Wasn't that phrase a source of contention in one of the Little House books? That Laura was always so jealous of Mary
For some reason, I'm having a Little House on the Prairie memory fest. I don't really know why, unless it's because I am cold ALL THE TIME this winter, and there's a lot of coldness in those books.
Remember when Laura is teaching school and gets driven in the sleigh and uses baked potatoes to keep her feet warm? That's how I feel, even though I live in a heated house, and drive a heated car. I would not be a good pioneer, I tell you.
But, back to the point. Sweets for the sweet. Didn't Mary get a Valentine from the old grizzled trapper, and Laura ... Just kidding.
I have a Valentines gift idea for you. Triple chocolate cake. I was asked if I could help with a small budget wedding this weekend, and volunteered to bake, fill, and frost (but not decorate, so please don't worry) a wedding cake.
I scrounged up the old recipes (which wasn't that easy when you factor in computer problems, and small houses that make storage units necessary even when you sell 3/4 of your stuff before you move).
The good news is I was triumphant and had a pretty good time dabbling in large quantities of batter, and butter, after a year off. Can you believe it's been a year since I sold the bakery?
I am going to give you a warning before I trust you with the recipe. Scratch cakes are finicky. Even I, who am a serious 'let's hurry up and I can do that in half the time you can' type of girl, have to slow down and do things by the rules if I want a delicious cake with a small, moist crumb. Did you like the length of that sentence?
Actually, I am going to give you two warnings. It really does make a difference when you weigh ingredients. I carefully measured everything to make a user friendly recipe. But, sometimes we measure things differently, so if this is not THE MOST DELICIOUS chocolate cake you have ever eaten. That might be why.
The Ingredients:
Chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (.23 kg)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cocoa powder (.09 kg)
1 1/2 cubes or 12 tablespoons butter (softened)
2 cups granulated sugar (.37 kg)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 1/3 cups very hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Buttercream frosting:
1 1/2 cubes or 12 tablespoons butter (softened)
1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cups cocoa powder
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
Chocolate Ganache:
1 cube or 8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Prepare 2 8 inch round cake pans by spraying with cooking spray and covering bottom only with parchment paper cut to size. Or you could grease and flour like a normal home baker.
The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake Ever:
Heat oven to 350 F
Beat 12 tablespoons softened butter with the granulated sugar in a mixer with a paddle until very light in color.
--don't skimp on this step. Really have soft butter, and really beat it for a long time. Let's call it 5-7 minutes at medium speed. Periodically scrape down bowl to be sure all butter is incorporated with the sugar.
While the butter and sugar are in the mixer, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Add the eggs to the mixer and continue beating at medium speed for an additional 3-5 minutes.
--Really use room temp. eggs. Cold eggs could cause your butter to start to harden again, causing a dense (uncakelike) batter. Again, scrape down frequently and be sure the mixture is completely smooth before you stop mixing. This is your last chance to turn the speed up and beat the heck out of this cake.
Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract to the very hot water
--The very hot (not boiling) water is going to keep your batter smooth, so don't be afraid to use very hot tap water.
You are now going to alternate adding the flour mixture and the water mixture to your mixture, starting with the flour mixture. Keep the mixer going on low speed until all ingredients are added. Then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix at medium low until smooth. You do not want to over mix at this stage, but check carefully to be sure there are no ingredients stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
Divide evenly into your pans, and bake about 20 25 minutes on the center rack of the oven, or until no crumbs stick to a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.
Let the baked cakes sit for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
If you want the frosting to go on more easily, you can freeze the cake after it is completely cooled.
Chocolate Buttercream:
Melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips in the microwave in a small glass bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until completely melted.
Cream the 12 tablespoons softened until very light in color, scraping down bowl as needed.
--go ahead and do another 5 minutes
While the butter is mixing whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Add the melted chocolate, corn syrup, and 1tablespoon vanilla to the butter and continue mixing until well blended.
