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Vegan Mac 'n (no) Cheese

11/30/2012

I know, I know the very idea of mac 'n cheese being vegan is confusing. Cheese is very obviously not vegan. BUT, believe it or not there is some damn good vegan options for recreating that warm goodness of mac n' cheese without the actual dairy.

And don't worry, I won't even think about asking you to use that weird, fake cheese. I'm not a fan of that stuff and I like to work with whole ingredients rather than packaged foods. For the "cheese" in this recipe, we'll use cashews and nutritional yeast. When combined, they make a really unique, cheesy type flavor.

If you're making this for someone who wants the ooey, gooey cheesy-ness that comes with melting actual cheddar into milk, this cashew/nutritional yeast substitute may not do it for them. But if you're trying to replicate a cheesy flavor and satisfy the craving for a warm, comfort food without the dairy, this is definitely your dish.

Yields: 4 Servings

1 box of uncooked pasta (any kind)
1 Cup Cashews (raw work best, but you can use whatever kind you have)
4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion (any kind)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast (can be found at most health food stores)
2 Tsp Mama Garlic or Garlic Powder
1 Cup Water
Salt & Pepper to Taste (optional)

Boil water and cook your pasta until it is tender, but not fully cooked (al dente). Drain and set aside.
In a food processor (I use a Ninja), grind your cashews down to a powder (pictures below).
Add in the Garlic, Onion, Olive Oil, Nutritional Yeast and seasoning, then pulse until it is all blended into a creamy mixture.
Slowly add the water, 1/4 cup at a time, and pulse until the mixture is pourable, but not runny. I usually use the full cup of water, but you may not need it all. It should be similar to the consistency of pancake batter.
In a large bowl, combine the "cheese" mixture with your noodles and stir by hand until all of the noodles are coated.
Transfer the resulting noodles to a large baking pan and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Optional step: sprinkle bread crumbs mixed with a tsp of mama garlic on the top of your noodles for a crunchy topping.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Let cook for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, stir in 1-2 Tbsp of water and bake at 375 until warm.

Step 2 - Grinding cashews to a powder

Step 6 - Noodles in baking pan

Step 3 - Blending in the remaining ingredients

Step 7 - optional bread crumb topping

What other vegan (no) cheese dishes have you made? What substitutes work for you? I'd love to hear how others make their non-dairy meals!

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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Artisan Bread At Home

11/27/2012

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The farmers market that we have been going to has officially closed down for the season and we found ourselves really missing the crusty artisan bread that we usually purchased. Thankfully Pinterest had a surplus of recipes and ideas for making it at home and after a trying a few out, I'm excited to say we have a winner.

It's really a combination of a few recipes that I tried - a sort of greatest hits collection where I picked and chose the best parts of each. The great thing is that it's made with 50% whole wheat flour and is a great base recipe for other flavor variations.

Today I'll share the basic whole wheat recipe with you so you can master it and get one step closer to making crazy delicious flavors like garlic feta and chile cheddar. Seriously. I made those. They are beyond delicious and I should NOT be left alone with them. I need the shame of others to keep me from eating entire loaves of bread. (I'm only kinda kidding).

Yields: 1 Medium Loaf

1.5 Cups Unbleached Flour
1.5 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp. Molasses (optional)
2 Cups Cold Water

