Budget Beautiful Bungalow

Halloween Mantel {Better Late Than Never}

2012-11-21T15:46:00.001-05:00

I'm currently on vacation from my day job and playing some serious catch-up on the blog front. I've also been working on new items for my Etsy shop and will be getting some new stuff listed soon! It's been awhile since I focused on my creative passions, and this little break has been a much needed refocus for my soul...

Anyway, I decided just to give you a quick glimpse at what the bungalow looked like this Halloween and some of the activities Preston and I did. I'm still using my phone for all of my photo needs, so bare with the horrible quality. Thank goodness for PicMonkey!

I used $1 items from my local grocery store in the garland. The gray netting was $1, and so were the set of four skeletons. I had the black ribbon on hand and reused my burlap Christmas garland from last year...

The black paper bats were from the Dollar Tree and so were the black rats and tomb stones. Everything else I gathered around the house. I probably could have made the bats, but the $1 in cost was worth the time savings for me!

Using vintage bottles, I wrapped the tops with jute and filled them with dried beans.

Instead of carving pumpkins this year, we just painted the few that we got at the pumpkin patch. Preston had a trip to Michigan with my parents right before Halloween, and my work schedule didn't allow for it. I was a little bummed not to carry on the carving tradition, but I've learned over the last year and a half that I can't do it all. I've had to let go of some things, and while I'm getting better at that every day, it's still a personal struggle.

He doesn't appear to be "missing out" any, so I must not be doing a half bad job!

Crystal xoxo

$13 Handmade Halloween Costume

2012-11-20T14:41:00.001-05:00

I have finally nailed down a full time position at work. You're looking at the newest Appliance Sales Specialist at my Lowe's store, but I still need to live frugally! While my time is even more limited now, this year I decided to make Preston's Halloween costume again and save a little moolah.

Now, I love to craft and create, but I'm no seamstress. The idea for the Mr. Potato Head costume was sparked by my little spud himself. He's in a serious Toy Story phase, and I wanted him to be excited about whatever he was going to be too. He's getting old enough now to be very well aware of what I put on his body. He has an opinion about it too of course, and we've already gotten in a few morning clothes disagreements! He wasn't thrilled with me here either though...

It took one trip to Walmart for material and felt, and I got started. I had no real plan in mind-just a blurry vision of what I wanted. First, I simply traced his body and cut out two potato shapes. Then, I measured straps and hand sewed them in place. Using styrofoam balls, I created the eyes by covering the balls with white fabric and adding felt details. The face pieces were made of felt and hot glued together and in place on the potato. I stuffed each face piece with scrap fabric to give a 3-D effect.

Lastly, I created a butt pocket on the back with left over brown fabric {whatever fabric I bought didn't fray, so I didn't have to hem the edges of the costume}. Then, I hand cut a few additional traditional extra pieces, from felt, and hot glued them in place. The Playskool logo was found online and printed on card stock. I hot glued that in place too, and it held up all night!

I ended up hand sewing a small side panel under each arm. This kept the costume in place on his body well. A white shirt, white mittens and black hat later, and the costume was complete! Total investment was just $13!

P.S. Thanks for reading and following along. This marks my 100th post!

Crystal xoxo

Little Projects Here and There

2012-09-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

I've made little updates here and there around the house, so I thought I'd share some of those. This will be a picture happy post, but those at the best anyway. You guys don't want to read me ramble on and on about something that's self explanatory by a picture.

I've been slowly collecting milk glass for awhile now and recently put together this little dining room centerpiece. All three of these pieces were bought at my favorite local consignment shop for about $20 total.

This little vignette is a new addition to my bedroom. It's anchored by that awesome bamboo tray that I scored for $5 at Salvation Army. Here's what this spot looked like before...

Pretty stellar improvement...if I do say so myself!

The office got a little update too. I purchased the new desk lamp at Walmart and picked up some baskets and the two bronze frames at Target. This space still needs some tweaking, but I need to live in it awhile before I decide exactly what that is. I'm not sure the blue desk is working or if it's the chair that's not or if I need to recover the bulletin board. Ahhhhhh......I'll figure it out!

Such a cozy spot to work at night. Don't cha think?!

I've also been working on some Halloween decor, so stay tuned for that! I'll leave you with a new picture of me. Sometimes it's nice to put a face with the blogger...

Crystal xoxo

Address Canvas Art

2012-09-18T02:28:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I got out some craft supplies and created something for myself, but I got the itch tonight!

