Remodeling Bonus!

So, besides having the benefit of having a beautiful bathroom after the remodel. My husband says he is taking the old stuff and making a bathroom downstairs! I have been envisioning soaking in that tub (after a serious cleaning session and reglazing) candles lit around the bathroom, and big fluffy towels waiting to be wrapped up in! Course the reality is that once I get the 50 rubber duckies out of the tub I have wasted half my time. It's hard to relax with 3 kids banging on the door cause once you get in there they NEED to go. I don't care how many times you asked them!



The other bonus is that the very nice lady we are buying the tub from is throwing in a brand new shower curtain bar FOR FREE! I told my husband it makes buying the tub great since you get something free out of it. He just gave me the "I got the commitment papers in my back pocket so watch out" look.

Look at this beauty though! It is just gorgeous along with the rest of the house. This is Tara's parents tub in their new house. Check out the rest of the house. You will be drooling in no time! I would love to have this one. I wonder how the tile cleans up after being drawn on with tub crayons?

Happy Birthday Brianna!

I can't beleive my oldest is 13 today!

This is an old pic of her and her brother being civilized to each other. Gotta capture those moments when you can! The REALLY amazing thing is that she is getting older and I haven't aged at all!

It all started so innocently!

Now I know why my husband gets so frustrated with me! All he said was to pick out some new tile for the bathroom. Now this is the ONLY bathroom in this old house. I guess we should be thankful we are not pooping in an outhouse! HE also did say if I wanted to make any changes I should figure out what they were and make a plan. Then out the door he was to Ohio to do some sites for the week. Well..... what is a girl to do?! My list started off innocently enough. Our sole bath is small, only 6.5x7.5. We have this wall at the end of the tub with shelves and no door. It's our sorry excuse for a linen closet. I hate it. So I started plotting on how I could remove them. Hmmmm.........

Now besides my evil, plotting, scheming self you add in Tara and Jen. Yes you two don't look so innocent! Tara's gorgeous desk was taunting me! I apologize Tara cause I have never linked to it. Well if she found that on Craigslist what could I find? One could only wonder if they never tried......

Enter this little beauty. Okay right now it is kinda ugly. Really ugly. It came out of an older house in Flint AND has a matching pedestal sink! 100.00! This is where Jen comes in. Next month's makeover! My mind told me to do it. I spent the whole night drawing out my new bathroom. In my mind it is beautiful, but you will have to wait to see. I got no idea what the floor looks like.... Oops!

Open House

Thought this was a cute idea to do. I am sending in this post. I spent all day looking through posts on this site. She has alot of good information also. The makeovers are gorgeous! I think my two favs are Tara's desk and the front porch by Cheryl @ Artsy Fartsy (love that name!)

All Done!

Be careful and don't trip on the touch of whimsy on the stairs! I just LOVE this. I keep going and looking at it cause it looks soooo cute. Really makes you notice the stairs now too.

It was pretty easy to do also. I found the numbers on a word document and printed them as big as they would go. Then I went to my handy dandy copier and enlarged them to the size I wanted. Cut out the numbers, scribbled on the back with pencil and transfered them to the stairs. With a really small paint brush I painted them with black acrylic paint. It was also another no cost idea! Bonus!

Crazy Midnight Ideas!

What happens when you take a perfectly good set of stairs, waaaay too much coffee and a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints? You find yourself doing this at midnight.

I have been itching to do this since I saw it on a few websites. I think it looks so cute on stairs. Now only 11 more to go! I do have to give my wonderful husband some credit here. He redid the stairs for me before Christmas. The picture below is what they used to look like with the horrid blue carpet. You have no idea how glad I was to see that go! He had to cut all the treads individually since each one is a bit different. We had thought about putting a carpet runner down them, but I think I like this alot better!

More for my Ta Da List!

It doesn't seem like I got too much accomplished this week. The Man of the House has been working in Ohio. So, I've been put in charge as the adult supervisor of the circus. It's been very tiring!

Anyways..... I did manage to get a few things accomplished. Me and my sewing machine became best friends this week. As long as I could keep my youngest from unthreading it when I wasn't looking!

