home improvements.

This past weekend was productive. We finally painted Seth's bedroom! Oh my goodness...it's been an awful "Big Bird" yellow (or so I called it) for THIRTEEN years...and I finally had enough!! So when I was at our local hardware store a few weeks ago and happened to check the Oops paint and found three gallons of Tobacco Leaf  I snatched them up! At $5 a can how could I not?

Knowing that we didn't have anything going last Saturday...and knowing that it was going to rain...and being on a home improvement roll that started with some projects for Ian's room...I asked Chris if he'd be willing to help me paint Seth's room over the weekend. He quickly agreed!! (Yes!) So Saturday morning we put on our grubbies, emptied the room and commenced painting. Less than 4 hours later Seth had a newly painted room...and it looks so good. I love how it turned out. What a relief to walk past his room and not have to see that hideous yellow anymore. You have no idea how sick of it I was!

So...today we'll finish up Ian's room as soon as Chris gets home with his refinished nightstand. We'll move some pictures around...rearrange book shelves. And then I think tomorrow I'm going to work on his duvet cover. I happened to have two flat sheets left from two separate sheet sets that will go perfectly as a duvet. I had originally set them aside for quilt backs...but a duvet is more likely to actually get done (ahem) so that's what I'll use them for. He needs one. His comforter, while still warm and cozy, has seen better days. So a duvet will be a nice change. Plus it'll add some needed color in his room. After that all we need to do is replace his blinds with woven blinds (that I'll watch to come on sale...or check Craigslist) and we'll be done with their rooms for a good while.

We've been in this house for 13 years...and have done a few things here and there to make improvements like updating the bathroom and the kitchen. But that's about it. So this has been a long time coming. Next on the list? Our room and a bid on new carpet and flooring. Talk about overdue...yikes!

(I haven't taken any photos yet...but I will! And I will share soon. I finally got a photo editing program on this computer...so pictures are soon to come. Finally!)

closet shopper.

And I mean that literally. When I cleaned out my closet the other day, only to find several brand new items I'd purchased and stored away, it really felt like a bonus shopping trip! I quite literally, shopped my closet!

Among other things, I found these two framed rose pictures. Um...why did I not hang these up when I bought them? Seriously. I have no idea. Because I have to say, I'm really liking how they look hanging above my bed.

I wonder if I didn't hang them because the frames are a brushed silver and nothing else in my room is? Or maybe I thought they were too fancy for my ugly ol' room full of hodge-podge decor. Maybe I was concerned Chris would be opposed to all of the flowery goodness.

Or...maybe I was holding out for our dream house...and didn't want to waste pretty things on this house. I think that's probably more like it. I love to decorate. I love to nest. I love pretty things. I love to shop for household items...decorative items...lamps...towels and bedding...you name it.

So I shop...and I find things that I love...and then I buy them because I have learned that when you shop discount stores like I do (Home Goods, Marshall's, Ross....), you have to grab it when you see it because if you try to go back for it? It's gone. So I buy it...whatever it is...pictures, lamps, quilts, rugs. Then I bring it home and stuff it in the closet...storing it all away for that dream house. You know...the dream house that I still don't have? Yeah. That one.

Cleaning out the closet did more than just provide some much needed storage space. And it did more than prompt me to get rid of a pile of clothes I no longer wear. It encouraged me to dig out these pretty items and actually use them in this house. It encouraged me to turn this house into our dream house until the dream comes true. You know? Because really, what if we live in this house for the rest of our lives? Am I going to live temporarily and with ugly things forever just because we were never able to move? No. I'm not. I can't.

So. I'm hanging pictures. And using area rugs. And lamps. Including lava lamps. And I will continue to pretty up the place. And who knows...maybe just when I get it just like I want it...we'll finally get the opportunity to move to our next dream home!

making progress...

Yesterday I made a list of things that I wanted to get done around my house. And would you believe, aside from getting dinner into a Crock Pot and serving frozen corn dogs for dinner instead, I got it all DONE?! I did. And it felt really, really good.

Now, I can't believe I'm going to DO this. But I am. I've got pictures to share...befores, durings and afters. The afters I'm OK with, of course. But the befores? Um...not so much. But...for the sake of progress and accountability...here goes!

Trouble spot #1: my bedside. The before. I wasn't kidding when I told you I was a piler, now was I?

