Migonis Home

Reading and Linking

2014-06-25T20:00:00.000-04:00

We just got back into town last night after a visit out to New York for a wedding... we stopped at this dynamite place in Amherst, MA on the way home. It was called Lord Jeffry's Inn. It was perfection. AJ worked in Amherst for a few summers when he first started teaching.

While in New York I started and finished Emily Giffin's newest book from my PopSugar Must Have Box. She's one of my favorite authors... she's a fast beach read but she also tackles some major issues. This one had to do with domestic violence. As for the other finds from the box... well, let's just say I polished off a personal sized bag of all-natural BBQ chips on my own (and I rarely eat chips unless they are tortilla chips and salsa)... and you can see the fabulous Turkish towel here... and I've been wearing these great elastics from the box while running and Elle has been obsessed with the lemon hand wipes (what can I say? my girl has good taste. :)). Oh, and don't get me started on the lemon scented lotion. To. Die. For. It's packaged so beautifully it looks like I paid bouco bucks for it. :)

POPSUGAR is offering $10 off a three month subscription with the code JUNESELECT10. This ends on June 30. POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have Box. POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say about the box or how to say it.

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Onto our link party!

This week I decided to highlight two of my favorites! Making it in the Mountains revealed her dynamite Pottery Barn knock-off trestle table for her porch.

... and Simple Stylings gave great instructions for how to make your own Paint Can Herb Garden. (I was just telling AJ that I'd love to use those cleats for drawer pulls for a project... A girl after my own heart. :)).

The Rules:

Add our button or our text link to your post.

Don't link and leave- check out at least 3 other posts from the link up! Leaving comments and encouragement is always great, too! Bonus if you mention you found the post at the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party ;)

We'd love for you to follow us on at least one of our social media platforms!

Link up below- when you link up on this blog it appears on Everyday Enchanting and Migonis Home.

No links to home pages, social media, or other link parties please.

We can't wait to see what you've been up to this week!
SOMETHING IS WONKY WITH MY LINK PARTY CODE... CLICK HERE TO HEAD OVER TO EVERYDAY ENCHANTING TO LINK UP.

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Blogging Friends and Comparison

2014-06-20T15:58:00.000-04:00

It's Friday afternoon and it's AJ's last day of school before summer vacation starts. I've got two napping children and I'm sitting on the porch by myself with the wind blowing and a glass of raspberry lime seltzer.
Yesterday I met my very first blogging friend in real life. Bre from Rooms FOR Rent. She was just as great in person and our kids were fast friends. You know they're fast friends when within 10 minutes of being together they are already bossing each other around.
In anticipation of Bre's visit I gave myself a little list of things to do besides cleaning frantically. Painting our back door Club Navy by Behr was one of them. As I prepared I found myself worrying. Constantly worrying. What if Bre thought I was a fraud? What if she saw my house in real life and thought it was terrifically ugly? What if she found Cherrios that the vacuum somehow didn't find and she saw a patio that was a all weedy? As I worried I started thinking about the book The Nesting Place and how the author, The Nester (you know, from that fabulous blog) talked about hospitality and creating a home that isn't perfect but one that is welcoming. And I started to remind myself that: a. Bre has children b. Bre has posted photos online of her house in an imperfect state c. She has read that same book And I started to cut myself some slack. Any person reading this blog knows our house is only a third to half done. And any person with kids know that cleaning for company while you have children is the most frustrating job ever.
I don't ever want to dread people coming over just because our house isn't "done" or perfect. I find that I'm always apologizing to guests for the way our house looks even though we are really trying hard to make it beautiful and welcoming. Is anyone else with me on this? Do you freak out about drop in visitors or about making a good impression? I seriously doubt I'm the only one.
I want to change my attitude this summer. I want to be so grateful for what we have, even if it's not done. I want a house that's clean, because it's more welcoming to guests (and to us!), but I need to realize that at this stage of my life it can't be perfect all the time (which is how it would be if I were single with no children). I need to realize that if a friend drops by in the morning and our breakfast is still everywhere and I haven't cleaned up dishes and the dirty laundry is in a pile by the basement door and Drew has just dumped out every puzzle piece we own THAT IT'S OKAY.
It's so easy to compare ourselves and our homes to others. We generally only put the best photos of our spaces or lives online. I'm never posting pictures of my children throwing temper tantrums at dinner or of our basement (easily the worst spot in our house, it's a bottomless pit). In those dozens of moments where I compare myself and our space to others I tell myself that I tell myself all sorts of lies like what we have or who I am isn't good enough. My God made me into a great woman. A woman who loves fixing up houses. Who loves making pancakes with her children, even if it makes a mess. A woman who starts three projects and leaves out my paint and wood filler for days. He made me into a woman who is pretty great and the minute I start comparing who I am or my space with what others have I've missed out on the joy of who He made ME to be.
Embrace your space this weekend, whether you live in a rental, a fixer-upper or a gorgeous mansion. Wherever we live we have the tools to practice hospitality and meet people where they are. And who knows... they could be coming from a house with Cheerios that somehow got stuck into their jute rug too. You might just be making them feel more comfortable. :)
We are away at a wedding this week so I'll be posting less, maybe not at all, this week but I'll be on Instagram so catch me over there!

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Firefighter Fourth + Link Party

2014-06-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

Every time my friend Heather throws a party I blog about it. I love her style and creativity. On Saturday we went to Mason's fourth birthday party which she threw in her typical fabulous fashion. I'll let the photos do most of the talking.

Here is Drew's beloved fire truck as a table decoration. Every day he asks me when he'll get it back. Wednesday is always my answer. :)

The best part for the kids was when the fire truck came... the fireman (Heather's whole family knew him) let the kids play with the hose, he did a water cannon and gave each kid a hat. It was a hit (even with the adults!).

Look at that birthday boy!

One of the cutest little fire fighters ever!

A red fire hat looks good with Baby Girl's dress doesn't it? :)

You captured some dynamite images of a great party, Heather! :)

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On a different note... welcome to our third week of the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party!
We were blown away by all of the amazing projects we saw last week- we can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week! Remember, when you link up here your link will also appear on Migonis Home Blog! This link party will be similar to many others in that you link up, post a link back or button in your post, and we pick projects to feature. We will each pick different projects from the four categories to feature the following week: Crafts/Home Decor, DIY, Parties and Holidays, and Baking. First, we'll share what we've been up to lately:

Recently on Everyday Enchanting:

Mounted Canvas Declaration of Independence

Summer 2014 Home Tour

Connect with Everyday Enchanting: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Recently on Migonis Home:

Summer 2014 Home Tour

Connect with Migonis Home: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

The "Rules":

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.everydayenchanting.com/category/enchanting-inspiration-link-party/" title="Enchanting Inspiration Link Party at Everyday Enchanting"></a></div>

Add our button or our text link to your post.
Don't link and leave- check out at least 3 other posts from the link up! Leaving comments and encouragement is always great, too! Bonus if you mention you found the post at the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party ;)
We'd love for you to follow us on at least one of our social media platforms!
Link up below- when you link up on this blog it appears on Everyday Enchanting and Migonis Home. We share our features the following week and also give you lots of Pinterest and social media love!
No links to home pages, social media, or other link parties please.
Make sure to visit our blogs next Wednesday to link up again and see our respective feature picks!

We can't wait to see what you've been up to this week!

Linking up to this link party means that you give us permission to feature your watermarked photo with a link to your post.