These are the cushions I made for their toy boxes and vanity. One of the toy boxes and the stool had cushions that were pink. These were pretty easy to make. I also made the brown stripe bolsters for the two toy boxes. My oldest wanted something soft to lean against so she can curl up and read under the window. Think she is reading too many romance novels!

The best thing about this project is that they didn't cost a penny! The velvet I used for the cushions I had left over from recovering a sofa a few years ago. The batting is left over bits from making some quilts. Who knows what I was going to do with the stripe material! Too late now! LOL!

Tara is a BAD Influence! LOL ....

....cause she got me hooked on burlap. I just had to go out and get some after seeing her post on it. I also liked her cute bows she put on her outside furniture. So after shopping at my favorite cheap place, my basement, I came up with this hat. It's one of my oldest daughters. I added the burlap ribbon and roses. Then I found the "stand" which used to be a paper towel holder that I painted cream.

This is the stool for the girls vanity. I have yet to redo the cushion, but it is coming! It had 2 holes on the back that the ribbon for the old cushion goes through. I'm going to velcro all the cushions so I had to figure out something to do with the holes. I made this burlap bow and tied it to the stool. I really like the look of the burlap with the more polished fabrics in the room.

Last but not least, when I was pregnant with my first one I had some crazy visions of grandeur. I was going to make porcelain dolls that looked like her at the time and dress the dolls in her old clothes. Pffffft! There was an abandoned project. This is the wall over my youngest's bed. It just needed something. So for now, I hung each girls first dress on burlap bow hangers. Eventually, I may put them in shadow boxes. For now they look cute up there. I am thinking about adding a shelf under them and putting some more of their shoes and momentos on it. Not sure though.

I did this the other day. I just love the sayings on the walls. I got lots more planned to go throughout the house! (Insert evil laugh here) I got out my scrapbooking stamps and some acrylic paint and this is the result. The room is almost done except for a few small things. I just got an antique battenburg duvet cover for my oldest's bed. I can't wait to get it!

Hope you enjoy these pics! The best thing about this is everything only cost 1.00! The cost of a 1/4 yard of burlap.

My To Do List

Get curtains for the girls room, shorten and hang.

Done

Paint closet and entry doors in Master Bedroom. Of course with this one, in true Connell fashion, I did break something that I had to stop and fix. I just had one of the closet doors painted and it fell off the track! Luckily (?!) it fell on me instead of on something else.

Done

I also painted the inside of this closet and hung a light. Somehow the pic got deleted though. That's what I get for using my daughter's camera!

Done

Didn't get everything on the list done but I guess that is what the rest of the week is for. I also have to add touching up the white on the trim where I got some black. Yes, the doors are black. Actually they are Caviar in semigloss from Sherwin Williams.

Now I think it is time for a fun project!

A Little Makeover

I found this kitchen when I was starting to redo the girls room. I know it is a kitchen but I just thought it was so pretty. And I loved the name of it "Chocolate and Bubblegum"! Does that have kid all over it or what? I did tone down the "chocolate" to "carmel" in their space. I loved these boxes for storage. So I gave some of my own a makeover to go in their room.

I bought these boxes awhile ago from Target. They were perfect in their room. I got 2 small and 2 large rolly ones. Since their room was pink and purple, I got a set in each color. So using that pic as an inspiration, I painted the pink ones to match. Sounds easy right? Well it probably would have been. It took me 2 hours to tape off all the stripes. I thought I deserved a potty break and when I was done I found my assistant helping by undoing all my hard work! Grrrrr! So back to another 2 hours to retape. Of course, 2 stripes left and I ran out of tape. Who has EVER used a whole roll of tape? I know I never have. Usually I lose it or someone takes it before that happens. So an hour to hunt for one of those lost rolls. Found one in Caveboy's room. Then I painted 3 thin coats to cover the pink. I really like the finished product! They look cute on the bookcase and hide all the treasures the kids won't part with.

