Liz Carroll Interiors

Fellow NC girl from Wilmington, NC.  Found Liz Carroll Interiors through some friends on Facebook and am definitely a fan!

Check out some of her recent projects from her portfolio:

Hi, couch.  You are awesome.  And I love the symmetry of the artwork.  My favorite view of this room is a few pictures down, though. 

I can only assume this is a king sized bed but I love the idea of the three pillows - you usually only see two pillows or a whole pile of smaller ones (something I tend to do but actually can't stand it when you go to make up the bed).  Also, I was watching Candice Tells All the other day and she did a show all about grounding a room with black.  Neutral colors can tend to get lost but if you ground them with touches of black, it adds that little sumthin' sumthin'.  Liz executed the touch of black perfectly in this room if you ask me.

Absolutely awesome chairs.  They are like banquettes but not cause they are smaller like chairs...I seriously can't stop looking at these.  I've never seen anything like them.  It's that shot of the unexpected in a traditional (but beautiful!) dining room.

I spy animal print on those ottomans and a sunburst mirror.  Truly I cannot get sick of either of those.  The suzani print on the pillows makes the room still feel new and fresh but the aforementioned pieces and the white on the chairs keep the room timeless. 

I really like how the khaki/brown color keeps the room from being too feminine.  I love the detail of the piping on the chair and the trim on the curtains.  The boldness of the pink is also not too babish so a little girl could grow into this room.  Also love that rug - how soft for a little baby to play on.

Liz also offers "Room in a Box" services if you aren't in the Wilmington, NC area.  Check it out here. 

That kitchen fixture...

My husband mandated that I clean out some of the stacks and stacks of magazines I have sitting around the house.  I got a letter from Delta Airlines that my miles were going to expire if I didn't use them.  It wasn't enough for a flight or anything so I cashed them in for every magazine I could get my hands on.  I refuse to throw them away before I read them but I haven't had time to get to tons of them.  So, I started rooting through ones I read a while ago making sure there was nothing I needed to tear out before I threw them out.  I came across House Beautiful from last February and went through all of the pages that I had dogearred to come back to later.  Do you remember this kitchen and this light fixture? 

Lots of people had mixed feelings about it but I adore it.  They took two scones they found at an antique store and joined them together to create this one of a kind piece.

The fixture isn't the only thing I love about this kitchen.  I love the faucet coming out of the wall over the funiture looking piece above as well as the simple placement of the artwork.

And how about the stunning mirror above the stove?!  Who would think of that?

I love the built-ins in the alcove beside the stove as well.  And the view to outside?  Gorgeous! 

Are you with me or does it not do it for you?

Beach buys

Another year's gone by and I still don't have a beach house.  Wait.  I still don't have a regular house.  But, whatever.  It is cold, the week has been long and I am in the mood for summertime, margaritas and the beach! 

Shop for the (pretend) house with me, will you?

Coco mirror from West Elm

Aqua Glass Lamp from Island Home Palm Beach

Bamboo trays from the Mermaid Hut

Beach glass from Rosanna

Buoy ottoman from the Mermaid Hut

Octupus hooked pillow from OBX Trading Group

Mare shell bowl from Vietri

Rope towel hook via Material Girls Blog

multi-stripe buoy from the Mermaid Hut

Coral bowls from OBX Trading Group

silver shells from the Mermaid Hut

(note: I actually found some cute ones for waaaay less at TJ Maxx a week or two that I went ahead and bought...you know, just in case I get my beach house anytime soon)

Oval Ring Side Table from OBX Trading Group

White Pagoda Sconce via Island Home Palm Beach

door mat made from recycled flip flops from CS Post and Co.

weathered wood table lamp (can't find the source...)

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

At book wine club last week my friend Lane made this slow cooker chicken chili recipe.  I loved it. 

I told the hubs about it and he immediately poo-pooed it because it had ground chicken in it.  He "doesn't like" ground chicken.  I was about to argue with him about the ridiculousness of his comment since chicken is chicken is chicken until I remembered that I hate pulled chicken so I just kept my mouth shut.

But since I really liked the chicken chili recipe, I decided to switch it up a little.  Here's my version of an easy weeknight inspiring crockpot chili:

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

What you'll need:
2 pounds of extra lean ground turkey
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can hot Rotel
1 Tbsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp chili powder (use more or less depending on your taste)
2 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup lager
salt and pepper to taste
What you'll do:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Brown the ground turkey and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker except for the lager.  Add the turkey once it is cooked through.  Let simmer on low for about 8 hours.  Add in the lager and let cook for 20 more minutes.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

PS - IT IS SNOWING HERE!!!!!!!!!!!  I love, love, love snow!

Favorite Roundup: Valentine's Cards from Etsy

Funny, sweet, romantic, friendly - Etsy's gotcha covered for Valentine's Day cards this year.  Here's a roundup of my favorites:

So true.  Even being married I don't like this holiday.  Well, let's be honest:  I don't like it unless I get a good gift out of it!  And a nice meal.  And maybe some flowers...

In honor of MawMaw and Aunt Connie.  The two biggest Scrabble players I know and love.

"I love you to the moon and back."  Just in case it took you as long as it took me to sort that one out.

For Liz.  She loves bacon and eggs just about as much as I love Mexican food.  But not quite.

Even if the girls don't get this one...the guys will.

I'm a big fan of this card.

For Brandon and Trey.  Two people oddly obsessed with making pirate noises.

Nuts for this card.  I know, Alice, I'll never be as punny as you.

Not that appropriate but humorous all the same.

Love a peacock.  And your friends should get Valentine's Day cards too (if you are over the top organized).  Don't expect any from me this year.  I don't have it in me right now.  But I do love y'all.

Sweet.

Never met a dog on anything I didn't like.

Shout out to my pops.  Even though it is a beaver and not a woodchuck, it makes me think of you.

 A la Jerry Maguire.  But funnier.

Cuteness, sweetness and letterpressed.  Doesn't get much better than this.

And I think my all time favorite is:

I don't know who I'd send that card to...that's a lot of love!  Joking (sort of).

Holy Kitchen Cabinetry, Batman!

Downsview Kitchens = dreamy.

More here.