An InLinkz Link-up

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

ROI of Replacing Windows... and Lead Safety

2014-06-17T05:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all your wonderful comments on the Summer Home Tour from yesterday and for your great feedback on our new windows that we had installed last week by Coastal Windows & Exteriors. I especially loved reading your feedback on the new middle window, you were so great to be excited with us. And we were over the moon when Coastal Widows & Exteriors agreed to tackle the project of installing a new construction window for us (our original plan was to just do five replacement windows). Today we're back talking about our windows... and I'm going to put on my Realtor hat for part of this. Pretend you move into a house that needs new windows and you intend to move in a few years to upgrade. The house is drafty and the windows aren't in the greatest shape. Is it worth it to replace them? Yes.

You're going to recover 87%... which means you'll only lose 13% of the cost. It's still most likely a smart decision*. Not only will buyers believe your house to be more updated but it'll save you in fuel costs over the time you live in the house. Did you know that an 1/8 of an inch gap around your windows can equal a 6" hole in your wall? Now add that up for all your windows. Let's talk about money flying out the window! As an added bonus, the warranty on the replacement windows will even transfer to new owners.

* Be careful about making the decision to replace instead of repair; for example if you live in a home on the National Register of Historical Houses it may not approved to replace your windows because they are an integral part of the original architecture.

You can also get up to $200 back on your tax return if you can prove that you purchased energy efficient windows for your home.

I couldn't find anything about the return on investment for adding a new construction window... but what I could find where facts on the ROI for increasing your curb appeal. I have no doubt we will recover every penny we've put into the front of our house. We have been careful with how much we spent. Like any improvement, you need to make sure your changes appeal to the majority of people, a too taste specific change and you could be hurting your ROI.

The other thing I want to talk about is why do to a lead-safe install like we did with Coastal Windows & Exteriors. I mentioned before that our house was probably built sometime around the 1930s so there was most likely some lead paint somewhere in the house. I found this on the Environmental Protection Agency's website and thought that it showed how likely older homes are to have lead paint.

All right, but what's the big deal with doing a lead safe window replacement? Isn't it just popping a window out? There are so many things that I didn't know before working with Stephanie and her crew at Coastal Windows & Exteriors... here are some of the important facts I've learned over the past few weeks:

1. Even if you have covered up potential lead paint with newer paint when you are doing something like removing a window it's stirring up a lot of dust from the simple act of the materials rubbing against each other to get a window out of the frame. Coastal Windows & Exteriors makes sure to block off the entire area (like you saw in this post) so that no dust flies into the home. Any installer you hire should be certified as a lead-safe installer to protect you and your family against lead dust.

2. Your installers need the right credentials. If you are caught without a lead-safe installer you can be fined up to $30,000.

3. Lead paint, including lead dust, is one of the biggest causes of lead poisoning.

4. Lead poisoning, even just from lead dust, can lead to all sorts of health problems such as "behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth or hearing problems"* and we've probably all heard of far more severe cases that result in death.

*taken from the EPA

I don't mean to be Debbie Downer by explaining this but I thought it was important to know that all contractors aren't created equal (check out Coastal Windows & Exteriors Contractor Standards Guide here). And all contractors aren't going to do the best for your family. We had a great experience with Rocky, the installer that works for Coastal Windows & Exteriors. He was incredibly safety conscious and is very particular about children not being anywhere near the window removal / installation until after everything is cleaned up.

You can read more about our excellent experience with Coastal Windows & Exteriors here, here, here and here. We were provided the installation free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review of their services.

On an additional note, Coastal Windows & Exteriors will be highlighted on two episodes of Flipping Boston... they are providing a new roof for a home in Lynn and two doors compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act... that's all I can say about the episodes but you'll be touched! I love working with companies that value giving back.

Lastly, they are giving away a free roof to a family in need. Please visit their No Roof Left Behind site here for details.

Stephanie, the owner of CW & E with the hosts of Flipping Boston.

FREE FOR MIGONIS HOME READERS

Because we've had a great experience with Coastal Windows & Exteriors we recommend downloading this Contractor Standards Guide that they've published. Coastal Windows & Exteriors has made it obvious to AJ and I that they know how to quickly and efficiently get a job done and they are offering tips in this guide for how to find contractors who have a similar high standard for the work they do. Click HERE to download this free guide. It has loads of useful info to help you to choose someone you will rave about in the future.

Lastly, Coastal Windows & Exteriors is offering anyone with the code MIGONISHOME $250 off any of their energy efficient lifetime windows, siding, roofing or entry doors! You can book your FREE educational consultation with them here or by calling 888.812.2783. You can also check out their other great promotions HERE.

You can find out about Coastal Windows & Exteriors events here and you can find their Facebook page here where they will post helpful tips and info about great events they host.

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Summer House Tour 2014

2014-06-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the kickoff of a week of summer home tours.

You are in for a treat with these fabulously creative bloggers.

If you are visiting from the Summer House Tour Series I'm thrilled to have you! I'm Jen Migonis and I live with my husband, AJ, and two kids in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. The town is just as charming as it sounds. We bought this Cape style home in February of 2010 and have been slowly fixing it up as time allows, you should check out our House Tour page to see some before and after shots.

We recently installed new windows with Coastal Windows & Exteriors. The front of our house looks completely different than when we bought it. It's so satisfying to walk outside and feel so happy with our house now. We love the window we added in the middle of the upstairs. I love our door makeover. Our front porch makes me so happy.

I'd say our kitchen is 90% done. The 10% not done doesn't really bother me though when my kitchen and clean and bright... and Cheerios aren't everywhere. :)

This area is always a work in progress. I haven't found the perfect buffet yet, the piece that is there is one I'm selling (it's too long for the space).

We made our floor plan considerably more open since we moved in by opening up the stairway... and I painted the inside of our front door.

Our living room is decorated very simply since we've replaced our windows... having to move all the furniture and accessories into the middle of the room made me de-clutter.

We have to paint the trim around the windows and hope to replace the drywall in here this summer.

This is our little landing zone at one end of the living room but just inside the back door. It's never this free of clutter... I only wish. :)

Here is Elle's room complete with it's purple and birdcages:

Above her bed I framed portions of "Miss Rumphius", otherwise known as "The Lupine Lady", one of my favorite children's books. The illustrations are just gorgeous.

Drew's room, of course, is also a work in progress. If you're new here we painted over some horrible wallpaper and linoleum floors in here and that's been pretty much the only updates since we moved in four years ago except for installing a new window in his room last week to help out with the ridiculous drafts in the winter.

I'm holding off sharing updated master bedroom photos right now, except for this little one that just shows some fresh cut branches from one of our bushes on our mantle. Maybe later this week... I'm doing some small changes in there.

I'm so glad you visited us. I'd love to have you pop in anytime, shot me an email or connect on Facebook or Instagram.

Today I'm giving away a bag of seaglass, like the kind that currently sits on our counter:

The giveaway is closed. Sarah from Life on Virginia Street is the winner!

To win it do any / all of these things for a total of three entries. The giveaway is only open to US residents... it gets very expensive to ship a bag of seaglass anywhere else. :) Tell me in ONE COMMENT how you are entering: 1. Leave a blog post comment about the home tour. 2. "Like" Migonis Home on Facebook. 3. Follow Migonis Home on Instagram. After you enter make sure you check out these other fabulous bloggers this week (some of the links will only work on the day they are posting): Monday Finding Silver Pennies | Town and Country Living | Migonis Home Tuesday Craftsberry Bush | The Hankful House | Life on Virginia Street | So Much Better with Age Wednesday House by Hoff | Everyday Enchanting | Maison de Pax | Wicks Nest Thursday My Creative Days | Ella Claire | The Happy Housie | Rooms FOR Rent | The Lily Pad Cottage Friday Bliss at Home | Southern State of Mind | Designed Decor | The Woodgrain Cottage | 3 Little Greenwoods | Just A Girl and Her Blog | City Farmhouse

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration:

Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Everyday Enchanting Features

2014-06-15T21:34:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Week Two of Enchanting Inspiration features!