OK, the details. Wicker basket as nightstand. On it? Lotions, books, notepads, remotes, coffee mug...and more. On the floor? Pile of library books. Camera bag. Sewing machine. Sewing basket. Tub of yarn. Tote of yarn and crochet projects. Oh...and for drama, a pair of my cozy socks flung onto the top of it all. Wow. Talk about keepin' it real. This is almost harder than the self-portraits!!

Fortunately...things got better. I found a little table that will work better as my nightstand. Can you see it there behind all of the stuff I pulled from my closet?

I pulled so much out of our tiny little closet...I can't even believe how much I had in there! The area rug was one of the things I had stored in my closet. I decided to actually use it...and I'm glad. I think it looks pretty cute there. You'll be able to see it better in this next picture.

After...

New nightstand with a drawer that contains everything that was previously on TOP. Two shelves for books. The camera bag to the right. It will always be there...handy, at the ready. Still a pile of library books...and that's probably a staple, too. And I'm OK with that. Once a piler, always a piler. We're just trying to minimize the amount of piles, here! And Uggs. Always there. In the summer, they'll be replaced with flip-flops. The point here is that it's a lot better than what it was. And that was my goal. Replacing the round wicker nightstand with this smaller, square piece opened up the space a lot. It feels spacious and roomy. And in this small house, I need that.

Trouble spot #2: counter top.

Bills....paid and unpaid. Notepads. Pens. Pencils. Junk mail. Recipes. School papers. You name it. If it's paper it ends up here. And I am tired of it. I need this bit of space to COOK. Bye bye piles!

Hello counter top! I still need to find a space for the gravy boat in the hutch. And I'm still perusing my new cookbook that I got for Christmas. So I'm OK with these two items sitting here for a bit. It's a neat and small pile. Not a messy one!

Now this next space was one of the biggest thorns in my side. It made me mad...daily.

Trouble spot #3: eating area.What a mess! Piles on the table. Piles on the floor. Piles on BOTH sides!! Ick. And if you can imagine...I walk down the hall every morning from my room and turn right into my kitchen for coffee. So this is what I've been looking at every morning when I get up. No wonder I've been cranky!

And honestly, the piles on the table are smaller than they've been in the past because I've been making small changes over the last few days in preparation for this project. Like the little black chest in the corner...that is new. And I placed it there to see if I liked it. So it's not been there. Before it was a dusty dust-buster and a bag of...piled papers!

This is the other side of dining table. These are our "important papers". Can't you tell? Because they're treated with such importance?

This banker's box has been sitting here for...gosh...too long. I don't even know how long. Then there's my file folder of scrapbook papers I was using while crafting for the boutique...still not put away. And...a humidifier that Chris brought home and set there...and there it has stayed.

Well, after just a little bit of work and moving a few things around...

...The After.

Banker's box? Gone. Neatly store in my closet that now has more room. Humidifier? Behind the table...ready to be used when we need it. The piles? Sorted. Trashed. Recycled. Filed. And the rest? Neatly store in the chest of drawers. The lamp in the corner is a new addition. The lamp itself is old...I got it at a yard sale years ago. And it's the perfect size for this space...tall and skinny. I'm liking it. It casts a really cozy glow in what was previously a dreary corner.

You can see there is still a pile back in the corner of the table. Those are papers that I will take with me to the office on Monday and file there, where they belong. The bowl in the middle of the table is holding cards and notes that I need to respond to...and I will. That's next on the to-do list.

So. There you have it. My dirty laundry...aired for all to see. The good part is that I got it all done. I set a goal. And I accomplished it. I purchased a few items to make it easier. And I got rid of a ton of stuff. Out of my closet alone I got rid of one big trash bag. One big recycle bag. One large shopping bag for a friend...I think she'll like a skirt and several pair of shoes I'm getting rid of....a few still with tags! And four medium sized donation bags that I've already taken to Goodwill.

I also found several items that we can use...a cute area rug, two pretty pictures that I'm going to hang above our bed, a lava lamp for Seth's room (don't ask), a Nerf dart bow and arrow set (Ian's having fun with that) and in the process made room for more and better storage. I even have extra room in my closet on the shelves!

I have to say...waking up this morning to a neat and tidy bedside...and walking down the hall toward a pretty and neat eating area made me a lot less cranky! I feel accomplished...and determined to keep it this way. Not to mention, ready for the next project.

