Lots of painting and big thrift store decorating this weekend. Delicious vegan chili recipe.

• katetacchi7

While some spend the weekends in leisure, it seems to be our busiest and most productive time. Bali has been on a mission to get the house and yards in order before the winter rains arrive. I’ve been into clearing out the old and ugly stuff and hand picking pieces to redecorate our old house in the vision I have for this old home. I’m thrilled with what we have done in the last month. I’m also jumping for joy that the thrift stores are open again.

I visited my favorite thrift store two days in a row. I really had to show some restraint and not buy the place out. It helps to have ideas in your head about what it is you want to create at home. I’ve gotten fun ideas from other blogs and since we are working toward being more natural, I chose baskets over plastic containers to do some organizing work. I will need many more baskets.

So, I will show you all the work we did. I finished organizing the pantry with a push from Bali (sometimes it is hard getting motivated or finishing a project). Bali painted the “man” bathroom off the laundry room and finished the main bathroom. I found some great pieces to complete the home.

From white walls to classic blues. I’ve never lived in so much blue but I have to say, it is quite calming. In the last house we had a lot of pumpkin, toasted butternut, yellows…

Here are the wonderful new pieces.

Love my new kitchen cabinet to warm up that empty space by the fridge and this little dresser with the coziest lamp for our living room. Now we don’t have to suffer the overhead lighting.

Had to have this old trunk! It even has the old wallpaper inside. I use it to store all our blankets and comforters and the boys winter clothes.

Now here is my pantry organized and using some of the baskets you saw in the beginning. And some great cookbooks Arjan and I found.

Bali started cleaning this up and it motivated me to finish the job a week after it was first started.

Arjan, Sam and I love going through cookbooks.

Also, here is the porch after Bali sanded, washed and painted it a thick brown paint that will protect it and prevent future splinters.

Now, for my delicious, vegan chili recipe I’ve been promising for days.

First I saute up some Beyond plant based ground faux beef and Soyrizo. You can find a really good Soyrizo at Trader Joes and the Beyond ground beef at health food stores and now it’s fairly easy to find this stuff everywhere. I saute really well with a little olive oil and onions.

Boil a big pot of dried pintos. Add the faux beef and Soyrizo. Here I added what ever I had in the freezer. It’s just like if you made a meat chili, you’d find some ground turkey or beef in the freezer…same thing here but plant based. I used what I had but I much prefer the Beyond ground and Soyrizo.

Add lots of seasoning. I have no measurements. I can say I add a lot! and keep tasting and adding.

We have here salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder (not shown), oregano, ground cumin. You can add fresh chilis and tomatoes if you like. I simmer for an hour after cooked and just sample and add if needs be.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

86 thoughts on “Lots of painting and big thrift store decorating this weekend. Delicious vegan chili recipe.”

  2. I LOVE that bookcase/cabinet by the fridge! Bali did a beautiful job on the porch, but then, he seems to do a beautiful job on all his projects. Your home is really coming around to be lovely. Thanks for sharing – gives me ideas.

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  3. This looks charming. I love old trunks. I used my trunk as a coffee table for years. I am finishing the beets today. We had so many. We are going to make beet dye this week. I love baskets to store things. I agree the weekends are meant to be productive. I really love to wreck that to do list on the weekend.

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  4. Wow wow wow! Everything looks so beautiful and homely. I can see your vision beginning to become reality. I LOVE those baskets, I’m a huge fan of keeping materials natural. That bookshelf next to the fridge is a WINNER! Love the shower curtain in the man bathroom. Porch looking stunning! You guys have been super productive 🥰🤩

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  5. Love this Kate!!! It all looks so homey! It must bring you so much joy because it sure put a big smile on my face just seeing what you have done. Now go make yourself a cold coffee and prop your feet up and read a book. Enjoy your Sunday.

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  6. Love the blue color in both bathrooms. The cabinet in the kitchen looks great. Love it! Everything is coming together so cozy and cute. Everything we have in our house comes from thrift shops and I just love it! This weekend we found a double recliner in robin’s egg blue for a very good buy. I’ve been biding my time in finding a good deal! Yay! We have been busy this weekend moving around furniture in our living room and rearranging a few other things. The porch looks great and I love all of your potted plants. Have a beautiful Sunday! Hugs!