April from House by Hoff and Nina from Everyday Enchanting will each be choosing features today or tomorrow so make sure you check in with them for more inspiration! :)

Decorating Feature

Cali's Nursery found on Delineate My Dwelling

This nursery with great touches of dark gray with fun pops of color everywhere... you'll have to check out the meaningful details in the room. My favorite DIY project is this mobile!

Recipe Feature

Joy in Our Home created these Triple Layer Caramel brownies; I cannot wait to try out this recipe. She says they are easy... I'm going to take her word for it because caramel and chocolate is one of my favorite combos.

Craft Feature

Restoration Beauty showed off her framed keys

A simple project like this would be dynamite for remembering the rentals that AJ and I own... or maybe we won't want to remember them someday after we sell them... highly probable. :) But in all seriousness, I love how this turned out whether or not you have sentimental value to the keys!

Party Perfect

This dynamite set of Father's Day printables from Elegance and Enchantment would make a fantastic starting point for retro party, don't you think?

I loved seeing the projects that everyone linked up and wished that I could chose more than one favorite for each category... in the meantime... get excited for this:

See you at 7am tomorrow with our summer house tour! :)

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

The Middle Window + Summer Celebration Link Party

2014-06-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty much passing out. Here is a little timeline of our house's history. Few things are more fun, and motivating, for me than to look back at progress. Especially when I think to myself... we've been here over four years. Only half the house is done (ish). But here's the thing... we've made fantastic progress to the outside of the house in the last six months. We've focused our energy, money and gift cards there. I think our neighbors are thanking us. And we are definitely thanking Coastal Windows & Exteriors who did all the work installing the replacement windows and the one new construction windows this weekend in a lead-safe install.

We couldn't even see out our windows when we moved in so we took out the bushes... it may be hard to believe but they were too spindly looking to just trim them substantially. So we lived like this for about four years. This was the absolute low point when the porch became so badly rotted and everything was totally dead.

So we put a front porch on and a window in the center. :) When we started this project to install these windows with Coastal Windows & Exteriors we were really hoping that they would be willing to install a new construction window for us. It makes the outside of our house look so much more like what we envisioned when we moved in.

After Rocky, the fabulous installer, used the Dremel to make the cut-out for the window he and Steve, another one of the installers from Coastal Windows & Exteriors, started taking off all the clapboard. I took the shot from this angle so you could see their truck of tricks. :) It was packed to the gills of everything they'd need to preform every job throughout the day. They set up their work station right on the street (we live on a dead end) where they could cut every board.

All the clapboard was off at this point and it was starting to be really obvious what it would look like with a window in that spot. It was really confirming that we made the right decision.

They pried off all the barn board and we were left with a pink insulation rectangle.

They pulled off the Tyvek and then cut through the drywall. Here is our first view of what the light filled closet will look like. :)

This space has always been a closet, which is probably why there never was a window in there, but it's amazing to me how much more light it bring to the space. The closet doesn't feel like a dark hole anymore... it just feels like a space that's totally out of control now that we haven't figured out how to reconfigure the closet.

The window was completely not framed in at this point. It was probably about 6:30pm at this point and the guys had been going since 8:30am. They were hard workers to fit our entire job in on one day!

The framed in the window with 2x4s and plywood so that the window would have a place to be secured to.

After the window framing was complete the guys did a little teamwork action and put the window into it's frame.

Here she is all installed!

If you are a perfectionist you may think the upstairs window isn't centered. It's actually the front door. It's nine inches to the right. We found this out when we were building the porch. We opted to correctly center the window in case we are able to move the door over at some point.

We are so grateful to Coastal Windows & Exteriors for the incredible work their team did installing this window. They were knowledgeable about a lead-safe removal and did a fantastic job installing the other four replacement windows as well. We would heartily recommend them to anyone wanting new or replacement windows (or roofing, doors or siding for that matter!). Because we've had a great experience with Coastal Windows & Exteriors we recommend downloading this Contractor Standards Guide that they've published. Coastal Windows & Exteriors has made it obvious to AJ and I that they know how to quickly and efficiently get a job done and they are offering tips in this guide for how to find contractors who have a similar high standard for the work they do. Click HERE to download this free guide. It has loads of useful info to help you to choose someone you will rave about in the future.

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It's A Summer Celebration LINK PARTY!

We've been celebrating summer all week by sharing brand new summer inspired projects. Now, it's your turn! Link up your summer DIYs, home decor, food, and crafts. Any and all things SUMMER. Don't have a blog? You can still party with us! Share photos of your summer projects on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #summercelebration.

Before we get to the party, check out these 20 AWESOME Summer Projects!

1. House by Hoff 2. The Happy Housie 3. Migonis Home 4. Lovely Etc. 5. Making Home Base

6. The Blissful Bee 7. Life on Virginia Street

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog

5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age

1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog

6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick

An InLinkz Link-up

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Windows Galore + Everyday Enchanting Link Party

2014-06-11T20:00:00.000-04:00

It was a good day to photograph our living room with all the new windows. It felt clean and like it matched the rest of the house. It was the best feeling to put the room back together again after the absolute chaos occurred during the installation. Basically our entire living room was smashed together in the center. I took photos but it was a little too embarrassing to share. :)

We still need to paint the trim around the windows but, thanks to Coastal Windows & Exteriors everything else is done. I would happily endure a day of stuff everywhere chaos to have their knowledgeable hands handle the install for us. They were amazing.

I love that the front of the house has completely matching windows now. I love that the kitchen and living room now look like they flow into each other.

This shot not only shows the gorgeous new windows but the desk that we purchased for $25. I can't figure out what color I want to paint it. What would you do (see more living room photos below)?

The only window that hasn't been replaced in the living room is directly to the left of these driftwood hooks. We opted not to spend any money replacing because we aren't sure about our vision for that area... we are talking about everything between putting a small, but hardworking, addition on at some point or just putting french doors there to go out to the patio.

Coastal Windows & Exteriors also installed a new window in Drew's room. The space didn't change drastically but it is going to be so much warmer in there this next winter without the drafts from that window.

So what's our plan for drywall in these two rooms? After talking with Rocky, our installer, who also happens to be an all around maintenance guy we've decided to just drywall over the existing walls with 3/8 inch thick drywall. He made sure there was enough room for us to do that behind where he placed the window trim and then told us that Home Depot carries electrical extenders for cases like these. This will make the job so much easier for AJ since we were nervous about dealing with the blown in insulation falling out by removing the drywall.

We are so grateful to Coastal Windows & Exteriors for the incredible work their team did installing our widows. They were incredibly knowledgeable about a lead-safe removal and we felt completely safe with their procedure for removing the windows. We would heartily recommend them to anyone wanting new or replacement windows (or roofing, doors or siding for that matter!). Because we've had a great experience with Coastal Windows & Exteriors we recommend downloading this Contractor Standards Guide that they've published. Coastal Windows & Exteriors has made it obvious to AJ and I that they know how to quickly and efficiently get a job done and they are offering tips in this guide for how to find contractors who have a similar high standard for the work they do. Click HERE to download this free guide. It has loads of useful info to help you to choose someone you will rave about in the future.

...

