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Queen of Contact Paper

I have commitment issues. Contact paper appeals to me because it’s temporary and I can change my mind as many times as I want without damaging the surface I’m decorating. We installed shelves in Ina’s nursery and I wanted to add some visual interest to the backing. I didn’t want to be bothered with painting, especially since I was very pregnant when we finally got around to organizing the nursery. I cut six inch squares out of black contact paper and then split them into triangles. It only took me about 30 minutes to apply them all to the shelves in a geometric pattern.

Surely Miss Ina will have opinions about how she’d like to decorate her room. This will be easily peeled off and she’ll be free to paint, mod podge, or scrap the shelving all together. Since it was cheap, easy, and quick, it won’t break my heart to get rid of it. And for now, Ina loves to stare at black and white patterns, so she’s …

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Lemon Yogurt Cake

 

It’s still summertime here in San Diego. It is HOT. So a light lemon cake still tastes good, even though we’re all dying to enjoy pumpkin spice lattes on a cool night.

We invited a dog behaviorist to our house tonight. I try to have something nice to offer to guests and this cake is super easy & never fails me. She declined the offer, but a healthy serving made me feel a little better after our candid conversation. We have a dog that bites. I adore him & I want so badly to keep him. But, with the birth of our daughter, I’m having trouble committing to the possibility of letting him live here if he’s likely to hurt her. It’s breaking my heart. Anyhow…back to the sweets, my favorite diversion. This is an adaptation of the Pioneer Woman’s marmalade cake. It’s so versatile & can be made with lots of different flavors and spices. I just love a recipe that welcomes creativity!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour

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Lots of Changes!

Welcome Ina Tallulah Chirdon!

Our family grew this summer & we’re totally in love with this little beauty.

We’re also welcoming lots of digital changes.

New name, new logo, new site…it’s been long overdue.

Why the changes? Well, we’ve been scattered on the web with multiple shops & sites and we wanted one place to call our online home. We’ve got a new twitter handle & we’re Instagram-ing lots. Here’s where you can find us:

Site: www.SummerAndMattMade.com Twitter: @SummerMattMade Facebook: SummerMattMade Instagram: SummerMattMade Shop: SummerAndMadeMade.etsy.com

To get blog posts sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter on the sidebar or at the bottom of this page. Thanks for sticking with us if you’re already a reader. And WELCOME if you’re new!

We’re going to be updating our shop with new products and relisting oldies (yes, beer cozies and

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Chocolate Cups with Mocha Almond Mousse

To celebrate Love Day, 16 of our favorite neighbors came over for a 7 course dinner. Our home filled with the warmth of friendship and the delicious aromas of fresh fruit, lobster, steak and cheesecake. Yum, what a feast! Each couple took turns preparing and serving. It was a fun and memorable gathering.

We were responsible for the final course – chocolate and espresso. I anticipated that following 6 delicious dishes, no one would want to ingest another bite of food. So, I looked for a lite and ultra-tempting recipe that would end a meal well without sending anyone over the edge. This mousse recipe struck my fancy. It’s from Bakers Royale. And…it’s super easy. I used almond & cocoa spread instead of Nutella and I wasn’t careful about measurements. The chocolate cups were made by spooning melted chocolate over tiny silicone muffin molds. Could be topped with fresh fruit or nuts.

Ingredients:

9 oz. Nutella

1.5 Cups Heavy Cream

1/2 Teaspoon …

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Reusable Grocery Tote: Pattern Review

I purchased this grocery tote PDF pattern/tutorial from?Keyka Lou?for $5. I’m totally in love. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this pattern to anyone who has just started learning to sew. It’s simple, the photos are excellent, and it’s the perfect way to practice basic sewing skills and still end up with a functional and pretty finished product. After having abandoned sewing for a few months, this was the ideal way to ease back in without getting overwhelmed.?For you expert seamstresses out there (NOT me!) Keyka Lou also offers plenty of options for more complex bags. I needed a hostess gift quickly and was able to turn this bag out in about half an hour. I stuffed it with ?yummy chocolate and tea and a handprinted tea towel. And, I was happy to use up some scraps from previous projects. I would like to make these in lots of colors, maybe even with vintage pillow cases. I’d love to have a few to store …

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