Quilts

Okay, it is sideways so you will have to turn your head. I just came across this picture of the quilt I made for my cousin Amy. I volunteer making prayer quilts for a local church here. I decided to make one for Amy after she lost her sweet daughter Ireland 3 days after Christmas. I don't even want to imagine what she went through. My heart just broke for her. To make it worse, 6 weeks after she lost Ireland her husband committed suicide. The depression just was too much for him and the doctors did not give him the care that he needed.

I hope that Amy and anyone else who has gone through a traumatic experience will find the peace and happiness one day that they deserve.

ps. Stop turning your head sideways and driving yourself crazy. I edited the pic!

My first celebrity visit!

I can't beleive it! Layla Palmer was here! She even likes my little table I got! I feel so honored! If you haven't visited her site, you should run now! She has lots of great ideas. In fact when I get to my kitchen I am going to have her help me. Poor lady, I don't think she knows what she is getting herself into!

I am so hoping that she gets on the next Design Star. I know that she would win. Besides loving her decorating, she is absolutely gorgeous and such a cute personality. I would have something to look forward to watching besides Handy Manny and The Imagination Movers!

Look at what I found in the basement!

The things you can find when you are a pack rat! I found these items in the basement and they will go perfect for a project that I have in mind! I'm not going to tell you what it is though or where it is for. I'm going to keep you in suspense for now! The beige is velvet that I had leftover from recovering some chairs a few years ago. The toile I bought just cause. The batting and pillow form is from some other long abandoned project. It really does pay to shop in your own house!

Adding Up!

So, before I started this project I set a budget of 1000.00 per room. There are 10 rooms that I am doing. I know this seems like alot for some rooms. I counted the stairs and my small back foyer as a room each. I don't think I could even imagine spending that much on either of those spaces! What is left over from each room will be carried on to the next since I know the kitchen and bath will take quite a bit to make even look decent! So from now on I am going to try to keep a running total of each room.

Girls room - 58.00 for one gallon of paint for the walls, 1 qt for the furniture, and 1 qt for the doors. 40.00 for the curtains. 20.00 for new sheets. 31.00 for the mirror, CD stand and doily. 21.00 for 3 frames for the posters.

Total so far $170.00

Master Bedroom - 28.00 for 1 gallon of paint for the walls.

Total so far $28.00

I don't think that is so bad!

Updates

Here is the mirror I got this weekend at the antique mall. Right now it is just set on top of Syrina's dresser, but I like the way it looks. I might just stick a nail in the wall to catch it if it falls and leave it like this. Just noticed that I really have to clean it though. Dang it!



Here is a kinda better pic of the new wall color. It really is the same color as the girls room. Sherwin Williams Familiar Beige in Eggshell. It really is a pretty color. My pics just don't do it justice. I am just glad that the room is finally painted. The furniture was moved to the center of the room and the stained shoe molding taped off for only 2 weeks. I really can't see why my husband rolls his eyes when I break out a paint brush! The first color I tried was a color that he picked out for his offices. There it looks like a medium brown. In here, it looked like a sagey green. I am not fond of green. Growing up, everything was GREEN! My mom's favorite color. So it took awhile for me to ponder it over and decide to paint the bathroom that color and choose another for our bedroom. I know I should of painted it first, but now I have to do the ceiling. Hopefully I won't make too big of a mess on the walls that I will have to repaint. Doubt it though!

Window shopping and laundry

Well, it's Monday. Laundry day. The only thing that makes laundry day bearable is that I can sit and window shop! Woo-hoo! I do have a question though. Why can't boys take their clothes off one layer at a time like a human being? I constantly find my son's pants turned inside out with the underwear still on them. Sometimes the socks are stuck at the bottom of the pant legs too. Drives me nuts and that is not even starting up the car.

Anyways....back to window shopping.

Would love to get this bed. This is exactly what I want. We went to Boyne a couple of years ago with the kids. I loved the bed. It was so comfy and luxurious. My husband bought me one of the down comforters that they use on the beds. New of course. They sell them in the gift shop. I was so excited to bring it home and lay in bed all day. That turned into 20 minutes before I was called back to work. Our bed has never felt like that one though. I finally figured out that it is not just the comforter but the elements that made up that wonderful bed.
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I found this duvet cover. It's ivory velvet. I'm not to sure of it though. I just took off the velvet duvet cover since it was so warm. It's beautiful though. I do have a white (well it used to be white the well water oranged it) duvet cover. That one never got too warm. So as beautiful as this one is, I think I will have to pass.