I have an excess of 8x10 blank canvases {thanks to a stellar Michael's sale}. I also have tons of paints and permanent markers and a small collection of skeleton keys, but it's my Martha Stewart stencils that have been begging to come out and play...

What I'm getting at is that this little project was FREE!

{and you already know I cannot get enough of that}

I measured out the middle of the canvas first. Next, I mixed my own shade of gray acrylic paint {with a dark gray and some white}, and stenciled away. Then, I wrote out my street name free hand with a green marker and went over it with a gray one to add a little detail and interest. Lastly, I glued a skeleton key in place.

{Voila}

Quick and super easy!

I happen to think it's pretty cute too, and the imperfections just add a little bit of charm. After all, this bungalow is anything but perfect. It's also kind of fitting that our front door lock is original and also a skeleton key hole...

Crystal xoxo

Toddler Construction Themed Party

2012-08-10T01:46:00.000-04:00

My cousin Amanda just celebrated her son's 2nd birthday. Preston and I weren't able to make it, because it was in Michigan. I was already disappointed, but after I saw the pictures, I was downright sad we missed it!

Preston and Eli are only about five months a part, and I know they'd be best friends if we still lived near them. We're one of those families where our cousins are more like our siblings, so living in Virginia sometimes wears on me.

Anyway, take a look at the fabulous job Amanda did...

Guests were greeted and introduced to the theme right away. You can buy inexpensive orange cones and caution tape at home improvement stores {like Lowe's}. Look closely at that wreath. It's wrapped in an extension cord. Genius!

I think it comes as no surprise that my favorite element on the food table are those toy dump trucks. I've never seen this done before, and it's simply perfection. It wouldn't even have to cost a cent if you already had a few hanging out in your child's toy box!

Eli's cake table is simple and fun too. Notice how she added interest by using a different color table cloth than the food table. She even saved money by making the cake herself, and the middle of the cake was yellow and chocolate caution stripes! Super cool.

Happy Birthday, Eli! We love YOU!

No Sew Curtain Hems

2012-08-09T02:53:00.000-04:00

One of the bungalow's biggest assets is it's tall ceilings and tall windows. They allow the entire house to feel so much larger than a two bedroom home, but with big windows and tall ceilings you get areas that need longer curtains. I cannot do typical 84 inch curtains, and this drives me crazy! They are simply more affordable and readily available at retailers in an array of fun fabrics, so I get frustrated. I'm stuck searching for 95 inch curtains on a barely there budget, and that's no easy task...

I only have one window in the living room, so I only needed two panels. That's the good news. The bad news is that every curtain I found and could afford didn't come in the longer length I needed. Finally, I settled on some plain white panels for $12.99 each at Target. They were 95 inches, but when I got them home and hung, they were even too short.

They also lacked the wow factor I look for in window treatments. I kicked around ideas of stenciling them and taping them off and painting stripes, but those projects just ended in a fail. In fact, I ruined one panel and had to go back to Target to replace it. I even tried hanging a new, more substantial rod one night that I scored for $2.97. Take a look at how that ended up...

I was starting to feel defeated. I put the original rod back in place and tucked the new one back into my closet.

After racking my brain and looking at the boring panels in dismay for weeks, a light bulb came on. I had plenty of fabric left over from my stool project. I originally bought two fabrics, because I couldn't decide in the store which to use. It was only $7.99 worth of fabric left {one yard}, but it would be enough!

Just in case you missed it, here's the little stool...

Anyway, I'm impatient. I also don't own an actual sewing machine of my own {I borrow my mom's when I desperately need to}, BUT you bet your booty I have the BEST tool known to resourceful DIYers....a hot glue gun! I think you know where I'm going with this...

Yep! I just measured and cut the fabric to length {leaving slack for hems}. Then, I figured out how wide I needed it to be, so the finished curtains would just brush the floor. After I had my measurements right, I folded the new fabric in half, folded both top edges in and secured with hot glue. This way I had a solid strip that was finished on both sides and all the way around. I basically just glued where I would have ran a sewing machine to accomplish a finished piece. Folding the fabric in half also gave the strip more weight, so it would hang better.

I also turned in the edges on both ends and secured with glue. For the last step, I just lined my finished strip up with the existing curtain hem and glued them on using the white curtain panel hem as a straight guide. It was really easy and only took about an hour to complete the entire project! Of course, I'll never be able to wash them, but I'm not really a wash the drapes kind of chick...

