tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79541280215520378042024-03-13T22:14:20.536-04:00The BoutonsMeganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-62092243044671451892013-08-07T21:03:00.000-04:002013-08-08T18:22:22.492-04:00Sadie bug<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, this might be a new record... for the length of time between posts. Yikes! Other than my usual excuse of school, this is the main reason I haven't taken the time to blog:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lyIjfl8jY38/UgLicF2qjhI/AAAAAAAAAuo/9JI9U8V6_tM/s1600/my+girl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lyIjfl8jY38/UgLicF2qjhI/AAAAAAAAAuo/9JI9U8V6_tM/s400/my+girl.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been playing with this beautiful little girl named Sadie:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0iqOazcOyJI/UgLid6sWOCI/AAAAAAAAAvo/fM7mv7RofH4/s1600/sleeping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0iqOazcOyJI/UgLid6sWOCI/AAAAAAAAAvo/fM7mv7RofH4/s400/sleeping.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She was our early Christmas present and we have had so much fun watching her grow. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-biYR72UrRvQ/UgLiXN_tptI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Nc66bsWgoZk/s1600/IMG_8564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-biYR72UrRvQ/UgLiXN_tptI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Nc66bsWgoZk/s400/IMG_8564.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It has been an adjustment, but we adore her! She is huge now. Looks like a grown-up dog but definitely still a puppy.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_w99zzc-pg/UgLidUYV2kI/AAAAAAAAAvg/UCApXSnV_Yo/s1600/sadie+island.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_w99zzc-pg/UgLidUYV2kI/AAAAAAAAAvg/UCApXSnV_Yo/s400/sadie+island.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are in the middle of obedience classes right now, which means much of my summer has been spent practicing with her and doing "homework". She is very smart and learns quickly... but she is also full of SO. MUCH. ENERGY!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXLIQ6t1F8s/UgLieI0hUvI/AAAAAAAAAv4/v-eJHmEEwgs/s1600/surf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXLIQ6t1F8s/UgLieI0hUvI/AAAAAAAAAv4/v-eJHmEEwgs/s400/surf.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She went to the beach with us for New Year's and it was precious. She loved digging in the sand and trying to drink the water. We can't wait to take her back. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YoY8VUVPqGE/UgLib7jqnhI/AAAAAAAAAus/-GYic0fGfr8/s1600/mommy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YoY8VUVPqGE/UgLib7jqnhI/AAAAAAAAAus/-GYic0fGfr8/s400/mommy.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When we can, we get her together with her two sisters who live in the area. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wS10iiAbZQ/UgLiaO9ChnI/AAAAAAAAAt0/t5SHxdh5CDE/s1600/IMG_8700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wS10iiAbZQ/UgLiaO9ChnI/AAAAAAAAAt0/t5SHxdh5CDE/s400/IMG_8700.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two of my co-workers have her sisters (they were actually delivered to us at school on the last day before winter break!)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-majv5P5HF-s/UgLiTMnm6gI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/-4CEVnup_DQ/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-majv5P5HF-s/UgLiTMnm6gI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/-4CEVnup_DQ/s400/IMG_0521.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cuteness overload, right? </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRaQR9SsMFA/UgLiX7ec_iI/AAAAAAAAAtM/1IeKCgp77bQ/s1600/IMG_8570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRaQR9SsMFA/UgLiX7ec_iI/AAAAAAAAAtM/1IeKCgp77bQ/s400/IMG_8570.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have plenty of house catch-up to do on the blog... whenever she'll let me! </span></div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-40603158358345717952012-09-15T21:47:00.000-04:002013-08-08T18:22:17.186-04:00Laundry Room<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I already posted about my favorite part of the laundry room (the ceiling)... every last detail about it. So now, here is the rest of the room!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was our lovely laundry room when we first moved in to our house (excuse the terrible lighting). It was the same Duke blue as the kitchen & half bath. Yikes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C7SfBNc_ZTo/UEJiYfrIAaI/AAAAAAAAAkU/HnQB2rEh2qA/s1600/laundry+room+before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C7SfBNc_ZTo/UEJiYfrIAaI/AAAAAAAAAkU/HnQB2rEh2qA/s400/laundry+room+before.JPG" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We took down the shelf, painted the walls & trim, replaced the light fixture & flooring, and added some hardware to the cabinets. We didn't love the layout & weren't sure what to do with the room, so we lived with it like this for awhile (with a new dryer when the old when died). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is another pic with a wider view. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I searched for inspiration everywhere to try to decide what to do with the room, and eventually we decided that we really wanted the cabinets to be over the washer & dryer...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">which meant <i>moving</i> the washer & dryer. It was not exactly an easy task... but the hubs ran new pipe for the washing machine (and put in a new washer box that will be lower & therefore not visible), patched the wall, then ran a new dryer vent a few feet over from the old one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also finally found a good deal on the matching washer to our previously purchased dryer and put them both in their new places on the other wall, and patched & painted some more drywall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We decided to fill the extra space on the cabinet wall with shelves instead of trying to buy a third cabinet or larger cabinets. We wanted the shelves in the middle, so we moved the right cabinet over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrDxeAfmIto/UFTzJC4-qKI/AAAAAAAAAmk/YyWz1TKmmzs/s1600/painting+process.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrDxeAfmIto/UFTzJC4-qKI/AAAAAAAAAmk/YyWz1TKmmzs/s400/painting+process.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The cabinets got a couple of coats of white paint, and I also painted the crown molding and the molding I bought for the shelves before I put it all up. We also bought a piece of plywood from a local lumber company and painted it white for the countertop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tz5zZ8rNZLU/UFTzEMC0AEI/AAAAAAAAAl4/CuHp_FQwHkA/s1600/cutting+crown+molding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tz5zZ8rNZLU/UFTzEMC0AEI/AAAAAAAAAl4/CuHp_FQwHkA/s400/cutting+crown+molding.jpg" width="298" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I borrowed my dad's compound mitre saw and used it to cut the crown molding, then used our nail gun & air compressor (my new fav. toys) to put it up. I also cut the molding for the shelf supports and nailed them to the wall & the cabinets, and then used a circular saw to cut the shelving board and put the shelves in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also nailed some molding to the front of the shelves to make them look thicker. Hubby screwed in supports for the counter and once that was in place, it was just time to caulk, touch-up paint, accessorize, and call it a day! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DUixHS4DxDM/UFTzMPtLuEI/AAAAAAAAAms/_3V0X6y9iDE/s1600/renovated+laundry+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DUixHS4DxDM/UFTzMPtLuEI/AAAAAAAAAms/_3V0X6y9iDE/s400/renovated+laundry+room.JPG" width="266" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luckily, we also have a shelf and rack behind the door where we can hang clothes to dry. We also keep our recycling bins and a hamper back there, where it is nicely hidden but handy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last finishing touch in the room was a place to keep Hubby's shoes, which always come off inside the side door and have not had a proper home (other than the laundry room floor). My parents bought this shoe cabinet from Ikea and painted it to put in their entry way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We bought the same one and totally copied their idea. We painted it white & added some fun Anthro hardware. We put a base of 2x4s underneath it to raise it up a few inches so that we could run some extra baseboard around it to give it a built-in look. We also added some molding around the edges to complete the look. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLCuCyYIRD8/UFUtk0L6gkI/AAAAAAAAAn4/ogcrOCl_hGA/s1600/shoe+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLCuCyYIRD8/UFUtk0L6gkI/AAAAAAAAAn4/ogcrOCl_hGA/s400/shoe+cabinet.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It has been great! It fits perfectly on the wall across from the washer & dryer, next to the doorway. It can fit 8 pairs of shoes in it, which has been incredibly helpful. And we love the way it looks, too. The best part- it was only $30. You have to love Ikea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One last comparison of our finished laundry room:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In love!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-997159989216381372012-08-06T01:39:00.000-04:002012-08-06T01:40:21.760-04:00Stamp of ApprovalMy favorite project this summer was re-doing our laundry room. My favorite <i>part</i> of that project was the ceiling.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy4wn9blm3s/UB9RXRStf4I/AAAAAAAAAjA/QI4OMG9rGU4/s1600/stamped+ceiling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy4wn9blm3s/UB9RXRStf4I/AAAAAAAAAjA/QI4OMG9rGU4/s400/stamped+ceiling.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I knew I wanted to do a fun pattern in the room (the laundry room is the perfect place to take a risk since it is small and not a central room in the house!) My first thought was wallpaper, but all the ones I love are just too pricey. So I thought about doing a stencil like this:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjRX-tOkkWo/UB9SBZOHurI/AAAAAAAAAjM/vQy5gzQu_F8/s1600/b&w+wallpaper+with+gold+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjRX-tOkkWo/UB9SBZOHurI/AAAAAAAAAjM/vQy5gzQu_F8/s320/b&w+wallpaper+with+gold+frame.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">image from <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/decor/2012-05/timothy-whealon-monte-carlo-home-slideshow#slide=5" target="_blank">here</a></span></div>
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But... we've been there & done <a href="http://theboutons.blogspot.com/2010/11/yea-about-that.html" target="_blank">that</a>, so I wanted to think of something <i>different</i>. I really liked the wall color, so I decided to focus on the ceiling instead. We had a couple of shades of teal paint samples (one from the bathroom mirror and one that is my parents' exterior door color), so I painted a sample of each color on paper.</div>
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I thought about trying to make some sort of stamp (I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find a rubber stamp that would be big enough to make a statement), but figured I would check out Hobby Lobby's stamp aisle just in case. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NwRqrDAeMc/UB9T1Aj3XVI/AAAAAAAAAjU/k4fHagZx5iY/s1600/hobby+lobby+feather+stamp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NwRqrDAeMc/UB9T1Aj3XVI/AAAAAAAAAjU/k4fHagZx5iY/s200/hobby+lobby+feather+stamp.png" width="98" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=160906" target="_blank">This</a> guy caught my eye immediately. Bonus: it was less than $5 thanks to a 40% coupon I pulled up on my phone!</div>
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Next came a trip to Home Depot for some metallic gold paint (which was a little more expensive than I planned since the shade I wanted only comes in the quart size, not in the small sample jars)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOLOaJNeb-Y/UB9RRM13OeI/AAAAAAAAAig/DunMpnosQdQ/s1600/stamp+paint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOLOaJNeb-Y/UB9RRM13OeI/AAAAAAAAAig/DunMpnosQdQ/s400/stamp+paint.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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I used an old small brush to brush the paint onto the stamp and did a little trial stamping on my painted paper samples.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65gDa2X_2H8/UB9RSUWfuMI/AAAAAAAAAio/sjMmn6lt_PQ/s1600/stamp+practice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65gDa2X_2H8/UB9RSUWfuMI/AAAAAAAAAio/sjMmn6lt_PQ/s400/stamp+practice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I decided that I liked the darker, more smudged stamp look and that I should just GO FOR IT on the ceiling. Worst case scenario: it's not a big space to paint over. </div>
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So I painted the ceiling the teal color and after spending a couple days putting up crown molding, I was ready to plan out the spacing of the stamps. I kind of liked the spacing on the rough draft sample, so I measured the distance between each stamp and made a template from a grocery bag & hole punch:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVKiSXEMbaI/UB9RUpPdH9I/AAAAAAAAAiw/9Y7xA6XbRKE/s1600/stamp+template.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVKiSXEMbaI/UB9RUpPdH9I/AAAAAAAAAiw/9Y7xA6XbRKE/s400/stamp+template.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I started at the corner of the ceiling and held up the template, making a pencil dot in each hole. I just overlapped the holes and kept going in rows until the whole ceiling was covered with (not quite) evenly-spaced dots. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fytpbzo4mO0/UB9RKn3--CI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/hC6BuPFn-qk/s1600/dots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fytpbzo4mO0/UB9RKn3--CI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/hC6BuPFn-qk/s400/dots.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can't see the dots very well, but I promise they are there. After I rested my neck for awhile, I started the stamping. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0ckwf-0vzE/UB9RONOeQUI/AAAAAAAAAiY/GhiPEvo9zKw/s1600/stamp+beginning.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0ckwf-0vzE/UB9RONOeQUI/AAAAAAAAAiY/GhiPEvo9zKw/s400/stamp+beginning.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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It actually went pretty quickly, thanks to a good Pandora station. The actual stamping took less than 2 hours. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBvgtOTVg94/UB9RVfwLvZI/AAAAAAAAAi4/DvjxerVDZfQ/s1600/stamped+ceiling+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBvgtOTVg94/UB9RVfwLvZI/AAAAAAAAAi4/DvjxerVDZfQ/s400/stamped+ceiling+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The paint was the perfect shade of gold and I am absolutely THRILLED with the results. Who would have thought that a 5-dollar stamp from Hobby Lobby would completely change the look of our laundry room? The best part is the metallic shine that really brings your attention to the ceiling.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy4wn9blm3s/UB9RXRStf4I/AAAAAAAAAjA/QI4OMG9rGU4/s1600/stamped+ceiling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy4wn9blm3s/UB9RXRStf4I/AAAAAAAAAjA/QI4OMG9rGU4/s400/stamped+ceiling.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Obsessed. So worth the risk! More laundry room pics to come...</div>
