Another Apple Trial From Pinterest

Remember a few weeks ago when all those local apples were baked into some fabulous apple sauce?  Well, this latest Pinterest test (see pin here http://www.pinterest.com/pin/131730357826100269/) used some of that yummy apple sauce and became "Apple Puffs".

They were pretty easy since the main ingredient was Bisquick (no haters please - it makes great pancakes so I was eager to give this a try!).   I served these for my nieces breakfast for dinner birthday dinner and they were a hit.

I might make a few adjustments - a little more of the apple sauce and possibly make them in the mini muffin tins to make them less muffin like and more puff like, but other than that, they were down right tasty!

What's YOUR favorite apple treat for the fall?

5 Things To Know Before Starting A Remodel

You are considering a remodel and you are so excited to get everything started.  But before you do, I'd like you to remember a few things....  I've narrowed down a list to 5 things you will want to remember from the start to the finish of your project. 

1. This is going to be an inconvenience.  Very few people have the luxury of moving into a temporary living space during a remodel, so go into it knowing that unless it's an isolated space, it is going to be a lesson in endurance.
2. This is going to be messy.  No matter how much a contractor cleans at the end of the day, there will be dust, there will be debris and a general "this is dirty" feel in those spaces.  Most contractors will use plastic to put up barriers to keep it in the construction zone, as well as over the vents, etc.  But some of that dust is going to make it out.  
3. This is going to take longer than planned.  Whether a worker quits, material shipments are delayed or an issue is uncovered during demo, it's going to effect the schedule.   So plan for it! 
4. The schedule is not going to make sense to you.  You will have days that you will wonder why that didn't happen when they did that other thing, or why it seems like nothing happened at all.  Chances are they did do many things, but it's not always obvious, so take a deep breath and prepare yourself.
5. The budget will creep up without careful planning.  A contractor can do anything (or just about) that you ask him/her to do... but remember it all has associated costs.  It's always best to create detailed plan prior to work start in order to have the best idea of what your actual budget will be.  And remember - if you make changes, so will be the budget!  Another note on budget... there can be some hidden issues that come up during the building process and will have associated cost, so plan for those unknowns in your budget as well.

While there are many other conversations I have through out a project, these five always seem to come up and the key to keeping your stress level down is to establish good communication with your designer and contractor.  This looks different with each project. but a bi-weekly status meeting is a great way to start.

The Designer Is In... A New Regular Friday blog!



"Question Mark Chair" by Stefan Heiliger

Questions... they come up all the time.  Where do I center this, can I use this color with that one, how do I store THIS?  The possibilities are endless....

Starting next week I will begin a new regular Friday post called "Ask Tami"... you know kind of like a design/home matters type of "Dear Abby"!

How to submit a question... just send me a private message (yes it must be private) to tami@tamijones.net and I'll add it to the pile for consideration and answer them as they are appropriate for my blog.  No names will be published, just the questions and answers.

It's that simple.  But it can only be as successful as the questions, so start sending in those questions.

How I Spent The Last Days of Summer

The last days of summer are always bittersweet.  One the one hand our skies turn grey and the rain gear is moved to the front of the closet, but on the other hand, we get to wear our fun winter boots and sweaters!

In what should become an annual event, I was able to get away to celebrate friendship and the last days of summer in the Phoenix area.... it was perfect!

This was my view for a quiet cup of early morning coffee - it's still blue there!

This was the beautiful sunset as we headed from a fun walk through Old Scottsdale to dinner... the color is AMAZING!

While we were walking around, this very cool bike shop was a destination for our cyclist friends in the group... I almost didn't go in, but I saw this cool oversized door and I'm so glad I went in because the design of this space was so much fun!



Bicycle Haus, Scottsdale AZ

Such a great use of space to highlight these high performance bikes and the use of reclaimed materials along with the iron gave it such a cool vibe!  See that fan?  It puts out the perfect amount of breeze while adding simple visual interest.

And because the architectural views are so amazingly different than here in the Pacific Northwest, a trip report would not be complete without a view of this home, or was it an office?  I like the fact that I can't tell.

I love how these structures blend into the landscape like a mirage in the desert.  A perfect way to build so that nature and the built environment can live in harmony.

How did you spent your last few days of the summer season?