I'm really pleased with the entire outcome. Now, I just need to glue/sew/buy a throw pillow for the chair...

and the before again...

That same night I framed an awesome new piece of scrapbook paper for my gallery wall.

{$.50 update}

Who's busting out their hot glue gun tonight?!

Crystal xoxo

My Mom's {51} Birthday Celebration

2012-08-02T03:55:00.003-04:00

We recently celebrated my mom's birthday. While we kept it simple, I couldn't resist putting my little touch on the day. It's just in my nature, and I can't help myself!

As usual, I was on a budget, but it doesn't take a lot of money to sprinkle an intimate birthday dinner at home with a little fun. With very little effort {and funds}, a simple dinner can be transformed into a small celebration and make the guest of honor feel extra special.

My mom is one of those selfless souls who gives with no expectations in return. She's pure of heart and has always been such a patient parent, so she deserves for someone else to think of HER in return occasionally too!

While it doesn't take a lot of money, it also doesn't take a ton of time. Earlier in the day I had Preston color a handmade card for her. I just folded a piece of card stock in half, wrote a pretty little message with a marker and gave him crayons in matching colors. Then, I let him go wild!

She loved it, and it didn't cost a cent.

Afterward, we got ready to head over the mountain {literally} and through the woods {literally} to grandma's house...

But on the way, we had to made a quick stop...at Walmart.

I grabbed a prepackaged party set in purple and pink polka dots {6 plates, 6 napkins, 6 forks, 6 spoons, and 6 knives for $2.97}. I also bought a package of four cupcakes for $3.97. This was perfect since there were only going to be four of us {my parents, Preston and myself}. Then, I snatched a $1 box of white birthday candles, a package of $.97 purple tissue paper and a dozen pink roses {$9.97}. We also took a moment to smell ALL the flowers, and I let the toddler make the final flower choice.

Once back in the car, I opened the flowers and wrapped them in the tissue paper quickly. This is a little trick I've done several times. In an instant the flowers look like they came from an upscale shop!

Check out how chic these Walmart cupcakes look with the chocolate curls. An untrained eye could never tell!

My dad made jerk chicken in the smoker, and he hauled the dining room table outside under a willow tree. We enjoyed the spread with an amazing view and good conversation. It was fabulous.

{Papa and Preston walking to the barn after dinner}

Happy Birthday, Mommy! Thank you for all that you do for Preston and I. It never goes unnoticed or taken for granted. We love you...

Crystal xoxo

$3 Bedroom Update {Lamp Shade Project}

2012-07-26T01:38:00.000-04:00

My master bedroom often looks more like a hotel room to me and less like a reflection of my personal style. It's almost too staged and too empty, and it just needs some pizazz! The other night, I decided to start the process of making it a little more unique, more me and less cookie cutter.

Since I do generally like the way the space looks, I wanted to ease myself into these changes, so the first one was quick and easy.

You might remember how my sconce shades looked before...

Plain.

I went to Walmart on a hunt for some extra wide bias tape and ended up scoring the perfect shade of blue. I bought two packages {less than $3 total} and went home. Please note: Bias tape is thicker than ribbon, not so slippery and easier to work with for a project like this.

I plugged in my trusty glue gun, unscrewed the shades and took a seat on my living room floor.

First, I put a bit of glue at the bottom of the shade's existing seam {the "back" of the shade that you would face toward the wall} and placed the blue bias tape where I wanted it along the bottom of the shade. I let the glue dry and pulled it snugly around the shade. Making sure it was straight and even was actually pretty easy, because I just followed the existing lines of the shade cover. I pulled it back to the seam, overlapped and secured with another dab of glue and trimmed the excess. I decided not to glue all the way around the shade, so if I ever want to remove the bias tape I can with no visible damage! The only glue spots are on the back.

Lastly, I just repeated at the top of the shade and did it again to the top and bottom of the next shade. The entire project took less than 20 minutes. Seriously. It was super quick and easy!

Here's another look...

Let's see another before and after

The subtle touches of blue really warm up the space. The two blue accent pillows were $4/ea clearance items from Lowe's, and the blue throw blanket was a $19 clearance buy at Target. I like how the new touches of blue on the bed pick up more of the blue from the existing bed skirt and pillow shams. Together they make the bed look more welcoming. I also like how the blue is balanced more evenly throughout the room by pairing it with the blue in the prints hanging near the window. Before there was too much brown and khaki. It made the room feel darker and heavier than I like.