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<br /></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-64765682740494979142012-07-30T01:42:00.000-04:002012-07-30T01:44:11.130-04:00Kitchen Update<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">We were hard at work in the kitchen this spring, and are finally finishing it up this summer! We got our new appliances and counter tops, and tiled the backsplash. We are LOVING how it has turned out. It looked like this back in March:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOzsnH09o5o/UBYPmVEhqhI/AAAAAAAAAdU/MfaZq_yiiwE/s1600/kitchen+dresser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOzsnH09o5o/UBYPmVEhqhI/AAAAAAAAAdU/MfaZq_yiiwE/s400/kitchen+dresser.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">And now:</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yyJ0YuxMBvo/UBYFSodLr4I/AAAAAAAAAbE/Vx5XFmmCEZs/s1600/kitchen+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yyJ0YuxMBvo/UBYFSodLr4I/AAAAAAAAAbE/Vx5XFmmCEZs/s400/kitchen+after.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">We went with soapstone tops, which we LOVE (just have to keep up with the oiling). Luckily the oiling part is supposed to get easier after the first year, so by then we'll have the look we love without the maintenance. It was really interesting when it was first installed:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NuuRcEjhsZc/UBYSW6F0AlI/AAAAAAAAAeg/6iI9T1b0dFw/s1600/soapstone+installed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NuuRcEjhsZc/UBYSW6F0AlI/AAAAAAAAAeg/6iI9T1b0dFw/s400/soapstone+installed.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">After the first coat of mineral oil:</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y89Gyhwxg9Q/UBYSbct_yUI/AAAAAAAAAew/0JPfaKVpiho/s1600/soapstone+oiled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y89Gyhwxg9Q/UBYSbct_yUI/AAAAAAAAAew/0JPfaKVpiho/s400/soapstone+oiled.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">Luckily the shine goes away once you wipe off the excess oil.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxyamuuTc48/UBYSZo0Af0I/AAAAAAAAAeo/GgHoW9JSmqI/s1600/soapstone+mess.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxyamuuTc48/UBYSZo0Af0I/AAAAAAAAAeo/GgHoW9JSmqI/s400/soapstone+mess.JPG" width="266" /> </span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">Thanks to the old laminate 4" backsplash, our walls were a mess. We patched, sanded, and decided on a tile:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">I love, love, LOVE this tile. I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago (and it was one of the first things I pinned on Pinterest over a year ago), but we couldn't find it online when we started looking, so I didn't think it would be an option. Once we realized that there was no penny tile the exact color we wanted, we went to a local tile showroom and discovered that they could order this one for us! So. excited.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_WSZHd7Ziug/UBYTULLQ7yI/AAAAAAAAAfs/AqTUgm0D404/s1600/tile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_WSZHd7Ziug/UBYTULLQ7yI/AAAAAAAAAfs/AqTUgm0D404/s400/tile.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">It wasn't the easiest process, although it wasn't so much hard as it was tedious. Thanks to my dad for letting us borrow his wet saw (and every other tile tool)!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyL4uhKZidc/UBYTNfwxVQI/AAAAAAAAAfM/bIDgpcYW5O0/s1600/tile+cutting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyL4uhKZidc/UBYTNfwxVQI/AAAAAAAAAfM/bIDgpcYW5O0/s400/tile+cutting.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">We actually worked together pretty well to put it up. Stephen cut with the wet saw while I made smaller cuts with the nippers, and then we took turns spreading the thinset and worked together to line up each piece. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhVvWMbSuvw/UBYTXLjvWCI/AAAAAAAAAf4/4I-k2xUhcQo/s1600/tiling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhVvWMbSuvw/UBYTXLjvWCI/AAAAAAAAAf4/4I-k2xUhcQo/s400/tiling.JPG" width="400" /> </span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">Then we spent a couple of days cutting all of the edge pieces putting them in before I grouted. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">We chose a sandy-colored grout that looked similar to our lower cabinet color. We wanted something other than white so that the tile shape would stand out, but didn't want it to be an overwhelming busy contrast with a dark grout, either. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">After some caulking and cutting & painting trim pieces to match, it
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RkevmxdxzWw/UBYTSp2ez9I/AAAAAAAAAfk/QShlUPeyabo/s1600/tile+taped+for+caulk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RkevmxdxzWw/UBYTSp2ez9I/AAAAAAAAAfk/QShlUPeyabo/s400/tile+taped+for+caulk.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">We also found a piece of marble for our dresser island, which I am in the process of painting now! We just have to get it cut down a little and have the edges finished, but it will be perfect.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">So as of now, our kitchen has gone from this:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">to this:</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t18M3jVd4v4/UBYXQ5U_58I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/A2T5zWpXsK8/s1600/kitchen+progress+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t18M3jVd4v4/UBYXQ5U_58I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/A2T5zWpXsK8/s400/kitchen+progress+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">and now to this:</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJX9DgWE8Q4/UBYXE9_9v-I/AAAAAAAAAgc/fOBU2eb85rU/s1600/kitchen+almost+done+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJX9DgWE8Q4/UBYXE9_9v-I/AAAAAAAAAgc/fOBU2eb85rU/s400/kitchen+almost+done+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">I can't wait to take an updated photo later this week once the dresser is finished (we are painting it the same color as the lower cabinets).</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ga2usbSeoc8/UBYcARMfV2I/AAAAAAAAAh8/dML0pek8r74/s1600/breakfast+nook+progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ga2usbSeoc8/UBYcARMfV2I/AAAAAAAAAh8/dML0pek8r74/s400/breakfast+nook+progress.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">The window seat is almost done and once we get to the electrical work, the whole kitchen will be finished! We added a family photo collage wall above the buffet, which as of now we are just going to leave as-is (it seems to need the warmth of that wood!), but of course that could change in the future. So close to being done!</span><br />
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<span id="goog_780013713"></span><span id="goog_780013714"></span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-38445279727297480442012-03-05T23:32:00.000-05:002012-03-05T23:32:51.558-05:00Dreams Do Come True<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first dream that came true today is finally getting a real snow
day!! There was not much snow on the ground, but who cares? The only
other snow day we had this year came on a teacher WORK DAY, so it didn’t
count. So exciting!!<br />
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A typical snow day for me = organizing something OR spending hours on the
computer. Today, the computer won. I played on Pinterest, downloaded fonts, read blogs, etc. Our house is a bit of a
mess, so I feel like organizing wouldn’t be a fantastic use of my
time... it’s not like it’s going to make a difference in this disaster!<br />
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Though that does lead me to dream #2... which is in the process of
coming true. Our house is a mess right now because we are beginning “Update the
Kitchen: Phase 2”. This is the phase that I’d planned on happening
faaaarrr in the future, but it is happening now!! The last time I posted
about the kitchen, it looked like this:</div>
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<br />I also posted about building the window seat (although it is still waiting for me to overcome my sewing fears and make it a cushion). </div>
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We also bought a buffet from Craigslist that will go on the long wall in
the breakfast area. My plan is to paint it white, although that could change. I don't want it to be a wash-out. We will probably switch the table, and obviously need to move the
pendant light over now that the table has moved. I’m thinking maybe a white plate collage over the buffet? No matter what, that area is not even close to finished!</div>
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We have<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> also brought in an old dresser of my mom’s to use as an island. It’s been sitting in the middle of our kitchen for months now, and we’ve officially decided that we like it. It doesn’t get in the way and gives us some extra counter space. Plus more storage, which is always a plus.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09rnrJdXNhs/T1WJSR3eGsI/AAAAAAAAAaE/eaXjLBkkr7M/s1600/IMG_8155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09rnrJdXNhs/T1WJSR3eGsI/AAAAAAAAAaE/eaXjLBkkr7M/s400/IMG_8155.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As you may or may not be able to see, the dresser needs a little work. The original plan was to paint it the same color as our lower cabinets. Then I really liked the wood look, so we thought about just trying to re-stain it... but I think we’re back to painting. I also kinda need to get the drawers from my mom’s house... and figure out what to put on the top for a more usable counter top. I’ve been thinking carrara marble.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XQ2GfR2Hnc8/T1WRyzbVJwI/AAAAAAAAAa0/82NuMA8nEEg/s1600/carrara+marble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XQ2GfR2Hnc8/T1WRyzbVJwI/AAAAAAAAAa0/82NuMA8nEEg/s320/carrara+marble.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">carrara marble image from <a href="http://www.stonetiledepot.com/product_details.aspx?pid=30">here </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We are going to wait to make that decision until our NEW COUNTERTOPS AND APPLIANCES are in (!!!!!) We finally made some decisions and bought our refrigerator, dishwasher, and range over the weekend. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Our new appliances, all from Sears.</span></span></div>
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<br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm excited, of course, about the new appliances. The dishwasher is supposed to be incredibly quiet, which will be such a change from our current one, which sounds like a never-ending freight train! I am MOST excited about our range, though. I have wanted this range for (literally) years. I even convinced my parents to get it when they bought the appliances for their new kitchen! Luckily they have loved it, and we are pumped to get one for ourselves. I am soooo excited to get ride of the typical free-standing range. I can't wait to clean this one! It will be so much better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We also narrowed down our countertop choices. I have REALLY been wanting soapstone for the longest time.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCvkxgsnHrA/T1WOLII9qWI/AAAAAAAAAas/T2VyXOprLAw/s1600/soapstone-countertops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCvkxgsnHrA/T1WOLII9qWI/AAAAAAAAAas/T2VyXOprLAw/s400/soapstone-countertops.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But... when we went to the stone yard, we really loved the leather-finish granite options. We didn’t want the typical shiny granite that everyone seems to have these days, and the leather finish gives it a completely different look, without the added early maintenance of soapstone. Plus, hubby didn’t really feel strongly about soapstone like I did, and he LOVES the leather-finish granite. So... we’ll see!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Of course, along with new countertops comes a tile backsplash. We don't have a backsplash right now, which has been fine (especially since we love our paint color!) but we think tile will really bring a finishing touch to the "new" kitchen. I have always had a slight love affair with penny tile, and always dreamed of having a place (or two!) to use some in our house. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5-smXzTWnNI/T1WSyyQw4uI/AAAAAAAAAa8/0j2C2N2JT_o/s1600/penny+tile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5-smXzTWnNI/T1WSyyQw4uI/AAAAAAAAAa8/0j2C2N2JT_o/s400/penny+tile.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">penny round image from <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/tile-vault-ann-30313">here</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We got some samples from The TIle Shop this weekend (shown in the same picture of the buffet from above). Both of us really like the furthest color, "Moss". It is mainly gray, but with some greenish shades, so I think it will really coordinate with our wall color.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, the to-do list includes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span>- paint dresser for island<br />- paint buffet?</div>
