I Love You Because...

Construction Zone

good-bye white carpet, Hello pretty! Such a fun birthday present! My Husbandface spoils me! 

what once was...

what once was this... looks a lot less like this...

and now it looks a lot more like this... 

I can't even tell you how amazing my husband is! This project was started because of the PANTRY PROJECT of 2012. I need   want a new pantry space and as part of it there needed to be a way to access the laundry room from the spare room that was off the kitchen. Then we started reevalutating that room. We were already using it like a mud room/laundry room extention.  Actually as much as I love this new house for the last 9 months the one thing I have missed the most about my old house was The Laundry Room and the perfect system I had. So this extra bedroom is now getting a major rehaul and I can't wait to show you how it's evolved and how it will end up! This weekend is all about the new Laundry Room. 

Happy Friday!
J 

 

The Kitchen - and the BEFORE. The Butler's Pantry (round 1)

I realized after I posted about The Kitchen Island Upgrade last week that I hadn't actually posted about the kitchen originally and since I just got my house cleaned top to bottom, today was a good day to snap a few shots before it doesn't look quite as sparkly. 

The kitchen is one of the things that sold Husbandface. He loved it from the minute he saw it, I had to have it grow on me a little. It's not quite part of a great room but it is very open and the flow is perfect for us and all our entertaining plans. I love the granite counters, the travertine floors (that are addly heated... hello, people? we live in HOTlanta!) and the color they had it when we moved in. 

The view from the living room;

The view as you walk in from the garage door;

See that on the right? The HUGE sink? That is single handedly one of my top 5 favorite things about this house. Let me go on record now, experience one farmhouse sink and it will change your life, FOREVER. You'll never go back. (just sayin'). It's black and while I thought I wouldn't like that part of it, I love it too! 

And the view of the breakfast nook and bar;

You can see a another angle here. I love how much natural light there is and I love the windows going all the way to the floor and looking back on our adorable backyard.

By the garage door there is a pantry.... and the doors to the 1/2 bath, the laundry room and the bedroom/mudroom.... A lot of doors in a little space..... Don't worry, we're going to fix that. 

I show you this horrible picture to inlist your help... Yeah, I'm starting to formulate a new project. (just when that baby list was shrinking, I go on and make a new one....) Right now the pantry space is completely under utilized. The shelves are bad, the wasted space is excessive and the competition for space in a hallway is maddening. So we're planning a semi-big project. A BUTLER'S PANTRY. We're hoping to put it together 100% ourselves (and by we I mean he) and keep the budget to under $2500 while still getting a custom-high-end look oh, and we want to get it done before school gets out in May... accomplishing this with a newborn in our arms. (yes, to answer your question; most of the time we do realize we're slightly crazy.)

I fell in love with Bulter's Pantries when we lived in New England and up there every old house has at least one. Tons of storage, tons of personality... in every single personalized spot! They're hard to find pictures of to explain but, Here's what my first round of reseach has thought up. 

I have no idea how it will actually end up but it should be fun to see where this process takes us! So, any ideas and links you want to share before the demo and ordering takes place? Check out my Pintrest Board; To Plan - Pantry. Feel free to send me any ideas for simplifying, making the most of our money or for utilizing the space that you have? We're open to anything.

Share your thoughts!
Joanna  

 

 

Updating Chairs

This project I've been wanting to post for a LONG time but never got around to actually taking the after pictures until today. I bought this chair at a Bethlehem yard sale for $5 back in June, the week our offer was accepted on this house. Bonus, it was actually a set of two! I knew we'd need a lot more furniture and I had always wanted to learn how to reupholster so I figured for ten bucks I couldn't go wrong. I love the shape and the actual chair was in wonderful condition. 

When I got these home Husbandface was completely sceptical and kinda annoyed 'to haul more crap' in the upcoming move. I promised him they wouldn't be another unfinished project moved around but I'd be done by then. I only had 3 weeks so I knew I better get busy! I started by just taking the thing apart, just to see how it was put together. The original material was an ivory pleather so I knew that had to go but once I was poking around I realized that the batting and cushions were in great condition. SO i decided to keep everything and just add another layer of batting over the existing pieces. 

