A work in progress

Our house is 8 3/4 years old.

Sounds silly, I know, but we moved in when it was completed in Feb. of 2006.

Grace had just turned 6 and was HIGHLY upset that she couldn't have her 6th birthday party in our new house. (We had it in the rental house we were living in.)

She was even more OUTRAGED that Evan did have his 5th birthday party at our new house in March.

We'll let bygones be bygones.  It's water under the bridge and 8 3/4 years later.

That being said, along the way we've upgraded many things...(our house was a modular spec home that was moved here and we added the porch along the front and the garage.)

We've changed light fixtures, door handles (from brass to nickel), I've painted all the kitchen hardware (from brass to hammered black,), we've painted doors, walls, and added a patio.

When our house was put together on our land, it had aqua shutters which have faded badly over the years.

Since Brent was working on making all our windows more airtight, he decided it would be a good idea for the kids and I to paint all the shutters.

So that's what we've been doing for a week now.  (in our spare time, which is why it's going so slowly.)

 I got the paint to match the front door I updated last fall, and each shutter took 2-3 coats. 

I painted the first coat on the last 4 today.  22 shutters total.  Slow work friends, SLOW work.

The kids now tell me since Brent has put up two of the sets, that the house now looks like a ketchup and mustard house  (yellow siding, red shutters.)

Funny.

Since the windows are being fixed, that means the inside of the windows needs fixing too.

Brent has taken off all the skinny fake oak trim (which I HATE in new houses) and we will replace it with thicker trim, painted white, and the inside wood around the windows will all be new too.

Yeah, more painting.  (insert sarcasm here.)

Right now, we just have ugly windows inside.

We're moving in stages people. 

Time and money are always the issue.

At least SOME areas of the house are staying the same.

I have more plans, but they are slowly being processed.  In my mind, and on paper.

I'm also in the midst of planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for my in-laws.  That is also time-consuming.

I guess this is what it means to be home owners, right?  Always changing, always updating, always maintaining.

We'll keep you posted.

Just added...

I added 6 new items to my etsy shop this morning.

I felt inspired yesterday since I hadn't added some things for awhile.

I got on a creative streak last night, and watched 3 movies while I was creating.  One movie twice.

Oh well, the juices were flowing, and while everything I listed wasn't homemade, some were.

Here's what I listed this morning...

The bunting idea came to me just the other day when I needed something for the "picture window" I have hanging above our desk in the living room.  I made this one and loved it...

and decided...Hey, I could make some of these to sell...so I did.

The other items, except the denim pouch, was bought at tag sales and goodwill, and served me well for awhile, but I don't need them anymore...so I'm selling them.

To see what else is in my store, just click on my etsy button over on the side of this post.

Thanks for looking!

You are my sunshine...

It's no secret the newest "saying" going around (or at least I think it is...) is YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE.

I've seen it on Pinterest in various forms.

I LOVE all of these for various reasons.    

The shabbyness.

The Yellow!

The fonts.

The other day, while I was in the garage helping the kids get the pig feed measured out, I walked past a forgotten board that has been leaning up against the garage wall like FOREVER.

It had 4 nails sticking out of it that I tried and tried in the past to pull out, but I think they are in there permanently, so I left them in.  

For some reason, the other day, that board told me I needed to rescue it and make it into the Sunshine sign I've been thinking of making.

I took it inside, brushed off the cobwebs (much to Grace's total disgust...how could I even touch them with my bare hands??????) and just hammered those four nails flat.

Then I took it outside and spray painted it totally white.

Then I got out my vinyl for the cricut, and printed out the words to use for the sign.

Then I took it back outside and spray painted it yellow, right over the vinyl words and everything.

I let it dry, then brought it back inside...

and stripped off the words.  They came right off and left behind WHITE words.

Pretty slick, huh?

I got out my sandpaper and distressed it a little.

I didn't want it looking too perfect and new.  Then I took a thin black marker, highlighted the words, and distressed it some more.

Then I hung it up above the doorway from the foyer to the dining room so everyone sees it when they come in the front door.

Bad thing about that is...everytime Brent walks in the door he sings "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."  Funny the first time, but not so much anymore.

Now Evan's doing it.

Really!?

Maybe I would've done it a little differently if I would've had a taller board, but this looks ok for now.  I can always spray paint over it....

Above all the rest

I never realized how many shelves I have in my house until I came across the linky party over at The Lettered Cottage.

I always think their decorating ideas are inspirational.

So, I got out the camera and walked around the house and started snapping pictures of all my shelves.

I have several in the living room...First the "game ones,"

and then my favorite books/maps ones...

I have some in the dining room by our table...

for all the new pictures I take of the kids every year.

I even have some in the foyer.

And some with a purpose.

There is even some above the bed.

Do I have a shelf fetish?  No, it's just a great way to display things!

So, I'm linking up to the lettered cottage shelf/mantel linky party.  Click here.

or on the picture below.

A Sunny Disposition

I have high hopes for some changes come summer break.

I've got 7 days till it all begins.

Frankly, I can't wait!

The color of my living room needs some updating.

It's been the same dark grayish/brown since we moved in 6 years ago.  It doesn't feel very soft and tends to be very dark.

I was thinking of a sunny/farmhouse yellow.

Once I saw Stacey's at a sort of Fairytale, I HAD to copy her.

It's Behr's Frosted Lemon, and it's beautiful!  Just the right shade of light with a tad of color.  Not too yellow.

My room has touches of yellow and red now, I just want to increase the amount of both.
Like this picture at hgtv.com

or this one.

I'm gonna need some yellow pillows

and even some union jack ones of course.

I'll get right on that with some fabric scraps I have.

These flowers have the right inspirational color combo.

Now, where to find the Behr paint...

I need an ibuprofen!

What do you call a truck load of duck mulch (for $20 no less)...

a very willing 11 year old with a shovel...

5 flower beds...

two hours of work and 3 ibuprofen?

Finished!
Well...almost.  One more flower bed to go.  I ran out of mulch.  But then we're done.  Feels good.