Haphazardly Happy

Ah...The Basement...

2011-06-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

...or lack thereof right now. Haha!

I had a reader (Hi Jen T!!!!) ask recently about the progress of our basement. As in...have I actually finished painting that durned floor...?

Here is the answer.

No.

Why? 'Cause 1/2 way into the project we realized this was gonna take a LOT more expertise than we had at that moment because of trying to figure out what to do with the lead paint.

Grrrrrr....

So instead of getting insanely depressed by how much $$$$$$$$$ it costs for a lead paint abatement, we looked into some other options. We simply cannot afford the abatement. SO! We are going to just contain it. That was the #1 thing people suggest in regards to the nasty stuff. So we have a LOT more to do in that room. Or rather...the ENTIRE basement. After the kitchen is finished...we'll move on to tackle the basement.

BUT! I'll post a picture of the room sometime soon. It's turned into the Hub's workroom for our remodels. It has our mini table saw in it. The miter saw. The jig saw. And all of our many MANY paint cans.

Lovely.

I guess this happens when you don't have a garage. Remind me to add garage to my list of things we need to build.

For now though...I'm dreaming of built-ins. My living room is a very awkward set-up. It drives me crazy. I re-arrange that room more than any other in my house. But I think I might have figured out a solution.

See, I have a piano. It's an electronic piano. Not the prettiest thing but we LURVE it because of a genius invention called headphones. The Hub's can pound away and hard as he wants and all I hear are the keys pounding...something I can handle a LOT better than the same exact song over and over and over and...well, you get the drift. I think I've decided to move it to the awkward wall and put some built-ins on either side of it.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....Just a thought.

So here are some lovely pictures of built-in's that make me happy.

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These are dreamy. Quite possibly my favorite ever.

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Driftwood...Kinda Loving It....

2011-05-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

So I was doing some online shopping for lamps to go on either side of the large dresser in our front room. I want something cool and can make a statement. Yet at the same time will fit in and not be overwhelming. Is that an oxymoron? I can't tell.

HA!

I wasn't finding ANYTHING I liked. Many cool lamps are out there but nothing was really shouting "Pick me! Pick me!"

Then I saw this...

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Understated...check.

Unique...check

Able to quietly make a statement...check

Will fit in to our color scheme...check

Yup...kinda loving driftwood at this moment. Then I saw the price. $319.00.

YOWSERS!

Um that's pretty much out of my price range. And since I need 2...yeah, that would end up being a whopping $640.00...NOT including tax or shipping and handling.

So. I got an idea. I'm pretty sure I can knock that lamp off. I'm going to start collecting driftwood. We live by a lake and a river and a park that all has a sizable amount of driftwood. In fact...we're going out to Antelope Island soon for a sunset photo shoot and I'll just show up a bit early and start my collection. That will make the lamps even that much more special.

Lets see how much a lamp kit costs...

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Oh wow...look at that. Only $6.61. So I might (MIGHT) be able to come in under $20.00 with other accessories.

And...in making my own, I can make them as tall or as short and I want. And can leave them the natural wood color...or stain them darker. And can add any shade I want.

Yup...this is a challenge that is too good to pass up.

I will leave you with some other pictures of driftwood in decor. I'd love to hear what you think of it. Do you like it or hate it? I'm genuinely curious...

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This one is my personal favorite...

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My Apologies...

2011-05-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

...it has been FAR too long since I have posted. I promise to be better. My blogging sabbatical is now over. Hubs started a new job and figuring out babysitting and MY work schedule around photography and remodeling has been...a challenge. A good challenge...but a challenge none the less.

This post is gonna be kinda interesting. I have a few things to share. First off...

This.

Just 'cause.

Now onto cabinets.

The cabinets in the kitchen were hung quite a while ago but for some reason I forgot to post about them. Now I know that people typically hang the tops first...but we decided to do the bottoms first because they took a lot of creativity to mash together and Hubs was in the mood to be creative. So they were done first. Honestly...we liked doing them first. Made it easier to hang the top ones because we had to be creative in how we were gonna get them in place.

I'm rather a weakling so when it comes to drilling into brick to hang a cabinet...that is the Hub's domain. But since I'm a weakling...I cant really hold up the cabinet either because it was so high, and we have 1 step ladder. So Hubs came up with a genius idea. This...

Yup...that would be our car jack. We stuck up a cabinet that we weren't going to use and then put paint cans on top of the cabinet to add some height. Then we put our hydrolic car jack on top of it with a board to stead the cabinet and then all I had to do was hold it steady while the first few screws were put in place. Snazzy huh? Hubs was quite proud of his little invention...

As you can tell. (please forgive the mess in the kitchen. I know it's a construction zone but with how small it is...you really can't hide anything. haha!)

Also, on his head is our headlamp. He called that his inspiration lamp. It was quite funny. He was cutting trim and wasn't wearing his lamp. All of his cuts were off...even after multiple measures. He was so frustrated! Then he put on his headlamp and voila! He was good from there on out. It's his bestest friend right now. Haha! I think it makes his hair look funny. :)

To hang the cabinets...we decided a long time ago we were going to push them to the ceiling. Hubs screwed a 2x4 into the ceiling so that he could add some support to the top and screwed the cabinets into the ceiling first. After securing the cabinet on the ceiling we had to screw them into the wall. Now both of our upper cabinets are on exterior walls. Not a big deal you say? Uh.............they're plastered brick. Not lath and plaster...oh no. Plastered brick. Made the lath seem like it was a dream to work with. We have cheap-o tools because we didn't realize we were going to turn into home renovators when we bought our tools. It took both of us pushing that electric drill as hard as we could push to screw in these massive screws. Let me see if I can find a picture online to show you how huge these blue suckers were...

AHA! Found the pic...

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You can't really tell how massive they are in that picture but trust me...they're large. And heavy. And may slightly intimidate the dickens out of me.

So. We got the cabinets installed and took a break. It was exhausting.

The beadboard wainscoting was done before installing the cabinets...here's what it looked like pre-caulk

It looks so different now because we've installed the window seats. We elected to go for tall wainscoting because little hands touch all over and it'll be a lot easier to clean off than just a painted wall. I'll be back with details on that later.

To end...I have to leave with this picture.

A teaser of what's to come. :)

The Royal Wedding...

2011-04-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ok...so the minute William and Kate announced their wedding date I giggled. Charles and Dianna were married on my parents 1 year anniversary. My mom told me how they stayed up late and watched it live.

Well...William and Kate are getting married on MY anniversary. Pretty crazy stuff huh?

I also come from extremely British descent. My dad was a genealogist and while I have a lot of other nationalities in my heritage...I'm mostly British.

As such...I've always felt extremely tied (is that the right word?) to the UK. I've always ALWAYS wanted to go visit and I've always had a slight crush on William. And I think Kate is the perfect princess. She's got it all...beauty, dignity, and grace. And I LOVE her clothes.

Anywhoo...I'm pretty much obsessed with this wedding. I have a groomal session on the 30th but I'm still watching that wedding live. I'm so excited.

So here is a list of wedding/british related decor that makes me smile.

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if anyone is having a party...these are fun!

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New Color Obsession...

2011-04-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

Um ok. I have a new color obsession and I am rather surprised by it.

Navy blue.

I always knew I wanted my living room to be green and blue but I always pictured a lighter blue.

Then I got a rug. I can't find an image online of this rug...weird I know...but the colors are sage green (the EXACT green as my couch), a brownish mustard color, and navy blue. And so my obsession began.

I LOVE this color combo. Love.

So I'm beginning to think that my walls are going to navy blue in my living room. A bit more bold than I was going to go but I'm way excited. I'm just obsessing about it.

Here are some inspiration pictures...

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Kitchen Table...

2011-04-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well...I have decided on the kitchen table I want. It's not at all what I thought I would get. But it will definitely work AND add some more storage.

Without further adieu...

Again...not quite what I was going for but it'll work great for what we need.

We can get these baskets...

to store the Princess' dishes in. Since all of our dishes are going to be on open shelving...we needed a storage solution for that and I believe this might be it. I don't particularly care for these baskets though so I'm going to be on the hunt for something different but with the same dimensions. I might make something.

Here is a view with the baskets and the table...

SO! The big news with this table is that it's outside of my price range. And I want a black table. Um...I'm gonna make it! My little bro just got off of his mission and he needs a project so he's gonna help me! I'm really rather excited 'cause then I can pick the feet and the color and basically everything. I got the plans from Ana White (click HERE to visit her website...). Trust me...you won't regret it and will want to start building EVERYTHING on there. We've built a storage bed and it seriously was the best thing we have ever purchased/built.

We're gonna start construction as soon as I go to the hardware store. WOOT WOOT!

Square vs. Round...

2011-04-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

So we had my family and the in-laws over for dinner on Sunday. Our little bungalow was rather full. But the best part was being able to fit 12+ people in our 1/2 way done kitchen when before only 2 people could really fit. Window seats are AH-MAZE-ING!!!!!

Seriously.

Best idea ever. But one thing became VERY apparent. We need a round table.

There is nothing wrong with our current table...it looks like this...

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However....it is too wide and the legs are in a very inconvenient place for a corner banquette. It most definitely looks out of place. It's just WAY too big for the space. So I've started combing KSL for a replacement. Now I just have to decide if I want to build one or just buy one. I can guarantee I know what the Hub's would say to this..."BUY!" He's convinced that every time I take on a project he's the one that has to finish it up. I really don't know WHAT he is talking about. Hee hee.

Anywhoo...I've found several options this morning and just had to share. Some of them are pretty cool!

Take this one for example...

I would repaint it black. With wood floors and a wood countertop...we've decided on a black table. This chunky piece would look great in the space. Annnnnnnnnd...it's only $88.00. Very nice.