At this point Husbandface started seeing it's potential and he got involved. While I did appreciate his help, he opinions on the fabric made that process take way longer then it should have. So we started painting. I just quickly sanded the existing arms/legs down with my Mouse Sander, cleaned it with a wood conditioner and let it dry before pulling out the black spray paint. I knew I wanted that professional look and so after a little research talking to my go-to furniture finishing expert (aka my sister-in-law Teri) I put on three layers of PolyCrylic.... First time I used it and let me just tell you? I'm in love. BEST STUFF EVER. If I were you I wouldn't get the spray paint like me though.... too many bubbles and twice as expensive. 

One we had the furniture arms/legs drying and once we finally agreed on the fabric. I started covering the pieces of the chair that I had taken off. Batting first then fabric and just holding it on with staples on the inside.

Doug hated the fabric but since this was a chair he wasn't emotionally attached to he didn't get a say, I told him if he hated it I'd sew a pink pillow or two to put on them and I'd stick them in Lorali's room... He liked that idea and I knew it's beauty would grow on him... eventually. 

After the fabric was just where it needed to be we added the black the bottom to give it that perfect store finished look. At the last minute Husbandface had to admit how impressed he was with them and decided to give it more attention by 'man-ing it up a little' with silver nail heads to the edges front and back, I loved it and couldn't wait for them to be in the new house displayed by my piano in the living room, or creating a sitting room in my bedroom with them, or at dining room table in our new dining room, or.... yeah, I had no idea where I'd put them. I just knew that I was in love. 

We'd bought the chairs for $5/piece at the begining of June. Spent $50 on fabric and batting and staples. Another $20 on paint and then at the last minute Doug spent another $10 on Silver Nail Heads.... Two weeks and $90 later we were pleased as punch with our first official  reupholstery project and packing them into the moving van.

We've lived here what 7 months? and They've been moved around so much we wish we had a set for every room in the house to refinish and update esp. for only $90! Right now they're seperated. One in the entryway and one as my desk chair in the music room. I'm sure they'll be moved over the years alot and maybe even refinished again but for now they're perfect just the way they are. 

Thanks for keeping up with us! 
Joanna  

 

 

 

Simple Saturday

A perfect rainy Saturday.... 

Snuggling on the Couch with our little ones and working on Pinewood Derby Cars before heading out on a dinner date to Shakespeare Tavern with Husbandface to see Merchant of Venice. 

It doesn't get much better then this. 

Bragging on my Builder- The Boy's Cave

I know since we've moved into the new house I've been oddly quiet around here.... not for lack of things to say more for lack of time to say it all. I have barely got the time to sit down by myself and type out my feelings and usually when I do have the precious me-time my prego body usually makes me do things horizontally with my feet up instead of vertical at a desk. Today I'm forcing myself to take a minute and give you a quick tour of one of the rooms in our new house. Hopefully if I do this more often, eventually you'll see everything. Today's peek is into Ethan's Room, probably because it's everyone's favorite room in the house. It's the had the most work put into it and is now the most complete. We all seem to end up there at the end of the day and any time we want to hang out as a family. We call it the Boy's Cave because really, it's just a mini version of a Man Cave and someday all three boys (ekk! Still weird to say that) will be in there. It's Red, Blue, White and Black and as much as I said I'd never do it again... it's themed. But, it's all for the boy in love with Star Wars so I guess in the end as long as he loves it, I love it. 

Ethan's Room.... 

Below - View From doorway... his couches/reading space. Still one of my favorite things in his room? The framed Star Wars pictures of the kids from a few years ago. (This next year, I might have to find a way to add the new baby intothem.) Ethan's favorite decoration? His Star Wars Lego Tree. (another post on that later.) 

He has two of these cute window boxes turned toy boxes under windows that let in light everytime of day... 

Next to the door... His desk, computer and Lego Shelves...

View from the other side.... The TV and drawers. Doug built those last month. We were just sitting in Ethan's room one day and I complained about LEgo's being everywhere and less than 2 weeks later Husbandface had completely custom designed and built them. (Yes, he's amazing) I'll probably do a completely seperate post about what is in those drawers and how it's organized but I will tell there are only 2 things filling up all of them. Game Systems in 2 of them and LEGOs in the remaining 7. 

