Pondered Primed Perfected {P3}

When My Blog Grows Up...

2012-03-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

As I sit here and wonder what to write...What I want my blog to be when it grows up...I am overtaken with something. Some emotion. I can't even describe it.

Maybe it's joy (I love that I've finally become more in tune with my creative side ~ and I'm able to share that with you).

Maybe it's pride (this blog is like my baby).

Maybe it's fear of the unknown (I'm really just finding my way ~ day by day. This is still all so new to me).

Whatever it is, it has opened up a whole new world to me. And it's been a wild and crazy ride. It's challenging, motivating, fun, and inspiring to work on this blog. And the chances we have to "meet" so many other bloggers, well, that is priceless! So, on a somewhat selfish note, I have to say:

I want my blog to grow up to be a place for creating connections with my readers and other bloggers, finding inspiration, getting projects done, making our house a Home, Thinking OUTSIDE the box, being honest, sharing beautiful spaces, even showing the projects that don't turn out the way we hoped. I want my "baby" to grow up to be a positive extension of ME. I want people to enjoy their visit...and of course I want to have lots and lots of visitors!

And for those who prefer short and sweet with visuals:

{If you are interested in going to the individual posts ~ just click on the photos}

Welcoming

Resourceful

Real

Honest

Inspiring

Down to Earth

Visually Appealing

Thrifty

Responsible

Creative

Thanks so much for stopping by! We love reading your comments, having you join us, seeing your projects...please don't be shy. Join us!

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You can also click on Linky, Google Friend Connect, or type in your email on our sidebar if you like to receive posts that way too. We would love to have you!!!

Hugs! Sherry

P.S. At some point I realized, much too late obviously, that we were supposed to have exactly five goals for our blog. Well, if this was a test ~ I failed! LOL. I hope you all forgive me, but I'm not sure which I would remove...so...once again I'm coloring outside the lines and being a rebel. I apologize for not paying better attention or following direction...but I'm keeping my goals!!!

Big Thanks to:
…Thistlewood Farm
…Eclectically Vintage
…The Cottage Market
…Primitive and Proper
…Refresh Restyle
…It all Started with Paint
…Stay at Home-ista
…Bliss Ranch
…Top This Top That

sharing here:

Building Blocks, Boxes and Finished Projects. What?

2012-02-29T16:13:00.001-08:00

I've noticed that I'm not the only Blogger that has mentioned a slight difficulty in accomplishing projects this month. Since I'm new to the blogging world I'm not sure if this is normal for this time of year, or out of the ordinary. I just read a post called "Doing a lot...and gettin' nothin' done" by Karah at The Space Between. She seems to be suffering from a similar affliction ~ too many projects and nothing getting finished. I'm right there with you Karah, I feel ya! I read another post, and sorry I can't place it now, but they were wondering if it was just an after-effect of all the holiday bustle and the big push to do big projects in January. February kinda just happens. How many posts can you do about love and pink and other sweet stuff. February seems to bring on spring fever.

I've already shown you a long list of To-Do's here, so no worries, I won't ask you to suffer through that again. I do have some AMAZING projects on the horizon. Just as soon as I quit my day job so that I have the time to work on them! Lol.

Oh, that's right, if I quit my day job I cannot afford my home.

Then I'll be left with no choice but to show you how to take a cardboard box and make it homey ~ with only what you find in the trash or for free.

At least I wouldn't have to worry about having time to do projects anymore, since it will be eternally naptime in our cardboard home:

I could do a feature on how to feed your family for free. Maybe I could showcase the best mission locations for free meals in our area.

This photo was taken during Occupy Wall Street in Portland...do you think we would have to protest to eat?

We could make fancy cardboard corner signs. You know the ones that make people so tickled they just can't resist giving you some change ('Cause we don't want to make people more fortunate than us feel bad, huh uh, no way, that wouldn't be right!).

My sign would have to say "Need money for wine, 'cause I don't WANT to work."

But I really like this guys sign too:

You know what? I could totally use this guy. Because code is scary and the people In The Know keep telling me that if I don't know what I'm doing, I should just LEAVE CODE ALONE. And I usually listen to people that know more than me. Usually. Please don't talk to my parents about this, well, actually why don't we leave out my entire family. (I'm not fessing up to anything specific, but I might have been a bit of a rebel back in the day ~ Shhhhh).

But I'm not ready to change my life so drastically. I mean, IT'S FREAKIN' COLD OUTSIDE!!! I'm not cut out for braving the elements when it's this kind of weather. It was so cold they started school two hours late today. That's way cold. I don't think you can call it a 'snow delay' if there isn't actually any snow, right!? Can you?

There is hope. I have gotten things done. Just not the BIG, BEAUTIFUL, EXCITING THINGS that I see in my head. Oh, the things I see there...

Check out our new chalkboards. They are done! See? Two projects off the To-Do list!
The first is for my Mom (modeled by my son, fresh out of the shower ~ tousled hair and all):

And another family established chalkboard ~ perfect for leaving little messages of love and appreciation (and hanging your keys):

I think I'll just stop guilting myself now. I'm just not ready to start decorating a box. Maybe next month. :) No promises on projects though. We've got tons in the works. Big and small. But we also have an extremely full life: kids to care for, chores to do, meals to make, and the myriad trips to sport practices and games. We'll get things done...just not as quickly as we'd like.

You probably don't want to see me looking like this again:

Thanks for understanding!

sharing with:
http://www.hatingmartha.com/you-stink-stinky-linky-party-v-3/

Tossing around ideas for a gallery wall

2012-02-28T14:25:00.001-08:00

I have been throwing ideas around for awhile now on a gallery wall.

Maybe something monochromatic like this???

{click on images to be taken to available sources)

I've pinned a few images. {I know, can you believe it? I pinned some images!?} Just proof that there are so many options. I'll have to corral all of the pieces I want to include and see which way I can go with them. Of course keeping the cost to a bare minimum is always part of my thought process. These are just a few of my favorites. Not all of them are practical for my home.

Black & white with large bold typography

Very carefully placed, the frames are nonexistent or somewhat dainty with large white matting. Nice effect.

Multi-layered and very textural. Monochromatic.

Black and white ~ just perched on a ledge. Lovely.

Young House Love's famous gallery wall. White frames and matting with soft colors...very pleasing.

From Gardners 2 Bergers did a beautiful gallery wall with black and white and one single accent color. Very appealing.

Scandinavian Design...predominantly white with wonderful pops of bold color.
This is one of my favorites but a lot harder to pull off than you might think at first.

Or how about this one ~ where art, plates and mirrors are combined for a very pleasing combination.

Finally, if you don't have a stash of art, typography, mirrors, photographs and plates hanging around just create a reverse, symmetrical display of color canvases all framed identically. What a great color story this is.

Which one is your favorite?

Home Beautiful

2012-02-27T15:01:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday My Friends!

Hope your weekend was wonderful. I was able to spend time with a friend, get some needed time away from home, and do some thrifting.

What a perfect weekend!

Aren't these fun and springy?
The flowers are for my son to give to his bus driver.
She is so cheerful and good with the kids...she deserves them!

Before I show you the rest of what I found this weekend, I want to share this excerpt from a book with you. I hope you enjoy it. No new projects today, but soon!

The book is "Don't Stop Laughing Now!
Stories to tickle your funny bone and strengthen your faith"
~ selected by Ann Spangler, with Shari MacDonald

