Food & Drink

Sparkling Nectarine Mint Lemonade

May 19, 2016

sparkling nectarine mint lemonade sparkling nectarine mint lemonade Warmer weather, means more mocktails for my family. As it gets hotter each day, cold beverages are all we want. We’ve been known to have slurpees for dinner on a 100 + F day. This week, I picked up the juiciest white nectarines at my local farmers market. They are so sweet. Lemonade is the perfect versatile drink for adding fresh fruit and herbs to. Nectarines and mint pair to make this perfectly summery drink._sparkling nectarine mint lemonade 9Nectarine Mint Sparkling Lemonade

  • 4 white nectarines
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
  • 2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
  • Sparkling water to taste (about 3-5 cups)
  • Ice
  • nectarines slices and mint sprigs for garnish

Juice the lemons. In a food processor or blender, place the pitted nectarines, mint and sugar. Pulse under the nectarines are a smooth.  In a large pitcher combine the lemon juice, nectarine puree and sparkling water.  Stir and serve chilled over lots of ice.  Garnish with a sprig of mint, and a slice of lemon and nectarine. sparkling nectarine mint lemonadesparkling nectarine mint lemonade

And now I shall return to painting my laundry room and installing cabinets. I’m in the thick of it right now. Everything from my laundry room in now in the rest of my house, and I have IKEA cabinet parts and boxes everywhere. It’s going to be great when it’s done, but right now, I’m questioning my sanity just a little bit._sparkling nectarine mint lemonade 7 sparkling nectarine mint lemonadeYou can find lots more Mocktail recipes on my Food + Drink page.sparkling nectarine mint lemonade

 

Design / Find

Stylish Outdoor Dishes

May 18, 2016

I’ve been sharing a lot of outdoor dining ideas and recipes lately. So, I thought it might be helpful to round up a bunch of stylish outdoor dishes. These are all acrylic, melamine and metal, so you can serve outdoors with ease. Or maybe if you just have kids, and don’t want to deal with broken dishes, these are great options for all year long.

If you know me and Oleander + Palm, you know I love natural tones and colors and tend to lean towards neutrals quite a bit. But, if you are more of a color-lover, all of the these plates and cups could easily be brightened up with a fun napkins or a tablecloth. I feel like investing in neutrals for more expensive pieces is always a good idea.  Flowers, linens and even the food can add color and pattern to a table top, then you not locked into only one color palette.

stylish outdoor dishes

Plates – 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

Cups – 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18

Beverage Dispensers – 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24

Cutlery – 25 // 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30

Is there a combination of plate-cup-silverware that you love?

Design

Outdoor Dining Tables

May 13, 2016

If you haven’t noticed, I’m all about dining outside lately. Our evenings are warm and I love to take the mess outside whenever possible. Plus living in a small house, the backyard can feel like the biggest room in the place. I love the mix of wood and metal, so a searched out some great examples for you.  Big chunky tables with clean lines and sleek, modern shaped chairs make a winning combination.

Yesterday I sold all my old patio furniture on craigslist. I was amazed at how fast it went. I’ve got a little more work to do on my new table, but I’m excited to show you how it all comes together.  There’s a sneak peek of it in this post.

outdoor diningsourceoutdoor diningsource

Maison-décoration-scandinave-terrassesource27dc6e103b71ff80a4c3c775cb59d0d8source
desertretro28source

 

Food & Drink

Tropical Kabobs Two Ways and Pineapple Couscous Salad

May 10, 2016

With Summer just around the corner, it’s time to eat outside and cook on the grill.  Is jam packed with recipes. I’ve got two tropical kabob recipes and a really yummy Pineapple Couscous Salad recipe as well.

Cost Plus World Market is one of my favorite places to shop and it’s not always for their gorgeous furniture, or unique global home decor, it’s for their awesome food section. I always find something interesting and new when I wonder the aisles. I’ve come up with some fun tropical themed recipes using some of World Market’s ingredients.

