360 of Our World

We've Moved!

2011-09-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Please meet us at The Helm House by clicking the link and/or picture below! We can’t wait for you to see the new blog, but be kind, it’s still under construction and a definite work in progress! See you there!

https://thehelmhouse.wordpress.com/

Local Finds - Public Market Furniture

2011-08-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to browse for deals is Public Market Furniture in Willmar, MN. It is located behind the Casey's gas station on 19th Ave.

They usually have a great selection of used furniture! And the place is huge, so it's fun to see what can be unearthed. We made a stop last weekend to check out nightstands and end tables when we were passing through town. So I whipped out my pocket camera to snap a few images for ya!
There are always tons or nearly new couches and sectionals right when you come in the door, most sets around $700!

They usually have some great rugs, priced very reasonably!

There were two pianos this time... something we don't see here a lot and they were both around $150 I believe. I have a dream of having a bunch of little girls someday, all taking piano lessons. Chris told me to keep dreaming!

This is where I stopped dead in my tracks and completely forgot why we were there! I have been fantasizing about lockers for a few months now and there they were... in pristine condition... but with a sticker of 195 bones, my happy bubble quickly deflated... I believe they are totally worth every penny - but just not in the budget at this point. Sad day, I had to walk away... but I am kicking myself and the hubsters says to just buy them - I think he just says that to shut me up, we have a relationship overflowing with love like that! :-)

I moved on... they have used appliances at great prices too. See the stainless steel flattop on the left? That beauty sold of $150.

Finally I found my focus. Here were two nightstands that looked pretty decent but were marked $65 a piece, not exactly what I am looking for and they were pretty new to the store, so not a whole lot of wiggle room on price.

This pretty table was only $369, I thought that was a decent deal - but I've got other plans, and only brought a car.

Another nightstand with the same $65 tag, and small dressers for $50 each. Still too new, not budging on price. So I walked away...

This cute little table was just handing out, but he was a whopping $35! Definitely too much when you're used to auction prices - this would go for $2 (like Chris' current nightstand seen HERE)!

Then we headed upstairs, this is where the deals are!

This is the furniture that has spent a little bit of time here...

A vast array of haggling to be had!

First up we saw these dining room chairs... six of them, two of which where captains chairs. We came up with a makeover plan for them and then just decided to nix it. They were asking 139 bones, and even though we know they would be willing to negotiate price, we just knew the would be more work then we wanted to commit.
This table got the creative juices flowing again. At $139 for the four chairs, table and bench - we almost called off our entire table making plan - but in the end we determined it was too chunky. I never thought those words would leave my mouth, because I am a super chunky lovin' kinda gal!

This dresser/buffet was only $75 and I was picturing it in a coat of white... dreamy...

I pulled this dusty little fella out of a corner. He wasn't marked, but I figured for $3 we could have taken him home... he's still chilling at the store but I may visit him another time to see if he is still available!

These gals were just mingling in the corner... they read $20-35 each, and the little brown, tufted, wheeled ottoman in the back was marked $19... it was a consideration, but I only wanted to pay 5 smackers and was declined, so I walked away (see a trend)?

That's when I fell in love with this gem. He had me at hello. I told Chris he better not me more than $20, and I was surprised with the lowest sticker of the day at $15! I snatched him up, no haggling needed, he was mine!

There was another spiffy fella, looking brand spanking new (even the hardware was still wrapped). This shiny man was only $65, if I had a place to put him I would have squeezed him in the car!

As with most thrift stores, there are always items that make the two of us chuckle - such as these mermaidesque chairs, complete with pink shag seats.

And there are the items that make we laugh from afar, but upon closer inspection - I begin to love. This love seat was one of those moments, I could totally see her happily residing in our porch - Chris didn't have the same vision.

I found this gal in the corner. I have an obsession with chairs of this style (seen HERE and HERE)... but she was a tad pricey at $20 and needed lots of TLC, so we said our goodbyes cause the lady working the store wasn't in a bargaining sort of mood.

I was even able to pass on the white ceramic skull... only 20 bones (haha, punny huh!? no!? moving on...) Even though white ceramics make me weak in the knees.

Well that was our Public Market Furniture adventure last weekend. Went in for nightstands or end tables and left with a coffee table for $15 - pretty typical of me. Things to Note: always take time to browse, check every corner, feel out the employees (not literally) and don't be afraid to haggle - the worst they can do is say "no".

Happy Tuesday!

Finding a Groove

2011-08-22T07:42:00.001-07:00

Do you ever have those days where nothing seems to go right? Well I have had a few of those lately... everything from finish the guest room to working on a new blog, my online photo class to overpriced auction bids, and ever increasing housework to a truck that just isn't making par... Really those days have been piling up. So last week, one night, I cracked. I'd had enough. I told Chris to go away for a few minutes and let me do something I was good at!

I needed to reboot. I needed just a few minutes to DO something that I was good at. So Chris headed out the door and I went into the den to grab supplies. I was waiting on doing some quick projects until after the guest room was finished but after having a losing battle with the nail gun I caved. I turned on the iPod and headed straight for the scrabble board to pound out a quick project!

A few months back I decided that I wanted some sort of message board in the Peacock Room. A place to leave little notes for visitors... and a scrabble board was going to be my solution. I snapped one up from a local thrift store for $1 a while ago and was surprised to discover later on that it even had all it's tiles! The paint and brush I had on hand so it was time to start!
I wanted the boards to have a splash of color, so I decided to paint them.
I wasn't sure if I wanted a full coat or a distressed looking coat... after doing one of both, I decided a full coat was more my style! So I added two complete coats...

And that's it! One project that made me feel complete!

All it took was 5 minutes, $1.00 and the Black Eyed Peas to make the world right again! Happy Monday!

PS - Chris came back with a part-time job after my reboot, yay for more auction moo-lah!

Simply Happy Moments

2011-08-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry. This week has been super crazy… I am trying to catch up on lots of stuff… My last weekend was filled with busy-ness, trying to take/edit photos, finish up an online photo class that ends Monday, auctions, house projects, random projects, clean house, Chris’ birthday, craziness at my real job and now tonight I get to spend some time with my baby munchkin before she heads off to college tomorrow. Wow, wasn’t feeling overly emotional about that until just now. Dang, I’m not going to cry…

So, I embraced a few moments that helped me relaxed and brought on simple happiness. This photo represents one of those moments. I arrived early for a photo shoot last Thursday evening, and got to spend a few minutes just soaking in the sun and views. This was a simply happy moment. Happy Wednesday, I promise to be back soon.

Wednesday Wishes - Window Treatments

2011-08-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

So last week I wished for ways to bounce light around my house… this week seems a little opposite of last week. This week I’ll wish for ways to keep light out of my house. Let me rephrase. During the day, we like our windows open, but at night we don’t like the neighbors looking in, so essentially I guess we are still talking about “keeping light in” in a roundabout way… good, glad that’s settled, let’s move on!
During the summer it is not much of a concern, seeing that it doesn’t get dark until later… but during the winter months when it is dark outside before we even get home from work, our lives are on display for whoever wants to see (for the most part). We have white wood blinds on all the windows, with the exception of the big picture windows… and it’s been this way since we bought the house over a year ago. So our goal is to get some window treatments up before the darkening winter gets here, and all of our neighbors get to watch our “morbid” tastes in TV (FYI - True Blood is amazing! And we can’t wait for the next season of Walking Dead to start!)
Our biggest hesitation is the darn price tag on curtains! Mylanta, they are spendy… I have looked at all that my small town has to offer, and I’m just not happy with the solid colors offered by Walmart… so I hopped on the internet as usual, only to have a severe case of sticker shock to follow. Let me share my wishes, and ideas that I’ve come up with to get the nod of approval from the hubby.

I have been going lots of thinking about curtains in the guest room, and at first I feel in love with these beauties from Z Gallerie (Mimosa Panels in Aquamarine) but they were $59.95/panel. That means that for the one guestroom, it would be $239.80... so I moved on.
I still couldn't quit dreaming... I found these Allegra Hicks Palm Print Window Panels at West Elm for $64/panel. Then I made the mistake of staying on the West Elm site and discovering these...

The Khadi Blockprint Window Panels for $49/panel and these... The Cotton Canvas Faux Bead Window Panels for $44/panel... Now these are all gorgeous, but most of all they seem simple. Essentially I am loving the patterns, there is nothing extremely unique with their shape... so I am now hunting fabrics that I like and considering just sewing some up myself! Sounds easy in my head - that probably means it will make me frustrated.

For the living room/dining room/den windows I immediately fell in love with these! The Deux Ruban Linen Panel from Ballard Designs. The more I looked at it... they are cheap (maybe not at Ballard, but I could possibly find at JoAnn Fabrics and use a coupon) linen fabric with ribbon sewn on! I can do that! At least I think I can...

Lastly, came the issue of what to do in the kitchen... I love roman shades! They seem uber expensive and I can never seem to find ones that I adore top to bottom... I like how they show the trim around a window and think they would work great in our kitchen, as well as both of our bathrooms (I would also like to snatch that light fixture up, very.... gourd like!?)!

Like this! And I'll take that tub to go!

So I've decided that I might just have to whip some up myself, ala Martha Stewart and her tutorial HERE. That way I can pick any fabric and details I'd like!

Like any of these from Ballard Design where they sell by the yard, these four range from $18 - $38 per yard... but I think I could get away with only one yard per window.

Or one of these Amy Butler designs, available on fabric.com for under $10 per yard! Lots of ideas keep following, so I just pin them away to bring up later. Hope everyone is having a great week, I'm off to find us another distrubing TV show to watch once our curtains go up! Happy Wednesday!

Making Happy Saturday Mornings

2011-08-09T05:35:00.000-07:00

It's only Tuesday, and I'm already shot... so I thought I would post about what makes me happy! Saturday morning caramel rolls are a favorite at our house! I don't normally post any recipes on this blog, because I am not a great cook - but there are certain things that I do well at and caramel rolls are one of them! On Friday night I set out two loaves of frozen white bread dough, as soon as Chris sees it we both get excited for Saturday morning!

While we may cheat on the dough and use frozen, our caramel is what the rolls delectable! It is my mother-in-law's recipe for Perfect Caramel. Gather all of your caramel ingredients:

1 C. Brown Sugar

1/4 C. Sour Cream

1/3 C. Butter

1 Tbsp. White Syrup

Melt all of the above ingredients in a sauce pan, just until melted. You don't want to cook too long or your caramel will become hard in the oven.
Pour your caramel into the botton of a 13x9" pan. (See the thawed bread dough in the background? I put it on a cutting board and cover it "loosely" with plastic wrap, allowing it to rise, but not to break free - exposed areas will become crusty.)
Next I grab one of my loaves of raised dough. I flour my counter tip and roll it out. Once I have a nice flatten area, I spread it with butter and then sprinkle on brown sugar and cinnamin.
Then you roll it up and slice into six even rolls. Follow the same process for the second loaf by flattening, spreading, sprinkling, rolling and cutting.
Almost done! Next put your rolls in your caramel pan and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now we need to let the rolls rise a little bit. I place my pan on the stove to help it rise and cover it with a dish towel for about 25-30 minutes. Then I pop them in the oven for another 25-30 minutes of baking, remove them when they are golden brown.
Let the rest for 10 minutes, then flip them into another pan or onto a cookie sheet. We like to eat ours right then and there! Ooey Gooey Yummy Goodness... now I'm hungry... bring on Saturday!

Linking to Remodelaholic

World Champ

2011-08-05T04:58:00.001-07:00

You may remember last Summer when I expressed my proudness of my favorite little man, HERE. He spent the Summer of 2010 sweeping pedal pulls throughout Southern Minnesota. Then he went on to win that State Pedal Pull for his division. Shortly after that he became the National Champion!

Well all those wins lead him to the International Pedal Pull last weekend, and he kept up his winning streak - pulling to an International Champ! Congrats to my favorite World Champ! We are so proud of you DaShawn!

Wednesday Wishes - Mirrors

2011-08-03T16:36:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at mirrors for over a year. We have a pretty large house, and lots of windows (19 that actually will be replaced, but more on that down the road, got to save the pennies) - BUT there are only 4 windows on the South side of the house (one of which is a tiny one in the downstairs bathroom, the blinds are always closed in there.

So in order to help bounce light around the house, I have been looking into lots of mirrors. The issue is that all of them I yearn for are out of my budget...

Take this one for example. I have been in love with this mirror for years! It is the Eagan Multipanel Large Mirror from Pottery Barn, and has a price tag of $699 online right now. Trust me, I think it is worth every stinking penny - but my hubby disagrees.
This is the Brussel Round Mirror, also from Pottery Barn, but it's a whopping $299 clams! Yikes... just keep looking, I will eventually find one that it within budget.

Lastly, this drool-worthly beauty from West Elm is the Floating Wood Floor Mirror for $399. Isn't she beautiful!?

While buying each of these is definitely out of the budget - DIYing some (or all) should come in at a much cheaper price! Can't wait to wrap up some other projects, and hopefully come back to these in a couple of months. I've got all sorts of plans I can't wait to put into action! Happy Wednesday!

Pinterest Challenge - Mosaic Wall Art

2011-08-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Today I am partaking in the Pinterest Challenge! This was a brilliant idea thought up by Sherry, Katie, Emily & Lana. We are always pinning away on Pinterest (if you're not, you should be!)... but we pin, pin, pin and don't every do anything about it.

So they decided to make a seasonal challenge, and I jumped on board, but have to say that I am not all that happy with my first project in the challenge.

See months ago I started this project, thinking it would be a breeze, HA! Just a warning, this project is not for the faint of heart. But here it is, my wall art for the Peacock Room, made of paper mosiac pieces!
I originally pinned a similar tutorial from Remodelaholic, and pretty much followed the directions only adjusting mine to look more "subway tile-ish" with 1x3 inch rechtangles. This is a 24x48 inch piece of plywood that I painted black and then glued all those little suckers on! (Oh, I cut them out using my Silhouette, so that only took about 30 minutes. No joke, I bet I have 15+ hours into this project now that it is done. Being that it took place over the course of months - I lost all my pictures for the process... honestly, if it weren't for the Challenge, this baby would still be in the closet! So thanks ladies! Once we are finished with the Peacock Room, it will be hung on the wall.
Project Cost Breakdown for a 24x48 inch wall art: Plywood (Menards) = $2.48, Paper (Scrapbook Store) = $1.89, Paint (Had on Hand) = $0.00, Modge Podge (Had on Hand) = $0.00

Total Cost: $4.37 - Very cheap, but very time consuming!