This link party will be similar to many others in that you link up, post a link back or button in your post, and we pick projects to feature. We will each pick different projects from the four categories to feature on Sunday: Crafts/Home Decor, DIY, Parties and Holidays, and Baking. First, we'll share what we've been up to lately:

Recently on Everyday Enchanting:

Weathered Pine Kitchen Shelves

Connect with Everyday Enchanting: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Recently on House by Hoff:

Repurposed Summer Planters

Spray Painted Wicker Chair

Connect with House by Hoff: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Recently on Migonis Home:

Beachy Dresser Makeover

New Windows in a Cape Home

Connect with Migonis Home: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

The "Rules" for the Everyday Enchanting Link Party:
1. Add our button or our text link to your post.

2. Don't link and leave- check out at least three other posts from the link up! Leaving comments and encouragement is always great, too! Bonus if you mention you found the post at the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party ;)

3. We'd love for you to follow us on at least one of our social media platforms!

4. Link up below- when you link up on this blog it appears on Everyday Enchanting, Migonis Home, and House by Hoff. We share our features Sunday evening and also give you lots of Pinterest and social media love!

5. No links to home pages, social media, or other link parties please.

6. Make sure to visit all three blogs on Sunday to see our respective feature picks!

We can't wait to see what you've been up to this week! Linking up to this link party means that you give us permission to feature your watermarked photo with a link to your post.

An InLinkz Link-up

...
Lastly, make sure you check out these fabulous Summer Celebration features today!
1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog 6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick

Follow Migonis Home for new posts and daily inspiration: Google + | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Coastal Windows: Part One

2014-06-10T05:00:00.000-04:00

I've given you a few sneak peeks on Instagram and Facebook of the progress on the windows. To say I was excited would be a ridiculous understatement. The minute the measurement was done I was hoping Rocky would call me and schedule our installation. When Rocky's supervisor from Coastal Windows & Exteriors called me and set up the installation for this Saturday I counted down the days... Saturday morning I completely and totally embarrassed myself and went outside in my PJs at 6am and took some "before" photos. My friend Mandi wrote on my Instagram account: "I love seeing this become your dream house." and it made me tear up. Four years and loads of sweat equity later the front of our house is finally looking how we envisioned when we moved in. I'll give you all the before and afters in Thursday's post... hold on. :) But for now, make sure you have a pot of coffee. This is a long post.

The windows were old. It seemed that no matter what we did we couldn't make them both energy efficient and look good. Or, for that matter, we couldn't do either of them. We could literally feel the breeze coming through them in the winter. That was really fun for our oil bill.

The plan was for Coastal Windows & Exteriors to install four replacement windows for us. We needed three in the living room and one in Drew's room. Then, we asked them to tackle a bigger project and install a new construction window in the center of the second floor. Tell me that space is just crying out for a window! When I found out they were game I was ecstatic!

At 8am promptly our day began with a bang when Dillon, the amazing photographer and videographer for Coastal Windows & Exteriors, arrived. He set up his time lapse camera and I felt like I was on the set of HGTV. The day before I told AJ I was tempted to make Dillon a shirt that said HGTV so our neighbors would think we were practically celebrities. :) Okay, I guess we aren't even close to celebrities since we were putting our child to work carrying the trim boards. :)

Since we were about 100% certain the area contained lead (our house that was built WAY before 1978 when lead was outlawed) some real safety precautions needed to be taken. Rocky and Steve put up a safety perimeter around the window with plastic and then taped off any place where lead dust could escape.

Rocky then donned his hazmat suit and mask and went in to the plastic cave.

He disassembled the window like a machine. I'm not even joking. He was speedy and thorough and knew exactly what he was doing.

After the entire window was out the metal frame came off. Steve was Rocky's right hand man through this and carted stuff away so it wouldn't fall and damage the porch.

Next the trim was pulled off and toss into the trash bag. You can see Coastal's "HGTV photographer" here in the side of the photo.

Good-bye noisy drafty windows with lead weights.

You won't be missed.

While Rocky and Steve disassembled the window Tommy, the third window guru, got all the windows unloaded and ready for installation.

After the window was totally out the team built up the window frame with 2 x 4s. The old windows had thicker frames so there needed to be a little more oomph built into the studs before the window went in (how's that for a technical description?).

After the windows were built up the team hung the window and nailed it into place. Tommy then took measurements and began cutting the clapboard to make room for the Azek trim work.

Whoo! One window is officially in!

The guys were fastidious about cleaning up because of potential lead dust. The HEPA vacuum was super strength (that's not our HEPA house-hold vac, that's for sure) and Steve made sure to use the wet Swiffer over each area after thoroughly vacuuming.

The second window went exactly like the first, just faster. They did the windows on the side of the house next so they could finish off the living room and move into Drew's room.

Here is the contrast between the old and new window on the same wall. It's hard to see the difference because of the lighting. Please keep in mind that we are going to have new drywall soon. And yes, we've lived with that horrible wallpapered and patched wall for over a year now. :)

Okay, here we are with all the windows in the living room and Drew's room done... the guys were just about to start cutting for the middle window here.

The two new windows on the left side of our house are the best looking part of it. We need to get to work repainting this side of the house now that the front is nearly done!

One final shot of a finished window... such a difference from the second photo in the post today!

Come back tomorrow to see the windows in their new spaces... now that they aren't disaster zones anymore.

We partnered with Coastal Windows & Exteriors for this project, but, as always, I will only give my own opinions. And for this project, my opinion of the Coastal Crew was dynamite. Rocky does maintenance on the side and we're hiring him to do some drywall work. That's how much I liked him and his crew. Coastal hires great people who do quality work.

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Make sure you stop by these great links today for more summer projects from the Summer Celebration. Trust me, you won't want to miss them. More tomorrow!

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog

5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age

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Makeover Monday: Beachy Dresser

2014-06-09T07:35:00.002-04:00

It's Makeover Monday again! In fact, this whole week will be Makeover Week since the rest of the week we'll be talking about replacing, and adding, new windows into our house! But today is the kick-off to the Summer Soiree where I've teamed up with some great bloggers who will be sharing some gorgeous projects over the next few days.

If you've read the blog for a while you know I have a little side business of making over furniture. It makes me ridiculously excited to find a good piece that just needs some paint, wood filler and knobs. Or even a little extra pop like this piece needed. I found this buffet or dresser at one of my favorite thrift stores, Beverly Bootstraps. It was a steal but it didn't come home easily... it weighs a ton! My legs have bruises everywhere from moving this... it's a little embarrassing to wear shorts right now. :) Here is the before shot:

The bruises are worth it though because here is the end product:

While walking through Target the other day to knock off a few things on my list I went down an aisle that had products I'd never seen before at Target. Did you know they carried paint and removable wallpaper? I didn't either. This beauty was on sale for $26. Normally I wouldn't pay that for a little pop on a makeover I'm selling but I knew this would make a great impact.

I first painted the tops of every drawer I was covering and then let it dry so I wouldn't have to worry about doing a couple of coats once the wallpaper was on each drawer.

Initially I painted the whole dresser Cheesecake by Country Chic Paint, it's a great color that's a mixture between off-white and tan but when paired next to the wallpaper AJ and I thought it looked a little too yellow-y. Maybe a little too "Cheesecake-y". :) So, I did a second coat with one of my favorite Country Chic Paint colors, Simplicity. I never get tired of white makeovers if they are paired with unexpected details.

My hardest decision on this piece was figuring out what to do about the knobs and pulls. I went to one of my favorite stores, The Building Supply Outlet, and found some chrome knobs for 99 cents each. They add a bit of sparkle to the beachy dresser. You'll notice above that I'm missing pulls on the left side. We went to install them last night and they were the wrong finish (they were brushed instead of chrome)... I'm aiming to get the right ones today and update these photos! :)

I'm getting itchy to use wallpaper on another project now... this was fun! Here are some great ideas from today's co-participants of the Summer Soiree to kick off your summer in style (you just saw #3 in detail. :)).