_pineapple couscous salad 1 _tropical grilling recipes 5_tropical kabobs 1_tropical grilling recipes 2 _tropical grilling recipes 4I’m a huge sucker for a fancy soda. And Lemon Lime Bitters is one of my all time favorite drinks. When I throw a small, casual dinner party, bottle drinks can be fun to serve. They feel special and add a little color and interest to the table as well._tropical grilling recipes 6

We just got a huge upgrade with our brand new outdoor dining table. Our talented friend Jayson, welded and powdered coated the legs for this 12 foot long table. (If you are local and in the market for a table, send him a message for sure.) The top is gorgeous barn wood from my husband’s family farm. I can’t wait to have a bunch of folks over to dinner. I think we are going to be able to fit a lot of people at this table.

_tropical grilling recipes 8_pineapple couscous salad 2

Pineapple Couscous Salad

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Allow the couscous to sit for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and chill in the fridge.

Cut the pineapple in half and remove all the fruit. Set aside 1 cup of the fruit and finely chop (the rest of the pineapple can be used for the Chicken Kabobs below). In a bowl, whisk together the curry powder, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil.  Pour over the chilled couscous. Stir in the onion, pineapple and cilantro. Serve in the 2 pineapple halves.

_tropical kabobs 4

Mango Coconut Pork Kabobs

In a bowl place the pork, Mango Coconut Grilling Sauce and Lemongrass. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours. Place the pork, mango and red onion on wooden skewers. Grill for at least 5 minutes on each side or until the meat is cooked through. Serve with more Mango Coconut Grilling Sauce for dipping.

_tropical kabobs 2

Chicken Satay Kabobs

  • 3-4 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in 1 inch cubes)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp. garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. mince lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. chili flakes
  • Peanut Satay Sauce
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into large pieces
  • 1 cup of pineapple cubed

Combine the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, honey, and chili flakes in a bowl. Mix and add chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours. Remove from the marinade and alternate chicken, pineapple and bell pepper pieces on wooden skewers.  Brush the Peanut Satay Sauce on each kabob. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with more Peanut Satay Sauce for dipping.

_tropical grilling recipes 7_tropical grilling recipes 3

A big thanks to World Market for providing the ingredients to make these fun recipes. Thanks for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

And don’t miss World Market’s Sweepstakes happening now! 

Grand Prize Package: Getaway for 4 to a beach house in Maui, Hawaii (5 nights/6 days – airfare and accommodations), $1,000 World Market gift card, Plus, 5 First Prizes: $500 World Market gift card (Sweepstakes ends 6/17/16).

Design / Food & Drink

Grapefruit Jalapeno Lime Mocktail Margaritas and Outdoor Entertaining

May 5, 2016

We might have a tiny backyard, but it’s green and shady in the afternoons and evenings. As soon the weather warms up, we eat all our meals outside. I love to entertain outside, when you house is small, like ours, our backyard is another big room to hosting guests.

If you are going to have folks over then, fun drinks are a must. My family might agree that this might just be the best mocktail recipe I’ve come up with. Virgin Grapefruit Jalapeno Lime Margaritas are sweet and spicy and so very very refreshing.

_outside entertaining 10outside entertaininggrapefruit lime jalapeno margaritagrapefruit lime jalapeno margaritas

Virgin Grapefruit Jalapeno Lime Margaritas

  • 6 cups grapefruit juice
  • Jalapeno Lime Simple Sryup (see recipe below)
  • ice
  • raw sugar and lime zest
  • lime wedges
  • thin slices of jalapeno

In a large pitcher with lots of ice, mix the grapefruit juice and simple syrup. Rim the glasses with raw sugar and lime zest. Garnish with limes and jalapeno slices.

Jalapeno Lime Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup sugar
  • juice of 5 limes plus enough water to make 1 cup
  • zest of 5 limes
  • 1 jalapeno sliced

Bring the ingredients to a boil and boil one minute. Pour into an airtight container and chill.

_grapefruit lime jalapeno margaritas 1 grapefruit lime jalapeno margaritas

I set this pretty outdoor table with beautiful dishes from Pier 1. These melamine plates are pretty enough to use inside.