Guest Room Progress

2011-08-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend we got everything caulked! Woo Hoo!

For those who remember, this started as a simple paint job nearly 8 months ago! And then we just started tearing things out! Well do to time constraints, and the fact that we had absolutely no plan going into this, it has taken FOREVER! But it is only one of the guest room, so we haven't lost any living space - this is the reason it hasn't been an urgent matter.

You can see our first post HERE. We removed the akward cabinet/closet and below is the new open shelving Chris built. We have also replaced all of the baseboards. Here is a close up of the shelving. I drew up some bad stick art of how I wanted them completed, cause Chris wasn't understanding my "floating shelf" concept. I have to say that he finally grasped it and produced exactly what I was looking for!

Now we just need to finish painting the shelves, repaint the trim, install the crown molding (probably putty/paint) that too and finish up the actual closet. I need to get all of the painting done in there! But we still have lots to do on our list (originally found HERE) below.
Guest Room 1 List

- Paint: Partial, still need to do closet and trim.

- Take out Cabinet: DONE

- Rug: Purchased!

- Fix Baseboards: DONE

- Molding: Partial, ready to be installed!

- Nightstand: still looking!

- Bedding: DONE (Thanks Grandma!)

- Chair/Bench/Ottoman: DONE

- Headboard: DONE

- Wall Art: In Progress

- New Light Fixture: will come with time.

- Shelving in Closet: eventually, want shelves in closet to hold linens! (I have no linen closet upstairs)

I have been working on lots of side projects for this room, and can't wait to get in there! Maybe tonight I should grab a paint brush!

Decluttering: Kitchen Island

2011-07-29T12:50:00.001-07:00

As long as we were on the topic of progress for our New Years Resolutions, I thought I would share another one! The decluttering of the kitchen island - granted this was a project that took place before we added outlets (seen HERE), but I still thought I should blog it up!

This is what I started with. An overly cluttered cabinet with more pans than I could ever need! First step, I sorted out the bakeware that was staying and stashed the rest for friends/family that were moving into new houses.
Next came tackling the over abundance of goodies! You know, those pesky tidbits that we have to add to everything so we can add a couple inches to the ol' waistline, yep, those! We had a mad stash that was just thrown in there - time for some organization!

I dug out a Hershey's tin that I had picked up at Goodwill a while back for a quarter.

Then I stashed my food coloring in there and shut the lid, three boxes gone!

Next I went and grabbed a metal filing tin that I snatched up at an auction a while back. I had gotten a set of three for $2. You can tell this one had been loved - I mean look at the pretty butterfly! Anyone else just think of the movie I Am Legend!? No, just me!? Okay, moving on...

So I grabbed my cleaning supplies. 409 for germs and Ronsonal lighter fluid for the stickers. I used to work at the college bookstore, and thats where I learned if you want to get a price tag (or sticker) off of a school book, use lighter fluid. Yes, we soaked the books with lighter fluid. Now you know why textbooks smell funny!

I got to work removing all the stickers by soaking them and then peeling them off with a putty knife I found nearby.

I filled it with our tidbits (note the tape in the lid is holding the keys for the file tin, in case I want to use it for something else in the future).

There you got, a pretty storage container for hiding the unhealthy necessities!

And that's all she wrote! Now I can easily reach into the cupboard and grab exactly what I need! Thanks for stopping by, see you next week! Happy Friday!

Obsessions - Animalistic Impulses

2011-07-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

I've decided it was time to acknowledge another obsession of mine... animals. Not real live furry ones, but the kind that sit quietly and don't make a mess!

So I took a stroll around the house to see what I could find and snapped some pictures. Some of these you have seen before, but maybe a few are newbies. So let's honor a New Year's Resolution and begin!

1. This is one of my beloved owls! I picked him up at Gordmans for 15 beans - well spent! I have been obsessed with owls since back when I was managing Nature's Backyard - a former bird store in Marshall (more on that HERE). So I am afraid, that I have collected plenty throughout the years... but HOO doesn't love an owl!? (Punny, I know!)
2. Little Mr. Peacock, he was a freebie from a local antique store - you can read more of his tear-jerking story HERE.
3. These little birdies are currently residing in the kitchen, they were our little love birds - and celebrated the best day of my life with us! More on them HERE.
4. This little creamer cow, was picked up at Shopko for a whopping $3 over a year ago.
5. These little gems were purchased at the same estate sale with I got the chairs at (HERE). I paid $.25 for a box full of goodies, and these castiron trivet hoots were resting in the bottom.
6. This shiny guy was purchased from 509 Design (a Local Find spotted HERE). I found him in the clearance section for $2.50 and he was signing to come home with me!

7. This handsome devil was found a Goodwill for $3.99 - originally a Christmas decoration, but after removing the bow around his neck, I've determined he gets to hang out all year long!
8. The owls were a find from Pier One, for the pair I paid almost $12.95 and the giraffe is a gift from my parents from their last cruise (thanks Mom!).
9. My amazing rhino - you can learn all about Rigley HERE.
10. Another owl - this little guy is made of wood. He makes my heart melt. I purchased him so long ago, I can't remember where I got him or how much I spent - but I'm sure he was well worth it!
11. These little bunnies were a Goodwill score, picked up for $.50 a piece - the kitty loves to knock them around.
12. This sparkly pink owl was rescued from the Pier 1 clearance section for $1.25. He is a piggy bank, and some day I will have a baby girl who I am sure will love owls just as much as I do! Especially if I raise her in a Woodland themed nursery! (Disclaimer: No baby news yet.)
13. This critter was found in the same $.25 box as the hooters (yep, I couldn't resist) in #5 above!
14. Another rhino! This one followed me home from a recent trip to Gordmans, he was a dainty $11.99 for his chromey goodness.
15. This little owl is a castiron doorstop. Found at World Market for $5.99!
16. These crazy fellas will soon live in the guestroom. You can read more on them HERE!
17. Lastly, I dug up this picture from last Christmas. I love these reindeer an uber lot! They were scored at Runnings for 15 clams each!

Well, that's all that stuck out when I went on the house tour. I know there are more, but this will at least give you a glimpse into my obsession. Do you have any obsessions? Are you drawn to white ceramic animals like a moth to a flame? Does your husband roll his eyes when you walk in the house with a rhino? I'd love to hear about it!

Wednesday Wishes - Wicker Furniture

2011-07-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Another Wednesday Wishes post!

With the end of the porch roof project in sight, I have been daydreaming about what to do with the inside... and wicker furniture keeps popping up! This is definitely something that I am going to investigate... I love the charming look and character it lends to the space it fills.

The Roof! The Roof!

2011-07-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

The roof is on fire! We don't need no water, let the *AHEM*

Sorry, I got carried away - in order to keep this a family friendly blog, I'll stop singing right there...

Anywho, that could probably describe my feelings the weekend we tore the roof off of the porch. The day before the project started our area got hit by a big storm, leaving us without power for 48 hours. Chris and I crossed our fingers that when we got home there would be a tree lying across the roof, so we could hire this out, but no such luck!

We stuffed our disappointment deep down and moved forward. Saturday morning Chris' folks showed up to lend helping hands and a generator! My front yard turned into a work zone.

Chris and his dad immediately starting tearing the roof apart, strategizing the entire way. See we went into this without a plan (problem #1), all we knew is that we had a budget and we needed to fix the leak!
We went shopping at our local Menards to pick up everything we needed, or so we thought. Just note that without a plan you may be likely to head back for additional supplies - we had a total of 5 trips in 3 days. But the old roof was off and the new one was starting to take shape - that where Problem #2 comes in... see Chris and I had two very different "shapes" in mind... Kelli = peaked "looking" roof stretched from wall to edge... Chris = keep steep sides and slant only the flat portion, leaving it still looking "flat" from ground level. Ugh. Chris wins, cause he had the hammer.
But luckily, we had lots of assistance to get us through this hiccup and back on track! Not only did Chris' parents assist, but my Uncle Jeff lent a hand during our BBQ that Sunday! Chris and I could not be more grateful. You have to love that family is always there for you, especially when you are without power, had cold showers and are living on cold sandwiches. By the end of the weekend we had the new roof shething (hmmm I wonder if that's the right word... note to self, increase construction vocabulary) in place.

On Monday, Chris and I put on the drip edge, tar paper, other black stuff and trimmed some boards (oh yeah, more building terminology is needed)! Next up was shingling and Dad was there for the assist! He spent a few weeknights at our place helping Chris shingle, while mom and I supervised safely from the ground with wine in hand!

Here is what it looks like today. We had some extremely hot weekends, and with nothing leaking we left if as is. Last Sunday we got back at it and tore off some siding to get flashing installed, now comes the task of replacing the siding... Problem #3 - 100 year old siding, hard to find. 4 inch cedar wood siding, nearly impossible to find, and pricey to boot... but we are slowly tracking pieces down and tonight we will being to put them up!

Still a few nights work to crank out, but hoping to have this project wrapped up by the end of the month! Once completed I will be back with pictures, a breakdown of the budget and possibly plans for the inside.

Patience...

2011-07-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Patience is the companion of wisdom.

- Saint Augustine

We are still working on all of our projects, but getting close. Peanut has shown all sorts of patience and is teaching me a lot. I tend to get frustrated by the "slow" pace my hubby can tend to work at, but it is mainly because he is a thinker. He is an analyzer... he may take extra time to complete a project, but he doesn't do anything short of exceptional work. I am a researcher, always hunting down ideas on how to tackle projects and stick to our budget. Put us together, and our projects tend to take a little extra time.

The above picture is our sweet little Peanut watching as Chris is outside the window working on the roof. This has been a common sight around our house, with the little guy following us around the house from window to window.

I promise to be back tomorrow with a roof update... we are ALMOST there!!!

Our Favorite Slugger

2011-07-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

Last night we got the chance to head to one of our nephew's baseball games! His team is doing amazing this year, and remain undefeated!

Riley is a talented athlete and we always love getting to watch him play!
We even got to see him make a double play when he was covering first base! Sorry, no pictures of that, I was too busy cheering!

We had a great time and headed out to eat in Raymond afterwards, where I got the chance to teach the boys how to play darts!

We love you Riley, congrats on such a great season!

Southern Home & Decor

2011-07-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, the hotel I stayed at in Nashville was like a small city itself. And of course this "city" included a shopping district. So one day I took a quick walk just to swing in a fews places and I thought I would share one of them.

I was very excited to see this store, "Southern Home & Decor." I loved the big chucky molding around the storefront windows and the amazing lantern lights!
The second I stepped through the door, I was met with this lovely sight! Look at those globes! I immediately fell in love, but quick realized they were out of my budget. They were very heavy (which I adored, they had the weight of a book end) but knew that I probably didn't want to have to lug one home in my carryon. But the weight explained the price tag, which was around $45 for the tiny blue one in the bottom-righthand corner.

There were these colorful guys - you know owls make me go weak in the knees... but they were pricey too, with the yellow guy coming in at $65.

I thought these were cute... a unique girls night party favor, maybe!? Their little "flip-flops" for your wine glasses! Each of them had a drink recipe on it and the colors were very fun, but there was a trend starting... can you guess it!? Each of these babies was $13.50 a piece! Uff-Da... that's more than I would spend on a complete pair of flip-flops to cover my feet. Moving on...

The store had lots of "stuff" - and most of it was likeable... but nothing seemed very "Southern" to me... I loved all the ceramic shells and the coral was amazing... but Southern? Is there a Southern style? Are sea shells and globes southern? If that is Southern, what is Northern? Eastern? Western? Maybe my style and/or direction assumptions are skewed... hmmm... Is Southern style cowboys or coral? But isn't Western style cowboys and Eastern style coral? Wow, I have throughly confused myself...

At least I know one thing for sure... this was a hotel boutique shop. Nothing that stood out as very "unique", nothing I couldn't find in Minnesota and I wasn't impressed that nearly a quarter of the store was filled with overpriced Willow Tree Angels.

Maybe not the fairy tale ending anyone was hoping for, but this is reality. Still a fun trip, I'm glad I stopped because even if the merchandise inside wasn't coming home with me - I will be hunting down globes, possibly DIYing wine glass flip-flops, getting out my el' cheapo ceramic shell (Seen HERE) and searching for a place to put lovely lanterns and super-chucky molding!

Nashville - A Whirlwind Trip

2011-07-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Ya'll! Yep, I caught myself using a southern twang more than once during last week's trip... but with all the southern charm surrounding me, I didn't let it bother me much. I figured with hot/sticky weather that continued to remind of this whirlwind trip - I was about time I shared some pictures (note that the first two images were not taken by me, rather yanked from the hotel's website).

This is the magnificent Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. It was stunning and not to mention GINORMOUS!
Just check out this map! My room was located in the Garden Conservatory section, but I spent lots of time walking around and most daytime hours in the convention center for a food show.

There was tons of greenery in the three "atrium" areas, as well as the outdoor pool area in the Magnolia section.

Even waterfalls! I have to admit that having everything indoors was really nice with the weather being so warm is sucked the air right out of your lungs.

There is even a river in the Delta section, complete with a river boat that you can ride for a tour! Sadly, I didn't have time to partake in that excursion.

Also in the Delta area, was the Delta Island. Filled is cute boutique shops (more on one of those later) and restaurants! We spent quite a bit of time here and over the the "bar district" aka Magnolia.

On Monday evening we headed down to the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville's riverfront district for a work event. We actually rented out the entire bar and threw everyone a concert!

The band that was hired was amazing! If you ever get the chance to see the LoCash Cowboys, don't miss out! They are brothers who have an amazing variety of talents! They were singing their own songs, other country songs, Kid Rock, Michael Jackson, Black-Eyed Peas, etc. Extremely fun evening!

On Tuesday I actually had some free time to spend with a friend! Jenna lives about an hour outside of Nashville and made the short trip to spend the night together. We headed back down to the riverfront district to eat at the Hard Rock and stroll around.

She about jumped out of her pants when this "statue" whistled at her! So we paid the man and took our picture. It was a low-key night that I will never forget. Love you Jenna Ann. And this is about all the pictures I took on my trip - other than a walk through a store that I will share tomorrow - I flew out Monday morning and back Wednesday afternoon... whirlwind trip filled with many memories, even if there are only a few pictures! Happy Wednesday!

Happy Hearts

2011-07-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

Okay, first of all... blogger has been making me angry. I have been trying to post for nearly a week now and it looks like this will be the first time it goes through. Ugh. Anywho...