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- sew cushion for window seat<br />- install new appliances<br />- have new counters installed<br />- pick out & install island counter<br />- decide on backsplash tile<br />- TILE the backsplash<br /><br />Also very high on my priorities list is to replace our AWFUL fluorescent light fixture with recessed lighting! Fingers crossed that gets done soon, too!!</div>
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<br /></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-3715534023259148012012-03-01T21:58:00.000-05:002012-03-01T22:01:39.853-05:00Heart Attack!<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
It has been brought to my attention multiple times recently that this blog is in serious need of an update. True that. </div>
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While we do have some big projects that we have suddenly undertaken around the house (lots of new appliances are involved, in more than one room!), this post is not about that. </div>
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This post was pretty much hand-delivered to me by a friend at work. </div>
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See, this friend was having a tough week last week, so my friend Kim and I wanted to do something on Friday morning to cheer her up. Kim had heard about a "heart attack" from her church friends, and we decided it would be a fun idea to replicate in our friend's classroom. </div>
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This lovely friend was nice enough to take pictures of what we did and put them into a cute collage, which she mentioned would be "perfect for a blog". :)</div>
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Although our signs weren't as cute as I'd hoped (thanks to my color ink running out), it still got the point across! We put heart cut-outs all over her room (including on her desk, although she didn't take pictures of that personal space). In other words, we gave her a "heart attack"! We also gave her a basket with her name on it filled with a few of her favorite things. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was fun to try to surprise her and to collect some goodies that we knew she would like. I am definitely storing this idea in my brain to use again in the future! It would be fun to do to a friend or neighbor's front door, or in the bathroom for a spouse or child to see when they wake up, or in many other places, too!</span><br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-66527051856044065662011-10-30T08:30:00.000-04:002012-08-06T01:47:58.293-04:00Catch Up<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Well, as usual... I suck at posting once school starts! It's been an interesting year so far. I have some super sweet students, and some super challenging ones, too. It's neat to see how much progress so many of them have already made. </div>
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This is my attempt to catch up... you could also call it a camera dump. Or just a picture dump, since quite a few of the pics are from my phone! Apologies if the quality is lacking, but I just haven't gotten around to taking any nice photos. </div>
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Over the summer, I moved our DVD cabinet up to the office so it could be with the 2 others that match it (excuse the Chrismtas pic...) and replaced it with this little chest.</div>
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but after some sanding, paint, & poly, it fits right in. </div>
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The yellow lamp was a little much on the yellow chest, so I gave it a
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Before I put the paintbrushes away, I also painted a mirror for the hallway bath (also known as Boston's room). Mom & I found the mirror at a consignment store; it was originally black. I tried spray painting it a blue shade, but it just wasn't the right color.</div>
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I picked up a sample tub of a color closer to the teal in the shower curtain, and it was much better. </div>
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While on a painting roll, we also painted the interior of the front & side doors black. They looked fine white,</div>
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but I really love the contrast of the black! </div>
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I also made a fun gift for a friend's bridal shower using <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/collections/72157594587080023/">this awesome flickr collection of letter pics</a>. </div>
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It was fun to make and I really liked the result, so I made one for us, too! It became part of our new hallway gallery wall. </div>
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The last project I took on before the school year began was finally making some sort of window treatments for the office. After lots of thought (like 2 years worth), I finally decided to make cornices/pelmets for both windows. </div>
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I knew I wanted orange & white fabric and finally found some I liked at ufab (best fabric store <u>ever</u>). After debating how to make the boxes themselves, I finally decided to use purple foam insulation board from Home Depot (I wanted something lighter than wood, but a little more sturdy than foam core, which I've seen quite a few bloggers use with great results). I love how they turned out (although again, excuse the phone-quality pics).</div>
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Right now, we are working on a project that I thought we wouldn't tackle for awhile, but hubby surprised me one day by starting it!</div>
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I'm so excited; I always thought it would be the perfect place for a banquette/window seat! Plus, it will give us a little extra storage, which is always nice. Stephen added some trim and is working on painting it white. Now it's my turn to sew the cushion... should be interesting! It'll definitely be the hardest sewing project I've undertaken so far. </div>
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The plan is to shift the table over (and move the light over as well), </div>
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then add some sort of sideboard or buffet on the right wall for even more storage! Yay.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So how's that for a crash update!? It'll do for now. My plan is to try to post a little more often, even if I have to make them short and sweet. We'll see how it goes!</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-35822006789355072162011-08-30T23:30:00.000-04:002011-08-30T23:30:01.331-04:00Why I Love Richmond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7RLAAEuTagg/Tl2H32BW_0I/AAAAAAAAAV4/8VOCv0MJFkA/s1600/IMG_5169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="52" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7RLAAEuTagg/Tl2H32BW_0I/AAAAAAAAAV4/8VOCv0MJFkA/s320/IMG_5169.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Simply put, I love Richmond. I loved growing up here, and I love living here as an adult. Sure, there are other places I've thought would be great to live (NYC, Boston, Southern Cali, Denver, Portland, and many more). But... Richmond is home. Even if I moved to one of the amazing previously mentioned locales for awhile, I'd be back. Partly because my family is here (I can't live too far from them... it just doesn't work for me), but also because I love it! <br />
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When <a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/">Centsational Girl</a> announced her "<a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/08/favorite-things-link-par-tay/">Favorite Things in My Town Party</a>", I thought it would be a fun excuse to write about my beloved RVA (RIC if that's your preference). Technically, we actually live outside of Richmond. We lived in a house in the north side of the city after we got married and I L.O.V.E.D it.<br />
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I really wanted to stay within the city limits when we decided to buy, but after realizing our options were realllly limited (by our budget) and we found this great deal on our house... it just made sense to be in the county. Luckily, we are just 10-12 minutes from downtown so it is not a huge sacrifice!<br />
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The very best thing about Richmond is its proximity to the beach and the mountains. We can spend a day in Virginia Beach or go snowboarding at Wintergreen after just an hour & a half or so of driving. It cannot be beat. There are also two theme parks within an hour, and Washington D.C. and Baltimore are just about 2 hours away. So many great day trips!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tmfavSFOyVo/Tl2KATfhjcI/AAAAAAAAAWI/QTdvNfOuvvI/s1600/DSCN2197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tmfavSFOyVo/Tl2KATfhjcI/AAAAAAAAAWI/QTdvNfOuvvI/s400/DSCN2197.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 4th in D.C.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Richmond is truly rich in history, too. There are a bazillion historical landmarks, not to mention an infinite amount of Civil War battlefields and landmarks (if that's your thing).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We have amazing museums (from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to the Poe Museum, to the Science Museum and 2 Children's Museums) and art galleries, too. My favorite gallery is also my favorite place to buy gifts in Richmond, <a href="http://www.quirkgallery.com/">Quirk</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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I could do an entire post on art galleries in town, most of which participate in our First Fridays Art Walk. Who doesn't love an excuse to spend Friday night downtown admiring local artists' work?<br />
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Another amazingly awesome thing about Richmond is the James River.<br />
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The river means so much to us... from rafting trips to kayaking; from lounging on river rocks to fishing along the banks; from running along the flood wall to hiking on the islands... you get the idea. The James gives us gorgeous scenery and more recreation than any one person could ever fully appreciate. We love to hike, bike, and go to concerts and special events on one of our islands. We had fireworks by the river this year and they were phenomenal.<br />
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You are likely to be able to find some kind of festival almost every weekend. Some of the best times I've had are at big events that attract Richmonders of all ages & backgrounds. Whether it is at a music festival (like our Folk Festival) or a food/wine festival (we have lots of those) or an athletic event (our Monument Ave. 10K is one of the biggest races in the country)... there is just nothing like being in a huge crowd of Richmonders just loving and enjoying our city.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp_DlVq8LnA/Tl2H3Exz6_I/AAAAAAAAAV0/i_irSRjNCGI/s1600/DSC_1033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp_DlVq8LnA/Tl2H3Exz6_I/AAAAAAAAAV0/i_irSRjNCGI/s400/DSC_1033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">my friend Courtney & I running the Richmond Marathon</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Richmond is an ideal place to live if you are a runner (or biker). I have discovered some of my favorite spots in the city during a long run. We have training teams for all the big races, and it's great to learn new routes through the city. Local races like the Monument Ave. 10K and Richmond Marathon are so much fun because they bring SO many people together in our city. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Clearly I could go on and on. We have amazing shopping (Carytown is a fav. of many Richmonders... lots of fun local shops and eateries along Cary Street, as well as an awesome old theater, The Byrd). You could spend an entire day just admiring the architecture of various buildings and houses... from our gothic old City Hall to the new Virginia Museum of Fine Arts addition to the gorgeous houses in Ginter Park and along Monument Avenue.</div><br />
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Another fun place to spend time is in Shockoe Bottom or Shockoe Slip, smack in the middle of downtown and close to the river. You can walk along the old cobblestone streets (seen above in a photo from our engagement shoot). There are phenomenal restaurants, the most amazing modern furniture store (<a href="http://www.ladiff.com/">LaDiff</a>), and access to the Canal Walk. You can also take a tour on a canal boat, which provides some history and great views as it glides down the canal and alongside the Holocaust Museum and all the old warehouses, which are now lofts.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMV9vP3blYE/Tl2qareV0fI/AAAAAAAAAWg/I3nhE8Qv7OQ/s1600/ladiffcanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMV9vP3blYE/Tl2qareV0fI/AAAAAAAAAWg/I3nhE8Qv7OQ/s400/ladiffcanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So, in the interest of time I think I'll stop here. Like I said though, I could obviously keep going. There are so many great things about Richmond!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MRaf1dPK-5Y/Tl2XDrfB6hI/AAAAAAAAAWc/4HOGIUSKVi8/s1600/PRE6352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MRaf1dPK-5Y/Tl2XDrfB6hI/AAAAAAAAAWc/4HOGIUSKVi8/s400/PRE6352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you're ever here for an extended period of time, I would certainly recommend taking in a festival or two, walking along the river (maybe along the Canal Walk, Flood Wall, or on Belle Isle), checking out the VCU campus and Hollywood Cemetery, going to the VMFA or Science Museum or other museums, taking an art class at the Visual Arts Center, going to Maymont Park or Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, driving along Monument Avenue, shopping in Carytown, eating in Shockoe, and (if you're lucky enough to be here in December), taking a limo or driving yourself through part of our Tacky Light Tour. The fun just never stops. :)<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">skyline pic from <a href="http://peachgiant.deviantart.com/art/View-from-Belle-Isle-bridge-56588287?q=gallery%3Apeachgiant%2F227077&qo=22">here</a>, Quirk collage from <a href="http://www.quirkgallery.com/about_history.php">here</a>, river from <a href="http://rvanews.com/entertainment/photos-rva-fireworks-james/47903">here</a>, 10K from <a href="http://commonwealthevent.blogspot.com/2011/04/2011-monument-ave-10k.html">here</a>, footbridge <a href="http://www.worldofstock.com/stock_photos/PRE6352.php">here</a></span></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-6285170483304774062011-08-21T23:15:00.000-04:002011-08-21T23:15:28.579-04:00Beach Bums<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, my summer break is officially over as of tomorrow morning. Can't wait to sit in a meeting from 8am-4pm! :) I have quite a few things to blog about, including a painted piece of furniture, a new wall of frames, painted doors, and new window pelmets/valances in the office. But... I'm not writing about those things tonight. