Tag Archives: domesticity

how to: clean your thrifted jewelry

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Hey lovelies!

I’ve had some great luck thrifting jewelry lately, so I thought I’d do a little how to post on cleaning it up so it’s sparkly and ready to wear. (Thank you to the lovely Hannah Kuhary, for sharing this DIY recipe with me!!)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

♥ Liquid dish soap
♥ White vinegar
♥ A toothbrush (softer is better, but any kind will do)
♥ A lint-free rag or cloth
♥ A smallish bowl
♥ ♥ ♥ This method is safe for cleaning gold, silver, platinum, diamonds and hard stones. It is NOT SAFE for pearls, opals or jewelry with adhesives or loose stones. ♥ ♥ ♥

HOW TO

1. Place jewelry in a heat-proof bowl.
2. Heat 2 cups of water almost to the point of boiling.
3. Add a couple drops of dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and mix to combine.
4. Pour the solution over jewelry, swirl it around a bit and let it soak until the water is cool.
5. Brush jewelry with a toothbrush under running water and leave to air dry on lint-free rag or cloth. And…voila! Your thrifted accessories are sparkly and clean!

Hannah wanted me to mention that this method is perfect for people with skin allergies or sensitive skin—many drugstore jewelry cleaners have ammonia in them which can be irritating and harsh.

I hope you all are having wonderful Wednesdays so far! It’s snowing like crazy here and I’ve got a long day of editing and interviews ahead. But tonight, I’m trekking to Dinkytown to see this band play, so I can’t complain too much not going to see Warpaint because they are snowed in. So excited sad!

xo,

Meghan

 

how to: make salted caramel shortbread

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I’m an awful baker. I’m trying to get better by baking a new recipe every Sunday. After two weeks of epic fails, finally…success in the form of salted caramel shortbread! This recipe alone was reason enough for me to plunk down $6 this week and subscribe to Ready Made magazine. The finished result is insanely yummy, but even more than that, if I can bake this without screwing it up, so can you. A few words of warning: You’ll need a good chunk of time to make this, as there is quite a bit of waiting in between some of the steps.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

For the shortbread:

♥ 1 c. all-purpose flour
♥ 1/2 c. cornstarch
♥ 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
♥ 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

For the salted caramel:

♥ 1 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
♥ 3/4 c. heavy cream
♥ 6 T.  unsalted butter, softened
♥ 1 t. crushed sea salt

For the chocolate topping:

♥ 7 ounces dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids)

HOW TO MAKE

1. If you’re lucky, mix the shortbread ingredients together in a food processor. Or, do it the traditional way by sifting the dry ingredients in a large bowl, adding the butter, and using clean fingertips to rub them together until a dough forms. Form dough into ball (it’ll be super crumb-like), cover with plastic wrap  and put in fridge to rest for an hour. Meanwhile, line a 9-inch square brownie pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325°. Flatten the rested dough into the pan.

2. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork  and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the top is light brown and starting to come away from the edges of the pan. Allow to cool in the pan for at least one hour before you make the caramel.

3. To make the caramel, put the sugar and cream in a heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat. Heat gently, sitting with a wooden spoon as it comes to a boil. Bring the caramel back to a boil and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes, sitting occasionally. Take the caramel off the heat, add the salt and stir vigorously to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed in. Then, working quickly, pour the caramel on top of the cooled shortbread. Put the pan in fridge (or, if you live in Minnesota, your porch) and let set for at least 1 hour.

3. Once the caramel has set, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. (If you want to temper it properly, here are the directions for how to do that.) Pour the melted chocolate on top of the caramel and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Allow the chocolate to set before lifting the shortbread out of the pan and cutting into squares with a hot knife.

These babies will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. But I’m guessing they won’t last you that long.

xo,

Meghan

 

 

around my room

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Hi!

I spent some time spiffing up my bedroom over the weekend.
Wanna nose around?

I noticed after taking these my bedroom is over-run with three things: photos, the color pink and sentimental sayings. Not pictured in this tour: dust bunnies, piles of dirty laundry, miscellaneous socks and dog hair.

xo,

Meghan

mighty swell studio makeover kick-off

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Last weekend, Rae and I officially started to work on Mighty Swell’s studio space. The two lofty rooms have to do triple duty: one, serve as my home office/crafty space, two, store all our vintage goodies, and last but not least, be comfortable and organized enough to accommodate stylists and shoppers that want to drop by and do some browsing in between our pop-ups.

I’ve gotten a ton of good ideas and inspiration from the blog Crowded With Desks. How beautiful are some of these work spaces?

{All images c/o Crowded With Desks}

We’ve set the budget and taken measurements…now all we have to do is start scouring the thrifts and Craigslist, make a couple efficient IKEA runs and get to work! Stay tuned for updates, and a before-and-after post, once we’re done. Wish me luck?

xo,

Meghan

 

three doable diys, valentine’s day edition

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but there’s still time this weekend to bust out some cute-as-a-button DIYs. Here’s a few of my favorites.

