Mixin It Up

I have been out of my groove lately...not sure if it's stress, or what but I'm far from my A game.  So Friday I had a burst of creativity and rearranged the house a bit...I really think I just needed a creative outlet (I have NOT been making enough time for myself in the studio, and it shows!) but this seemed to do the trick!!

New foot stool/storage ottoman purchase from the new Target line- it was on clearance to boot!! and super chic and versatile (although the kids can both hide in it and sit on it- so I have a feeling it will not stay chic for long;)

Instant house face-lift and Hannah mood-lift! DONE!!

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We are in the midst of SLOWLY planning our kitchen remodel. By slow- I mean it probably will not happen until I am done with school...i.e JUNE (mainly beause we will be doing as much o fthe work as possible).  But the key here is we are doing it on a super-duper small budget, which requires a whole lot more planning/shopping/scrimping/saving and research.

SO, if I can indeed successfully pull off a full kitchen remodel for under $10,000 (not including appliances) but including floors, counters, cabinets, electrical and plumbing and potential wall removal- I will be sure to document the process because it will be a MIRACLE!!

Below are my main sources of inspiration:

SOURCE

SOURCE

SOURCE

SOURCE

SOURCE

The must have list right now is as follows:

1. New Floors (I pulled up 2 tiles last week- and we have concerns about what I found -D is sending some crazy old nasty substrate for testing to make sure its not asbestos- PLEASE keep your fingers crossed for me!!! Because if it is- that will throw a SERIOUS wrench in my budget!! )

The options on the table now for flooring are new ceramic tile (possibly chevron in configuration, we would be doing this ourselves) or salvaging the questionable flooring underneath (looks to be one sub floor from the 1920s- but not sure how far it goes...

OR getting new hardwoods installed to match the existing in the rest of the home.)

2. Expansion!

We are looking into having the wall removed between the kitchen and dining room!- then creating a "peninsula" type configuration which would contain the oven/stove in its current location (to save $ so we don't have to move the gas line, etc.)

3. Cabinets!!!

Super excited about this one- still trying to decide which way to go...IKEA perhaps? independent cabinet guy maybe? simple clean white shaker- or white flat glossy front, or dark flat bamboo panels???

4. Counters

Still not sure on this one too- it will either be straight, clean, white corian OR a light colored granite (white base with gray/cream splotches)

5. Back splash

We have discussed a clean painted glass back splash- maybe a creamy pale turquoise color? OR I am started to really lOVE subway tiles to the ceiling (just on one wall)- There is a marble subway tile at Home Depot that I am totally loving (price especially) and I really love a chevron pattern here too (if we were to salvage the existing floors and not do tile on the floor)

That's the idea list thus far...hope you are not incredibly bored;) Ill keep y'all posted on the progress!!

Old News, Leg-o-matic, and Construction

These pictures are now weeks old- and the feelings of reminiscent Mommy have faded slightly, but are still present:)

Not only did my oldest go off to Kindergarten this year (something that I personally am still adjusting to, but the fact that her teacher is AMAZING has made the transition a whole lot easier)....Mr.Man has also started school this year! Jeesh!!  he's doing great- it's old hat for him after taking Zel to the same place for the past 2 years:)

Here's my big pre-schooler on his first day:)

and a backpack shot:) He's in love with the bag...it's from Lands End via our local Sears store:)

On the home decor front....look what I nabbed in the 50% off bargain basement of my local antique store for $10!?! (that's right- T E N whole dollars- insanity!)

A LEG-O-MATIC!!!!

Don't you love the detail??!!

I literally took a scrap of fabric, unscrewed the seat, stapled it on the bottom, and reattached...quick, painless and very satisfying!  ( The fabric is Premiere Prints FYI)

and, wait-look at the trick it does ....

it now sits here at my dining room desk area

and it makes me smile:)

Oh- and one more thing that's been happening round here....This is the view from my front doorway.....

and also my 6:45 am alarm clock every weekday morning lately- one good thing about this project is that we will soon be getting a new driveway out of the construction deal...not to shabby!

Project File: Dining Room Buffet Facelift

The HORRENDOUS before....

and the much better after...

I had planned on the potential of painting the whole thing the same dark glossy teal of our front door- but after applying it to the top- I decided to go with the white: reason being- The teal looked dreadful against the gray walls- so much so that I couldn't handle it- especially since I was in a major state of decorator mania- doing 5,000 projects knowing that I'd be starting classes Monday and would have very little time for anything beyond research, psychology, and multi cultural counseling for the next 6 weeks. Specifically repainting the whole dinning room!

After having all of the classes in the past 2 days- I am correct in my assumption. I will not be doing anything but school work (and regular work) for the next 6 weeks- this will most likely be my last post until then:(

So- for the buffet- I removed all the doors- sanded the doors and base joints, filled all holes, re-sanded, then applied 3 coats of semi-gloss white paint (it's my trim paint that I use for the whole house I have a 5 gallon bucket in my basement)

Then I drilled new holes and installed all of the new hardware....I was going for the campaign chest look- I think that larger hardware would have been better- possibly the width of the trim? but this works fine for now!)

BIG improvement in my humble opinion! OH- and best part of tackling big projects- it forces you to clean out other areas- i.e. INSIDE of the buffet...now clean as a whistle!!

And you may have noticed I moved furniture around again- I put the (to-be-reupholstered) gold Brimfield couch in the living room instead.