In a large mixing bowl, combine the two flours and the yeast.
Add in the Molasses, if desired. This just adds a touch of sweetness to the bread and keeps it from tasting "too whole wheat".
Stir in the water, 1/2 cup at a time. You are going for a slightly wet, slightly tacky ball of dough. (don't panic, there are pictures below)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 3-5 hours, depending on the room temperature. You will know it is done when the dough has doubled and small bubbles have appeared on the surface. (deep breaths, remember the pictures are below)
Remove the plastic cover and dust the surface with a bit of whole wheat flour. Then use a large wooden spoon to scrape down the sides, using more whole wheat flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the bowl or spoon. Your goal is to get it back down to a ball of dough that is no longer sticky.
Cover again with plastic wrap and let sit for 1-1.5 hours. You want it to rise again, but only a bit.
Take your dutch oven (or any other covered pot that can withstand 400 degree heat) and place it in your cold oven, with the lid on. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, with the dutch oven inside.
Once heated, remove the dutch oven (with pot holders!) and repeat step 5 with the dough. Then place the dough in the dutch oven, replace the lid and put it in the oven.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. You want it to look like finished bread, but at this point it won't have that cracked top look. YET!
Remove the lid and place the oven back in the over for 10-15 additional minutes. This is where the top gets crusty and the magic of artisan bread becomes reality in your kitchen.
When the bread is good and crusty, remove it from the oven and dump the bread out on to a cutting board or cooling rack right away.
Here's the hard part...don't cut the bread until it cools for at least 30 minutes. I know, I know...warm bread makes your insides happy. Mine too, friend. I get it. But if you cut this too early, it makes the bread kind of dense. It loses it's airy inside and kind of gets...weird. Just trust me and wait the 30 minutes. It will still be warm and delicious.

OK, so let's get to those pictures I promised. If it looks hard or too involved, just trust me and give it a try. It's not bad. And if you don't have a dutch oven or think the price tag is too hefty to buy one, I hear you. The larger ones are selling for the price of rent in some towns, but the smaller ones can be affordable and you only need a few quarts for this bread. I found mine in Home Goods on clearance so check the discount stores near you or you can always try Amazon or Overstock. I got my 3 Qt. Cuisinart for about $30 and it's already paid for itself.

Step 3 - slightly wet & tacky dough

Step 5 - dusting with flour

Step 4 - the small bubbles.

Step 9 - cooked, but not crusty yet

Homemade Delicious Bread!

I'll work on posting some of the flavors I've been making too. They are pretty delicious and once you know the basic recipe, the flavors are easy.

Happy baking!

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DIY Nursery Frame

11/27/2012

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Remember when I showed you how to make a basic frame out of lumber? Well today I wanted to show you a project where we used one of the larger frames. My sweet and creative friend (hey Jen!) had the idea to frame wooden letters for her daughter's nursery.

She purchased letters that were decorated with pastel colors and big polka dots and I made a 1'x2' frame that we painted with Rustoleum semi-gloss white (it's low odor and fast-drying, which works for my tiny condo). There's no backing or glass in the frame, just simple wood and paint. But when you add the letters, it's so darn cute.

To hang, you could easily just use the heavy duty Command Strips for the frame and smaller ones for the letters. Cheap and effective, plus no hole in the wall.

If you need something more secure though, you could screw them directly into the wall or pick up some inexpensive picture hanging materials at your hardware store.

And just for fun, let's frame a baby, shall we? Yep, instantly having a better day. Thanks, Lily!

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted or shared this post either ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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No Bake Coconut Macaroons

11/26/2012

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Now that we are living in my hometown of Chicago, it is much easier to get together with friends and family. We had a fun time seeing everyone and celebrating the holiday with my side of the family.

One of the common themes with holidays is...FOOD. Especially sweets. I'm all for a little indulging, but when I bring a dessert to a party I like to make it somewhat healthy. But I don't want it to taste healthy. Know what I mean??

Enter the coconut macaroon. These are always a hit (unless you hate coconut and in which case these may ruin your day) and take about 15 minutes to make a big batch.

Yields: 25-30 Macaroons

3 Cups Unsweetened Coconut (don't use sweetened)
1/2 Cup Coconut Butter (you can buy it or make your own)
1 Cup Pitted Dates (make sure any hard pieces from the pit are removed)
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Agave (you could substitute coconut nectar or maple syrup, although the maple syrup is not vegan)

Dump everything into a large, good-quality food processor (I use a Ninja) and pulse until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
You want the mixture to hold it's shape when you form it, but to not feel overly sticky. If it is overly sticky to the touch, add 1/4 cup coconut at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If it won't hold it's shape, add 1/2 Tsp agave at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Use an ice cream scoop or any other shape that you like (I used my 1 Tbsp. measuring cup) to form the macaroons and then place them on wax paper. Once you have them all shaped, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to firm up.
Store the macaroons in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. They should keep for a week or two before they dry out a bit.