HOME BEAUTIFUL

by: Marsha Crocket

I used to think ony a few people really possessed the gift of creative decorating. I was equally certain I wasn't one of them. After all, my kitchen cabinets hold more plastic action-figure cups than lovely goblets. I've been known to let my children and husband turn the living room into an exercise room. My bedroom is not a haven of rest or an oasis of love (unless you get a thrill from stepping over the stacks of file folders, magazines, and a basket of unfolded clothes next to my computer).
      On the other hand, my neighbor, Sally, seems to have a natural ability for creating beauty. For a long time, I explained away her beautifully spotless house on the fact that she stayed home and had only one child. I chuckled at the ease of her life. My house would look like that too, if I didn't have two chidren and a job! I told myself.
      But then Sally opened a day care in her home and had six kids in her house every day. This I had to see! So measuring cup in hand, I headed to Sally's in no time flat to borrow some sugar. That's when I got my first clue about what to expect: Hanging on her front door was a cute little blackboard with a "Memo to Parents." On it was neatly written: "Today's Lunch -- homemade vegetable soup, orange slice smiles, and whole wheat crackers. Today's Snack -- peanut-butter-and-jelly stars" !?
      I guess Sally saw me coming up the walk because she opened the door before I could close my mouth.
      "Cute sign," I commented. "I just need a cup of sugar. I'm making...uh, clown-shaped snickerdoodle cookies for the girls."
      "Oh, some special occasion?" she asked, as if she really had made these things before.
       "No, just one of those fun things we like to do now and then."
       I looked around. I heard children laughing -- but didn't see them or any mess in the house. "What happened to the kids?"
      "They're in the playroom. You're welcome to go see what I did in there."
      I went down the hall with a sense of foreboding and looked in. It wasn't a room, it was a park. Sally had actually painted an outdoor motif on the walls, complete with sky, puffy clouds, grass, and trees. Little white park benches perched against two walls, with a rack full of books in between. Next to the silk tree sat a picnic table covered in a red-and-white checked plastic tablecloth. Jars of Play-Doh stood at attention in the center.
      "It's beautiful in here, Sally. But I bet the kids can really make a mess of it, huh?"
      "Oh, they know the rules: 'Put away before you play,'" she replied.
      I couldn't take it any more, so I asked her for some sugar, thanked her, and headed toward my front door -- the one with the leaves stuck in the spiderwebs at the corner of the doorjamb. I went inside and looked around at my home, the one with crooked curtains, four pairs of shoes in the living room, and a red stain on the dining room carpet. The girls were playing with Lincoln Logs and Barbies...in the kitchen.
      With a deep sigh I said to my husband, "Honey, I think I'll move in with Sally."
      "No, you can't," he said with a teasing grin. "Who would clean up this mess?"
      After living next to Sally for eleven years, I'm finally learning I can't be Sally, or Martha Stewart, or anyone else for that matter. I agree with author Primo Levi, who wrote, "I live in my house as I live inside my skin; I know more beautiful, more ample, more sturdy, and more picturesque skins; but it would seem to me unnatural to exchange them for mine." I think maybe I do have what it takes to create beauty. It's just that I have to be more comfortable with my own style, my own likes and dislikes in my home.
      This realization called for celebration. So I poured red punch into four plastic Batman cups. My family and I raised our glasses and toasted who we are in Christ, and I reveled in the miracle of this "home beautiful".

This story makes me feel so happy. Especially to know that I'm not the only one out there who looks at others' "picture perfect" homes and feels a sense of inadequacy at times. It's reassuring. I spent the weekend hanging out with my best friend. We didn't do anything other than hanging out and a bit of thrifting. It was good for me to get away from home for a weekend. I wasn't overwhelmed with the feeling that I should be working on some project. Yay for me!!! I did find some fun items at a "For Youth" Thrift Store. Everything just happened to be 50% off when we went! The five wicker baskets (pictured above and below) are lined with plastic inside so you can put your flower pots into them, they were $1.00 each. They will look lovely on the porch or the back deck, with spring flowers in them. Yes, I am determined to ring in spring!

This little green and white striped vase was $1 and it has my two favorite colors, no less.
I can just picture it with a bouquet of fresh flowers in it!

This piece was $1.50 after discount. It is flat on the back and has a wire hanger attached to it...just perfect for hanging some flowers from my back fence.
I can't wait to get it up there.

I found five matching woven placemats for $3. I love this look.

All of these plates are new except the blue Wedgewood in the top right corner, it's one of two which came from my grandma, and I really wanted to incorporate them into my plate wall so I hunted for more plates with both blue and green in them. I love what I found including the one in the center from Sweden, and the little one, top left, is an Oregon plate. I think they will all look really wonderful together.

Now I can't wait to pick up some plate hangers at the dollar store and get these plates on the wall!

Our Very Own Vintage Window

2012-02-23T16:58:00.000-08:00

{I told you I would share when our very own window was done...}

Beautiful Windows

Like These:

Destined for a landfill.

Just doesn't seem right, does it?

These beautiful windows have so much history.

They still have life left in them.

Too much to just be wasted, broken and forgotten.

So we rescued them.

And we started giving them new life and new homes.

One by One.

You may have seen one or two of them before, cleaned up and ready for their new families.

This one's part of Our Family now:

Painted in a soft green with crisp white lettering.
Just needs a little distressing. :)

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

I wonder what all our other orphan windows will become?

sharing with:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://mom4realky.blogspot.com/
http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.happyhourprojects.com/
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
http://rustic-crafts.com/?p=5569

ROADKILL RESCUE BENCH FEATURE

2012-02-22T21:34:00.001-08:00

I can barely believe it! Beckie Farrant of Roadkill Rescue is featuring the Outdoor Bench we made over from some old pizza parlor seating.

Please go and check it out and tell Beckie "HI". I love what she is doing ~ sharing the creativity that so many people have when recreating something old, discarded or free. Just be glad you can't hear me singing her praises for real...my singing voice sucks. Really! Now don't you feel lucky?

GO. GO NOW. GO CHECK OUT MY BENCH. GO SHOW SOME LOVE TO BECKIE AND ALL THE OTHER "RESCUERS". HURRY!!! BEFORE I FIGURE OUT HOW TO POST AUDIO ON THIS BLOG!!!

http://roadkillrescue.net/2012/02/upholstered-outdoor-bench/

Family Pride

2012-02-22T14:31:00.001-08:00

I have a love affair with windows. They let in the LIGHT. Who wants to live in a cave? Well, not this girl! The only time I like it dark is when I'm watching a movie or sleeping...well...maybe one other thing...

...Uh Hummm...as I was saying...

I like to think of the windows in our home acting like a frame for our family. A beautiful portrait of what life is like when we are able to share it with those we love. Some of our family we are born with, and others we are privileged enough to choose. Whichever way we become family, we are here to support each other, encourage one another, help each other up when we've fallen, and just be there through the good and bad. (And I guess maybe stink up the bathroom...just saying. You know who you are!)

We all can appreciate the need for family, right? So, it goes without saying that with a strong, loving family comes Family Pride. This is a good thing. We all want to feel proud. Proud of where we come from, proud of who we are. Proud to say we are a FAMILY. It helps us build each other up and root each other on throughout our lives. That's so cool!

Can you imagine a life without either windows or family? It's easy to forget how truly important both of these things are to us on a daily basis. Yet they both add so much to our lives. Our families love us, care for us and protect us. They allow us to grow and and thrive in a world that is so big and impersonal at times. Windows protect us from the wind, rain, heat and cold and yet they still allow in the light. Leaving us protected but not feeling confined.

I love Family Established signs.
And old windows.

The fact that we are able to combine the two into a welcoming sign ~ proclaiming pride in our family for all to see ~ makes me very happy. It adds so much warmth to our homes!
Here is our newest sign. I think it looks quite elegant in black. I hope the family we've prepared this for finds much joy in viewing it each day. We are finishing up our own family sign in soft green today as well. Of course I'll have to share how it turns out when it's done!

Having a place to go - is a home. Having someone to love - is a family. Having both - is a blessing. ~Donna Hedges

Green Themed Plate Wall

2012-02-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

It was a good weekend for us.

How about you?

My Mom and Dad were here for the weekend. They were able to see the little guy playing basketball and we did some thrifting after. We went to a little town called Mt. Angel, Oregon.

We visited a place called the White Corner Store there. This store had the most amazing things. There were little themed vignettes with like colors all displayed together. I love these type of displays.

This photo shows the Black, White, Crystal and Silver!!!
My daughter was having fun with Grandma's new camera and the panorama feature. Can you tell?

If you are ever in the Mt. Angel, OR area, you should stop by the White Corner Store on E. College Street and say hi to Diane, the owner. She was so nice to talk to. Not to mention she had the coolest things!

She had a green and blue display that had some of the most darling pieces tucked into it.

I found my new green plate there!

It depicts a foxhunt scene and on the back it simply says "ENGLAND":

Then My Mom and I went to Goodwill and I found these:

I think I might have enough to start a plate wall. Why is it so difficult to find attractive green plates? I'm getting there though. Take a look at what I did, trying a couple of different arrangements, and tell me what you think.

I kind of like the second one where I take out one of the three solid green plates to make it more balanced. I just couldn't get them to fit any better with all three green plates in and I tried them in every possible pattern I could think of. Hmmmmm....I'm going to play around with them some more. I have a couple of blue print plates also...maybe those will look good mixed in. We'll see...

Bench Makeover ~ I think I have Spring Fever

2012-02-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been drawn to pictures of outdoor spaces.
Light, bright and cheerful spaces such as these:
{Click on photos to follow links to available sources}

Aren't they wonderful???
It's no wonder I'm pining for some sunny outdoor time.

After such an extended period of short, gray, rainy days that are the norm around the Pacific Northwest ~ It takes it's toll on my level of cheerfulness. I'm not joking when I say I prefer summer months. I am lucky that in my job I'm able to spend a decent amount of time outside even in winter, so I can get as much Vitamin D as possible. I also lean towards Cottage and Scandinavian design due to their use of light, white and bright colors. It may be dark outside more often, but I have some control over the evironment inside my home!

