Desperate Housediva | Brass chandelier makeover Part I

Living in a rental space can be frustrating for many reasons. The more superficial of them being the lack of freedom to make big design changes. The space in which Prof. Hubs' and I live here in Midwestia has very little to recommend it, design-wise. It's a very boring layout, with white walls, and little to no charming architectural details. I think the best thing about the space's design is the large, exposed brick wall, and the worst would definitely be the tacky '70's brown kitchen cabinets and stove-ick!

I've lately found myself very interested in breathing new life and style into our home where I can. Therefore, the next few weeks will feature posts about my DIY changes around our space. The first of which deals with the eyesore of a brass chandelier which was hanging in the kitchen over our table. I thought I was stuck with this hideous light until I perused several DIY design blogs and learned about this great way to makeover an old brass chandelier.

Here is my chandelier before:

Here it is after, though still in the middle stages of the makeover. I still need to add some hanging do-dads. I'll update you next week. Still, I find it to be a HUGE improvement.

I can't decide whether or not to also add chandelier shades. Any ideas?

There are 2 ways to makeover your chandelier. I did the more stupid way, because I didn't want to take down the chandelier and spray paint it, blah blah... So instead, I cleaned the chandelier well and then hand painted 3 coats of white latex, satin finish, paint. I'm very happy with the result. Home DIY makeover part I in progress!

Future projects include:

-applying French letters to my dresser (decoupage) and replacing the drawer pulls with pretty Anthropologie replacements.

-adding do-dads to chandelier

-applying a 12'X8' blue photographic backdrop to a living room wall of the same size (as I cannot paint, but I love a fabric wall!)

-repainting and reupholstering 4 antique chairs for our kitchen (which I picked up for a total of $60!)

-repainting several vintage frames and lamp bases in fun colors.

Healthy + Delicious = (Blue)berry Bran Muffins!

I've been on the hunt for a delicious, healthy bran muffin recipe for ages. In NYC I'm obsessed with the raspberry bran muffins from The BirdBath green bakery-they're phenomenal-though I'm pretty sure they're nutritionally closer to cake than anything else :)

The other day Prof. Hubs brought home a huge number of blueberries. I love them, they are lovely just as they are, but few can eat berries in such exorbitant numbers. They need to be used in delicious ways before they're considered waste. Hence, the birth of the Desperate Housediva's (Blue)berry Bran Muffins. These come together easily in minutes, in one bowl, and are soooo delicious, so healthy (Greek yogurt, bran, whole wheat flour, teensiest bit of butterfat, fresh berries-nutritional powerhouse!) that I needed to share them immediately. I am looking forward to trying this recipe out with fresh raspberries when the season arrives... And for those of you watching your calories this season-I think they come in under 100 calories/per muffin with lots of fiber and protein!

The Desperate Housediva's superhealthydelicious Berry Bran Muffins

(based on a few different recipes, including one by Jean Hewitt, one by some Canadian Agropur people, and one by some recipe contributor called 3lioncubs...)

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1.5 cups wheat bran

3/4 tsp salt (pref. sea salt)

1.25 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt

1 egg

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

3 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup plain applesauce

1/4 skim milk (or buttermilk)

1 cup berries (I used blue but rasp would also be divine...)

Preheat oven to 425.

Either butter and flour a muffin tin or use little muffin liners.

In a ginormous mixing bowl, sift first five ingredients (flour through brown sugar.) Then make a well in the middle and add all remaining ingredients except berries. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Then add berries and give a few mixes (barely) until berries are somewhat evenly distributed throughout batter. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter (it should be pretty thick but not doughy) 3/4 way up cups. Bake for 15 minutes (10 minutes if using mini muffin tins) until muffins are golden brown on top.

Allow to cool for a minute or two before enjoying with or without some lovely butter.