life lately and our weekend

Ugh. Is tomorrow Monday already?? Weekends go by way too fast. We were hermits this weekend, and that's just the way I like it. When did I become an old lady who loves nothing more than to stay in her pajamas all day?? It's been so cold outside that all I want to do is curl up on the couch and hibernate until Spring comes along. All of the Polar Vortex Facebook and Instagram posts from everyone down south made me giggle…that is our life EVERY DAY (and I am definitely tired of it)! 

We had a wonderful Christmas - Joe's parents flew in from Kansas City and his brother flew in from Cincinnati. I had to work most of the week, but it was so nice having them here to share the holidays with! This was our first time hosting for Christmas, so I was obviously excited to get to use all of my pretty china and crystal that have been sitting in boxes for 3 years. 

I made a table runner out of gold polka dotted burlap I found at JoAnn's Fabric (with a 50% off coupon!) and it was so easy - I got about 2.5 yards and cut it right down the middle length wise and

 TA DA, a runner was made! 

The most delicious and easy Christmas appetizer - cream cheese cut in half diagonally and pepper jelly on top. YUM!

Charlie helped Uncle Pat pick out some Christmas tunes.

We celebrated New Year's Eve with some sweet friends at their apartment, then at a bar down the street from us. Somehow we have no pictures of us, but how cute is their new teeny tiny puppy, Pierce? Love him! I somehow left my purse with my phone in it at the bar (don't ask) and couldn't get it back until they opened again two days later. You don't realize how much you use your phone until you lose it for 2 days! Made me realize I need a major social media detox. ;)

Since then, we've been hard at work at Crossfit and the Y and have been obsessed with NutriBullet green smoothies and clean eating. More on that soon! 

Friday was kind of a rough day, so my sweet Joe treated me to a night out at my favorite place in Albany - Wolff's Biergarten. I should've been born German. I love me some wheat beer and schnitzel. How crazy is that plate of food?? Under that gigantic piece of schnitzel was an entire plate of spaetzle covered in gravy and some delicious sauerkraut. Holy heart attack. Thank God that Joe can always finish my plate, I could barely eat half of it!

Christmas decorations finally came down and I'm so glad to have the simplicity back!

And what's a weekend without a trip to Target??

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend!

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new year, new blog.

Happy New Year!

One of my 2014 resolutions was to create a new blog (and actually keep up with it) that better suited my current self…so here I am! I am SO excited about MOLLY MAKES and getting back into blogging. I'm kind of sad that Sweet Carolina Wife is no more - but am ecstatic about this new venture! 

This blog will be about anything and everything - but mostly about my creative adventures: interior decor, thrifting, recipes, health and beauty, etc! 

Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler for JC Penney

Jonathan Adler. Ohh boy. I love him. I sure do love a man who isn't afraid of color! Check out his gorgeous home:

Who would have thought JC Penney would have a fabulous line by him?? I haven't gone to see everything in person yet, but you better believe I've been drooling all over my keyboard when looking at the website. 

I am so in love with everything Jonathan Adler does. Everything is so incredibly chic and glamorous and I want it all. I love mixing different styles in our home, but I've noticed that when it comes to the big pieces of furniture, I always gravitate towards a more stream lined, mid century modern look - a la Jonathan Adler. Too bad most of his stuff is WAY out of our law school debt budget. Anyway, thank God for the Happy Chic line, because most of it is definitely affordable. 

Here are a few of the pieces I've been lusting after:

Crescent Heights Tufted Chair

This chair is still a bit over our budget at $1015 (on sale) but I sure wish I could have it in my living room. I'm dying for a navy velvet chair and this one would be so perfect. Love those tufts and those pretty legs!

Elizabeth Foo Dog Lamp

So in love with this lamp. I already have two sets of foo dogs, but I'm thinking I need this little beauty for my desk. It's on sale for $44.99 - such a great price! You can't even find a nice lamp at Home Goods for that price! 

Catherine Elephant Accent Lamp

I'm a sucker for everything gold and anything involving elephants. I wish I had somewhere to put this little beauty or I'd scoop it up in a heartbeat! It would be so stinkin' cute in a nursery! $50 - another great price!

Elizabeth Shower Curtain

Love, love, love this greek key bordered shower curtain (and it reverses to a full greek key pattern.) Too bad we only have one bathroom!!  $35!!!

Elizabeth Double Old-Fashioned Glass

These glasses would be such a chic addition to any bar setup! Wishing I could purchase these, but I'm pretty sure Joe might would divorce me if I came home with one more glass! On sale for $3.99 each!!!

Ceramic Nesting Trays

How cute are these?? These would make such a great gift, and I really, really want a set for myself. You can never have enough trays - I have them all over the apartment holding various things. $45.99!

Lola Owl Pitcher

I definitely don't need another pitcher, but I love this one so much. Jonathan is such a master of ceramics. This would even be cute with a bouquet of flowers in it! $34.99!