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P74eNkHUm_c/TlHFHQtu4FI/AAAAAAAAAVU/gNfiKFvlwZM/s1600/beach+pelicans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P74eNkHUm_c/TlHFHQtu4FI/AAAAAAAAAVU/gNfiKFvlwZM/s400/beach+pelicans.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We just spent the most relaxing week & a half in the Outer Banks and I'm still "gone to Carolina in my mind" (as the wonderful James Taylor would say). </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDvATtTsB3M/TlHGUX5QKsI/AAAAAAAAAVg/huT_PEQs8hg/s1600/beach_family.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDvATtTsB3M/TlHGUX5QKsI/AAAAAAAAAVg/huT_PEQs8hg/s400/beach_family.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We crashed my parents' vacation for a few days at my cousin's amazing beach house, and my awesome older brother joined us there, too. It was wonderful! We then moved down the road a mile or so to spend a week with our good friends, Courtney & Eddie. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkh-v5kuOuk/TlHFM18S70I/AAAAAAAAAVc/aFjwETQ5jTI/s1600/beach+umbrella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkh-v5kuOuk/TlHFM18S70I/AAAAAAAAAVc/aFjwETQ5jTI/s400/beach+umbrella.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was amazing to spend 11 days at the beach (who doesn't love the beach?), especially with great company! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFX90vXsPyQ/TlHFJOMlP8I/AAAAAAAAAVY/NQdAe5gaIlI/s1600/beach+rainbow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFX90vXsPyQ/TlHFJOMlP8I/AAAAAAAAAVY/NQdAe5gaIlI/s400/beach+rainbow.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was very prepared to relax by the pool/on the beach and catch up on some reading.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R5c88_hHYmI/TlHFEx62aAI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/twT_4eakn0E/s1600/beach+books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R5c88_hHYmI/TlHFEx62aAI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/twT_4eakn0E/s400/beach+books.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I read all but one of those books, and enjoyed every one! Tomorrow will be a bit of a rude awakening, but I'm sure I'll be back in the swing of things in no time. Here's to hoping I can keep up with the blog as the school year begins!</span><br />
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-35222991231941776602011-08-02T15:44:00.000-04:002011-08-02T15:44:32.951-04:00Tangly Dangly Earrings No More<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For a long time, I had no interest in "dangly" earrings. I'm not sure why (I think it drove my mom crazy), but I just didn't like the way they looked. I would always wear the same silver ball posts. I still wear those posts most days, actually. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wi99vC9EyE4/TjhSugxm_1I/AAAAAAAAAU4/iNjRsr7UDxA/s1600/7mm_%252520ball_earrings_%2528silver%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wi99vC9EyE4/TjhSugxm_1I/AAAAAAAAAU4/iNjRsr7UDxA/s1600/7mm_%252520ball_earrings_%2528silver%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Times have changed, though, and now I am loving the look of fun dangly earrings. As I've started to accumulate more pairs, I've just been sticking them haphazardly in my jewelry box. No sense of organization, whatsoever. Which drives me crazy. When I saw this on Pinterest, I knew it was a perfect, easy solution to my problem!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83wuHphbYgg/TjhS0HvG4GI/AAAAAAAAAVE/WpsbI_vYPds/s1600/earring+holder+kevinandamanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83wuHphbYgg/TjhS0HvG4GI/AAAAAAAAAVE/WpsbI_vYPds/s400/earring+holder+kevinandamanda.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There is an easy-to-follow tutorial <a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/our-home/tutorial-shabby-chic-dangly-earring-display.html">here</a>, which is exactly how I made mine. My favorite tip from Amanda's tutorial is that by twisting two or three strands of picture wire together, you can also attach post earrings to the wire. As you can see in my finished product below, I stuck in a pair of my fav. silver ball posts on the bottom row.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-521v8RWZrF4/TjhSzhIs6PI/AAAAAAAAAVA/0VbEawgYsSU/s1600/earring+frame+rack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-521v8RWZrF4/TjhSzhIs6PI/AAAAAAAAAVA/0VbEawgYsSU/s400/earring+frame+rack.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I plan to hang mine in our closet, along with a necklace holder whenever I get around to making one. I recently pinned <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/87025636/">this one</a> on my To Do board that is made from a towel bar and shower curtain hooks. It is a likely candidate! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MaNJY8iWPqI/TjhSxNJJkZI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ix1MEv2DPas/s1600/earring+frame+holder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MaNJY8iWPqI/TjhSxNJJkZI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ix1MEv2DPas/s400/earring+frame+holder.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When I hang the earring holder, Stephen said he has some molding that we can use behind the frame, since if we hang it flush against the wall, the earrings would be flattened and it would be tough to use. I can't wait to fill it up with even more fun earrings! </span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-5240542121836978372011-07-30T21:55:00.000-04:002012-08-06T01:49:28.326-04:00Sew Much Fun - Camera Straps<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In December (yea, as in last YEAR), I decided that I wanted to make a cover for my camera strap. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjpVnK7b74w/TjSzpSXatpI/AAAAAAAAAUs/BPTEOszkIXI/s1600/IMG_7740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjpVnK7b74w/TjSzpSXatpI/AAAAAAAAAUs/BPTEOszkIXI/s400/IMG_7740.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I saw them all over the "blogosphere" and figured they couldn't be too difficult to make. I even gave my sister one for Christmas. Actually, I gave her an IOU coupon for one since I didn't have any made in time for Christmas! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2S2mOhzMoO8/TjSzvDHkeNI/AAAAAAAAAU0/l76Om2d9MYA/s1600/IMG_7757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2S2mOhzMoO8/TjSzvDHkeNI/AAAAAAAAAU0/l76Om2d9MYA/s400/IMG_7757.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fast forward 6 months (ridiculous) to this summer, and I finally make the time to sew a few strap covers. They were fun to sew, and didn't take too terribly long either. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ev0yo6O28SU/TjSzsYkA3GI/AAAAAAAAAUw/yZvsc7G93W4/s1600/IMG_7753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ev0yo6O28SU/TjSzsYkA3GI/AAAAAAAAAUw/yZvsc7G93W4/s400/IMG_7753.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The ones without the ruffles took less than a half hour each, including the cutting, ironing, and sewing. The ones with the ruffles took closer to an hour. I roughly followed tutorials from <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2010/11/12-days-handmade-christmas-tutorialsday-5-camera-strap.html">here</a> and <a href="http://nurseryrhymesandsweettimes.blogspot.com/2010/07/camera-strap-slipcover-tutorial-with.html">here</a>.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3zLHrxjGpI/TjSzmj-KyiI/AAAAAAAAAUo/7Mh6b8fQx-Q/s1600/IMG_7738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3zLHrxjGpI/TjSzmj-KyiI/AAAAAAAAAUo/7Mh6b8fQx-Q/s400/IMG_7738.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The one above was nice because the ruffles are actually ribbon from Hobby Lobby. Time saver! I also bought some wide grosgrain ribbon to try as an accent... whenever I get around to making more. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfo2pNaXzEs/TjSzkK2y0tI/AAAAAAAAAUk/aQ8anzwPoJg/s1600/camera+straps+-+all.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfo2pNaXzEs/TjSzkK2y0tI/AAAAAAAAAUk/aQ8anzwPoJg/s400/camera+straps+-+all.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I gave away a few of them, but still have a few to switch out on my own camera. Fun! Next up on the sewing table: roman shades for the french doors, a window valance for a friend's classroom, and some sort of window treatments for the office. Maybe a couple of new pillows, too. Sew fun :)</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-66479546846012034472011-07-22T15:04:00.001-04:002011-07-22T15:07:21.173-04:00'Our House' page<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So... this blog was started with the intention of posting pictures about the work we have done and continue to do on our home. However, I don't think I've even posted about half the rooms in the house! Since I refuse to pressure myself to blog about each and every room right away, I figured I could at least post pictures of our house to buy myself some time. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCObuqTCXI8/TinGNuO1L3I/AAAAAAAAAUc/N9zrMbdrM4c/s1600/exterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCObuqTCXI8/TinGNuO1L3I/AAAAAAAAAUc/N9zrMbdrM4c/s400/exterior.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Instead of writing one realllyyyy long post, I made a new PAGE! That's big stuff for me. You'll notice at the top of the page (right under the huge teal header), there is a new tab called "Our House". </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx6zcHNRybE/TinFUG78yuI/AAAAAAAAAUU/ZTS3uRnTxHg/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-07-22+at+2.44.47+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx6zcHNRybE/TinFUG78yuI/AAAAAAAAAUU/ZTS3uRnTxHg/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-07-22+at+2.44.47+PM.png" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It is one long page with before and after pictures of each room in our house. Fun :) There are a few links to past posts about some of the rooms, and if/when I post about rooms in the house, I'll add those links, too.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmg98XCSJZg/TinFn1iT9OI/AAAAAAAAAUY/hF6tJPb90bc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-07-22+at+2.45.54+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmg98XCSJZg/TinFn1iT9OI/AAAAAAAAAUY/hF6tJPb90bc/s400/Screen+shot+2011-07-22+at+2.45.54+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As I kind of mentioned above, I'm not going to let myself feel pressured to update all the time and make this a superblog, even though I would <u>like</u> to update constantly and keep it 'fresh'. But, it's just not fun if you feel like you <i>have</i> to do it! I also decided that it's okay for me to write about anything; it doesn't have to be house-related. In fact, posting about teaching-related things seems to be much more popular!<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bGSrESTY-N0/TIb2vB3LyaI/AAAAAAAAAKU/EpxDwt_aK10/s1600/IMG_7032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bGSrESTY-N0/TIb2vB3LyaI/AAAAAAAAAKU/EpxDwt_aK10/s400/IMG_7032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://theboutons.blogspot.com/2010/09/crate-seats.html">crate seats</a></span></div></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, I might post about house stuff, or teaching stuff, or personal stuff... whatever is going on in our lives at the time. After all, this is the perfect way to document our memories! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">That's my story and I'm sticking to it.</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-31770743842778799402011-06-30T12:13:00.000-04:002011-06-30T12:13:25.468-04:00Fan of Sea Fans<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A couple of months ago, during one of our fairly regular stops at Home Goods, Mom and I spotted something VERY exciting. Sea fans!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ho6NGq-WHc/Tgydid0GcmI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Hq1PyivRfcY/s1600/yseafansnowa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ho6NGq-WHc/Tgydid0GcmI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Hq1PyivRfcY/s320/yseafansnowa.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, not that exact sea fan, but 3 different pairs of matching sea fans. !! I've been looking for sea fans to frame for a couple of years now (I could have ordered some online, but never found the right ones for the right price), so you can imagine my excitement when they were just sitting on the shelf. Mom bought two large white/beige-colored fans, and I got two smaller yellow ones for just $5.99 each!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We finally went to Ikea to get frames this past weekend. We also picked up some fabric for the background of our frames while we were there.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A0hlwtCpUXU/TgyeHhNY0rI/AAAAAAAAAQA/dA-isIl2PRc/s1600/sea+fan+framed+art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A0hlwtCpUXU/TgyeHhNY0rI/AAAAAAAAAQA/dA-isIl2PRc/s400/sea+fan+framed+art.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">As soon as we bought them, I knew right away that I wanted to hang them on either side of the window in our breakfast nook. Our pendant light has a similar accent color in it, so I was hoping it would work perfectly. After replacing the mats with fabric-wrapped poster board, I just stuck the sea fans in what looked like the middle of the frame, put it all back together, and voila!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nfp9VjrVGck/TgyeDg1Y3iI/AAAAAAAAAP4/zeKwB9jJr1k/s1600/breakfast+area+sea+fans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nfp9VjrVGck/TgyeDg1Y3iI/AAAAAAAAAP4/zeKwB9jJr1k/s400/breakfast+area+sea+fans.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">So much better than the bare naked walls (as seen below, obviously in the winter). </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5GTCjKMegz4/TgyeG3RosxI/AAAAAAAAAP8/rNFnQTHnmjc/s1600/kitchen+after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5GTCjKMegz4/TgyeG3RosxI/AAAAAAAAAP8/rNFnQTHnmjc/s400/kitchen+after.