--the corn syrup is actually quite important to the texture of the frosting, so use it even if you are morally opposed. There are many much more dangerous ingredients in this cake
Add the powdered sugar mixture in thirds and mix until incorporated.
Add the cream and beat at medium speed for 1 minute, and then turn it up and beat the heck out of it! Let's call it 3 minutes at medium high.
Add more cream if the consistency seems stiff.
Fill and frost cake layers.
Chocolate Ganache:
Melt remaining butter and chocolate chips together in microwave. Heat for 1 minute, stir, and repeat until done.
Let cool for about 10 minutes, and then pour directly over middle of cake
--it will spread to the edges and drip down the sides.
--if you think it looks like too much Ganache, don't use it all. It can be refrigerated and remelted later for brownies, ice cream, etc.
If you don't have a Valentine already, you will after you give them this little gem.
Enjoy!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Who are you, Carol?
So, someone asked me for a brief description of myself for a newsletter. This is what I sent her. Just thought I'd share.
By the way, is it weird to start sentences with so? I'm sure it's grammatically incorrect. But, I'm more concerned that it might be weird.
I do it a lot in real life, so that's a legitimate concern.
So, here it is, about me!
THINGS I LOVE:
--My husband who I dated in high school and married 6 weeks after he got home from his mission. 25 years and still counting. He is a very patient man!
--My kids:
McKay, 24, and his wife Annie. Newsweek journalist and Wachovia banker respectively. They live in Queens and work in Manhattan and let me visit whenever I want. Which is very, very often.
Kami, 22, who is on a mission in Chile. She will be home in July, which is not soon enough.
Chase, 20, who is on a mission in Argentina. He still has 19 months, which is really way to long. They should let mothers be in charge of the length of missions.
Tagg, 17, who still lives at home. Which I am thankful for every day of my life.
--Baking and Cooking. I owned a bakery cafe in Utah before we moved. It was called Flour Girls and Dough Boys if you were wondering how I got my email address.
--Sharing my crazy opinions and recipes (which are not so crazy) on my blog flourgirlathome.blogspot.com
--Meeting new people and learning about them
--Entertaining
--The ocean
--Sunshine
--DIY network
THINGS I DO NOT LOVE:
--The weather pretty much every day since we got here. Can someone please do something about that?
--Being cold all the time (see above)
--Wearing boots every time I leave the house (see above)
--Darkness more than 12 hours a day (see above)
That just about covers the weather, I think.
--The fact that my house is too small to entertain
--The fact that it is taking so long to get my house addition approved
By the way, is it weird to start sentences with so? I'm sure it's grammatically incorrect. But, I'm more concerned that it might be weird.
I do it a lot in real life, so that's a legitimate concern.
So, here it is, about me!
THINGS I LOVE:
--My husband who I dated in high school and married 6 weeks after he got home from his mission. 25 years and still counting. He is a very patient man!
--My kids:
McKay, 24, and his wife Annie. Newsweek journalist and Wachovia banker respectively. They live in Queens and work in Manhattan and let me visit whenever I want. Which is very, very often.
Kami, 22, who is on a mission in Chile. She will be home in July, which is not soon enough.
Chase, 20, who is on a mission in Argentina. He still has 19 months, which is really way to long. They should let mothers be in charge of the length of missions.
Tagg, 17, who still lives at home. Which I am thankful for every day of my life.
--Baking and Cooking. I owned a bakery cafe in Utah before we moved. It was called Flour Girls and Dough Boys if you were wondering how I got my email address.
--Sharing my crazy opinions and recipes (which are not so crazy) on my blog flourgirlathome.blogspot.com
--Meeting new people and learning about them
--Entertaining
--The ocean
--Sunshine
--DIY network
THINGS I DO NOT LOVE:
--The weather pretty much every day since we got here. Can someone please do something about that?
--Being cold all the time (see above)
--Wearing boots every time I leave the house (see above)
--Darkness more than 12 hours a day (see above)
That just about covers the weather, I think.