I'll leave you with another pretty Instagram shot. Sweet dreams!

Crystal xoxo

The End of the Road {trip}

2012-07-25T03:55:00.001-04:00

I've been a little MIA lately {here and on Facebook}, and I'm sorry. As usual, life has gotten away from me, and I feel like I've been in a constant state of RUSHING. I am most definitely ruled by the clock, but I'm sure all working mommies feel this way.

Between being a single parent, my day job {but it's mostly an evening job}, filling Etsy orders, cleaning the house, paying bills, yard work, yada yada yada, I don't have much time for blogging-let alone time to create the projects to actually blog about.

Most days, I feel accomplished if I get the dishes washed {no dishwasher} and Preston dressed before I have to leave for work. Then, there's the 40 minute drive to work! That drive is usually the only break I get all day though, so I'm kinda grateful for it. Life was a lot different when I knew there would be an extra set of hands coming through the door at five pm to take on some of the stress and duties. Jeez! Back then, my biggest daily worry was what to make for dinner...

On top of that, my divorce should be final in the next month, and I guess I've been in a bit of a funk. I might even call it a slight depression. It's so hard to describe my exact feelings about it all, but I promised when I shared the initial news that I was going to be as honest {blunt} as possible about this process.

I will be relieved to finally be legally free from the person who has hurt me beyond belief. I don't miss him in any way. He made that part easy. I also refused to ever waste a moment pining over someone who obviously never really loved me in the first place. I'll also add that isn't an issue either, because in order for me to tell him our marriage was over I knew there was no chance of reconciliation. At that point, there was nothing left inside me for him.

It's honestly just a mix of emotions as this year from hell comes to an end.

On one hand, I'm very proud of myself for making it through, in one piece, and having a happy and well adjusting child to show for it. On the other hand, I'm exhausted from carrying the burden of it all on my own and trying to scramble to figure out how I was going to maintain our lifestyle on one income. We've settled in, and I'm finally accepting that this is how our life is going to be from here on out. Am I exactly where I'd hoped I would be at this point? No way, but I'm slowly accepting that's alright too. One day at a time. One day at a time. Say it with me!

One day at a time.

I'm mostly sad for my son. He really is going to be a statistic and come from a broken home. His "daddy" moved out of state almost eight months ago, and he hasn't seen him since. Preston's dad has almost been out of our lives for HALF of his little life. He will have no memories of him soon, and that breaks my heart. I worry a lot about the years to come. Those years where understanding truly takes shape and the questions begin. I role play in my mind and wonder exactly what I'll say to that curious little face. I so desperately want to shield him from as much heartbreak as possible.

Today, his dad sent him a package in the mail. It probably was about time since he never got a birthday gift or anything for Easter, and Preston was ecstatic to open the box and play with his new trucks. I stood back and smiled, and then it occurred to me. He's TWO. Soon, a package in the mail won't be enough to fill the massive void his father's absence will cause. The saying is true.

You can't buy love...

I took this photo on a recent family day trip to Jefferson, South Carolina, and I edited it in Instagram. It's given me a lot of comfort lately.

Here's a few more images from that trip.

Aren't those tubs awesome? It was just a graveyard of claw foots in front {and beside} of an old house alongside the road. There must have been hundreds of them. I freaked and made my dad pull over so I could capture it.

We went to one of the most delightful stores I've ever seen downtown. The store was jam packed with vintage toys, and the shop keeper let us touch and play with everything. It was fun to take a walk down memory lane.

This little roadside gem was literally inches from the winding mountain road. I scored a medicine cabinet for just $5 here. Look for that, if I ever get the bathroom done!

I'll leave you with a picture of Preston. Papa came out of a gas station with this little surprise. It probably wasn't the best idea to have his first push pop strapped in the backseat! He loved it though...

Crystal xoxo

A Virginia Treasure Hunt

2012-06-05T02:11:00.001-04:00

Another better late than never post, but it's totally worth sharing...

The day after Christmas, my immediate family and I hopped in two cars {with three small children in tow} and made our way to Roanoke, Virginia. It was about a two hour drive from my house, but the kids did fantastic.

My sister-in-law had seen a recent Nate Berkus show where he mentioned this fabulous store, and she insisted we make the drive. Nobody argued. We're kind of a DIY family...