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love it. Eventually we'll do something to the long wall on the right, too... maybe a white plate wall? My (very) long-term plan is to try to do a banquette under the bay windows and move the table and light over, and have some type of sideboard/buffet along the wall on the right. We'll see! </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">sea fan picture from mexfish.com</span></span></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-62019941645765188752011-06-28T15:40:00.000-04:002011-06-29T16:54:09.612-04:00Bathroom Reno<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Happy Summer! Obviously, I have a hard time posting when school is in session, but now that we are out for the summer, I am back! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As I mentioned in the last post, much of our "reno energy" has gone towards Mom & Dad's house in the last few months. They finished their addition & kitchen, with just the exterior left to complete. In February, Dad went on a 5-day retreat and true to form, Mom was dying to do some sort of house project while he was gone (she loves to surprise him!) She recruited Stephen to help her renovate their old bathroom, now that they have a second full bath. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkXH04bJSPA/TgoofLdv5AI/AAAAAAAAAOs/zZ9xcSxaBhA/s1600/IMG_7390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkXH04bJSPA/TgoofLdv5AI/AAAAAAAAAOs/zZ9xcSxaBhA/s400/IMG_7390.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yea, it was rough. The terrible lighting doesn't help, but it was bad. It was pretty much impossible to describe the color of those tiles.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Although we knew it was a bit of a lofty undertaking (we knew it wasn't quite possible to finish it in just a few days, when Stephen and Mom both still had to work every day), she figured they would give it a shot and see what they could do! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Stephen and his dad spent the first day just doing demo. It was a mess! They ripped out the tile that was on ALL of the walls, as well as the concrete and metal mesh that was behind it (the real pain). The floor was just as fun to rip out, and that was finished on the second day. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKFqKKun1HU/TgooY4bLGtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2xrqbcNfVJo/s1600/DSC_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKFqKKun1HU/TgooY4bLGtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2xrqbcNfVJo/s400/DSC_0202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ripping out the tile was easy; it was ripping out this stuff that was tough and time-consuming!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O675vwsNL-c/TgopZ4_rWFI/AAAAAAAAAO0/OSHJjrxXRbY/s1600/DSC_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O675vwsNL-c/TgopZ4_rWFI/AAAAAAAAAO0/OSHJjrxXRbY/s400/DSC_0231.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After he replaced some rotten boards in the floor, Stephen spent the next couple days putting in a new tub, installing cement board for the shower tile, and putting in green board (sheetrock) where the walls were tiled, as well as where there was a doorway into my old bedroom. That entrance really wasn't needed, so they got rid of it! Mom helped with the demo, and worked on painting the linen closet and its shelves, as well as picking out the new tile and fixtures. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They also needed to change how the baseboard heat was configured in the room, so Stephen spent a lot of time running new lines for that (I'm sure there were other things involved, too, I just don't know what they are!) He also got the shower tile finished before Dad came home from his trip, but he still came home to a mess! I won't say he was thrilled at the surprise, but he jumped right in to help finish it up, and after a few more days of work from all of them, it was done!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dc6-FYsJYww/Tgooajn_h7I/AAAAAAAAAOk/IhGlrwYVGyQ/s1600/DSC_0387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dc6-FYsJYww/Tgooajn_h7I/AAAAAAAAAOk/IhGlrwYVGyQ/s400/DSC_0387.jpg" width="267" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Apologies for the terrible lighting (I <u>will</u> learn how to white balance), but you can tell what an improvement it is! The floor tile is mostly brown (not nearly as green as it looks in the photo), and the wall color is a little lighter than it appears. The new vanity is just like the one <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/">Young House Love</a> did in their new bathroom last year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7KUsPnGY0c0/Tgooh---gtI/AAAAAAAAAOw/7RozMI8Nf1A/s1600/IMG_7397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7KUsPnGY0c0/Tgooh---gtI/AAAAAAAAAOw/7RozMI8Nf1A/s400/IMG_7397.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Before: the door on the left went into my old bedroom.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIwujYU1ECs/TgoocWoq3XI/AAAAAAAAAOo/EDqWZa38Vzg/s1600/DSC_0394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIwujYU1ECs/TgoocWoq3XI/AAAAAAAAAOo/EDqWZa38Vzg/s400/DSC_0394.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After: no more door! So much better. Mom & Dad's house now officially feels brand new!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GmOhwyhpZZI/Tgotl6kJMPI/AAAAAAAAAO4/uolhdZ-DBP0/s1600/bathroom+before+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GmOhwyhpZZI/Tgotl6kJMPI/AAAAAAAAAO4/uolhdZ-DBP0/s400/bathroom+before+after.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-63072809939976033822011-02-10T22:29:00.000-05:002011-07-22T15:08:21.459-04:00Mom & Dad's "After"<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While we've still been piddling around with projects at our house (and surely will never stop), lately a lot of our "DIY energy", if you will, has gone towards Mom & Dad's house. They set out over a year ago to add on to the back of their house. I couldn't resist going ahead and posting a couple of "before & after" shots... the difference is amazing!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qZtRTPwyeTM/TVSoQoZq50I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/ZE_2ic5ok_w/s1600/Moms+camera+as+of+8+10+10+351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qZtRTPwyeTM/TVSoQoZq50I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/ZE_2ic5ok_w/s400/Moms+camera+as+of+8+10+10+351.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dNjF-0E_2Ps/TVSns05GPjI/AAAAAAAAANg/KDip6lhtDWI/s1600/IMG_7363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dNjF-0E_2Ps/TVSns05GPjI/AAAAAAAAANg/KDip6lhtDWI/s400/IMG_7363.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Those two pics. were taken from the exact same place, a year apart. The first photo isn't quite a "before" shot, since you can already see the construction through the windows, instead of the pretty outside view that you previously saw. Also- notice Mom's "design board" on the table... crucial!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So basically, they added a sunroom (for lack of a better term) on to the kitchen, as well as a mudroom, two closets, and a full bathroom. They completely gutted the old kitchen and changed a few walls around to make the whole new floor plan work. It is all <u>gorgeous</u> and finally in the finishing stages. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMd2xDi5f_Q/TVSoOaJ5vUI/AAAAAAAAAOM/AO0eKTUjO80/s1600/Moms+camera+as+of+8+10+10+160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMd2xDi5f_Q/TVSoOaJ5vUI/AAAAAAAAAOM/AO0eKTUjO80/s400/Moms+camera+as+of+8+10+10+160.jpg" width="267" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Kq331Cvvi0/TVSnwjoh1nI/AAAAAAAAANo/J4R9ctCZzwk/s1600/IMG_7376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Kq331Cvvi0/TVSnwjoh1nI/AAAAAAAAANo/J4R9ctCZzwk/s400/IMG_7376.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"> These two photos were also taken from the same angle (the first shot was taken through the torn-out windows, standing in the new space). They closed up and extended that half wall to create a stairway and create a wall for upper cabinets & a range hood.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vXAyaprfirk/TVSnuviSuBI/AAAAAAAAANk/xuX0AB7BCMo/s1600/IMG_7370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vXAyaprfirk/TVSnuviSuBI/AAAAAAAAANk/xuX0AB7BCMo/s400/IMG_7370.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"> On the french doors... we bought reclaimed door knobs and Dad painted door plates that he's had for years and put them together... LOVE how it turned out.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Besides some help with the initial building & framing from an architect, wiring help from an electrician, and Stephen's plumbing services, they have done it all themselves! Since they both work way more than 40 hours a week, everything has been done on the weekends and occasional evenings. Hence the long, but so worthwhile, process. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oq88LUuLQC8/TVSnzvN5cuI/AAAAAAAAANs/X4lCKLXb5BI/s1600/IMG_7378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oq88LUuLQC8/TVSnzvN5cuI/AAAAAAAAANs/X4lCKLXb5BI/s400/IMG_7378.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">All they really have left to do is to figure out some furniture & its placement, pick fabric & sew cushions for the window seats/banquette (sewn by me? by Mom? We'll see...), a little tile sealing, and some touch-up caulking & painting. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UBFazoqrbTo/TVSppwZz65I/AAAAAAAAAOU/LgXIb3Fgm7E/s1600/IMG_7373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UBFazoqrbTo/TVSppwZz65I/AAAAAAAAAOU/LgXIb3Fgm7E/s400/IMG_7373.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bBdM8J0DxFg/TVSoL0yzoiI/AAAAAAAAAOI/TJfU0m3s9Tk/s1600/IMG_7402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bBdM8J0DxFg/TVSoL0yzoiI/AAAAAAAAAOI/TJfU0m3s9Tk/s400/IMG_7402.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Of course, now that they have such beautiful new spaces, Mom has been redoing every other room in their house! The family room/basement has been re-painted (including all trim, the fireplace, and the built-in bookshelves) and is in the process of being decorated. The "TV room" has also been painted, along with the hallway and living room (which now has two arched "windows" into the kitchen, thanks to busting a couple huge holes in the wall). </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cWFLT1eFArs/TVSn3qw4OpI/AAAAAAAAANw/UVrvqHroMao/s1600/IMG_7381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cWFLT1eFArs/TVSn3qw4OpI/AAAAAAAAANw/UVrvqHroMao/s400/IMG_7381.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Obviously the decorating is in-progress.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx2T-p9ijfA/TVSoBebSNHI/AAAAAAAAAN8/cIdDt1BhHNA/s1600/IMG_7388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx2T-p9ijfA/TVSoBebSNHI/AAAAAAAAAN8/cIdDt1BhHNA/s400/IMG_7388.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Babies.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Mom & Dad's bedroom also got new flooring, paint, bedding, rug, etc. in the process. All of the artwork and accessories are still in-progress, but they have done so much! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TS8bpSxVsFI/TVSn-YCplFI/AAAAAAAAAN4/dK9yy0CFYOg/s1600/IMG_7385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TS8bpSxVsFI/TVSn-YCplFI/AAAAAAAAAN4/dK9yy0CFYOg/s400/IMG_7385.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AAgxYNfB8Q8/TVSoHlU-H6I/AAAAAAAAAOE/ZDoTDV3--wo/s1600/IMG_7399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AAgxYNfB8Q8/TVSoHlU-H6I/AAAAAAAAAOE/ZDoTDV3--wo/s400/IMG_7399.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">The new "master bath", with the new closet behind it leading into Mom & Dad's room. Almost done! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's been quite the undertaking, and it's not over yet! So exciting.</div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-27340879012456790222011-01-22T14:38:00.003-05:002011-07-22T15:08:38.208-04:00Kitchen, Christmas, & the B wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Wow, aren't I great at updating!? Shame. Well, since the last post ended with a few pictures of the kitchen, I figured I would pick up where we left off. I actually took a few updated "after" shots during the holidays, so there is now more than one (selective, clutter-hiding) current photo of our kitchen. Just a reminder of what it looked like BEFORE.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn76l18eI/AAAAAAAAAMU/6BE6s0IFH0E/s400/DSCN2472.JPG" width="400" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Isn't it gorgeous? Ugh. And yes, the cabinets were as dirty and stained as they appear (most of that junk was not going anywhere, even after a hard cleaning). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">We actually got to start working on the house before we moved in. One blessing of the short sale was that the house was (and had been) empty, so the previous owners were nice enough to give us their keys until we closed. We had two or three weeks of work time before we were even the owners. Thank goodness it worked out! So we never actually had to live with it looking exactly like this. It was cleaned and the walls were painted when we moved in.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn89944UI/AAAAAAAAAMY/GUFc-Gdm4wA/s1600/DSCN2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn89944UI/AAAAAAAAAMY/GUFc-Gdm4wA/s400/DSCN2572.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">That was about all that was done, though. We lived with it like this (below) for way longer than I would like to admit (it took a few months to finally buckle down and paint the cabinets). We also lived with a wire hanging down for a few weeks in between horrible fluorescent fixture and okay-for-now pendant light.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn-mmg9fI/AAAAAAAAAMc/encIZdX_3Es/s1600/IMG_5983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn-mmg9fI/AAAAAAAAAMc/encIZdX_3Es/s400/IMG_5983.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">After painting the cabinets & adding new hardware (and interior hinges, thanks to hubby's ingenious engineering/rigging techniques)... we finally got to this.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoJzA0eyI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WEG7WiuHUxM/s1600/IMG_7284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoJzA0eyI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WEG7WiuHUxM/s400/IMG_7284.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Like I mentioned before, there are still quite a few things we would like to change, but most of those are pretty big-ticket projects. Dark stone counter tops and stainless steel appliances (and new cabinets altogether, while we're at it) will just have to wait!