--The fact that my house is too small to entertain
--The fact that it is taking so long to get my house addition approved
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Rendering, Schmendering
There is a lot of paper involved in home design. And computers. A lot of those, too. Computers make the world go round you know. Not money, not love, computers. I bet you are using one right now, so you can't really disagree.
Anyway, things continue to be crazy on the house addition front. Surveyors fighting with Conservation Commissioners right in front of Homeowners (me) who are almost in tears. True story: Anne, the commissioner told me my site plan couldn't be accepted because the flood lines didn't match the paper map which is king (she really said that. The paper map is King. Odd.). Also, it looked like substantial improvement to her, so was I planning on filling in the existing basement? (yes, I'm going home to get a shovel right now! She may not understand that I am a fairly un-construction-educated home owner who uses professionals to give her advice on these matters. Their advice may be less professional than they are.). Then, she asked the wrong question, so what do you want to do? (Cry?) Move back to Utah where it's dry, I said. She felt sorry for me, even Conservation Commissioners have hearts you know.
So, she let me file the Notice of Intent, as long as the evil surveyor printed out new site plans that rightly proclaimed our paper map status of living in the water (or something like that.). She'll let the committee tell us to take a hike, that way she will forever be the kind woman who took my application.
Back to paper and computers. As you can imagine, home plans are very flat. That's their nature. They're printed on paper and all. So I have spent many days poring over floor plans and imagining over priced tile and cabinets, and things like that. Yesterday, our architect sent us renderings. Not bacon fat, computerized pictures of what our house will look like when we walk through it. Yikes! What have we done? First of all, he has been to our house a time or two. I'm trying very hard not to be offended by the furniture he has in there.
But, more importantly, it's ugly! My beautiful new house is ugly. On the inside. Where it really matters. How can this be. It is so wonderful in one dimension. There are beams. So many beams, and posts, everywhere. Just willy nilly, any old place, it's like a Lincoln log house. This will not do at all. Stop the presses. Or the bidders. Stop something, anyway. My imaginary house, that isn't going to be approved anyway needs some adjustments.
Anyway, things continue to be crazy on the house addition front. Surveyors fighting with Conservation Commissioners right in front of Homeowners (me) who are almost in tears. True story: Anne, the commissioner told me my site plan couldn't be accepted because the flood lines didn't match the paper map which is king (she really said that. The paper map is King. Odd.). Also, it looked like substantial improvement to her, so was I planning on filling in the existing basement? (yes, I'm going home to get a shovel right now! She may not understand that I am a fairly un-construction-educated home owner who uses professionals to give her advice on these matters. Their advice may be less professional than they are.). Then, she asked the wrong question, so what do you want to do? (Cry?) Move back to Utah where it's dry, I said. She felt sorry for me, even Conservation Commissioners have hearts you know.
So, she let me file the Notice of Intent, as long as the evil surveyor printed out new site plans that rightly proclaimed our paper map status of living in the water (or something like that.). She'll let the committee tell us to take a hike, that way she will forever be the kind woman who took my application.
Back to paper and computers. As you can imagine, home plans are very flat. That's their nature. They're printed on paper and all. So I have spent many days poring over floor plans and imagining over priced tile and cabinets, and things like that. Yesterday, our architect sent us renderings. Not bacon fat, computerized pictures of what our house will look like when we walk through it. Yikes! What have we done? First of all, he has been to our house a time or two. I'm trying very hard not to be offended by the furniture he has in there.
But, more importantly, it's ugly! My beautiful new house is ugly. On the inside. Where it really matters. How can this be. It is so wonderful in one dimension. There are beams. So many beams, and posts, everywhere. Just willy nilly, any old place, it's like a Lincoln log house. This will not do at all. Stop the presses. Or the bidders. Stop something, anyway. My imaginary house, that isn't going to be approved anyway needs some adjustments.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Things I do not understand about this crazy world I live in . . .
