Category: Lifestyle

Aiken Horse House (C0517)by Allison Ramsey!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, HOME, House Plans, LifestyleLeave a comment

aiken-horse-house-allison-ramsey

Aiken Horse House (C0517) By Allison Ramsey

This is the Aiken Horse House (C0517) – this plan is 1,150 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of elegant living space. You read that right, elegant living in a horse house – Wow! This house is beyond spectacular! I love how Allison Ramsey shows real life photos of a plan built, the images are stunning – be sure to CHECK THEM OUT!

aiken-horse-house-main-floor-allison-ramsey

The first floor of this horse house are (obviously) the stalls, storage and tack area. However, if you aren’t into horses, this plan could still be tremendous! The possibilities are endless – what a great artists studio this would make! There would be room for painting (walls could be reconfigured), there could be an office space, a storage area for supplies, ample walls to hang paintings. How nice would this be to walk downstairs and into your studio, whether it’s painting, wood working, etc. Of course, this is also a FABULOUS plan if you have horses.

aiken-horse-house-up-allison-ramsey

Aiken Horse House (C0517) By Allison Ramsey

The second floor features a master bedroom/bathroom with walk in closet. A second bedroom and bathroom, a kitchen with a PANTRY, breakfast area and living room. Then the pièce de résistance… the SCREENED PORCH that is the width of the house. I am in love! If you haven’t checked out the real life photos of this elegant horse house, click on that link above. Wow…

Absolute perfection.

All images via AllisonRamseyArchitect.com, used with permission…

Images are not for construction or reproduction, they are property of the design firm.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Advertisements

Dogs need a mental challenge – BONUS: This will slow down fast eaters!

On By Barbara StroudIn Daily Blog, HOME, LifestyleLeave a comment

Kong Wobbler

This is a Kong Wobbler. It’s good for dogs who get bored easily and need a mental challenge. They say that mental workouts wear them out far more than a long walk. Hearing that had me rushing to the store to get one of these! At first Charlie was having a time, barking at it, whining, then he quickly figured it out. We now feed him in his Wobbler, it takes him a while to get the food out because it moves so it’s not as easy as it looks. He’s a smart beast and getting it figured out pretty quickly, but it does have another bonus… it slows down their eating! So if you have a fast eater and are looking for a solution, I would think this would do it!

Oh Happy Day!

Read more about how the Wobbler works, from the Kong website!

Now that Charlie’s bandage is off, we are able to walk and enjoy the Wobbler – Life is good!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Daylight Savings Time Begins – Time to Spring Forward!

On By Barbara StroudIn Lifestyle, THOUGHTS2 Comments

spring forward

A good trick I use to remind myself to set the clocks back before we go to bed… Set the clock on the stove forward an hour this morning… then you will notice the time is wrong when you see it later in the day, and that prompts you to change the rest of the clocks. I know the entire country doesn’t participate in Daylight Savings Time, but for those of you who do… you know what to do (Ex: If it’s 8AM, set your clock to 9AM, ahead one hour)!

Daylight Savings Time begins at 2AM (Sunday), but not many of us wait up for it!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Flashback: Best Christmas Cookies in the World!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Lifestyle, Photograph, Recipe, THOUGHTS4 Comments
Decorate however you like, neat, messy, in whatever colors you create!
Decorate however you like, neat, messy, in whatever colors you create!

This is a Christmas Cookie recipe that our family has made since I was a little kid. It’s become a tradition. It’s fun because everyone can partake in the festivities. Especially if you bake the cookies ahead and then have a decorating party! We just put the frosting into zip-top baggies and cut a hole. Some years we have more colors than others. As you can see, this particular year, I was only loving my Christmas Tree cookie cutter, so that’s the only one I used. Recipe below as well as a link to print recipe only.

Enjoy!

The fun part is the decorating!
The fun part is the decorating!

Click here for a recipe to print (minus all the words and blah, blah, blah)!

Best Christmas Cookies EVER!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Out shopping and need a quick bite?

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, LifestyleLeave a comment
Panera!
*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

Don’t shop until you drop – stop at Panera and get a quick and healthy lunch. You have the power to control how healthy since they list the calorie content for everything. This particular day I was famished… so, I got a cup of Broccoli Cheddar soup (HEAVENS!), a sprouted grain roll and a half of Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado, dressing on the side. This is called a PICK TWO. Pick two of whatever combination of soups, salads and sandwiches.

I do like that Panera lists the calories, it helps you say NO a lot easier, also that they use clean ingredients and are transitioning to have even more very soon! All of this AND you can earn rewards when you eat there by signing up for a free Panera card.

So… don’t shop till ya drop! Stop and get a quick bite!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Holidays in Charleston!

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Lifestyle, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Anthropologie Tree

On a recent trip downtown (Charleston, SC) Fred, Charlie and I perused the local stores, one being Anthropologie. They have such a unique selection of both clothes and home goods. I love this place! Look at this tree, how brilliant! They used what I would call “O” Rings into the floor (I’m not sure if that was what was in the ceiling as well?), then they strung this cool stuff to make a unique Christmas tree.

I love seeing the stores downtown all dressed up for the holidays!

Info about Anthropologie from their website:

Founded in Wayne, Pennsylvania in the autumn of 1992, Anthropologie remains a destination for women wanting a curated mix of clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor that reflects their personal style and fuels their lives’ passions, from fashion to art to entertaining. We are committed, as always, to offering our customers signature products and unmatched service, both in our more than 185 stores throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, and on anthropologie.com.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Magnifilous Toy Emporium – Charleston, SC!

On By Barbara StroudIn Charleston, Lifestyle, Photograph, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Magnifilous Toy Emporium

*FEATURING PHOTOS THIS WEEK; WILL RESUME REGULAR POSTS NEXT WEEK!

I’m pretty sure Santa has this wonderful store help with his gift list! If you’re in the area be sure to check them out. I love that they offer unique toys, not the usual that are found in every store. They know about their products as well, which really makes it nice! What a window display!

Read about the Magnifilous Experience, from their website:

You may be lured in the door by the sound of our 1840’s nickelodeon playing nostalgic tunes or by the sight of the spinning carousel as young children enjoy a ride. Entering the door you will be greeted by an enthusiastic staff with only one mission, to ensure that each guest has a Magnifilous experience.

You are welcome to browse at your leisure but one of our toy specialists will be close by to answer questions, demonstrate a toy or help choose the perfect gift.

We strive to keep our inventory unique and ever changing so there is always something new to see whether you are a first time visitor or a loyal friend.

Catch you back here tomorrow!