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Here is a view of the other side. One of my favorite things we did in the beginning was rip off the carpet from the edge of the stairs & stain the wood underneath... now the new carpet on the stairs looks more like a runner on the bottom few steps. I love being able to see that wood! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn6YnmlFI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/cMvApn3SSxE/s1600/DSCN2470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn6YnmlFI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/cMvApn3SSxE/s400/DSCN2470.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsooKYcT9I/AAAAAAAAANQ/gQQ3ovRIt-0/s1600/IMG_7328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsooKYcT9I/AAAAAAAAANQ/gQQ3ovRIt-0/s400/IMG_7328.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoNtDteWI/AAAAAAAAAMw/iOLooxHsLas/s1600/IMG_7289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoNtDteWI/AAAAAAAAAMw/iOLooxHsLas/s400/IMG_7289.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Just for the record, we did finally put back the rest of the spindles (or whatever they're called) under the railing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">So... since those pics were clearly taken around Christmas, and despite the fact that it's nearing the end of January... here are a few more Christmas photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoBZnV81I/AAAAAAAAAMg/Xh0x9w13EKg/s1600/IMG_7244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoBZnV81I/AAAAAAAAAMg/Xh0x9w13EKg/s400/IMG_7244.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoGXMqdHI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Tonta_wE2Y0/s1600/IMG_7267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoGXMqdHI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Tonta_wE2Y0/s400/IMG_7267.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoWfkGNaI/AAAAAAAAAM8/IFo2hMAXl7Y/s1600/IMG_7308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoWfkGNaI/AAAAAAAAAM8/IFo2hMAXl7Y/s400/IMG_7308.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoDRxiwJI/AAAAAAAAAMk/yAsJw-aAbx0/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoDRxiwJI/AAAAAAAAAMk/yAsJw-aAbx0/s400/IMG_7250.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Oh yea, that reminds me... there are also a few updates in the dining room. Clearly this is what happens when I go too long between updates... there are too many things to post at once!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">We now have a new table & chairs! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoQgbQ6OI/AAAAAAAAAM0/-Mf7yp1EwlY/s1600/IMG_7301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoQgbQ6OI/AAAAAAAAAM0/-Mf7yp1EwlY/s400/IMG_7301.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Well, the chairs aren't actually new, just new to us. I paid $20 for 6 of them at a yard sale last summer. After some sanding, black paint, and reupholstered seats (new foam, batting, & fabric), they are as good as new. Almost. They creak a little, but that just adds character, right? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoda9M_II/AAAAAAAAANE/KjTd_xuWQFA/s1600/IMG_7313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsoda9M_II/AAAAAAAAANE/KjTd_xuWQFA/s400/IMG_7313.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">You can see a glimpse of the "B wall" in this pic. I finally hung the B's we (I) had collected & painted. I could add about 6 more just with the selection of letters at the newly-opened Hobby Lobby! I'll refrain for now, but it is tempting.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsog6A0JOI/AAAAAAAAANI/QAQKv7j2noA/s1600/IMG_7318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsog6A0JOI/AAAAAAAAANI/QAQKv7j2noA/s400/IMG_7318.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is a close-up of the stenciling. It was intended for the original dining room post, but got left out. So fun!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsokYYGVtI/AAAAAAAAANM/DclNa0iWSyA/s1600/IMG_7324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsokYYGVtI/AAAAAAAAANM/DclNa0iWSyA/s400/IMG_7324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Speaking of fun... one last before & (updated) after of the kitchen. Just because. It's fun :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn89944UI/AAAAAAAAAMY/GUFc-Gdm4wA/s1600/DSCN2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TTsn89944UI/AAAAAAAAAMY/GUFc-Gdm4wA/s400/DSCN2572.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8aIaoH2CUfk/Tg4SMXLt4gI/AAAAAAAAAQE/vUN_da1_D2U/s1600/kitchen+after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"> </span><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8aIaoH2CUfk/Tg4SMXLt4gI/AAAAAAAAAQE/vUN_da1_D2U/s400/kitchen+after.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://thecsiproject.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Visit thecsiproject.com" class="aligncenter" src="http://thecsiproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/thecsiproject.com-logo-150.png" /></a><br />
</span></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-32530450186777729952010-11-19T23:10:00.000-05:002012-08-06T01:47:58.289-04:00Fall Fun & Kitchen<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We did a little decorating for Fall, although it'll soon be time to replace it all with Christmas decor! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBCwQtlqI/AAAAAAAAALk/DF4kIWzxON0/s1600/IMG_7157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBCwQtlqI/AAAAAAAAALk/DF4kIWzxON0/s400/IMG_7157.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBG2OvSjI/AAAAAAAAALo/Turmhu_GF3E/s1600/IMG_7162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBG2OvSjI/AAAAAAAAALo/Turmhu_GF3E/s400/IMG_7162.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBKh39lGI/AAAAAAAAALs/O3gSCOPclcA/s1600/IMG_7166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBKh39lGI/AAAAAAAAALs/O3gSCOPclcA/s400/IMG_7166.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Our living room plant died, so for now we replaced it with a pumpkin. There will probably be a tree or something there for Christmas, but I'll have to find something else to go there for the rest of the year (we actually went through 2 plants there... love how they looked, but they just didn't do so well long term).</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBO1S1EqI/AAAAAAAAALw/6LYC5pluX18/s1600/IMG_7168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBO1S1EqI/AAAAAAAAALw/6LYC5pluX18/s400/IMG_7168.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBTFKtCXI/AAAAAAAAAL0/YAZksWoLI2w/s1600/IMG_7170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBTFKtCXI/AAAAAAAAAL0/YAZksWoLI2w/s400/IMG_7170.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBXRjmyZI/AAAAAAAAAL4/_iyAYRoxwqg/s1600/IMG_7194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBXRjmyZI/AAAAAAAAAL4/_iyAYRoxwqg/s400/IMG_7194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBbiKQKtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/TCivvNsuj8A/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBbiKQKtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/TCivvNsuj8A/s400/IMG_7197.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBfv8pv6I/AAAAAAAAAMA/1Tlz-lWEEc4/s1600/IMG_7200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdBfv8pv6I/AAAAAAAAAMA/1Tlz-lWEEc4/s400/IMG_7200.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I don't consider myself super crafty, but this was a fun project from awhile ago (it's been hanging on the door since the spring, so it's not technically "Fall" decor). I wanted a wreath, but I realized how pricey they can be, and I wasn't willing to splurge. So, after seeing some handmade wreaths on etsy, I bought a wreath form from Michael's, along with some fuzzy green yarn and felt. I wrapped the form with the yarn, then made some flowers from felt (just cutting & sewing... I played around and tried to copy pictures of felt flowers that I found online). Another "crafty" project that <i>was</i> for Fall was a pumpkin for my best friend, Allie. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA82yJdaI/AAAAAAAAALc/K0VC7UaC0K8/s1600/IMG_7070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA82yJdaI/AAAAAAAAALc/K0VC7UaC0K8/s400/IMG_7070.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">I planned to make one for our house too, but by the time I went back to Michael's, all the white pumpkins were gone. Maybe next year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">On another note, I was organizing photos recently & realized how few rooms I've actually posted pictures of on here. One room that I haven't taken many pics of is the kitchen. Here is what it looked like 1) when we toured the house and 2) before we closed on the house, just as we were starting to work on it- what a mess!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAu0B2p4I/AAAAAAAAALE/AFg9wuKiVWk/s1600/DSCN2472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAu0B2p4I/AAAAAAAAALE/AFg9wuKiVWk/s400/DSCN2472.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAwrLh6GI/AAAAAAAAALI/JY5Nj3AUF9I/s1600/DSCN2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAwrLh6GI/AAAAAAAAALI/JY5Nj3AUF9I/s400/DSCN2572.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">Here is the one good "after" picture I've taken:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA5Qt9tcI/AAAAAAAAALY/LdXU5fGkftg/s1600/IMG_6701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA5Qt9tcI/AAAAAAAAALY/LdXU5fGkftg/s400/IMG_6701.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">We painted everything (walls, trim, cabinets), continued the bamboo floors, changed the over-the-sink light fixture from a flourescent tube to a little pendant, and put in a new sink, faucet, & disposal. We would loooove to change the counter tops, but that's on a long-term list. Behind the peninsula is the eating area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAyJYEHqI/AAAAAAAAALM/WbnicjzfWOw/s1600/DSCN2573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAyJYEHqI/AAAAAAAAALM/WbnicjzfWOw/s320/DSCN2573.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAzsHv3OI/AAAAAAAAALQ/L4-1VHezZdE/s1600/DSCN2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdAzsHv3OI/AAAAAAAAALQ/L4-1VHezZdE/s320/DSCN2580.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA2Q0tlRI/AAAAAAAAALU/_W8SftXoMVk/s1600/IMG_6621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA2Q0tlRI/AAAAAAAAALU/_W8SftXoMVk/s320/IMG_6621.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA_lhPxTI/AAAAAAAAALg/0_ETxqoaEls/s1600/IMG_7152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TOdA_lhPxTI/AAAAAAAAALg/0_ETxqoaEls/s320/IMG_7152.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Everything continues to be a work in progress! And let's be honest, the biggest challenge is just trying to keep all of the mail, bills, magazines, and other clutter off of the counters. No doubt one of the reasons there aren't more current pictures! Such is life...</span></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-22675355257188017332010-11-01T23:07:00.002-04:002012-08-06T01:47:58.288-04:00yea, about that...<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As usual, it's been awhile, and my excuse hasn't changed. I've been spending lots of time here. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM94GXQ20HI/AAAAAAAAAKg/nBCjygeRQpU/s1600/DSCN3331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM94GXQ20HI/AAAAAAAAAKg/nBCjygeRQpU/s400/DSCN3331.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's hard to believe that it's already NOVEMBER. Wow. Luckily that does mean that the first part of kindergarten is over and everyone has really settled in to our routine. The year is getting more fun and less exhausting.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Back to the house, though. Thanks to TONS of help from Mom (seriously, she worked her butt off), the stenciling in the dining room is FINALLY over. Actually, it's been over for awhile, but I had to work up the energy to do the touch-up (6 hours straight of painting with a teeny artist brush- ugh) and then make time to put it all back together. Here is the "after"!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97ylKnR1I/AAAAAAAAAK8/wKKkE9apqxI/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97ylKnR1I/AAAAAAAAAK8/wKKkE9apqxI/s400/IMG_7135.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">Of course, there is still more to do (window treatments, change the table & chairs, possibly a rug?) but I am SO thankful to have the walls finished. I'm happy to say that all of the work was worth it (hopefully Mom agrees) and I LOVE the finished product. It is so much better than the coral, and fits in really well with the rest of our house. Plus, it really gave us the wallpaper look that I wanted, without having to spend so much $$. So, here is the dining room's progression over the past year +.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97rI5QoYI/AAAAAAAAAK0/RsuCAcTI9qY/s1600/DSCN2451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97rI5QoYI/AAAAAAAAAK0/RsuCAcTI9qY/s400/DSCN2451.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">before we moved in - the previous owner had started to cover up what had been RED walls with BLUE trim (their kids' playroom)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97u0bhjsI/AAAAAAAAAK4/qYbncWFR8WA/s1600/IMG_6718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM97u0bhjsI/AAAAAAAAAK4/qYbncWFR8WA/s400/IMG_6718.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">last winter/spring </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM972UeqzjI/AAAAAAAAALA/RpWh2ZJPWJw/s1600/IMG_7136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TM972UeqzjI/AAAAAAAAALA/RpWh2ZJPWJw/s400/IMG_7136.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">(you can see the glossy sheen of the stencil lines in this pic... my favorite part!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;">It's always fun to see how things change. Some fun facts about the room:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">* The base coat (darker gray) is high gloss and we stenciled over it with flat. It sure was shiny in there before the stenciling!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">* The painting of the circles above the buffet was done by my Granddaddy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">* The silver rectangular "VOTE" poster between the windows belonged to my Grammie and it came from the League of Women Voters... such a snapshot of who she was!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">* The white columns (there are two) came from Lane Sanson, the fabulous Carytown store that closed last year (sob) and Valerie Sanson, the owner, got them from Thalhimer's when <u>it</u> closed! Love having a piece of Richmond history in our dining room.