Or, in which I live.
1. Why at least twice a week I get in my car and am informed via a monitoring system much smarter than I, that one of my tires is low.
A. But it is not always the same tire.
2. Why the automobile industry does not spend more resources on designing a way to keep snow from caving into your car when you open the window.
A. Yes, I know I should brush off the snow, but I have a very large car, and a relatively short attention span.
3. Why 3 days of above freezing temps and/or rain has diminished the amount of snow everywhere except the beach access paths.
A. Why I have had to wear boots every day for the last month.
B. Seriously, I have not worn shoes once since early January.
4. Why this Christmas tree has been on the beach for the last 10 days without washing away with the tide.
A. Why this full color picture appears to be black and white (this may have something to do with my self diagnosed seasonal affective disorder)
B. Why this tree which has been on the beach for the last 10 days has more pine needles than my tree had by the time Christmas Eve rolled around (next year I am going to try feeding my tree ocean water)
C. Why Con Comm did not stop this person from putting their tree in the ocean, but instead spends their time sabotaging my home addition.
5. How Milo can eat 2 to 3 times the recommended food allowance for his size and remain underweight.
A. This is possibly true of Tagg also, but I don't know what the recommended food allowance is for a 16 year old boy (yes, I realize this makes me a bad Mom)
B. It possibly has something to do with the fact that they both run at least 10 miles a day.
6. Why I volunteered to bake a wedding cake knowing everyone will think I did this 10 times a day in my life as a baker (I am possibly the only one here in my new area that knows I hired someone to do that).
A. Don't worry, I am not in charge of decorating the cake, whew!!!
B. Why bread bakers are so under appreciated in this world, and why everyone assumes if you are a baker you make beautiful cakes. We have feelings too, you know!
7. Why my oldest son is a professional journalist married to a smart woman, and yet I cannot stop thinking about someone trying to break into their apartment, and that they should really just move in with us.
8. Why my house is so small.
A. And dusty ALL THE TIME, even though I dust a lot.
B. Really!
C. And smells like a campfire (which for some inexplicable reason is one of the worst smells in the world to me)
C. And too quiet because my children keep moving away.
9. Why children grow up and move away.
That's all for now.
But not all, not even close!
For example:
10. Why I was called to be a cub scout leader when I have no experience with crazy 8 year old boys.
A. Really, I have 3 boys, and none of them were crazy. Also inexplicable.
B. And possibly related to my selective memory disorder.
p.s. Why Costco has the chemical fertilizer directly across the aisle from the organic chicken? This time I mean it. Really. WHY? I am going to require an answer on this one.
1. Why at least twice a week I get in my car and am informed via a monitoring system much smarter than I, that one of my tires is low.
A. But it is not always the same tire.
2. Why the automobile industry does not spend more resources on designing a way to keep snow from caving into your car when you open the window.
A. Yes, I know I should brush off the snow, but I have a very large car, and a relatively short attention span.
3. Why 3 days of above freezing temps and/or rain has diminished the amount of snow everywhere except the beach access paths.
A. Why I have had to wear boots every day for the last month.
B. Seriously, I have not worn shoes once since early January.
4. Why this Christmas tree has been on the beach for the last 10 days without washing away with the tide.
A. Why this full color picture appears to be black and white (this may have something to do with my self diagnosed seasonal affective disorder)
B. Why this tree which has been on the beach for the last 10 days has more pine needles than my tree had by the time Christmas Eve rolled around (next year I am going to try feeding my tree ocean water)
C. Why Con Comm did not stop this person from putting their tree in the ocean, but instead spends their time sabotaging my home addition.
5. How Milo can eat 2 to 3 times the recommended food allowance for his size and remain underweight.
A. This is possibly true of Tagg also, but I don't know what the recommended food allowance is for a 16 year old boy (yes, I realize this makes me a bad Mom)
B. It possibly has something to do with the fact that they both run at least 10 miles a day.
6. Why I volunteered to bake a wedding cake knowing everyone will think I did this 10 times a day in my life as a baker (I am possibly the only one here in my new area that knows I hired someone to do that).