Let's get back on the blogging train! Let's start with something recent, this past weekend. We have had some wickedly hot and humid weather, so what did we do!? NOTHING and it was AMAZING!!! The hubby surprised me with an early birthday present, True Blood Season 1! The perfect reason for staying within the confines of our central air. And what goes perfect with a weekend plopped on the couch!? Well a family tradition of course! Now everyone knows that Cherrios are supposed to make your heart happy - but our version does so in a different way!

See, we get rid of all the cholesterol reducing goodness and fry it up! Yes, in our house Fried Cherrios is a staple! Very simple to make, melt butter, add cherrios and salt - viola! Yummy heart happy, smiley, salty goodness. Maybe another time I will introduce you to "Crackers, Cheese & Marshmallows" - yes that is the technical name. Happy Tuesday!

Busy. Busy. Busy.

2011-07-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to apologize for the lack of posts. We have been busy working on our new porch roof. We had quite the storm a week ago on Friday... quite a bit of damage in the area, but only small branches at our house (secretly, we were hoping a tree would fall on the porch... no such luck)! But we did lose power, for nearly 48 hours... sure made our pace slower, running everything off of one generator.

Anywho, more posts to come! We are close to finishing the roof (thanks to help from our fabulous family), only ridging, flashing and some siding left to complete... but more on that soon, I promise! This weekend looks to be busy with Cottonwood's "Coming Home Days" happening, and then I am off to Nashville next week for work. Will be back soon!

Things to Come:
1. New Porch Roof
2. Guest Room Update
3. Jared & Caycee's Engagement Pictures - Take 1
4. Thrifty Finds

Estate Sale Chairs

2011-06-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to throw a quick post out there showing you the chairs that I scored at an Estate Sale last Friday. My aunt Linda called me early in the week and informed me of a sale where they were on a mission to clean out! So I ran up there to attend with her and this is some of the loot we walked away with.

The above chair reminded me very much of the chair that I gave a makeover a few months back (to see that project, CLICK HERE). This one is just begging for a little love. Not sure if it will get painted, but a newly covered seat is! For $2.50, this was my favorite find.
Then there were these two chairs... they just made me smile, so I had to take them home. Eventually they will get a paint/stain job and a new seat. For now they are waiting in a stack of projects, but for $1.00 a piece, they weren't going to be left behind!

Well, these are the chairs that were scored! We also picked up a beautiful giant yellow ceramic jar that looks great on my kitchen shelf (I'll snap a picture for ya sometime soon), some adorable owl trivets that were hung on the kitchen owl, big frames for artwork, a cute little white ceramic frog and box of scary owls who are going to goodwill very soon. We filled Linda's car for only $6.50. We grabbed supper at the cafe and spent the rest of the night yakking it up... it was a great day!

Wednesday Wishes: Clothesline

2011-06-29T06:39:00.001-07:00

It's been a long time since I did a Wednesday Wishes post... so I thought it was definitely time! You know what I'm wishing for lately!? A clothesline!

I miss hanging sheets out to dry in the summertime and that fresh scent they come back in with... definitely getting added to the project list for next year! Happy Wednesday!

Tearing It Out

2011-06-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

First, I thought I would show you a picture of the "front" of our house... this is an angle that I don't post a lot, for one reason... that darn porch. The porch has a flat roof (as well as the bay window) and I hate it... just doesn't fit in with the high peaks on the rest of the house. So we are going to change that.

We are not simply doing it for aesthetics... the porch roof leaks terribly, but that is something we knew when buying the house. So it was always in the plan to fix it up and give it a slope for water run off... right now it all pools in the middle and seeps on through.
So last weekend, Mom & Dad came over to help us start things off by tearing out the ceiling.

This will be the first step in the process, and next weekend we will actually rip off the roof and start replacing it.

Here is what it looks like now... and I have to say, it was not up to code at all. Modern wiring connected to century old wiring, rafters rotted and patched with 2x4s and most notably, they had removed part of the ceiling and placed an old Easter basket bucket up in there to catch dripping water... ugh... so we will be starting from scratch.

But we are happy we tore it out to discover everything that needs to be fixed. Saturday and Sunday that Helms come down to help with the next step, and I can't wait!!! I'll keep you posted, Happy Tuesday!

Local Find: 509 Design

2011-06-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

For two years when I was living in Marshall, I drove by this place everyday downtown on Main Street. I had wanted to stop by this cute little shop... but never did. It pretty much faded from my mind, until a few weeks ago...

I was driving by on my way out of town and spotted the birch-looking branch vases in the window. I immediately turned around and decided it was time to venture in!
Wow, am I glad I did! I was like all of my favorite online shops and catalogs (ZGallery, PB, Ballard, etc.) had a baby and it's name is 509 Design! When I went in to check out the vases, I got distracted by this gorgeous tablescape, surrounded by drool-worthy parsons chains (I dream on these... no joke).

There was an adorable "pea-pod" candle holder that I thought was adorable...

And this small branches vase and mercury glass candle base...

And cute lamp, not to mention the artichoke looking thing... be still my heart...

Then I started to wonder into the other rooms and I was not disappointed... a Knight lamp! Oh Mylanta, I want to jump on that train!

Look at that head, the gorgeous sidetable and the see-thru-ish (yes, that's a word) lamp... sigh...

Then there was the glass pear (see if real tiny there!?)! De-lish!

And last, but most definitely not least, the faux fireplace! This is where I nearly passed out... I am working on a fireplace project of my own and I got all gushy over this one... simply stunning...

Now, I was looking at prices around the store during my whole excursion, but didn't write anything down... sorry... I can tell you that they are very comparable with the online shops, which can be a little pricey. But a needed splurge every once in a while (remember the Rhino HERE). I will definitely be back to this store again, when I feel the need for the one item to finish a room! Happy Monday!

Why I love photoshop...

2011-06-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, it has been a busy week and I think the weekend is going to get even busier! So I thought I would do a quick post today regarding a conversation the hubby and I had last night. We have been discussing photography a lot lately and discussing potential prices. We got on the topic of time spent editing pictures… he didn’t realize that I spent so much time editing, he assumed they all came straight out of the camera looking like they do when I posted them on the blog. I assured him that was not the case, but needed proof.

So to show his what I do I created some before and afters, then I thought you might like to see these too! So here they are… the photos on the left are straight out of the camera and the ones on the right are the fully edited versions. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! (I’m off to an estate sale!)

Catting Around

2011-06-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

I like to call the world that Chris & I live in, the world of half-done projects… seriously… It is very hard for us to concentrate on something… there are just so many things we want to do! And last week was no exception. Generally we start projects with all sorts of gusto, and then either get bored or we have need some more funds. But last week, we started a project during an odd time of the year, simply cause that was the way scheduling worked!

Chris’ dad takes a week every summer to work on projects around his house. See, he is a trucker and doesn’t get a ton of time at home with the fam. So last week was the week! The week where he works his backside off and he was still willing to come help us out!

The yard behind our garage was a mess! Many previous owners had left their mark. There used to be a sandbox and a dog kennel, oh and a “leftover” cement slab. So Gary (dad-in-law) agreed to come down with the bobcat to tear it all out! We pulled out tons of gravel, sand and cement. Not to mention toys, stakes and jumbo rocks!
After dumping it all, we headed out to my folks’ place to pick up new dirt and have a fish fry. It was super yummy, but we had to leave quickly to get back and unload our fresh stuff! After getting back a unloading, we realized we only got about half of what we needed. Bummage.

So now the longer process begins. Chris & I will haul loads of dirt in the back of our truck until we finally get it filled in. (So far we have gotten two extra loads)… and this fall we will plan on planting grass. I hate half done projects! But this one is out of my control, cause I’m simply too cheap to buy pricy sod! Happy Wednesday!

Making Wine

2011-06-15T18:59:00.001-07:00

A few weeks back we started a new batch of wine, so I thought why not post about it!

This was my job! Tough, huh!?
Chris is the wine making wizard! I essentially get to pick flavors (since the wizard doesn't drink wine...) and do my jobs. Hold tubes, tip buckets and shrinky-dink wrappers after bottling, that's my favorite part!

I love making wine, cause it's pretty - nothing like a giant carbouy filled with pinky red deliciousness! Right now it looks like dirty water... I'm a tad bit worried. It will end up being a strawberry dacquari wine... but looks a little off to me. Chris assures me it will turn out... I'll keep you posted on the results!

Visitors!

2011-06-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well this week's schedule snuck up on me... we took a breather last weekend and pretty much sat around, enjoying the beautiful weather. Then all of a sudden our week got busy... and we were excited!

Last night we got a visit from my oldest (longest?) friend, Jenna. We were born 11 days apart and have been close ever since. She came to see the house before she moves back south this weekend. And of course, she brought her little guy!

This is Finn, and he is simply adorable! He has a great personality that just shines! We love him! Jen & Lance cook up good kids, I'll order one up right now!
We loved having them over to visit. Wish you both safe travels, I'll see you next month!

Inspiration

2011-06-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

So I have been trying to decide how I was going to compose this post for a few days now… here is my best whack at it.

Last weekend, my cousin Jayme ignited a spark in my brain. If you don’t read Jayme’s blog, you should. You can find it HERE. She is an amazingly busy and good-hearted woman, her posts are always fun to read. Her and her husband are expecting their first little one in October, and I can tell ya how excited I am for her! Anywho, Jayme also takes amazing pictures. On Sunday’s she always posts a beautiful picture she has taken along with words from the good book. The scriptures always seem to be unbelievably in sync with her images, this lady knows her bible business!

Jayme has been thinking about selling her “Sunday Scriptures” – so recently, she created a logo and slapped it on to keep people from snatching them up without permission. Now, back to the spark. See I take pictures of family and friends from time to time; it’s just something that I enjoy doing. When I create a CD for give to those folks, I put my own logo on it and send a copyright release just in case their photo printer people give them any grief. And in hopes that someone may see my logo and ask them questions.

This is where Jayme’s inspiration comes in. I had never put the logo on my photos on the blog or facebook, cause I figured the only people who would snag it up was the person I took the pictures for, and because I give them shared rights to the picture, I didn’t see it as a big deal! Now the wheels have started turning. Maybe this is a way that I can get my name out there… I have people who read my blog (Right? You are out there aren’t you? Someone has to be out there…) and friends on facebook… this idea should have hit me a long time ago. So let me introduce my logo.

I am hoping that you will see more and more of it. But I feel I have to give a disclosure. I am NOT a professional photographer. Now days, it seems like anyone with a nice camera is calling themselves a professional, let me assure you I’m not interested in doing that. I consider myself a hobby photographer, with LOTS to learn. I am working on creating a portfolio, but don’t know that I will ever see this as a full-time gig. Simply a way to keep enjoying photography for the moment and maybe make a little extra dough on the side. So if something comes out of this post awesome, if not, I tried. But if anyone reading this (or knows of anyone looking) let them know I’m here and I’m learning – translation: prices are very reasonable.

Here’s to hoping that you have a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday!

House Tour - Outside

2011-06-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

I thought I would round out the house tour with a layout and some pictures of our yard. I was planning on taking some updated flower pictures this morning, but I was up until 2:23AM last night (well that’s the last time I remember seeing the clock) and I didn’t make it up in time this morning to snap any photos.

Here is the lot drawing. We have a decent size corner lot, measuring 140’ x 100’ - not ginormous, but plenty to mow! As you can see one of our concerns when buying the house was that there is really no “backyard” with the house/garage being essentially in the middle of the lot. We worried about where to put a swing set and a sandbox down the road, the privacy from the neighbors, what if we want a fire pit/patio, etc. BUT we quickly made a plan and a list of what we could do down the road if this still concerned us.
Here is a general idea of what we have discussed, please excuse my photoshop skills, but you will get the general idea! (Please note that none of my additions are to scale!) There is plenty of room for what we would like to do, while still leaving lots of green areas! The neighbors are wonderful and we are actually enjoying town life much more than we anticipated!

Right now the peonies are blooming and some of the rhod’s, but of course I didn’t get up early enough to snap photos. But last summer I posted all sorts, you can see them here, here, here and here. I am sure there are more, but those will do for now! None of the lilies have begun blooming but I did manage find some photos I took on a stroll a few weeks back of them starting to grow!

With a house turning a century old this year, we have lots of mature trees on our property, including this red maple. We actually have three of them. In addition we have three other large oak trees, four small evergreens and one birch that looks of have only been planted a few years ago.

The birch is planted between the deck and the garage, and we look forward to the day when it provides lots of shade! Afternoons can be awfully hot and sunny sitting out on our new patio set!

As you can see on the “idea lot” above, I would like some raised gardens. Chris decided to take a whack at gardening this summer, and plant a strawberry topsy-turvy. He was very excited, a little too excited for a guy who doesn’t eat strawberries… Any who, that’s our place! Wishing you a Happy Thursday!

House Tour - Second Floor

2011-06-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Alright, we’re back! Are you ready for the second floor!? (I can’t believe I am doing this…) no joke. My upstairs has never looked quite this bad. One room is torn apart and the mess has spread throughout the whole floor. The pictures I have are a combination of pictures taken yesterday, pictures taken over the past year and pictures from our first visit before making an offer. Anywho… let’s take a look at the plan first.
Here it is! I have renamed some of the rooms to what we called them. Certain things you will notice… old home, so shared closets. Guestroom 1 was made smaller by prior owners somewhere down the line, to account for an additional closet in the master. The stairs to the attic are between the guestrooms in the closet and again, small bathroom, lots of doors/windows and hardwoods. So let’s start the walk thru and I’ll share the to do’s.

Lets start with the master bedroom. You may remember our transformation of this room from looking very “collegy” to our grown up bedroom in prior posts. And yes, I did steal the pictures from there… today it looks the same except I didn’t make the bed and there is a pile of clothes on the floor!

Master Bedroom List
- Dresser for Her: DONE
- Dresser for Him: Still Looking, want a taller dresser to go in the corner where the flower pictures are.
- Headboard: DONE, so happy I don’t lose my pillows at night anymore!
- Curtains: Definitely moving up on the list since summer is rolling around again.
- Rug: DONE (Thanks Beth!)
- New Bedding: DONE (Thanks Jenny!)
- New Hampers
- Nightstands: Good for now!- TV/DVD: DONE

Now I know that we don’t have a baby yet, and no news on when that will be happening yet… but we do call the room across the hall from us the Nursery. As this is what it will be some day. Today I is a storage room for all the stuff that used to be in the guest room, as well as a large wardrobe that we don’t really use anymore and baby stuff that we have no use for but it was too good of a deal to pass up. (Yes, you can roll yours eyes if you want – my hubby does – but when I find a crib mattress for $10 in brand spanking new condition from someone I know is a gremaphobe , I’m sold!) Here is a photo from our first viewing of the house, they used it as an office… so yes a small room. But really close to us and will be perfect for a little noise maker someday! Nursery List
- Nothing at this time.