1. House by Hoff 2. The Happy Housie 3. Migonis Home 4. Lovely Etc. 5. Making Home Base

6. The Blissful Bee 7. Life on Virginia Street

Each day this week I'll be sharing with you great projects. Come back on Thursday at 7am to link up YOUR summer projects!

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Everyday Enchanting Features {1}

2014-06-07T16:04:00.001-04:00

Well. Here we are with some fantastic inspiration thanks to the Everyday Enchanting link party. If you missed it we, Nina from Everyday Enchanting, April from House by Hoff and myself hosted this from Wednesday - Friday this week and it'll be a weekly occurrence. Here were some of our favorite projects from each category that were linked up! We can't wait to see even more next week!

DIY

River Living Room Update by May Richer Fuller Be

Entryway Update by Life on Virginia Street

Decorating a Small Bedroom by Making Home Base

CRAFTS

How to Make Wood Slice Thumbtacks by Upcycled Treasures

Pineapple Washi Tape Print by Delineate Your Dwelling

Rustic DIY Clock by Making it in the Mountains

PARTY INSPIRATION

Vintage Inspired Handcrafted Wedding by A Handcrafted Wedding

Coaster Save the Dates by Table & Hearth

Crepe Paper Fringe Streamers by May Richer Fuller Be

RECIPE

Homemade Pepperjack Pimento Cheese by Shaken Together

No-Drip Ice Cream Cones by Lou Lou Girls

Strawberry Clouds Dessert by Somerset Lane

I am excited for you to try out some of these great party ideas, recipes and projects! Have a wonderful rest of your weekend... and in case you missed it on Facebook, here is my sneak peek at our window installation happening right now by Coastal Windows & Exteriors:

and if you follow me on Instagram you'll get another sneak peek of the middle window within the next few hours! :)

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Latitude 42

2014-06-05T05:30:00.000-04:00

This year I'm decorating for summer naturally. With something that won't die. (You know I'll still have hydrangeas everywhere when they bloom but I'm adding these stones into the mix.)

The kids and I went to Pebble Beach in Rockport a few weeks ago to get rocks for our checkerboard table and we came away with piles and piles of rocks. Rocks that are so smooth from years of tumbling in the ocean. I made a low display on our kitchen table so that we won't have to move it to see each other. The wooden centerpiece was an old silverware holder for the gray mirrored buffet which I painted to distinguish it from the dark table.

I filled our pallet box with large rocks. It creates a barrier from the living area and hides some of the bills that typically cover the desk. Or Drew's car board that is usually up there so Elle doesn't get into it.

Our mantle holds jars that were re-purposed instead of being recycled. Each one is filled with rocks and then more rocks. The center of the mantle holds pieces of driftwood that I found in various places. On the larger pieces of driftwood I painted the coordinates of Manchester by the Sea. That says beachy nautical to me; I was inspired by seeing coordinates on a pillow at a gift shop in Rockport recently!

I simply printed out the coordinates in the font and size I wanted and then free-handed the design.

Since it's $30 Thursday let's check out what my fabulous co-hosts are up to! April from House by Hoff redid this adorable wicker chair:

Shayna from The Woodgrain Cottage did this great little chalkboard sign (aren't you loving that wreath?): Shayna's will be posted at 5:30am MST.

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Perfect Carrot Cake

2014-06-04T19:58:00.001-04:00

Here are the fruits (vegetables?) of my labor from yeseterday. I made my very first carrot cake with the tried and true recipe my mom has been using. She found it on All Recipes, here is our slightly tweaked recipe.

Ingredients: 6 cups of grated carrots (10ish carrots) 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup raisins 4 eggs 1 1/2 cup white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained 3 cups unbleached flour 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 4 tsp cinnamon

Directions: Combine carrots and brown sugar and let sit for 60 minutes: it's essential to let it sit... juice will be created from the mixture over those 60 minutes that you need in the recipe
Preheat your oven to 350. Then... Add raisins to your carrot mixture. In a separate bowl beat your four eggs. Add the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in your pineapple. The mixture will be a little lumpy after this. Then, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until everything is thoroughly mixed in. Add the carrot mixture to this. Bake 45 - 50 minutes in 10 inch cake pans. (I made them into cupcakes and they took right around 30 minutes, each was 3/4 full.) My mom and I have found it helpful to lay waxed paper down in the pan and then either butter or use cooking spray over that.
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Today is the launch of the VERY FIRST Everyday Enchanting link party... drum roll please...

This link party will be similar to many others in that you link up, post a link back or button in your post, and we pick projects to feature in a separate post each Saturday. The difference is that we will pick up to three projects for each of the four categories to feature: Crafts/Home Decor, DIY, Parties and Holidays, and Baking. First, I'll share what the other two fabulous hosts have been up to lately:

Recently on Everyday Enchanting:

Pallet Wood American Flag

Update to Mermaid Party Inspiration

DIY Moss Monogram Wreath

Connect with Everyday Enchanting: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Recently on House by Hoff:

Pottery Barn Inspired Rope Mirrors

Sunshine Sign + Summer Eating Area

Summertime Mantel

Connect with House by Hoff: Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

The "Rules":

Add our button or our text link to your post.
Don't link and leave- check out at least 3 other posts from the link up! Leaving comments and encouragement is always great, too! Bonus if you mention you found the post at the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party ;)
We'd love for you to follow us on at least one of our social media platforms!
Link up below- when you link up on this blog it appears on Everyday Enchanting, Migonis Home, and House by Hoff. We share our features Saturday evening and also give you lots of Pinterest and social media love!
1 Link only please! No links to home pages or other link parties please.

We can't wait to see what you've been up to!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up to this link party means that you give us permission to feature your watermarked photo with a link to your post.

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Measuring for New Windows

2014-06-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on Instagram you know that last Tuesday something existing happened around our home... Coastal Windows & Exteriors came and measured us for both replacement windows and one new construction window. Our home was built pre-1940, most likely as a summer cottage (there was no insulation! and we live in New England!). We believe the windows are original to the house and have lead paint all throughout the outside of them. Because of that we wanted a company who was certified to remove the windows and dispose of them since our house almost certainly has lead paint. This place looks like it could have been a summer cottage, right?

Enter in Stephanie from Coastal Windows & Exteriors. I met Stephanie right before Christmas at a cookie exchange and we've kept in touch since then. She and her husband own a company that specializes in windows, doors and siding. We decided to work together since we needed some new windows and well, that's what she does incredibly well on a daily basis. She set us up with one of her fantastic install crew members who came out to our house. Rocky looked at the windows that had been ordered and did the critical measurements of both the new windows and existing ones (all while being wonderful to my two kids who were either in my arms or running around during the measurements!).

The windows we ordered were intentionally a little bigger than the existing windows so that we could have the maximum amount of light between the existing studs. To install larger windows Rocky is going to need to cut into the clapboard on the outside of the house a few inches on each side. He'll have to do the same thing with the drywall on the inside of house.

We are adding in one new construction window which simply means Coastal Windows & Exteriors is installing a window where there has never been one before (all the other windows are referred to replacement windows). You learn a new thing everyday. :) To get the correct measurements for this window Rocky got out on our front porch's roof and measured to find the halfway point between the two windows. Yes, I was out there with him taking this photo. :)

Then he took me into the walk in closet, where the window will be, and walked me through exactly where the window will be. It'll be behind a chest and where the rod currently hangs so he told me what needs to be moved before he returns to install the windows. We have held off doing any built-ins in the closet until we knew the exact placement of the new window.

