Monday, May 25, 2015

Updated House Tour...Coming Soon

I just realized how dated the house tour of our current house it!  It's sad, it need major updating.  We're getting some new furniture in the master bedroom delivered next week, so I'll try and update a room or two a week.  The only updated room is Ellie's!  Our goal is to have the basement "semi finished" by the end of the summer.  Like most older home's the basement still has low ceilings and no windows (sorry I don't count the 1 X 2.5 little slivers of light as a window) so we know that dumping too much money into is not work it, so we'll be working in a tight budget.

Friday, May 22, 2015

That's a ton

Actually it's two tons of slate scape rocks.

We had it delivered from the local landscaping shop, and I always hate guessing if I ordered the right amount.

Both Brian and I commented that we thought there would be more. I guess will find out soon. 

We did -as a family- I may add, Ellie had her own little hand shovel, start spreading rocks. I would say we're about 1/2 done with still about 2/3 of the rocks left, so hopefully we will have plenty?!

Monday, May 11, 2015

E's Big Girl Room

I can't believe my baby is no longer a baby, it's like she went to bed one night a baby and work up a little person.  It feels like just yesterday I was putting the finish touches on E's nursery, but she'll be 2 this fall.  When I first designed Elle's room I designed it to be able to grow with her, and when I saw this Tee Pee I knew I had to have it!
 
 
I switched out the big rocking chair for a smaller vintage bentwood rocker.



Gerald, Seahorse, and Minnie - We must have them every night.  You would not believe the lengths we had to go to make sure we have a back up if any of them...oh parenthood!
 
The Jenny Lind crib has a matching toddler rail


 
Next to go is the changing table, we're getting pretty good at the "big girl potty"
 


 
"But I'm a Pout-Pout Fish" It's a really cute book by the way. 
 
 Ellie's gold play kitchen







As always all photography is from Jennifer Grant  If you have been thinking about doing family/kids pictures - you need to give her a call! I promise you will be blow away by the awesomeness of her work! 

Saturday, May 9, 2015

We have light!

As promised, the pictures of the lighting at night. Looks awesome and I still can't believe how easy it was!

4 Minute Pillow Covers



My new outdoor color scheme is now purple and yellow, so the old red pillows no longer matched.  JoAnn's had canvas on sale for $6.99 and each pillow only took 1/2 a yard so for under 7 bucks all new pillows!  And each pillow took like 4 minutes to make, no joke, super fast!

Step 1: Fold the fabric up about half way up the pillow, I used the finished edge and this edge will be the edge that will be seen on the back of the pillow, so if you wanted you can finish this edge.

 
Step 2: Fold up and set up both sides
 
 
Step 3: Now you have a pocket

 
 
 Step 4: Fold the unsewn side back over the pillow so that the fabrics over laps about 3 inches or so, if the pillow is bigger it you may want to fold the fabric over a few more inches.
 
 
 Step 5:  Cut the extra fabric and finish the edge off
 
 
Step 6: Put the pillow back in place and set up the last 2 sides.  I usually double stick over the edges as they will get the most stress.
 
 
 Step 7: Turn the pillow case right side out and stuff with pillow
 
 
 Step 8: Finished!
 

Friday, May 8, 2015

Landscaping Lights

I vowed to stop buying solar lights, first they are not cheap, second they don't last more than 2 years and third, the give off like no light.
I knew I wanted to put landscape lights around the front of the house. It gets so dark in our little court yard.
I bought this kit by Malibu from Home Depot for $119. It's a really good deal, it come with 6 lights, the wire and a transformer. 4 of the 6 lights cost $25 a piece so right there is almost the cost of the kit. Not to mention the wire is not cheap, like 50 bucks for 100 feet.
The Transformer that came in the kit - its not as fancy as the one you can buy as a stand alone, but its still has a photo lite sensor but the stand along model has a sensor that picks up the light so you can mount the box inside.
This is the easiest project, I was done in less than 30 minutes and had to keep a toddler entertained. I didn't have to bury the wires as we're filling the front with 2 inches of rocks so that obviously saved time.
The only "wiring" you have to do it is to screw the two pre cut ends into the transformer box, so simple!
There is no cutting wire, no wire nuts, just little clips that you push into the wire. I first put the lights where I wanted them, than ran the wire, the last thing I did was close the clips and done! That fast!
I'll post before and after picture but tonight it's pouring rain.
 
Don't mind by half painted front door, or empty pots - we're working on that.  But the lights look nice, you can make this this tall or half the height, I think the height makes them stand out nicely.
 
So I was not 100% sold on the front door color, thinking maybe a lighter color to make it pop, but all of the neighbors were telling me how much they liked the color and I already had the paint so we'll try it this year.    At this point I'm going to keep the sidelights white so next year if I want to change the door color is a quick fix!