DIY // Yarn Wall Hanging

I have been lusting after those beautiful wall weavings that have been floating around Instagram the past couple of months. This account particularly piques my interest and has even made me think seriously about investing in a weaving loom! The idea of creating something so beautiful for my family and potentially turning it into a small side business sounds so intriguing. But for now, instead of spending lots of money on a loom or hundreds of dollars on a custom weaving, I thought I'd make a yarn wall hanging as a cheaper alternative. ;)

The supplies you'll need:

• 4 foot wooden dowel (or really, whatever size you want. Home Depot will customize any size for you!)
• 4 spools of your favorite yarn
• 1 spool of twine

My strategy when picking yarn was two-fold: to complement the existing color scheme of our living room and to also find different styles with fun movement. The chunky beige yarn was actually just thrown in a bottom bin at Michaels without a label. The moment I saw it I immediately knew it'd be perfect when balanced with smaller, patterned yarn.

The process of putting it together was so simple, although it did take me a couple of hours to cut each piece and tie them on the dowel. I wanted the placement to feel random, but it still took a lot of effort to get the look just right ;) Here's a look at how I tied the yarn:

I absolutely love how it turned out. When Tim helped me hang it up, it was even better than I thought it would be! A very well-spent Saturday afternoon crafting if you ask me.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

In the three years we've lived here, we hadn't made it out to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. To be honest, I didn't even hear about it until this year! (Or if I did, I completely forgot when the festival came around each year). So when an email came across my inbox with an article about the festival, I forwarded it to Tim and said we had to go. And boy was it worth it! The beauty was beyond words.

The day was such a blast... from walking the 40 acres of beautiful tulip fields to wine tasting (yes, really!) to wooden shoe train rides and a classic Dutch-style windmill, it was so much fun spending quality time with the hubby out in good ol' Woodburn, OR.

The festival offered tons of entertainment for children, from bounce houses to mini carnival rides. There was even pony rides (the line was insane)! They also hosted various local vendors and, me being the natural candle-loving person I am, we definitely supported one of them ;) And let's not forget about the delicious kettle corn we consumed... definitely worth the $5!

It was such a beautiful way to spend our Sunday!

Recipe // Tater Tot Breakfast Strata

When Tim and I were in Sacramento earlier this year, our last morning was spent eating a late brunch with family and relaxing until we had to head to the airport for our flight. My mom suggested we make a tater tot breakfast strata recipe she recently found. She can't remember where she found it, but because it's a strata, it's so easy and very customizable to your taste!

To make the breakfast strata pictured, you will need:

• 1/2 a red and 1/2 a yellow bell pepper

• 1/2 a red onion

• 4 oz mushrooms

• A few slices of Canadian bacon (or meat of your choice!)

• Frozen tater tots

• 12 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Spray the bottom of your pan with cooking spray

2. Spread one layer of frozen tater tots across the bottom of your serving dish and bake them at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden brown

3. Smash the tater tots to create a layer for the bottom of the strata

4. Chop all of the veggies and sautee them together to your taste. Place them in a bowl when done

5. Cook the Canadian bacon on the stovetop and slice it into quarter-sized pieces

6. In a separate bowl, whisk the 12 eggs with milk and shredded cheese

7. Mix the veggies and Canadian bacon into the egg bowl and then spread on top of the tater tots

8. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15-25 minutes or until it's done

9. Enjoy with good friends and family! :)

Because it's a strata, you can really add anything or remove anything you want. We were talking over breakfast and were thinking using chorizo and topping it with sour cream and salsa would be an absolutely delicious take on this recipe! How would you customize it?