Upon arrival, I realized I had shopped their website before, and I immediately went into "the zone". You know what I'm talking about! That moment when you've found a little piece of heaven on earth and you cannot wait to take in every last square inch of it, so you go into your own little world, don't hear a sound and start exploring like a kid on Christmas morning! That was me. I was focused. I was on a mission, and I was determined to take home something fantastic. The only problem was that fantastic was EVERYWHERE!

{Oh, PicMonkey, I wish you allowed watermarks on your new collage feature.}

The outside was full of claw foot tubs and iron work galore. Plus, lots of outdoor accessories and furniture. Inside, you could spend hours in each room. There was a room full of salvaged lighting and one of salvaged bathroom fixtures, and shutters, and doors and windows and tin. Oh my!

There was even a room of vintage appliances! This kind of appealed to me, since I am currently rocking the appliance department at Lowe's.

There was a fantastic "fairy room", I'll call it, that was full of water features and a ton of fun, whimsical things.

Then, there were the vendor booths. Wow! Talk about some creative upcycling and wonderful antique finds...

The staff was great to chat with too.

All in all, the entire experience was one for the books, and I will most definitely be back!

Oh, I almost forgot to share my loot...

I scored a set of three great frogs, silver serving set, a tiny white bowl, those two vintage wire crates and the bird print. I also got a little bird bath that looks great in my flower bed. Everything was so affordable which made this frugal chick SUPER happy! Plus, I had some spending Christmas cash from mom and dad, so my wallet didn't feel a thing!

Have YOU been there yet?!

Don't forget to check out Black Dog Salvage on Facebook too.

Crystal xoxo

My Battle with an Unspoken Addiction

2012-06-04T03:56:00.002-04:00

On May 8, I gave up Diet Coke.

This may not seem like a terribly difficult thing to most people, but I wasn't a normal consumer of the elixir. I often affectionately called it "my lifeline", and I nicknamed it "DC". It was constantly by my side. People could meet me once and remember me as "the Diet Coke chick". It was NOTHING for me to crack open 12 or so cans {usually more} A DAY, and I'd been this way since middle school! I'd even go days without drinking anything else-including water.

Of course, my mom didn't let me drink THAT much when I was younger, but the habit grew during late night study sessions and was a result of working three jobs through college.

Sadly, none of this is an exaggeration.

This isn't the first time I've given it up though. At age 23, I had a serious medical scare. During a routine check-up at my gynecologist, they took my blood pressure, and the results were horrific! The nurse told me my blood pressure was that of an unhealthy 70 year old, and my doctor considered not allowing me to drive home! I was stunned and immediately scheduled for a round of heart tests at the hospital. My grandfather was in his last stages of life. I was in my last semester of college and student teaching, and it was all a little too much to handle.

When I got home that night {I was living with my parents}, I found my mom and dad at the sink dumping out my Diet Coke stash. I'm a little ashamed to admit that this sight evoked a serious round of tears and a slight tantrum. My parents were convinced Diet Coke was killing me and that I should immediately give it up!

I ended up listening to their concerns and didn't touch another drop, but it was HARD.

The following week, I went back to the doctor, and I had lost 12 pounds?! My blood pressure was still high, but it was better. The heart palpitations and dizzy spells I had been having were more infrequent too, and I knew giving up Diet Coke had to be the reason for the sudden turnaround.

A few days later, I went to the hospital for testing, and I was instructed to wear a heart monitor 24/7 for a month. Any time I felt a heart palpitation, got light headed or dizzy or began to sweat, I was to push the button so it could record my heart activity at the time. Then, I had to log everything on a piece of paper.

Let me add that I was actively dating, and this new contraption was anything but sexy...

A month later, I went back to the doctor to hear my monitor results. The monitor I had worn was defective and hadn't recorded a thing! Again, I cried. Like a baby.

They gave me a new one, and I had to start the process all over again. By the end of that month, I was a new person. I was agitated and scarred from the sticky pads I had to constantly bejewel my chest with, but I felt great physically.

My blood pressure had gone back to normal. I continued to lose weight, and my doctor was stunned. She asked me what I had done, and I explained my love for DC and how I had cut it out of my life. She was ecstatic and warned me to always watch out for high blood pressure symptoms, but she was confident that I didn't need to yet rely on medication to control my blood pressure!

Stupidly, as I began to feel better and better, I turned back to Diet Coke. Slowly, my consumption reached where it had been before.