Hmmm....what's next?

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

...finally! Boy, it sure took me long enough to find my holiday spirit.

But, find it, I did. And just in time.

"Mercury Glass" acorns adorn the fixture in the dining area...

...another bargain from Ballard Designs. A glittery Merry Christmas jazzes up a manzanita wreath that hangs year-round.

Sweet berry wreath on the back door.

Another little thing that makes me happy...nothing like walking into the kitchen and being greeted by a cheery berry wreath hanging on my back door!

We were so late in getting the tree up our poor kids didn't think we were going to even get one. Is that sad, or what?

But...I did get one. At Michael's. On sale. It came in a box. And is pre-lit. PRE-LIT. Did you hear me? Whoever invented pre-lit is a genius. And a very, very nice person. I'm sure of it.

Oh, and did I mention? It's only 4 feet tall. And sits atop an end table. And I have to say....even though it reminds Seth of "old people"...I am loving this dang little tree!

Speaking of love. I know we can't really love inanimate objects. BUT. If we could? I would totally love this little mouse. Oh my...

Is he not the cutest little mouse you've ever seen? And that glittery star? Be still my heart. Mom got him for me last year. He clips onto the branch...and yes, I love him.

Pretty glass bird ornament...

...looking so pretty in the shimmer of the lights.

This is the closest we'll get to snow in these parts.

And I have to say...it's just not the same. Good thing Mr. Snowman is cute...or we'd have issues.

And...wait...what's this?

Hmmm...do you think someone is excited for Christmas?!
Just a few more days, Ian...just a few more days.

My new favorite site.

I have no idea how I came upon Tipnut. But I sure am glad that I did!

Need instruction on making an inexpensive garden trellis? Go to Tipnut.

I will SO be using this idea for my garden. I'm buying welded wire mesh this weekend! It will be perfect!

Need to know how to fold anything? Go to Tipnut.

In the mood to make some "Neat-o" crafts? Oh yeah...Tipnut, Baby.

This site has SO much information on SO many different things. It's amazing. And a wealth of great information. I visit it at least once every other day...sometimes more.

This is one of the best sites ever. And whoever thought of it is a genius. And I love them. A lot.

Go take a look around...have fun...maybe I'll see you there!

I love bargains.

As a matter of fact, I am a bargain QUEEN. I love bargains in all forms of shopping...groceries, clothing, household items, you name it...I want to buy it at a BARGAIN price. I shop sales wherever I go...sometimes not even looking at regular priced items and just making a bee-line to the clearance rack. As a matter of fact...if I pay full price, I feel jipped. Robbed. And like I could have done better if I'd just shopped around a bit...if I'd just been PATIENT.

My love of bargain shopping has led me to the world of thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales. Talk about bargains! Not to mention the reducing/reusing/recycling factor of buying used items.

The other day I took a look around my room and decided to grab my camera and take some photos of a few areas in my room. As I did I realized that each little area, for the most part, was a cluster of previously owned items.

Take this umbrella and antique shoe forms. The umbrella was at my favorite thrift store...I got it for a buck. The shoe forms I've had for YEARS...I purchased them at a flea market for a dollar or so each.

This little stack of goodness sits at the foot of my bed. The pink wicker trunk on the bottom was purchased at a garage sale for $5. It holds extra bedding and pillows. I always meant to paint it...but...as you can see, didn't. Ahem. This doesn't mean that I won't...I will. As soon as I figure out what color I want it! Any suggestions? The basket in the middle was purchased at a different yard sale...2 bucks. It contains my dolls that I'm too old to display on my bed like I did when I was a kid. I just don't think my husband...or any designer on HGTV...would approve. How about that afghan on the top? Isn't it so COOL? I love it. And I got it at my favorite thrift store here in town...$7. Admittedly a little more than I like to spend...but, decided that it was worth the extra couple of dollars because it was in good shape...the colors were amazing...and times weren't as hard when I bought it!

Old cameras. Love them. And collect them. The Brownie Hawkeye was purchased in a thrift shop one weekend when my husband and I went out of town for a getaway. We came across this shabby thrift store and, of course, had to pop in. I found this camera for $7. Not bad. The Brownie Target belonged to my great aunt. My grandmother gave it to me recently when she realized I was into photography. Isn't that amazing? Now, no, it's not thrift...but it is reused, recycled and VERY sentimental.

