Author Archives: Victoria Vitale

How To Install Picture Ledges

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The Pope came to Philly last weekend, and the whole city was on vacation (#Popecation). Highways, bridges, city streets, and most of the public transit system around here was shut down for three days. Anne’s school had a “cyber day” on Friday, and I was home from work. Although millions gathered to see the Pope and hear him speak downtown, we ultimately decided to go into full-on hibernation mode and work on our new apartment. There was a lot to be done!

In preparation for the Pope’s visit, Anne and I bought our first power tool: Ryobi Reconditioned 5.5-Amp 3/8 in. Corded Variable Speed Reversing Compact Clutch Driver. We know what approximately three of those words mean, but I now go by the nickname Ryobi-Wan Kenobi regardless. We were really excited about it because: 1) it came with a matching tool bag to store it in, and 2) we’ve wanted to put up picture ledges for a really long time. It never happened in our last apartment because our walls were practically cement, so hanging anything was always such a headache.

If you’ve been thinking about buying an electric drill/driver, but haven’t known what kind, style, or brand to get, look no further. The Ryobi we purchased from Home Depot was the perfect tool for our job, and we are really excited to continue using it for other projects we have in mind. It was incredibly affordable and easy to use.

DIY Picture Ledges

Materials:

Step 1: Gather all of the items you are thinking about displaying on your ledges. On the floor, test out possible layouts, and determine the height you’d like between the ledges.

Step 2: Choose what wall the ledges will be hung on. Use the Stud Find app to locate all of the studs in that region, and use washi tape to mark the found studs. Using studs to anchor your ledges, rather than just patches of drywall, will make them more secure.

Step 3: Make sure your couch, lamp, and side table, etc. are in their usual spots. Mark the floor with washi tape to know where to put the furniture back later. With that complete, decide how high above the couch you want to hang the lower ledge. Note that it should be at least 8-10 inches higher than the back of the couch.

Step 4: Align the three holes in the bottom ledge with the marked studs in the wall. Use the Ryobi to drill in the middle screw. Then, use the Level app to make sure the ledge is level before driving in the second and third screws. (This step definitely calls for two people. Invite a friend over to help, or work together with your significant other or roommate.)

Step 5: Test the height of your items on the ledge. Add 4-6 inches of wall space above the tallest item to know how high to make the next ledge. Repeat Step 4.

Step 6: Once both ledges are securely drilled into the studs, step back and congratulate yourself. You did it! It’s time to fill your ledges with frames and other mementos. Here are three tips Anne and I thought up to help create a beautiful display:

  • Choose a color scheme. With so many items close together, things can start to look hairy pretty quickly. We decided on black, white, and blue (with a few small pops of color). Common colors will help everything look a bit more refined and cohesive.
  • Choose frames with varying heights to add visual interest.
  • Layer your frames. They are begging to be layered! Set one frame slightly over another to create a more chock-full look.

This project took us three hours from start to finish. Not bad, all things considered! It was our first project with Ryobi, and I honestly can’t wait for the next. The Stud Find app is also a lot of fun to use. We found ourselves checking for studs all over the apartment, just because it was so fun to hear the “ding” go off. What a thrill!

We’re excited to have installed something permanent in our apartment that will allow us the flexibility to alter our display. I like knowing that we can always add in new finds, or swap items out for different seasons. Installing these ledges was a big first step in settling in here, and I can’t wait to see how they will change over time.

Olive Oil & Sea Salt Brookies

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There’s a new brookie on the block, and I can’t say that I mind. They’re some of the most delicious cookies ever (although what cookie isn’t delicious?), that I’d recommend you drop whatever you’re doing to bake them. The fudgy, gooey inside earns them brownie points, but it’s the crunchier outside that deems them cookies. Hence: brookies. (See my last brookies here.)

This recipe comes straight from Katie at Butterlust. Her blog has a really wonderful array of sweet treats recipes. Go check her out!