After Rocky finished all his measurements he wrote all his notes (while being incredibly flexible and writing on my son's car board that he set up on our desk!). He then walked me through each of the next steps and gave me his number so we could connect directly about setting up a date for the install.

There were a couple of things that were eye opening to me:

1. Rocky measured to the 1/8 of an inch so that when he came back for the install he and his crew would be ready to go to install all the windows quickly and efficiently in one day.

2. To remove the windows, because we most likely have lead paint in them, Rocky needs to completely tarp off the area inside the house so no lead filled dust flies around.

3. After the removal is complete and the area has been totally cleaned up he can open the space for the installation of the new windows since there is no remaining danger of lead paint. At this point I can start photographing the area again. :)

I am so excited to walk you through the install in a couple of weeks! Don't you think the center of our house is just begging for a window?

Coastal Windows & Exteriors provided us with complimentary services but all opinions in this post are 100% mine, including the fact that I have nothing but positive things to say about our first meeting with Rocky. He represented Coastal Windows & Exteriors wonderfully!

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The Fleeting Lilacs

2014-06-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite few weeks of the entire year is upon us right now.

The time when these beauties are blooming.

We have barely done anything to them since we moved in but they are perfect and wild every year. We'd love to add some small granite pavers to surround the lilac bed. Wouldn't that little touch just make the space look so much more finished?

And when I'm having a sad gloomy day thanks to ridiculous amounts of rain and a real estate sale that we thought would fall through these lilacs bring their natural cheer and intoxicating smell into the kitchen. And the sale is still moving forward, so we have good news and gorgeous lilacs. It's a win win. :)

Then when dinner, homemade chicken pot pie, has been cleaned up and all food is swept up from under the kids chairs and dishes are washed and put away and we are about to run out the door to the library I stop and take pictures because the lilacs will be fading out by morning and I just want to document how stunning they are. And, because by morning, when the light is good enough to take pictures you know there will be cars everywhere and corn Chex will be on the floor and my vacuum cleaner will be laying out.

How is it that something so simple {and free} can make such an amazing impact on a space? If I had money to burn at Trader Joe's every week I would stock up on their amazing selection of flowers. We'd have fresh flowers in every room.
I popped a few into a vase for Elle's room as well, that room is just so cheery (even if it is missing a knob since a screw fell out).

... I'm itching for the iris' to bloom this year, I'll have a hayday photographing them. It'll be magazine worthy with the new front porch. Click HERE to see last years blooms.

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May outfit and Sprigs Jewelry Giveaway

2014-05-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday!

I have a great giveaway in store for you today...

Ashley from Sprigs Jewelry is offering ANY PIECE in her shop to one lucky reader!

My sister graciously took an hour out of her time reading a boring textbook for her grad school class to photograph me around Salem (do you remember reading about the Salem Witch Trials in school? That Salem.). I am modeling the Roxanne necklace in green adventurine with a white Just Taylor dress I found a year ago at Marshalls.

{If you think I ever wear these shoes with the kids you are absolutely crazy. I'd break an ankle chasing after them. Actually I may have practically sprained my ankle sans kids just doing this photo shoot. :))

Your rules are below and if you share the image below on Facebook with a link to this post you get an extra entry ... AND anyone can use the code MIGONIS HOME to get a 10% off discount at Sprigs Jewelry. The giveaway is open until next Thursday at 11:59pm.

Good Luck and Happy almost Weekend... see you on Monday!

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Sissy's Pink Chair

2014-05-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

For Elle's first birthday I was in the market for a vintage wooden children's high chair. I couldn't find one anywhere (you know... anywhere that had them for under $10 :))... and then last week I came across this.

Try not to choke. It was $2.66 at my favorite thrift store. I couldn't get it in my car fast enough. Actually, I literally couldn't as I was trying to hold squirmy Elle and finagle the chair into the passenger's seat. A good Samaritan had to help me... and then I looked like the crazy woman trying to juggle this chair and my baby. In the rain.

But everything worked out fabulously because the squirmy little girl adores climbing up into this chair now.

I used a tester pot of Country Chic Paint's Strawberry Ice-Cream. It's really incredible how well that paint covers. The chair turned out adorably but, let's face it, we need a little girl in it to really show it off. :)

Look at that profile! I could eat her up. I just love those cheeks.

You know how I got this photo?

I'm shameless.

I told Drew I'd give him a lollipop if he stood still and gave me a great smile.

But then he could barely stand still he was so excited for the pop.

The whole time I was snapping photos I was really hoping I still had that lollipop in my bag. :)

I bet you think he's trying to hurt her in this next photo.

But he's not... he gets really into kissing her. It's so cute.

As I type this I'm sitting across from the highchair at our kitchen table now... I love it. Oh, and if you are wondering about the title of the post: we rarely call her Elle because Drew has called her Sissy since before she was born (you know, Sissy = Sister). :)

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PS: I've decided to sell these two pieces for $150 each. If you are interested and live in the area shoot me an email at jen.migonis@gmail.com.

Hutch dimensions: W: 50" | H: 79" | D: 17"

Mirrored Buffet dimensions: D: 19 1/4" | W: 54 1/2" | H: 35 1/2"

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Checkered Past

2014-05-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

I love projects that require a trip to the beach.

But let's start here:

...and end here:

I gave the top a thorough sanding and a few coats of Country Chic Paint's Simplicity. She was starting to look better... but she needed a little something extra so I measured out a 12 x 12 checkerboard on the top of the table.

Then I painted every other square Elegance by Country Chic Paint. I didn't want an ultra presise look so I free-handed the squares with a tiny brush instead of using painter's tape.

You're probably wondering how this has anything to do with a trip to the beach... I needed those fabulous rocks for checkers... I dipped six rocks into Simplicity and six into Elegance. They are flat stones from this amazing rocky beach in Rockport called Pebble Beach. If you aren't from around here Rockport is where scenes from The Proposal were filmed.

I'm guessing Drew won't get into it right away but I think he'll have fun with it!

Remember how I shared the story of the insulation being {quite literally} blown into our house? We've lived with the wall, at the far right of the photo, looking like this for a year now. We are ready to get new windows and drywall into this room. Somehow I think it'll look a little sharper than wallpaper and plaster on one section of our wall. :)

This project was part of the Inspire Me DIY project with the wonderful ladies I wrote about on Thursday and yesterday. Check back to yesterday's post to see the links to all their amazing blogs.
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Memorial Day 2014

2014-05-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

I've wanted to take a photo like this for literally years. A flag blowing in the wind on our front porch surrounded by hydrangeas in front of it. Quintessentially New England.

I am so grateful for those who gave their life for our country... this weekend I've been really thinking about the phrase "freedom isn't free" and it's so true... Wishing you a Memorial Day surrounded with family, friends or even just taking downtime by yourself.

PS: Here is a peek of my Inspire Me DIY project... the tutorial will go up at 5am Tuesday!

See what the other fabulous hosts did for their projects!

This, That and Life

Town & Country Living

Finding Silver Pennies

City Farmhouse

Just Destiny

Craftberry Bush

The Chronicles of Home

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Inspire Me DIY

2014-05-22T14:17:00.001-04:00

I am taking part with these amazing ladies in an Inspire Me Challenge. One of AJ's co-workers, and blog reader, gave me this great little table.

But... a holly top isn't my thing.

So I decided this would be my project for the week and we are challenging YOU this week to pick a little project, like this, or something bigger and commit to getting it done by next Monday. Share sneak peeks and your final reveal with the hashtag #inspiremediy. Make sure you are following these talented ladies (above) on Instagram, where we will be sharing our sneak peeks, or that you're following #inspiremediy.