Katie Canvas Curtain Panels

These curtains are great! They come in other colors, too! $34.99!

Elizabeth Duvet Cover

I am not a fan of the "bed in a bag" look (people, please don't do it!), but I do love the pieces of this collection for layering. This duvet sure would look great folded at the foot of a bed, and I'm envisioning those navy and white shams with a big ol' white monogram in the middle of them! $79.99 - $129.99!

Do y'all have any of these Happy Chic pieces? I'm dying to see some of them used in someone's home! 

Happy Sunday!

Salmon Cakes!

You know how the day before your weekly grocery store trip usually consists of a random meal with all of the leftover stuff from the week? That was our dinner last night. I was fully expecting it to be a "meh" meal, but Oh.my.Lordy. was it good! Joe is a tough critic on food, and he claims this was the best meal I've made all year!

I didn't go by any recipes, so I'm going to try and remember what all I did so you can enjoy it, too!

Salmon Cakes with Honey Mustard Dill Sauce over Parmesan Cous Cous, Black Eyed Pea Salad, and Roasted Broccoli

Salmon Cakes

(This recipe makes 8 cakes)

2 cans of salmon (6oz. each) (Make sure you drain the salmon and make sure all skin and bones are taken out if there is any)

3/4 cup of seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

1 large egg

1 tbsp mayo (sounds weird, but it makes them creamier!)

Half of a red onion, finely diced

Half of a bell pepper, finely diced

A splash of lemon juice

A splash of canola oil if it looks too dry

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Divide the mixture into 8 even little balls, and flatten out into patties. Heat canola or olive oil in a large pan on the stove, and cook the cakes until brown on both sides (a few minutes on each side.)

Honey Mustard Dill Sauce

3/4 cup of mayo

1 1/2  tbsp of dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

1tbsp dill (I used dried but fresh would be even better!)

splash of lemon juice

Stir all ingredients together until well mixed, and drizzle over cooked Salmon Cakes.

Black Eyed Pea Salad

1 large can, or 2 normal cans of black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)

1 can of white shoepeg corn

1 can of chickpeas

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, diced (make sure you take out the seeds)

1 red onion, diced

A few green onions, diced

A handful of chopped cilantro 

Half of a package of feta cheese

For the dressing:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp sugar (or splenda!)

A splash of lemon juice

1 tsp greek or italian seasoning, whatever you have on hand

A little salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the dressing mixture over everything and mix well. Let it marinate in the fridge a while until you are ready to eat!

The cous cous is the Near East brand (a favorite of ours since the sodium isn't out of control like other boxed rice, and it's super easy!) and the roasted broccoli is something we probably have 2 or 3 times every week. Chop the broccoli up into small bits, toss with olive oil and a little salt and pepper, and roast in the oven on 400 for about 15 minutes. 

Enjoy!! :)

Spill About Your L-O-V-E!

So excited about this Spill About Your Love link up with one of my favorite blogs, A. Liz Adventures! 

Our very first picture together! We look like babies!

{1} Describe your dating life prior to finding your husband/boyfriend/fiance. 

I dated a few frogs and had a couple of heartbreaks before I met my sweet Joe! I dated the same guy from my freshman year of high school to my freshman year of college, a few really bad dates, then a "cool" older guy who broke my heart. I was down in the dumps after the first bad breakup and met Joe at a Valentine's party at a fraternity house at Wofford College. He was visiting Wofford on his football recruiting visit and was still in high school! I ended up talking to him the whole night and had such a crush on the "high school guy" at the party. We parted ways that night and I crossed my fingers all summer that he would choose Wofford. Fast forward to the next fall, we both ended up at the same fraternity house one night and the rest is history! 

{2} Describe your husband/boyfriend/fiance in one word. How would he describe you in one word?

Hard-working! I guess that's technically two words, but whatever. Other than my Daddy, he is seriously the most hard-working, determined person I have ever seen in my whole life. Whether it was college, football, law school, or jobs - he is committed to providing for our family and to being the absolute best he can be. I am so incredibly thankful for him! I just texted him to ask how he would describe me and he said...unique?! haha! Such a sweet talker, that one! 

You can see what our life consisted of in college! Go Terriers!

{3} You had a really silly fight. Embarrassing silly. What was it about?

We don't fight a lot, but we are both hard headed so we argue about the silliest things sometimes! Lately, it's about who takes out the trash or he gets so mad if i leave little bits of food in the drain stopper of the sink when I'm doing dishes.

Right after we got engaged in September of 2008 after Joe played in the Wofford vs. University of South Carolina game!

{4} In three sentences (and only three!), describe where you both hope to be in 5 years.

In 5 years, I'm hoping that Joe has an awesome job in environmental law and that we own a house somewhere down south! Hopefully, God willing, we will have a couple of precious babies by that time, too! I'd also love to be a stay at home mama with a little interior design business on the side!

2009 - Engagment Pictures in Falls Park in Greenville, SC

{5} Tell us something about your husband/boyfriend/fiance we wouldn't know from reading your blog.