This piece has some beautiful details...I think for my space a little too many details but it truly is lovely.

Yup...really pretty. In the right space, it would definitely stand out. But $300 is a bit out of my price range right now.

This piece might just be the winner. Not really what I was going for at first but it's only $25!

The Hub's is gonna drive out and see it today. We'll see if he brings it home.

I absolutely adore the base of this table.

I also love that it comes with 2 leaves so it would basically be my forever table. Imagine it painted black... reminds me of Z Gallarie... YUM! Hubs might have to go check this one out too... It's $100 but really... last table purchase ever might seal the deal.

This one is just chock full of personality and would be so so cool in the right space...

Unfortunately that space is not mine. Not quite what we were looking for but still so cool and fun...once you take the tennis balls off the legs. :)

This one isn't exactly round but it would fit in my teeny nook...

I think it's really interesting. Not sure from the picture if it's exactly what I'm looking for but it's worth taking a look...

THIS table was my favorite. Ever. But, we're looking to go round and I don't have a formal dining room. I so so wish I did though because I would have snapped this baby up in a heartbeat.

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I included the link to the ad in case anyone who reads my blog can use this beautiful table in their home. Imagine it painted a beautiful black. It would take some work to make really pretty but it's only $75 dollars and reminds me so much of other tables I've seen in the $1000's at other stores. I really do wish I had a formal dining room...this would have come home with me the instant I saw it if I did.

So there is my table shopping for the morning. I'll keep you all posted with what one we choose!

Friday...

2011-04-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week has been crazy and good all mixed into one. My in-law's had a week in Park City with their time share and we got to go enjoy the crazy goodness Park City had to offer.

Last night for example. It was snowing...lots. The big real substantial snowflakes. But we went to the hot tub. The steam was CRAZY! It felt like a steam room. But it was soooooooooooo fun. And the Princess...? Yeah, she LOVED it. She's a total fish at heart I've determined.

One of the things that is just awesome about Park City is the fact that they have a World Market. Yum! And the next cool thing? It's almost my birthday. So I got majorly spoiled rotten. My mom-in-law took me shopping yesterday while the Princess was napping. My favorite purchase was this little guy...

He was sitting on the clearance rack because he was missing his lid. It made me sad and I just had to take him home. I don't drink tea so he was even more perfect for me. Why? I'm going to use him as a planter for my new orchid I bought a couple weeks ago. I think he's so cute and just chock full of personality.

I also bought some awesome cloth napkins that I'm going to turn into pillows for the window seats. And a pretty pitcher and...well, yeah...needless to say World Market is amazing and I love it. And their Peach Soda Pop is so yummy!

So I hope your weekend is gonna be as good as mine! My baby brother is coming home from his LDS mission tomorrow and my birthday is on Sunday so yup...my weekend is gonna rock! :)

It's My Birthday!!!

2011-03-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

Almost...So the Hub's and some friends wanted to know what I wanted! I decided to put together a little list. Here's what I came up with.

birthday list by elliecutler featuring flat shoes

Old Navy striped cardigan
$9.97 - oldnavy.gap.com - Can you believe the price on this??? I love it and the price just can't be beat!

Charlotte russe
$30 - charlotterusse.com - I need new skinny's desperately and I love the color on these...

Flat shoes
$15 - payless.com - just some fun, springy, purple shoes. LOVE them! When did Payless get so trendy?

Charlotte Russe scarve
$9.50 - charlotterusse.com - This might be one of my favorite scarf looks ever and I love the color. So ready for Spring to actually decide to be spring...

Belt
$9.50 - charlotterusse.com - I love this belt. Enough said.

RENS
$25 - ikea.com - I've wanted one of these for a while. The hub's? Not so much. But I'm thinking I can convince him... Haha!

AINA
$6 - ikea.com - what a perfect neutral pillow. It would be perfect in my living room or my dining room...either or! Completely interchangeable.

Z Gallerie - Pear Canister
$70 - zgallerie.com - might be my most favorite canister ever. LOVE it! I really think I'm getting addicted to Z Gallarie.

HENRIKA
$7 - ikea.com - FAVORITE PILLOW EVER! But I might be buying this for myself on Saturday during my jaunt to Ikea... haha!

I heart Polyvore. :)

I also have to apologize for my lack of posts recently. Our laptop got a bug and I have to post from work. :( Sad day.

Also...BEST NEWS EVER!!!! One of my photography sessions was featured on the biggest bride blog in Utah. WOOT WOOT!!! Check it out. RIGHT HERE!

Pretty awesome huh?

I . AM . IN . LOVE !

2011-03-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

I found the table I want in the kitchen.

My jaw seriously dropped when I saw it.

Check it out...

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I think it is GORGEOUS!!!! I was staring at it with my mouth open when I saw it for a good 5 mins.

I don't have $999.00 to drop on it so I must figure out how to knock it off or find something similar.

If anyone knows of a similar table...I would LOVE to hear about it! Until then...I'm gonna stare at it and just drool...

Window Benches...

2011-03-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

...are being finished today. Woot woot! So excited about that. Really...I'm doing happy hops in my desk chair as we speak.

Of course, that might have everything to do with having my crown molding finished in the kitchen.

Oh happy day.

Honestly...the Hub's and I just stood in the middle of the room after he nailed up that last piece and we just stared. It's amazing the difference it makes in a room. And really...? I think now that I have it in 1 room, I'm gonna want it in all of them. That and the paneled ceiling. I'm addicted to paneled ceilings now.

So we're moving onto window benches today. We already framed 'em in...we just have to build the actual box. They're going to be a lot more storage which is totally happy. I think I'm gonna store all my seasonal stuff in there. You know...things you pull out every 3 months...

The exciting thing about that is that I can finally buy some fabric! I've been shopping for fabric ever since this whole thing started. And now...I can finally whip out the bank card and get it done! So first fabric we're buying is the fabric for the long window bench seat. It's about 6 feet long.

This is what I've picked out...

I love stripes.

Love them.

Hubs loves stripes.

We figured it would be a good choice. I like the muted black...it's not quite black but not quite gray. I really kinda like it. Not to mention that its totally neutral and will go with my blues, grays, and greens.

I'm buying the foam today after work and the fabric is being ordered the instant I get home. I'll do a tutorial on sewing the seat cover as soon as its completed.

I love this part of having everything come together. This is the first time I've had inspiration pictures and let me tell you...they make all the difference. They really help you to decide what you love and what you can live without. What you can compromise on and what you don't want to compromise on. More on that later.

What a pretty bowl!

2011-03-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

So last night was very eventful. After a lot of tears and faux cursing (you know...things like DRATS! DANG IT! SERIOUSLY?!?...things like that...) on the Hub's side we finally figured out crown molding. He's gonna do a tutorial on it 'cause seriously...everything we read just did.not.work. Unless you're a contractor and this is what you do for a living. Then I'm sure it would make sense. We however....? Are not.

So little brother saved the day. I love calling my brother little brother...'cause he's 6 feet tall. Not really so little. He's skinny as all get out but does kinda tower over me...and I'm not really short. I think he seems taller 'cause he's so skinny. You know what I'm talking about? ANYWAY! I digress. Little brother came over. He had previous experience cutting and installing crown molding. Yeah...we should have called him to begin with. Then we would have had less of a reason to faux curse. And I got to chat with sister-in-law. And that was really fun. And sister-in-law is quite possibly one of the Princess's favorite people in the world so she was a little angel all night long. Even when she was rubbing her eyes towards the end.

BUT! That is a post for another day. And trust me...it'll be a good one. The post for today is all about bowls. In particular...these bowls.

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More particularly...THIS bowl...

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Um...I think I really really need a couple of these for my new kitchen. I adore that gray with the blue lip. Seriously...love.

I'm also loving this one...

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And this one...

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Cause you know...I've realized the kitchen is going to be finished before I know it and I'm going to need some things to make it pretty. And with my dishes being on open shelves....yep, I'm getting some new ones. But I have a surprise for you in regards to that. And I'm DYING to share...but I just can't. So you'll have to just be surprised.

And stay tuned...more on crown molding coming up this week with another sneak peek on how the kitchen is progressing...

Makeover Monday

2011-03-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

So I decided to show you a teaser of what our cabinets look like right now.

This is the cabinet that we pieced together. More on that later. Also...the cabinets to either side of it were once a corner cabinet. You know...the ones that have the lazy susan in them? Yup...you'd never guess would ya? And you just wait until this whole thing is finished. You're gonna be in shock!

Also...had to show off my hubby's mad skillz...

We may have a couple of these in the wall hidden behind the wainscoting but it was for a good cause. Why you ask? Because it got me this...

THAT my friends, is a beautiful outlet where I thought I was not going to have one because that is an exterior wall that is pure plaster and brick. What we would have given for more lath when we discovered that...

We had to retire the old pathway altogether because it was a NIGHTMARE...not to mention more crappy cloth covered wires that the Hub's blogged about HERE. Yeah...it was NOT pretty. But the Hub's prevailed and was a genius and now I have my outlet. AND...another one too!

This extra outlet MIGHT have been one of the coolest thing Hub's has EVER done. He may or may not have gotten a great big kiss for that.

Anywhoo....just a teaser to show you that it is in fact coming along. We're putting in the window seats this week so we'll have a big old long post about that coming up soon. So see ya later!

Makeover Mondays

2011-03-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

So I think I'm gonna make Monday's my official day to post on our re-models. Since we've only started working on 2 of our many many rooms...it should last a very long time. Haha!

For today...Our kitchen floor.

Wow.

I think the linoleum was original to the house. It was filthy and no matter how hard I scrubbed...it just would not get clean.

Yuck.

So it had to go.

