25 Reasons to Paint

I would like to state, for the record, that this photo has absolutely no correlation to what I’m about to write. I just like it. So…I’m sharing.



1. I’ve officially lived in my house for 1 year, 6 months, and 19 days.


2. In that time I’ve painted one wall orange and 7 walls gray.


3. I think it’s about time for more walls to meet my paint brush, don’t you?


4. My dilemma is that my living space is one GIANT space.


5. Which means painting is a HUGE undertaking.


6. Which means I’m overwhelmed.


7. Which is not the opposite of underwhelmed because underwhelmed is not a word.


8. Whelmed isn’t a word either.


9. Who invented this language anyway???


10. Right now all but 8 of my walls are what I like to refer to as the inner depths of a week old banana pudding.


11.Particularly where the vanilla wafer meets the pudding and they’ve become one.


12. Are you picturing a brownish yellowish goldish color?


13. Good.


14. So, I’m leaning toward a nice neutral beige for the most part.


15. Possibly something like this:




16. But, I really think if I paint all of the GIANT walls in my living area the same color I’ll be bored.


17. And who wants to be bored?


18. Consider this (because I am): what if I paint the back wall of my dining room an accent color?


19. Can you dig it?


20. I’m digging it.


21. You know what would be so helpful to determine the answers to all of my questions?


22.Some pictures.


23. I’ll work on that.


24. After I clean my house.


25. After I procrastinate some more.

The Little Things

I love when something comes together. Even small things.

I’ve been working on making my house look the way I want it to since I moved in over a year ago. I’m not anywhere close to finished, and honestly, I’ll probably never truly be finished, but when I complete a project I’ve been working on, no matter how big or small, it makes me feel that much closer to my goal. And that makes me happy.

Early in the Summer, I bought this cabinet to put in my dining room. I’ve written about it before, but at the time I had yet to do anything more than pile random junk on top of it. Well, I wouldn’t say the vase and the platter are junk, but you get my drift.




I was having a hard time coming up with something to place on the top, but then I found this vase at Pier 1 which I just HAD to have.




They’re made of recycled glass which reminds me of old Coca-cola bottles. I have a huge small love affair with old Coca-cola bottles so when I see anything that reminds me of them I get a little excited (I’ll feature them on here sometime. You’ll thank me later! ). The short round vase is the one I chose to purchase just knowing it would be perfection on top of my cabinet, but then I brought it home, placed it up there, and it shrunk! By approximately 10 times. I couldn’t believe how miniscule it suddenly became.

After 2ish months of indecision I have finally, finally found the beautiful vase some companions.




See how small it is? I can’t believe I ever thought it was huge.

My mom had the idea to put a lamp up there because my dining room is a bit dark. How can a room be dark when it’s part of another room? I may never know… Anyway, I looked everywhere for a lamp, but I have this problem where I dream up things in my head that don’t actually exist in real life so that when I go shopping I’m sometimes disappointed. But when I saw this lamp at Hobby Lobby the other day I fell in love immediately! Then, as I was carrying it’s loveliness around the store I spotted this adorable chicken.

My mom is obsessed really likes to decorate with chickens and I’ve always wanted one in my décor to kind of honor her, I suppose, but have never seen one I really liked until now. Isn’t he adorable?




Forgive my weird close-up picture. There’s a huge mess all around this area that no one needs to see. Ha!

You might remember the wooden fruit from the auction I went to earlier in the Summer. The drink dispenser is from…where else?…Pier 1! I’ve now filled it with twine wrapped balls and wooden apples so please imagine those being in there. The platter and wooden spoon belonged to my grandma. The platter actually belonged to my great grandmother first. I love family history.

As soon as I placed the last item on top of this cabinet and turned the light on I was so happy. Even though, it’s such a small area, and there’s a huge mess all around, it just makes me smile when I look at it. And shouldn’t your home make you smile?

It really is the little things.

The 411…or 410

After a year of living in my “new” house I thought perhaps it was time to post some house numbers. Plus, I’m a little tired of having to deliver mail to my neighbors since having a numberless house obviously means you’re all the numbers.

