Have a Seat

Super boredom can be interesting. It can make you do things that you would never dream of- like taking out a paint brush and some paints and think of things to change. Well, I was super-bored the other day and decided to make Joseph's computer chair a little bit better looking. So, out comes the green paint and wa-lah! A new look to an old ladder-back chair! I know this is boring, but I didn't have anything else to post today. So, you will have to take what I'm giving today! Thought it turned out cute. Much improvement over the old worn out brown wood and now it matches the rest of the room!!

On the store front: I was super excited to find some Lenox Butler Pantry rice bowls at TJ Maxx yesterday on sale for $10/piece. Much better than the regular $18 a pop for one. So I grabbed the ones that they had. Yay me. On a sad note, a little clock I bought over the weekend at HobLob got broken the moment I brought it in the door. Guess I will have to get the glue gun out, even though it does stay together now without glue.

Wish List

Now that my bedroom project has just about come to an end, I am looking for something else to decorate. I want to get a new comforter for our bedroom. Joseph made fun of me and my "beachy" as he calls it, guest room. And for all of that complaining, he would rather spend his time in there than anywhere else in the house! So that makes me want to make our room a little bit more inviting. My walls are a taupe/light brown and the bathroom is a beautiful shade of light blue. I am so over our brown/blue scheme we have going on now and wanted to jazz things up with a navy/light blue combo, AND I do want to keep the blue in the bathroom because a) I love the color and b) I am too lazy to repaint it. So here is what makes it to the top of my wish list for our bedroom. I just love it. It incorporates my two favorite things: florals and plaids! It is a bit fancy and grandma-y, but I like it anyways. I could never be the girl to have an all white comforter and not have it ruined in 2 days. So presently, I am in full search mode for a good, cheap deal on this because I can't afford it from the website or Dillards.....so happy hunting, Ashley! I love how I have champagne taste on a beer budget. But where theres a will, theres a way, right? (not to mention JWB's AmEx card screaming for me to use it) Kidding, sweetie! No need to give me the credit card speech again. Got it. Check. :)

The New Guest Room

Before I get into the guest room, lets look at the before picture.

WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised. May contain offensive pictures.

The old red, black, gray, and white just wasn't doing it for me. And not just because I bleed orange and blue, but because it was hideous. That's what love will get you. Trying to incorporate Joseph's Georgia pictures and stuff into the office/guest room just wasn't working for me. So let's take a look at the after pictures! Oscar is playing "Where's Waldo" and not doing a fabulous job! ;)

I still need some pictures and other stuff to finish out the room. I thought it was far enough along now that I could FINALLY post a picture!! Joseph now calls it the beach cottage room. He loves to make fun, but I know that he secretly loves it and does a happy dance every time he walks in the room now.

Oscar loves his new perch on the chair looking out the window. This chair was in the living room, but we decided to move it in here so that I have some place to sit and talk when Joseph is in his closet, I mean "office". The last picture shows the new home for my pictures that I just did. I need some serious accessories. Think a trip to the ol' HobLob is in order today!

Finally, we got rid of the honkin' huge TV and got a new flat screen. Joseph had a blast hanging it on the wall, considering that his electric drill is broken. But he dug down deep and pulled out his ultra HeMan strength and did it by hand with a screwdriver. I hope that my P90X will help me become the SheRa to his HeMan strength. Anyways, we got it hung and it is just so pretty. (Couldn't resist taking a picture with one of my favorite shows on!)

Let There Be Light......

I decided to take this lamp from Blah to Beautiful. Like I said previously, I needed a new lamp in the guest room because that brown lamp just didn't go. On my quest for a new lamp, I came up empty handed. Just couldn't find anything that I liked that was cheap enough. So I took matters into my own hands and decided to give the old lamp a face lift. Here is how I did it. First, I gave the lamp base a shiny new coat of green paint. Granted, this all came to me when I was painting my picture frames, but kill two birds with one stone is what I was thinking! Then I headed over to the fabric store to grab some coordinating fabric and a new lampshade. Here's what I found:

I found a green stripe and some matching trim to fancy it up a bit. I was disappointed that the fabric shop didn't have any matching Waverly fabric, so I just had to make due. I was going to go and buy some sheets to use for the fabric, but I decided to save $45 and go for the $5 worth of fabric from the fabric store.

Then all you do is follow the instructions on the lampshade. Remove the pattern and cut out your fabric. The lampshade is sticky, so the fabric stays put. All that is needed is a little bit of hot glue on the inside edges, and poof! A new decked out lampshade!