#1...I hate linoleum so we were definitely NOT putting anything laminate back in. In the process of remodeling...we discovered wood floor.

Original wood floor.

Unfinished wood floor.

It was a miracle. And I may or may not have jumped up and down.

So we ripped up the linoleum. And this is what we found.

60+ year old mastic. With tar underneath it. Uh say what...?

Tar.

I was kinda in disbelief and may or may not have cried. Yup...went from dancing and jumping to crying. So yeah...we had to get the mastic up. We read many many ways to get mastic off the floor. And we tried 'em all.

First up? Water. We were told to put water all over the mastic and let it sit for 20+ minutes and then the mastic should just scrape right off...like putty. Result? Nuthin. Other than a huge mess.

Second. Let a mixture of water and vinegar soak on the mastic and then again...it should just scrape up like putty. Result? An even smellier mess. It was pretty much disgusting.

Thirdly. Mineral spirits. Again...nothing. Other than major fumes which really really smelled. BAD! I banished the Princess from the house when the Hub's was experimenting with that one.

It went from messy to messy and smelly to messier and smellier to downright disgusting. So something had to change. I was ready to throw in the towel and get some tile. I was looking at slate tile and some pretty ceramic tiles and also the price of unfinished hardwood floor since I kinda had my heart set on it. But then the Hubs found an article mentioning dry ice. Now the Hubs has a hard time with dry ice. It's one of those things he was just a bit afraid of buying. Well, he's over it now.

So we put the dry ice on the mastic. We let it sit for a minute and then he was able to scrape it off...

Just like this...

So he scraped the whole floor free of mastic. It was some hard work. But the tar didn't come off with the mastic. After he was done scraping...it looked like this...

Um yeah...that's not happy. Again...I started shopping for floor options. Slate was looking better and better. But the Hub's wouldn't have it. He was determined to get it off so we paid a visit to our bestest flooring friend...

Yup...our favoritest floor sander. We love this fella and even nicknamed him Handy Manny...or just Manny for short. Here's another shot of the lovely floor...

Yup. That's a pretty bad before. I was absolutely sure it wasn't gonna work. I just knew that it was not only a waste of time but a waste of money...I was trying to get the Hubs to just let it go but he was emotionally invested in the floor. His blood, sweat, and tears (all quite literally) were in that floor.

So after all of that work and my doubting...the Hubs unveiled THIS!!!

Yes...I know it's still a little rough...but this is the floor, sanded down and unfinished. I couldn't believe he was able to do it. I was seriously in shock that it looked this good. He went through the roughest grit of sandpaper oh...about 5 times and then all the other grits to make the finish nice and smooth. Staining the floor is gonna be our last step. Here's another shot...

You can see the corner where the window benches are going. We were lazy and didn't scrape that corner. It's just gonna be covered up with built-in window seats anyways...which is also why we didn't stress about the bead board going all the way to the floor. Hee hee...

That picture also gives you a sneak of my tall wainscoting. Isn't it beeeeeeautiful? And the paint color is a bit green in that picture...which is odd. It's actually not green at all. More blue gray than green gray. Weird. Obviously we haven't put up the window casing or the crown molding yet...but it's just a sneak. Hope you liked it!

Kitchen Update...

2011-03-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

Ok...I have soooooooooo many pictures to post of our kitchen. Problem is...I have no time to post them. :(

Getting the hang of the whole "working blogger" is really hard. BUT! I can tell you that we're adding crown molding this weekend, building window seats, and adding a counter top...which also means a sink and dishwasher again.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! That's a HUGE deal for me!!!!!

So this is kinda what I'm going for in regards to window seats...

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Pretty huh?

I Found the Table I Want...

2011-03-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

I have the table in mind that I want for my kitchen when we eventually buy one...

Check it out...

I LOVE this table...

I think it's so so cool!

I'm so addicted to the Z Gallerie.

Kinda obsessing...

I also found the fabric I'm going to be re-upholstering my chair in THIS...

It's the perfect perfect color scheme for my living room. The greens and blues and browns...it's PERFECT! And the best part is that its an indoor/outdoor fabric so it cleans up really really easy and it is fade resistant. So it's ideal for a house with a toddler.

Wow...

2011-03-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

So we have been soooooooooooooo busy lately.

Kitchen. Work. And the Princess turning 2.

TWO! I have a 2 year old.

That's crazy.

So here are some cute pictures of her cake and what we had for dinner...

The Princess' favorite food is ego's and crepes. We had breakfast for dinner...

...it was fun.

And she's huge!

She's seriously a full-blown toddler.

Crazy.

Electrical Schizophrenia......

2011-02-23T20:51:00.000-08:00

......was in my blood. Ever since my youth. Hated working with electricity. Hubs here again.....and when I was five, my Dad had me lick the contacts of a 9-volt battery to feel the weird sensation on my tongue...I'm still not a fan. Ever seen the "The Muppet Movie"? Some evil doctor guy puts some kind of brain-sucking helmet on Kermit and juices him with electricity that makes his eyes glow yellow....it's horrible.

My wiring knowledge basically stemmed from a line in a Boy Scout Skit I saw at a Scout camp, where a scout yelled in Cheerleader fashion POSITIVE! NEGATIVE! PUT'EM TOGETHER- POW!

Fast forward 14 years....time to play electrician. Took out the main light in the kitchen (it was old and well....rather grimy lookin'), and this is what greets me:

Ahem, .....Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the Devil's 110 Volt Toenails:

Felt like throwing something and yelling something and cryin' my eyeballs out. Might scare the girls though. But seriously...try and tell me which wire is Black and which wire is White??? With like FOUR Wires instead of two???

Thus, my disorder.

*Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes it difficult to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences (Find a happy place, sing a happy song, they're not real......Dang it they are!), to think logically (ain't nothin' logical about that pic....one bit), to have normal emotional responses (throwing/yelling something, cryin' my eyeballs out), and to behave normally in social situations (Boy what a pickup line that would make - "I think my house is infected with the Devil's toenails and I think they're trying to zap me").... *www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001925

Well, no turning back. I studied Google (which knows all), studied all diagrams with the light switches and outlets we bought. Shut off any spark of voltage even close to the kitchen. Might have prayed a tiny bit. Got my paper envelope schematics I'd made (I am a technical prodigy). And ventured to the Attic.

Not a favorite place of mine. Full of insulation (Evil Pillow Feathers) that itch, and unless you're wearing a mask you're going to breathe something that will make you wish for exhaust fumes. Really tight spaces too....I'm a bit Claustrobic. With Electrical Schizophrenia. Get me a Shrink Vacation Please?

I get done with my prayerful guesswork and warn the wife. "Hun, I'm turning the breaker on again, just watch and listen for any cracklin', melting wires, sparks flyin', and smell for smoke." I am so confident.

**after picture to follow with our kitchen reveal.

To my grand amazement, I flip the switch on the breaker, and nothing. Nothing? Really? Nothing. Not one sizzle. I flip the switch for our makeshift light.....and WHAMMO!! It's glowing a beautiful halogenic soft white. My heart wipes tears of joy and my nerves are doing grand finale fireworks. Seriously? The first try? Yep. That's how it rolls here. Sometimes. I'm fairly well cured. And I clipped the Devil's toenails.

Inspiration Thursday...at least Tues and Thursday both start with a T...

2011-02-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

Holy Hannah have I been busy!

I'm working full time now at my day job and finding the balance between being a wife and mom, a professional, and a blogger...is taking some time!

I have to say...I love when the Hubs' posts. They always make my day. I asked him what stencil to use (disclaimer...NONE of the ones he pictured) to use for our statement wall in our master and I got this blank stare. He couldn't really tell the difference between the couple I had picked out. So he decided to blog about it.

I think it's quite funny that he used golf 'cause I do golf...but I always ask him what club to use. And when it comes to the wedges...yeah, totally clueless. So if any of you out there golf...he was using me as the comparison. Haha. Loved it. I always look forward to when he gets the blogging bug. :)

ANYWHOO! So Inspiration Tuesday is on Thursday this week because this has been the only few minutes I could find. So we were talking about my living room. We did the living area and the reading area...today is the music area. This is what I came up with.

This is our piano.

Granted...not the prettiest piano out there but it's electronic. Which is AWESOME! Why? Cause when a certain Hubby starts learning a song he plays it over and over and over again which makes me not so much like the song anymore.

Tragic.

So with our electronic piano...he plugs in the headphones and pounds away to his little heart's content. Hee hee! He doesn't wake up the Princess and he doesn't get on my nerves. Plus...it's kinda fun to sneak up behind him and make him JUMP. Yup...I'm a prankster.

Anyways, getting back to the picture! So our piano is great. Since we're going with a green/blue/greige in the living room, the piano fits right in. I hate the bench it comes with though.

Hate.

So I'm on the look-out for an antique bench/stool that I can recover with that fabulous teal chevron. LOVE the one pictured...probably won't be able to find one like that in my price range. Haha. We'll probably end up going with a stool. Which I'm fine with.

I already have a lamp very similar to that one...just without the crystal ball. Wish mine had it. It would make me feel special. But alas, no crystal balls for me.

The piano is going to be in a corner with the back angled towards a window. I love the warmth bamboo shades bring to a room. So the window is going to have bamboo shades and then that lovely green floral as some drapey drapes.

The subway art is gonna be made by me. There have been a TON of tutorials on "how to" make your own...I've kinda got my own in my head. We'll see how it actually works. Haha! The Hubs has lived in France, Belgium, and Holland over the years so we're going to be taking streets that he lived on and making our own. And then I have lived in Russia so we'll be doing another one with my streets somewhere else in the house. Sentimental and cheap art. Always a plus.

And I love little things I can put places to spruce it up. The tree is actually a jewelry holder...we won't be using it as one. Just as a lovely little display. And I love those green vases. They're just happy.