The Dekker books...thrift store on the FREE SHELF. Yes. FREE. They are dang near brand spankin' new! The thrift store gives books away for free...but asks that you donate a little something into "the piggy"...a giant ceramic piggy bank. It's worth it.

This is a little vignette, if you will, on the top of a shelf unit crammed into the corner of our room (have I mentioned that our house is 960 sq. ft.? Yeah...when I say "crammed", I mean it. Everything here is used in one way or another...except the Anne Sexton book of poetry and the little Willow Tree angel ornament. Those were gifts...does that count?

So starting at the bottom...the old suitcase. Garage sale. $2. Another shoe form. $1. Artist model. Garage sale. $1. Wire form chair. Thrift store. $1. Antique marmalade jar. Thrift shop. $2. Knitting needles. Free. And sentimental. Given to me by my grandmother.

There is really something to be said about filling your home with used items. Number one, they just have so much more character than some of the things we buy today. And the quality? No contest. Everything was built better years ago. They made things to last. Unlike today...we are such a disposable society...it's sad. So to buy old things...well made things...beautiful things...to fill my home makes perfect sense to me.

Now...let me make something clear. There are SOME things that I just do NOT buy used. Bras and panties? Not on your life. Sheets and towels...I don't. I guess if I came across some that were brand new with tags still on I would. But not used. I would rather just watch the prices at my favorite discount stores and buy new. Shoes? Sure. As a matter of fact I got a brand new pair of Etnies, with tags and extra laces still attached, for my son for $10 before school started last fall. Good deal! And I have to say, that while I am not against it, I don't buy used clothing. I look. I'm willing. But I just never find anything. Maybe because my style is just too casual...so anything that looks like I would wear it has already been casualed out!? I mean really, I admire these women that dress to kill in all of their thrift store finds. Brand name stuff they're finding! Anthropologie...Calvin Klein..Gap...Banana Republic...Claiborne...good stuff. NEW stuff. And yes, if I came across something like that...especially with tags still on like some of them find? Yes...I would buy used clothing. No problem. I just don't seem to have the luck...or the persistence?..that they do. Maybe I just need to try harder...hmmmm...I'll have to think on that.

So how about you? What's your take on buying used? For it? Against it? Care to share your biggest bargain?! Do tell...

Have-to vs. Want-to...

I can't seem to decide what to DO today. Or at least for the part of the day that isn't planned out. I had a meeting this morning for church...planning our women's kick-off brunch. It's in three weeks and sounds like it will be fun. Later this afternoon we're going to the in-laws house for dinner. I am contributing baked beans and I'll put them in around 2. I've got a load of wash going...and the dishwasher loaded and ready to go...and now I'm feeling a bit restless, like I'm forgetting something? I'm not. It just feels that way. I think because there is so much I HAVE to do that all of the little things I WANT to do are rushing around in my head, hollering out to be done, but instead they're being put on the back burner.

One of my WANT to's are making a duvet. I have been wanting a duvet for our bed for...well...several years, really. I am extremely frugal and I really hate to buy anything full price. So I'm constantly scouring the clearance racks and the discount stores for good deals. And as of yet, I haven't found a duvet that I like for a price that I want to pay. Well, the other night I was going through drawers in our room, weeding out old sheets and pillow cases when I came across an old (but in good condition) flat sheet in a pretty floral in colors that will coordinate with our bedding. I had thought to make duvets for the boys' beds a while back using the flat sheets from new sheet sets I got for them. For some reason, neither one of them likes to sleep with a top sheet...so I figured I could make nice duvets for their comforters out of the flat sheets they won't be using. And if it's good enough for the boys' beds...it's got to be good enough for mine, too, right?

Anyway, as I dug deeper into the sheet drawer I found another older flat sheet in a neutral tan that will go perfectly as the other side of my floral duvet. The coordinating fitted sheet got washed with an orange crayon years ago so the flat sheet was just sitting there. Now, I could say that it was just taking up space. OR I could say that it waslaying in waiting to become a beautiful duvet for my bed! I like that one better. Not only will I get a pretty duvet...but it will also be, essentially, free! And I'm recycling and reusing while reducing! Not bad.

Now, if I could just find some time to DO the want-to's. I think I'll drag out the sewing machine tomorrow and just DO it! I hope I remember how to thread it!