With no baby on the way quite yet, we are not focusing on this room. I just hope to finish up the guest room and get it cleaned out! Speaking of, let’s take a look at “The Blue Room.”

Right now we are trying to call this the guest room, but we usually resort back to “The Blue Room” or now-and-then “The Peacock Room” as that is what the new color theme reminds me of. Those pictures may look familiar to some of you from when this room was going to get some new makeup. Well a paint job turned into much more! 6 months later… it’s still under construction, but the hubby has been diligently working on it and it should be completed very soon! Here is what it looks like today!

Guest Room 1 List
- Paint: Partial, still need to do closet and trim.
- Take out Cabinet: DONE
- Rug: Purchased!
- Fix Baseboards: Partial, all done just need to install the last couple in the closet.
- Molding: Partial, ready to be installed!
- Nightstand: still looking!
- Bedding: DONE (Thanks Grandma!)
- Chair/Bench/Ottoman: DONE
- Headboard: still hunting!
- Wall Art: In Progress
- New Light Fixture: will come with time.
- Shelving in Closet: eventually, want shelves in closet to hold linens! (I have no linen closet upstairs)

As you can see it is a major work in progress, but as we find the time, it will get completed. More on that to come!

Now, moving on to the upstairs bathroom. Once again, old house = tiny bathroom. These pictures are older and from the day Chris decided to tear this room apart to fix a drip. Yep. A drip. He is patching it up as we speak! Woot woot!

Second Floor Bathroom List
- New Shower Curtain: DONE
- New Shower: we are in the researching stage. But we did fix the drip! Ha!
- Dual Flush: DONE- New Cabinets: In Progress

Sorry for the bad photos, it’s a tiny room… But pretty basic. Toilet. Shower. Vanity.

This room is a mess. When we moved it, Chris planned to use this as a “Game Room” for when his buddies came over to practice for zombie invasions… since then. We have gotten rid of the monsterous TV and moved in a queen size bed… other than that. Not much has been touched!

Guest Room 2 List
- Get Rid of Clutter
- Another Bed: DONE
- Rug
- Paint (and only paint!)
- Wall Art
- Curtains
- New Light Fixture

We have plans to turn this into another guest room, but for now it’s just going to have to wait. Eventually I will pack up all Chris’ leftover “toys” and move them into the attic… then we’ll get to work! Lastly, there is access to an attic in the closet between the guestrooms.

The previous owners were turning this into a master suite. And while I don’t know their entire plan, I know that they should’ve asked for some advice when undertaking this mission. The sheetrock has been slapped up with lots of confusing edges and they forgot a vapor barrier between the sheetrock and the insulation… so if we ever did want to turn this into a livable space, it would have to all be gutted and redone, including the bathroom they put up there. Ugh.

Attic List
- Nothing at this time.

This is just more space we don’t currently need, we have no plans for up here at this point in time. We are currently using it for storage, and because none of the plumbing is hooked up, we don’t heat/cool it. Simply storage.
Well I hope you enjoyed the tour, from the top to the bottom! If you have any questions, let us know! Friends and family are welcome anytime, just remember - “A clean house is a sign of a wasted life.” (Haha, or at least that’s what I try to tell myself!) Happy Wednesday!

House Tour - First Floor

2011-06-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Can you believe we have been in our house for over a year!? Me neither! So I figured it was about darn time for a house tour! Please forgive me. I am not a great housekeeper, so we’re keeping it real here today! Dust, dirty windows, and cluttered spaces! Lots of projects going on and gorgeous days, mean housework is the last thing on my mind! Some pictures are old from files and some were taken this morning... but this is real life people, no makeup! Hope this post helps clarify any questions regarding the house.

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Here is the first floor. Not sure how accurate the measurements are, but it will at least give you an idea of the layout when we talk about projects. Lots of windows and doors, bold paint colors and hardwood floors. (I rhymed, hehe). Our first floor makes one big circle, so we will start in the kitchen and go counter-clockwise.
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Here is the Kitchen. You have seen how we put up shelving on the wall above the stove and installed outlets in the island – yes, I finally did get a new coat of paint on it, so it is beamingly beautiful. The bucket on the island is not a permanent fixture, we are cooking up a new batch of wine so this one’s house is in my kitchen (where the cat can’t reach that little tube thing on top, yes that is the technical term…) until Friday.

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In the Kitchen is our “To Do List.” We do have a master list for the house, but only take it a piece at a time. When we complete a couple of the projects, I replace them with new ones from the master list. Maybe it should be called “Our Dream List.” We don’t know that we will get everything completed, not sure if this is our “Forever House” yet, but we will work on things as long as this is our current path. As we go through the rooms, I will share our list with you.
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Kitchen List
- Shelving on Wall: DONE
- Outlets in Island DONE with a bonus one below the shelves!
- Fix Drawers: hoping we can do this, they are original, you known the kind with no tracks that just tilts down when you pull it out… yeah…
- New Sink: I dream of a white farmhouse sink with an apron skirt front!
- Re-Do the Ceiling: previous owners tried to use 2x4’s mimic exposed beams… let me tell ya, it ain’t foolin’ anyone.
- New Light Fixture: half done! The original light fixture was fancy ikea stuff that didn’t give off any light and ate expensive bulbs weekly… so we swapped it out for a simple dome… I can see much better, but still nothing fancy to look at…
- Change Hardware: As most of you know, I’m not a fan of gold… nuf said.
- Fix Fridge: simple project, it’s not level, just need to stop being lazy!
- Vent Hood: would love a vent hood above the stove!
- New Flooring: the hardwoods are originally but not in the best of shape in the kitchen… would like to replace someday, maybe, who knows.
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Lots to do! Attached to the kitchen is an entry way from off the deck (this is our main entrance) and a small bathroom.
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The bathroom on the first floor is nothing fancy. It’s tiny, which is the norm for a house this old… Sink, toilet, shower/tub. Pretty simple – but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t make the list.
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First Floor Bath List
- New Shower Faucet: Plumbing is weird, only a shower right now… interesting story another time.
- New Floor: Vinyl flooring was poorly installed (theme throughout the house)
- Dual Flush: Self Explanatory.
- New Light: Of at least paint the gold.
- New paint on walls/ceiling
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Next up is the Dining Room!
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Boy do I have big plans for this room! Right now it is a yellow/gold color. At first I didn’t mind it, but I would like it to match the living room someday… so that is in the works. It has a beautiful picture window with stained glass that we both love. Are you ready for the list!?
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Dining Room List
- More Outlets: I don’t know how (not my job) but we need more outlets in this room, there is no access below this room, but we will find a way!
- Paint: Some more neutral that can also flow into the living room.
- Molding: I dream of super chunky molding going around this room, replacing the puny stuff that is currently lining the room.
- Curtains: definitely a need! I’m sure the neighbors are tired of watching us eat and me stage photos.
- Complete Table Project: In the works!
- Buffet Makeover: questionable, I may have a different idea for this area of the room…
- Window Bench: I would love a bench that stretches all the way across the wall with the picture window… great sitting spot for the cat and mucho storage for me!
- New Floor: The floors are in bad shape here too, this room and the kitchen are the only hardwoods we would consider replacing.
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Connected to the Dining Room with pretty colonnades, is the Living Room.
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We spend lots of time in here, with TV/movies being a common (cheap) hobby of ours! This is where we can be found most nights when we are too pooped to work on projects or clean.
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Living Room List
- New Couch: DONE
- Get a Large Area Rug: DONE
- Paint: match dining room.
- Molding: match dining room. We like the green, but it’s just too dark, need to lighten this room up.
- Curtains: match dining room.
- More Outlets: Some of the outlets in the room are apparently, just for looks!
- New Chairs: bought some, just not sure if I like them in here…
- End Tables: need some badly (so we can stop using TV trays), but space is limited.
- Touch Up Columns: need new paint job and some putty.
- Shelves for Bookcases: DONE
- Wall Art: there are a few thoughts rolling around my brain for some art above the TV.
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The idea with this room is to use paint to brighten it up and keep the flow with the dining room in as much as possible. The room has a very odd shape… which makes furniture placement difficult… Not a “pretty” room at the moment, but definitely comfortable. The picture window in this room shows the porch. It is a complete mess, so I didn’t take a picture. The porch has some BIG wishes, including a new roof. But nothing is for certain at this time. Are you ready to see the room in my house that makes me hang my head in shame!?
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The Den has been our “Catch All” room for over a year now. Two weeks ago, I tried to make a dent, so it is looking much better than it was! This room will get a major makeover sometime in the next year to become a more inviting, functional and visually appealing area of the home. For now we just close the doors and pretend it’s not there!
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Den List
- Add Storage: a definite need for this space.
- Sell Embroidery Machine: DONE
- Sell Big Desk: now that the machine is gone, something smaller will better fit the space.
- More Outlets: common theme in a century old house.
- Shelving in Closet: Chris uses this closest to store wine while it’s in the carboy, so I would like some shelving in there to serve as more storage…
- New Desk: time for a change
- Sell Computer Monitor: not using, so get rid of it.
- Wireless Printer: would love one, anything to get rid of some cords.
- Curtains: need something to cover the big picture window
- Area Rug: still not sure on this one...
- Sitting Area: still up for debate.
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Next is the Pantry. This area is where the basement stairs are as well as an access to the outside (where the grill is). We store coats, kitchen stuff and groceries in this area. It has some random homemade shelves that make no sense to use and is always a mess. But will get some more focus these next couple months.
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Pantry List
- Remove Random Shelves: we don’t understand the purpose of the shelf below the coats…
- New Lower Cabinet: something sturdier!
- Storage Baskets: help to hide the clutter.
- New Light: bought a dome, just need to install.
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The basement is only a partial and is not finished. It is where our washing and drying machines are, and also where we store our canned goods and finished homemade wine. There is a tiny furnace room, lovingly referred to as the dungeon and that is where Chris works on his guns. Next time we will head upstairs where the real mess begins!

Happy Tuesday!

Ashley's Boys

2011-06-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of spending part of an afternoon with Ashley's boys! We had a great time at the park taking pictures. Here are just a couple from our shoot.

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We tried to use a frame that we had brought with...
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This is the reaction that we got...
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So we decided to just bury it. Happy Monday!

Dragon Tales

2011-06-02T08:59:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this journey began a few months back while I was shopping at TJMaxx with my favorite little man, DaShawn. We came across an aqua blue lion, which reminded us of a Chinese “Parade” Lion - please tell me someone knows what I’m talking about… anyways, we had to bring him home for only $6.00.

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He looked amazing and would be a perfect addition to the guest room. Later that week while browsing the internet, I came across a Dragon at Pier 1. I “hmm’d” and “haa’d” for a couple weeks, cause he was $45 + shipping, and would need a coat of paint (too many not me colors). Finally the hubby told me to just buy it… so I decided to go ahead and do it! Went back out to the website and he was gone! Emailed the company and they said they didn’t have any in stock… bummage.
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A few weeks later, while out shopping with DaShawn again, we decided to stop at the local Pier 1. (Well I decided and he had to come cause the police frown on leaving little munchkins home alone). Low and behold! We found him! In the clearance section for $30, brought him to the checkout and he was an additional 50% off! Yes, this is where I did my happy dance.
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I got him home and immediately grabbed a can of white spray paint, then stopped dead in my tracks. No. Not everything needs to be white. I put the white back and decided to be brave, cause if it failed, I could always paint him white.
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Bright green! (The color in this picture is the most accurate) Oh la la! We will try it for a little while in the room and see if I still love it. Chris hates it, but that don’t matter much to me at this time, I simply tell him to smile and move on! Total cost was $15 for the dragon, I had the spray paint on hand - bought it a while back from the clearance aisle at Walmart.
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It was Rustoleum's Painter's Touch Ultra Cover in Key Lime - Just in case you were wondering.

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Now my two exotic beauties are awaiting Chris to finish the guest room, so they can check out their new home! (FYI - Baseboards will be done this weekend! Or my hubby will be sleeping in the kennel... He knows I love him, but a little push never hurt right!?)
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Hope you liked my dragon tale, Happy Thursday!

This Week's Read

2011-05-31T13:35:00.001-07:00

Well I mentioned a few posts back that I was currently reading The Hunger Games series... I finished it last week and have to say, AMAZING. I loved every page of it! If you get a chance and like romance books with lots of excitement, check out this page turning series! I also saw that they are planning to turn these books into movie trilogy! Expected to hit theatres Summer 2012, woot woot!
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Next up, The Help by Kathryn Stockett
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- I just started it this weekend, but I have to say I am struggling reading this one. I am not struggling because of the content, but more due to the writing... it takes place in the south and is "written" with a southern accent and quite a lot of broken English. I know I am not one to talk with all of my made up words and inaccurate grammar.
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For instance this paragraph,
"Only three thing them ladies talk about: they kids, they clothes, and they friends. I head the word Kennedy, I know they ain't discussing no politic. They talking about what Miss Jackie done wore on the tee-vee."
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Now this is entertaining, but sure slows my reading down. (And I am not a speedy reader to start with) I look forward to pushing through to see what is to come! And while flipping through a recent People magazine, I was surprised to discover that this book has also been turned into a movie, being released this August. Guess that just means it must be a good book! I just need to endure, but I'm sure hearing the words will be much easier than reading them!
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AND, speaking of books - Yesterday, I got some happy mail!
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I have been patiently waiting for this order to come in!
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Last week I ordered the book Mamarazzi, a guide for moms to photograph kids. Now, hold up! We have no baby news at the Helm house yet, but that isn't going to stop me from being prepared! I have been dying to get my hands on this to study up for future reference. I actually ordered two copies. One for me and one for a special preggo gal I know, dropping it in the mail today!
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Happy Wednesday All!
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Psst... Want a project sneak peek!?
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Stay Tuned!

All Grown Up

2011-05-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend my baby sister graduated. I am very excited for what lies in her future, but admit I'm sad at how quickly she has grown up. Seems like only yesterday we were climbing trees in the grove and riding bike to summer rec.
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She grown into an amazing young woman, and I couldn't be more pround of her. Love you Munchkin!

Torn Apart

2011-05-23T11:54:00.001-07:00

Remember last week, when I posted about finding a gorgeous vintage radio at a local antique store here? Remember how excited I was? Well let me give you an update.

I found the above radio and paid only 5 clams to call it mine! I brought it home and immediately plugged it in. I assumed that the clock would work and the radio wouldn't (I don't know why, I just did)... I was expecting that this would be a visual piece only. I was wrong! The radio worked and the clock didn't! Woot woot! I can definitely fix that!