So there you have it. The music corner. Next week...we'll be doing a green bathroom. A friend is re-doing her bathroom so we're doing an inspiration board for her! Woot woot!

There are some questions that some men......

2011-02-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

...not all men....but some, like me, have trouble with. Hubs here again. I promised to post on my condition I suffer from about about Electrical Schizophrenia . More on that to come later. Men, if you're reading this, enjoy. Ladies, the same. And if your man isn't not reading this, get him too and see if he agrees with me or not. Now I do dishes, vacuum, clean toilets, laundry, I introduced Barkeepers Friend (not a paid endorsement, just a favorite cleaning supply) into the marriage, and I changed our child's first diaper. You could say I'm domesticated. But when asked about a Chevron and Houndstooth, Chevron is a gas station. Houndstooth is a dog's tooth.

I'm talking about asking for his opinion on something, specifically a design something. Now don't get me wrong, occasionally I have the strong opinion and it's pretty clear when I do. "Do you like this rug" she asks. If I think it looks like they tarred and feathered an animal and are trying to sell it to me, I will say "Nope I don't", and keep walking. "Why?" she says. "Because it looks like they tarred and feathered something and are trying to sell it to us". So the occasional strong opinion happens. But 87.26% of the time, this isn't the case.

You see while I have great taste in music, sports, art, cultural, food, cars, yes-homes, dogs, travel, photography.....I'm a seasoned and cultural and basically well developed individual....I can scream across a lake in a small catamaran sailboat with one hull out of the water-that takes a great taste of adventure. But there are many things I have basically no taste in whatsoever, 87.26% of the time. Take the following example: Wall Stencils.

I was once asked by my lovely wife which wall stencil I liked best. Can't remember what they looked like so I'm using these as an example. "What about this one" she says. "Looks great" I reply with the 12.74% of feeling I can really really summon with all of my soul. "What about this one?"....."Yup that's great too, they all look great*." *Translation- I cannot get into my manly soul and really really find any fiber of my being that loves one more then the other.

It's like what I call, The Salt Analogy. To me, salt is salt is salt. When I go to a restaurant, I don’t ask, "Well, did the cook use gourmet designer all-natural sea salt hand picked by mermaids from sparkly waters in the Caribbean? Or was it the leftovers from a goat salt lick"

Ladies, if you want the truth, then threaten with money.....after he says "looks great", throw down a zinger like “Ok well then I’m gonna buy this one” (say it like you mean it so he’s thinkin: ok, that train is leaving the station for good unless I blow the whistle NOW), and if there is no response, you’re in the clear. Only ask once, because it's really against our mortal nature to muster even 12.74% of passion for a wall stencil, and he’s seeing a ray of hope that the decision process is over. Further inquiries will only further induce him into his design decision coma. For you ladies, it’s like asking you which golf club to buy your man for a present. Betcha you may not have known that there’s a lob wedge, sand wedge, pitching wedge, and when I was a kid I didn’t have any of those so I used a nine iron. What’s the difference?? Much difference there is indeed, and it can make or break the ensuing level of frustration following the shot. Either he’s throwing the golf club into the lake, or kissing it afterwards. I fall into the first category.

SO the lesson is, if it looks great it looks great and you'll never hear us complain, and we are so grateful that you get it right 87.26% of the time with us.**

And I wanna hear about your experiences about decisions and stuff, so comment away. Let's start a revolution and get this Mars and Venus stuff figured out! Electrical Schizophrenia to come soon.

Kitchen Progress....

2011-02-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh...oh my gosh...OH MY GOSH!!!

My base cabinets are IN! They're installed! They make me sooooooooo happy!

It was a bit like taking a jigsaw puzzle and cutting the pieces to make them fit together...but it all worked out beautifully. And since they were free...who can argue?

My brother came over today to help out and he and the Hubs were done with the planning, cutting, piecing, and installing by 8:45. So from 3:30ish to 8:45. Yup...they're super-hero's. When you see pictures...you might think that was an eternity for just 4 cabinets...but when the Hubs tells what went into it...you'll completely understand. Honestly...we're shocked it went so fast.

So. What is left in regards to cabinets are the wall cabinets. As a refresher...this is what we're planning on doing...

via

I love when I find kitchens that have so many of the same elements that I have planned for mine.

The ceiling in that kitchen is the same as mine, the white back-splash, the crown molding is lovely...It's almost exactly what I have already picked out. But the thing that I would like to point out the most is the raised wall cabinets and the shelving underneath. We are doing the exact same thing. I have always hated how much space is wasted between cabinets and the ceiling so we're maximizing that space and doing the same thing.

It's really one of those ideas that makes you hit your forehead and think "Duh!" At least...that's what I did.

So our cabinets are going to be painted a nice, crisp white (base and wall). The bead-board is going to measure 2 feet from the ceiling. The 2 feet expanse of wall is painted a beautiful cool gray. There's going to be a lot of open shelving and additional storage solutions. Here's another inspiration picture of storage...

via

Love the stainless bar...that'll probably go on the wall with the appliances.

I just love how I'm finally seeing the kitchen actually come together and it's better then I pictured. There was a time when we were tearing everything apart where I thought..."We are crazy. This is a mess and it will never be put back together. What were we thinking?!?!?!?" But it's all coming together and I just smile every time I walk in there.

Oh...and just so you all know. Due to a very positive feedback from the Hub's last post I am pleased to announce that he is now addicted to blogging and will be blogging again tomorrow. :) See? Comments really do help. So thanks to everyone that commented...he's hooked. Hee, hee!

My Hubby is Funny...

2011-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

So if you haven't read the last post...you should. It was written by the Hubs and I have to say...he had me giggling out loud.

I married a funny funny man.

But for now...I will leave you with a picture. We bought our countertops over the weekend.

This one makes me happy.

via

That is totally the color we're staining our butcherblock.

So pretty.

Someone was smokin' somethin when......

2011-01-30T21:13:00.000-08:00

...they invented Lath and Plaster.

Hubs here...the hot one in the mask. I bring to you the raw perspective. The...how shall I say this...male viewpoint. Yup, I'm a guy and this is my side of the story. Ladies and gentlemen...listen up. Lets start with lath and plaster. Seriously awful stuff. From the Stone Age. Caveman cake. After the wheel....came Lath and Plaster. It worked for a while I guess. Until some genius came along and invented SHEETROCK!!!! Wahoo what a revelation!!! A few good ideas from the 20th century....like, Let's land on the moon! Let's drink some Tang! Let's drive instead of walk! Let's send some electronic mail! And Let's build houses with Sheetrock!!!

Unfortunately for me, we decided to pulverize a wall out of our kitchen which revealed the aforementioned Lath and Plaster (hereafter referred to as the devil's playdough- aka DP). This freed up about 2 feet of extra space in our kitchen, which is totally magical. We don't have to suck our tummies in when squeezing by the table and stove. SaWeet!!!

So! What's so bad about that you say? Three words, the DEVILS PLAYDOUGH. Here's why: You hit the stuff with a sledgehammer and it crumbles to the ground (which feels good). BUT when it hits the ground, it breeds like gremlins and rabbits! Seriously! One hit, and you've got a pile a foot high to clean up! Impossible you say? Well, from a section of 2 walls 8ft by 8ft (yeah, that is kind of a lot), we filled about SEVEN HUGE Garbage cans full!!! I had a garbage can parked in my kitchen for three weeks!!! (Thanks Ogden Recycle Bins) And now, until we get a dumpster (duh, I know, but we didn't), it's in my backyard. Piled high, and probably breeding still. Darn DP.

Side note on knocking down walls.....scariest thing I've practically done. I would have felt more comfortable walking through a drive through in winter with my speedo on....at least I would've known what to expect (wore those things in High School.....on the swim team, not so much in public). The wife says "just get up in the attic and look". For what exactly? The one 2x4 that's saying, "I'm holding the roof, don't kill the wall beneath me!". "I'm not gonna do it" I said. Partner in crime Scott (Brother in Law) agreed, and was scared too. Thought we were half crazy. You see, when your contractor (Wife) got her license from Google, oh yeah, we felt like pros. We looked about seven times and saw that indeed, there was nothing above this wall but insulation (which feels like evil pillow feathers when it's falling from the ceiling).

*So we did it.

And yes, we survived. So did our house.

BUT later that night, still shaken by our bold steps, you hear funny noises. This happened to be New Years Eve when firecrackers were going off outside, which sound VERY MUCH like BEAMS SPLINTERING TO LITTLE PIECES. Got our hearts going a little. For a split second I thought, gonna run to the nursery, grab the baby, jump out of a crumbling building, and come back for the wife.

But happily it did not come to that, and the kitchen remodel is coming along. Will be doing a post on overcoming electricity schizophrenia next week. And until then, for all of you happy re-modelers out there, enjoy your Sheetrock.

*Disclaimer: Get help if you can't determine which walls are load bearing or not. Get help. Anywhere you can. It's worth the peace of mind. And so your house won't implode.

Conundrum...

2011-01-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

I have a conundrum. A sink conundrum.

I really REALLY REALLY want this sink...

Why am I stuck on this one from IKEA? 'Cause it's 13 inches deep.

THIRTEEN!

That's so deep. So if I have to give up my double bowl sink...gosh darn it I'm gonna get an awesome single bowl sink.

Here is my issue...our corner cabinet won't fit it so we're thinking about just building a face and kinda making our own. So here is the question...have any of you done that? We're just pretty curious to see how other people have solved this issue...

Ceilings...

2011-01-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

kiOk! Ceilings!

We decided a loooooooooong time ago something HAD to be done about the kitchen ceiling.

Why?

Let me show you.

Because of ~~nasty~~ ~~icky~~ interesting stuff like that.