Olive Oil & Sea Salt Brookies (via Butterlust)

Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 10 minutes per batch | Yields: 42 brookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp hot water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer, combine olive oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well between each one. Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Beat until the batter thickens, 3-4 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine hot water and baking soda and mix until dissolved. Add this, and the vanilla, to the batter. Beat until fully incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 30+ minutes (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a spring-loaded scooper to form solid mounds of batter, leaving 2 inches between each. Sprinkle with sea salt, and place in the oven. Be sure to refrigerate the batter between batches.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges set. Let cool completely before transferring to a wire rack. Store brookies in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.

From Scissors & Sage

Cozy Fall Favorites

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I’ve always said that fall is my favorite season, but it wasn’t until this past week that I pinpointed exactly why it’s my favorite season. For starters, I love the transition from long, hot summer days to slightly shorter, crisper fall days. Trees begin to change, and these vibrant colors are some of the best out there.

Fall is the season where we start our migration back into our homes after going out and being explorers for the summer–explorers in our gardens, towns, cities. We quiet ourselves as we embrace this change, and learn from nature just how beautiful a time of transition can really be. We indulge in simple pleasures, and refocus on what’s important. It’s our chance to turn over a new leaf.

When I write posts like this one, I tend to look outward for inspiration. This week, I thought I’d look inward. Scissors & Sage is two years old now, and I have a lot of really fun blog posts to show for my time here! Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite projects and recipes that embrace fall in all its cozy glory.

Nothing says fall like this trio: hot tea, ceramic mug, and knit coaster. Coziness is just oozing out of this picture! Learn to knit this coaster here. It’d make a beautiful gift set.

Looking to knit something wearable, instead? This cowl is a quick project with big results–perfect for fall layering.

It’s now okay to turn the oven back on. Wahoo! These mile-high coffee cake muffins are a real crowd-pleaser, and will provide a nice transition back into baking again.

Snuggle up with one of these homemade soy wax candles. They’re perfect for any room of your home.

Believe it or not, Halloween season is almost upon us. These spooky chocolate cake doughnuts are festive and pretty tasty.

It’s a perfect time to check-in with your recipe box. Mine, from Rifle Paper Co., fills me with a lot of joy. Start simmering those stews, people!

Let fall colors guide your crafting this season. These DIY leaf flowers make a beautiful centerpiece, and are a definite conversation-starter.

Felt is a great crafting material for cooler months. I made this two-pocket cell phone sleeve using gift packaging from Madewell!

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There are a few more things on my mind this week:

  1. I recently discovered a company called Parachute. Have you heard of them? Their website and blog focuses on all-things sleeping. From selling luxurious bedding hand-crafted in Italy, to blogging about how to choose the right pillow, they’ve got it covered. And they cover it well.
  2. It’s time to try something new. I’ve got a few new crafting techniques and projects I’m interested in testing out soon, and I’m really excited about them. Our new apartment is the perfect blank canvas! Are you hoping to start a certain project soon?
  3. I don’t usually drink caffeine, but settling into a good book or knitting project with a chai tea latte sounds pretty excellent right about now. My favorite is Oregon Chai’s powdered mix.

What are you doing to get ready for fall? Are you excited, or are you already missing summer?

100th Blog Post & GIVEAWAY!

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I thought I’d celebrate my 100th blog post (!!!) and the end of summer with a giveaway. It’s thanks to you readers that I continue to enjoy blogging about my various projects, so it’s high time for me to give back! I’ve been a bit MIA this summer between our trip to Greece and moving to a new apartment in Philly. All of our belongings have been in boxes for what feels like weeks now. I’m still trying to pin down my crafting supplies and baking ingredients. They’re here somewhere…

For this giveaway, I’ve teamed up with Sticky9 once again. I absolutely love this company. (Click here to see my last giveaway with them in January.) Their printed matte photos are high-quality, and who doesn’t like to physically hold pictures these days? It’s a rarity, and it’s a shame. I’ve combatted that by creating a DIY memory game using our photos from Greece.

My favorite part of this project is that you can use photos from any kind of life event, trip, or celebration. You can create the game for yourself, or give it to someone special. The photos could be of a special birthday, a newly engaged couple, a vacation, a beloved pet or child, you name it. Plus, this game is well-suited for most anyone–from a young child to a grandparent.

