Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Yummy Dips- Spinach Artichoke and Crab Delight

With the Mavericks being in the playoffs this is the time for sports watching parties and yummy food!  Two of my go to appetizers to bring to events are Spinach Artichoke Dip and Crap Dip.  They are delicious and easy!  I am not a huge cook so when I find items that everyone loves I bring them over and over :)

 *photos borrowed from The Food Network*

 
I am a huge Spinach Artichoke fan and have tried many different recipes, but this one is hands down my favorite.
 
SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP
Ingredients:
2 pkg 8oz cream cheese softened
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 pkg (10oz) chopped spinach drained and thawed
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I use Kraft in plastic container)
1 clove minced garlic
 
Beat Cream cheese and mayo until blended and then add other ingredients
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes
 
Place in 1.5 quart casserole dish.  Serve with chips or crackers
 
 
CRAB DIP
Ingredients:
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup onion minced very fine
1 6 oz can crab meat flaked
1/4 tsp curry powder
6 drops hot pepper sauce
2 TBS dry bread crumbs
 
Butter 1 quart casserole dish.  In medium bowl combine all ingredients except bread crumbs.  Spoon mixture into buttered casserole dish.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with pita chips or crackers
 
 
In the spirit of recipes I wanted to share some cute recipe cards.  I just love mason jars and it makes me want to cook a recipe more if it is on a cute card :)
 




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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Farmhouse Love

On my bucket list is to build a farmhouse one day.  Don't get me wrong I love our home, but it is not the dream home.  My dream home will consist of chippy barn wood everywhere, molding galore, planked floors and walls, farm lights on our huge porch, etc. 
We have been lucky enough to build our last two houses and I have caught a "building houses" bug.  Unfortunately this is a very expensive hobby :).
Although being creative and loving decorating has made me really happy in life and has allowed me to build a business around it, it can be a blessing and a curse! 
My mind is always designing, imagining, creating....even when I sleep.  I wake up many mornings and have designed something in my head that I have to go create. 
Anyway, as I dream about this future house I am busy designing it in my head and I thought I would share some of the ideas with you.
I love an exterior with a huge porch, gables, shingles, shutters, etc.
I am trying to decide if I like the porte-cochere or not?  I love the look but not sure if it is really practical?
I definitely want a weather vain somewhere on the garage.  I LOVE the way it looks.


This time I want lots of trees on our lot.  I just love trees!
ENTRY IDEAS:
 Love the wide stairs that lead up to the porch.  I want to be able to decorate them with pumpkins, etc in the fall.  Also, love the planters.  I also love all the windows around the door.
I love the style and the color of this door.
I love dutch doors and will have one somewhere in my farmhouse.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795199269295/
I want a chalkboard on my porch.  I think it is so inviting!
KITCHEN:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795201604134/
This kitchen is an amazing inspiration.  I want a white kitchen, hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, chrome hardware and lots of molding.  I just LOVE this kitchen!!!

I think this silverware drawer is genius!!  I will definitely be doing this in the next house!!  I hate those plastic drawer dividers, they are never big enough for all my silverware.  This is the hardware I want on my cabinets.  I want file tab drawer pulls on all my drawers.
POWDER BATH:
I love the look of old furniture pieces in bathrooms.  Here are a few examples.  I want to find all kinds of old pieces to put throughout the house.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795198672041/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795197392423/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795198672039/
PORCH:
I love this porch.  I want blue bead-board ceilings, transom windows above all my windows, French doors, farm lights,  and a huge farmhouse table for lots of entertaining.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795198275925/


 Love this farm table.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795199044783/
 Mason jar lights are amazing!!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795199776665/
Vintage string lights set the perfect mood outside.

I actually think we want an all one story house, but I love love love these stairs with the grain sack runner.  I may have to find a way to work this in somewhere.
I also want cabinets like this somewhere in the house.  I love chicken wire.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795197560343/

**All photos via Pinterest.  Follow House of Hargrove on Pinterest to see links to everything.  Located in the "New House" and "Beautiful Homes" albums**
Anyone out there live in a farmhouse?  I would love to see your pictures!
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Current Inventory Before and Afters

Here is the inventory we currently have available and the before and afters...
Click on the photos for more info...dimensions, prices, etc.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152093627458635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

Shabby Chic Chest
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152136940033635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

 Black Distressed Chest
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152136939543635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

BEFORE & AFTER
Shabby 10 drawer dresser with black distressed top
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152136940243635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

Antique black distressed buffet
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152136940163635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

BEFORE & AFTER


Vintage Cabinet/Chest
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152072055603635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater

BEFORE & AFTER


 Unique Shabby Chic cabinet with glass knobs
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152141002013635&set=a.10151639201073635.1073741828.220970493634&type=3&theater
BEFORE & AFTER
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Monday, April 28, 2014

Avery's Lamps

I am starting to work on Avery's "big girl" room.  I am having so much fun putting everything together.  Her nursery was all pink and brown, but her new room has more pops of color.  Of course it still has pink...both of our favorite color!
I have been searching for the perfect lamps for her nightstands and fell in LOVE with the Francis Lamp from Restoration Hardware. 
I love the burlap shade and the candlestick base, BUT I was not willing to pay these prices.  The base alone is $99 and the shade is $30.  So, since I am all about the look for less I found a similar lamp at Home Goods that was $29.99!!  I was not a fan of the shape of the shade that came with it so I got a different linen drum shade at Target from the Nate Berkus line.  It is on clearance for $12.50!!  YES!  That is much more like it!!
The right lamp was with the original shade and the left is with the new linen shade from Target!
So the picture above is not the best....it is in my laundry room, but you can see what a difference the lamp shade shape makes.  The original looks a little dated to me, but the new one is perfection!
Here is a picture of my lamp and the Restoration Hardware inspiration lamp side by side....
My lamp ended up being $42.50 vs the RH one at $130.  I got both lamps for less than the price of the base at RH.  Don't get me wrong....I definitely think there are sometimes areas to splurge and I LOVE RH, however I think this lamp is close enough to get the look I wanted and now I have extra $$$ for other parts in her room.
Now, if these lamps were going in my room/living room, etc then I would be done with them, but since they are going in Avery's room I wanted them to have a little pop!
I was trying to decide between 2 flowers to add to the middle of the lamp shade; a dark pink one and a lighter pink one made of different material.
I posted this picture on Facebook and got yall's opinions and the majority agreed with what I was thinking....the dark pink flower was the one to go with!
This shows some of the fabrics I will be using in her room.  The darker pink flower really pulls out the pink in the fabrics.  I discovered magnet flowers and I just love them!  They sell several options at Hobby Lobby for $7.99!!  Then I used the 40% off coupon from Hobby Lobby.  They really add a lot of interest to an other wide boring shade.  Here is another lamp shade that I used a tan magnet flower on.
I wanted a little extra bling on the flower so I bought a rhinestone button and glued it in the middle of the flower.  I also got the button at Hobby Lobby for $2.99.
They are super easy to attach, just put the magnet behind the shade and it sticks.  The best part is if you decide you no longer want the flower on there, or you want to change it you just take it of....no damage to the shade at all!  I love versatile decorating!!
Here are the after pics of the lamp


I am so excited for the way the turned out.  Now, onto the rest of the room!  Next up... I will be turning this shabby pink fireplace mantle into her headboard.  Stay tuned....



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