Our ceiling is sooooooooooo old and yup...it's still lath and plaster. Now we were 100% willing to tackle walls but tearing out a ceiling...? Um, not so much. The biggest thing we found about lath and plaster is that the stuff multiplies when it hits the ground. A lot. Like in Harry Potter when the horcrux duplicated by touching it...? (wow...totally just showed what a book nerd I am) That was what happened with our lath and plaster. We thought that just knocking down a little wall wouldn't be so hard. About 5 (no exaggeration) huge green take-out to the curb garbage cans later...we are STILL cleaning up the durned stuff.

Told you. The stuff multiplies.

Anywhoo... Tearing out the ceiling? Not an option. Not to mention all the insulation that would come pouring onto our heads from the attic.

See the gray and slightly orange stuff? Yup...that's insulation. And there's over a foot of it everywhere up there.

SO! What to do... The answer came in the form of paneling. Not beadboard...but the wider stuff.

After 2 hours a couple nights ago and an hour or so yesterday...check out how much better it looks.

Now obviously this is before any caulk or paint has been added...I just wanted to throw up an in-progress picture.

About caulk. The Hubs bought some caulk that was in the white section and didn't check the bottle. He pulled them out tonight and totally not white. Uh-uh...it's clear. He had to run back to the store and exchange it. Booo. So rule of thumb...always check the bottle.

One thing we definitely ran into was the room not being square. Check this out...

See how it's right up against the wall in the corner...? Yeah, look how far away it is now. And that was perfectly leveled and everything. Oy. Good thing we have cabinets going in that can help distract from that. Oh the joys of renovating older homes. Has anyone else run into this issue? What did you do about it? We're genuinely interested!

Another issue we ran into is our sheets sometimes didn't perfectly line up. They claim to be the same but some have slight differences...we're hoping caulk will help to hide that. We'll let you know.

We ended up using 32"x48" sheets of paneling and I can't imagine how anyone could use the 4'x8' sheets without some serious man power helping out. Over the head work is hard! At least it is for me...I have no upper body strength I swear.

OH! And for those of you who were interested in the Lantern tile (which I still can't get...*tear*) Overstock will have it back in stock the 2nd week in Feb...I was just emailed about it today. It's a significant discount from Home Depot (again...not any kind of endorsement).

Deer Story...

2011-01-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

Ok. So deer story.

Last week was obviously not the best week for my little family. The Hub's got laid off, my mother-in-law got kidney stones, the Princess started getting her 2 year old molars (and she is NOT a happy teether. She gets a fever and stuffy and yeah...not a pretty sight) and yeah, just not a good week. So I was driving back from the grocery store and was just around the block from my house. Seriously...less than a 1/2 mile away from my house. I'm talking on the phone with my sister-in-law about how cruddy the week has been and how things most likely couldn't get any worse.

Here is what happened.

Heather: "Yeah...Scott and I woke up this morning, looked at each other and said we're next...we just know..."

Me: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Screaming) I JUST GOT HIT BY A DEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That's right folks. Right as we were talking about how cruddy the week was...it got worse. But honestly...it's really QUITE funny to us now. Hilarious actually. I was driving our beater car so we can look at it and laugh.

I was driving in the far right hand lane since I was going to turn at the next intersection. I was going 45 mph when all of a sudden a deer JUMPED off the right hand side of the road and SMACK! Hit my passenger side mirror, bounced off and hit the door, bounced off and hit the other door, and then its hind end hit the car's hind end and left a rather large impression of deer hiney in the back panel of the car. You know...the one that can't be replaced because it's connected to the roof? I really don't know what happened to the deer. It was 9:00 pm or so so I couldn't see if it walked off or not. It wasn't anywhere to be found the next day so I'm hoping I didn't kill it...that would really make me feel guilty.

One of the first thoughts that went through my mind was this... "Wow...now I know how Rory felt!" I'm a huge Gilmore Girls fan and goodness...I totally understand how Rory felt now. If you haven't seen that clip...she gets hit by a deer while stopped at a stop sign. I personally think my deer was even more stupid because it thought it could take on a moving vehicle. But anyways...we're all good. I'm ok. The only victim of this story was the mirror. It's dead. It's gone. It was just replaced last month. Whoops.

I'll post pictures tomorrow but it's snowing and I'm lazy today. So tune back in tomorrow for the updated pics.

Inspiration Tuesday...

2011-01-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

Ok...I first have to say how much I LOVE my blog readers. When you found out about the Hubs' job...wow. I love blogging because I have a support system of people I've never even met. It's truly amazing to me. I just needed to thank you all for your support. You're amazing!

It's Tuesday which means I get to do more inspiration boards. Woot woot!

Really...love these.

Today is the reading nook part of our living room. Here is what I came up with.

Sorry some of the items are a bit pixeled...they were the only pics I could find though.

ALRIGHT! Lets bread it down shall we?

First and foremost, the chevron fabric. It's actually NOT going to be chevron fabric...we're going to do a subtle greige and cream chevron pattern on the wall. I'm gonna be taping it out and painting it on. I'm thinking it'll actually be more of a herringbone...I'm kinda torn right now...but it'll be awesome. I'm WAY excited about this. It'll add a TON of personality which will help to keep the space fresh.

I love art and photography and so we're going to have either a couple B&W prints or some typography prints that I've made hung up. We're still debating that. So I just put the frames on the board. Haha!

The chair is so awesome. I love the plastic chairs but they don't seem comfortable enough to have in a reading nook. SO! This one has the look...but is actually an upholstered chair. Haha! I don't know if I'll go that route or not...probably not...but I just thought it was awesome.

The table snuck its way onto the last inspiration board but it is in fact going in the nook. I love the glamor it adds to the space while still staying pretty neutral. So cool.

The pillows are from West Elm's new line and I have to say...I love West Elm. They have no idea I exist so don't take this as an advertisement 'cause it's not. I just love them. Their stuff makes me smile. The pillows provide a very subtle animal print while at the same time...they're just a printed pillow. And the colors...? Ahhhhhhhhh... Yup, they're kinda my favorite.

The horse head. Where do I start? I LOVE THIS GUY! I've had my eye on him for soooooooooooo long. LOVE him. He's going to be my first purchase for this room as soon as the Hub's gives the go-ahead to start working on it. I just think he's got such personality and is pretty quirky and yup...love him. Seriously...I've been ogling him for over a year now.

The books I'll end up getting from a thrift store...there's no way I'm paying over $300 for them. Love you Anthropologie. LOVE but that's insanely pricey for something I can re-create from the thrift store. And the little birdie glasses? Same thing. I'll figure out a way to get them for not so much money. That's be a bit more difficult but we'll figure it out.

So there we have it. Inspiration Tuesday. Let me know what you think of my little nook ideas. I love the idea of having a places specifically set aside for reading.

Chairs...

2011-01-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

Ok. So I promised to tell you what was in the box.

Heather guessed right. My CHAIRS!

But I almost didn't post this because they almost got sent back. With the Hubs losing his job we REALLY considered sending them back. As in...they're still in the box because we JUST decided to go ahead and keep them. We liked them too much and just couldn't part with them. So we re-worked the budget and decided we were ok. We kept the chairs.

Here's a better look at them...

And a detail shot...

Yup...love them. Obviously these are not my pictures...these are from the Amazon listing. I'll unveil our chairs with the kitchen.

And the Hubs wanted me to tell you all that the electricity post is coming. BUT! It's still in progress 'cause we just found a whole lot more electrical mumbo jumbo that has to be fixed. We're essentially having to re-wire our entire house by just doing a kitchen remodel. Lovely...lemme tell ya.

And on a final note to end to enter into the weekend...I may or may not have been hit by a deer while driving last night. Details on Monday.

Speedbump

2011-01-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

Ok...so we have hit a bit of a speedbump in our kitchen remodel.

Ready for it?

My husband got laid off yesterday.

I know...it really sucks. Especially because we are right smack dab in the middle of a huge remodel that we can't really just put a hold on. My kitchen is in pieces.

The good thing is that now he definitely will have the time necessary to devote to it. It won't be a Saturday only project. And since this project is turning out to be sooooo inexpensive...we're just fine to continue. The bad thing is there went our source of income.

Hmmmmm...yup, pretty bad.

BUT! We're looking at it on a positive note. I'm probably going to go back to work full time which will enable him to finish school. Which would make me extremely happy. And they were kind enough to provide us with a severance package for the time being so we'll be OK in the interim.

Lovely.

But it does mean that expensive backsplash is not an option. So farewell lantern tile. I love you and you are so beautiful but I'm thinking you'll end up in my dream house. And as I keep reminding myself...this is not my dream house that I'll be staying in forever so I need to make beautiful yet economical decisions.

SO! What are we gonna do for backsplash?

Well...I've debated this question quite a bit actually. Do I just do 3x6 subway tile for 37 cents each? Or do I just do beadboard? I think we've settled on beadboard. It's economical and yet still pretty. And best yet...we can do our ENTIRE backsplash with 1 or 2 sheets of beadboard. Ah how I love our saw. So our entire backsplash will cost just $20 or $40...depending on how well we plan our cuts. Can I hear a woot woot?

So here are some pretty pictures of beadboard backsplash...

via

I don't have a source for that one but um...LOVE that butcher block. We're gonna do that color.

via

So there we have it. Beadboard backsplash. I think it can be really pretty and rustic...yet modern and crisp all at the same time. If it's done right.

SO! The Hubs is still working on his electrical post. He didn't really have the time before...but now he does. So you'll get it sooner rather than later. :)

Guess What Came Today...?

2011-01-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

Take a guess and tune in on Friday!

Inspiration Tuesday...

