New Online Portfolio Site

Hi friends,
Please check out my new online portfolio site at:

The Chalkboard Cottage

Thanks.
Happy decorating & living,
Megan

Favorite Fall Foods

Happy Fall Y'all-
Is it beginning to feel like fall where you live? Honestly, it's just barely starting to where I live in North Carolina. The shadows from the sun's rays are slanting a tad bit more, the leaves are just starting to turn autumnal colors, the temperatures are just a tad bit cooler, occasionally I get a whiff of the smell of smoke from a fire pit, and I hear the honking of the geese overhead flying to destinations unknown to me.

Something happens to me in fall. I start dreaming of all of the delicious fall foods that I love. How about you? What are some of your favorite fall foods?

Here are some of my family's favorite fall foods.

1. Buffalo Chicken Dip
This one was shared with me when I visited my husband's family in Pineville, NC. Since then my daughter and I are obsessed with it. We usually break it into two servings and freeze one serving for another time. It's super easy to make and we serve it with Lays potato chips.

You finely chop up two bags of cooked chicken. This is the kind I buy (except grilled version):

 

 

Throw the finely chopped up chicken (I use a food processor) into a big bowl.

Also toss in the big bowl one cup of Ranch dressing, one softened block of cream cheese, one block of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and 12 oz. bottle of Frank's hot sauce. Toss into a glass baking dish and back at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. Then serve with potato chips. Delish!

 



Then you either need to lie down and take a nap or go for a walk or ride your bike!!!!!


2. Crockpot Beef Stew
I just made this one recently for the first time for my family and it was sooo good! I'm dreaming of making it again real soon. I got the recipe from the website called Life in the Lofthouse. Serve it with some yummy red wine and sourdough bread and you're good to go. I also served Jasmine rice with it as my kids love that kind of rice. My 9 year old son loves beef stew!

https://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/crock-pot-beef-stew/

3. One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta

There are tons of variations of this one on the internet. I basically follow this recipe but I add in lots of yummy garlic, prosciutto, and heavy cream and you can't go wrong! Plus the delicious red wine and sourdough bread again.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/one-pot-cheesy-tortellini-and-sausage/70dea046-0a5a-4459-a71b-8b0d49c7a104

How about you? What are some of your favorite fall recipes? I think I need to go get outside and walk or ride my bike after eating like this or have salad for dinner a couple of nights this week!

I'm seriously thinking of getting into making some soups but they seem so difficult to me. Do you have any great soup recipes or soup making tips? I do have an immersion blender that I think is made for making soup. I believe my fall cooking goal will be to try out making a couple of homemade soups. Any suggestions on what to start with?

 

 

I can't leave you today without sharing a few of my most recent furniture transformations, some that I sold and some were for clients:

 

Antoinette and Pure White from Annie Sloan chalk painted vintage desk and matching chair with new fabric and freshly sewn pillow. I refinished the original hardware with guilder's paste.

 

 

Graphite chalk painted (by Annie Sloan) client's son's desk with black wax added on top.

Freshly stained top for this vintage dresser which I painted with Versailles chalk paint by Annie Sloan. I added brown wax to the drawer fronts and updated the original hardware again with guilder's paste.

Provence and Pure White by Annie Sloan chalk painted sweet vintage dresser with seahorse artwork and freshly sewn pillow with pom pom edging.

 

Paris Gray and Louis Blue by Annie Sloan chalk painted coordinating desk, vintage chair, and bedside table with artwork and two freshly sewn pillows.

 

Brick Red chalk paint by Annie Sloan and guilder's paste along front detail two drawer coffee table.

Antoinette and Pure White chalk painted (Annie Sloan again) matching dresser with new hardware, bedside table, and freshly recovered bench and two pillows plus Pottery Barn rag rug.





Guess where I got all of the brand new fabric in all of these recent projects?????? From Marshalls and Target- they're shower curtains! All of the shower curtains cost less than $20 and I loved the fun floral patterns. Goes to show you can find inspiration anywhere!!!!!!

Thanks so much for joining me today friends. I hope you're having a wonderful season of fall where ever you are and that the world is being kind to you. My family has a week off next week for their fall break so we are really looking forward to some relaxation and bonding time. I hope you have some time for reflection and rejuvenation this fall.

Lastly, here are some peaks into some of our fall decorating over at The Chalkboard Cottage-

fabric pumpkins-

We are obsessed with our fall woodland creature friends-

Scrapbook paper leaf wreath-

Dollar store leaves-

 

Check out my updated online furniture portfolio when you get a chance-

www.thechalkboardcottage.com

 

https://www.thechalkboardcottage.com/

 

Thanks so much.

Happy decorating and living,

Megan

Pom Pom Obsession

Hi Friends,
Thanks for joining me today. It's hot hot hot here in North Carolina lately. Since my daughter broke her arm (one more week in the cast...my mantra is now....we can make it! we can make it!) we have been spending lots of time inside enjoying the air conditioning and out newly adopted kitty, Lillie. Isn't she sweet?.

 

With spending  a lot of time inside due to the heat that has lead to some crafting and some updating. Lately I have really been digging pom poms. Do you like pom poms? Here are some pom pom projects that I added to a guest bathroom Target shower curtain and a pillow from our bonus room:

 

https://youtu.be/Doq7pGn90BI

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some current make overs for sale. A pair of Chateau Gray chalk paint chairs with new autumnal fabric and 6 beachy pallet art pieces-

 

 



I've updated my 'Services' tab. Hop on over if you're interested. Thanks friends!

Also, I've been updating my online portfolio-
www.thechalkboardcottage.com

Take care friends. I hope your travels are safe if you're on summer adventures. Here's to a great week.
Megan

New Website

Hi Y'all,
I hope you are well and enjoying spring.

I wanted to share a new website that I created where I am housing my portfolio of transformed furniture:

https://www.thechalkboardcottage.com/

https://www.thechalkboardcottage.com/

Take care.
Happy decorating and living,
Megan

Final Kitchen Reveal Make-Over Video

Hi Friends,
How are you this week? I hope you're doing well. Can you believe that February is almost here?

I realized that I hadn't filmed our final kitchen reveal in video for you. Some of you asked to see it. Disclaimer: we have one more job to do--- paint the kitchen walls where the paint from the cabinets leached over even though it was taped off. I just couldn't wait though to share the final video with you.

So here it is. Our kitchen make-over that we did ourselves is finished. Our budget was $500- about $250 for the paint and supplies and about $250 for the backsplash/tiling materials including a tile saw.

Good luck on your DIY adventures! You can do it!
I hope you have a great rest of the week-
Happy decorating & living,
Megan

Merry Christmas!

Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas! 

We wish you the very best that 2017 has to offer! 

May it be filled with many many blessings!

Be well,
Megan

Handmade Gifts

Hi Friends,
How are you? Can you believe that Christmas is less than a week away? Are you ready? What are you looking forward to most? We are most looking forward to family visiting. 

Thank you for all of your sweet comments on our kitchen reveal. 
If you missed it, here it is:
http://thechalkboardcottage.blogspot.com/2016/12/kitchen-budget-make-over-reveal.html

A while back I shared some past handmade gifts and/or decorations for the holidays. 
Here's that link:
http://thechalkboardcottage.blogspot.com/2016/10/handmade-christmas-crafts.html

Now, you need to keep a secret for me. Shhh! Don't tell anyone that I give gifts to. Today I wanted to share with you this year's handmade gift, oyster shell Christmas trees:

How about you? Do you like to give handmade gifts? If so, what are some gift ideas you've given? Do you like to receive handmade gifts? 

Merry Christmas y'all! Thanks for joining me today.
Megan