Setting a colorful table outside is easy with Pier 1’s outdoor collections. I used pretty grey dinner plates, fun bubbly glasses, bright green napkins and simple napkin rings made with wooden and painted beads.  I kept the table center simple with a large lantern and some green leaves from my yard.

outside entertaining outside entertaining outside entertaining outside entertaining outside entertaining outside entertaining outside entertaining

This post is sponsored by Pier 1 Imports. Thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

Food & Drink

Chicken Mole Slow Cooker Tacos

May 4, 2016

At this house, tacos are welcome every night of the week. But, with Cinco de Mayo coming tomorrow, tacos are must!  These Chicken Mole Slow Cooker Tacos are going to be a new favorite around here. Mole can be a little tricky and time consuming to make, but this recipe really only requires all the ingredients to be blended in a food processor or blender and then just pour it over the chicken and turn on the slow cooker. Sweet and spicy, mole is a unique flavor that’s sure to be a hit this Cinco de Mayo.

Oh and how about these fun Taco Holders? Why would you ever eat a taco off an ordinary flat plate? My kids instantly thought dinner was a lot more exciting eating from these.

_mole tacos 1 _mole tacos 2Chicken Mole Slower Cooker Tacos

  • 1 medium onion roughly chopped
  • 1 can of stewed tomatoes
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
  • 2 tbsp. peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. coriander
  • 50 g or 1/2 bar of dark chocolate (I used 72% Ghirardelli)
  • 6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • corn tortillas
  • cilantro, radishes, and limes to garnish

Place first 13 in a a food processor or blender, blender into smooth. Place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker, cover with the mole sauce. Cook on low for at least 6 hours. Shred the chicken and serve in corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, limes, radishes, and hot sauce._mole tacos 3 _mole tacos 4 _mole tacos 5 _mole tacos 7I love a slow cooker dinner. There’s nothing better then coming home to a meal that’s done and ready to eat! _mole tacos 8

Design

The Laundry Room Plan

May 3, 2016

Let’s talk priorities and real life design. Ya, I’d love to fix a lot of things about my house. Heck, some of them aren’t even for aesthetic or design at all.  Like my windows, they are super inefficient and let all the cold or hot air in. They are almost 100 years old and so most of them don’t even open anymore. But, the budget hasn’t allowed for them to be replaced. And that’s ok, when you live in an old house, you have to be ok with imperfections. It’s all part of the charm.

Now, if you’ve been hanging out with me for a while now, you know that I REALLY want to finally finish my laundry room. It’s been sitting unfinished for 6 years now! Yes, the washing machine and dryer are in there and they work great, but the room is far from done. There’s a broken cabinet that stores all our junk. Really we put it in there 6 years ago as a “temporary” fix, but now after 6 years, this is starting to feel a little too permanent. We also have all the plumbing in place for a sink and baseboards have never been installed. Yep, my home is definitely far from perfect. downy ball

  1. Dust Pan
  2. Wooden Broom
  3. Ironing Board Cover
  4. Downy Ball
  5. Brass Hangers
  6. Laundry Sorter
  7. Striped Light
  8. Dark Cabinets
  9. Brass Drawer Pulls
  10. Wind Chime
  11. Diamond Rug

So, here’s my plan. My washer and dryer work really well. You guys, I’ve got 3 kids, I KNOW laundry all too well! And with the Downy Ball, I’m going to keep loving these machines for a few more years. While I’m not buying new, fancy High Efficiency appliances, I’m going to spend the little extra money I have on making my laundry room a fabulous space.

_downy ball 6I love using this Downy Ball with my loads. There is really nothing better then a soft fluffy towel, wouldn’t you agree? You just fill this bad boy up and it automatically dispenses in the the rinse cycle. It’s a no brainer._downy ball 1_downy ball 5Yep, we are going to finally install some cabinets, a sink and get this room in order! Eeeeek, I can’t wait. Black cabinets and brass hardware is definitely a must. I can’t wait to show you more._downy ball 4_downy ball 3_downy ball 2And this cute little girl is always my assistant and right hand women. She thought I should probably get a picture of her on top of the dryer as well. This shot is a keeper for sure. I’m a lucky mom, I get to do laundry for this fun kiddo.

This post is sponsored by Downy Ball, thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible.

Join the Non HE-Nation! Be proud of your non-HE washing machine! It has been with you for countless spills, stains and spin cycles. And it’s going to be with you for countless more. Buck the high-efficiency trend and be proud to be Non HE! 