2011-01-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

After our kitchen is done...I'm going to be attacking our living room with a vigor. The living room is the first room you walk into in our house and it leads into our kitchen. So if I have a pretty kitchen...I had better get that living room whipped into shape eh?

There are going to be 3 parts to our living room. It has a very strange layout...I'll post a floor plan next Tuesday. The way we reconciled the strange layout was to separate it into it's different parts.

1. The visiting area - sofa, a couple chairs, an ottoman, and a rug.
2. The reading nook - a chair, side table, small shelf with knick-knacks and books, a lamp
3. The music area - the piano, music stand, music related art

All of those combined will equal our living room. In the almost 2 years we've lived here I have rearranged this room sooooooooooooooooo many times The Hubs cringes when he hears the words "I've been thinking..." because he knows he's going to be enlisted to help move things around. But I think I FINALLY have the correct layout planned...

As part of that...I'll be doing inspiration boards for each section of our living room. Today is the visiting area. Here is what I came up with...

That sofa is our actual sofa. It's not in the budget to run out and just buy a new sofa besides...I love my sofa so it's staying. But with it being a grayish green it presented a color issue. It's not a neutral beige or white. It's green.

I was going to go with green and red...not Christmasy green and red...the combo that actually works together. But after realizing that I need my house to be calming...not insanely color infused...I decided to go with green, gray or greige, and blue.

The walls are going to be painted a nice light gray and then we'll be adding some lovely panalled wainscoting. I love wainscoting...I think it adds just the right finishing touch to a room. And since I got The Hubs a brad nailer and air compressor for Christmas...I can actually put it up all by myself. Woot woot!

I loved the rug. A bit playful...but still quite artistic. And the colors all fit together perfectly. I'm thinking that will be the very first purchase. *UPDATE* I did notice after I posted this on a different computer the green in the rug is more lime than sage...we'll have to see about it. I might order it...check the color scheme and then determine it all based on that.

Next up...that chair. I wasn't really looking for an upholstered chair, but that one just totally stuck out. Reason? It's all the right colors and I love the casters on the wood feet. So charming.

As for the ottoman...I'm actually going to be making one. Stay tuned for that project as soon as our kitchen is done. Since I'm making one I can actually go with whatever fabric I want so I'm going to be really looking around to find the perfect color. I know I want it to be a solid color since the chair is patterned and the rug is patterned but I don't know exactly what...a greige linen perhaps?

The curtains are going to be made out of that darling green floral and will be drapes just like that. OR! I'll have lovely white drapes like the ones pictured and then make some roman shades with that green floral. I'll have to see what I decide when the time comes.

And the mirrored side table...be still my heart. I LOVE it. It's actually going in the reading nook but for some reason...I stuck it on this one. Oh well... It adds a bit of glamor to the space and yet (in my opinion) still fits right in. Love.

Lastly...the mirror on the wall and the pillows. I have had my eye on that mirror for quite some time. It is just a plethora of all the right colors. It's truly perfect for this room. I can't wait to actually take it home. The pillows that actually end up in there are honestly probably going to end up being ones I make. We'll have to see!

So that is the plan. As we know...plans are always evolving so we'll see how it actually all pans out but I love the living part of my room...

Pretty Pretty Kitchens...

2011-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

I swear...I'm completely obsessed with kitchens right now. I know it's because of our kitchen make-over but really...I can't get enough of pretty inspiration pictures because I'm able to take so much from every picture I see and see what I can incorporate into MY kitchen.

I LOVE the creative process.

So here are a bunch of beautiful white kitchens...they make me happy.

via

PS...

2011-01-13T14:11:00.001-08:00

It's the Hub's birthday today so he'll be posting tomorrow. :)

Backsplash DRAMA!

2011-01-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

Ok. So remember THIS post? You know...the one about the amazing backsplash and how I got it for such a fanfreakintastic price?

Yeah. Maybe not so much.

Here's the story.

It was listed on our local classifieds by an outlet company. I found it. I fell in love. I emailed, called, texted, did everything I possibly could to make certain that it would be mine.

It was New Year's weekend.

They were not open.

They called me (twice) first thing on Monday morning assuring me that it was mine. I could pay for it over the phone and we were good to go! I assured them that I wanted it. Here's how the conversation went down.

"Let me grab my wallet and I'll pay for it right now."

"Ok great! Let me know when you're ready."

Slight pause while I was ruffling through my purse at work hoping no one else would hear my credit card number when I read it off.

"Alright I'm ready. Here it is..."

"Um ma'am?" He totally interrupted me...

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry but there's actually a receipt on the side of the box. It looks like they were sold 10 minutes ago."

Say what...???? Noooooooooo! The store has only been open 2 minutes. They called me first thing. How the heck? I would have been there at the front door waiting to purchase it but 1, I had to work and 2, they are about an hour and 1/2 away.

Well..........it was true. They were sold...I think. I was incredibly sad and incredibly confused as to how that could happen. Not to mention I checked my local classifieds a couple days later and they had re-listed the tile again but too late for me because it had already sold. For reals this time. I think they had actually put it on hold for someone else and then they didn't want it. Whatever. I'm not very impressed with how they did their business.

I was seriously upset about it. I know...it's a backsplash. Get over it. But it was backsplash that I had bonded with. I tend to get kind of attached.

You know...like when you spot this car in a car dealership's lot and you just think it's the bee's knees and every time you drive by it you just think "yup...that's my car!" and then one day it disappears because someone actually buys it and you get a little sad. Come on...am I the only one who's ever done that? Or when your dream house goes on the market but you're not ready to buy and you feel totally possessive every time a car is in the driveway and when the sold sign goes up you feel like they're totally trespassing? Hmmmmm, ok...I might have a problem.

ANYWAYS! I digress. So I was sad. Well...I found the same tile on Overstock.com. Um, sold out. So I find the same tile on HomeDepot.com...for 80% MORE MONEY than what I was going to buy it for. Getting the Hubs to agree to 80% more than what we were originally going to spend is quite the feat. Needless to say I had my job cut out for me. Well...while I was persuading him to let me buy the tile...one of my lovely readers (r...you're great for actually commenting! Thank you!!!) commented and mentioned that it was now sold out on HomeDepot.com.

WHAT?!?

Noooooooooooooooooo!

Ok...this tile is seriously evasive!

So I looked around for some new backsplash. I think I've looked at basically every white backsplash on the market. NOTHING was striking a chord with me. Nothing.

So since r asked for any suggestions as to where to find it and since I was dying about it being sold out...I decided to do something about it.

I called Home Depot customer service and asked them when they were going to get it back in stock. They had no idea. It was really helpful...lemme tell ya (PS...that was totally sarcastic). I asked them if it had been completely discontinued or if they were going to be getting another shipment eventually. Again...they had no idea.

What a waste of my cell phone minutes. Boo.

So a couple more days went by with me wracking my brains as to what I could do about this tile. Then I got really smart. I called the manufacturer. Unfortunately it was after business hours and they didn't have a voice mail system. Sad. But I did find it on their website which gave me hope.

This afternoon I decided to call again. I picked up the phone, dialed the number, and may or may not have started jumping up and down when a live person picked up the phone. I asked them if they were planning on continuing the Lantern mosaic tile and he looked it up. Well people...they are. It's sold out EV.ER.Y.WH.ERE but they are going to be getting another shipment on...wait for it
.
.
.
.
.
JANUARY 31st.

So if you are interested in this tile...you can call your Home Depot on or around Jan 31st and you can still get this tile.

I think after all the emotional despair I went through when I found out it wasn't available anywhere...I might have convinced the Hubs to let me spend $200 on backsplash. We'll see. I'll keep you informed. :)

PS...just 'cause I don't want to get fined, I have absolutely no affiliation with Home Depot. I am not referring people to Home Depot...they're just the only re-saler for this particular tile.

Kitchen Inspiration Board...

2011-01-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

So I've discovered something about myself.

I get stressed.

I'm not one of these laid back people who just go with the flow. I wish I was...but I'm not. I work better with deadlines. I take on a lot of things at once. I have a to-do list a mile long and I love checking those things off one by one. Because of this...while I LOVE lots of color and I love houses with lots of color...I need MY house to be full of nice calming colors and decor. So that I walk through the front door and breathe.

As an example...1 of my favorite Christmas presents came from my sister-in-law. She gave me one of these...
I put it in my living room. With all the chaos that is my kitchen when I walk through the front door and look over and see it sitting there...it makes me happy and I know there is a light at the end of the construction tunnel. So when it came to picking out colors and decor I knew I needed light, bright, airy, and calming.

This is what I came up with.

My previous kitchens have been red. I've completely gutted a kitchen before and we painted it red with dark knotty alder cabinets, dark granite countertops, stainless appliances. It was very pretty...but definitely not calming. The aforementioned kitchen is in a condo we use as a rental and everyone says it's their dream kitchen. I look at it and oh my goodness. I love that I finally know what makes me click.

So to break it down...I love the blue and white with pops a green color scheme. Very clean and and calming. I knew I wanted white cabinets so the white part was easy. After I picked the cabinet color I took a serious look at what colors made me happy. Blue, green, gray, griege and pops of yellow were the ones that stuck.

Anywhoo...I think my favorite part of the new kitchen/dining room are the chairs. I absolutely LOVE them. I think they're so pretty with cool modern twist. We only needed 2 because we're putting in window seating in our little breakfast nook. Which was perfect 'cause Overstock sells them in sets of 2. I'm not going to lie...they were my splurge for the kitchen. But I figure they're worth it.

As far as the table...we haven't actually purchased it yet. We're going to wait on that one for a while. We have a table that is that color but it's square and has 4 legs...since it's going in a corner and we're having window seats we're going to be replacing it with a round pedestal table so people don't spear themselves on the way into the back seats. But not for a while. We can live with the square one for now. When we do eventually replace the table...I want one that makes a statement. I'll be blogging more about that later.