♥ Thrifted doily hearts, hand-stitched onto bright red stockings? It doesn’t get much cuter than that.

(via Mod Cloth)

♥ Let’s be honest, candle light = kryptonite for romantics, myself included. These sweet luminaries can be whipped up with stuff you probably have around the house.

(via Creature Comforts)

♥ To this Wisconsin girl, nothing says “I love you” like ooey, gooey, melted cheese. These heart-shaped calzones are so adorbs!

(via Craft)

♥ And last but not least, a bonus idea that’s completely over-the-top and oh-so very  awesome.

(via Design Sponge)

Well, I hope y’all have wonderful Saturdays! I’m off to go thrifting with a couple of my favorite ladies.

xo,

Meghan

how to: roast root veggies

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Happy Tuesday, lovelies!

Today’s how-to pertains to roasted root veggies. Also known as, vegetables that taste like candy and are addictive as crack. The directions below are adapted from Yellow Rose Recipes, an (unfortunately) out-of-print cookbook that gets a ton of use in my kitchen. Anyway, this is a comforting winter side that’s easy-to-make, all-around delicious and healthy.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

♥ 3 medium carrots

♥ 1 yam

♥ 2 medium yukon gold potatoes

♥ 1 parsnip

♥ 1 beet

[You can mix up what root veggies you want to include—try red potatoes, golden beets, rutabagas and turnips...]

♥ 1-2 T. olive oil

♥ 2 T. tamari or soy sauce

♥ 1-2 T. maple syrup

♥ 3-4 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped

♥ 1 t. dried thyme

♥ 1/2 t. rosemary, crushed

♥ 1/2 t. dill

♥ 1/2 t. salt

♥ 1/2 t. pepper

HOW TO MAKE

♥ Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel yer veggies and chip-chop them into 3/4-1-inch pieces.

♥ In a large bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients.

♥ Add the roots and toss.

♥ Add veggies to a lightly sprayed 9-by-13 inch baking dish or roasting pan.

♥ Roast for 20 minutes, remove from  oven, toss around with a wooden spoon, and put back in oven for 20-30 more minutes. Your kitchen’s going to smell delicious!

♥ Remove and serve, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.

Roasted roots go well with pretty much anything, and I like to think they taste even better the next day. Try piling a scoop or two over some arugula and top with goat cheese for a super veggie-licious lunch. Yum!

xo,

Meghan

 

things i do when my boyfriend’s working his tail off

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In December, my boyfriend’s work schedule gets crazy. Like work-30-some-hours-in-one-weekend crazy. To keep myself from getting bummed about not seeing him as much, I remind myself that it’s only temporary, and then try to make the most of the extra alone time. Here are some things I do while he’s out there a’hustlin’.

♥ Thrift. (Duh.)

♥ Finish books I’ve been chipping away at for ages. One example, Dogfight: A Love Story, by Matt Burgess. Matt’s an incredible storyteller and I really loved his book.

♥ Go to bed early. Get up early. Boring, but true.

♥ Listen to Christmas music all. the. time. The Complete James Brown Christmas, Christmas with the Louvin Brothers and the Trojan Box Set: Christmas have been heard a lot.

♥ Have chill girls nights at home. Like the mini baby shower/nacho night we had for Jamie last Saturday.

♥ Make yummy Christmas treats. Apple-cinnamon spiced Jameson, peppermint bark & these addictive pretzel-chocolate thingys are festive and e-a-s-y.

♥ Work on my pom-pom garland. One of these nights I’ll finish it, I swear! (This pretty one, clearly, isn’t mine.)

♥ Sort out the mess that is my studio. I have big plans for the space and can’t wait to have it be more functional. You know, instead of just being a place to pile clothes, books and boxes.

♥ Other things I’ve been up to…working on my list of goals for 2011, watching way too much of this show (why can’t I turn it off?? WHY?) and eating air-popped popcorn with Sriracha & a smidge of butter. Yum.

xo,

Meghan

guest post: making whoopie (pies) with lisa

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Whoa, Friday! It’s nice to see you!

If you’re at all like me, by the time the end of the week rolls around, the prospect of spending some leisurely hours in the kitchen sounds divine. Trying a new recipe or two, slow roasting some meat, simmering a big batch of chili—the weekend’s a great time to just mess around, no rushing necessary. If I wasn’t so busy with this, I’d love to spend a chill afternoon, baking up a batch of these. I hope you all have wonderful Fridays!

xo,

Meghan

Making Whoopie (Pies), With Making Electricity’s Lisa

Hello wonderful readers! This is Lisa from Making Electricity and I am so happy to be blogging for Meghan while she is working her tush off to get ready for Mighty Swell—I’ll be bright and early that Saturday morning and I hope to meet some of you local ladies there!