What could be easier than dumping everything in a food processor? (side note, that blurry grey spot in the top right corner is Rooney... that dog is always begging for a treat, I tell ya.)

YUM.

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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DIY Headboard

11/14/2012

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A headboard can really make a bedroom feel complete, but the price tag can be a bit ridiculous. I've been wanting one for our new home so I did what I always do... I drew up plans to make it myself! Turns out it is so simple to do and all total it cost me less than $40. And while that makes my heart happy, the best part is that it's exactly what I wanted. Man, I really love DIY.

For my headboard, I knew I wanted something that was 5' wide and about 4'-5' tall. The following plans will give you a headboard that is 37"(h) x 60"(w), not including the support beams. The total height, including the beams is 53". You can easily adjust this to any size though. Do whatever works for your space.

Cut/Shopping List
1"x10" - 4 @ 60"
1"x2" - 2 @ 50"
1.25" pocket screws (12)
1.25" finishing nails (8)

Once you have your boards cut and sanded, use your Kreg Jig to make 4 pocket holes in each of the 3 bottom 1"x10" boards. The top board won't need pocket holes.

I used a whitewash stain on my boards, but you could use any color that matches your decor. That's the best part about DIY.

On my boards, I first prepped with one coat of water based wood conditioner and let it for 10 minutes. Then I took a foam roller and applied a thin coat of water based whitewash stain. I waited 1-2 minutes then used a clean rag to wipe in the direction of the grain, which smoothed out the stain and created a uniform color. I repeated the whitewash process a second time and let it all dry overnight.

I knew that I wanted to add a quote or something in the color of my nightstand (Behr Distant Thunder) to tie the two together, but I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to do. I used the back of my bottom board to practice a little and see what I liked.

We narrowed it down to the word "dream" or a little heart with "T+J" that was supposed to mimic the ones you sometimes see carved in trees. (Side note, how sad is it that I forgot how to write a cursive "m" in my practice word...I wrote "drean"... not my proudest moment, especially since Serial was the one to point it out)

After seeing how bad my hearts looked and how little artistic capability I really had, we decided to just go with the word...spelled correctly :-)

After I had everything painted and it had sufficient time to dry, I used Kreg pocket screws to attach the 1"x10" boards to each other. Then I used the finishing nails to attach the 1"x2" furring strips. I used one nail for each of the 1"x10" boards to make sure it was attached at all points. I also used Gorilla Wood Glue for extra hold.

I added a few pieces of these furniture pads, cut to size, to the bottom of the 1"x2" and along the back of them to protect my floor and wall.

The last step is simply to put the headboard behind you bed and enjoy your new look!

Important: the 1"x2" pieces won't hold the weight of the 1"x10" boards on their own. This plan assumes your bed will help hold this in place.

Have you built a headboard? I would love to see pictures of your project! Feel free to leave a link to your blog/plans in the comments section.

Happy Building!

~Jill

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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My DIY Workspace (Part 2)

11/12/2012

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Happy Veteran's Day! Take time today to make sure that the military men and women in your life (and their families) know that they are appreciated. And then do the same thing on days that aren't Veteran's Day too - share that appreciation whenever you can!

To my amazing dad, my and Terry's dedicated grandfathers and my loving uncles - thank you for serving.

To Terry's hilarious and strong brother - thank you for continuing to serve. And to his beautiful wife - thank you for loving and supporting him.

Happy Monday, friends. Hope everyone had a great weekend and for those who have today off work - hope you're enjoying it! We had a relaxing weekend up at a friend's lake house and enjoyed the weather and space to run around. Well, that second part was more for Rooney. I didn't do much running around. I mostly drank coffee and slept ridiculously late, but that's what cozy cabins are for, right?