The pear canister is amazing. I love it. I love the wire basket with apples. I love the little cactus'. I love the fabric, the pillow I picked. I'm gonna have some fun with the pillows. I'm going to do a pillow arrangement similar to this...

via

And we're going to have an art arrangement as well but it's going to be different than this. Black and white prints that I have taken. Ah...I love that this kitchen is actually coming together. Makes me happy. The black stripe fabric is going to be the cover for the slip-covered window seat cushion.

So yup...that's the rest of the plan. The Hubs is actually going to post tomorrow with details about the electrical. I'm not gonna lie...he's a pretty funny guy so you're definitely going to want to read what he has to say. :)

Inspiration Tuesday...on Thursday...

2011-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Wowsers. This week has flown by like CUH.RAZY!

I'm shooting a wedding this weekend and every week I have a wedding I kind of get a little nuts during the week preparing for it.

So yup...this week has been madness.

A construction zone for a kitchen. Trying to make meals without having a kitchen. Keeping a toddler out of the kitchen. Cleaning up Christmas. Using my living room as my pantry since I can't get to any cupboards...yup. It's been insane.

But the good part is that any time I get frustrated by the situation...I can always wield a sledgehammer. Yesterday I got a bit upset by the whole thing so as soon as the Princess went down for a nap I knocked out a lot of lath and plaster.

I hate lath and plaster.

More details on that whole thing later.

ANYWHOO! What makes this whole mess worth it is the fact that I am going to have a beautiful and functional kitchen after this whole mess is cleaned up. So for the inspiration board today...I am showing you the bare basics of the kitchen. This is just the building inspiration. There's no decor in this at all. This is walls...lights...countertop...cabinets...and so on.

There it is...the building basics.

And showing both kinds of beadboard is not a mistake...we're going for this look...

via

I love love LOVE the beadboard ceiling look and the white paneled walls with crown molding. It really does add so much character to the room. And since we're adding those exact same shelves...it'll look very similar to this kitchen. Except that the walls that aren't paneled are going to be painted the very light blue.

Our sink is in the corner of the kitchen and it can't be moved. Because of this...I've opted for a single bowl sink that is super deep. It can still fit a lot of stuff but one of our New Year's resolutions is that there will never be dishes in the sink. Things go immediately into the dishwasher so not enough space should never be an issue.

I love the IKEA chandelier. No one can beat IKEA's price on it and it really is timeless.

And then of course...white cabinets. So pretty. So clean. I used to be stuck on wood stained cabinets. Then I started blogging and now...Ahhhhh. White makes me so happy. In a kitchen as small as mine, no other color will work for me.

So next week will be the decor in the kitchen. And next week will also bring more updates on the progress in the renovation. Lovely. If you need to catch up...you can read THIS post.

Our New Year's Weekend...& the Beginnings of Our Kitchen Remodel...

2011-01-04T19:46:00.001-08:00

First off...Christmas.

Christmas was good! I actually don't have a single picture from the day because the Hubs wanted video instead. So there's a whole bunch of video...and no pictures. Lame. I know.
But we did go to Temple Square in downtown SLC and I have pics of that!

My favorite nativity...

...and the runner up to my favorite that has been there every year since I was born.

And just some pretty pics of around the square...

ANYWHOO!

So our Christmas was lovely. Now New Year's...New Year's was a different story.
On New Year's Eve...the Hubs went downstairs to start on the office. Quickly he realized he needed some more education on framing before diving in and felt very depressed that he didn't get a project to do. He was REALLY looking forward to using the air compressor I got him for Christmas.

He was sitting on the couch and decided...well, if I can't do the office, I'm ripping apart the kitchen. And that's just what he did. Our kitchen project has officially started.YOWSERS!
Here is a photographic journey of our weekend.

My kitchen.

Let me preface this by saying that I forgot to take before pictures until we were almost ready to rip stuff apart. So these pictures are very VERY cluttered with the items from the cupboards.

Just so you don't judge me. Haha.

The above pictures show the cupboards we ripped right on down. They also show the wall that we ripped out.

Yes...you heard me. We ripped out a wall.

Why?

Because that wall is 2 feet wide my friends. TWO FEET. That is 2 feet that cuts into my tiny TINY kitchen. You wanna see how tiny?

Here...

How far away the table is from the appliances...

...and the rest of the kitchen.

Don't you just LOVE the dishwasher casing and the linoleum? I know I know...you're just dying to live here aren't ya? And don't forget the bubble light on the ceiling. Gorgeous isn't it?

Again...don't judge my housekeeping...this is all from the cupboards. :)

The Hubs and I were laughing. We were watching a House Hunters and an agent mentioned that one of the awesome selling points of the house were its original kitchen cupboards. Um...I have original kitchen cupboards and lemme tell ya...NOT a selling point. It was awesome to watch this going on...

AWESOME!

It made me very happy.

Now the other reason why we ripped out the wall. This was on the other side.

What is that?

Well, it's a coat closet....with full size doors.

The reason I put the garbage can there is to show you how tight it is. Also...that piece of wall you see going down the stairs? Yeah...it's all part of the closet.

Ummmmmm...what? How on earth do you even reach that space. It was completely dead space. So of course the solution was to just rip it out. It wasn't a pantry, it wasn't additional storage space because you couldn't even really access it so why not extend our kitchen?

Let me just tell you...2 feet is a LOT of extra space in a kitchen.

A LOT of space.

So we had some major fun with a sledge hammer and look at what we were able to do...

Nasty fiberglass insulation falling from the ceiling. Boooooo.

Yup...that would be me with a nail gun. Don't you love my construction outfit? I'm all about comfort when I tear apart my house.

So there. That was our weekend. The Hubs was busy again today doing electrical stuff. A blog about that coming up soon. Along with an amazing and wonderful find that may or may not have made me jump up and down for joy.

PS...

2011-01-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

I'm obsessing over this rug.

via

It's totally going in my living room.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

Wow...happy 1.1.11!!!

I love that the first day of the first month is the repeat this year!

And boy has our New Year's been eventful! It started off yesterday with a bang...quite literally. We ripped down a wall. So there was a LOT of hammering and sledge hammering going on.

There will be pictures and details on Monday but one thing is for sure...we hate hate HATE plaster walls.

Hate.

But I have finally decided for sure on a backsplash. I loved the subway tile. I love the look and basically everything about it but for some weird reason it just wasn't quite resonating with me. I know that's weird...since I just proclaimed that I loved it, I'm a complicated person...what can I say? Subway tile is gorgeous and I seriously do love it but for this kitchen, for some reason it just wasn't talkin' to me.

Then I found THIS!

via

And best yet...I found it WAY cheaper than the listing I linked to at an outlet depot. This backsplash...? Yeah, it resonates with me. I am absolutely in LOVE with it. I how clean and modern it looks and yet also how ornate and classic as well. Best.Tile.EVER.

Seriously...I love this stuff.

Inspiration Tuesday...

2010-12-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ok...so after looking at the inspiration board for the office again, I decided it needed a bit of a makeover.

This is what I came up with...

So...the reasoning behind the board. The Hubs and I compromised on a blue/orange office. Anything else was too "girly" or too "manly" and it was really the only color combo he agreed on. And when the Hubs agrees to something...I kinda have to jump on it.

I love cowhide rugs. Love. The Hubs? Yeah...not so much. But I just couldn't find a rug I liked very well for the office. Then I found this one. Um...kinda think it's pretty durned awesome. Now I know some of you don't like cowhide rugs. In fact I'm sure there are people out there that pretty much hate them. So you are probably looking at this and thinking it is horrible. However...I love it! It think it's so perfect for the space its going to go in. It's the perfect color of blue and it's the perfect size.

The orange file cabinet from Ikea is so great! It fits right in with its modern lines and the orange color. It really is the only storage space we need in there so it's just right for the space.

The office is in a basement with 2 tiny tiny windows so I knew there had to be some extra light in there. But I didn't really want a table top lamp. Then I spotted this one and fell in love. The Hubs really liked it too so we're gonna be getting it. It's $87 for the table lamp and $108 for the floor lamp so I just have to decide which one I want in there.

I have a love affair with gallery walls. I just love love love them. In the office we're going to be using the 2 walls behind the corner desk as a gallery wall BUT! It's going to be artwork and photography that we do ourselves. We are lucky enough to have an Air Force museum pretty close to our house so the Hubs is going to go take some artsy pictures of his favorite planes (he's obsessed with WWII planes) and then I'll edit them so they can be vintage looking and then we'll hang 'em up! Also...I'm going to be designing some prints as well that will add some color to the art.

We totally need a corner desk. The one from Ikea is our inspiration but we're actually going to DIY one using some Ikea legs and plywood. We'll start on that as soon as the room itself is done.

I love that office chair. I love Lucite furniture but I need a chair that rolls because I work off of my work computer and my personal computer. I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted this one! Score!

The airplane mobile is totally for the Hubs. He really really loves his planes and this was just the perfect touch for him and helped to convince him to let me hang up the mirror. I absolutely adore this mirror. The price...? Yeah, not so much. So I'm on the look-out for a good knock-off. But I just love it. We're painting the walls a light turquoise so I'm debating whether to leave it white or paint it orange. We'll have to see. It'll be one of the last touches in there so I've got time to decide. :)

And while ceiling fans are not my favorite, the office needs one. It gets kinda stuffy in the summer because of the lack of ventilation. And that one really isn't all that bad. In fact...I actually like it. :)

So there you have it. The updated inspiration board. I can't wait to start pulling this all together! But first...wood and sheet rock. :)

The Office...

2010-12-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

So the Hubs sat down last night and asked me oh so seriously if we could finish the office before starting on the kitchen.