A lack of daylight hours combined with cold and rain for extended periods of time can take it's toll on all of us. Mother Nature seems to understand this and starts throwing in beautiful, crisp, sunny days here and there this time of year. Just enough to keep me satisfied! It's sunny days like these that cause me to start dreaming of those long, warm, lazy summer days. I thought I would work on a project that would help get me into a breezy, summertime mood.

One of Scott's Craigslist runs a few months ago scored us a couple of free benches. There were two benches, one about 4 feet long and the other about 6 feet. They had a pizza parlor label underneath. I don't know why, but that seems kind of funny to me...how we ended up with these pizza parlor cast offs. They weren't very pretty...painted a dark brown and covered in brown vinyl. The vinyl upholstery had numerous cracks and repairs in it also.

We were in need of some more furniture suitable for our back deck area for the warmer spring and summer months. I thought it would be fun to make these benches over with some paint and outdoor fabric. I was able to work on the smaller 4 foot bench this weekend. Here is what I was able to accomplish:

The metal piece was painted silver to freshen it up, then the wood was painted a pale green with a touch of grey in it and distressed.

The seat was reupholstered in an indoor/outdoor fabric in a beachy, tropical pattern

Fun metal hardware was just an easy spray paint fix.

Bright Shiny Silver on this fabulous feature of the bench.

Colors that bring long, hot, relaxing summer days to mind.
(And it doesn't clash with the pool either, that's a bonus!)

New life given to a discarded piece. The fabric was attached to the underside of the seat with a manual staple gun.

A place to sit and sip lemonade!!!

Just in case you forgot how bad it was ~ ANOTHER BEFORE.

And again the AFTER shot! ;)

This might be the perfect spot for a tiny nap...

Everybody Needs a Bit of Green

2012-02-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

{Clicking a photo will take you to the source}

Green Slumber

(Does this scream 'Where the Wild Things Are' to you?)

Green Loving

Green Cases

Elegant Green Space

Green Lantern

Adorable Green Cottage

Green Martini

Because Man Cannot Live on Bread Alone

Green Eyes

Natures Paintbrush

What I look like at the end of a long day...LOL!

2012-02-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Recently I had a Portland Art Institute Student come by and take some photos of me in my environment with the kids ~ for an assignment. This girl, Chelsie, is amazingly talented. As a matter of fact, because of her talent and hard work, she has just earned a scholarship to RIT and will be heading to New York this spring. Here's what we did for fun yesterday. This is depicting me at the end of an (apparently very long) day with the kids:

Yeah, that's me. Pretty funny, huh!?

It is supposed to be comical ~ but Chelsie does serious and artistic shots also. I'm really hoping to get her to do some interior shots for me once I get some of my projects DONE. If I'm lucky!!!

You can see more of her work at her photography blog: http://chelsiecraigphotog.com/2012/02/16/building-blocks/ .

She has some really cool stuff that isn't even up on this site. If you ask nicely she might add it or give you a FB invite. She's pretty sweet. I think you will like her!

Just make sure you bookmark her or follower her, whatever it is you do. That way you can say you discovered her even before she broke out into the big time as an artist/photographer!

Hugs,
Sherry

25 somewhat, OK not really, random things about me

2012-02-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

So, I don't have any finished projects to post. It's been a very busy week. We have gotten tons of things done and we have some pretty great projects in the works. But for now I thought I would try to do one of those passing blog trends. Just keep on going if you aren't into this sort of stuff...I wouldn't expect you to hang around and read about me!! Not if you are just looking for a dose of DIY or some kind of project...SERIOUSLY.

So, here is one of my favorite pins from Pinterest. You can find it in my Pinterest Power In Words Board, if you are interested. I don't think it's bad to give ourselves frequent reminders of things that are important to us. That is mainly what my Power In Words Board is about.

source

And HERE ARE MY 25 (I'm so bad these are SO NOT RANDOM) THINGS:

Family means everything to me.

The one thing I wish I could give up completely is processed food, especially sugar.

I never had a plan or specific desire to become a blogger. It was a spontaneous decision and I'm still learning what it means to me.

My obsession and love of everything home decor and design started at an early age. I perused every magazine I could get my hands on and been addicted to design tv since I was a teen. People have long been teasing me about how often I change my paint color and rearrange...I think I'm finally at peace with that.

It started shortly after my OBSESSION with ART.

I think I've been living my life on survival mode for quite awhile now and neglecting the creative side of me. Recently I vowed to change that, and I cannot believe how rewarding it has been.

For whatever reason, I am an extremely sensitive person. I can cry just watching a sappy commercial. Seriously. It can be embarrassing.

I'm very in tune to others' emotions and feelings....not much get's past me. (Although occassionally, I've been known to read people wrong, so I wouldn't want to base important decisions off of it.)

My favorite color is green...in most shades and varieties. Although the color I currently have in my kitchen is testing my loyalty.

I couldn't tell you which I like more: coffee, wine or chocolate. The only one I have DAILY is coffee. The other two remain a treat for me.

I'm unbelievably proud of my daughter for striving to stay in school and get a college degree and keeping a job all at the same time. We haven't always been able to help as much as we would like to, but we want the very best for her. She will always be my BABY. She changed my life.

Unfortunately, I've been down some roads I wish I hadn't been. It's made me stronger and wiser as a whole. I know what people are capable of. Both good and bad. I don't ever dare to forget that we are all just human. Thank GOD, we are forgiven.

I am very, very SPIRITUAL. My relationship with organized religion, on the other hand, has been a long and windy road. I don't believe that church is the only place we can be close to our Lord and Savior. Although, I do like the sense of community that a church can provide.

I really, really enjoy the ART of THRIFTING. I buy more 2nd hand than new...except for groceries. I think we'd be very rich if we didn't have to eat. :)

The free Craigslist hot tub is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. :)

I miss my family and friends so bad sometimes, I can barely breathe. A phone call just isn't the same. If I had it to do all over again, I may not have moved away. Close family and friends that love you unconditionally are irreplaceable.

I posted a tour of our downstairs rooms, not because I thought they looked awesome, but because it tells a story...of where we are now and where we hope to go from here. It was a little scary, but I didn't do it for affirmation.

I love summertime. I wish we had nine months of summer and one each of spring, fall and winter.

I want to travel the world...see new places and meet new people. I need to get out of the "country" once in a while...

Quiet time really has it's value. Especially after working with children all day. ;)

My son is very athletic and competitive...he didn't get his athletic abilities from me. But I'm not one to back down from a challenge ~ so I may have contributed to his competitive nature to some slight degree.

IN 2011 I ran five 5k's. I haven't run a block since December. Don't ask me why...saying I don't have time just isn't flying. :(

I feel the need to get myself outside running. Just not today...maybe I could start tomorrow...lol.
I don't want people to look at my blog and say, "Does she think she's a Designer?". I don't. Not ever. I'm an everyday person who loves home decorating, DIY and design. It's simple. I want people to see that improving our homes on a seriously small budget is possible, there is so much we can do with so little. It's not rocket science...it's DIY.
I would spring for fresh flowers every week if I could fit it in the budget. I love flowers. :)

Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with LOVE

2012-02-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

Have a love filled Valentine's Day, My Friends...

source: helloitsvalentine.com via Pinterest

Downstairs Project Tour

2012-02-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

Here goes the downstairs tour! Welcome to Our Home!!!

Some of this is a bit rough, but, I think you've been fairly warned.
I'm going to start at the front door and make notes about what we've done and what we hope to do as I go.

If you stick with me through this you deserve a glass of wine in the hot tub tonight! (That's going to be my reward to myself for getting this done!)

I apologize to those of you who have been hanging around for a bit. Sorry if some of this is repetitive.

We are so glad you came to visit. You have just entered our front door...

I love the deep color of this wood and the black iron scroll work mimics the dining chandelier and the wine rack ;)

On the wall directly to the right is my plain ole cork board with our friends and family photo display. Eventually I will figure out how I want to cover this board. I wanted to wait until I had a clear picture of what the downstairs color scheme would be. (Ahem, that cork board would be project #2. Sorry if I've confused you but #1 comes later).

***Note to Builders that care...it is not attractive or convenient to walk directly into a stairwell when you enter the front door.***

Once inside the front door you take a left and you will be "in" our mudroom. This feature was created when we put two tall vertical shelves along the wall and connected them with a board as a bench and added hooks. There are also pull out bins at the bottom for our shoes. Love this!!!

Because who wants to see everybodies shoes all over the floor?

Click on the photo above if you want to see the original post.

Do you see the open door to the left? That's our downstairs half bath...we'll go there next...