Looking up... his closet is to the right and yes, there is a giant x-wing kite hanging from the ceiling. (he's 8... and loves it, don't judge.)

Oh yeah, and above the door.... Ethan's Bed. This project came to mind the same day Doug thought up brilliant built-in drawers. Then it was also completed within a month. Ethan accesses is through a ladder in his closet and in it sits a full-size twin mattress. He loves the cozy feeling of the enclosed in space and I love how amazingly talented my Husbandface is with a few power tools. 

There it is! We still have a few more projects/surprises we'd like to add into the room but this is how it is for now and I couldn't be happier with it. I'll post pictures of a few more rooms soon. Promise. 













 

Packing

Today is packing day.... my favorite part about it?? Lorali helping me label the boxes.

(translation; Lorali's Closet - dresses and ballet)

Favorite Room in the House

Last week I gave a mini tour of my scrapbook room on The Tombow Blog HERE .  I thought I'd show a few more picts and bring in the rest of the family here. Besides, I'm working on a dozen new amazing projects right now and well.... it doesn't exactly look like this anymore so I'm living vicariously through my blog and reminding myself how pretty this room actually is. Since I work from home this is definitely the most used room in the house. 

Starting in the corner.... 

My Creative Desk. 

This is where I actually create things, where I cut, glue and most importantly, make a mess. My current project is usually on it in some form.  Underneath there is a lot of open space so it holds a box with all my Christmas/Holiday supplies and since I've been learning to quilt/sew this past year I keep my sewing machine under there as well, so I can just pull it out and use my desk as a sewing table. The drawers on the left hold my 8 1/2 x 11 papers. 

and the drawers on the right hold essentials that I always need within arms reach. Mats, cutters, corner rounder, black and brown ink pads, rulers, staples, keys, razor blade and embossing powder... kept there. Because the kids randomly get into my other supplies these are the drawers they are forbidden to touch or even look at for fear of extreme punishment. In the bottom drawer I keep misc. mini albums ready and waiting for me to work on and... a box of candy. (if the kids knew there was soo much candy so close to their level I'd be in big trouble! Hence the punishment.) 

Above my desk is that great cabinet that I begged Doug to put up when I told him I didn't have enough space... he argued I had too many supplies... I won. ;)  Inside it are my ribbons... a mess I know, a few albums and projects I'm in the process of working on, my Project Life supplies, My Tombow Dual Brush Pens and all the adhesives.... they are stored in a mini basket and come out on my desk every time I work. I love this system! 

To the right of my desk I keep all my scraps, sorted by color. The kids are constantly in these drawers, they love finding new papers and coming up with even more things to do with them and since they are always so close and handy I tend to go there first and use them more. I keep only papers that are 4x6 or bigger and since I'm getting more into fabric I've added that into the drawers as well. It's a win-win.

Moving to the right... My mega cabinet. It's actually a wardrobe that was bought at Home Depot for $150 and it has earned every single penny of it in the 4-5 years we've had it. I love it. The reason we bought this over other cabinets it because of it's depth. I'm able to put 12x12 paper in easily, the albums that hold them and still have space at the back to hold other/less used items. The top shelf has reference books and a few coloring books, then all my extra adhesives/markers from Tombow, one of the red boxes is full of items/gifts waiting to be altered and the other has everything electronic in it. All my apple cord, extra speakers and webcam stuff. Below that I hold my 12x12 papers. on the left is the cardstocks, organized by color. I'm growing out of this so someday soon I'm betting this system is either changed or added to (hint; hint; husbandface? can we say Christmas gifts?!) On the right is my patterned paper in the stacking shelves they are organized into color but in the box next to it are the page kits and complete collections> Since getting more and more packages for work I've outgrown this system as well... although instead of expanding it I think I'll just be purging and giving a lot of it away. (any takers?) Below all that cardstock are drawers and drawers of supplies. Sewing supplies, Brushes, stamps, stamp pads, Extra markers, Paint, Punches, cutters and scissors, Metal, Flowers, Buttons, Embossing guns, Patterns... you name it and I'm betting this is where it is. I've also added a few kids items like finger paints, stickers and glitter.