I had no idea he was so into finishing the office.

Shows what a little communication will get you.

I, of course, jumped at that idea. I really really REALLY want our office done.

So the Hubs is watching YouTube for instructions and pricing out his shopping list and New Year's weekend...construction will begin.

If you remember...this is the room chock full of lead paint. This is the room that we demolished before we realized this fact. This is the room that has been at a complete standstill since that moment. This is the room that has basically been quarantined until we figured out what to do. We have now officially figured out what to do.

Cover it all up. Contain it all and make sure it is all covered up and not breathed in.

We're actually going to lose about 3 inches all around because we're framing the room. Lucky for us...the previous people basically just nailed the sheet rock directly to the foundation. And the other 2 walls that are foundation are just horrid so they came down. So we're framing the 2 foundation walls and replacing all the sheet rock on the other 2 walls and so yup...! It'll be a brand spankin' new room! Woot woot!

So here is our list of items to buy or rent...

Level - already have several.

Hammer - Hubs has one and I have a pink one. I know...you're jealous. :)

Plum line

Chalk line - Yup...got that one.

Measuring tape - Um...I've lost count of how many are floating around here.

Skill-saw/circular saw

3-inch framing nails

2 X 4 lumber, untreated

(2) sawhorses or workbench

Treated 2 X 4 lumber

3-inch concrete nails

So really not too bad. And just as a refresher...Here is the inspiration board (which is subject to change. Haha!)

The chair for instance...yeah, we've decided that going to go. I swear its giving me back problems. But we really do like everything else. And since the Hubs is the one who spends the most time in there...I think it's pretty important for him to like his space. He picked out a lot of what we're using so hopefully it'll give him kind of a working man cave. Haha!

Inspiration Tuesday...A Day Late. Again.

2010-12-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

I know I know! I stink at getting these up on time.

Here's my excuse. My boss at my work work is quitting and I'm being trained to do a LOT of reporting and its taking up all my time.

As in actually driving the 45 minutes it takes to get to work.

I forgot how long that drive was.

But it's good. It's stretching me and helping me grow.

ANYWAYS! Back to my inspiration board!

I've been thinking a lot about what we're going to do when we add another little one to our brood. No, I am not pregnant. This is not an announcement.

But when we do...the Princess and the Peanut (that what we're calling our non-existent child) will share a room. We have 4 bedrooms but with only 1600 square feet...1 of those is my office. 1 of those is our workout room. 1 is the master. And the other is the nursery. While it would be great to be able to put workout equipment in the family room...the ceiling is only 6 feet tall so nothing will fit. I'm thinking we'll probably combine the office and workout room eventually but right now...the "office" is torn to studs.

*Ahem*

We should probably finish that sometime soon.

So the office and the workout room are the same right now and I kinda don't like it. I can't wait to get back into my real office.

SO! When the Peanut does eventually join our little family...the 2 kids will share a room.

For some reason it has really been on my mind. Probably because every time I walk into the Princess' room I shudder.

Seriously.

It REALLY needs some help. But in re-doing it...I have to take into consideration the fact that the next baby might be a boy and we need something gender neutral.

This is what I came up with.

If you want to know where any of these products came from...just click on the picture.

That crib is not our exact crib but it is very similar to the one we have right now. Ours just has a straight back instead of the arch. The three fabric swatches next to the crib would make some seriously adorable crib bedding. I'm kinda thinking I'll be making my own bedding since I can't find anything anywhere that I like. When the Princess was born I just pieced things together and still didn't care for what I had. That was before I had a sewing machine.

I adore that rug. Seriously. Love it for a kid's room. The colors, the design...everything.

I've always loved the Eames style rockers and this one is from Target for a VERY affordable price. There is also a blue one that I love but for some reason it wouldn't import so I used the white one...and I kinda like it a bit better because then I can add more color in the throw pillows. The 2 fabric swatches next to the rocker would be adorable as a throw pillow. Ah how I love my sewing machine. :)

The toddler bed is from IKEA and is actually extend-able to a twin! NICE! I love the iron look and I would totally put a canopy over her bed if the room was bigger. But...the room would shrink considerably if I were to do that with a crib in there too... The fabric swatches next to the bed would make a really fun quilt for a little girl.

I am IN LOVE with those pom pom curtains. I'm seriously going to IKEA next week (for my kitchen counter tops! EEK! So excited!) and I'm buying some white curtains for in her room so I can knock these curtains off. I'm thinking probably yellow poms. We'll see.

And I love the beautiful I am a Child of God print. That is the Princess' favorite song and the color just fits right in.

I have a definite love for ceramic animals. Call me crazy. I think I would actually re-paint this one either yellow or turquoise though...depending on the wall color. If I did a light light yellow...the owl would be turquoise. If I did a light light turquoise...the owl would be yellow. We'll have to see on that. But I definitely thing he adds some whimsy to the room. Love.

And that light. Oh that beautiful light. I love love LOVE all things Anthropologie but they are far outside of my budget. So I'm going to try to knock this light fixture off. We'll see how that goes. :)

So there you are. My colorful (very colorful) boys and girls room. Let me know what you think!

Obsessing...

2010-12-13T05:28:00.000-08:00

If you remember THIS post...you'll remember I kind love glass shelves in kitchen windows.

via

Well...I'm kinda obsessing over this lately.

As in, can't really get it out of my head obsessing.

As in, I'm measuring windows and punching out numbers.

As in, I'm totally doing it next month when we start our kitchen remodel.

Yup...you read right.

We're starting our remodel next month.

Quite excited about that. I'm going to be working on getting some before pictures up here sometime soon but in the meantime...I'm leaving you with more pictures of shelves in windows...

via

Christmas Cards...

2010-12-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

I love getting Christmas cards.

Love.

We've just taped them to the back of our front door the past couple of years but I don't really care for that anymore.

Call me crazy.

So we've decided to add a little tree in our basement family room and decorate it with mini candy canes, twinkle lights, and the Christmas cards we get. We don't get a ton... Guess we're just not on enough mailing lists. HA! But it's been really fun so far! I'll post a picture when it gets a big more filled up.

My question is...how do YOU display your Christmas cards?

Do you have a buliton board like this one?

via

Do you hang them on some holiday ribbon?

via

Do you hang them on a twiggy tree?

via

What about a Christmas card bunting like this one?

via

There are so many different ways to enjoy Christmas cards. What's your favorite?

Inspiration Tuesday

2010-12-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

Today has been a good day.

Sometimes as a mom there are some bad days. Days where you just feel absolutely zero motivation to do anything. Days where just getting dressed is a major accomplishment.

Today has not been one of those days. Yesterday...well, that was another story but today...it's been a good day.

The Princess and I got up.
We showered.
We got dressed.
We ate breakfast (with no arguments or food flung anywhere).
We went Christmas shopping for Daddy (we're now officially done. Woot woot!!!).
We got a fun little craft Christmas tree to do together.
We found some pretty pillowcases on sale at Target for $10.56 (SCORE).
We went to Burger King (not my favorite but hey...it's cheap).
The Princess ate all of her food and stayed in her chair the whole time.
We came home.
We did our craft Christmas tree.
We watched Dora.
The Princess is now tucked away in bed (went down without a sound) and I get to play for a minute.

I do however, have laundry waiting for me.

But yup...good day.

SO on to our Inspiration Board of the day!

Ok...I decided to do a bedroom today. I recently had someone tell me I needed to do more bedrooms.

And here is a new bedroom I came up with.

I love the warm feeling of it with the vintage glam look of the nightstand and wall art.

I LOVE the pom pom curtains. They didn't have them in yellow or blue but I put them on here anyways because they would be a way easy DIY. Just some sheer white curtain panels and some pom pom piping from any craft store. In fact these are the curtains that will be going up in my master bedroom. I'll do a photo documentation of them when that time comes and share it.

I love love LOVE the tree jewelry stand. I'm gonna ask Santa for it for Christmas. :) And I thought the book storage boxes were brilliant for any other jewelry that can't be hung. And then the bird binoculars add just a twist of whimsy and fun. Not to mention it totally matches the color scheme as well.

As for a wall color...I would probably do a very light LIGHT mustard/yellow statement wall. You could even do the walls all the same color but then add some stripes to the statement wall. I just love stripes... :) Probably too much.

New Addition...

2010-12-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

I just bought this chair.

Trust me...the picture DOESN'T do it justice.

I had to find a nice, red(ish) velvet chair for a groomal shoot I'm doing and I stumbled across this one. The price was decent and it looked like it was in good shape from the picture so I said sure. I went out this morning...took a look at it and oh my! I fell in love. It's in PERFECT condition.

I love it.

I'm going to eventually (after the snow is gone and it comes in the house instead of being used for shoots) re-stain the feet to a much darker wood and eventually...when the velvet starts to wear...I'm going to re-upholster it to a fun and graphic print...like maybe this one...

Or this one...

Or maybe even this one...

Or I could go crazy and do something like this...

Or even this...

Call me nutty...but I kinda like the fish. Random, I know.

But for now, the chair will stay as is and instead get a lovely pillow made from this...

And it's going in my reading nook. Mmmmmmmmm....

Inspiration Tuesday...A Day Late...

2010-12-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Wow...this week has just flown. I'm a day behind.

I keep thinking today is Tuesday. Dunno why.

SO! Because of that our Inspiration Tuesday is gonna be on Weds this week.

And here is our Inspiration Board for this week.

I love that rug.

I think it's so durned cool! But the Hubs...? Yeah, he kinda hates it.

As in thinks it's the ugliest thing on planet earth.

So I decided to dream and come up with a living/family room. And I kinda love it. The couch is by far my favorite part. I will one day own this couch.

And there you have it!