House Color

We finished painting the house a couple of months ago, and I am finally posting some pictures. Here's a glimpse. The final selections of Intellectual Gray and Charcoal trim (see previous post) coordinate perfectly with the stone accents. We are also diggin' the orange door. Enjoy.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Last year, we bought a lot of giant ornaments on closeout and have been jonesin' to use them ever since. Well, here is the result.


We are also able to enjoy a nice holiday glow from our recently installed wood burning stove from Lopi. The look is the closest we could find to the clean lines of a Rais or any other contemporary Scandinavian firebox, but for half the price. We tried to mod-it-up with the stacked wood under the ledge. Though it is a smaller unit, it does a great job heating a majority of the house. Besides, there's just something very satisfying about doing nothing but curling up and watching a fire on a cold winter's night.

A guy buys 6 jugs of rum... (or Happy Holidays)

Ah, yes, the holiday season is upon us. That means decking the halls and lovin' the libations. Speaking of which, we started something last year that is quickly becoming a yearly tradition: giving our friends and family homemade spiced rum. The inspiration came from a super simple recipe in Luscious Liqueurs. All you need is:

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (we suggest fresh)
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 cups white rum
3/4 cup simple syrup (add in week 2)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
and 5 weeks

Sure, you can buy pre-made spiced rum, but it doesn't compare. We're also trying a new recipe for homemade chocolate liquor. We'll hold out on the recipe until success is confirmed. It's basically cocoa nibs and whole vanilla beans in white rum, which should be excellent any way you shake it. Happy Holidays, everyone.

Soldiers lined up for the occupation (of our holidays)

Bath Finally Finished (for now)!!!

After a lot of stripping old surfaces from the walls and floor, rehabbing the cabinets, replacing the sink and countertop, and our first attempt (with a lot of help) at wallpapering, the bath is finally done. A little patience and planning (see previous post) paid off, and we are very happy with what we accomplished on a very limited budget. The colors turned our perfect, especially since we wanted to work with (instead of demoing) the once awkward light purple tile in the shower. The surprise find was the $40 light fixture (that's a circular flourescent bulb) we purchased off the shelf at Home Depot. (I cannot even find it on their website.) The finishing touch came last weekend when we successfully bid on a graphic design print at Art Over Easy 5 (a benefit for the SIUC Art and Design Department).

We are in love with the subtle, but distinct, wallpaper
(click on the image to enlarge it)

Orange towel racks aren't for everyone, but they're a hit at our house

The unique, last minute find for a light fixture

Giant City this Fall

Did we mention that we love hiking in Giant City, and that it feels like it's practically in our back yard? (Ok, I suppose we have in a previous post.) Once again, we have made it a priority to hike our favorite stomp this fall. Here is a recap of the fun with friends and family.

Future Rock Climber

Thus, the name, "Giant City"

I guess everyone had cold hands...

Always a helping hand...