I know that fall has come and gone, but I am still in the thick of my love affair with pumpkin-centric foods. With holiday party season upon us, I thought I would share a recipe for some delicious treats that are super easy to make—perfect for your own party or to bring as a hostess gift—as an extra perk, your home will be warm, cozy and smell like pumpkin cake when you are done make these.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

♥ For the Whoopie Pies ♥

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

♥ For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling ♥
3 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

♥ How to Make ♥

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

4. Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

6. To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.

7. To assemble the pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.

And, since this is High Plains Thrifter, after all, I thought I’d also share this gorgeous vintage Pyrex casserole dish (with carrier) that I scored at my favorite Salvation Army for 99 cents!

Yummy desserts and beautiful kitchenware—life doesn’t get much better in my opinion. Have a fabulous holiday season, readers!

Best best,

Lisa

guest post: the rad housewife makes chicken a’la king

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Happy Tuesday, lovelies!

Today’s guest post is courtesy of Mrs. Kate Smith, a beautiful blonde who shares her adventures in stylish domesticity on her blog, The Diary of a Rad Housewife. Kate’s not one to brag, like ever, about anything, but I think her talents in the kitchen are worth some serious horn-tooting. Today, she’s sharing a recipe for a winter comfort-food classic. I hope you enjoy!

xo,

Meghan

The Housewife Queen Makes Chicken A’La King

If there’s one thing I admire about women from yesteryear, it’s their creativity with ingredients. What passed for food back in the day is oftentimes astounding—Velveeta, creamed cottage cheese, Jell-o and pineapple slices were staples, for heaven’s sake. And don’t get me started on what’s in Sherried Beef or Hamburg & Tatertot Hot Dish. But somehow all those dinners were consumed and here we are.

As a vintage cookbook collector, I would be remiss if I didn’t offer up one of my favorite golden oldies during my time as a guest blogger for the high plains thrifter. I’ve modified it quite a bit, but this Chicken A’La King is still the brainchild of Mrs. June Klee, straight from the Women’s Circle Home Cooking “Instant Cooking for People on the Go!” cookbook, circa 1978. Let’s dive in!

Chicken A’La King

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. yellow onion, diced
0.5 c. carrots, sliced and peeled
0.5 c. peas
1.5 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tsp. celery leaf, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Dice chicken.

3. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan; add the onion and carrots. Saute until slightly softened.

4. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add chicken pieces, bringing to a simmer.

5. Add peas, sage, thyme, celery leaf, 2 tsp. of salt and several grindings of pepper.

6. To thicken the dish (as it’s chilly out and you’ll probably want something nice and hearty): make a roux by melting 2 tbsp. of butter over low heat in a small sauce pan. Add 3 tbsp. of flour while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Do not let roux brown. Add 1/3 c. of heavy cream to mixture, stirring vigorously until mixture thickens. Season to taste.

7. Add to chicken and vegetable mixture and simmer.

8. Place in casserole dish and heat in oven for 15 minutes.

Serve over warm, fresh slices of pain au levain from French Meadow Bakery & Cafe.

Note: A big thanks to the Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook for its inspiration in helping me to update this vintage classic. And also to Amy Casey for sharing her food photography.

P.S. This is my 200th post! Holy crap!!


4 easy diys, holiday gift edition

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Happy Black Friday, m’dears!

Who wants to knock out some handmade gifts this year? I sure as heck do. So, today’s round-up of DIYs all have a gift-y, holiday bent. Other bonuses? Each of these gifts can be made from materials you can buy at thrift stores and none of them require a crazy crafting skills or expensive equipment. (Click the pics to jump to the full how-to!)

♥ I’m charmed by clip-on earrings in thrift-store jewelry cases, but rarely do I take them home. I mean, they’re just kind of a pain to wear, you know? Anyway, the always clever Gina, from doe-c-doe, upcycled a sweet pair of clip-ons into a charming necklace. Cute, eh?

(via doe-c-doe)

♥ I’m sure you’ve probably seen tea cup candles before, but I figured posting the full how-to wouldn’t hurt. You can find vintage china tea cups and saucers at most thrifts for under $2.

(via design*sponge)

♥ I think I played Pretty Pretty Princess two million times with the little girl I nannied for when I was in college. So of course, when I saw this make-it-yourself version on Nellie Loves Vintage, I knew I had to file it away. I love how you can customize it with whatever cute things you find at thrifts or garage sales—scarves, gloves, glittery baubles, vintage pics.

(via Nellie Loves Vintage)

♥ Although a wee bit time-consuming to make, a handmade art journal would make for a lovely, thoughtful gift for an artist or writer in your gift list. It’s common to find vintage mags at thrifts for $1-2.

(via A Beautiful Mess)

xo,

Meghan