Viva Las Vegas

Ian & I are off tomorrow to Las Vegas to spend a week visiting with his dad.

Here's a few things on our to-do list: (All images via Pinterest)

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Kristin on Pinterest

Pinball Hall of Fame

< a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/130745195401792453/' target='_blank'>

Source: google.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Minus Five Ice Bar

Source: hotels.com via Libby on Pinterest

Breakfast at the Paris hotel (where we got engaged in 2010!)

Source: bspokeblog.com via Mandy on Pinterest

In N' Out Burger, yumm

Source: google.co.uk via Rhiannon on Pinterest

New Year's Eve at Fremont St

Source: static1.travelandleisure.com via Melissa on Pinterest

The fountains at the Bellagio. You have to.

-Kristin Lynn

And just like that, it's all over

Hope you and yours had a happy holiday!

-Kristin Lynn

Smells like Christmas

Happy December!

I did some holiday yesterday to get into the spirit.

Today I'm getting started on holiday shopping! This is the earliest I've started, ever. I usually wait until the last few days before.. What about you?

-Kristin Lynn

Decorating Dilemna

This is our current "dining area." Our living/dining room is very long and narrow, with that ledge going around the whole room. At one end of the room due to the boiler closet, the room is much narrower, creating the little "nook" you see above. It's really too narrow to do much with, and is very cramped when four people sit down to eat.

Right now on the opposite side of the room, we have our two couches up against the walls across from each other, and the TV set up at the end of the room.

To maximize space, we are thinking of ditching one couch and re-arranging the room to make three "zones" - for TV, dining table, and a bar section. The bar will go in the space pictured above.

I'm still debating how to set up this area - a vintage bar cart? Wooden wine bar with storage? Build our own?

Here's what I've been looking at for ideas:

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Vintage Bar Cart

Source: mylittleapartment.blogspot.com via Liz on Pinterest

Shelving as a bar

Source: Uploaded by user via Kim on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Could put bar stools up to the ledge as the counter and put shelving up on the walls

Source: thatssmartdeco.com via Leslie on Pinterest

Vintage dresser as bar - pretty!

Source: tumblr.com via Melissita on Pinterest

Another bar made from shelving

What do you think? Do you have a bar in your home? I'd like to see pictures if so! :)

-Kristin Lynn

Wedding Planning Update

Today we decided on a caterer and chose our Save The Date's! It feels good to get things crossed off the list. Every little bit done makes me feel so much better.

In honor of this, here are some photos I have been collecting on Pinterest for centerpiece inspiration. I plan on making my centerpieces and I am going for a simple,vintage feel.

Source: noknowsweddings.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Love the potted plants

Source: blogs.dexknows.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Very simple & romantic!

Source: theldsbride.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Love this and it would be a very easy DIY

Source: vmburkhardt.tumblr.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Buttons as a vase filler

Source: stylemepretty.com via Kristin on Pinterest

So cute, especially the paper pinwheels

I can't wait to get my bridesmaids together for mimosas and crafting!

-Kristin Lynn

Sweet & Salty

I made these a few days ago to use up the very bottom of a bag of chocolate chips/canister of mixed nuts. They came out so good that I will be definitely making these again! They would be great for a holiday party.

Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters

Melt dark chocolate chips in the microwave (heat 30 seconds, stir, repeat until melty.) Once melted mix in the nuts. Scoop chocolate and nuts into liners in a mini muffin pan.Add a tiny pinch of sea salt to each cluster. Set in fridge until solid.

These were such a hit! Even Ian's friends, who I can't get to eat sweets for the life of me, loved the sweet and salty combination. 

Have you ever come up with a favorite recipe on the fly? What is it? I'd love to hear.

-Kristin Lynn

Shop Ruche Picks

Excuse my drool..

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Kristin on Pinterest

-Kristin Lynn

Thrift Finds

Happy Veteran's Day!

Ventured out to the thrift store today for the sale, wow, talk about craziness. Here's what I picked up before the claustrophobia got to me, haha.

Owl Wall Decor

Grey & White Dress w/ Ruffle Details

Holiday Cocktails Recipe Book

Owl & Mushroom Canisters

Deer Figurine

Pretty Patterns of Two Vintage Skirts

- Kristin Lynn

Fruit of My Labors.. ha

Tonight I made mini apple pies with the apples we picked earlier this afternoon, with whatever I had on hand. These are the easiest, fastest, mini pies to make -  maybe not the prettiest, but they sure taste great!

Mini Apple Pies

-1 Ready-made pie crust

-3 Large apples

-1/2 Cup sugar

-1/4 Cup flour

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

-1/4 teaspoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Core & skin apples, and cut into small pieces.

3. Toss with sugar, flour, cinnamon sugar, & nutmeg. 

4. Lightly spray cupcake liner with Pam, cut pie crust to fit each spot (obviously, I was not very precise with this!)

5. Fill with apple pie filling

6. Use a cookie cutter to cut remaining crust and place on top of filling

7. Bake for 10-15 mins, take out when crust is brown and pie filling is a little bubbly.

Makes the perfect portion for one person. Serve with caramel sauce or your favorite ice cream.

-Kristin Lynn

It's seriously November already?

Wow, October flew by. So, here in New England we had a freak snowstorm on 10/29, which put a serious damper on our Halloween party. Though many weren't able to make it, we had a great time anyway with those who did. Here are a few Halloween photos, before I put my phone down and never picked it back up (oops):

Ok, a little cheating with the last picture.. I didn't get a single picture of Ian & I dressed up this year (we went as Madmen characters.) So, this is my favorite costume we've done so far - Magenta & Riff Raff from Rocky Horror.

I wish I thought to take photos of the costumes! We had Mario & Luigi, an awesome robot, a pirate, and Ricky from Trailer Park Boys among the best.

Today, we went to a (pretty disappointing) Harvest Festival & Narrow Lane Orchard for apple picking.

 Cant't wait to do some baking with our fresh picked apples!! PS - Don't tell Narrow Lane about Ian's "taste testing" above ;)


-Kristin Lynn

Halloween Party Menu

Today I pretty much finalized the menu for our upcoming Halloween party:

Via Martha Stewart

Munchies:

Authentic Kettle Corn
Habanero & French Onion dips for chips

Appetizers:

Stuffed Mushrooms
Crabbies
Nacho Pie

Desserts:

S'more Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Mini Cheesecakes w/ Halloween Oreos

Drinks:

Bourbon Apple Cider
Red Sangria "Blood" Punch

All images via Pinterest

And of course, large amounts of Halloween candy. Now off to pick up the rest of my supplies for making decorations!

-Kristin Lynn