These are white painted, oak shelves. I have added four banana leaf baskets from Ikea ~ so each of us has a place for our miscellaneous belongings.

Not that we all put our things where we're supposed to! Ha, that would be a dream...

The mirror leaning there came from an antique mall in Oregon City. I don't believe it's actually antique, but it appears to be hand made. I purchased it just for this spot but haven't hung it yet (project #3) because I'm not convinced it is "right" here. Maybe it's just the predominance of white in this space. Or the mirror might be too busy. Maybe the color is just slightly off from the other white. I still need to put wainscot wall paper on the back of those shelves (project #4) and maybe add some color via paint (project #5). Once I have that done I can sew a cushion for the bench (project #6) and possibly those two little Ikea footstools that fit perfectly underneath (project #7).

When we have company there are plenty of seats!

Okay, off to check out the half bath...we've done a couple of updates in there already, but it's not easy to get a nice picture of such a tiny little room with no windows ~ don't expect a lot!

Let's see...
We replaced the builders' mirror with this beauty that we got from some friends. Thanks Andrew and Gina, you are so awesome! It came unfinished so I was able to stain it with the same stain I used on the lower sink cabinet. I stained the builder grade oak cabinets a rich brown. I didn't bother to take a before photo. I wasn't blogging about DIY then, so it didn't seem so important. ;) Scott added the granite counter top. It was a scrap piece that came from his boss. We installed the wall shelves so we could add a few accessories. We haven't really taken the time to do anything more in here. It's used for my preschool during the day so it takes a lot of abuse. You can't see in the picture, but we added some pale gray Italian ceramic tiles to the floor...the same tiles as in the laundry room and the upstairs bathrooms. The tiles were donated to us very generously by Scott's Sister and Brother-In-Law when they had leftover from their remodel. It just needs a new light fixture and maybe more colorful accessories...that's it! (project #8)

When you exit this bathroom you can take a left back into the main part of the house or a right into the laundry room.

We just finished redoing the laundry room too! I love this space. I haven't gotten backed up on the laundry yet. Just click on the photo below if you want to read more about it:

I almost forgot to mention, Scott wants to replace the window with a glass door...this would lead right to the poolside :)
(That makes project #9)

Now let's go back past the "mudroom" and I'll show you where we put the new pantry...right under the stairs! If you want to see more details on that pantry you can see that post by clicking on the photo below.

(Oh holler! I need to go shopping!)

This pantry is on the opposite wall from the "mudroom" space.

It took us about a month to completely finish this space. Scott did the built in shelving really quickly, but I wanted to make sure we planned enough space and ORGANIZED everything well, so it wouldn't just end up another huge mess. It's such a useful, organized space. It really has simplified our lives. We love the chalkboard grocery list and menu planner. All the kids know right where to go to grab a snack. I can check what ingredients I have with just a glance and know what I have to eat. What a dream!!! I hadn't realized how messed up our "pantry" space and storage situation had become. I still want to do something more interesting with the door and maybe make a fun "Corner Market" sign. (project #10)

Let's shut this door and just turn around...you'll find yourself in my craft room slash workspace. This room is my baby. (If you're getting tired ~ feel free to take a break. After all this blogging I feel like I need one too. Come back when you are ready...we'll still be here!

This room's been stripped down to bare bones. Tomorrow I'm going to be pushing that HUGE cabinet around. I want to play with the layout in here before doing anything else. Once I'm sure that cabinet is exactly where we want it ~ we will be doing some fun things to the wall above it (project #11).

But I'm not spilling the beans!

Oh, check out the floor! We scored this wood flooring when a family member was ripping it out of their home to be replaced with wide, dark, rough hewn plank. Jealous! We still had wall to wall carpeting from the front door to in here, so we jumped at the chance to bring this wood flooring home (nails and all) and install it. Scott helped with their demo and installation so they were more than happy to pass it on. We put it in ourselves using a pneumatic nail gun. Scott is so good about doing these projects with me. We started out removing the old nails. Eventually we grew weary and ended up just pounding them flush into the bottoms. Needless to say, it's a little bit squeaky. At least we know when Sadie is being sneaky...

To the left you can see back to the front door from here.
Oh, and Scott's temporary chalkboard wall is right there!

See my Ikea espresso leather sofa? I saved for that puppy for so long! I like that it's easily wiped down. There are so many sticky little fingers around here. I just wish the pillows didn't slip all over the place. Haha. And that little wooden end table, I have plans for that ~ it needs to be stained. (Project # 12)

This cabinet is the coolest ever. It houses all of my crafting and home office supplies. It still needs some trim work at the bottom (project # 13) and I'm hoping someday we can put a stained wooden countertop...if not metal (project # 14)
If you are interested in reading about this cabinet makeover just click on the photo above.

You can see one of the chalkboards we are working on above. You can special order these personalized from our ETSY SHOP.

And those lamps were a fun little project...I'll be putting some of those in our Etsy shop as well. If you want to see how easy they are to make, so you can do it yourself, just go HERE.

That bare window in the corner is (project # 15) and the bench beneath is waiting for some new upholstery (project # 16)

Two of my favorite things: White paint and the color green.

This is where the 1930's Vintage Radio Cabinet Mini Bar lives. Plllllllfffth. That was a mouth full.
It still needs casters attached to the bottom (project #17)

Click the photo above if you are interested in seeing what Scott did to turn this cabinet into a mini bar.

I made these fully lined curtains (in ivory burlap) to hang in front of the sliding glass door.
Otherwise, you can't see a thing if the sun is shining full force. These windows face south so the craft room and kitchen get an abundance of sunshine (if the sun makes an appearance, that is).
And the little green pie shelf can be found HERE.

In my kitchen I want to add: back splash (project #18), and some form of color to the backs of these open cabinets (project #19)

We painted the cabinets white over a year ago. It's something I had wanted to do since moving in. One day, right before Thanksgiving at our place, Scott said,

"Are you ready to paint the cabinets white?"

Can you guess what I said?

"Heck, YES!"

Now they need some touch up (project #20).

I seriously can hear the wine and hot tub calling my name now...

Also in this room we (read as I) want to paint over that "horrendous excuse for the color green" that is on the walls (project #21),

Refinish the counter tops (project # 22),

And add some type of decorative window treatment over the rolling blind (project #23).

Now pass through this opening into our little dining room. It really is quite small. Oh, the flooring in the kitchen and the dining room is peel and stick tiles. These are very dimensional and realistic looking and can even be grouted. We chose not to grout and just installed them flush with each other. They have held up quite nicely for as inexpensive as they were.

Our dining room:

The Chandelier was a hand me down and the shades were one of my favorite thrifty knockoff projects.

Click the photo below if you want to read more about them!

Hmmm, lets see....

The table and chairs were free and became a family project. We sanded, we sprayed, we painted we glazed, we poly'd and finally slip covered!

Click the photo below if you want to see more about this fun filled project!

That huge mirror on the wall actually came from our dresser upstairs. I dare say it might be a later project. I'm not counting it!!!

Those curtains aren't really curtains...yet. If you look closely you can see the raw edges and (sigh) strings. Kristi from A2D taught me about a well dressed window, so I decided that my white, wood-look blinds needed some dressing up. This is just a piece of fabric cut in half and clipped up there on some curtain rings. I wanted to live with it for a bit before doing anything more. I think I'll find a piece of coordinating fabric to make a wide band at the top or bottom so they run all the way to the floor? Tell me what you think! I haven't committed to anything yet and this fabric can be used for something else...say those ottomans under the bench in the entryway. :) (Oh yeah, that's project # 24)

Okay, turn around...we're almost done!

Through the arch is our living room. This is where we HANG OUT. Watch movies, play video games, do our homework and read. This room is really just comfortable and can use many improvements.

(See those semi-naked windows back there? They need some decorative treatments also. They are project # 25)

See that tripod lamp in the front left of the photo? If you want to see how it came to be, just click HERE.

That little camel sofa came from Craigslist...it's a sleeper. (That's project #26) It will be getting a new slipcover! Just as soon as I get up the nerve!!! Sheesh people...this stuff is nerve wracking! Why do you think I'm always drinking coffee, eating chocolate and dreaming about wine in the hot tub?

That adorable young man, he's actually project #1. He comes first! He's so cool and so fun. You'd love him! But don't challenge him to soccer, basketball or football.

(The carpet in this room is project # 27). I cannot stand wall to wall carpet. I can't be the only one. I run a preschool in our home. It gets a lot of traffic.

That black wire thingy there between the sofa and orange chair is project # 28). We found it on the side of the road. It won't stay here in this spot though. I'm going to spray it a fun color and use it for something...you'll have to wait. (We have two end tables for this room but they are refinishing project # 29)!!! Sheesh, I'm tired!