Hot glue on some matching trim (and some fantastic beading) and your new lampshade is ready for its debut!
The finished masterpiece. Note to self: don't use stripes again. I wasn't diligent and didn't make sure that the stripes were straight. Oh, well. Anyways, there is a lamp redo that will only put you out about $15!

Photo Finish

Well, I was so excited about my new project that I couldn't wait and had to finish it last night. I was so smart and kept the little paint samples from the bathroom, so I had plenty to paint my picture frames. I was disappointed to find out that all of the picture frames that I had gotten yesterday were all attached. That was fine. I just decided to have fun with it and see what I could come up with. What I decided on was this. There were four picture frames. I decided to put our monogram in the first frame and then the date of our wedding in the other three frames. I thought it turned out pretty cute. Take a peek!!

As you can see, I couldn't resist adding in a little dachshund to the piece to honor my sweet baby, Oscar. Since our initials are in brown polka dots, I did Oscar in green polka dots to sort of bind the three of us together. I know that sounds crazy but I thought it was sweet!! Now all that is left is to hang it on the wall. Not bad for 20 bucks! I'm thinking that I am going to have to redo the frame with the 8 in it. It is hard to see. But other than that, I thought it turned out cute. Very shabby chic. Here are some close ups.

My next project is similar to this one. While I was painting on the frames, I decided to paint the lamp that I already have. It was brown and an eyesore in the new bedroom. I have been looking for a new lamp but I haven't found one that I like, plus I haven't wanted to spend the money on a new one. So one man's trash is my treasure! Now I have plans for the lamp shade, but that's another post!!

Back in the Saddle Again

I know, I know! It has been forever since I have had a home project. Haven't had the time, to be honest. P90X practically runs my life! But I did want to share what I have coming down the pipes. Let's just say it involves the following:

The second picture has nothing to do with the project but I was so happy with my cheap find, I wanted to share! I got four pictures for a whopping $15!! Yeah me! I got these guys a few weeks ago and just hung them in the guest bath for the time being. I think they are a little too heavy looking for permanent placement there.

On to my project.....I found a set of 5 frames at Target for $20. So lets see what some photo frames and some scrapbook paper can make!! Not to mention a little bit of paint. If they turn out good they will find a new home in the guest bedroom. The bedroom that is still awaiting its debut, but it is not finished the way I would like before I post it!

To Kill a Mockingbird

Like I said on Friday, the faucet fiasco wouldn't be over. Joseph and I got home on Friday afternoon and he got right to work on completing the faucet installation. He got it taken care of and I had water again. Hip hip hooray! So we went about our business and a few hours later I was coming in the back after supervising Oscar outside and I heard a loud noise. I raced over thinking that our coffee pot had went crazy (it is the kind with the grinder up top, so I thought that was what I was hearing) but when I got there, it was unplugged. Then I looked under the sink and got sprayed in the face!! Joseph used the same type of materials that were originally under the sink, except that he had to use plastic rings of some sort instead of brass because that was all we could find. Well, we could only guess that the hot water softened the plastic just enough to allow water to seep through and the pressure built up to blow it off. So needless to say I had a HUGE mess to clean up. Our kitchen was about swamped! So Joseph had to truck it on over to the hardware store and this time just got a plain old faucet hose kit and it works beautifully. We then understood why our jacked up house had this rigging because it would have cost like $4 more to get the faucet hose than using what they did. Should have known! Hopefully we have heard the last out of the sink for a while!
On a lighter note....we have quite the situation at our house. It is quite humorous. If you saw above I had to escort Oscar outside to be his own personal bodyguard. We have a lovely pair of mockingbirds that have built a nest in one of the cypress trees outside. As you know, mockingbirds are very territorial and they view Oscar as Enemy # 1. So if he is outside by himself they will dive-bomb him until he runs inside like a scared little coward. So now, Oscar refuses to even think about going outside unless I am there to pick him up and carry him out AND stand next to him to protect him from his flying enemies. I guess I need to start dressing in all black, wear some Ray Bans, and get an earpiece and take my bodyguarding seriously!! I am hoping to get them attacking him on tape, but so far Oscar isn't staying put long enough for me to get my footage!! Birds are evil, I tell you. Ever since I was little and got attacked by our goose, I have hated them ever since. Now Oscar has realized my fear and hates them with a passion as well!