Each link below will take you to the Instagram page for the gorgeous ladies above (I've generously included myself in the "gorgeous ladies" group. :))

This, That and Life

Town & Country Living

Finding Silver Pennies

City Farmhouse

Just Destiny

Craftberry Bush

The Chronicles of Home

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THREE QUESTIONS: Please comment here, on Facebook or by emailing me at jen@migonishome.com. I love your feedback. 1. I moved a couple of the ads around on the page. Did you notice right away? I know it doesn't make the site look as pretty but I just finished this amazing and incredibly informative e-book by Abby Lawson (from Just A Girl and Her Blog) and she recommended certain placements on the ads to maximize revenue. Since renovating a house isn't cheap work and we have some projects we're itching to do I thought I'd see if ad placement made a noticable difference. 2. Would you subscribe and read a monthly newsletter if I put it out? It would be free and I'd send it directly to your email.

3. If the answer is YES to the newsletter, what would YOU like to see in a Migonis Home newsletter that would make you excited to get it in your inbox each month?
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Part Two: Is it worth it?

2014-05-21T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome back for Part Two: Is it Worth It? As I mentioned yesterday in Part One sometimes it's hard to envision if a piece that needs a little TLC will work in your home. Yesterday we covered "do your research" and "envision a different paint or upholstery on the piece". Without further ado, three more tips...

Take it apart.

Did that freak you out? Are you a power tool phobic person? I mean, do something basic where only a screwdriver is required... take the doors off of a piece. Remove the hardware. Do something to change the look without spending a dime. For example, you remember when I purchased THIS 1970S DRESSER for $30, right?

Not our taste. And even after refinishing it the swirly frou frou doors were taunting me. I hated that I didn't have knobs on it but I loved the storage it added to our living room.

So I had an idea... what if I just took off the frou frou doors and painted the inside? I haven't looked back. It's easy to open the drawers now and now I have a very clear vision of what pulls I want to use. Sometimes all it takes is staring at a piece for a while and thinking "wait a minute... I could do _____ and this would work better for our family's lifestyle". Without the doors I can focus on the gorgeous solid wood molding all over the bottom and top of the piece and around each drawer. Don't be afraid to take it apart a little... it's just some screws and it'll go back together if you hate it.

I'm even showing it to you with the wood filler.

I figure the gorgeous lilacs will make up for the fact that I'm showing you a half done piece. :)

Determine the quality of the piece.

THIS DRESSER is one of my all time favorite makeovers. But it was also one of my first... and with the first piece comes a bigger learning curve. This dresser had great lines but it also had some veneer that was pulling off the sides. It took forever to repair it and since working on that piece I've vowed never again to do something with veneer like that... it's sort of like a sunburn, you just can't stop peeling it and it makes it much more difficult to do your repairs.

Also, when finding a piece of furniture with drawers it may make you coo-coo if they don't work well. I have spent forever sanding drawers of antique dressers only to much aggravation. A much easier solution is to purchase pieces from the 1960s or1970s that are well made but dated. The drawer glides will work better (or just plain exist!) and you'll be a happier refinisher like I was with this 1970s piece that became a classic.

Another solution would be to just ditch the drawers like I did with THIS PIECE and use baskets instead.

Read and Remember.

I remember reading this post by Centsational Girl about a year ago. I stored her great idea away and brought it out when I wanted to refinish this buffet.

I'd wanted to try a technique of adding mirrors to a piece but didn't know how to until I read Kate's post and realized I may just need to take the door inserts out (by just removing screws) and getting inexpensive custom cut mirrors from Lowe's. Take time to read other's great ideas, it can really benefit you down the line! I was able to create THIS GORGEOUS PIECE for under $30.

Tell me, how do you know if something is worth refinishing? Do you have a checklist you work through to determine if you'll purchase a piece?

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Part One: Is it Worth It?

2014-05-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

You know I love finding things on the side of the road or in thrift stores and making them over so they look like they fit right into our home. I love saving us money by repurposing things and I adore the creative process that goes into it... but I know, from comments and emails from blog readers, that not everyone can see something that doesn't fit your space and immediately begin to brainstorm how it could be the perfect piece that you've been waiting your whole life for. Okay, I'm being overly dramatic. But seriously, what are the tricks to knowing if something would work in your space even if the cosmetics need to be changed? Here's what I've learned in a two part series.

Do your "research" (this can be done by reading catalogs or browsing Pinterest). This chair was in my Sunday School room. It was torn and pink. But it had three things really going for it. It was super comfy, had great bones and I knew the source (I'm not big on finding upholstered things from unknown sources because of fleas, etc.).

I knew a chair with these lines would look great in a tan linen-like upholstery because I had poured over the Restoration Hardware catalog and seen this chair which looks very similar.

via

Until I put some moula into my upholstery fund I decided to give it a temporary fix and try the "painting fabric" technique I saw all over Pinterest. Let's just say "Pinterest FAIL". It's not a comfy fabric anymore but I know what look I'm going for when the fabric comes off.

Envision the piece you find with different paint or upholstery and see if you feel better about it.

AJ and I were driving around one night when we found this amazing coffee table on the side of the road.

It wasn't the color I wanted and I didn't really want marker and dried glitter paint all over my coffee table...

...but I knew the design was very similar to one like this that I've seen at Restoration Hardware (only mine is $2000 cheaper) and I loved the dark color of the RH piece.

via

You know I love Mixwax's Jacobean and after a couple of hours of sanding and staining we had this table. It stands out so much better from the rug now and all the marker is gone.

Come back tomorrow and find out my three other tests for if a second-hand piece is worth it... what are your tests? Do you find it easy to envision if a piece that needs work will fit in your home?

...

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Stunning Views and a Beautiful Bride

2014-05-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting in bed on Sunday afternoon. I'm exhausted but all I want to do is go through these photos from Meredith and Charles' wedding. If you've follow along with Migonis Home for a while you know Meredith is AJ's sister. She received a heart transplant at 26, just over two years ago. It was such a scary time for our family and so it was extra special to see her so healthy and happy on Saturday. I loved every moment we spent together taking photos before the wedding.

Chuck proposed with a gorgeous blue diamond while Meredith was still in the hospital recovering from the transplant. The proposal happened two years ago this past weekend.

When AJ and I got married Meredith had her hair done half up, half down and she kept telling me she wanted it like that for her wedding; her stylist did a gorgeous job of keeping it simple and elegant.

Here is Meredith and her mother, April:

The Bed and Breakfast had some of the best backgrounds for getting great shots.

I love the rustic wood of this barn behind Meredith.

Meredith chose hydrangeas in varying colors for her bouquet and then had a Scottish tie around her bouquet as a nod to Chuck's heritage. The tie was similar to the one Chuck wore for the wedding.

Immediately after the transplant the recovery wasn't as simple as the doctors hoped. As the nurses and doctors prioritized their decisions and worked to make sure Meredith lived, she suffered blood loss to her feet and lost part of her toe. Two years later she has trouble with shoes that aren't almost completely flat and embraced the idea of wearing her boots for the ceremony... after all, we were going to be in a field.

We were shuttled up to the field in pickup trucks and found the most stunning site awaiting us.

The view was to die for... hay bales covered in quilts belonging to Chuck's family lined the aisle and at the very end of the burlap runner was a pergola Chuck made out of birch and grapevine.

Before we end this novelette I show off the Bride and Groom... after all, that is the most important part. Not the view. Not the flowers. Not the rings. Just the people and the vows they said on Saturday.