We hope you've had fun looking around Our Place. Nothing fancy. Just our home. We're really very thrifty. I'd say over 75% of our furnishings, and accessories come by way of Craigslist, thrifting, yard sales, hand-me-downs, curbside finds, or re-purposing. This was helped define how far we have come and how far we still have to go. It will always be a work in progress. That I know!

We'd love to hear what you think. Don't feel like you need to mention how many projects are on our ToDo list! We're getting to them...one by one...

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs, Sherry

Sharing At:

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In a little bit I'm going to do something "CRAZY"...

2012-02-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

So this is just a teaser:

I'm not ready to start messing with my blog's web design.
Maybe tomorrow.
I'm going to get a couple of quotes on what it would cost for someone else to do it first.
That will help me decide if it's worth my time.
Like I have any. :)

I am, however, ready to make some changes in our rooms, and get some projects done!

Today I am assessing things downstairs.

WELL...

I'm looking at present and future projects around here.
Trying to figure out what needs to be done.

I also have to keep in mind some other things:
How much money different projects cost?
How much time things will take?
If we need to finish one project to get started on the next?
Are we looking at all of our rooms cohesively?

I know, that is a big word for me!

What I mean is ~ is there a nice design flow from one space to the next? :)

You've probably figured out that I don't always color between the lines.
I don't necessarily follow what is in.
Don't get me wrong...I like some popular designs.
Just take a look at OUR Restoration Hardware knockoff tripod lamp here.
Obviously this wasn't an original idea. It was pretty rewarding making a copycat version though.
I just don't feel the need to change everything around here because someone thinks I should.
What I do feel like doing is making this house a beautiful home.
A place that meets my families needs.
Someplace comfortable, attractive, welcoming and practical.
Doesn't that sound nice!!!

So, whether you want to see it,
Or not...
I'm going to publish pictures of our downstairs rooms.
Fair warning!!!
I'm not staging them all before hand. (I did conveniently hide some of our mess..haha).
You've all seen what my under stair closet and laundry room looked like before, right?
Don't be surprised if you see something a little askew. LOL!

My photography skills are not the best.
I have to admit this might completely bore you...
But, this will give me
(and you ~ if you really want to follow along)
a better picture of where we are coming from.
And what we are trying to do.

At least for me this might be kinda fun. :)
I'll be back in a little bit.
After I get these crazy, scary photos loaded!

Blog Appearance ~ I need some input please!!!

2012-02-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

I feel like I need to offer my viewers a detour. Another avenue that isn't all crisscrossed with construction tape.

I've put off the design of my blog way too long and these things must be done. Even if they aren't the most fun part of everything. I'd much rather be painting, or rearranging, or perusing design magazines.

My header is lacking...and I haven't had the time to figure out how to make it centered or anything. I guess I'm waiting for my knight in shining armor to come on his white horse and rescue me! Since that is not happening, I better ask someone to help. Do you know of any amazing Header Designers that work somewhat inexpensively???? Send them my way!

Otherwise, how will I ever qualify for something like this???

And that's also why I recently signed up for one of those blog critiquing links. I had to critique two blogs and in return I received two anonymous critiques. The critiques I received were pretty spot on with their suggestions for change. I've been wanting to change things up and refine the look on P3 for awhile. I keep messing with different settings, but the problem is every time I go into Blogger Templates and start changing things, I end up hitting roadblocks or dead ends and getting frustrated. I really like the looks of their new Dynamic Templates. But when I switch I lose all personalization including widgets and the follower gadgets and such. Is there a way to add these things back in on the Dynamic Templates?

Am I just not seeing it?

Can anybody help me?

Should I just be transferring all of my stuff to Wordpress like so many Bloggers before me?

So, I'm shopping for designers that can help with my blog appearance and have a basic understanding of code. 'Cause I've just been pretending to know what I'm doing....

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave any suggestions or links to great blog designers in the comments section. PLEASE!!!!

Here's what I changed recently:

I removed the wood grain background and put a solid color in it's place. I know it was too busy! Not completely sure about the color choices yet...it may change in a day or two.
Text has all been changed to the same simple font in a larger size.
Tabs and links were updated with new size/color/font.
The header picture is slightly changed. Hahaha. Still haven't taken the time to figure out how to center it. Sorry.
I moved a few things around and tried to make it look neater and offer a more easily navigated space.

Here's what I still need to do :

Learn how to make a cool banner with multiple photos for my header. Point the way if you know a great tutorial or website for this.
Learn how to size all of the "little" blog buttons uniformly so they look neat. (And why can't we as Bloggers decide to do this universally?? I love to display others' buttons but it isn't funny that they won't sit pretty next to each other, in nice uniform rows, without a lot of extra time taken to adjust every single one's code!) Tell me I'm not the only person who feels this way? And if there isn't an easier solution does anybody care if we just use a text link back when we are joining in link parties? I really want to know.
Somebody tell me why the Dynamic Views seem so much less personalized ?? Is that the point? What about the follower gadgets and other links?
Make my own blog button :)
Apply text and arrows on photos. What program is this done in? I could probably figure it out for myself if someone pointed the way!

Thanks!
Sherry

Bright Cheery Open Kitchen

2012-02-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

Have you seen John and Sherry's open shelf kitchen over at Young House Love?
Go visit and check it out if you haven't already:
http://www.younghouselove.com/2012/02/fill-er-up-2/

Sherry did an amazing job of styling those open kitchen shelves!

I personally am loving that tile backsplash.

Such bright and cheery colors mixed in with all of the white details.

They made a Youtube video of their shelf staging process. It's really fun to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0dkB_kQFvo&feature=player_embedded

Have a fun weekend. I hope you get to work on some PROJECTS. I hope I get to work on some PROJECTS!!!

Sherry

It's Thursday but this should qualify for Wordless Wednesday!

2012-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I don't have a multi-colored countertop...that's ALL of the morning coffee. Hmmmm...
And NO, I did not resort to drinking wine (as seen in the background) but I can't say it wasn't tempting! Lol.

But since it's obvious that I'm really NO GOOD at NO WORDS...

WTH??? I guess it's a mocha kind of day!!!

And, as if that wasn't enough:

What does this picture say???

But I won't be feeling sorry for myself on this gray, wet, wet, wet day. Oh NO, NOT ME!

Because very recently this happened:

I reached over 2500 pageviews in one day???

I think that's cause for a celebration (even if probably half of the pageviews came from me ;). I have some ideas knocking around in the thinker about this...I'll tell you when one settles in for a stay.

I guess what's most important in all of this is that I want to say THANK YOU to all of you that find the time to stop by. WE LOVE HAVING YOU HERE!!! And little things like reaching 2500 pageviews really makes our day! Regardless of the leaky, wet tendencies we are experiencing...

Best Friends

2012-02-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

Me and my Best Friend Nikki

Sometimes, God blesses us in ways that are more valuable than even we can comprehend.

Maybe you've been blessed with some wonderful friends in your lifetime. Or maybe only one. But I hope and pray that each of you have, or will be blessed with a friend as wonderful as mine. I have other wonderful, rewarding friendships too. But that's a story for another day. Today I feel the need to recognize my sweet friend Nikki.

She means the world to me! This is our story.

Meet Nikki

We met way back in the 7th grade.

I don't know about her, but for me it was instant friendship ~ and I will never forget those awkward pre-teen days. For whatever reason I never felt insecure around her. You know how young girls are in middle school. One day you're friends and then it changes...whichever way the wind blows. We didn't have any of that kind of nonsense. I don't really remember feeling upset with her until later in life (believe me we both had our moments, and well deserved, when we thought that the others actions and decisions were only hurting her). We went through Jr, High and High School together. We shared our first studio apartment on our own. We went through so many trials of life side by side. We were there for each others weddings and she was there to witness the birth of my first child.

Nikki and her husband Brett

And then we got busy and let time and miles come between us for awhile. As sometimes happens when you have husbands, jobs, young children, and all that other stuff...

Nikki, Brett, Jessica, Rebecca and Mike
They have the most beautiful children, don't they!
Nikki is the mother of three, a working mom, a homemaker, a devoted wife, a talented photographer, a scrapbooking diva, a loyal friend, a strong, beautiful, spiritual woman.

Those were some of the hardest years of my life. Those years we rarely spoke. I can't say for sure what caused it, and it really doesn't matter now. We reconnected in time and vowed never to let that happen again. It's just a dark and distant memory now.

Sometimes it seemed we could look at each other and know exactly what the other was thinking. We experienced so much of our lives together. Oh the stories we can tell!!!

Scrapping and laughing and drinking coffee. Hanging out in our pajamas ~ that's what we do.