Now that we're back in the city, the temps have plummeted down to the 30s and I'm starting to remember why everyone complains about the winter. Thankfully, the sun is still out so I'm going to work on a few projects around the house and then take Rooney out to play for awhile.

But first, I thought I would keep going on the tour of my DIY workspace. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. If you remember, I'm basically working with a small indoor space and zero outdoor space so I have to get creative about the tools I use and how much I spread out when I'm working on a project.

I also have to think about how loud I am and whether or not my neighbors are being inconvenienced. I often opt for a smaller tool or one that requires less power.

Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

For most of my sanding, I use a small sanding block from whichever brand is on sale at the time. If all prices were equal, I would choose 3M. I like the size and feel of their sanding blocks. I usually use 150-180 grit because I'm typically only smoothing or finishing when I use a sanding block.

For bigger projects or when I need to do more than just light sanding, I'll use my Black and Decker Mouse. It's great because it's relatively quiet (your neighbors will hear it, but it won't make them hate you) and it has a small pointed top that lets you get into crevices and sand smaller pieces.

Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

My drill is my favorite and most useful tool. I've had it for several years and I couldn't find my exact model for sale anymore, but it's a Black and Decker 12V. I have an extra battery pack which comes in handy and I have a set of old drill bits that my dad gave me when I first moved out of the house (great gift, by the way). Again, the motor isn't too loud, but still packs enough power to get just about any job done.

I also have a few little tools that are in regular rotation. From left to right in the images below.

Level. I use a small level that has a ruler on the side of it. Mine is only a foot long, but I rarely need anything larger. Having the ruler on the side is super helpful too.

Stud sensor. I don't use this as often, but whenever I have to hang something up on the walls, I try to find the stud in the wall and utilize it. If I'm hanging something heavy, this is a must. Sometimes I measure the studs first and then custom build my piece just to be sure it hangs from a stud.

Measuring tape. This is a no-brainer. I use this on an almost daily basis. For my small space, I only need one that is 16ft long and I rarely use the whole length anyway.

Clamps. There are a ton of clamps out there and you can get one for relatively cheap. I opted to spend a little more and get these Irwin quick grip clamps. They are so easy to use and only require one hand to tighten. I have 4 of them right now, in two different sizes.

Images courtesy of HomeDepot.com

For the next post in this series, I'll talk a bit about how I work in my space so that I'm not always in the way. Most people just spread out and have a workspace that is dedicated to their tools, but I have to pack mine up and put them away each time. Plus I have to clean up my space since, well, it's my living room.

For now though, I'm off to get materials to build a headboard. Our bedroom is looking super bland... like, college dorm room bland. A headboard will be an easy fix. Hope everyone has a great day!

~Jill

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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Healthy Pumpkin Bars

11/8/2012

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This recipe is 16 kinds of YUM. I probably make it twice a week and it's the perfect treat when I'm wanting something sweet without sending myself into a sugar coma. Plus, it helps curb my pumpkin obsession.

I initially found this recipe on PurelyTwins and fell in love with the idea of a simple, no-bake pumpkin bar. I played around with the recipe a little and added a crust to give it that pumpkin pie feeling that is so irresistible.

You won't need many ingredients for this and there are a few substitutions that would work for the crust. Here's your shopping list:

Pumpkin Layer

3/4 cup coconut butter (you can buy it or make your own)
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used the kind from a can, but you could make your own)
1/4 cup agave (you can substitute maple syrup or another sweetener)
4 tsp pumpkin spice (you can buy it or make your own)

Crust

3/4 cup almonds (you can substitute any nut here)
4 dates
1/4 cup agave (you can substitute maple syrup or another sweetener)

The directions are pretty easy. Just blend everything for the crust in a food processor (I use a Ninja and love it) then press the resulting mixture into a pan. I used a 9" round pan. No need to grease or use parchment paper.