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This is where Chris comes into the picture. While doing my happy dance, I caught his attention. Now I don't know about your men, but when mine sees that I am about to disassemble something - he totally wants to join the fun... so I played nice and handed him the radio. He immediately removes the back...
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This is when his eyebrows mush together to form one...
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My beautiful radio is deemed a fire hazard, and I am told to never plug it in again... So I smile and nod, and tell him to hand it over. This is when he cuts off the power cord... whomp whomp whomp.

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By the time he is finished... the radio has been pieced apart... I will work on getting the clock functioning again - but the radio is history. Bummage. Just tack it onto the ever growing project list...

My trip to the antique store is started to sound like a horror flick after this and the peacock episode... Sunken hearts, halted happy dances and unfinished endings...

Welcome to Monday...

A Tragic Love Story

2011-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

I want to tell you the tale of a girl who fell in love with a Peacock.

They met by surprise one afternoon in a dark antique store and the girl went head-over-heels in a fraction of a second. See she is fixing up a guest room, dubbed "The Peacock Room", and knew that Mr. Peacock would look spectacular in his new home, so she scooped him up and did a happy dance, smiling ear-to-ear!

The little old man who owned the antique store was a gentleman and asked the girl if he could bring Mr. Peacock up to the counter so that both of her hands could be free to browse for friends for Mr. Peacock. The girl happily agreed, handed over Mr. Peacock and continued on her search. When all of a sudden from around the corner the girl hears, "CRASH!!!" She closes her eyes and prays that she is hearing things and that it was a shell she had picked up earlier... but alas, the little old man returns with a long face and has to tell her that Mr. Peacock has been in an accident...

The girls heart sinks....

She says it's okay and continues on her way with sadden eyes...

Then, she decides to check on Mr. Peacock. She sees the old man has gathered all of the pieces and is convinced he can be repaired. With a new found skip in her step, the girl returns home with Mr. Peacock!

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Once home, the girl decides that it is possible to save Mr. Peacock!
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While it was tragic to see him like this, she continued to patch him up.
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After five minutes of intense surgery, Mr. Peacock recovered with only a few ruffled feathers. The girl returned to her adoring ways and they lived happily ever after!

In the end, the girl is still overly happy - not only because Mr. Peacock is looks nearly just as striking as before, but he was gifted to her by the little old man along with the super glue to patch him up. All-in-all, maybe not such a tragic tale. Happy Friday!

Antique Shopping Anyone?...

2011-05-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, first lets start with an explanation... my readers are shy :) Not many like to leave comments, but that's okay - I get lots of emails! So a few months ago I got an email asking how I go through an antique store. What do I look for? How am I not overwhelmed? How do I know if I am getting a fair price?

Well I can answer those questions right off the bat! I look for things that interest me... sure there are all sorts of crazy neato items, but if I can't see it in my house - I pass! I always try to keep in mind my huge list of current projects, and try super hard to not come home with any new ones... need to get caught up! I do get overwhelmed, but then I just need to tell myself to focus... and I don't always know if I am getting a fair price... so if it isn't something I am comfortable buying without knowledge or something I can't live without - I leave it behind and do some research.

So, I discovered a "new to me" antique shop in Granite Falls recently, so I decided to take you on a walk with me my first time through this store! Stay with me there are lots of pictures... and I apologize that they are all so dark, but the store was very dimly lit...

First shelf... No we won't go shelf by shelf through pictures... BUT - Do you see what I see? What on this shelf might I be interested in!?
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If you guessed the off-white ceramic shell - you guessed correctly! And for $1 - darn skippy this is coming home with me!
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Alright, you are bound to come across "scary" in every antique shop... just focus, keep your head down and hope the giant kitty statues don't pounce down on you when you pass by...
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Lots of pretty glass bottles! Imagine them lined up in your kitchen window or on a summer themed mantle - oh la la...
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Vintage Tootsie Pop vending machine! Awesome! Too bad I'm a Blow Pop kinda gal :-)
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These stores are full of amazingly yummy books! Look at them! Beautiful and educational! Always take just a couple minutes to scan them... you never know what you're going to find...
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Holy Beautimus Radios!
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And more vintagy goodness!
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Okay, seriously about to drool in public!
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My heart swelled up for this little guy... I know nothing about radios... but they are pretty. I thought if it didn't work I could put in a new battery operated clock in this beauty and maybe get the engineering hubby to rig it to play my iPod... hmmm... check the price tag - $40. Now that may be an excellent deal - like I said, I know nothing about vintage radios, but I know that if I spend $40 on something I better have a darn good plan in mind - not one betting on a bunch of hypotheticals... okay look around for a distraction now...
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Look at that ceiling!!! Stamped tin! Adore! I wonder where in my house I could do this? Entry way maybe!?
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Well the distraction worked, look at these embroidery hoops next to the Batman game on the floor! Love love love (this is where I remind myself I have too many projects already and move one...)
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I always look at lamps. New lamps are expensive! But look at this one, gorgeous and for $5 - with a new shade this would be perfect!
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Okay, don't think I'm crazy - but the humpty dumpty lamps are super cute! Imagine if a friend was doing a nursery rhyme themed kids room! How perfect!
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Speaking of toys, there are always tons of vintage toys in these sorts of store you can find old metal tonka trucks that have had years of play and are still in great condition - beware there is always an area of creepy dolls...
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Cute glass globe for $3 (used to house one of them whirly do-dad clocks)... would be great for Martha Stewart's "Heirloom Family Tree" project (Click Here to see that project)!
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Old cigar boxes, AND one of them is White Owl - just my sort of thing! Great little junk holders!
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Of course, there's old pop bottles... very typical in every antique shop!
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Hold up! Look at that! Beauti-licious! Okay, this is where I calmed myself down and looked at the price tag... $5!!! Gimme gimme gimme!!! Now I mentioned earlier that I couldn't take a chance on $40, but I can definitely take a chance on $5!
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Moving on... calming down... look! A McCoy cookie jar! (I need to learn more about dishes someday, but I do know that I love McCoy cookie jars, and I have been looking for one that I can afford for a long time...

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Story time! My Grandma Johnson had a McCoy cookie jar, it was a red apple - my mom now has that cookie jar - and someday I will have to fight my siblings for it... so I thought maybe I could find a McCoy of my own that my kids can fight over someday... I have found plenty that I love, including a brown owl... but I can never bring myself to pay the price...
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Okay, snap out of it, back to reality... I looked at this one, not wanting to read the tag... I have never seen one like this before... green amazingness that reminded me of a artichoke - artichokes have a special meaning with me and the hubby - I was beginning to love it... so I looked at the price tag - $80 - ouch. And there were two of these beauties at the store, so I had to go through this twice! Alright, moving on...
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I always think that old cameras look amazing sitting on a shelf, and for $5 a piece, they seem like a decent price. I might like something like these in my den someday, but I am a long ways away from decorating that room... so I have to move on...
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And on my way out of the store, I spy these! Awesome! I have been wanting to do a lighting project in my kitchen for over a year now - but I didn't have enough glass insulators! Yay! Now when I finally get around to doing that project, I will know right where to go!
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Alright, so here's the loot! The amazing green radio, the shell and two books. The blue book is a bird book with full color pictures published by the University of MN in 1936 and the yellow book is a neat Better Homes and Gardens Story Book (I forget what year it's from). But they are fun and colorful, I love them!

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I know it doesn't seem like much, but I am so proud of myself for only grabbing these items! I only brought home one project! Yippee! The hubby will be proud! Plus, this store is only 15 minutes away from home, so it's not like I can't go back to browse again...

So here's the break down:

Vintage Motorola Radio - $5

Ceramic Sea Shell - $1

U of M Bird Book - $5

B&H Story Book - $3

Grand Total - $14

Super! Hope you made it to the end of this post... I'll be back with more tomorrow! Happy Thursday!

Where's the Beef!?

2011-05-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

This post may be a little strange by some standards, but we're not about keeping the norm at the Helm house!

What do we love about summer!? The grill! Chris gets to flaunt his skills and I get to step back from the stove! We have grilled a couple times already this year, but not as much as normal... why? Well...

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This is what our freezer looks like...
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Empty! Sure we have been buying a couple steaks here and there, but nothing beats the butcher!
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One quarter of a cow later, we are stocked for the summer!
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29 Steaks! 7 Roasts! 104 Hamburger Patties! 30 lbs. of Hamburger! Now we only need to raid the folks' freezer for pork, haha! Oh - and poultry is bought from the grocery store... But for the most part, we are ready! Bring on the grill outs and time with family/friends!

Alright, now I have to go figure out what's for grub! Happy Tuesday!

Taking a Stroll

2011-05-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I haven't been posting, but I promise I've been busy! So I thought I would at least give an update. Last Friday I decided to take a stroll around the house to check on the plants... first I snapped a picture of the area by the garage, whomp whomp whomp...

Remember the damage the dog did last year? Well she also the edging near one end... and continued to dig it up all summer... sad, so I moved on.

So I moved over by the deck... there used to be two peony bushes here, but we lost one during a hail storm last year. So I got down to take a closer picture of the one that survived.

Doing good on my account, just need to do some clean up! So I glanced over to where the dead peony was... and look!

IT'S ALIVE!!! Yay!!! Okay, calm down, this is just the deck area... I'm sure I've killed something!

Yep! See! Dead roses! Total I lost three rose bushes... bummage, I'll have to replace them with something a little harder to kill...

Found some lillys popping up!

The rhododendrums are doing GREAT! Yippee!!! Marsha, do these bloom!? So after getting down to take a closer look... I decided to go back to the garage, gettin' down and dirty (sorry couldn't resist)!

Look! There is something growing! This artichoke looking thing! Marsha, what is that!? There are actually two of them by the garage and...

more lillys! Saweet! Later on that weekend we did some yark work. Mowing, weed whacking and some new mulch by the garage! If we can get some sunshine, I will post updated pictures - you should see the dead peony, it is flourishing! Happy Day!

Smooth Move...

2011-05-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

So today I wanted to share pictures from Easter with the Helm family… but I can’t find them… I’m actually afraid I may have deleted them… cause that definitely sounds like a bonehead move I would pull this week.

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So, this week I have been battling an extremely persistent cold… I’m tired and crabby, nuf said. So I have been reading as often as I can… trying to keep some brain activity going and staying clear of anyone I could contaminate. I am currently reading the Hunger Games series… anyone else read these? I just started the second book, love it!
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So to round out this post, and just because they make me smile, here are a couple pictures of my gorgeous baby sister from prom last weekend!
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Love you Munchkin!

Brouwer Shower

2011-05-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Chris just informed me that tomorrow is date night, and we have plans on Wednesday... so if I want to get more posts in this week... I am going to have to start stacking them up now!

This weekend I got to go to the Brouwer Shower to celebrate with Baby Finn and his mommy! Finn's dady is currently serving us overseas, Lance these pictures are for you! Many beautiful decorations, great food, amazing friends, baby kisses and tummy twisting laughs! Enjoy!

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Pure Happiness

2011-05-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

These past couple of weeks have been extremely busy and I am pooped! So while I try to find some energy and get back on top of projects this week, I figured I could do a couple picture posts. I was privileged to spend part of DaShawn's birthday with him in Sioux Falls this year. First we had to open presents of course!

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He got a new bike from him mom along with lots of other goodies! Nothing compared to the bike though... and while it was raining, he showed us he didn't need training wheels by riding around the apartment!
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Lots of smiles that day!
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Then we finally got to go to Chucky Cheese! A first for all of us!
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Lots to do and the smiles continued!
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Jack and I worked on our Skeeball skills, while DaShawn showed off his driving! (Gonna be scary when he gets older!)
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He let us help with some games, but mainly this big boy won lots of tickets on his own!
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It was a great day, one that I will never forget. Once again, happy birthday big man!

Happy Birthday DaShawn!

2011-04-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, DaShawn happens to be one of my favorite little men in the whole wide world! I am so lucky that I have gotten to spend so much time with him over these past few years, and today is a big day! Today is DaShawn's 5th Birthday!!! So this post is going up to display a few of my favorite pictures from over the past 5 years!

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I hope now you see why he makes me melt... My heart breaks just a little thinking about how fast he has grown, and soon I am going to have to realize that my little man will grow to be a big man! Happy Birthday DaShawn! Love you and can't wait to see you tonight!

Enlightening

2011-04-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, Jackie and I went thrifting in the cities. We found a Goodwill Store and just had to stop. It was the most amazing Goodwill I had ever been to! It looked like the ones in the commercials (my local Goodwill looks nothing like the commercials)! Anywho, we found all sorts of goodies, including the two lamps below.

I scored these for $5.99 a piece and I have to admit it was a learning curve once I got them home. I loved the colors of the middle sections, but for those who know me well - I am not a fan of gold... so I started to disassemble them, only to discover I needed a little guidance... you know what that means?

I had to ask Chris for help. Upon taking them apart, Chris told me that one of them had a broken/missing piece... dang! So he taught me what to look for next time... so none-the-less it was an enlightening situation. After he got all the pieces separated I spray painted all the gold, bought a new piece for the bulb to screw into at Menards ($2.99) and purchased a lamp harp.

- These are what they look like after! I purchased both lamp shades at Walmart ($10 each), the one on the right required the harp, so that was plucked up at Menards ($2.49). So here it the tally:

Green Lamp

Original Price - $5.99

Lamp Shade - $10.00

Total - $15.99

Cream Lamp

Original Price - $5.99

Bulb Piece - $2.99

Harp - $2.49

Lamp Shade - $10.00

Total - $21.88

Chris thinks the green one is a Hunter green color, I see it as a teal - we've decided it depends on the lighting... this lamp will go in the guest room. The cream colored lamp is going to find a new home in our bedroom. Very happy with the way they turned out and still thrilled that they were cheaper than buying new lamps. Most importantly, I love that future picking advice received from the hubby - like building a future buyer's guide for thrifting!

Happy Monday!

12 Minutes to Happiness

2011-04-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

I have been hunting for a good deal on a patio set for over a year now! I have a hard time paying full price for something I want, not something we need... (you know, with the exception of Rigley the Rhino, story here) So a year later, a new Menards store opened nearby and I found what I was looking for!

I didn't want a patio set that was cushioned or had fabric seats. It rains too much and I don't like a damp tush... so I knew I wanted something that was all metal! I wanted a table that didn't have any glass and plenty of "drainage" as it will be outside all year round with the elements and lots of heavy snow!