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">There are other fun facts, but they're probably much more interesting to me than to anyone else. :) I'm just thankful to have a presentable dining room again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-27319795101396254722010-09-07T22:45:00.000-04:002011-06-29T16:58:18.356-04:00Crate Seats<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While surfing around some teachers' message boards this summer, I saw a pic. someone posted of an adorable seat they made from a regular old file crate. Of course, I thought it was the cutest thing ever, and decided i just <i><b>had</b></i> to make some for my classroom. Six $3 crates... </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2jbE_qMI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wOhjrwollR0/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2jbE_qMI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wOhjrwollR0/s400/IMG_7029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">and a yard of half-price fabric later...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2qNuJMGI/AAAAAAAAAKM/8hYCQOS-5cY/s1600/IMG_7031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2qNuJMGI/AAAAAAAAAKM/8hYCQOS-5cY/s400/IMG_7031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">here is the final product. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They were super easy to make, albeit a bit time-consuming. We got some leftover plywood from my parents' addition/renovation, and Stephen cut it to fit inside the lip of the crates (it doesn't seem like it would be very sturdy, but I was very pleasantly surprised!) I covered the plywood with some batting and fabric (lots of staples in each), and that was it! I still need to glue on a loop of ribbon to make it easier to pop open the "lid", but it's easy enough to take off the top without it for now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2nQJsbfI/AAAAAAAAAKE/nkf4u0sDZz4/s1600/IMG_7030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2nQJsbfI/AAAAAAAAAKE/nkf4u0sDZz4/s400/IMG_7030.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Not so attractive from the bottom side, but luckily that part is hidden! I haven't decided for sure how I will use them in my room. I have tossed around ideas of using them at the listening center (with the listening books & tapes stored inside), at the computers, and around the small group reading table. For now, they are living at the reading table. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2vB3LyaI/AAAAAAAAAKU/QukS0yLF02g/s1600/IMG_7032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIb2vB3LyaI/AAAAAAAAAKU/QukS0yLF02g/s400/IMG_7032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We will see how they work there in a month or so when we start reading groups. I still think they are the cutest (and easiest) project... and so useful for storage, too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Happy first day of school! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <a href="http://thecsiproject.com/" target="_blank"><img ="" alt="Visit thecsiproject.com" class="aligncenter" src="http://thecsiproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/thecsiproject.com-logo-150.png" /></a></span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-55486610730775652042010-09-06T14:39:00.000-04:002011-07-22T15:09:49.364-04:00Back to School<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As we all know, it's back-to-school time! For me, this means spending countless hours preparing my classroom for the new year. This is my third classroom in three years, which means lots of packing, unpacking, organizing, re-organizing, arranging, hanging, and re-hanging. It also means staying at school for 12-14 hours each day to go from this</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIUzr2y3RlI/AAAAAAAAAJs/qYlyJ4iDSO8/s1600/DSCN3323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TIUzr2y3RlI/AAAAAAAAAJs/qYlyJ4iDSO8/s400/DSCN3323.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">to this. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This room will be filled with 17 little ones bright & early tomorrow morning, and I will hereby be exhausted for the next two weeks (it is a well-known fact that the first two weeks of kindergarten are, for lack of a better term, completely insane). There is one little project that I hope to share on here in the next few days, that is if I can manage to get home before dark. Directly at the bottom center of this photo is a little preview of the project. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-48389789679791852222010-08-22T23:56:00.000-04:002012-08-06T01:47:58.291-04:00Stencil Attempt<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Life is picking up speed here in the Bouton household. We just spent a fantastic, relaxing week in the Outer Banks with some wonderful friends, waking up to this view each morning:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This weekend has flown by, and it is back to work for both of us. Stephen is working <u>and</u> taking a class all week while I will be setting up my classroom (yay for getting ten, yes ten, crates full of school purchases out of the house!) We are also trying to finish a (long-time coming) project in the dining room, which currently looks like this:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The project involves these two paint colors (Behr's Silver Drop and Dolphin Fin; and yes, they are very similar!)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/THHtuBOJnrI/AAAAAAAAAIs/eOipe3p-2Nk/s1600/9dfdb3e8-c4a1-48f3-89af-c9a1fb234343_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/THHtuBOJnrI/AAAAAAAAAIs/eOipe3p-2Nk/s200/9dfdb3e8-c4a1-48f3-89af-c9a1fb234343_400.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/THHtvEfZfSI/AAAAAAAAAI0/tCIs3AIH168/s1600/f0742501-798c-4965-a4d7-b9ee32ce7ca3_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/THHtvEfZfSI/AAAAAAAAAI0/tCIs3AIH168/s200/f0742501-798c-4965-a4d7-b9ee32ce7ca3_300.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">and this stencil from designerstencils.com.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The stencil is bigger and a little more awkward than I expected, so it should be interesting! I'll post pics as soon as it's finished. Wish us luck!</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-67037785974818801672010-08-14T17:29:00.000-04:002012-08-06T01:49:28.329-04:00Living Room Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqdPA5SuI/AAAAAAAAAGk/l74K9PuVcpE/s1600/DSCN2566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqdPA5SuI/AAAAAAAAAGk/l74K9PuVcpE/s320/DSCN2566.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When we bought our house (almost) a year ago, I thought the living room was going to be the last room we ever finished (keep in mind, "finished" and "complete" are relative terms around here... nothing will ever be 100% done! There are always more projects, more ideas, and plenty of things to be tweaked). It seemed so hard to come up with design ideas for this space where we would spend so much of our time. We made progress in this room fairly quickly though (other "before" shots are posted below in the holidays post). Since Christmas, we hung the art, changed the pillows, and did a little more accessorizing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After Christmas, I decided to return the black & white pillows we originally had on the sofa. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqxZbTBxI/AAAAAAAAAG8/f5wsoPGJAXA/s1600/IMG_6163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqxZbTBxI/AAAAAAAAAG8/f5wsoPGJAXA/s400/IMG_6163.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I loved them, but they cost a pretty penny, and I couldn't stand having spent that much on pillows when I knew I could (eventually) make my own for so much less. So, here is a closer view of my second attempt at sewing pillows! (just click the pic. to make it larger)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbsKSUo3WI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RLraydohE2w/s1600/IMG_6946+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbsKSUo3WI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RLraydohE2w/s400/IMG_6946+2.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> The fabric is a black & white vertical ticking stripe with a ruffle sewn down the middle (the stripes on the ruffle are horizontal). Due to some trial & error cutting and sewing, I didn't have enough fabric for the back of the pillows, so I just used some plain black material I had on my scrap shelf. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, although I am in NO hurry to ever use any stretchy or jersey fabric ever again. What a pain!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You can also see the art we hung over the sofa. The two photos were taken by my mom on our trip to Italy (I was a teenager at the time & didn't yet care enough about photography... thank goodness she was there, too!) The frame in the middle was on clearance at Kohl's with a weird metallic flower print in it, but I changed it out and framed a piece of scrapbook paper that matches our yellow accent color. Easy, squeezy!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbq1N-tm6I/AAAAAAAAAHE/Y4pIL0OB3Qc/s1600/IMG_6626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbq1N-tm6I/AAAAAAAAAHE/Y4pIL0OB3Qc/s320/IMG_6626.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The chair got a new pillow from my second home, HomeGoods, and we also got two new lamps to flank the sofa that fit the scale of the room much better than the old ones (which I still love, but will hopefully have a better home in the dining room). The lamps were a grrrreatttt deal (I'd been stalking identical lamps at the Shades of Light Decorating Outlet for months, and they never dropped below $80). I also LOVE the shades that came with them. I knew immediately that I wanted to cover the shades with fabric, and thanks to the metallic silver lining of the lamp shades, I could cover them without darkening the light at all.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqJmw0Q3I/AAAAAAAAAGU/T0eDJmwcY-I/s1600/IMG_6917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqJmw0Q3I/AAAAAAAAAGU/T0eDJmwcY-I/s200/IMG_6917.JPG" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbr_mNTzAI/AAAAAAAAAHM/BW6ejM-U694/s1600/IMG_6948+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbr_mNTzAI/AAAAAAAAAHM/BW6ejM-U694/s200/IMG_6948+2.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is another view of one of the lamps, where you can also see the art that we hung behind the chair. You can't see them too well, but they are signed Beverly Purdue prints of two elephants from behind, and two zebras resting their heads on each other. They remind us of our Africa trip, especially since we snapped our own photo of zebras doing the same thing while on our safari.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbt4prgnFI/AAAAAAAAAHk/4MpD6geJsN0/s1600/IMG_6949+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbt4prgnFI/AAAAAAAAAHk/4MpD6geJsN0/s400/IMG_6949+2.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGb-8qQdR5I/AAAAAAAAAIE/pj82UB8qyLM/s1600/IMG_4218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGb-8qQdR5I/AAAAAAAAAIE/pj82UB8qyLM/s320/IMG_4218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oops, sorry for the tangent! The next area of the living room that we (okay, I) spent a TON of time on is the mantel/fireplace. We still haven't painted the fireplace, but we love the way it looks for now... until we decide whether or not to paint it/what color to paint it. Here it is this past winter (so long ago, I know):</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqtIRApmI/AAAAAAAAAG0/6PbOtQJMMjo/s1600/IMG_6122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqtIRApmI/AAAAAAAAAG0/6PbOtQJMMjo/s400/IMG_6122.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The best thing we did was to cover up the nasty, sooty (is that even a word?) blocks inside of the fireplace. Stephen still has dreams of building fires in the winter, so we didn't want to do anything too permanent (high temperature paint was an option, but we could only find it locally in a spray... not too great for indoors). I had quite a bit of the black & white fabric (which is the same one we used to cover the lampshade), so I decided just to buy some cheap foamboard, cover it, and stick it in there to disguise the nastiness. It worked! For a couple extra dollars, I was able to buy black foamboard for the sides, which was easier than covering white foamboard with more fabric.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqpq-74eI/AAAAAAAAAGs/NSUNOZV77hA/s1600/DSCN3218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TGbqpq-74eI/AAAAAAAAAGs/NSUNOZV77hA/s400/DSCN3218.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It took an embarrassingly long time for me to decide on all the accessories, but I really do love how it all turned out. It's a good thing too, since many evenings are spent on the couch, therefore staring right at the fireplace. It's so nice to like what we see! The photos are two of my favorites- one of us walking along the beach in Nantucket, and the other of a deserted beach in Hawaii. It seems that a "theme" of beachy and/or avian accents are abundant in our house... is that a weird combination? Oh well, it works for us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So just to make this post <u>even</u> longer, here is the last corner of the living room, which is also the most unfinished area. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The dresser was Stephen's as a child, and we painted it black and added new hardware when it lived in our previous house/apt. Now, our plan is to somewhat alter the top drawer area to make a shelf for the cable box & DVD player, while also leaving part of the drawer functional. We'll see how that project turns out in the (hopefully very near) future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We also have this little guy that we plan to hang above the TV. I don't have a finished picture, but here it is before its coat of white (along with a "during" shot of a little visitor on the freshly painted piece).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, I think I've sufficiently ignored the rest of my to-do list enough for today... ciao!</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-57407119363345597742010-08-04T16:22:00.001-04:002012-08-06T01:49:28.327-04:00Sew what<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">First, let me preface this post by saying that, while my purpose is not to brag, I am extremely proud of myself! See... two Christmases ago, my mom gave me a sewing machine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAJfxTeHI/AAAAAAAAAFM/m-G53fZObAY/s1600/jan115215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAJfxTeHI/AAAAAAAAAFM/m-G53fZObAY/s320/jan115215.