He is awesome at baking! The big macho football player is a whiz in the kitchen! Being the scientific person that he is, he loves measuring the ingredients and following the recipes to the T. That's totally why I suck at baking! 

June 5, 2010 - Our Wedding Day!

{6} What's one thing you never thought you'd do in front of your husband/boyfriend/fiance, but you did?

Let's just say there is absolutely no privacy after living with only 1 bathroom the past three years! I sure will be glad to have separate bathrooms someday!

2011 - Exploring in the city!

Thanks, Liz! This was fun!

From Our Kitchen To Yours!

I am SO excited that Charlotte and Whitney are doing this recipe linkup! I had such a hard time as a newlywed (well honestly, I still do) coming up with meal plans to please the hubby that were on budget and also pretty healthy! I would be happy eating a sandwich, cereal, or a salad every night, but Joe doesn't eat much lunch, so he likes big dinners! Anyway, after 3 years, I've found a few favorites that are in pretty regular rotation, but I'm always excited to find new things to try! 

My all time favorite recipe:

My mom found a recipe for Shrimp and Grits in Cooking Light that is almost like the version from our favorite restaurant in Simpsonville, Stella's Southern Bistro. By the way, if you live anywhere near Simpsonville or Greenville, SC; you absolutely have to go there and order the Shrimp and Grits (well, everything they have there is heavenly!)

Here is the recipe from Cooking Light (changes I made are in parentheses):

The BEST Shrimp and Grits Ever

Ingredients

* 3 cups low-fat milk
* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
* 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 4 slices applewood-smoked bacon (I like a lot of bacon so I used 6)
* 1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp
* 1 cup thinly vertically sliced white onion
* 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
* 1/8 teaspoon ground or crushed red pepper (I omitted both the pepper sauce and red pepper because I'm a wimp!)
* 1/4 cup green onion strips


Preparation

1. Combine milk, water, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; gradually add grits, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

2. While grits cook, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings; crumble bacon. Add shrimp to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Add white onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in bacon, tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, pepper sauce, and red pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are heated. Serve over grits; sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy!!

The Look for Less: Serena and Lily French Tassel Curtains

I recently saw these tassel trimmed curtains on Serena and Lily's website, and fell head over heels in love. Seeing as how our home decorating budget is seriously lacking until Joe starts working this August, I knew that I'd have to keep on dreamin'. Lucky for me, I enjoy a good DIY project and get a sick enjoyment out of doing things myself and saving so much money! Plus, it earns me extra points with the hubs! Anyway, these were so incredibly easy to make and were a fraction of the price...and I think they actually look more expensive that the Serena and Lily version...score!

I found these grey linen panels at Home Goods, which is not somewhere where I usually go searching for curtains. I was there to find baskets for our bathroom, and accidentally found these beauties. I'm not a huge fan of curtains with grommets, but I was desperate to find some linen type panels for this little project. Now that they are all done, I actually like the grommets! They were around $14.99 for a package of 2 panels...crazy, right?? Our last apartment had really bright, orange curtains...so I knew I wanted something a little more subdued for the loft. 

I went to JoAnn Fabrics and found this beaded tassel trim, and got about 9.5 yards to trim the inside edges of 4 curtain panels. I had a coupon, so I ended up spending about $40ish on the trim and fabric glue. I have a sewing machine, but have no idea how to use it, so I used this awesome Fabric-Tac glue and it worked just fine! I'm pretty sure it would be all zig-zaggy if I tried to sew it!

I laid out each panel on our dining room table and made sure it was straight. Then, I laid out the trim on the curtain panel and cut it to fit the length of the edge. I couldn't find my straight pens since a ton of my stuff is still packed in boxes, so I used safety pins to keep the trim in place before I glued it down.

After the trim was cut to size and pinned on the panel, I started gluing on the trim in about 6" sections...anything more than that, the glue would dry too quickly and made it hard to handle. Once this glue dries, it's permanent, so take your time and do it in small sections...making sure to pull the curtain fabric taught so you don't have permanent wrinkles. 

I used these little clips to keep the trim on the fabric just in case it shifted before the glue was dry, but I don't think I really needed them since it was just lying flat on the table.

After I was done gluing the trim on, I just left it draped over the table and a chair until I was certain that everything was totally dry!

Then, voila! Gorgeous tassel trimmed curtains that cost less than one panel at Serena and Lily! 

Here's a sneak peek at the back wall of the living room. Love, love, love the brick. But hate that random white thing on the wall, and the fact that I can't just hang art wherever I please. But anyway, that's a whole 'nother post for a whole 'nother day. I'm hoping to do a little gallery wall around the TV, but we will see! Also, if it were up to me, I would have had the curtain rod installed closer to the ceiling, but we had to do it at the top of the wood moulding because of the brick. You win some, you lose some!

The curtains are Charlie approved! I don't love this trunk in front of the window, but it's his favorite spot where he spends 99% of his day, so I hate to move it!