A. Don't worry, I am not in charge of decorating the cake, whew!!!
B. Why bread bakers are so under appreciated in this world, and why everyone assumes if you are a baker you make beautiful cakes. We have feelings too, you know!
7. Why my oldest son is a professional journalist married to a smart woman, and yet I cannot stop thinking about someone trying to break into their apartment, and that they should really just move in with us.
8. Why my house is so small.
A. And dusty ALL THE TIME, even though I dust a lot.
B. Really!
C. And smells like a campfire (which for some inexplicable reason is one of the worst smells in the world to me)
C. And too quiet because my children keep moving away.
9. Why children grow up and move away.
That's all for now.
But not all, not even close!
For example:
10. Why I was called to be a cub scout leader when I have no experience with crazy 8 year old boys.
A. Really, I have 3 boys, and none of them were crazy. Also inexplicable.
B. And possibly related to my selective memory disorder.
p.s. Why Costco has the chemical fertilizer directly across the aisle from the organic chicken? This time I mean it. Really. WHY? I am going to require an answer on this one.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Why I love football
The Super Bowl has one meaning, and one meaning only for me. The chance to eat delicious snacks for dinner.
There have been occasions when I have watched the game. Mainly when the Patriots are playing. And, maybe the Seattle Seahawks, but maybe not, because I don't remember that ever happening.
--update. I googled it, and according to Wikapedia, their one and only Superbowl appearance was in 2006. That is recent enough for even my old, tired memory, so apparently I didn't watch, even then.
I really didn't watch yesterday. Not a single play, although the game was on the television in my home, and I picked a favorite. The Packers. Hooray! My team won!
I picked them based on their uniform. I think it is friendlier than the Steelers uniform. Green is such a soothing color. Unlike football, which is not soothing at all.
Anyway, the highlight of yesterday's snacking was Coconut Chex Mix. In all my days, I have never heard of such a thing. Thank Heaven for facebook, and a facebook friend's plea for the recipe, or I might have lived out my life without tasting my new favorite treat.
Of course, I googled this as well, and picked the version that most closely matched the ingredients I had on hand. Then I changed it a little. That's how I cook, what can I say?
If you love coconut, and butter, you should definitely try this. We have a little left over if you want to come by ...
Coconut Chex Mix Ingredients:
12 cups Chex cereal (I used half rice/half corn)
2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 cup toasted slivered, sliced, or chopped almonds
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Start by toasting the almonds. I cooked them right in my largest le crueset (Dutch oven?) so I could mix the other ingredients in the same pot. I like to limit the number of dishes I use, because I don't like doing dishes. I cooked them over medium high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in coconut and cereal. It will look like this . . .
Mmmm, smells good already.
But, it's going to smell better when we add this . . .
I like Kate's butter. It's local (mostly, I consider Maine local). It's made with cream from humanely treated cows. And, that baby is darling! That's some good marketing right there!
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with the sugar and corn syrup. Use all your sugar, like I did. Just kidding, use all your sugar only if you have exactly 1 1/2 cups sugar, like I did.
Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. When it is ready, it will be golden brown, like this . . .
Remove from heat, and stir in the extracts. It will splatter, so wear protective glasses.
Stir into cereal mixture . . .
Yummy!
It will make this much. Which will feed me and a few other people.
Enjoy! To think I could have been eating this for the last 46 years. Tragic!
There have been occasions when I have watched the game. Mainly when the Patriots are playing. And, maybe the Seattle Seahawks, but maybe not, because I don't remember that ever happening.
--update. I googled it, and according to Wikapedia, their one and only Superbowl appearance was in 2006. That is recent enough for even my old, tired memory, so apparently I didn't watch, even then.
I really didn't watch yesterday. Not a single play, although the game was on the television in my home, and I picked a favorite. The Packers. Hooray! My team won!