We also got a temporary sofa from my parents and moved our older/more grubby current living room couch into the basement play room- and turned it into a more family friendly area:

Which then forced me to reevaluate my sewing table/fabric stash- and hence clean/organize that area: (because, of course I had to make new pillows for the couches:)

and I finally got around to covering an old cork board I inherited- I just wrapped it in a fabric scrap- staple gunned it on the back- and pushed in a border of brass upholstery tacks I picked up at the hardware store- SUCH a simple project! literally 30 mins max!!

and in the midst of this compulsive frenzy of projects/decorating- My oldest Angelbaby graduated from pre-school. INSANE! and so much harder for me then I thought it would be (which probably contributed to the compulsive frenzy:)

LOVE

Dining Room Updates, Golden Eggs, Cherub Tushies and The MONSTER

I've discovered that I am now an epic-post kind of blogger. While I wish I had more time to post a few times a week like I did back in the day...I realize that, plain and simple, I just DON"T. So I figure I might as well make them meaty when I do post- especially since its so few and far between!

A quick announcement:::

If you access my blog via Facebook, I will be closing my FB account (WAANT-WAA)... Why? To put it briefly- I waste time on it-more importantly, time that I don't actually have:)

SO- if you want to keep reading my blog (thank you for reading my blog)- I recently added an email link on the left hand margin- simply type your email address in and you will get emails when I post new entries- that way you can keep up!! Thanks!

Okay- so- D recently installed these shelves in the dining room for me.

They are from IKEA- we went with two rows, two per row, four shelves total. We purchased them a couple months ago and they have been laying on the floor of the dining room collecting dust/cat hair;)
I was glad to get them up and styled!!

My vision for this room is starting to come together. The final piece is this HUGE buffet, (and refinishing the little desk, as well as reupholstering the couch)

I am not a fan (of the buffet)- but I don't want to be wasteful- the size is great, and I don't want to spend the $ to get a whole new piece. SO I figured by adding shelves to the wall above, and then (next step) replacing/fixing the doors, replacing the hardware, and potentially adding a new top...oh- and new paint... and it should be in good shape!!

After having various pieces up in the room (I am constantly changing the art layout in this house), I created a gallery style wall the other day- that I feel good about...take a look

I may add one more vertical framed print to the right side...we shall see....

We had a lovely- eventful Easter - I could do a whole separate post-but I will spare you the details and leave you with this fun little project:

We decorated eggs this year! I found a great picture on a blog that inspired me- so I decided to slap some gold leaf on the decorated eggs- they came out so pretty...the turquoise one looks like a little globe, no?

First you apply the adhesive- let it dry (blow on it and it dries faster;), then you stick the gold leaf on, and brush of the excess, easy-peasy (you can get the supplies at a craft store)

Oh- I recently "treated" myself to a very fun ETSY purchase- I've been on the hunt for a pair of table lamps to add lighting to the dining room. NO LUCK. While browsing ETSY the other day I came across these lovely orange cherub lamps. While the orange was fabulous- it wouldn't work in my house...so I messaged the seller about a color change and she was wonderfully helpful and switched the color in less than a weeks time!!! Check out her fun shop!

They arrived today- aren't they darling...

and the tushie of course:

I love how unexpected they are in the space. Clearly I do not have a a french-revival style house- but the blue enamel gives them a modern vibe- and with a nice clean white linen drum shade...LAMP PERFECTION! Oh and they are rewired- and they were $60 for the set!!! Did I mention I LOVE ETSY?!

The MONSTER I'm referring to is the mammoth mural project I have undertaken in our powder room...

The idea and original inspiration was very strong in my creative mind. Since starting the project I have felt some serious doubt- although I'm starting to turn the corner- and I am persevering!

here's how its looking

this sucker is gonna take a long LONG time. I'll be lucky if it's done by the end of the summer. But it's one of those projects that I look forward to putting time into when I can...a labor of love if you will...I'll be sad when it's done:)

New Love (it's a chair;), Spiced Up Mirror

So I went thrifting with my sister today.

I was in desperate need of some serious R&R after 14 days ....not straight... but within the month of March with Daddy on the road for work- and Mommy (me) juggling my already crazy schedule + 2 littles solo.

There are few things more healing than retail therapy (in my pathetically- consumerist-American brain) . Although one thing I can quickly identify is retail therapy where you spend hardly any $. That happened today!

I found this fabulous, dreamy chair at our 3rd stop. (Savers on the Berlin turnpike). It was love at first sight- then I looked at the price tag and I nearly fell over, or passed out, or had a heart attack....whatever fatal thing might happen when you are in LOVE.

It is clean, streamlined, with a low angled seat- perfect for sitting with my legs all folded up, great 1950's construction, upholstery I can live with until I can reupholster, the list goes on...

It is SO dapper- in a Don Draper sort of way;)

Sure, it needs to be reupholstered eventually. But right now- it's this lovely nubby army green that I am digging for sure.

And here's the kicker-it was $10!!!

INSANITY

I literally took it out of the car and sat my a** in it for 2 hours in the backyard today in the sunshine!

(I had a little snuggler keeping me company as you can see...and NO, he is not nursing, altough, I'm sure he wishes he was;)

If you know me- you know that I am not one for "relaxing". Maybe this chair is the answer to my inner needs?

Onto the mirror project.

When we bought our house there were a few items that were left here (mainly a dresser and 2 mirrors.)

The one below has been hanging in the downstairs powder room for the past several years. It needed to be kicked up a notch or two...

The dark green is not really in my color palette- so I taped off the mirror with scrap papers and blue painters tape...

and took it out to the garage for a quick spray with glossy white spray paint (2 coats)....

 and voila!

such an improvement! It will be displayed on the new shelves that B recently installed in the dining room last weekend...I'll post pics once I'm done "styling" them!!