Next to the mega closet is my writing desk. Where I work, where I write and where I use the logical side of my brain. This picture isn't quite accurate, the top one is more recent. Just a few weeks ago we got Doug a computer for here at home, for him and the kids, so we all currently share a desk. At first, I thought I'd hate it and be annoyed sacrificing the space but, I absolutely love it. Owen will sit next to me and play online, Ethan and Lorali take turns sitting by me to do their homework while I'm crossing off a few extra things on my work to-do list and in the evening's Doug and I even sit and surf or shop or work next to each other. I love it! Below sits the printer and it's extra paper and supplies a mini filing cabinet holds bills and above the desk I keep all my work files.

Going around the room..... this side is Ethan's favorite. It houses the xbox, playstation and the wii (this coming from the girl who swore she'd never own a game console... ever!) We keep all our DVD in the drawers and the controllers, extra batteries and games are in the baskets... one for each system. While I hate them, it does bring the kids into the room with me and I love their company. On the bookshelf are all my albums, sheet music, church books and all of Ethan's therapy books and notes.

moving around the room to the right there is the door to the backyard and one my favorite decorations, a standing carousel full of mini albums... I love it... A LOT! 

The sad part is how much I love this entire room. While most of it I can take with me when the house finally sell, there will be a few key elements that I will miss forever. Like the view. 

Fall Decor

Remember last week when I said I wanted to put up my Halloween decorations but didn't get a chance to yet? I finally checked that off my to-do list! It's fun and festive and not over the top. I think after living in my house for 6 years I've finally figured out the balance between decorations and decor.... I don't like things super theme-y and I don't like things to look generic and impersonal so this year it's all about us. The decorations that are up are things that we love and things that represent our family, which makes it perfect.. but only for us! The Trick-orTreat bags above are all handmade by Grandma... that woman is kinda amazing. She makes custom bags for each of her Kids and Grandkids. Speaking of which, I should get mine from when I was little from her to add to our little wall.... 

This fun table runner was bought at Target years ago and it's still my favorite, simple yet kinda silly. The silver pedestal was another one of my Fantastic Finds from last week. Husbandface thinks I have a problem with pedestals... I *heart* them. I have too many and no where to put them. When I bought this I was worried he might start to get mad that I was adding to it so I immediately put it to use ... I love it. I actually got another pedestal/candy dish in my treasure hunt last week that reminds me a lot of one my Grandmother had, I couldn't pass it up either... and I also put it to use HERE. It's amazing to me what you can put a pumpkin on! :) See Doug? We're using them!

When Husbandface gave me my piano one of the first things he said was "please don't be one of those people that fill it with a hundred picture frames." I have listened to him for almost two years. My BFF has tons of amazing frames she has collected over the years all over her house. She paints them the same color to make them match and they're filled with her families memories, It's beautiful and so cute, I loooved the look. Thankfully Doug does too... We decided to copy it and start the tradition of taking pictures of the kids every year on Halloween to frame and add to the fall decor. Pictures of us through the years, a place to see how fast our kids grow up and how much fun we've had. I still haven't printed off all our favorites but I can't wait to see this little collection grow over time. Oh and did you notice another stand with pumpkins on it? Me too! I'm soooo glad there's a uniform look going on here... good thing I have so many to be able to put to use! 

 This one is another steal from My BFF, she's full of amazing ideas.... (although forget about the giant dice in the picture, apparently a game got out of hand... DOUG!) Anyways.... The basket of albums-Every year as soon as my big Halloween party is over I make up a mini album and now they all have a home!! I love have them easily accessible for guests and the kids and it's the perfect time of year to pull them out. I also have all of our kids Halloween books on display but didn't get a picture of that yet.

This is our front door. The kids made the sparkle bats are going crazy over it! They want sparkly creepy crawlies on everything now! I love how it turned out though and actually wish I had more little bats to continue their journey onto the rest of the house. I'll be putting up a tutorial of this one up on the Tombow Blog next week. More to come!  

The kids are out of school today so I'm off to teach them how to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and then work on a few crafts. Happy Tuesday!! 

Silent Sunday