I picked them based on their uniform. I think it is friendlier than the Steelers uniform. Green is such a soothing color. Unlike football, which is not soothing at all.
Anyway, the highlight of yesterday's snacking was Coconut Chex Mix. In all my days, I have never heard of such a thing. Thank Heaven for facebook, and a facebook friend's plea for the recipe, or I might have lived out my life without tasting my new favorite treat.
Of course, I googled this as well, and picked the version that most closely matched the ingredients I had on hand. Then I changed it a little. That's how I cook, what can I say?
If you love coconut, and butter, you should definitely try this. We have a little left over if you want to come by ...
Coconut Chex Mix Ingredients:
12 cups Chex cereal (I used half rice/half corn)
2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 cup toasted slivered, sliced, or chopped almonds
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Start by toasting the almonds. I cooked them right in my largest le crueset (Dutch oven?) so I could mix the other ingredients in the same pot. I like to limit the number of dishes I use, because I don't like doing dishes. I cooked them over medium high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in coconut and cereal. It will look like this . . .
Mmmm, smells good already.
But, it's going to smell better when we add this . . .
I like Kate's butter. It's local (mostly, I consider Maine local). It's made with cream from humanely treated cows. And, that baby is darling! That's some good marketing right there!
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with the sugar and corn syrup. Use all your sugar, like I did. Just kidding, use all your sugar only if you have exactly 1 1/2 cups sugar, like I did.
Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. When it is ready, it will be golden brown, like this . . .
Remove from heat, and stir in the extracts. It will splatter, so wear protective glasses.
Stir into cereal mixture . . .
Yummy!
It will make this much. Which will feed me and a few other people.
Enjoy! To think I could have been eating this for the last 46 years. Tragic!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Why I love my small New England town
This is one of my favorite things about living in a small New England town:
The weekly paper!
I especially love this feature of the Hull Times . . .
Let me share some news from February 3, 1911
--Dr. Blake of Green Hill has had more than his share of trouble, he has lost his little child.
--In the fish shipment of Monday last week from Provincetown were included 300 barrels of flounders. Those flatfish must be plentiful in Cape waters.
--The Mayflower has returned to Nantasket. She was cut into and 20 feet added and it cost $60,000 to repair her. The boats are all being painted for the summer business.
--The funeral of James F. Dowd, formerly of this town, took place yesterday in Connecticut. He was a brother of Augustus Dowd, who discovered a grove of big trees in California.
I love the kindness and community of these stories. I also love how they throw around things like the Mayflower has returned and his brother discovered a grove of BIG TREES in California.
I assume they mean something different than what comes to My mind. I think I need to do some research!
I also love that a Hullonian built this snow serpent.
Awesome!
The weekly paper!
I especially love this feature of the Hull Times . . .
Let me share some news from February 3, 1911
--Dr. Blake of Green Hill has had more than his share of trouble, he has lost his little child.
--In the fish shipment of Monday last week from Provincetown were included 300 barrels of flounders. Those flatfish must be plentiful in Cape waters.
--The Mayflower has returned to Nantasket. She was cut into and 20 feet added and it cost $60,000 to repair her. The boats are all being painted for the summer business.
--The funeral of James F. Dowd, formerly of this town, took place yesterday in Connecticut. He was a brother of Augustus Dowd, who discovered a grove of big trees in California.
I love the kindness and community of these stories. I also love how they throw around things like the Mayflower has returned and his brother discovered a grove of BIG TREES in California.
I assume they mean something different than what comes to My mind. I think I need to do some research!
I also love that a Hullonian built this snow serpent.
Awesome!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Tile Mania
I really like tile.
Shiny white Subway tile
Kelley green glass tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Creamy honed marble tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Those little white hexagon tiles from the olden days
Shiny white Subway tile
Pretty much everything except tan tile. I got really tired of tan tile in my last house. It is very popular to build in camouflage in Utah and tan blends right into the countryside. So we had A Lot of tan in our house. It was beautiful, but I am ready for a change, and declared my new home a tan free zone. It's not good camouflage when you live on the ocean, someone might see us!