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  7. I love that bookshelf next to your fridge. Its a great place to keep the cookbooks handy. What do you keep behind the doors on the bottom? Your whole house, inside and out, is coming along nicely. The porch looks like a nice place to sit, read a book and have a cup of coffee or tea. Love those plants on the porch too.

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  8. I do the same but Gardein meatless crumbles, red chili flakes and chili seasoning, strained tomatoes, onions, peppers diced, some jalapeno. I also use pinto with either black beans or red kidney beans. Cumin, smoked paprika, salt & pepper. That’s about it. Feel free to leave out red chili flakes. We like it super spicy. Some white rice or a baked potato and there’s nothing like it.
    To really veganize it, substitute diced cremini mushrooms for the crumbles!

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  9. It all looks so nice! I love the idea of the baskets for a more natural feel. And let me tell you, you are blessed to have a small cozy home. It’s easier to have an impact. My home is just too darned big ( first world problem, I know). It takes so much paint, decor, etc to even try to do a room. However purging helps. Just because I have the room doesn’t mean I need to stuff every corner!

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    1. Lol, ah, you enjoy that problem. You can fill it up with people or a business, make a room into a pantry, rent a room or two? I had a big house once and it was a lot of work and utility cost. But smaller homes are in need of constant cleaning as they get cluttered and messy fast. It doesn’t spread out as well.

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  10. Love the fridge in the kitchen with the shelf next to it !
    Your pantry is impressive ! Love all the bulk storage !
    The faux meats work great In chilies and the soyrizo is my favorite to add to different dishes , not just the chili !
    David and I scored a big pile of brand new , very nice vegan cook books at an estate sale yesterday for a buck to 2 bucks each ! We were thrilled !
    Thanks for sharing , your house is just so cute and cozy ! 😁

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  11. The house is looking so cozy and enjoyable! The porch turned out beautifully. All your plants on it are looking very healthy too. Can’t wait to try the chili recipe once I buy some faux meat. Thanks for sharing it!

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  13. Kate baskets never go out of style! I got a free handmade one one from a Buy Nothing FB Page in my area. Your country shabby Sheik Style is so beautiful and homey. You are creating a mood that is perfect for the historic home you are in ❤️

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  15. Wow what a difference! The porch looks amazing and i love the shelf next to the fridge. Your house is looking so welcoming and cozy. Well done to you both for all the hard work.

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  16. Oh Kate, It is all so beautiful and cozy looking! Those furniture pieces are just what the place needed to top it off and look like they’ve always been there as part of your family heirlooms. And your plants just bring the whole place to life. You’ve done such a wonderful job making Arthur a ‘home” for your family. I’ve always felt books, plants and old baskets make a home so inviting and tell so much about the people living there. You’ve brought the personality of your home to life. I can just see your family enjoying the winter months in the house together feeling all cozy in body and spirit. And I picture years of get-togethers with friends on that porch. I’m happy you finally found and achieved the vision you were looking for. You and Bali make a great team.

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  17. It is all so beautiful. The porch looks so much bettter. Love the bookshelf and the pantry looks nice. But what I am drooling over is that trunk! OMG! I so want one! I’ll have to check it out tonight when I’m eating all your chili! lol

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  18. Your very first sentence reminded me of one of the incredible aspects of retirement. I now have the time to combine leisure with productivity. It’s known as “piddling,” and boy howdy, it makes life fun. As I “piddle” I am getting much less accomplished than otherwise, but thoroughly enjoying the “process,” having the time to actually smell the roses as I tend to them. Piddling makes for great week-ends. And being retired, every day is a week-end.

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  20. It is as if that cabinet was made just to sit next to the frig. Looks perfect. The front porch is inviting – definately says come and sit a spell!
    It all looks very nice – you have done a wonderful job.

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  23. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
    It’s beautiful. I love baskets and green plants. Now that my fur baby is 2 years I can try to put them back in my home and hope he doesn’t leave me a mess. That porch 😍. I have not been to a thrift store since this whole mess started. Everything looks homey and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  26. I have the Best-Loved Slow Cooker Recipes Hardcover – October 1, 2000. It has a multi bean recipe that I like. I can’t find the cookbook at the moment or I would give you the page number for the recipe. IMO it’s a good cookbook.