I didn’t want plain old numbers nailed to the porch posts like all of my neighbors so I made a sign.




Hobby Lobby was kind enough to provide me with this clearance marked metal sign, I already had the tile from a previous house number, and the numbers and paint came from Lowe’s. I <3 Hobby Lobby and Lowe’s. I could live at either one.



A little magic…snap, snap…one, two, three…and now we have this!





Maybe I’ll stop coming home to cribs and other strange deliveries on my porch? I sure hope so!



Have a great Labor Day, everyone!



Oh, and Go Pokes!!

House-iversary

One year ago, today, I moved into my new home.

Last year, it was raining.

Today, it's dry and crispy.

Last year, I couldn't believe I was buying my first home.

Today, I can't believe I've lived here for a year. It seriously feels like about 3 months.

Last year, I loved this house.

Today, I love this house.

Happy House-iversary to me!

And Happy Independence Day to us all!

Oh, Snap! A Friday Edition

Geez Louise (where does that phrase originate, I wonder?) could I possibly procrastinate any more than I already do? I set myself one simple little rule to follow and I can't even do that.

But the good news is, I think I know what my problem is.

1. I'm lazy.
2. I'm lazy.
3. I'm lazy.

Are you sensing a theme? Seriously, I'm so lazy these days I'm surprised I'm not starting to resemble a sloth. Crazily enough, even though I'm the epitome of lazy I've been getting quite a lot done at my house.

I've hung pictures down my hallway for my family collage wall. I don't know why exactly, but I don't put pictures of people in my every day living spaces. I have a few in the guest room, but other than that, they're all in the hallway.

I've made a birthday gift for a 2 year old little girl and wedding shower gift for Jesse. I'll post pictures after I give them. I wouldn't want any prying eyes to see them early.

I've also finally got my kitchen the way I want it...I think. I found this awesome metal rolling cart in my grandparents garage. It's the perfect size to fit at the end of my cabinets to hold my cookbooks. I painted it Krylon's Hosta Green and it's magnificent. I'll post a before and after picture of it later because well, I'm lazy and I don't have the pictures on my computer yet.

Oh! I also framed and hung my drawings from my art class in high school. They're nothing spectacular because I am not an artist, but they've always held a special place in my heart and I figured if I've kept them this long I might as well display them.

Anyway, back to my procrastination. I've managed, again, to completely miss Oh, Snap! Wednesday and this time I'm even more late than last time. Also, this time I'm only going to post one picture. It's so incredibly disturbing to me that it must stand on it's own.

Without further ado...

I almost have no words. Seriously. Why? Why did someone invent this? Why did someone find it necessary to point out the fact that if you buy this you won't have to bend down to wash your feet?

I'm so deeply disturbed by this I practically faint every time I look at it. Never in all my days have I ever even thought about the fact that I bend down to wash my feet. It's just something I do.

Fab Find

The other day...

Before I go on I need to get something off of my chest. I feel I should be completely upfront and honest about this. I use the phrase "the other day" for any day that has gone by in the last 28 years. I feel it's an all encompassing term which should be used when referencing any day in my life even if that day was ten years ago.

I feel much better having said that because well, you know, I'm a little weird and you might get confused when I say the other day and maybe I'm talking about something from my childhood. Just know that eventually I'll say something else that will give you a better time frame for when the other day actually was...

So, the other day, my parents and I went shopping for my very first washer and dryer. I know! 28 and I just got my first washer and dryer?! All I can say is mom's W/D has been really good to me my whole life. Ha! Anyway, on that day we also went to this really neat consignment furniture shop where I found this fantabulous cabinet.

My dad told me it was for clothes, but I had other plans for this baby. After he did some repair work, of course!

This is what it looks like after a couple months (see? I told you I would give you a "date" reference for my "the other day") in dad's barn, some glue, some clamps, some finishing nails, and a good scrubbing with Murphy's Oil Soap. Oh, and new knobs because the ceramic brown things that were on it were hideous in my opinion.