I received a Menards flyer advertising a patio set just like this for $239 at full price. I "hm'd" and "ha'd" to no end. Then they had their Grand Opening sale last weekend and the set I wanted dropped to $199! I had Menards rebates totally $34... so that meant that the patio set I loved would only be $165, score!

We drove to town and snagged one up! (Side note: I got to ride on the elevator at Menards, I didn't even know they had one! Small thrills I tell ya!)

Chris hauled it out of the truck, and 12 minutes later we had this! Just in time for the rain to start!

- So we got to enjoy this guy on Tuesday evening, me with a glass of wine and a book (just started The Hunger Games series), the sun was shiny, Chris was outside with me working on his school work, then he got up and grilled supper! Great night! Happy Friday! - Oh, and to the commenters :-) Chris is going to attempt plumbing this weekend, I'm a tad nervous, but I will just continuing painting! We love guests and we plan on having a "gathering" sometime this summer! But as always, feel free to come on down anytime!

It's Electrifying

2011-04-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

Anyone else have Grease Lightning running through there head now? Sorry...

- So it's time to get down to business. Last weekend, we decided that it was time to put some new outlets in the kitchen. See there are currently three outlets, two only the wall with the microwave/sink under the cabinets and one on a wall near nothing. Not the most convenient locations... so we decided to rectify that - and when I say "we" I mean that I had the idea and Chris did all the work!

The first steps were easy, clean out the cabinet. Take on the top, which was never attached. And lastly flip it over to see what we were dealing with, again easy cause it wasn't attached to the floor.

Chris decided to scrap the whole base and build his own - cause I hated the toe kicks underneath, nothing but dust collectors in my mind. This proved to be a rather time consuming process turning our afternoon project into a two day project.

The next day we brought in the new base and attached it to the floor. Following that we (by we I mean Chris) drilled a hole through the floor into the basement.

The cabinet got attached to the new base and wires were ran from the breaker box in the basement.

Chris ran all the wiring... He is a genius, I swear he can do anything when he wants to.

After he finished installing them, my job was to put on the wallplate, woo hoo, bring on the screwdriver! (Oh and I promise that is not a dirty cabinet - that is where your knees hit when you sit at the island and the paint has rubbed off...)

While I was putting on the wallplates, I turn around to see him drawing on the wall between the stove and the fridge - this is the most used countertop in the kitchen! I panicked a little to put it lightly. I had full confidence about him putting the outlets in the island, but running wiring in the wall made my stomach a little queezy and I was immediately trying to figure out how I was going to cover a giant hole in the wall - so I decided to go outside and spraypaint something...

I am happy to announce that I should never doubt his abilities (remember he's a genius when he wants to be)! I now have three new outlets in areas that I use all the time, in the wall for mixers and in the island for parties with crockpots! Yay!

Alright well that's all for today! Happy Thursday!

Work Boots Are On

2011-04-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend we made sure to put our work boots on! Our plan was to tackle a couple of the projects we have on the list and finish up a few others. Well, we decided to start one and upon dismantling - we realized that this quick project was going to take much longer than we anticipated.

So our boots got a good workout this weekend while we spent some quality time in the kitchen with the drill.

I will share our weekend accomplishments throughout the week... so be patient as I sort through pictures! I'll leave you with one distraction that was a constant presence. This little booger continues to grow on us... literally?

- Happy Monday!

New Toy

2011-04-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

So I know it's been awhile, but life happens - and I'm not about to tell it to slow down!

Just wanted to post an update about my new toy! I finally bought the camera lens I have been eyeing for the past year. It's a Canon 50mm that allows we to get an f/stop of 1.8! Woot woot! Bring on the blurry backgrounds! And because the only test subject around my house is four-legged and furry, here you go!

When I asked him to look fierce, this is what I got! Deer in the headlights. Oh well, focus on the blurry background, love it!

- Even though life has gotten overly busy, I promise that the projects ideas are still flowing. We will be finishing up the blue room soon and I will post all about it and the little DIY projects that are going into that room. We have a second guest room in the making. Also some bathroom repairs/updates. And big plans for the living room and dining room - new coat of paint (seen above are the choices we have narrowed down to), and some big makeover projects including the table project I mentioned HERE, a finished chest mentioned HERE, and a new exciting project that is finally coming together! - Stay tuned and Happy Tuesday!

Virginia Maid by Lane

2011-03-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

I get very excited when I hear the word "Lane" together in the same sentence as "cedar chest."

WARNING: My point and shoot camera apparently needs an EXTREME cleaning! Sorry, I didn't notice before taking these pictures...

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Here is the inside. Both Lane cedar chests that I own, have a tray which I love!

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They look completely different from one another! This looker has straight lines and a low height which I adored the minute I laid eyes on it. Tiana and I were at an auction and this beauty had to come home with us and for 25 clams, we gladly loaded her up!
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I love her lines, but not the scratches on top of her lid... Looks like it was used as a drawing table and there are many battle wounds.
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So I got to sanding this weekend! 40 minutes later...
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Her lid looks brand spanking new! I will continue to work on her these coming weeks with some other projects... and I will keep you all posted of course! :)
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Happy Tuesday!
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I promise to clean my camera before next time!

Baby Fever

2011-03-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

I have a major case of Baby Fever this week!

Meet Finnigan! He's the new addition to the Brouwer family! We are so incredibly happy for them. Finn is just so handsome and his mama couldn't look more beautiful!

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Then this week I have been working on baby gifts for a friend at work who also had a little boy recently. I forgot to take a picture of the frame before, but here it is after a quick paint job. I removed everything but the glass and used my silhouette to cut the vinyl.

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The next few pictures were all silhouette projects. This is a onesie for the little man.
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Daddy is a big golfer, so this should be quite fitting!
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And I couldn't resist making the bibs. The bibs were ordered from Babies R' Us... I loved the colors!
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Last weekend I ended up getting really sick on Sunday, so the guest bedroom didn't get finished - so we plan to do so this weekend! Bring on the paint, primer and baseboards - I'm ready to finish this baby!
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Also on next week's agenda, another auction! Woo Hoo! Totally pumped! I have my list of what I am looking for (along with max bids) and I've been practicing my poker face.
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And then to top it off - we have a wedding in the cities on Friday! Can't wait! Maybe even a trip to Ikea on Saturday, that would be the cherry to top off what is sure to be an excellent week! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, Happy Friday!

Fed Up!

2011-03-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

This morning I had enough of it! Tired of waking up early just to deal with it! Wash it, dry it, straighten it... enough! When a ponytail is how it spends most of it's time, and that still takes me 20 minutes to do, forget it! I'm done!

You know how much I like Before & After's... so here we go!

And of course the After, no intense scrolling required.

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9 1/2 inches gone and back to the color I was for the wedding. So much happier!

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Hope you all of a great weekend and Happy Friday!!!

Chair Makeover

2011-03-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I was going to save this for later this week, but after finishing it last night - I just can't contain myself!!!

Last year, mom & I spent lots of time searching for the perfect chair for Tiana's senior pictures... low and behold we found it! It was perfect! But because Tiana is so stunning, you hardly even notice the chair. :) So after the pictures were taken, this chair went straight into a corner in my dining room and was hardly seen.

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So it was time to make this beauty stand out! You know what the means! Thrift store makeover!!! So here is the before...

Now it is time to see the after!

She is now highly noteworthy!

My favorite makeover to date!

Are you ready!?

I can't hear you!

Okay seriously, a little more scrolling!

Here it comes!

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Ta Da! Isn't she gorgeous!? I took no pictures of the process... so the Before & After will have to suffice!
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First, I started by tearing her apart and removing all the cushions. Then came a coat of primer and two coats of white spray paint. I bought the green fabric at JoAnn's.
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Instead of making new buttons, I just painted the old ones! This chair won't get a whole lot of actual use, so the painting option seemed perfect. Chris helped me put all the pieces back together cause two hands were not enough. (This meant that I got to use the power stapler, love it!) To finish it off, I covered the staples with rope from Walmart.
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For a last pop of color, I painted the grooves in the front the same color as the buttons. I love how this project turned out! She will live in the new guest room, once I have it completed of course! Hope you enjoyed seeing it! Have a Very Happy Tuesday!!!

Knob Makeover

2011-02-28T08:05:00.001-08:00

After our wedding in September, we had quite a few bottle stoppers left over. I gues our count was off a tad, but oh well - more for us! At least that is what we thought... There is only so much you can do with heart stoppers, and they are not always the right choice for gifts... so we decided to transform them.

During a visit to our local Habitat store, I spotted these... and it was a total light bulb moment! So with the hubby's help (I'm not allowed to run the welder), we transformed bottle stoppers and knobs into...

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Unique and conversation starting stoppers! I want to paint the copper piece, but Chris likes them this way. Now I am on a hunt for more knobs that I can surely whip the spray paint out for!

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Here's to taking what you've got and giving it new life! More projects to come. Happy Monday!

Rigley the Rhino

2011-02-25T06:02:00.000-08:00

First - the pure excitement of just seeing the box!

Second - getting the cat out of the way long enough for me to open the box!

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Third - Pure joy!

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Meet Rigley the Rhino - he has found a new home with us! And we (by that I mean "I") love him dearly! Isn't he gorgeous!?
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Sorry for the poor picture quality, I couldn't contain myself long enough to wait for daylight! And yes, I have already gotten grief that I have named the Rhino and the cat still has no name. Here's to Wednesday Wishes that do come true! Happy Friday!!!

Becoming a Teenager

2011-02-24T05:51:00.000-08:00

February is such a great month! Work slows down, we have Valentine's Day and of course, our nephew's birthdays fall in this month, too!

Because I just posted about Riley yesterday, I wanted to do a special post for Tyler. This little guy was only 5 years old when I first met him. Last week, this young stud turned 13 and officially became a teenager! Can you believe it!? He is growing up to be an incredible young man. We love you Tyler, welcome to your teen years!

So happy wishes for Tyler turning 13 this month and young Riley hitting the double digits with his 10th birthday. We are so proud to call you two our nephews!

Cheering On #32

2011-02-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago Chris & I were able to attend our nephews basketball tournament! What a great time!

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We loved watching him dribble up & down the court!

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During their second game he was the only scorer on his team!
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Watching him focus on the game was probably my favorite part!
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He seemed to love playing and cheering on his team mates!
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Teamwork was the focus by game three, and it all fell together for them... leaving them victorious!
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He still pleases his proud aunt and sits down for the ritualistic game time picture!
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Way to go #32, we love you!

Annual Vikings Game

2011-02-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

So this is a super late post, but still felt the need to put it up. Every year, me, Tiana and the folks seem to attend a Vikings game together - and this year was no different.

On December 5th we made our way to the cities to watch them play. Little did we know, this would be the last game of the season held in the Metrodome!

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We watched a great game played with the Bills! We scored lots, which always makes us happy - mainly because we get to sing the Vikings song!

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This was the first time we had ever had seats in the endzone, and I have to admit - it wasn't bad at all! We had a total blast!
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On December 12th the Metrodome roof collapsed. So glad we were able to get in our game this season and hoping for another next year! Happy Tuesday!

Auctions Make My Heart Melt

2011-02-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

Last month, I brought Tiana to her first auction!

It was freezing cold and the windy was crazy, but that wasn't going to stop us!

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Going to an auction is so exciting for me! Just looking around and the thrill of the nod... makes my heart swell. Giving old ladies "the look" so that we walk away with what we are hoping for.

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It's just exciting. You have to work on your poker face and keep your excitement hidden. There are carts everywhere full of boxes hiding goodies. But most of all, this time I got to experience it with Tiana and teach her all about it.
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Rule number one - set a limit. Know what you are willing to pay for an item and stick to it! Also got to teach her all the lingo, including "bidder's choice" and "one money."
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Thanks for tagging along munchkin! Love the cedar chest we scored!

Catching Up

2011-02-20T08:42:00.001-08:00

Alright, time to do some catch up. Work has slowed down, which means that we have been taking advantage of nights with no "homework." So because of this blogging hit the back burner, so I figured this week could be a catch up week.

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First, let me introduce our new house guest. This is the cat. He doesn't really have a name at this moment, we call him Muncher, Jeffy, Dumb Dumb, etc. Nothing solid at this point. He was only coming to our place temporarily because he was in bad health at the farm, but the hubby has grown attached... and I'm pretty sure he will become a permanent member of the family.
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So anywho, that's the cat. More photos to come this week as we finish up some projects. Hoping to have an entire week of projects for you next week! Stay warm and happy Sunday!

Breaking Routine #4

2011-02-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

Last week, Jackie and DaShawn came to visit, so we thought it was a great time to break routine with Fajitas!!!

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We used Chicken Fajita meat made by Schwans and then cooked up some Beef Stew meat and seasoned with taco seasoning, salt & pepper to taste. It was delicious and super easy! Definitely going into the rotation!
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Note to self: Learn how to take prettier food pictures, and consider getting a cute plate or two!

Long Winter

2011-02-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

This winter has felt so long, and it's only the beginning of February... I am so ready for this to be done.

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Here's to hoping for no more snow and a friendly thaw. I don't think our mailbox can handle much more of Old Man Winter.

Wednesday Wishes

2011-02-02T13:13:00.001-08:00

I have a major case of Spring Fever! With another 11 inches of snow this week and temps reaching -45 degrees last night, I am ready for Spring!!!

With that in mind, I went to check out ZGallerie’s new spring collection, look at all the yummy goodies!!!

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Is that ceramic rhino not the most scrumptious thing in the world!? I can’t tell you how much I want him in my home! (Hubby are you listening!?)
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Happy Wednesday!

Breaking Routine #3

2011-01-31T07:35:00.001-08:00

So we did it! In January we officially tired three new recipes! Here is the most recent!

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Yesterday we tired a new recipe for baked french toast that I found on my aunt's blog HERE. We both really enjoyed this recipe! Yummy toast with the crunch of pecans. As usual we halved the recipe, but that was the only deviation we made! You can find the recipe at Marsha's Kitchen, along with all sorts of other goodies that we may have to try!
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Chris - Thumbs Up!
Kelli - Thumbs Up!
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Now we just have to narrow down some choices for February!

Going Gray

2011-01-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "The Blue Room"

Our guest room has been refered to as The Blue Room since we arrived. It was the previous owner's boys room and is a very little boy blue room.

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A little room with a twin bed, random boxes and part of a TV. Time to give this room a new color and make it truly serve its purpose.

