What Have We Been Doing???

It has almost been a year since we undertook the remodel. Almost a year! Of working several hours a week (I'd guess we're averaging 10 hours a week now...versus about 30+ a year ago) on the house. But what have we done? To make myself feel as though we aren't currently stuck in a rut with the house right now, I have looked up the "BIG TO DO LIST" that I wrote a year ago before we really dove in.

Here is the list, and what we have accomplished.

I swear, at some point, I swear, I WILL post photos of the house. Bug me about it. Maybe I'll actually do it.

KITCHEN
Pull up tile floor - check
Pull up subfloor - check
Replace subfloor - check
Retile with vinyl checker flooring - check
Paint - check...twice!
Put in new shelving/cabinets
Put in new counter tops - chek
Install sink
Install garbage disposal

BATHROOM
Sand cabinets - check
Refinish old pedestal and install with new sink - check
Paint - check
Replace medicine cabinet - decided I liked the old one
Replace shower head and faucet - plumber said to wait until we want to sink LOTS of money into bathroom. so we will wait. for many years. until we win the lottery, probably
Refinish bathtub - check

BEDROOM
Paint - check
Replace window frame on south window
Install wood blinds- check
Install new ceiling fan - check
Put in new closet storage system

LIVING ROOM & DEN
Paint - check
Install new ceiling fans - one of the rooms has one
Install wood blinds - check

SPARE BEDROOM - (this room has been totally ignored thus far)
Paint
Install built-in bookshelves
Mural
Custom window-treatments
Put in closet storage system
Install new light or ceiling fan

WHOLE HOUSE
Refinish floors - check! best money we've spent on the house!
Sand and paint trim - some what done
Install new vent registers - refinished the old ones. GREAT savings!
Install crown molding

A ton has come up over the year that isn't on the list including:
Purchasing new stove
Various re-finishing and painting projects for old furniture
Tons of sewing projects
Constant interior re-design. I can never make up my mind
Garage organization - this is a constant time filler for us
Tons of gardening - the raised vegetable garden is looking good thus far!
Front porch got a pretty good looking face lift
Getting the best dog, ever
Getting engaged!
Falling in love more and more every day - BIG CHECK!

What Would You Do With Over $300 Million???

Recently, the lottery reached over 300 million dollars. I still doubt that I could ever even wrap my head around that large an amount of money, but Alan and I have had a great time discussing what we would do. Neither of us are gamblin' folks, but its fun to pretend. Some highlights from our fantasy list:

1. Get married. ASAP! :-)
2. Hire someone to come finish the remodel of our home. We have enjoyed doing it (mostly) all by ourselves, but given the chance (and $300 million) we would be done with it.
3. Buy land in New Mexico and build our dream house.
4. Buy a pickup truck. Neither of us are pickup people, but we are always bemoaning the fact that we don't have one, and how handy one would be for haulin' stuff. Haulin' all that cash!
5. Quit working full-time jobs. We both agree we would have to stay working at least part-time to stay busy, but we would leave our jobs and work volunteering for local charities, our church and monastery, etc.
6. Keep our home here as a rental property.
7. Adopt children. ASAP!
8. Set up college funds for kids.
9. Donate money like crazy.
10. Have a great time.

Oh, and we'd also keep it anonymous. We feel that life would be much better if others didn't know that we won jabillions of cash monies. So who knows? Maybe Alan and I did win that money. Guess you'll never know...

I Am In Love!

Q) So what to do when you fall in love with something that is unattainably expensive? What to do when you fall in love with a wedding dress that costs as much as the entire wedding budget?

A) Come up with something better.

I fell in love with this Temperly London dress a bit ago and I thought it was oh, so gorgeous. Then, upon further inspection (and color photos instead of black and white) saw that the dress is sequined and rhinestoned up! Not my style for our wedding. What I thought was embroidery was sequins. 

Now, at least I have a photo of a dress that is exactly what I have in mind, minus that thousands of dollars it costs. And I know that I prefer embroidery to sequins. We shall see what comes of it.

Big Wall Art

We've got a couple walls in the house that are sitting empty, with no art up. Alan and I have a pretty big art collection between the two of us, but we just haven't gotten much up yet. Looking at these empty walls today makes me want something like a big collection, or a dramatic pop of color on them.

So pretty and colorful.

This piece is made with cut coffee filters and tacks.

I adore this wall.

As always, typography catches my eye.

I have a soft spot for rabbits.

This would suit our style best, and if made with painted contact paper it could be easily removable.

Pops of Color

While surrounded by fields of white snow, I am dreaming of color. Being stuck in the house for several days made me so happy to be surrounded by pattern, texture and color. Here are some houses I love with pops of color that spark my imagination of things I want and could mostly make myself.

This is a play room "rug" made out of those puzzle-together floor mats and paint! Brilliant!



Do we think I could pull off a wall of wallpaper samples decoupaged together like this? Do we think Alan would let me? Hmmm....



Where can I find a lamp like this?!? I've gotta have one.

The white walls! The dark floors! The amazing color carry over on the transom from the next room over! Swoon...

What a fantastic graffiti art wall. I wish I could be so imaginative.



This kills me! I have got to find an ornamental mirror and paint it exactly as seen here.

Beautiful mix of pattern and color.