It really does look like it was meant to be a closet and the tag called it an armoire, but who puts a closet in their dining room? I turned it into a pantry!

Somebody was kind enough to have already put these metal shelving strip things in there so all we had to do was add the clips.

Then dad made me a few shelves.

Which I wrapped up like presents using leftover wrapping paper from last Christmas. I bought the paper (on sale, of course) at Hobby Lobby and their paper is really heavy duty so I won't have to worry about it ripping.

Food! Yum! It makes a much better pantry than a closet, don't you think? Who only has two outfits anyway?

I also used it to line the drawers. Genius, I say!



Now, if I could just finish the side tables I started refinishing the other day...

Things I love...

So...we already know I have a slight Pier 1 obsession. But did you also know I'm obsessed with Pottery Barn catalogs? Yes, I said the catalog, not the store. I can count on one hand the times I've been in an actual Pottery Barn store, but I read the catalog likes it's the newspaper. I love everything they have to offer. I love the way they put things together. I love their style. Well...I just love Pottery Barn.

I own exactly two items from PB. One I purchased online and one I purchased in the store. My online purchase was a CD tower that looks like an apothecary cabinet. I have since given it new life as a jewelry box because CDs are like so 1995. My store purchase was a clearance table top apothecary cabinet to match the CD tower. I've always used it on my desk at work to hold rubber bands and paper clips. I love them both, but they were NOT cheap. Even on clearance. And, if I'm being honest, which I am, I'm pretty cheap. Tight. Stingy. Or frugal if we're being nice. I will spend GOBS of money on purses and shoes, but beyond that everything should cost 2 bucks. If everything cost 2 bucks, the world would be a happier place.

My favorite thing to do with the catalog is "borrow" their ideas.

I used this idea for a wall arrangement in my living room. I was looking at the Fall catalog and this is the Spring edition, but it's still fairly similar.

My version includes lots of Coke memorabilia, of course, because I love Coke more than life itself. Ok, maybe not that much, but it definitely ranks right up there at the top. Along with bacon. Oh, and my family.

This is still a work in progress or a WIP as I like to say, but honestly most of my house is a WIP. I don't have the table on the right anymore because I found a super cool set that I'm currently refinishing. Someday I'll have the sofa recovered, but I can't decide on a color or pattern so I'm sticking with the 1970s yellow and green for now. It actually doesn't look that bad and you would totally agree with me if I were to show you the rest of the room... I'm also not in love with the butter cream-esque paint color, but it's what came with the house and the thought of painting all those walls wore me out. Painting is definitely going to be a down the road a ways project.

This is another idea I want to "borrow." I already have the secretary which my mom gave to me so it was my favorite price of all next to 2 bucks! FREE! But I've been struggling with filling the shelves in a functional yet stylish way, and this is just the ticket. I can probably even do this from items I already own which is even more FREE!

I also love a mismatched table and chairs. I already have a table similar to this that belonged to my grandparents. Currently, I have the same chairs sitting around it that my grandparents used, but they're kinda dainty feeling. The seats are cane and the legs are spindly and it's not that they aren't beautiful chairs it's just that I don't feel comfortable sitting in them for more than a few minutes at a time. And considering I sit at that table for hours at a time working on different craft projects I would love to have something more comfortable and eclectic feeling.



Like these perhaps...

Oh, wait! I already have 6 of these babies. I paid less than half price for them too! I love, love, love them, and I desperately want to put them around my pedestal table, but I think my mom would have a heart attack if I used chairs other than what the table came with since it all belonged to her parents. Oh well, maybe someday I'll work up the courage.



I also love these light fixtures...

I'm sure I could figure out how to make either one of these myself and save a ton of money. I especially love the one made from jars. So clever!

And these...oh man! If I had a Money Tree it would definitely be buying me one of these babies to go in my dining room!

I love me some PB. Pottery Barn. Peanut Butter. Pretty Boy. It really doesn't matter. PBs are ALL good in their own way, but the first one...it's great for inspiration, and if you have the Money Tree I wish I had growing in your backyard just buy it all and send me pictures so I can drool over them.