After the crust is done, blend the pumpkin layer ingredients in your food processor and then spread it on top of the crust. Store in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving it. It will taste amazing right away, but when it firms up in the fridge it's just easier to cut and remove from the pan.

Blend ingredients in a food processor.

Press the crust into a pan, then spread on the pumpkin layer.

And that's it folks. Easy, right? I'm off to go eat a piece right now actually. 16 kinds of YUM, people.

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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An Update on Rooney

11/8/2012

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The day we brought Rooney home.

I've had a few people ask me how Rooney is doing these days so I wanted to give you guys a quick update on his health/diet and how he is adjusting to city life. If you're just meeting Rooney, he's our super cute and feisty Weimaraner.

He's two and a half years old which for a breed like his means he is still very puppy-like. To us, he's calmed down a ton from his early puppy years, but if you're used to a chill dog that doesn't need to exercise everyday, our dog would give you a run for your money. For us though, he's the perfect pupper. He loves the woods and has energy for days, which keeps us active too. But when you get home at the end of the day, he wants to snuggle you and be a little velcro dog.

4 months old

One of his first real hikes.

With his cast - saddest little pupper face.

When we hiked 1,400 miles this summer, Rooney was right there with us. He hiked everyday, lived in the tent with us and was a resident of the woods for 4 months. And he loved it all. Well, maybe not all of it. The bugs drove him bananas! Remember this post?

And as annoying as the bugs were, the ticks were the real nuisance. They were always on us and we pulled 10-15 off Rooney every single day. I guess looking back it's not that shocking that he ended up with Anaplasmosis. It's a tick-borne disease kind of like Lymes. We got off the trail and found a vet that hooked us up with meds and a cast for the pup's swollen paw (a side effect of the disease).

Can you find the tiny puppy in this pic?

There was a squirrel there that was taunting Rooney.

Bliss.

The meds were a month-long treatment and they kind of did a number on Rooney stomach. Even after we were off the trail and his meds were done, he still was having tummy trouble. We found a vet here in Chicago that we love (she's a holistic vet and truly looks at everything in Rooney's life and not just the symptoms he presents with) and she helped get him on the right track again.

We adjusted his diet back to raw food (he was raw before the trail) then started incorporating pumpkin and probiotics into his daily diet. I'm super happy to say that he has made a full recovery and is doing so well now. Everything seems to be back on track and we're so grateful.

Thank you for the concern and questions about Rooney - it seems he has quite a fan club. I get it though - this is a hard face to ignore :-)

Our pupper.

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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Pumpkin Spice

11/7/2012

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If you're anything like me you went to the grocery store last month all excited to get pumpkin spice and start the onslaught of pumpkin goodies. I am all about the pumpkin madness and I look forward to it every.single.fall.

This year, however, all of the grocery stores near me were out of the pumpkin spice and they have been to this day. Well, I did find one really expensive bottle at a health food store, but there is no way I'd pay 9 dollars for it.

Now I know you can make your own pumpkin spice mix from other spices, but I'd never done it. Now that I know how to though, I don't think I'll ever go back. It's cheaper to mix your own and it's so ridiculously simple. So simple that this post has one lone picture.

There are a few different ways to make this, but they are all just slight variations of the same mix of spices. Here's what I used:

2 Tbsp Cinnamon
2 Tsp Ginger
2 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp All Spice

I actually made a batch that used 3x of the measurements above (I wasn't kidding when I said I embrace the pumpkin season) and then stored it all in a spice jar.

OK, I'm off to make something pumpkin. Hmmm... a healthy pumpkin pie that's mostly raw. Yep, that's my plan. Promise to share that recipe soon!

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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My DIY Workspace (Part 1)

11/6/2012

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Happy voting day!! Hope everyone is finding time to get to the polls and have their say in today's election! I dragged my but out of bed at 5:30am to make sure I didn't have to wait in a crazy line and boy was it worth it. I think I only waited for about 10 minutes total. Success! Now, on to today's post...