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The machine sat in the unopened box until we moved, then came out of the box just to sit some more on our office counter. This lasted for almost a year. This week though, I finally watched the accompanying DVD and learned how to thread the bobbin and the machine (holy bajoly sewing machines have small parts!), and then proceeded to make my first project... drumroll, please... PILLOWS! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For our living room chairs (that came from my grandparents' house... they had them since before my mom was born!), I had originally bought the pillows seen in this photo from Christmas:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAgl6Y1uI/AAAAAAAAAGE/dXlLgjj3trY/s1600/IMG_6155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAgl6Y1uI/AAAAAAAAAGE/dXlLgjj3trY/s400/IMG_6155.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnE1D0J8oI/AAAAAAAAAGM/Biongjg_cmM/s1600/6684012-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnE1D0J8oI/AAAAAAAAAGM/Biongjg_cmM/s320/6684012-1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Post-holiday decor, however, the red in the pillows just didn't flow with the rest of the room. So they were returned, and I picked out this fabric (Braemore Emilio in Lemon Drop) for new pillows. Mom got a yard of it for us from Williams & Sherrill (love) when she was in Midlo one day, and the lovely fabric sat folded (in the shape of a pillow) on one of the chairs for months. Shame. But... not anymore! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After 5 hours of cutting, sewing, and cussing, one pillow is DONE! Yes, just one. My math skills are clearly a bit rusty during the summer, and in purchasing the cording I apparently only added up enough yardage for <i>one</i> of the pillows, not two. So, as soon as I go back to the fabric store & get more, the second pillow will be made (and the good news is I am 99.9% sure it will not take nearly as long as the first!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While a pillow was a great choice for my first attempt at sewing, it was for sure <i>not</i> a brilliant idea to include PIPING (cording/piping/whatever you want to call it) on my very first project. Way to make things difficult! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAZm-TAWI/AAAAAAAAAF0/aIbWjPccAFs/s1600/IMG_6904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TFnAZm-TAWI/AAAAAAAAAF0/aIbWjPccAFs/s400/IMG_6904.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm glad I didn't take the easy way out though, because I love, love, love how it looks with the piping. And it could've been worse... I could have tried to include a zipper! I'm not that out of my mind though, and since I didn't want to do an envelope back (I figured having both sides finished was a safer choice in case I messed one up!), I just stuffed in the pillow form and stitched it up by hand. I can always just snip the hand stitches if I need to wash the cover. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Another thing I was excited about was that we didn't have to spend any money on the forms! Shortly after getting married, we bought two striped rectangular pillows from Target that we didn't end up having a place for when we bought our house (here are the pillows in our apartment).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As luck would have it, their covers were removable and there were nice down inserts inside! So not only did we get (basically) free pillow forms, we also made room in our closet where the unused striped pillows were living. Now... off to the fabric store so we can actually have <i><b>two</b></i> pillows instead of just one... </span><br />
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<a href="http://thecsiproject.com/" target="_blank"><img ="" alt="Visit thecsiproject.com" class="aligncenter" src="http://thecsiproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/thecsiproject.com-logo-150.png" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-12029149668228297022010-07-28T00:34:00.001-04:002011-07-22T15:10:57.164-04:00Hiatus, much?<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've decided to compare our blog to my use of facebook. See, when I was a freshman in college, facebook was just starting to be popular (back when you could only use it if you were actually <b>in</b> college), so of course I started an account. I didn't even make a profile, and I logged on <i>maybe</i> twice in the first year or so that I had it. Next thing you know... everyone was on it... I became obsessed... and subsequently wasted an ungodly amount of time on that site every day (but don't worry, the obsession subsided after a couple of years).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, the <i>point</i> is that clearly the blog has been neglected, but I'm here to give it another shot. I have plenty of excuses, of course... mostly involving spending lots of time here (my classroom):</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-rfS7jF_I/AAAAAAAAAEc/Mz7WECWBBSU/s1600/DSCN3202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-rfS7jF_I/AAAAAAAAAEc/Mz7WECWBBSU/s400/DSCN3202.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, it's now almost a month and a half into my summer vacation, and I'm just now doing this? Yea... </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So anyway, we have lots to share (with the 3 whole people who might read this :) plus ourselves... 'cause it'll be fun to look back at in a few years!) For now, I'll just share our latest project, which was for our bedroom. I haven't taken any great pics of our room, mainly because it's been so unfinished. This is the one pic I took awhile ago.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-uxinjl3I/AAAAAAAAAEs/KjM93IsUr5U/s1600/IMG_6744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-uxinjl3I/AAAAAAAAAEs/KjM93IsUr5U/s400/IMG_6744.JPG" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Super. Now you know what our bedding & my bedside lamp look like, with totally inaccurate lighting & paint color! Really, all we have left is finishing the art/putting an end to the empty walls. We still need to finish the art for over our bed, and the other place we needed something was on the wall between our closet and bathroom. Here is what that wall looked like before we moved in:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whoa, Carolina blue (for the record, Stephen loved this color in support of the Tar Heels). Here is what it looks like now:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I got these three frames at a thrift store downtown ($2.98 each... can't beat it!) and immediately spray painted them white. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-u0HJC4CI/AAAAAAAAAE0/aQbDQiqWWg0/s1600/IMG_6530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-u0HJC4CI/AAAAAAAAAE0/aQbDQiqWWg0/s400/IMG_6530.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The two square frames came from the dollar store. I didn't want to spend forever trying to figure out what to put in the frames, so I just did a few quick craft projects with some scrapbook paper and gift wrap (and a quick photo collage we printed). We can always change them later! </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have to admit though, it took <b>forever</b> to finally finish this. I had the ideas all planned, the frames painted, and one of them finished, and then they just sat... for months... I couldn't find the right paper for the two larger frames, and I didn't have lots of time to spend looking. So, they just got pushed to the back burner. But then a week or so ago, a local company (Ink & Paper) had a sale on their gorgeous paper products (including amazing gift wrap), and I found lots of gift wrap sheets that were the perfect prints, and the perfect size to finish the project. Yay! So now it's done (for now).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-vhRBdFcI/AAAAAAAAAE8/7_FRyOyCnvw/s1600/IMG_6883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/TE-vhRBdFcI/AAAAAAAAAE8/7_FRyOyCnvw/s400/IMG_6883.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just a bird silhouette (that I printed from Google images, then traced onto cardstock), a sand dollar glued onto pretty paper (this frame came without glass, so it was perfect for something 3-D; I had originally thought about using fabric for the background, but figured paper would be easier to dust), a "B" which was also printed & traced, and a paper-wrapped mat around our photo collage. The other square frame is just a small piece of my favorite Ink & Paper gift wrap. So there it is... easy as pie! Actually, <i>much</i> easier than pie. </span></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954128021552037804.post-5231141708108901372010-01-03T20:02:00.018-05:002011-07-22T15:11:44.379-04:00Happy 2010!<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >It's been awhile since we last posted! We've been busy enjoying the holidays and tying up loose ends around the house. I've had two weeks off and have enjoyed every second. The first</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > few days of the break were spent enjoying our big snow, painting & hanging cabinets, and cleaning & organizing like crazy. The snow was gorgeous, and gave us (basically) a White Christmas.<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FGrhrFTpI/AAAAAAAAABU/k3M15EP0eMs/s1600-h/IMG_6067.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FGrhrFTpI/AAAAAAAAABU/k3M15EP0eMs/s400/IMG_6067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422693139918179986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Real icicles formed on our icicle lights...</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FHAhLPrZI/AAAAAAAAABc/5DIMOLCFo0c/s1600-h/IMG_6059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FHAhLPrZI/AAAAAAAAABc/5DIMOLCFo0c/s400/IMG_6059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422693500561894802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It really made it feel like winter! The day after the season officially changed, we also celebrated Stephen's birthday by adding a furry new member to our family. Meet Boston:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FKSLqCZZI/AAAAAAAAABk/A3SqAsprhBM/s1600-h/IMG_6200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FKSLqCZZI/AAAAAAAAABk/A3SqAsprhBM/s400/IMG_6200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422697102557996434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Boston is a sweet, fuzzy, silly kitten, and we've already grown to love him! He's lots of fun, but loves to cuddle up on the couch with us, too. Isn't he adorable??</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FKaOMM55I/AAAAAAAAABs/AIkbAvT0aUk/s1600-h/IMG_6243.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FKaOMM55I/AAAAAAAAABs/AIkbAvT0aUk/s400/IMG_6243.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422697240677115794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Boston LOVES the Christmas tree (surprise, surprise). We had to make sure all of the breakable ornaments were moved closer to the top! Speaking of the Christmas tree, here it is in our living room:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FQsefwEgI/AAAAAAAAADM/JYlPTr1QbhQ/s1600-h/IMG_6154.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FQsefwEgI/AAAAAAAAADM/JYlPTr1QbhQ/s400/IMG_6154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422704151361491458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The room isn't finished, but it is getting close! We still need to hang art on the sofa wall (the pictures we're going to hang are leaning against the wall by the fireplace and against the coffee table). </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOmHxDoII/AAAAAAAAAC8/jm7bYyabJhU/s1600-h/IMG_6158.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOmHxDoII/AAAAAAAAAC8/jm7bYyabJhU/s400/IMG_6158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422701843157590146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We also haven't painted the fireplace (it's still the color of the walls before we painted them... pretty close to our color, huh? Unfortunately, everything downstairs that wasn't Duke blue was painted that gray color. The color we painted the walls is more of a taupe). Once we decide what we want to do with the fireplace (white? black? wall color? something else?), we just need to figure out what to do with the french doors, which you can see below. This photo was after we painted, but before we had done much of anything else. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOH5Mg4hI/AAAAAAAAACk/iBDp5kw43lM/s1600-h/DSCN2584.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOH5Mg4hI/AAAAAAAAACk/iBDp5kw43lM/s400/DSCN2584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422701323850146322" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This pic. is what the room looked like when we took our first tour of the house. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FN4s3EpdI/AAAAAAAAACc/x2SgeA-QPhw/s1600-h/DSCN2535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FN4s3EpdI/AAAAAAAAACc/x2SgeA-QPhw/s400/DSCN2535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422701062840952274" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We painted the walls and trim, hung blinds, then got started on the floors. Here is an in-progress shot of the bamboo being installed.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOQc-oTdI/AAAAAAAAACs/Cbfesz8OhBA/s1600-h/IMG_5962.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOQc-oTdI/AAAAAAAAACs/Cbfesz8OhBA/s400/IMG_5962.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422701470894542290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">After some rearranging and accessorizing, here's where we are today! Time to hang some art.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOvRNJBbI/AAAAAAAAADE/FVUO1m1WgBk/s1600-h/IMG_6174.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOvRNJBbI/AAAAAAAAADE/FVUO1m1WgBk/s400/IMG_6174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422702000310126002" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that 2010 is off to a fabulous start for you!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOZPA9LVI/AAAAAAAAAC0/jG4FARCWXOg/s1600-h/IMG_6138.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iMtFWL4Hu4E/S0FOZPA9LVI/AAAAAAAAAC0/jG4FARCWXOg/s400/IMG_6138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422701621765025106" border="0" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05553258923443365271noreply@blogger.com2