My 'hood

Every day after work when I head South to come back to my lovely little humble abode I drive by this mobile home park called "The Neighborhood." And every day it makes me giggle. Not to be confused with a laugh. It seriously makes me giggle. Like a little school girl.

I'm not sure why I think this is so funny. Maybe it's because the font is all scrolly and victorian and pretty. Almost like they're trying to really class up the place. And, in case you were wondering I have absolutely nothing against mobile homes. There's practically one on overy corner around here along with banks and Subways. Plus, I used to live in one up until the day I signed the papers on my spectacular house. Can you tell how much I love my house yet?

Anyway, it's just crazy funny that this dinky little run-down mobile home park would call itself "The Neighborhood" and use such feminine font on their sign.

So...I've decided my 'hood needs a name, but then I decided I don't really care if my neighbors have a cool name with ridiculous font on the sign I just care that my little corner of the world has a cool name with ridiculous font on the sign, and I have already come up with my name.

Are you ready?

The Grotto

Yep. I don't even know what a grotto is. I just like the word. I like the way it sounds and the way it's spelled and I think it would look fabulous in ridiculously scrolly and feminine font on the sign I plan on placing at the entrance to my driveway. Don't think I won't do it...

Excuse me while I go google Grotto. I simply can't use it if it means something like eater of lettuce.

Ok, I'm back.

According to Wikipedia (and we all know how much I believe in anything that rhymes with Encyclopedia...) a grotto is:  any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide.

Hmmm, I will not let this deter me from calling my 'hood The Grotto! I have a storm cellar which totally counts as a cave (and if this drought would ever end I would know if it floods) and I have a water hose which shooots out...well, water. Cave. Water. What else do I need? Oh, and my house was built in the 70s so that totally makes it prehistoric right? No? Well, whatever, it's older than me and in my personal, professional opinion that counts. I'm considering this a done deal.

I'm off to make a sign. See ya next time at... The Grotto!

Days Gone By

I really can't believe there are only 4 days left in 2010! This year was a big one for me. Even though I'm still single (much to the disappointment of my mother) and I still only have cats for children (also to the disappointment of my mother) and I still haven't graduated college (I think everyone has moved beyond disappointed on that front) I've still done great things this year. The greatest being buying a house! I've talked about house hunting/buying for a few years, but never really thought I would be able to do it especially since it's just me with a single income. I mean, come on, buying a house is a HUGE expense, and I don't make the HUGE bucks, but with help from my family and the support of them and my friends, I did it, and I couldn't be happier. I love just being in my house. It's almost like it's not just a home, but a part of my family. Ha!



I really need to add some landscaping...

 Also, this year, I have completed another semester of school (by the skin of my teeth...whew!) so that I now have 12 hours left before I'm (FINALLY!!) a graduate. I can't wait to be handed that diploma, and I'm so gonna frame it in the biggest, most obnoxious frame I can find. Heck, I might just dedicate a whole wall to it!

Another thing I've done, and this one was late in the year, but it still happened in 2010 so it totally counts is that I've chosen to make a lifestyle change which mostly involves making healthy choices. I, along with my mom and Tienna, joined Weight Watchers at Work (which I've done before, but at the time I wasn't ready to change my life for the better so it didn't stick). WW is an amzing program because it gives you the opportunity to choose. Diets have always depressed me because I feel like I'm being forced to eat leaves and grain all the time, and I feel like I can't ever have anything yummy. With WW I'm given a daily points target and everything has a points value so I get to come up with my own menu, and if I want to spend more than half my daily points on chocolate cake, I can because that's the choice I made that day. Now, does that mean I'll have to eat a ton of veggies so I won't starve the rest of the day? Yes, but sometimes, a gooey, drippy slice of chocolate cake is so totally worth it!

Well, I've only listed 3 things, but to me they were a big deal, and I'm sure if I thought about it, I've done way more, but I don't think anything will beat my top 3. :-) I hope 2011 is just as amazing for me as 2010 has been, and I hope it's awesome for everyone else as well!

Happy (almost) New Year!!