I really like this bed skirt. Nice and simple with covered button detail. I think I will make mine though since this one is 100.00! Ouch!
Love this pillow! I'ts so pretty! 50.00 for a pillow that is just going to get tossed off the bed at night seems a little much though. I might have to come up with a thrifty fake.

I still have to come up with some kind of bed covering since I am thinking that I will fold up the comforter at the end of the bed. I was at Target a few weeks ago when I knew I was going to redo the room. I found a beautiful dark taupe silk matelasse coverlet. I carried it around for awhile. Then I put it back when I realized that I just needed a new duvet for the bed. Now I could kick myself! It is exactly what I am looking for now. I have resisted the urge to visit every Target in Michigan to find another one though. Besides it is back to being butt-a** cold here. I thought spring was just around the corner...

I found this article which is very helpful. Some good tips also.

Start with your mattress. Do you need a new mattress? Do you need a new mattress pad? Or maybe just a little extra comfort is in order. If that's the case, try one of those inexpensive egg crates under your mattress pad. It really makes a difference.

On our beds, we usually use a light, quilted coverlet and matching shams - most often european size. Then, add a duvet with cover, folded at the end of the bed. We match the duvet cover to the sheeting.

For the sheets, always make sure there is a nice, deep fold back on the top sheet - Phoebe prefers at least 14 inches.

Now for pillows. This is the order Phoebe likes: Sleeping pillows in the back, shams that match the coverlet in front of that (we usually use euro), then decorative pillows in front of that. Phoebe likes the decorative pillows to be in another fabric or texture different from the duvet and coverlet. Our favorite size for the decorative pillows is 22" squares. And then perhaps a small rectangle pillow in the very front.

Also, for kings we use three euro pillows across, for queens we use two across. However, don't go overboard with the pillows. Do what is comfortable for you, as too many pillows can just be a hassle. There should definitely be some space between the folded duvet cover and the pillows.

Finally, make your bed every morning. Our mothers were right - it really does make a difference in how the room appears and how the sheets feel to get back in at night!

Now if reading about that on a Friday afternoon doesn't make you sleepy, I don't know what will. Happy weekend everyone! Thanks for such a great first week for our blog!!


It came from Mrs Howard personal shopper.

Think I need a nap now....

Busy Bee

I got so much accomplished yesterday! Since I am done with the big projects in the girls room, I painted our bedroom. When I first redid our bedroom, I loved it. The love affair quickly ended and I saw it for what it really was, a mess! What I had in my head and the actual result were 2 different things. I loved the suede paint, just not in that room. Way too dark.

My bench though I adore and will not give that up. My MIL has already tried but to no avail. I know this pic is dark, but the color is the same as the color in the girls room. The room looks so much larger now though! I know that darker colors make rooms look smaller, but now I feel like I have lots of space in the room. Also, the furniture looks great next to the lighter color, just what I wanted. I did get a chance to paint the girls door black. Brianna really likes it. I am starting to lose the neutrals in the room though. The pink and black is becoming very dominant. So, I have to do something about that.

My treasures

Thought that I would post my treasures that I found today. Unfortunately, I did not find anything I could use or live without at the sale. I did go down to the antique mall to pacify myself and found these pieces. I was looking for a stand for Brianna's CD player next to her window seat. This one was perfect! And only 10.00! I splurged and also got a crochet doily for under the CD player for 1.00. The mirror is going over Syrina's dresser. It was only 20.00! I also came home and got Jeff to show him some farmhouse tables they had for the kitchen. Nothing that he liked though. He did like the sideboard that I have my eye on for Syrina's dresser. I should of taken a pic of it. Can always go back though! I also think that I got a new customer for my custom longbow cases!

It's getting there!