I thank God for providing me with such a true friend. We are separated by hundreds of miles now, but we still make a point to email and talk as often as we can. Even if that isn't as often as we'd like. We have a girls weekend at a beach house each year. Just lazing and scrapbooking and wake-the-dead karaoke in between mochas and margaritas.

Beach house trip to Lincoln City, Oregon 2011

Beach House trip to Bandon, Oregon 2010
With our facials ~ we've got it going on!!!

Cocktails before karaoke...luckily all the neighbors were very far away!
We have 80's hair for the 80's karaoke!

If we're really lucky, we sneak a couple of little weekend visits here and there through the year. The times I've spent with her are some of the best times I've had. I always feel so comfortable and at ease. I can tell her anything. And, Poor Dear, sometimes I really have.

Nikki and I at a Classmates Gathering

She's helped me through some of the hardest times in my life...like only a really devoted friend can do. She's seen me ball my eyes out...and she's known when to keep her opinion to herself. And she's shown up to tell me, like a good friend, when I need to straighten up and get over myself.

Another painful karaoke experience...I like to lip sync!!!
Nikki, Me, Joy and Eric

Posing like Divas on the beach 2009 Girls Weekend
Nikki, Jennifer, Michelle and me

It seems only fitting that I let her know...how much of a difference she's made in my life. How important her friendship is. That her generosity doesn't go unnoticed. She has an unwavering faith in God. She's devoted to her husband and her kids. She can make me laugh without any words.
We are planning to have neighboring apartments in a beachside retirement home when we grow old.

Oh, something to look forward to !!!

Nikki holding the lion cub at the West Coast Game Park in Bandon, OR

Our 20 year High School Reunion in 2008, Michelle, Me and Nikki

The surprise 40th birthday party she threw for me
with Cindy, Malisa, Me, Michelle, Nikki and Loma

Treasure your true friends. You know the ones. They are the ones who are willing to listen to you ramble on about what color you are thinking of painting the side table you just found on Craigslist or help you move the sofa to another spot for the third time that night. They aren't afraid to tell you they don't think something is working quite the way you think it is...or to encourage you to keep pursuing your dreams. No matter how lofty! The dreams you weren't afraid to voice to them, over and over.

I'd drop my paintbrush in a second...close my laptop right now. There isn't one project that would keep me from being there if she needed me.

I know, I'm lucky.

A little pick me up

2012-02-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

Just having some colorful flowers can go a long way in lifting my spirits.
We've had several cold and sunny days here lately.

Clear blue skies all the way!

I love it!

This is what my porch looked like this morning:

(Yep, those are last years dead begonias...they didn't make it through the freeze. Oops.)

See, not so cheery, huh?

But this...this is much better:

Yeah, that's much nicer!!!

I don't care if they're in the silly green nursery pots...we're still being thrifty. It's our theme!

We still have the inevitable rain that is bound to come in the early spring.

And that is why I bought myself some flowers!

A touch of color and cheer each time I look out my window:

Something bright and welcoming for our visitors and company.

These flowers are called Cyclamen and they are cold weather bloomers and thrive in the shade. They should do well here on my north facing front porch, don't you think? But don't rely on me...you should ask my Mom...she's the one with the green thumb. ;)

Have a very nice day!

Wild Horses

2012-02-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

“Wildhorses I wanna be like you

Throwingcaution to the wind

I’llrun free too

WishI could recklessly love

LikeI’m longing too

Iwanna run with the wild horses

Runwith the wild horses, oh”

NatashaBedingfield Wild Horses Lyrics

Songwriters: Wilkins, Wayne/Bedingfield, Natasha/Frampton,Andrew

Maybe you rememberwhen Scott found that ugly old lamp to disassemble and use to make our tripod floorlamp?

Youreally need to see it if you haven’t already! GO HERE.

Scottwas determined that I needed to go back out to that old junk place and have a look formyself. He said there were old paintingsand frames and all kinds of miscellaneous things, just lying around getting wetand dirty. It wasn't a tough decision since the new owners have put in a coffee shop out front. They make the most delicious mochas. And you all should know by now that I love my coffee and my chocolate...especially together.

But back to the junk...

Wefinally went the other day. I found fiveor six little things:

Most of what Ifound was wooden. Itty bitty shelves and such.

But this one,

It caught my eye immediately:

Awooden horse head,

Abookend without a mate,

Justone single one,

Nomatching pair,

Butthat’s okay.

Itwas old, and weathered and slightly funky. Exactly the type of thing I hoped to find that day.

I thought about leaving it like this, but decided it just wasn't exactly right for my space.

Equestrianart and décor seems to be making a prominent appearance in home decoratinglately. And why not? It is sopretty, and American, and Country Chic.

I've seen plenty of examples in the big design catalogues lately:

source

Ihave always loved horses. I dreamed ofhaving my own when I was young. As most girls do. Don’ttell anybody, but when I was a young girl I used to load my pockets with applesand carrots and sneak out to a nearby field to visit the horses there. If no one was around, I would lure one of thefriendly horses over to me with the treats. I would get them up against the fence and climb on. They usually just walked around eating grass,not bothering to acknowledge me. Sometimes they would take off and I would fall into the field and laughuncontrollably. It was exhilarating…andslightly naughty.

Crazy, I know!

Idecided to treat my new friend to a coat or two of high gloss, pure whitespray paint.

BEFORE

AFTER

I think he's magnificent:

Do you take cream and sugar with your coffee?

2012-02-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be nice to sit with a friend and share a big warm cup of coffee or tea?

To share stories, and laughter, and just keep each other company.

No rush; nowhere to be.

Just friends, and the heat of the coffee finding it's way through the mug, to warm your hands in that pleasant sort of way.

We can sip from great big mugs that fit perfectly in our hands.

Talk about nothing really, or our deepest feelings, if need be.

Quiet moments like this can be kind of rare around here. Every minute accounted for; so much to do.

Makes little things, like this cream and sugar pair, hold so much significance for me.

I long to linger over coffee with a sweet friend ~ soon.

I found these adorable little cream and sugar servers at my most recent thrift store foray, when we were searching for the perfect wire basket to use as our light fixture in the new LAUNDRY.  I just couldn't pass them up. Not to mention they go perfectly with all my white ceramics and pottery!

They make me think of special times with special people. :)

I hope you are able to find time to spend with your special people regularly.   That they don't live too terribly far away.

And that life allows you some time to just linger...

{This is dedicated to you, Nikki. Miss you terribly.}

Linking up with:

  http://maleviksrosentradgard.blogspot.com

For the Love of Vanessa!

2012-01-31T19:18:00.000-08:00

Scott's been working on some chalkboards.

Nothing fancy.

Just some old cabinet doors and chalkboard paint.

Sometimes we let a piece "speak to us" to let us know what it should be...

Not just another chalkboard.

Something with a bit more personality.

He likes to arrange things.

Just to see how long it will take me to rearrange.

I'm telling you...

He's sort of passive aggressive that way!

So he pushed some pushpins into the wall...

And this is what I found when I came home the other day.

A bunch of almost finished chalkboards waiting to greet me!

They were patiently waiting for those special touches.

I left them for a bit, but then...

The green with stained frame was destined to be a menu planner for the new pantry.

The remainder got moved around a bit. Can't help it. ;)

We were still waiting to hear what they wanted to be...so we left them ~ to dream...

The next morning, this is what they had to say:

We definitely love you, Vanessa!!!

Laundry Room Reveal

2012-01-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

Who knew?

How much joy could come,
From spiffing up
One little old wash room?
It took awhile
To clear out the mess.
But starting with a clean slate
Was definitely best.

We purged,
We donated,
We evicted,
We cleaned,
We painted,
We flooded,
We sawed, hammered, nailed and screwed,
We stained,
We sewed and stapled,
We arranged.
But most importantly~
We beautified.

And the final result may not be worthy of a magazine...but...

Oh the joy it brings!

So much came out, but we were very careful of what we put back in.

We wanted this space to be:

Open
and Cheerful. (I think we succeeded.)

Fresh
and Clean. (Just look at all of that fresh, clean, organized goodness!)

Light
and Bright. (No more stacked washer and dryer blocking the window or ceiling light.)

Citrusy

and Beachy. (Like sipping lemonade while lazing in the sun on the beach. Imagine!!)

Practical
and Pretty. (Those curtains hide tons of storage space.)

Fun
and Flirty. (Just wait until you see the light fixture we made and our white pottery!)

And here comes the overload of photos
(mostly because I just adore this "new" space!)
<><><><><>

A glimpse of the new light fixture, made out of an Easter basket with the handle removed and a hole drilled into the bottom!

We wanted a wire basket but didn't have one that was just right...this turned out pretty darn cute anyway!

