Category: Interior Designer Wannabe

Easy Orange Slice Garland DIY

Easy Orange Slice Garland DIY

by Engineered Mama ♥ 2 Comments

I had to jump on the orange garland trend this year and I’m so glad I did! This DIY is so easy that you only need one ingredient: oranges. That’s it! The kids and I had so much fun making these and the house smelled amazing while the oranges were drying in the oven. Merry Christmas and enjoy your new orange scented decor!

Materials

  • 4-5 oranges
  • parchment paper (for easy cleanup and moisture absorption)
  • baking pans
  • string, twine, or wire to hang orange slice garland

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  1. Slice oranges very thin (the thinner and more even the better!) and place oranges in a single layer on the parchment paper.
  2. Bake approximately 2 hours. If some slices are thicker they may need more time and if some are thinner, they may need less time, so keep an eye on them while they’re baking.
  3. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool and dry.
  1. Add twine, fishing wire, or any other decorative item to string or hang your new garland.
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Caraway who? You’ll LOVE this Caraway dupe that’s a fraction of the price!

Caraway who? You’ll LOVE this Caraway dupe that’s a fraction of the price!

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Gorgeous Caraway ceramic cookware set, isn’t it? Or IS it???? Nope! Member’s Mark, people. No, I’m not kidding. You can pick this set up from *drumroll*… SAM’S CLUB! Yes, really.

Let’s compare, shall we? I have a fantastic cookware set my mom bought me for a wedding shower gift that I love. The only problem is it won’t die. No, seriously. This set is fantastic, but I see Caraway everywhere I look. It is absolutely gorgeous and I get skillet envy every time I see the modern ceramic sets. Well, of course I do what any good Instagram user does and click the ads. Boy, was that a mistake!

Caraway Cookware Set

$395 ON SALE for 2 pots and 2 skillets. In a color I don’t want. The color I do want? $595 on sale also for 2 pots and 2 skillets. Ok, the dream bubble has burst. Back to my tried and true Circulon that just won’t quit. Or maybe not…

Member’s Mark Ceramic Cookware Set

As I’m scrolling I see a set on Google, but wait… it’s $159 and there are WAY more pieces in this set. What is it? Member’s Mark. Member’s Mark? Like Sam’s Club? Yes. Sam’s Club. You guys, I had to do a double take to make sure this wasn’t the same set! This set comes with 2 skillets, 1 deep skillet with a lid, 3 pots with lids, and one calendar. That’s 11 pieces. ELEVEN. For $160. Here, I’ll do the math for you: that is 17% of the cost of Caraway. For that price I can use this set every day and not worry about what happens to it!

Caraway Cookware
Member’s Mark Cookware

The Member’s Mark set is GORGEOUS and in a side by side comparison I can’t tell the difference! I can’t wait to test it out. It was beautiful right out of the box.

I’ll keep you posted on how well it wears, but out of the box I am completely sold on this beautiful set. If you’re not a huge fan of black they have other modern colors to choose from: pink, lavender, green, red, coral, gray, and navy. Run to your nearest Sam’s Club or choose to have it shipped, but hurry… I don’t think these sets will last long!

Amazing Amazon Coffee Bar Finds

Amazing Amazon Coffee Bar Finds

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Those of you that know me, know that I love coffee even more than a Gilmore girl. When my favorite coffee storage container finally became unusable I found this adorable on Amazon. What I didn’t know is how badly I needed to step up my coffee bar game with some not just pretty-to-look-at items, but extremely useful items. I’ve compiled a list of my favorites here for you from coffee storage to an awesome milk frother for homemade Starbucks copycat cold foam cold brew recipes (you can check out lavender, pumpkin cream, or traditional versions I’ve perfected!). Get your caffeine fix in style and the best part? It shows up at your door!

Coffee Storage Jar

The only thing that makes this hermetically sealing storage jar more awesome are the awesome labels.

You can also find them on Amazon for both coffee and syrup. Organization win!

Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee

Gilmore girls fans rejoice! You can have your very own cup of Luke Danes coffee every morning thanks to Scott Patterson’s coffee company, Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee. The best part? You can buy it on Amazon!

Coffee Syrup Dispenser Bottles

These bottles come in a set of two with their own labels that cover any type of syrup flavor you can imagine, two gold tone pumps, and a silicone funnel to fill the bottles easily. This set is so well made and beautiful that I now have to contemplate what other syrup I want to add to the collection!

Milk Frother

Not only is this milk frother aesthetically pleasing, but it is amazingly functional to froth milk for cappuccinos, lattes, and my favorite, cold foam cold brews!

Gold Leaf Coffee Spoons

Who doesn’t want to stir their coffee with a gold leaf spoon? I mean, come on…

Lulu Soy Candles

Alright, this isn’t really COFFEE, but it is tea, so that counts, right? These Lulu candles are made in USA and their tea scents are fantastic! They’re the perfect addition to a coffee bar!

Go forth and conquer coffee lovers. Decorate and caffeinate!

Seagrass Basket Planters and Storage

Seagrass Basket Planters and Storage

by Engineered Mama ♥ 2 Comments

I’ve always loved seagrass baskets, but always thought they were so expensive. I decided to look around the interwebs one last time to see what deals I could find. I came across these seagrass baskets from Potey on Amazon for $30. What a deal, right?!

I was shocked by the quality of these baskets for the price. The one pictured in my house is the smallest size this set comes with (see the tiny 10 lb chiweenie for size reference below). This particular set also comes with several different color combinations, including all natural, natural and white (pictured here), and black and natural. Check them out and check out all of Potey’s planter options while you’re at it!

I’ll be sure to follow up with other places I’ll be using these baskets in our home for storage and of course, other plants because, let’s be honest… there are many more plants that need baskets around here!