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So we are going gray! Dutch Boy's Eco Gray to be exact. All the tim will get a fresh coat of Dutch Boy's Ultra White. Because the walls will be lack of color, the intention is to add accent colors around the room... To start I picked up sample colors of four Pittsburgh Paints - Willow Herb, Tapestry Teal, Madeira Red and Love Potion. The plan is to incorporate them into some DIY wall art for a punch of color. But that is down the road so back to business!
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For starters the make shift closet. Now I can appreciated some of the work around the house that the previous owner had done, but most things were done in a lackluster way. Take note of this closet. First, this closet is not original. This room used to be larger but then someone decided to put in an additional closet in what is now the master bedroom. Then they left this little nook in the guest room, and converted it into a mini closet that has left a lot to be desired. Take note that the finishing does not go all the way to the ceiling, nor did they finish it to the floor.
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So the plan for this weekend was to simply paint this room. We ended up ripping our the closet and then thought we would fix all the mismatched baseboard as well, so we tore all of that out. We are those people who can't just do a simple painting project, we will find other things to fix!
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My next job was to remove all of the nails from the old baseboards. Tideous, but necessary. On the upside, surprises can be found in even the most mundane tasks.
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See this. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but our house turns 100 years old this year! So while we were ripping off baseboards, we came across some that were original and on the back of one was a shopping list.

Okay back to the original task of the day. Let's help this room go gray!

More updates to come!

Breaking Routine #2

2011-01-24T09:57:00.001-08:00

Well we decided to give another new recipe a try this weekend! What do you feed a guy how only likes meat and starch? More starch! You disguise other food groups as cheese and sauce... so I decided to try and make one of Chris' favorite recipes: Stuffed Manicotti!

I used the recipe I found HERE. Using advice in others comments here is what I changed, I used an Italian blend cheese instead of the Monterrey Jack, and I added some basil and garlic powder to the cheese mixture. We only cooked half the package of noodles (simply because we are only two people and that's a whole lotta noodle!) and we only cooked them for four minutes, they were super easy to stuff - simply put mixture in a ziplock bag and snipped a tiny whole in the corner - squeeze to fill!

I cooked mine covered for 30 minutes, then removed the cover and baked another 10 minutes. I wanted a darker cheese, so I broiled it. I do this often, the only issue is that I get distracted very easily (too many shiny things) and the cheese always gets burnt. Oh well. I am happy to announce that this is the first success of the year! Might not be pretty, but sure was yummy!

Chris - Thumbs Up!

Kelli - Thumbs Up!

Embracing Obsessions

2011-01-16T12:47:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was a very productive weekend of working on resolutions, so I thought I would take some time to work on another one. Embracing Obsessions. As I explained a few days ago, spending a night at home watching movies, isn't very unusual for us but those circumstances were different.

In all reality, we can be found most nights on the couch watching TV, especially during the Winter months. I will usually have my computer out working on stuff for work, and Chris has full control of the remote. So I wanted to take some time and share what we like to watch and some of our favorites.

When it comes to TV, these are our current favorite shows.

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The Big Bang Theory is really the only show that we actually watch on "TV" besides football - we only have very basic cable. All of our other favorites we stream instantly through Netflix. We love that we can watch seasons/series at one time, we are not patient people... waiting a week in between episodes doesn't always appeal to us! So our current favs on Netflix are Prison Break and Weeds! Love 'em!
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Here are some of our old favorites! Buffy is a classic for us and we love watching her whooping the bad guys. Along that line is Spartacus, this is actually one of my favorites ever! In our family, I am the blood and guts loving girl, the more grusome the better! I'm disturbed like that... And probably our favorite show to ever watch together was Lost, we were big fans and we didn't even start watching until after Season 5 was released on DVD.
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Following along the lines of TV watching, I thought I would take a minute to share what our favorite movies are. Above are Chris' top three picks. We watch a ton of movies at our house, but The Punisher is his favorite (hence his pumpkin from this year, found HERE). His movies all seem to have a comic book theme going on, and that's because we seem to watch a lot of them. I tend to put up a fuss, saying I don't want to watch another one, but in the end I usually like them more than he does.
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These are my favorite movies of all time! Dramatic, I know... The Shawshank Redemption is as good as it gets for me. Violence. Drama. Thriller. Tear Jerker. Though Provoking. Doesn't get much better. (Plus it has Morgan Freeman, my fav!) The Fox and the Hound always makes me cry, I've loved this movie for as long as I can remember... and The Ringer, of course. This movie makes me laugh every time and I absolutely adore it, oh mylanta!
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Chris thinks my top three make me seem "sweeter" than I am. Meaning that he thinks they don't show my dark side, so I thought I would mention that following The Ringer, my runner ups include: 300, The Condemned, Death Race, Dawn of the Dead and any of the Final Destination movies... Sounds cruel, but they are all very near the top of my favorites list.
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Now that I've given you and inside look into one of our obsessions, I hope you'll share some of your favorites with me? Any movie that you could watch over and over again? Is there a show that you never miss on TV? Do you use Netflix? If so, what do you watch? Any suggestions, we are almost done with Prison Break and Weeds?

Decluttering Begins

2011-01-15T15:48:00.001-08:00

So when we gave ourselves the task of decluttering, we started thinking about not only things we could get rid of, but also items we might be able to sell. So I decided it was time to say goodbye to my embroidery machine.

In most households, you may be correct if you choose cars, furniture or entertainment items as the most "expensive" items around. Not in our household, it was the embroidery machine that sadly was rarely ever used! So we figured it should be sold to someone who will use it a lot to make lots of gifts for their loved ones.

Gladly, we succeeded with this task!

We were able to sell this beauty to a lovely lady Chris works with, who was extremely excited to get a great deal (she must be frugal like me)! We not only got rid of the machine, but everything that went with it! So we cleared out one entire desk and half of a cabinet too! Yay for decluttering, and also working on resolution #5, saving moolah!

We love it when one action helps with another! More decluttering tomorrow!

Please excuse the mess behind the machine... that is a project for another day!

Breaking Routine #1

2011-01-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

One of our new year resolutions is to break our meal routine. I don't know what happens in your house, but we generally have a meal "rotation". We seem to eat the same things over and over again, one because we know we like then and two because they are usually simple!

Let me just say this; I am not a cook. I love to bake and tend to bake fairly well, but cooking is a whole different story. So we are making an effort to try three new recipes a month in 2011.

Let me introduce, Breaking Routine #1.

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Being that the boy is a meat and starch man, I figured we would stick to the meat catagory. Whenever we make it out to eat, especially to Perkins, he orders Country Fried Steak, one of his favs. I have tried this once in the past, but the recipe was not good. So I decided to attempt it once again, following a recipe from a well known cook, The Pioneer Woman.
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Using her recipe for Country Fried Steak from her cookbook I lead the charge and hoped for the best. Following the recipe to the max, things were not going so well. My cooking instincts are not great, but after cooking them for much longer than stated, I knew this was not going to go well.
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I am very sad to announce that our first attempt at breaking routine was an epic fail. The meat was not done and the gravy tasted of far too much flour with no other recognizable flavor.
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We are bummed, but will not let this effect our opinion on the great ranching housewife. We will remain fans and maybe try another recipe that this year. We are stealing a rating from my aunt's blog (found here) and will both give our opinion on the new dishes this year with a simple thumbs up or down.
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Breaking Routine #1
Kelli - Thumbs Down
Chris - Thumbs Down
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Wish us better luck for next time!

Long Week

2011-01-15T10:32:00.001-08:00

This has certainly been a long week! First we get snow on Monday and we break the snowblower, then to top it off I end up with the flu! No fun...

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So yesterday I got a call at work, and to start the weekend off... the boy decided to officially ask me "out" on a date. Now, understand that we ended up staying in, but this is the first time in seven years that he has called and "asked me out"... BIG DEAL!!!
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Started off thinking we would go out for chinese and then to a movie, but after seeing the movies that were playing we decided to get our food to go and rent movies for a night on the couch! In most cases this would not be a rare occassion but after a long week, it was just what was needed!
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Good movies, great food and amazing company. What a way to kick off the weekend! See you soon!

Slacking...

2011-01-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry this site has been so boring, I will update this weekend with some 2011 Resolution progression! Promise!

Weekend Focus:

1. Declutter

2. Breaking Routine

3. More Time Together

4. Acknowledge Obsessions

Be sure to check back later! Happy Friday!

Clearing the Rumors

2011-01-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

Haha, just wanted to throw out a quick post to clear up any misunderstandings... no, I'm not pregnant. There have been lots of emails, texts and phone calls since my last post. Sorry to burst any bubbles! Nothing yet!
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I will fill you a few posts from now... but essentially, one of my 2011 resolutions is already paying off, literally! Stay tuned!
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FYI, when there's a "baby post" I will be much more creative :-D

Bitter Sweet

2011-01-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

I thought it would finally be time for me to display one of my holiday decorations. Last summer at an auction, yes the one that did THIS to my garage, I ended up buying a box for some fancy-shmancy dishes and ended up getting a couple old doilies. Wondering what to do with them, I browsed the internet for doily projects. And feel in love with one!

I have been grabbing spare doilies from everywhere all year! Friends, grandma, garage sales, thrift shops, surprisingly - they are very hard to find! Finally I had enough to do for now...

Then I got an idea for a great new table! So I waited and waited, as patiently with little toe tapping as I could for the hubby to help with the table. Two weeks before Christmas, I burst out one night, "Will the table be done for Christmas!?" The answer was no.

So, I decided that my doily project would have to go on my not so pretty table... fine. I'll suck it up! {But I'm not going to be happy about it...}

Meet my sad, old, plain, veneer topped, metal legged, yawn table... sigh... okay, pity party over, let's jazz her up!

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Here are the said doilies mentioned above, and the only other supply I needed... floss!

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First I laid them out on the table, in a fashion that pleased me... not hard to do with all that white and creamy crocheted happiness!
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Last, you tie the delicate beauties together and snip off the extra floss... are you ready!?
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Pow! One super schnazzy doily project all dressed up for Christmas! Now imagine a big bouquet of flowers in the spring or a pumpkin and acorns in the fall... woo hoo, multi-use project. {Would be even better if the boy would help me with my table project. Honey, I hope you're reading this, love you!}
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The title is "Bitter Sweet" because I insist this project would have looked better, but in reality I love it so much, I could care less what table it was on!
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Next step, add more doilies as I find them and turn it into a full table runner, with homemade gorgeousness flowing over the edge of the table! Like the one I found that sent me on the doily mission this summer, you can see it HERE (you may have to scroll through some of the photos in the bottom right). Did you find it!? Love it!
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My sincerest apologies for all the "excitement" in today's post, I'm in a GREAT mood and I'll explain it all very soon! No, it's not the table :-) Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Wishes

2011-01-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

Once again, Happy New Year to all! I wanted to start off Wednesday Wishes for 2011 with something that I really wished I'd had last week. Some of you may know that Chris & I don't do Christmas cards, we do New Years cards - essentially because I am not punctual enough.

So last week while I was getting them all ready to go, I was wishing that I had an address stamp for us! So that is when I started looking and look at what I found!

Note Trunk is an Etsy store! They have a bunch of amazing address stamps that are to die for! Then have a variety to choose from and and they are all reasonably priced under $30 (from what I saw). Take some time to browse through their store if you have the time, you can find them HERE.

Otherwise, take a peek at some of their designs below. Most are available in a wood stamp or self-inking. One of these will be on my list of things to purchase in 2011! Enjoy!

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Resolutions...

2011-01-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

I have debated whether or not to post these for the last few days, but have decided that it would help me to keep them if they were public. So here are my 2011 resolutions.

Image Source Here

Number One : Date Night

We are officially implementing a date night each month. A night/day for the two of us, doing something specifically together out of the usual. This is normally not an issue in the summer months, or once it gets nice enough to go outside, but during these winter months – many nights are spent on the couch with a computer and Netflix… how romantic. So to kick things off in January we treated ourselves to an afternoon out for ribs at the Hitching Post, ice cream and home to play Yahtzee.
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Image Source Here

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Number Two : Breaking Routine

Chris is very excited about this one! Chris grew up with an amazing cook (his mom) and ended up marrying me, the queen of Hamburger Helper! We have a “rotating” meal plan, essentially we cook the same things quite often… Chris would really love it if I would try experimenting some more… so here is the plan: Three new meals each month. Shouldn’t be too difficult, but considering that we can be a picky eaters (lots of meat and starch in this household) and that fact that I don’t care much for cooking, this will be a chore! But we are looking forward to cracking open the cookbooks and calling on loved ones for recipes we’ve wanted to try!
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Image Source Here
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Number Three : Organize the Chaos

Chris and I are not much for housekeeping, but we really enjoy a clean house. So this year we will focus on creating organization out of the chaos. We have plans for areas of function that are still appealing to the eyes. Making sure that basic household chores are handled will also be a part of this step... darn it, I don't like cleaning.

Image Source Here
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Number Four : Remove Clutter
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We have a large house, very large considering we are only two people. While we have the room for all of our stuff, I have realized, we have a ton of stuff that we DO NOT NEED. So I am going to set this goal to declutter my house of this unnecessary mess to help with Resolution Three. For example, as stated, we are two people and there are five laptops in this household, why? Cause one could go down? Emotional attachments? They were gifts? Haha, for whatever reason, this number will be decreasing!

Image Source Here

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Number Five : Saving Moolah
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We are armed ourselves with some money saving techniques and have vowed to work on increasing our savings account this year. With the house, a car and the wedding this past year, our savings took a hit. So this year we will focus on replenishing our nest egg, but remember to enjoy a few planned purchases along the way! More on those to come this year!
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Image Source Here
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Number Six : Project Follow-Through
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There are tons of things to do on my project list, just ask the hubby! The issue can be that I get halfway through with one project and then get sidetracked by another, especially if shiny objects are involved - very distracting! So I am going to try my hardest to ensure that once a project is started, it is seen through to the end. In addition, some of the larger projects involve time to save pennies, implementing Resolution Five and more time to convince the boy that they are necessary (insert evil grin here). So to help with the follow-through, I will make an intentional push to share all of our projects, big and small on the blog.