Anne and I have been loving our game because it brings back so many great memories. The supplies and game rules are simple, so let’s get to it.

DIY Photo Memory Game

Materials:

  • 13 unique photographs, each printed twice
  • 1 title photo to represent the game*

*Sticky9 Square Prints come in sets of 27. This is perfect: 13 photos (2x) + one extra for the title photo.

Rules (for two players):

  1. Turn all photos upside down on the floor. Scatter the pairs randomly to create either a grid (easier) or a collage (harder) of photos.
  2. The first player turns over two cards at random. If they don’t match, turn them back over for the second player’s turn. If they do match, put them to the side and play again. Continue your turn until you turn over two cards that do not match.
  3. Continue playing until no cards remain. The person with the most matched sets wins.
  4. Optional:  Play best of three to determine who will wash dishes after dinner, walk the dog early in the morning, or do the laundry next.

Like I said, this game is great for anyone. It can help children learn (especially if it’s pictures of them growing up), and it’s wonderful for adults and older adults to practice those working memory skills. Most importantly, it’s plain old fun!

One lucky winner will win a set of Sticky9 Square Prints to make their own DIY memory game. It’d be perfect for the next time you have friends over for drinks or host a game night. Help me celebrate my 100th post on Scissors & Sage, the end of summer, and YOU!

To enter, leave a comment below telling me what photos you’d use for your memory game. Let me know! I’ll email the randomly-selected winner on Monday, September 21st.

Happy commenting!

PS) Can’t wait to find out if you’ve won?  Visit Sticky9 now to pick out your very own Square Prints or one of their other awesome products!

Frozen Lemon Iced Tea

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There’s a specialty foods shop in my hometown called Susan Lawrence. One summer when I was visiting my parents, my mom introduced me to their frozen lemon iced tea. Now, I’m not usually one for iced tea. But this… This was a game changer.

This drink combines unsweetened iced tea and lemon sorbet. The sorbet replaces traditional ice cubes, and it naturally sweetens the iced tea as it melts. Isn’t that genius? It tastes truly amazing, and is a super fun drink–perfect for when friends or family come over, or just when you need something sweet after a long, hot day. I’ve finally set out to create my own version of Susan Lawrence’s frozen lemon iced tea. While I don’t know exactly what goes into theirs, I can say that it tastes very similar!

When Anne and I were in Chicago last week we met up with her friends Clare and Megan, who were also in town visiting family. They live in Santa Cruz, California, and grow an incredible lemon tree in their yard. Clare gives us lemons every time we see her! We’ve already used one to make tasty lemon squares, and next up is this lemon sorbet. Thanks, Clare!

(Store-bought lemon vs. Clare’s lemon)

Frozen Lemon Iced Tea

Active time: 15 minutes | Inactive time: 3+ hours | Yields: 6 cups iced tea and 3 cups lemon sorbet

Sun Tea ingredients:

  • 2 bags Tazo Earl Grey or other black tea
  • 6 cups water

In a clear glass bowl or pitcher, combine six cups of tap water and two bags of Tazo Earl Grey tea. Set in a sunny spot, and let sit for three hours. When the tea is sufficiently brewed, cover and transfer to the refrigerator.

Lemon Sorbet ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tbs lemon zest

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Set aside, and let cool completely. Combine simple syrup, lemon, and zest, and pour mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Churn sorbet for 25-30 minutes, and then transfer to an airtight container to freeze for 2+ hours.

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To make frozen lemon iced tea, pour iced tea into a glass until half full. Use an ice cream scoop to place 3-4 scoops of sorbet in the glass. Swirl with a straw and enjoy!

Notes:

  • Sun tea is easily customizable. Use more tea bags, let it sit it the sun longer, or add herbs to the water. It’s up to you!
  • If you do not have an ice cream machine, you can combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, and zest in an airtight container and place it in the freezer. Stir the mixture every 30 minutes or so for two hours.

From Scissors & Sage