With Downy Ball, your non-HE washing machine makes softness simple. All you have to do is fill the ball with fabric softener, seal it and drop it in at the start of the wash. Then let your non-HE washing machine automatically release the fabric softener during the rinse cycle. 

You can’t do that in an HE washing machine! Click here to learn more.

Design

Living Room Spring Refresh

May 2, 2016

Spring has been here for a while now in California, but just this weekend I decided I needed to bring a little bit of that warmer weather and color indoors as well. Really I just bought a pink pillow and a couple plants and moved around the things I already owned.

But, it’s funny how just new accessories makes a space feel totally brand new. I love styling bookshelves and surfaces, but I struggle with feeling like too much stuff can make a small space feel cluttered and busy. I want all my fun little nick nacks out on display, but I’m not sure if they make a small house feel even smaller. For now, my shelves are full, and I’m going to live with it for a while and just see how I feel about it in a week or so. I know what I like and dislike until I put it in my own home. Then I start to question all my choices. This is kind of why I love design so much. It’s always evolving and changing. Even my likes and dislikes. It’s never a sure, set formula that works every time. Design isn’t a perfect Science, it’s an art and it allows you to play and experiment. And really, all the rules can be broken.

So this week, I challenge you to try something new in your home. Spring is the perfect season for change.

_spring living room 9And now, here’s a look at our living room all ready for Spring.
_spring living room14 _spring living room 16_spring living room 2_spring living room 8 _spring living room 15 _spring living room 13 _spring living room 12_spring living room 1 _spring living room 11 _spring living room 10 _spring living room 7 _spring living room 6 _spring living room 5 _spring living room 3So, what do you think?  Too many things on the bookshelves? I hope you have a great Monday friends.

etc.

The Week’s End

April 29, 2016

Another week has come and gone and sheesh was this a jam packed one! Monday was spent all day painting the studio (which is almost done!). Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday involved a lot of styling and taking pictures.  I love opportunities that allow me to create and capture. Photography has long been a love of mine, so any chance I can work on improving my skills behind the camera and in the editing room, I’m happy to have. There’s so much I don’t know and sometimes I wish I had time to take a few more photography classes to improve me skills.

And……. all week long I’ve been battling super sensitive, and irritated skin (I over share on snapchat if you are interested – I’m oleanderandpalm there). But, I’m doing a treatment to take care of a bunch of pre-cancerous spots on my skin. I’ve been treating my forehead, temples and chest. This treatment has taken me down this week. It’s really quite painful and not to mention super ugly. The doctor warned me that it would probably give me flu-like symptoms and I’m pretty sure it has. I’ve tried to stay hidden in my house, but it’s not always possible. I feel like I have to explain to everyone why I look so terrible, it’s been a humbling experience that for sure. Anyways, enough about that.

But, the weekend is here! And I couldn’t be happier. I need a morning to sleep in (past 7 am preferably). But, the in-laws are coming next week, so I’m sure this weekend will involve quite a bit of cleaning. I hope you have some fun weekend plans to look forward to.

If you missed some of this week’s posts, be sure to check out my Homemade Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars, some fun Bath Linen Combinations, and black interior doors might be in my future.

ice cream against mint wall

Here’s a few posts that I found interesting this week, you should probably check them out as well:

Happy Friday Friends!

Design

Black Interior Doors

April 28, 2016

Well, we’ve been itching for a change or to make a move, but just haven’t found the right place yet. So, I guess I’ll need to make the changes on the house I already have. Don’t get me wrong, I love me house, but a tiny bit more space would sure be nice.

I’m considering painting some interior door black. The problem is, if I paint one black, do I have to paint the all? I kind of think I have to. What do you think? I’m considering starting with the pocket door that is in between our laundry room and kitchen. If I start with a bedroom or bathroom door, then every door in the hallway will need to be painted. The other thing I worry about is creating a choppy feel to the eye. Our house is small and the rooms are small.  Would black doors just make is feel even smaller? I obviously am torn and have a lot of questions.  I hope you’ll weigh in.

But, black doors sure do look sharp, especially with white walls. Our doors are old and have a great shape and fun original door knobs. Black paint could really help them stand out. Here’s some pretty great examples, that just might convince you as well.

sourceblack door 1sourceblack door 2sourceblack door 3sourceblack door 4source