Building a new house turns out to be a most excellent reason to do a lot of shopping! Hooray! Let me repeat this, I NEED to do a lot of shopping. It's my current job, my responsibility. And I take my responsibilities very seriously.
So, I faced reality and forced myself to head to the tile showroom. I forced myself several times, because the tile showroom employees apparently do not share my desire to drive around on snow days, and were closed the first two times I showed up.
Three times is a charm however, and Thursday I met Julie, who helped me figure out my tile needs. Tile showrooms are wonderful. There are no prices to be seen. You just choose 'birds nest blend pebbles' for the dog shower floor, and 'spring green art glass' for an accent wall in the powder room. And, let's have 'honed crema white cloud' marble for the floor in the master bath!
It's awesome. Julie and I are best friends, picking out tile for my new house, and there are no prices, and Julie doesn't know the prices. And in my fun, best friends shopping together scenario, all bids and estimates come in with hardly any zeros at the end of the dollar amounts.
Then, just a day later, my best friend Julie becomes my tile sales representative, and sends me an estimate. With a lot of zeros tacked on.
My fantasy world has turned into a reality where I apparently want 3000 pounds of tile in my house (do you think I need to inform my structural engineer?)' and it will cost $1400 just to get it here. From New Jersey. Really? And, spring green art glass walls cost $2000. So do crema white honed marble floors. I don't even want to talk about the dog shower. It's for washing DOGS for crying out loud!
The good news is I can afford shiny white Subway tires. Hooray!
I have to go. I have a lot of tile shopping to do on the Lowe's website. Let me know if you are building a house with unlimited funds and need help choosing tile. I'm your girl!
Shiny white Subway tile
Kelley green glass tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Creamy honed marble tile
Shiny white Subway tile
Those little white hexagon tiles from the olden days
Shiny white Subway tile
Pretty much everything except tan tile. I got really tired of tan tile in my last house. It is very popular to build in camouflage in Utah and tan blends right into the countryside. So we had A Lot of tan in our house. It was beautiful, but I am ready for a change, and declared my new home a tan free zone. It's not good camouflage when you live on the ocean, someone might see us!
Building a new house turns out to be a most excellent reason to do a lot of shopping! Hooray! Let me repeat this, I NEED to do a lot of shopping. It's my current job, my responsibility. And I take my responsibilities very seriously.
So, I faced reality and forced myself to head to the tile showroom. I forced myself several times, because the tile showroom employees apparently do not share my desire to drive around on snow days, and were closed the first two times I showed up.
Three times is a charm however, and Thursday I met Julie, who helped me figure out my tile needs. Tile showrooms are wonderful. There are no prices to be seen. You just choose 'birds nest blend pebbles' for the dog shower floor, and 'spring green art glass' for an accent wall in the powder room. And, let's have 'honed crema white cloud' marble for the floor in the master bath!
It's awesome. Julie and I are best friends, picking out tile for my new house, and there are no prices, and Julie doesn't know the prices. And in my fun, best friends shopping together scenario, all bids and estimates come in with hardly any zeros at the end of the dollar amounts.
Then, just a day later, my best friend Julie becomes my tile sales representative, and sends me an estimate. With a lot of zeros tacked on.
My fantasy world has turned into a reality where I apparently want 3000 pounds of tile in my house (do you think I need to inform my structural engineer?)' and it will cost $1400 just to get it here. From New Jersey. Really? And, spring green art glass walls cost $2000. So do crema white honed marble floors. I don't even want to talk about the dog shower. It's for washing DOGS for crying out loud!
The good news is I can afford shiny white Subway tires. Hooray!
I have to go. I have a lot of tile shopping to do on the Lowe's website. Let me know if you are building a house with unlimited funds and need help choosing tile. I'm your girl!
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