the brands that help me do what i love. xo

wild mushroom tartlets

 

i created these wild mushroom tartlets to be the perfect vegetarian dish to pair with cambria wines pinot noir. as the weather temperature rises & the days get longer it seems like the perfect pastry to enjoy sitting out back on the patio or front porch, sipping on a glass of red wine. cambria wines is a california based estate vineyard & winery located in santa maria. santa maria is a very agricultrually focused town where cambria honors the local farming traditions.

for this recipe i made the dough portion from scratch, but if pastry dough isn't your thing, feel free to use store bought tart shells! the filling is super simple to assemble & features farm fresh eggs, earthy wild mushrooms, smoked gouda cheese & fresh thyme. the bold flavours work together perfectly to compliment cambria wines pinot noir aroma. the pinot noir also features an earthy, robust & zesty character. we may usually think of red meat when it comes to red wine, but this hearty vegetarian dish will make you forget all about that steak! these wild mushroom tartlets can work both as appetizer or main course. the recipe is intended for six tartlets, but will also yield the perfect quantity for a single large tart. what a better weekend to whip up these tarts then easter weekend!

ingredients

(makes six tartlets)

for the wild mushroom filling

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms, sliced (i used shiitaki & oyster)
  • sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup 10% cream
  • 1 cup smoked gouda, grated
  • 1 batch black pepper & thyme pastry dough (see recipe below)

for the black pepper & thyme pastry

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 1/4 cup ice water

directions

for the wild mushroom filling

  • in a skillet over medium heat add the butter, shallots, garlic & thyme. cook until the shallots begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • lower heat and add the sliced mushrooms. season with salt & pepper. cook until the mushrooms begin to break down, about 10 minutes.
  • let cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  • in a mixing bowl whisk salt, pepper, eggs, cream & gouda until fluffy. fold in the cooled mushroom mixture.
  • divide evenly between six shelled tarlet pans.
  • bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
  • serve warm with a glass of cambria pinot noir.

for the black pepper & thyme pastry

  • in a mixing bowl sift flour, thyme, black pepper & sea salt. add the cubed butter & cut in until a pea sized crumb mixture is formed.
  • add the ice water and mix until the pastry dough comes together. add more water if dough seems dry.
  • shape into a disk & wrap in cling wrap. let rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
  • roll dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness and line your tartlet pans with the pastry dough.
  • let shells rest in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the filling.