I've mentioned in other posts that I build furniture and other DIY projects on a limited budget and in a small space. Today I thought I would show you my workspace and a few of the tools that I use on a regular basis. I'm going to do this in a few different posts because I have a ton of tools and lots of information that I'd like to share.

Here we go!

I live in a 800 sq. ft. condo in Chicago and I do all of by building and projects in our family room. Whenever I have my workbench out, Terry and Rooney have to step around me and I can only bring a few tools out at a time, or I make a big 'ole mess. I also don't have a garage or any outdoor space so if I need to paint or stain, I need to use low odor, quick drying options.

When we first moved into this condo, I felt really discouraged and was afraid I wouldn't be able to build as much as I wanted to. But now I know that I can build anything here, I just need to be smart about how I do it.

Here's a peek at how I set up my workspace in our family room. When I'm not working, all of this gets packed up and stored in a closet.

<<Side note...we have a distinct lack of decorations up right now. We moved in 2 months ago and just haven't gotten to it yet... I swear, we have a plan! Kinda...

Ooh, side note number two...see that bare piece of furniture in the background? Whelp, that's a bookcase I made with Ana White plans. A post on that is in the near future! >>

Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

As you can probably see in the picture, I use a small workbench. The one I use is the Black and Decker OPP Workmate Saw Horse. I love it because it folds up flat to store and it has a built in vice grip. It also has a few holes in the top to hold tools and there are a couple small magnetic parts on the top, which I use to keep a few screws nearby. Plus, it's only 30 bucks. Sign me up.

Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

My absolute favorite tool is my Kreg Jig K4 Pocket Hole System. I don't even know what my building game would be like without it. If you've never seen one of these before, it's a system that let's you use your own drill, with the Kreg drill bit, to create pocket holes that are the perfect size and location every time. Then you use the special self-tapping (i.e. won't split your wood) screws from Kreg to join to pieces of wood together. It creates a super tight joint and makes your furniture, or any wooden piece really, super sturdy. I'll do a full post on how to use the Kreg Jig soon because it's just that awesome. This system costs about 100 dollars, but it is worth every penny.

Image courtesy of HomeDepot.com

One question I get often is "what kind of saw do you use in your condo?!?" The answer is....(drumroll....) a hand saw! Oh yea, I'm old school. Well, no, that makes it sound like I use a hand saw on purpose to keep it old school, when in fact I'd love to use a big, bad miter saw. Whenever we move into our next place (which will absolutely have a garage workroom), you best believe the first thing I'm buying is a kick ass miter saw. But until then, I'll saw things by hand. I mean, it's a good arm workout, right? ;-) I picked up a plastic miter box and a hand saw for a whopping 15 dollars and it takes me about 1 minute per inch of cutting. Not bad! For bigger pieces (anything wider than 6 inches), I ask the kind folks at Home Depot to make the cuts for me. They are always really sweet and helpful (shout out to the Lincoln Park store!).

That's it for Part 1. I'll break this series down into 4-5 posts and include tips and tricks I've learned so far, so check back. If you have any questions or would like to share your tips for working in a small space, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Building!!

If you like what you read, I would love to hear from you in the comments section! It's fun to get feedback and it helps me create future posts. Oh and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you pinned, tweeted and/or shared this post ;-)

And be sure to stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS!

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Update! Life has become busy in a great way, so we don't have a lot of time for blogging these days. We've left the site up as a reference, and we do check our blog emails whenever we can, but we are no longer actively posting or commenting. Thanks for understanding and have a wonderful day!

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About US

I'm a Chicago girl who loves the outdoors and everything DIY. He's an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker and addicted to nature. Follow us as we share our experiences with home projects, recipes and hiking with our energetic Weimaraner, Rooney.

Vegan Mac 'n (no) Cheese

Artisan Bread At Home

DIY Nursery Frame

No Bake Coconut Macaroons

DIY Headboard

My DIY Workspace (Part 2)

Healthy Pumpkin Bars

An Update on Rooney

Pumpkin Spice

My DIY Workspace (Part 1)

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