End of Summer Trip to Portland, Maine

We made a little jaunt up to Portland, Maine this last week to check the "been to Maine" box and we most certainly will return!  It was a such a relaxing and beautiful place, with a gorgeous coast line of rocky beaches, quaint little light houses, fantastic food, and so many one-of-a-kind boutiques and antique shops!  Portland is truly the perfect get-away spot for an affordable honeymoon, a romantic B&B weekend, or even a laid-back trip with the kids.  Put it on your bucket list for sure, y'all!

Here is a photo montage of just a few of our favorite stops, shops, and eats of the trip:

 Walking toward Crescent Beach State Park

 My own personal little Maine model will be starring in several of these photos... :)

Digging our toes in the sand at Crescent Beach State Park - only $5 per car to get in for the day (military families free!)

Near Two Lights State Park, just off "Two Lights Road" in Cape Elizabeth, there is a pretty slate bluff that has (you guessed it!) two lighthouses, a grand view of the ocean, and a cute little Lobster Shack restaurant.

 Well-tended grounds of the Lobster Shack.

 The sweetest, most quintessential, north-eastern antique shop owned and operated by Per (pronounced "pear").  I wanted to take everything home with me...but came down to just two items.  I'll share them with you soon!

 We had some fantastic Mexican food (of all foods...) in Portland!  El Rayo Taqueria has a large patio to sit outdoors and enjoy some al fresco dining and drinks.  They had a kids' menu too!

 Holy Guacamole...it was super yummy!

 The Margs were amazing.  On of the many joys of eating early with a toddler...you always hit up happy hour!

 And, they even have fun bean bag tosses and kid tables for the wee ones.  (Did I mention that the patio was also (conveniently) contained for those tiny tots that tend to bolt off?

 Walking the streets of "downtown" Portland.  Portland is the largest city in Maine, but it only has a population of 66,000.  No crowds, no traffic - simply divine! (Note: Avoid going when the cruise ships come to town, because we hear it can get really crowded then.)

Ok, so you simply can't visit Maine without having a Lobster Roll.  Because I don't care for seafood - crazy, I know - my husband took one for the team and got a delicious Lobster Melt at Andy's Old Port Pub.  I had a patty melt that was just as delicious!

 The pretty Portland City Hall

Portland's Down East Duck Tour - only 1 hour long - is a great way to see the whole city and get a solid historical overview of the city and state at-large.  It travels on the streets then takes you into the harbor for a quick dip.

The views of Portland's harbor beckon you to sit back and relax.

 This new home-wares boutique - Anniebells - was filled to the brim with pretty white washed furniture, John Derian plates, garden supplies, beautifully textured pottery, and fine linens.  

Doesn't Anniebells make you want to pull up a chair and call it home?!?

 Gorgeous Victorian mansions up on the hill along the Eastern Promenade.  I'm not surprised that George Bush Sr. and Barbara call Maine thier (summer) home.  Sign me up for retirement!

 Going to Portland and seeing all the sailboats, will make you want to infuse some nautical decor into your home...

 The best pizza I've EVER eaten was found here at Otto Pizza.  They have two locations in Portland and two in Cambridge, MA (by us!).  It's a good thing, because it was going to be a long drive to Maine to get pizza!

Very thin crust, a not-too-sweet sauce, and decadent cheeses.  Must try their mushroom, ricotta, and herb pizza - simply delectable!

 The most photographed light house in the continental US, the Portland Head Light, was commissioned by George Washington in 1787.  It's been a beacon of safety (and beauty) since it was completed in 1791.

Portland Head Light sits in a beautiful park immaculately maintained by the town of Cape Elizabeth, which elects to keep the park free for visitors.  There is a fee to go in the museum, which sits in the building that surrounds the light house.

They have great photo spots all over the park!

Now you want to go, huh?  The best part of the year to visit Maine is the late Summer for the fantastic weather, or Fall for the colorful foliage.  Most of the attractions close down for portions of the winter (i.e. Jan-Mar).  Let me know if you have any questions about where to stay or if you want details on the highlights of our trip.

Budget Bedroom Makeover

Howdy friends!  We finally got around to painting our master bedroom accent wall in the luscious "Smoked Oyster (2109-40)" shade from Benjamin Moore - first discussed {here}.  And, we totally dig it!  It makes the room look so much richer and sophisticated.  My husband said it makes it like a cozy "cocoon" - and he's totally right.

Here are a few more current bedroom detail shots before I take you on a multi-locale bedroom journey...

For those who have seen our previous rooms, you may notice just a few other new things.  We hung new curtains and curtain hardware, and also changed out our lamp shades this time around.  Total cost for the "decorating" of this room - curtains, hardware, paint, supplies, lamp shades, etc. - was $260.

Decorating our current master bedroom got me thinking about how the room had evolved through the years (by way of multiple houses).  We've kept the same furniture all along, but have chosen different wall colors, bedding, curtains, lamps, and have rearranged accessories to mix it up a bit in each house we've lived in.  Always on a strict budget, of course!  For us, it's all about maximizing impact with a minor investment.

Now for our Chronicles of Bedroom Decorating...