I made some curtains out of some remnant fabric. I love the pattern with the little tiny bit of teal and the pale yellow ribbons.

So simple and easy to make. I cut and hemmed the fabric about an inch wider than the window. Then I stapled the fabric to a trim board that was just slightly narrower than the fabric and I pneumatically nailed the trim board to the wall above the window. This window covering is just for appearances, it doesn't need to be closed.

We built a "counter top" over the washer and dryer. Scott planed some old fence boards so it would be smooth and I rubbed it with some fairly dark stain. We can't have everything in here white. We just love our old wood.

I'm lucky my favorite laundry detergent matches my color scheme. ;)
And my little ceramic fish is just perfect for holding my bleach pen.

My new thrifty friend, the pig...for loose change. ;)
Some dryer sheets and the teal globe that Scott just wouldn't let me get rid of.
It looks perfect right here!

The lower shelving is a free cabinet that came from Craigslist.
I tell you, my hubby is OBSESSED with free things!
Okay, I admit, it's hard to turn down a really good freebie. :)
We are trying to be really thrifty!
Scott removed the doors and the horrid laminate that was on it and then primed and painted.
I added a silver curtain rod and made some curtain panels to hide our cleaners and other miscellaneous stuff.
I think this fabric is kind of beachy, don't you?

Then came the upper wall shelves for some extra storage and display.
These were old cabinet doors that Scott cut down to size and I put up with the wooden brackets that used to be in our son's room.
Don't look too closely...those shelves are slightly bowed and they still need another coat of paint...

The perfect spot for my .59 cent baskets found at a discount retailer.
The clerk was certain it was a pricing mistake but finally gave in and let me take them home with me.
I'm pretty convinced she wanted them for herself. Bummer.

And now for the accessories!!!

An uplifting quote to help me through my day.
I put some of the leftover fabric from the curtain onto this cork board and framed it in with some turquoise ribbon.

Some "artwork" created from printouts that I put into frames...I love what they say.

Another inspiring free printable...you can find this one HERE at http://houseandhone.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-year-i-will-printable.html if you want to print your own copy. I think there are other color options too. Check out all the other fun stuff Miss Emily Hone has to offer while you're there! This one was also put into a thrift store frame.

My new apothecary jar (Christmas gift) with Lemon Heads candies, a thrifted PB clock and a teal votive holder.

That Soup and Salad Server on the right was a gift from my Mother In Law a few years ago. It's so beautiful...it needed it's very own space. It's too darling to be stashed away in a cupboard where no one can see except once or twice a year.
I filled it with faux lemons for a pop of color. :)

The top shelf holds some of my favorite white ceramics.
All of the ceramic fish dishes are thrift store finds from over the years.
I finally found a place to display them. YAY!!!

It's hard to get a photo of everything in this little room ~ this is as close as I came.
We love our NEW AND IMPROVED LAUNDRY!

Supplies/Sources/Cost:
Paint ~ freebie leftover from a previous project
Lower shelving unit ~ Craigslist freebie modified
Upper wall shelves ~ salvage freebie modified
Wall Brackets ~ already owned
Curtains on window and shelf ~ remnant fabric and ribbon from Joann's ~ $16 total
Counter over washer and dryer ~ salvaged wood ~ free
White baskets $1.18 ~ Wheeler Dealer in Woodburn, OR
White frames $2.97 ~ thrifted ~ GW
Silver galvanized bucket ~ Target dollar bins
Fish dishes ~ already owned ~ previous thrift store purchase
Printable ~ free
Laundry basket ~ freebie
PB Clock ~ already owned ~ previous thrift store purchase
Easter Basket ~ $3.99
All other miscellaneous items we already had on hand
Total Current Expense = Less than $25

And, of course, my reminder of just how BAD it was before:

AND AGAIN THE AFTER:

We don't have to talk about the garage now, do we???

Previous posts on this project can be found here:
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge-take.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge-take_23.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/gray-cloudy-and-wet-thats-forecast-in.html

We are so glad you've stopped by and we hope you've enjoyed your time here. We would really, really, really LOVE IT if you wanted to follow along with us. You can follow by clicking Google Friend Connect on the sidebar or typing in your email address. You can even friend Pondered Primed Perfected on Facebook and Pinterest.

We love making new friends!!!

I'll be sharing with these fine blogs:

http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/

Whisperwood Cottage 1st Project of the Year Feature!

2012-01-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile something amazing happens and you find the perfect pieces to make something exciting happen. That's how I felt when we found this wooden tripod easel.

Our tripod floor lamp has been featured at Whisperwood Cottage as part of their 1st project of the year party! Thank you Whisperwood for including us, we feel so honored!Please pop on over to Whisperwood Cottage and see what they have going on. So many fun, creative, extraordinary ideas have been linked up...you could get lost!

Thanks Whisperwood Cottage!!!

Welcome to our new pantry space

2012-01-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

IT'S FINALLY DONE...

And organized. Aaaahhhh. Now that feels nice!

Scott created the built-ins with wood we had hanging about. We painted the shelving white and I painted the back wall a soft green color. Nothing fancy. Just practical. ;)

I added wicker bins and baskets so I could organize things by category: meal components, crackers & chips, snacks & treats, and the one at the very bottom holds our paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins and baggies. The very top shelf holds baking supplies.

After the first built-in was done we realized we needed more space, so Scott added the second built in to go further into the angle of the closet. There was only so much we could purge without tossing things we'll need.

I used up a good portion of my wicker to organize this space. The tote at the end holds all of the extra paper shopping bags.

I put up one of our new handmade chalkboards. This one I jazzed up a bit with some jute strung across the top and attached with upholstery nails. AND Seven little clothespins ~ one for each day of the week. I went to BHG.com and printed up a bunch of labels with our favorite main course meals on them. It was easy...go HERE if you want to make your own.
These chalkboards will be available on our Etsy shop ~
COMING SOON!

I didn't worry about sides or desserts. Maybe I'll add those later. I like this chalkboard here ~ I can jot down the ingredients I will need as I plan my weeks menus. When we use the last of something, we can write it on the board as a reminder.

Some little silver hooks were screwed into the bottom. I took some mini buckets and sprayed them silver. They hold the dinner option cards, and the chalk & eraser. I will label these later.

Alex helped make these tags. Next time I think I will print the labels on sticky address labels so we can just peel and stick them. That would have been so much quicker.

I love these mini clothespins. I wrote the days of the week on them with a fine tip marker. I'm not looking for anything extravagant...I like utilitarian...especially in this type of space.

I brought in this wire rolling cart for all the miscellaneous and canned foods. It's very narrow so it fits perfectly against the wall.

My vintage looking clock hangs in the little space above the baking supplies. I like the way it looks here. It felt like the space needed something extra. I chose not to label all of the baskets and canisters. You can see what's in everything, so I'm not too worried about having them labeled.

Is it time to eat???

I think it needs new batteries. :(

Can you still remember the before?

Big Improvement, huh!

More to come tomorrow when I reveal the LAUNDRY ROOM

Previous posts about this space:

http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-day-2012-nice-to-finally-make-your.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/storage-under-stairs.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge-take.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/well-stocked-pantry-p3-style.html
http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-impossibilities-challenge-take_23.html

We are so glad you've stopped by and we hope you've enjoyed your time here. We would really, really, really LOVE IT if you wanted to follow along with us. You can follow by clicking Google Friend Connect on the sidebar or typing in your email address. You can even friend Pondered Primed Perfected on Facebook and Pinterest.

We love making new friends!!!

Sharing With:

http://cherishedtreasures-terry.blogspot.com/

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/

le="http://www.bluecricketdesign.net

Gray, Cloudy and Wet ~ That's the forecast in our Laundry Room

2012-01-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit cloudy, gray, and wet around here lately.

Literally.

Scott got the laundry room painted. No more blue. Yay!!! Now it's a beige/gray color. Sometimes referred to as "greige". I'm still not sure about that word. We are working with what we have on this challenge, so don't judge the color. It was free. Anything would have been an improvement over the sad blue that was being covered.

Here's where we started...Ugh...

And this is what we've managed to get done so far...

Walls have been painted a beigy, gray color

Washer and Dryer have been unstacked, so the natural light can come in throught that window. We love natural light. Another freebie, this wooden cabinet, was brought in to see if it works in this space. It's perfect! It still needs a new paint job though.

At this point I decided I absoluely had to start washing the laundry, or we would be NAKED soon. I'm so practical. See that beautiful shiny floor below??? That's actually our mini version of a flood.

Hahahahahahahahhah...