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  27. Looks delightful, my house has so many shades of blue and aquas. My mama always says ”I keep thinking I’d feel cold but it’s very relaxing. ” I wish I could keep plants inside alive but no, I have just 1 succulent that lives on my kitchen table it’s been alive now 8 weeks haha.

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  28. That bookcase next to the fridge is da bomb! Excellent! And the front deck looks fantastic. Bali is a keeper for sure! Your home is coming along splendidly. So inspirational!! Love it!

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  29. Oh wow Kate. You really did well thrifting this week. The shelf next to the fridge is just perfect, fits there so well. I love baskets too, I use them in almost every room to keep things. They add so much warmth to a home. And that trunk is a winner. The porch looks lovely with all those lush, healthy plants. You and Bali are really good at fixing things. Love the way Arthur looks now. Enjoy. Take care.

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  31. Kate, I keep turning your message about creating our own reality around in my head. It was definitely a message I needed to hear. I’ve managed to keep the news off for the past two days.

    I started reading the book Seedfolk to my 12 year old yesterday, and I was telling him that it was written by the same author of Westlandia (Paul Fleishman) which is one of my favorite picture books. My adult son was wandering by and commented that he remembers being obsessed with that book when he was a kid. He thinks it’s part of the reason he decided to major in video game design, so he could create his own worlds. In the book, a kid refuses to follow the crowd and instead creates his own world. I had such an ah-ha moment that I thought I’d mention the book in case you wanted to see if your library had a copy. Maybe you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

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  34. Your house looks so warm and inviting. The porch with all those plants, I would be in heaven!!! You and Bali must be super proud of what you two have Accomplished. I took inspiration from you and painted our Living Room. I’m in the process of decluttering and really looking at things I want to keep and what I want to get rid of. Thank You for the Inspiration and THANK YOU for Being YOU!!! Many Blessings to you and your family!!!

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  37. Beautiful, beautiful!! I’ve always loved your plants and use of color on walls. Did the bathroom have another vanity at one time where you have the drying rack? The lighting above on the wall makes it looks like it. Remember if you have too many baskets they can be hung from ceiling or wall for decor!! 😊

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  38. Beautiful. I love the warm lighting in the family room and all the baskets. So charming. The new piece next to the frig is perfect! It is absolutely meant to be there 🙂 Wow, great finds. You guys are doing such a wonderful job with your home.

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    1. It is looking great! One tip that has worked for me with wicker and rattan that were VERY VERY old. I took regular mineral oil (clear, $2 in the pharmacy section), and painted it on my wicker inside and out and left it empty for a couple of weeks to absorb. It it still looked dried out and fragile, I did it again. I have a tall laundry basket that i bought 40 years ago, that I just loved. I saved with mineral oil. It needs mineral oil painted on about every five years – cheap and effective. It quit cracking and splitting and has not deteriorated further. ** This will not work on painted wicker, unless the underside is unpainted – the paint should have preserved it pretty well. If you can tell the paint did not go all the way in, you could use a utility syringe and squirt some mineral oil in the spaces, and it might do the trick.. I love natural elements in my home, as well. It changes the ambiance to one of peace. And, may you have peace, Kate and family! Much affection.

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  39. Everything looks beautiful! I love the rug you had in the living room for the porch. You have such great style and creativity. I’m making chili tonight for supper because it’s Fall here suddenly. 😁🍁🍂🌒

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  41. Hi Kate and family!! Love all your thrift store finds! I especially like the bookshelf next to the fridge and your cute lamp!! Love the work Bali did on the porch, it looks great and will last for a long time, have a great day Kate!!

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  42. Hi Kate! This is not the subject for today but have you ever heard of a book called MY FOLK’S DEPRESSION DAYS ? I picked it up from the library. It is full of multiple stories about families during the depression. I can’t find an author it just says home service stacks, capper press, I thinks it was put out by the magazine called CAPPER’S FARMER ‘S (practical advice for the homemade life) which a great magazine with a lot of information in it. If you can find that book I think you would enjoy it and also the magazine. Thanks so much for your blog and you tube. Have been with you for years. Take care

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  44. You and Bali have done a wonderful redecoration of your home. It all looks colorful, cozy and inviting! Congrats on the thrift store finds!!

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