In our very first master bedroom (6 years ago!) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma every item was new to us.  It looked like this:

Lamp bases, bedding, and the accent wall color were changed when we moved to Baltimore, Maryland.  I never took shots of our first apartment there, but this is our itty bitty bedroom in the second place:

 (admittedly, I picked the wrong color of blue for the accent wall...lesson learned)

Then, when we moved to Portland, Oregon we kept most everything the same, since we were only there for 10 months:

 The sunburst mirror and new knobs on the dresser and nightstands were the only thing added there...

Now, another cross-country move later, we're sporting new curtains, wall color, and lamp shades in Boston, Massachusetts:

No drastic changes, but it's definitely a nice affordable bedroom update.  Which of our boudoirs is your favorite so far? Anyone else a frequent mover?  Apart from the burden of "moving", we love the new places, faces, and decorating challenges!

How to Make a Book Sling

I finally made it - a Book Sling!  After loving and pinning it on Pinterest forever ago...  I've seen them in several places, so I don't know who made the original "book sling", but I first saw it {here} on Erin's adorable blog, Domestic Adventure.  And, I believe the original DIY tutorial can be found {here} on Megan's inspired blog, Penny Carnival.  I totally winged it on my book sling, but it turned out great so I'll share my tutorial with you below...

Materials:

Two 5/8" inch poplar dowels (from local hardware store)
Two double curtain rod holders (from local hardware store - around $5 each), screws and wall anchors included
1/2 yd fabric (my fabric was 37.5" wide, which worked swell for my desired width of a 35" sling, but gauge it on your measurements)
Thread to match your fabric
Sewing Machine
Sissors
Pins

Instructions:
1. Measure how wide you want your book sling to be - keep in mind that it could sag in the middle if it's too long.  This will dictate the (horizontal) width of fabric you'll need.  Cut the fabric accordingly, leaving room for a 1.5" finished edge.

2. Grab a few books that will go in your finished book sling to help you measure out the desired depth of your sling. This will dictate the (vertical) height of fabric you'll need.

Make sure books all across the size spectrum will fit nicely...you don't want it too shallow for your large books or too deep for your small books.

(Note: Make sure to allow for about 2.5" of fabric on both long edges to fold over and create a 1/2" finished edge and a 2" pocket that the dowel will slide through on each side.)

3. At this point, I pinned and sewed a small 1/2" edge along the long sides of the fabric, to create the finished edges to work with.

4. Next, fold over the ends of your fabric on the two short sides, then pin and sew finished edges.  This time I folded over about 1.5" of fabric, which will keep the inside of the fabric from showing on the edges of the finished sling.

5. Now it's time to create the pockets for the dowels to slide through.  I folded over about 2" of fabric on each long side, then sewed right along the line of my original 1/2" finished edge to create the pockets.

6. Now that the sewing portion is complete, measure your finished sling fabric and cut your dowel rods accordingly, allowing about 1.5" of dowel to stick out from both ends of the sling fabric. For example, I cut my dowels at 37" for an approximate 34" fabric sling, which left room for the hardware at the ends. I used a simple wood saw to do this, but if you have a table saw that would work wonders.

7. Next, slide your cut dowels on through the finished pockets.

8. Measure out and hang both of your double curtain rod holders.  If studs aren't available based on your sling length, then make sure to use the provided anchors.  (Remember, little people make try to hang from this cool new book-holding contraption!)

 9. Finally, slide your sling into the holders and tighten the screws to hold the dowels sturdily in place.  You're officially done with installation!

10. Fill with books (or stuffed animals) and ENJOY!

Almost as cute as it is practical, if I do say so myself!  What a creative and minimal way to use that vertical wall space!  Anything that keeps books (or stuffed animals) organized and easily accessible earns an A+ in my book.  An additional book sling may be working it's way into this picture in the near future...

Book slings would also work great to hold magazines in a lobby or waiting room at work.  Oh, a book sling also doubles as a doll stretcher or hammock... :)  Leave it to the kiddos to discover that one!

Please leave a comment if you have any questions, or if I can help you out with this project.  I'd also love to see pictures of your completed book slings - send them my way at inspiredwhims@gmail.com.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

This recipe is super yum and super easy, so add it to your list for this weekend or next week.  I promise, everyone will love it...and if they don't, well they must not be Italian.  Now get your taste buds revved up...

Ingredients:
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 lb ground sweet Italian sausage
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 cup dried basil (or 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil if you have it!)
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu Roasted Garlic and Parmesan)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cook sweet Italian sausage in large skillet on stove-top, until cooked through. Remove from heat and pour out on paper towels to help remove some grease.

3. Place noodles in bottom of glass 9"x13" baking dish, cover with tap water and place in microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Drain water, dry dish, and lay noodles out on large clean dish towel.

4. For the filling: Combine ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan, egg, basil, and cooked sausage in large bowl.  Stir well.

5. Pour 1/3 jar of spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9"x13" baking dish.

6. Drop large dollop of filling on short end of each noodle (about a 1/3 cup of filling for each noodle). Roll stuffed noodles up from the short end, then place seam-side down on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Continue stuffing, rolling, and placing lasagna rolls in the baking dish.

7. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over lasagna rolls. Sprinkle remaining cheese (1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan) on top of sauce.

8. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove foil and let bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. Let stand a few minutes before serving.  (Serves 6 hungry people.)

Enjoy with some garlic bread and a fresh salad.

Hope you and your family love this one as much as we did.  We even tested it out on a new friend - and he still talks to us. :)  Have a fabulous, inspired weekend!