I think Scott cleaned out the little trap at the bottom of the washer and forgot to screw the cap back on tight. No biggie. Just a little flood in the laundry room that is pouring down through the drywall into my playroom. The children were perplexed. They tried to blame it on my sweet dog, Sadie. So uncool! Sadie is a GOOD DOG!!!

The water made it clear out onto the wooden hallway floor. Yikes. Good thing I had that huge pile of laundry on the floor to dam it up with. :) See, I am practical!!!

Then we had a beautiful sun break and everything seemed right in the world again.

Expressing My Love Through Chocolate

2012-01-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

This one goes way back...right back to the 80's actually.

I remember going to Tupperware parties with my mom. It seemed there was a Tupperware party at least once a month back when I was young. Maybe that's how people socialized back then. ;)

When I was somewhere around Jr. High School, maybe 7th grade, we got these Tupperware funnels at one of those parties. The "Tupperware Lady" taught us a trick that night. My big sister, Loma, and I, made these for our closest Jr. High School friends as Valentines gifts back then.

This one has some tin foil poked into the end of the funnel...you'll see why!

After Christmas this last year, I was left with a ginormous surplus of mini marshmallows. I must have got a bunch on sale with the intentions of making more Moose Munch. That stuff is just unbelievably yummy...if you haven't tried it you should! Okay, back to the mini marshmallows...

So many marshmallows...what would I do with them??? There's always Rice Krispies Treats. That will use up some, but I wanted to do something different. That's when my mind wandered waaaay back to about 1983...

We used to take these funnels and use them as molds for fudge:

I sprayed the inside with non-stick cooking spray first. Once the fudge was in I propped it in a small glass to sit in the fridge and cool.

( This picture makes me realize how badly I want to change my countertops.
!Aye aye aye! )

Sorry, back to the subject at hand. I drifted...

Once the fudge was cooled completely, I carefully dumped it out of the funnel "mold" and placed it flat side down on a square of tin foil.

Mine came out nice and easy, but if you have any trouble you could dip the funnel in warm water for a second, or wrap a warm towel around the outside to loosen it up a bit.

See how nice it turned out! Don't you just want a bite?

Now it was time to add a personal touch. In Microsoft Word, I typed "Sherry's Kisses" over and over again in a similar shade as the blue that HERSHEY'S KISSES is typed in. I kept this one really simple for sharing purposes, but you could type out an entire love message on your strip of paper ~ if you wanted. Or a "Thank You For Your Friendship" message. Whatever works. Maybe a teacher Valentine. I know I would love a big kiss like this!

All that's left to do is wrap it up and give your kiss to somebody special.

I gave mine to the most adorable, hard-working, chocolate-loving, kiss-aholic I know! I've got more treats in store for him on Valentines Day...but I'm not sharing those with you!

We are so glad you've stopped by and we hope you've enjoyed your time here. We would really, really, really LOVE IT if you wanted to follow along with us. You can follow by clicking Google Friend Connect on the sidebar or typing in your email address. You can even friend Pondered Primed Perfected on Facebook and Pinterest.

We love making new friends!!!

XOXO,
Sherry

Sharing With:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://whipperberry.com/

Gorgeous Green

2012-01-23T14:32:00.000-08:00

Green Is:

Moving Forward:

Source: Pinterest (Uploaded by User)

Growth:

Source: Stumbleupon.com via Pinterest

Wealth:

Source: anicelittle.tumblr.com via Pinterest

Tranquility:

Source: Flickr.com via Pinterest

Flirty:

Source: weheartit.com via Pinterest

Organic:

Source: Google.com via Pinterest

Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge ~ Take 2

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

This project may turn me into an over-caffeinated, chocolate crazed, DIY disaster.

via http://chicagogirlgonemild.blogspot.com/2011/01/stress-and-chocolate.html via http://www.etsy.com/listing/63973889/11x14-poster-stress-out-and-eat?ref=sr_list_8&ga_search_query=stress%2Bprint&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2

Don't worry about me though...Scott is here keeping me sane. Right now he is working at making the laundry room an eclectic mix of frugality, functionality and organization. He is straining his brain trying to make this work without spending any money. And just to be fair, he is very encouraging each time I throw another item into our "purge" pile. Positive reinforcement. That's right, Baby!

*SIGH*

Here's what We've done:

Removed all pantry items from the laundry room and put them on the dining table. WOW. This is just one small portion!

Scott moved all the other items that were hanging out in the laundry room to various surfaces in our home.

Discussed space planning, purging, and organization plans. (That didn't go so well.)

I took a chocolate, wine and hot tub break, while Scott did his homework and watched sci-fi.

Started putting pantry items into the new pantry area under the stairs...
Realized we were already running out of space. Yikes...that's no good.

Created a WELL STOCKED PANTRY LIST, in order to make sure that we are allowing enough space for all of the items we would like to keep on hand regularly. Click here if you want to check it out...maybe create your own.

Determined that the shelving that Scott originally built under the stairs would not be sufficient for all of our pantry storage needs. You can see his original built in shelves here. Scott jumped in and added a couple more shelves to the closet.

Gathered up all of our canisters, bins, baskets and other storage items that we might utelize in our spaces.

Overwhelmed with the magnitude of this project, I went on "strike" for a day.

Unable to sit for long, I went back to other projects: We did some finishing details on a chalkboard. I painted my little blue shelf a pale green color. I made a HUGE chocolate kiss. I baked a triple-chocolate loaf cake. More about these later! Scott did more homework and watched more sci-fi.

Finally, back to the project at hand, I mixed up some chalkboard paint with my hand mixer and applied it to the walls behind the pantry shelving.

(We've discovered that mixing our own chalkboard paint is pretty easy, but it tends to be lumpy - no matter how much you stir. Using the hand mixer works great! I may need a new mixer though. Maybe one of those big KitchenAid stand mixers? That would be very nice...I think I will plan a spot for it.)

Here's the closet with the chalkboard paint:

While I worked on painting and organizing the pantry space, Scott was busy planning and building the laundry room storage:

Just a peak! More on this later...

That purple-blue color has got to go. We will get to that. Hopefully before the challenge deadline, but it's low on the list. It isn't really going to break us if we don't get the painting done. It's the purging and organizing that are the priority!

Things are coming along. We still have tons of work to do. Don't ask about the garage. I'm kind of wishing I'd left it off the list. I'm confident that I can get it purged. Not so confident that it will look real pretty. We'll just have to see how it goes...

xoxo,
Sherry

Pretty Little Pie Shelf

2012-01-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

BEFORE

I bought this "bad boy" at a community-wide yard sale last summer. I call it a pie shelf. I really don't know if it is considered a pie shelf? I think it was made to look like one. It's not a vintage piece, though.

It was ten dollars. I talked them down. ;)

The fact that it takes up mostly vertical space is a big plus in my book. 'Cause it gets a little crowded around here at times.

Some pale green paint...it went on right over the blue.

AFTER

Distressing with an electric palm sander gave it this effect:

I yanked off the vinyl "tiles" that screamed "COUNTRY".

See what I mean?

Some real ceramic tiles went in to replace them. The tiles were a roadside freebie. Nice Score.

Then some OXO stickers, for a little bit of hugging and kissing. These will come off after Valentines Day and be replaced with something more permanent. I think. I know you probably didn't hear a word I wrote...you are too busy looking at that quadruple chocolate loaf cake (recipe by Nigella Lawson). It is to-die-for delicious! You can find the recipe here. I think I may be a chocolate addict.

The knobs went back on...only until I can find the perfect replacements. We're on a spending freeze.

A few of my favorite accessories have been added:

Pale green mixing bowl ~ LOVE! Thrifted
Ceramic Cake Stand. From Santa 2010
Chocolate Cake Plate (What can I say?)

Our new "honey" pot in white ceramics. Thrifted
White Heart Cutout Bowl. Thrifted

Check out that fancy bottle. That's a lucky find. I made a couple of them into lamps. You can see them here.

I'm very happy with how it turned out. I don't know what I'll end up replacing the OXO with. And new knobs will look nice, too. I just needed to do something a little more fun than purging and organizing for awhile. Although getting that done will be nice too!

Hugs to you!

Sherry

Sharing With:

http://whipperberry.com

My Love Affair With Green

2012-01-22T00:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have a love affair with green. It is no secret.

Here is my daily dose of green:

Abstract Green

via franklyesoteric.tumblr.com via pinterest

When you can't decide on just one shade of green.

via Pinterest (uploaded by user)

Green Garden Door ~ The grass may be greener on the other side?

via earthboundwinglessdream.tumblr.com via Pinterest

Nostalgic Green

"Ceramic Berry Basket" Via Anthropologie.com via Pinterest

Green Light

Artecnica Pendant Lamp, via velocityartanddesign.com via Pinterest

I just can't get enough of green...

xoxo,

Sherry