The photographer took this photo but I couldn't resist sharing it... it was just stunning:

Since they decided to do the wedding for just their immediate family there will be a large reception in August. Don't you worry, my camera will be all over that day too. :)

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House Tour: Everyday Enchanting

2014-05-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

When I saw Nina's kitchen I knew I had to share it with you. And you've got to click on over to her blog and see the before. If you haven't believed in the power of paint you will after seeing this makeover.
When Nina and I started emailing we realized we both lived in the tiny town of Whitinsville, MA at one point... Nina lived there in a small Cape for three years after she was married about a half a mile from where I grew up. It's a small world and I'm thrilled to introduce you to my newest blogging friend. :)

Hi there! Nina here, from Everyday Enchanting. I live in Massachusetts with my husband and two sons, and I blog about renovating our 1980s Colonial. I'm so excited to be sharing a tour of the renovations we've made so far on the first floor. A big thank you to Jen for inviting me to share!

We purchased our home in July of 2012 in the suburbs of Boston. It's in a beautiful neighborhood of 1980s/90s colonials, but each house still manages to have it's own very unique character. While the house lured us in with it's incredible curb appeal and flat lot, it was undeniable that the interior needed some updates.

We absolutely love the yard, and dream of someday putting a farmer's porch on the front of the house so we can enjoy it.

This is the foyer. I loved the curved railing at first sight. We started out with dark trim in the room and have replaced most of it with white. We are planning on staining the stair treads and railings to match the hardwood floors we are installing in the fall.

Here's a peek of the "formal" dining room to the left of the foyer. As you can see, we are big fans of rustic furniture! We actually haven't done anything to update the actual room other than replacing the light fixture, but it wasn't in as desperate need of an update as other rooms were. This room is currently a construction zone, since we closed off a doorway and haven't yet patched the wall. We are planning to plank the walls, do a ceiling treatment, and add some sort of built-in. Our goal for this room is for it to be casual and welcoming- we are considering adding bench seating in place of some of the chairs to lend a community dining vibe.

Down the hallway beside the dining room is our kitchen. We completed a DIY Kitchen Renovation in February. The room was very dark, with little natural light, so we wanted to create a blank slate. Mission accomplished! I am now in the process of decorating and adding wood accents back in to warm up the room. We will also be planking the ceiling and changing out the wood floors for wider, darker boards.

My favorite part of the kitchen is hands-down the kitchen island that my husband and I built with a Craigslist marble top. I've always dreamed of having marble in the kitchen, and I actually love that it contrasts with the granite that was already there.

Our kitchen also includes our pantry, which was our first project after moving in. I designed the storage, and my husband built a slide in unit out of cabinet-grade plywood. I did the finish work, and then we installed the drawers (which he also built) and other storage items. This project actually changed my life, and helped me to become a much more organized person.

Across from the pantry is our breakfast nook, which is another blank slate. We have painted, added a new light fixture, and created the shelves. We are planning to create a bench in the bay window, and add a console table under the shelves.

We also recently painted our family room. We are planning a fireplace remodel with built-ins, a planked ceiling, new flooring, window treatments, and of course- decor. The new color is already such an improvement! I love the architecture in this room- the original rustic beams and the Palladian windows. The furniture was previously in my husband's "man cave" at our former home, and I was not thrilled when it became our primary furniture- but it's actually kind of growing on me. I think if we swap out his recliner for some prettier chairs, it could actually look really nice- but that will probably take some convincing! The steamer trunk was a yard sale find by my Dad that passed along to me. It actually works really well as a coffee table. I am hoping to be able to add decor to the top of the trunk and also have a side table and lamp someday- but my three-year-old is a destructive force in this room. At the moment it looks like toy-pocalypse.

The final room in today's tour is the Powder Room. This is the only room in the entire house that is 100% complete. It also happens to be the smallest, at 5x7'. We started out with a rust-colored room with gold swirls on the wall. We redid the entire room from top to bottom, adding tile, board and batten, wall tile, new paint, and a beadboard ceiling treatment. We saved the toilet and the granite countertop, and built a vanity based on one from Pottery barn.

It's so nice to have a room complete, even if it's a small one! It's the perfect motivation to finish the other rooms on the first floor. Thank you so much for joining me on this tour! For more Before and Afters, please visit my blog Everyday Enchanting. Another big thank you to Jen for letting me stop by today!

Paint Color List: All white trim: Benjamin Moore Simply White Foyer: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray Dining Room: Unknown (We haven't painted it yet) Kitchen/Breakfast Nook: Benjamin Moore Gray Owl Powder Room: Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray Living Room: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

Wasn't that a fantastic tour! I can't wait to see Nina's spaces once they are finished off... and I'm pretty sure her bedrooms will turn out stunning too! Thank you for letting me share your gorgeous house, Nina... I'm very jealous of your all your space. And that pantry... oh my goodness.
See you on Monday, Friends... my sister-in-law is getting married Saturday so we've got a fun weekend ahead of us!

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Move It and Groove It: 5 Tips to Sell Quickly

2014-05-14T07:32:00.001-04:00

The last three houses that AJ and I listed had an accepted offer within a week. The market is definitely taking a turn for the better and in MA we've had more houses that have move under contract in April more than any other April in the last decade. As I was brainstorming about our listings, and others that I've toured with clients that have gone quickly, I came up with this list as a cheat sheet to sell your home quickly. Obviously nothing is a guarantee but these ideas will certainly help your house stand out.

1. They were priced right. This is the absolute number one tip. Listen to your agent when they suggest what your home should list for. They are the experts who are pouring over what homes are currently listed for and what comparable homes have sold for. A home that will go quickly is priced right at or below where comparable homes have just sold (usually within the past six months). Pricing a home competitively can encourage a bidding war in the sellers favor.

2. The homes were de-personalized. Sometimes this is referred to staging. You've seen my post about two well staged homes that I just toured HERE and HERE. Homes that sell quickly let potential buyers easily picture themselves in that space. When selling remove anything that defines a home as YOURS. As a seller you want the potential buyer to picture the home as THEIRS. Declutter all the areas buyers will see... including closets. Check out those two homes I just gave you links to... these were two very different homes from each other but they were both under agreement after the first open house.

3. They made a good first impression. Fantastic curb appeal will certainly not hurt your house. But I'm not talking about that... what is the very first impression you get of a home? It's the listing you saw online. Make sure the photos found online will represent your house at it's absolute best. AJ and I know this great agent in Davis, CA (KIM MERRELL) who often will hire a professional photographer to take her listing photos... why spend that money? Because good photos can make the difference between a potential buyer coming to look at your house or not. Is it necessary to have a professional photographer? Of course not, but your agent should be able to show off many of the amazing things about your house in those photos.

4. They were move-in ready. Fix those items on your "Honey To-Do" list; people don't want a long list of items they have to tackle, it's too overwhelming for people that aren't looking for a project house or a flip. If potential buyers see a bunch of little items that weren't cared for they may be thinking there are deeper issues... which may keep an offer off the table.

Walk around the house as if you were a potential buyer and be critical. Make a list of the items that don't look ready for a showing and work through your list.

5. The kitchen sold the house. The kitchen is the heart of the home so if you have limited funds to get your house ready to sell focus your cash on the kitchen; you will get back on average 85% of what you put into it. Buyers will love neutral choices in cabinets, counters and backslashes... it will let them envision their accessories in the place.

The couple who owned the house in the photo below didn't expect to move as quickly has they did, they were only in their house for two years, but when a job came up that the owner couldn't pass up they decided to put their house on the market. They had put off doing anything to their kitchen but decided that putting $100 into cabinet refinishing kit would be money well spent. It was. We presented them with a full price offer within a few hours of the first showing.

Have you sold your house? What are your go-to tips?

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