I am getting closer to getting this room close to being done. I still have to make new cusions for the window seat toybox and the other toybox at the end of Syrina's bed. Also the stool for the vanity. The purple comforter on the bed is also going to be covered with a white duvet and a white pillow sham for the purple pillow. I also need to get a rug for the room. Brianna says the floor is cold in the morning. I did get 600 count Egyptian cotton sheets for the bed. Really soft but they have that crisp sound to them. Once I get that done there are a few little things that still are needed. Got some items on my shopping list for tommorrow!

Brianna has had these posters for the longest time! I finally framed them and hung them on her wall. The pink lillies are from Target. I like the pop of pink!

The Surprise Project

Surprise! I love this idea and so does Brianna! I had done this previously in Jeffy's room a few years ago and she was so jealous. They had so much fun "drawing" on the walls. Eventually he outgrew it and I ended up painting over it. I am hoping that this will help her to remember what she has to do.

It was really easy to do also. I got the chalkboard paint at Walmart. I used a foam brush, the widest that I could get, and did 3 thin coats. You do need to wait 24 hours before writing on it though. Love the look of the black doors! I am planning on painting all the doors in the house black. As you can see, I have yet to finish the back of this door.

Oi Vey!

Before

Finally! What started as a simple project is finally done! I got the idea that since the girls furniture was all different pieces I would paint them so they would appear to all match. Then, it started to snowball. I could distress all 7 pieces since I am trying to do the shabby chic look in their room. After reading on the best ways to distress furniture, I decided that was too much work for furniture that I do want to replace. Next I thought that I would put a crackle finish on all the pieces. So last Thursday I started to prime the furniture. I got one piece done. We were off like a herd of turtles! I figured that I would buckle down and get it done on the weekend. 2 Girl Scout cookie booths and Brianna's horsebackriding lesson proved me wrong though. Sunday I spent with my sister at the antique mall. I saw quite a few pieces that I would like for the girls room. So now I am tired of this project. Hmmm... I thought that since I am going to replace the furniture I would just paint the pieces in a cream color.

After

So here is one of the finished pieces. This weekend I am going to look for some dresser scarves to cover the surfaces. It only took me a week to finish. I did have to contend with my "assistant" though. Especially when she wanted to paint with the whisk broom. She's so cute!

I did get another "surprise" project done. Brianna just loves it! That is another post though. Waiting for it to dry so I can get it set up to take pics of it.

My first follower!

Yeah! I am like a real blog! I have my first follower! My very wonderful, supportive, amazing little sister joined!

Hi Sam!

My design assistant

My very precocious 2 year old who has been dubbed as my assistant. Thought it only fitting since she is with me on my ventures. She is also very helpful :-) sometimes too helpful :-(. She was a big help deciding if the stripes should stay or go though.

Hunting Season Opens Soon!

I can feel it in the air! Hunting season is almost starting! This weekend I got the bug to go flea marketing. I can tell that the garage sales will be starting soon too. This weekend coming up there is an antique sale right down the street from me. I already informed the husband that he is in charge of the circus. I even have started to pack my essential bag. This is a list of what I keep in it to go.

1. Pen and paper This is for writing down names and phone numbers of dealers if they have a peice that later i think "should of got that" I also write down information about what I might be interested in finding. Floor space where a peice might be needed.

2. Tape measure This is to measure peices that I might not be able to live without right then.

3. Water bottle and snacks Some flea markets do have refreshments available. Garage sales usually don't. This way once I am in the mode, I don't have to stop. Now if only I could find a solution to the potty situation.....

4. Color swatches I keep a small plastic bag with paint chips and fabric peices that I have used in the room. Nothing like finding something, buying it and bringing it home to only find out the colors are waaay off.

5. Umbrella or rain poncho I always keep either an umbrella or a cheap rain poncho for inclement weather. Guess that is the girl scout in me.

Now that I am ready, let hunting season begin!

Bye Bye Blue Carpet!

Finally! All the carpet is gone from the house! The last spot that had carpet was the girls room. It was this hideous blue carpet. We just replaced it with laminate floors. The room appears to be so much bigger now.



Next up is painting all the furniture in the room to give it a more uniform look. Eventually I do plan on replacing the furniture. For now though, the old is going to have to do.