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Number Seven : Out & About

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This year we will make an effort to get out more. In addition to date night, we will plan a couple adventures. Whether it be a geocaching excursion or re-implementing the “girls” road trip that got trumped by the wedding in 2010. Chris has never been to the ocean, so that may be on the horizon. We have family throughout this great nation, maybe it is time for a visit and some sightseeing. Maybe the answer is a weekend trip to the big “cities” with family for some splash time fun or another visit to the snow hill. No matter the decision, it is sure to be a blast.
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Image Source Here
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Number Eight : Acknowledge Obsessions
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This is one that we started working on a little early, but will be a big part of 2011 for us. This year we will learn to acknowledge and embrace obsessions. Hi, my name is Kelli and I am addicted to thrifting and white spray paint – I am married to a man who is passionate about video games and firepower, but insists the ammunition and intense practice will all pay off when the zombies attack.
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My Image
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Number Nine : Embrace Life
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While this may not seem like a typical resolution that can be checked off a list, but it is something that I need to put in writing. I have to work on taking life by the horns. We do not need to adhere to anyone else’s rules (well with the exception of anything that could land us behind bars)! Just because someone else structured their life in a certain pattern, does not mean that we need to carbon copy that pattern in hopes of achieving the same results. So we will learn to embrace opportunity, change and make mistakes! We won’t be afraid of dreaming (Chris), but we will take it with a dose of logic(Kelli).
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And because we make our own rules, there are only nine resolutions, not ten - or it could be that the creative juices have stopped flowing… take your pick!
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We wish you all a very happy new year and hope that you will continue to check in to see all of the exciting, and mundane, paths we hope to follow this year.

Sweet Sweater Pillows

2010-12-28T07:09:00.000-08:00

So the holiday season is beginning to slow down, finally... only one more Christmas to go this weekend, but... the newsman has dubbed a storm brewing to hit this weekend, "The Storm of the Century."

So, I thought that if we do get a good old fashioned stay indoors blizzard, I could count on getting some more projects done... then I figured I should blog about some of the projects that got accomplished during the last snow storm... hence today's post!

While buckled down a few weeks back (and three bottles of wine into the day) I decided to whip out some thrift store finds and make some sweater pillows I have been dying to have!

When planning to make pillows, I find that buying stuffing can be spendy... so at the local thrift store I decided to buy pillows that passed the sniff test (and don't forget to wash them, too!) for only $.25 a piece.

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Then I picked out some sweaters to use as the fabric for the pillows. I grabbed shirts that went with my color scheme and the bigger the better! Bring on the Men's XXXL!

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First, I washed the pillows and the sweaters! Then I turned the pillows inside out... drew my pillow shape onto one side... pinned both sides together... and cut threw both sides at once!

Headed to the sewing machine and stitched away, leaving a small area to stuff the pillow. After it is stitched, flip it right side out, rip your thrift store pillows open and stuff your new pillow! Then hand stitch your filling hole shut!
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Ta Da!

Three sweater pillows for pennies! Note that you shouldn't operate a sewing machine after drinking wine, your pillows will not be perfectly square... but if that is how you cope with snow days, I understand! :-)

Happy Thrifting!

Do You See What I See!?

2010-12-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

Wow... my blog has got to be the most boring place on the internet right now! Talk about disappointing... anywho, that is about to change! Combined with being snowed in last weekend, and a full week of vacation next week, I've got things to post!

First and foremost, do you see what I see? Majorly cluttered counter and a HUGE empty wall! Well last summer, I got shelves to put on them naked walls... and they have sat in my dining room since... well not anymore! Enter a snow day, three bottles of wine and a nagging wife (aka ME) - and things get done!

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Start with some measuring and leveling...

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Some marking and more leveling...
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Bring in the drill and...
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Ta Da!!! Prudy new shelves and a much cleaner counter! I took me all of five seconds to fill the shelves once Chris was done! Not only eye catching, but super useful!
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Left Shelf
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Right Shelf
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I (((heart))) IKEA!!!
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Apologies for the dirty camera and whacky focusing... I'll blame it on the wine!

Wednesday Wishes

2010-12-08T11:01:00.001-08:00

Hello Again! Time for a Wednesday Wishes post!

Lately, I have spent a lot of time looking at pillows. I am pretty sure I can make my own, but wanted to get ideas on all types of pillows. See I am looking for pillows for the couch, ottoman, beds, different chairs and even floor pillows. With the holiday season quickly approaching, I am feeling some pressure to get this completed. So I turned to one of my favorite sites for inspiration, Etsy!

Low and behold, I came across Alexandra Ferguson's shop, my goodness! I had seen her work earlier this year in one of my 'Real Simple' magazines... She will definitely leave you saying, "ooh la la!"

Alexandra creates handmade pillows with 100% recycled felt (saving at least 4 bottles from headed to landfills) stitched into sassy statements and decorative motifs.

Have to love a green product!

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Her creations make me smile. The monograms are to die for!

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And all of her other products, well you get the idea...
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I start to consider turning some of these into a DIY project, but for now I will just continue to droll... Okay, time to focus and get thinking about pillows that I can actually accomplish pre-holiday gatherings.
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Happy Wednesday!

Happy Birthday Munchkin!

2010-12-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

To those who may not know, my baby sister turned 18 today! But she will always be my little munchkin. Love you Tiana!

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Photo taken/edited by me during one of our shoots a few weeks back.

Ornament Hunt

2010-11-30T12:36:00.000-08:00

Alright, I have heard that it is time for another post! I am receiving emails and verbal commands to post something, I was actually a little shocked at how many people read this - thought I was mainly talking to myself! So I thought I would include you in a little of my holiday happenings! Working on decorating and a couple projects right now, but recently I have begun my annual ornament hunt!

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There are so many to choose from, but I thought I would post a couple of my favorites - like this Pewter Mistletoe from Improvements for $19.99! What a beauty!

For those who may not know, each year Chris & I get each other one gift - an ornament that we open together Christmas morning! So now my mission has begun! (Extra Note: last year my engagement ring was attached to my snowflake ornament, that is how Chris asked me to marry him)
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I have been browsing everywhere! I love the Hallmark ornaments, always feels like a memento. Love, love, love the new home bird house!
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Even headed to West Elm and I'm digging the mercury glass pears!
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Love the thought of this, it is an Engraved Glass Medallion from Garnet Hill (Retail $95). It is way out of my price range, but looks like it could be a DIY project! I think I struggle finding an ornament every year because I am looking for what I want, not the hubby... maybe time to refocus... or, just buy him the one that I like!
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Happy Tuesday - I'll be back soon!

Thankful Thursday

2010-11-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

So today will be Thankful Thursday, for at my aunt Marsha's blog she has a gratitude challenge going on... and I thought that today seemed like a great day to participate!

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1. Today I am thankful for my dad. While most know November 11th as a day a remember our veterans, to me it has always been a day to celebrate my dad! Today is his birthday and this man has truly always held my heart. He is always there when needed and offers the best advice! Always a rock! (How can you not adore a dad who actually got you the pony!?) Love you!

2. With as busy as work has been the past couple of weeks, I am thankful for caffeine... this is one thing I wouldn't know what to do without.

3. Lastly, today I am thankful for Netflix. Today is Thursday... this means a night off. (Well at least most of the time, and tonight it definitely will be!) Make supper when I get home, then The Big Bang Theory & $#*! My Dad Says and then Netflix! 9 out of 10 times we stream instantly to our TV, so tonight we are going to watch some more of the show Weeds (hilarious) and chow on some popcorn! The hubby also refers to this time as "couch project time" usually some sort of projects in my hands while choking on popcorn because I'm laughing too hard... darn Weeds.

Another one just for dad, happy birthday!
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Quick Project!

2010-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so no Wednesday Wishes today... lately, I have been really busy getting the house ready for the holidays. We have family gatherings at our house and I want to ensure that we are being festive, and not breaking the bank!

So my focus has been on just that (and maybe a wish here and there, but more on that another day)! Hence my new rug!

I started with a rug that I bought for $6.97 at Walmart, cause I wanted something cheap outside the front door. While looking at it I figured there had to be some that didn't cost anything to do that could make it a little more spiffy! *Light Bulb* I had seen lots of monogrammed rugs lately, so that sounded like the way to go!

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Step one, trace your plate. Then go grab some paint and a brush! 20 minutes later...

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Here she is! Isn't she a sight for sore eyes!? Sorry for the few and poor pictures, I was just super excited so didn't take many photos and it was still dark out this morning when I went to work, so I will have to take a picture of it outside this weekend!

Side Note: Chris has been continually picking on me for my insistence of using the letter "H" throughout our house. Last night, I had to finally admit I like it so much because it is symmetrical... oh the shame... I married for symmetry! :-D

The Big Picture

2010-11-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

So all of this week's little projects, were part of my "big picture". For years Chris and I have had what I dubbed the "college" bedroom. You know, basic bed and makeshift nightstands... It was definitely time for a change!

So here are the before pictures, pretty boring I'd say!

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My nightstand was a disaster area, enough said...

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The hubby's nightstand was my leftover tool cabinet, that really only held his wedding ring and an occasional cellphone at night...

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The hardwood floor (identical throughout the house), is gorgeous, but chilly in the morning...
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Here is the final product (sorry the camera seems to be dirty)! Ta Da! A "Grown-Up" bedroom! Here you can see our new comforter, purchased with a Target gift card from the wedding (thanks Jennifer!) and my new dresser/mirror/headboard! I am loving that my pillows no longer fall down into the window, yay for headboards!
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I had some canvas prints sitting in a closet downstairs, so they emerged and made it to the bedroom wall...
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Here is the hubby's new nightstand... I actually purchased this at an auction this summer also. No need to refinish, because I think it is perfect the way it is! And the gorgeous wire basket just tops it off! (Oh and the little white box on top is the controller for his side of the heated mattress pad, figured it was about time to pull it out of storage and get that puppy warmed up!)
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A shot of the finished dresser from yesterday's post and a rug that was given to me as a shower gift (thanks Beth!), love it! The "H" frame from Tuesday's post is actually on the wall to the left, didn't realize I cute it out of the picture, sorry.
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Lastly, a couple more decorations. Candlesticks from Ikea $0.50 each, candles from Walmart $0.89 each. Basket was already owned and the silk hydrangeas are from the wedding. Oh and the blue clothe on top of the dresser I dug out of a drawer downstairs, so I quickly stiched up the edges and threw it on! Hope you enjoyed this week, I am excited to be working on some more projects this weekend so I better get cracking! Happy Friday!
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Bedroom Project Breakdown:
Dresser/Mirror/Headboard - $11.33

Comforter - Gift

Canvas Prints - Had on Hand

Hubby's Nightstand - $2.00

Wirebasket/Filling - $0.75

Rug - Gift

"H" Frame - $3.57 (to make the one)

Candles/Sticks - $2.78

Basket/Flowers - Had on Hand

Blue Fabric - Had on Hand

Project Total - $20.43

Back At It

2010-11-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, Wednesday's post didn't happen... oh well, I try the best I can, Wednesdays just seem to be hard for me cause there are so many important things to do... like watching Survivor (that darn Naonka needs to go home).

Anywho, back to project week. I am very excited about this one! Last summer I went to an auction and scored this beauty below for $6!

When getting ready to leave, we went to put this in the truck and found out that not only did I buy a dresser, but it came with a mirror and a headboard, it was a little bonus that I had not known. So we threw it all in the truck and headed home.

So, Chris helped me unload this find in the garage and that is where it has sat since last June. I would occasionally stand over it, head tilting side-to-side to figure out what I was going to do with it... we needed a dresser... and because I am cheap, scratch that, "frugal" this is the one we will use, just what to do to it... I began scouring the internet for ideas and tips on how to paint laminate.

The wedding took place on September 18, and the following weekend I got down and dirty with this 70's charmer.
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Started off with taping off the mirror, plenty wide cause I am not the neatest painter...
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Then came the primer. I used Zinnser's oil based primer, I love using this primer because it requires no sanding! That's right, you heard me, NO SANDING! That is the one part about painting projects that I despise... So for this project, I applied two coats of primer. This primer also dries in two hours, so I was able to do both coats the same evening. Just remember that it is oil based, so you will need paint thinner to remove it off of anything... hands... brushes... husband's shoes... whoops!
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After the primer came the paint! I chose Dutch Boy's Colonial Cobblestone. And, I only bought the sample size can... no need to buy a gallon, when I only used 1/2 of the quart size sample!
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I applied three coats two each piece of the set and loved the result!
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I debated buying new hardware, but decided I sort of liked the original, they just needed a new coat of paint, so I dug around and found a brown. It was actually Krylon's Camouflage Paint, it worked out beautifully!
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Here is a sneak peak of the finished result... I will be back to combine this week of projects into one big project tomorrow! See you then!
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Dresser Project Breakdown:

Dresser/Mirror/Headboard - $6.00

Zinnser Primer - Had on hand

Dutch Boy Sample - $5.33

Krylon Camouflage - Had on hand

Project Total - $11.33

From Goodwill to Gorgeous

2010-11-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for another Goodwill score!?

Check out the pictures that I came across! Look at those amazing frames! Lets tear them apart!

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To start we disassemble! Then the frames go off to the garage for... white spray paint of course!

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While the paint is drying, lets take a look at the pictures... they were not in the best of shape and really don't go with my decorating scheme... so lets grab some supplies!
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First, use your spray adhesive to adhere the fabric to the pictures. I let it dry for a minute or so before sticking together... it seems to make it a little more "tacky" and you get a better hold. Then trim about an inch all the way around.
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Then I clipped the corners, sprayed the edges of the pictures and folded the material around the backside.
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For the corners, I folded them together to form a little dog ear.
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Next, I clipped off the dog ears.
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This creates a nice clean look on the back... call it the perfectionist in me!
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Here are the finished pictures! Now lets go get the pretty white frames!
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Oh, now don't they look just scrumptious! What to do with them... hmmm... well being a newlywed, I have grown fond of the letter "H" - so that would be a good start for one!
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A bright white H sure does the trick! Held in place with a little hot glue (so I can change it later if I'd like)... Love It!
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Maybe we will see the second frame sometime in the future... for now, it will go with the other frames that have yet to find a home in this house!

Picture Frame Project Breakdown: Picture Frames from Goodwill - $2.00
White Spray Paint - Had on hand
Spray Adhesive - Had on hand
Canvas Fabric from JoAnn - $3.35 (on sale, yay!)
Wooden H from Walmart - $0.89
Project Total - $6.24

Project Week Begins!

2010-10-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Alright, so lets get project week on the road! Have some smaller ones leading up to the big reveal! I was very excited to find this wire basket at goodwill for only $0.75.

So we take this beauty to the garage for a good painting. See in my world, everything is better with a coat of white spray paint; this is a theme you will see throughout the week, so fair warning!

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After two coats you bring it inside, fill it with whatever you have around the house, and POUF! Gorgeous basket! Can't get much better than that... or can it!?

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Come back soon!

Wire Basket Project Breakdown:

Basket from Goodwill - $0.75

White Spray Paint - Had on hand

Basket Filler - Had on hand

Project Total - $0.75

From Us to You

2010-10-30T19:43:00.000-07:00