Halfway through, cheers!

It is August 1st, and in my opinion the middle of summer.  
June and September are usually decent as far as weather goes, May and October are crap shots, but July and August are pretty much a sure thing as far as fabulous goes.  
So as we cross this hump-day of summer, lets try to see the glass as half full...
with a mojito.  

I give you my summer staple:

THE WATERMELON MOJITO
makes 6-8 servings
(kid's version to follow- why should grown ups have all the fun?)

This is the mass quantity, lazy summer version. 
Perfect for when you have a crowd and don't feel like handcrafting each mojito.
(I make them a lot, and they take time.)
Nobody got time for that!


You will need:
 2 c. of watermelon diced
a bunch of mint
4 limes
1 lemon
1/2 c. sugar
8 oz. rum (give or take)
bottle of seltzer/ club soda
a pitcher & ice


Cut the melon into bite sized pieces. 
There are a lot of recipes that have you pureeing the melon, 
but I like to eat while I drink- 
it makes it last longer, and I feel like less of a boozer.

 Chop your most of your mint with scissors (forget muddling for mass quantities). 
Put mint and melon in the pitcher.
Leave a few springs for garnish.
I got these awesome herb scissors from my niece when she worked for Crate & Barrel... 

 I use them for basil, cilantro... and mostly mint.
You will thank me later.  She also got my citrus squeezer there too... 
 Highly recommend both- makes a great hostess gift for the avid mojito maker.
 Next cut 3 limes and one lemon in half and squeeze into the pitcher.
Slice the 4th lime into thin slices for garnish.
 Add 1/2 cup of sugar.
 Pour in the rum and then top off with club soda.  
My pitcher held about (6) 8 oz servings, so you may want to adjust for larger pitchers.
Stir well and let sit a few minutes to allow mint to diffuse and sugar to fully dissolve.
 Pour over ice and garnish.

 The Kid-Friendly Mojito

3 oz. Newman's Own Limeade (or whatever brand you like)
pour over ice
top with seltzer
garnish with watermelon chunks, mint and a lime wedge

And yes.  
My kid's have told strangers (and their preschool teacher) that they drink mojitos with Mom & Dad.
Fun explaining that one! 

Cheers!

Listen Up...

This is my current track... starts slow, so hang in there...

Things have been extra crazy. 
(I blame last week's super full moon) 
This whole album by Beach House (Bloom) is just so very chill.
Kinda like a little shooter of Mazzy Star with a just a dash of Smashing Pumpkins. 
Comfort food. 
Enjoy.

Beach Bomb Walls

When I read that photographer Gray Malin was releasing a wallpaper line with the amazing Black Crow Studios I was immediately intrigued.   You've seen his highly coveted beach/umbrella scenes framed and hung on many a wall, but how about interpreting them for the wall?
Take this...
to this...
The result is bold, colorful and downright quirky.  Right up my alley! 
But if you prefer a more subtle beach scene, the Waves of Cape Town pattern has it...

Malin also takes the umbrella motif and reinterprets it into some amazingly simple patterns...





 And for the stripe lover, Hampton Stripe is so fresh...
 See/ Shop the entire collection here.




Please join me tonight...

Hey there! 
Guess what?
I will soon be back in a much heavier rotation... I have some amazing news!
 Renovation Land is about to go full monty, and I can't wait to share the peep show with you.

So, recently I have been all out focused/consumed by a big commercial project...
 ( I can't wait to see that Carleton V kicker of a Chinoiserie paper up and in person-
52" wide, enormous repeat - note the print out example of it in the the pile. love.)

This has taken up much of my awake time.
Please note my IRL situation...
Renovation Land has new hardwood floors, but has become my office/stomping grounds/design studio 
durning a very brutal heatwave.  My kids have been kicked to eating on the couch.

Things in Renoland have been going very slowly due to work and heat, but that is all about to change because...
I am joining the True Value DIY Squad!


I am really excited about this for many reasons...
a) I have SO many DIY projects and tutorials that have been patiently waiting for their moment, 
and this is just the accountable kick in the pants they needed.

b) Dawson's True Value Hardware in Beverly, MA is my jam, you can find me in the (spray)paint or electrical section on any given day.
(and neighboring Water's & Brown in Salem is my alma mater... I used to color consult for them back in the day. warm fuzzies & they have a killer paint department.)

c) All this inspiration. Like a kid in a candy store...
I don't know what you see, but I am thinking:

crazy light fixture out of string...
tape=paint...

 something is getting hog-tied in a good & decorative way...
 legs are getting worked over...
 no idea, but this stuff makes me happy...
 my happier place...

So stay tuned because I am cooking up some awesomeness in my 
DIY kitchen/bedroom/bathroom/yard. 

In the meantime I would love to invite you to chime in to tonight's TrueValue Twitter Party led by @ResourcefulMom and @TrueValue.
It happens tonight...
Tuesday, July 23rd from 8:00-9:00 EST
use party tag #TrueValueofDIY 
Be sure to follow me @DanikaHerrick 

Register here for a chance to win a True Value Giftcard.

Tweet ya soon!













Mystery chair fabric up for grabs!


Yes, I finally found it.
When I saw a bolt of it today at a fabric store I grabbed it like a crazy lady*...
(*I was trying to come up with a great/clever analogy, but its been a long day and I got nothing- 
and since I am crazy and a lady "it is what it is")

I have a bunch, so leave a comment below if you want some.
$29.99/ yard + shipping (leave your zip code and I can get you an exact shipping quote),
first come first serve and all that...

Here is the pattern on a roll out:
 and on that bitch of a chair...
you know you want some.

on other fronts...
just got back from a long "off the grid" vacation.
It was GREAT.
I highly recommend leaving your devices to their own devices.

And yes, I did break the rules and I used Instagram last week. 
See, we brought my cell along in the glove box for emergencies. 
 It was actually needed for a call to the dentist when my oldest pulled a filling out with gum.  
But then we went mining in the NH hills.
It was again used for "location" purposes. 
Listen, when you are driving an endless dirt road with signs that say "Don't listen to your GPS, they are wrong" and signs of 'Deliverence' all around, you leave crumbs via social media.
  


Glad to be back!
xo 
Danika








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