Fast forward three years. I'm married and expecting my first child. Again, my blood pressure creeps up. This time, it not only affected me but it affected my child, and I was scared.

My ob sent me to a specialist. He threatened to put me on bed rest, at three months along, if I didn't stop working. Two weeks later, I was laid off. It was a blessing in disguise, and my blood pressure went back to normal! I was monitored for the duration of my pregnancy, but I didn't mind seeing two doctors. Every time I saw the specialist, I got an ultra sound! This was the first time I realized that Diet Coke may have caused some permanent damage though, because I wasn't drinking hardly any, and if I did it was caffeine free only...

After Preston was born, I went right back to regular Diet Coke full swing. It'd be easy to blame it on the stresses of being a new parent or a million other things, but the truth is, I just like the taste of it, and it's an addiction!

This brings me to current day.

I'm almost 29, and my ten year class reunion is June 9th. While I've lost a lot of weight since Ryan left, I'm still not exactly where I want to be. I've felt sluggish and unhealthy for awhile, and my sleep pattern is horribly unhealthy. By this point, I KNOW Diet Coke is terrible for me and the main source of my medical "problems". I also know the massive amounts of caffeine consumption isn't allowing for normal sleep, but I remembered how quickly I lost weight the first time I gave it up.

I've known for awhile that I'm not getting any younger and the time was coming to let it go. The pending reunion was just the push I needed, so I made a vow to cut it out of my life one month before the big reunion. This time, I don't plan on going back. I want to be here for my son, and I want to be a healthier person overall, and I know I can't be any of those things as long as I keep drinking it! I'm calling it a lifestyle change. This just sounds more permanent to me.

Amazingly, I haven't caved once. This is not to say I haven't been tempted, because I have every. single. day. BUT I'm doing okay! I do struggle with beverage choices. Nothing seems to replace that taste, and I'm bored with my options {water, juice, tea}, but I discovered new Wild Berry Lemonade from Wendy's today, and it's the first thing that seemed to satisfy my thirst!

On the bright side, I am a pant size down from where I was at the beginning of May! My mom told me, "you have your neck back!" Kind of a weird observation, but I'll interpret that as a compliment. People at work have told me my legs look smaller too. I just find it amazing that giving up a "diet" drink can actually make you lose weight, but Diet Coke has a lot of sodium in it and sodium makes you retain water...

I wish I would have taken before and after pictures, but I live alone, so those full body shots would be hard to get! However, I will share a few reunion pictures after that happens. Preston and I are driving to northern Michigan alone for it, and we're leaving this Thursday. Wish me luck...

Crystal xoxo

Two More Reveals {The Door is Done}

2012-05-21T01:53:00.000-04:00

In all fairness, a lot really has been going on around the bungalow. Sometimes I get down on myself for not being as productive as I think I should be. Then, I remind myself that I'm a working, single parent who happens to also blog and run an Etsy shop. That's a pretty full plate.

After I process all of that, I sit back, put my feet up and remind myself that it's okay that every one of my projects takes double the anticipated time. It's also okay to post unstaged and imperfect pictures from time to time...

One of my most recent projects was a new storm door. You probably remember the original door post where I mention my little cleaning mishap. Anyway, it's been replaced {thanks to my dad}!

First, the broken door had to come down.

Say "hi" to my parents and Preston. It was a family affair that day!

Next, the old door had to go out to the curb. {Someone actually came and took it in the night.}

Then, we were left with a giant hole in the house. This part was a little nerve wracking!

Dad, was then able to jump into the real work!

Hours later {HOURS}, we had a beautiful new storm door installed! This took some figuring out though, and my typically handy dad seemed to struggle a bit. Let's just say that it was a process...

Let's take a look back at what it looked like before.

Much better! Yes?

Next, was a necessary change for Preston's room. We don't have central air, and my little guy is very warm blooded, so I decided to get him a ceiling fan before summer really sets in. He started with a dreaded "boob light". {It was here when we bought the house.}

Please, ignore the poor picture quality. I'm still relying on my cell phone for all my photo capturing.

Anyway, I decided to go with the same ceiling fan I already have in my bedroom, and I did that for a few reasons.

First of all, I like the simple style of it. I also love the power it gives out and the overall quality of the fan. Our ceilings are pretty tall, and this fan comes with a handy remote that includes a light dimmer too. Basically, it's the perfect fan, in my bronze finish, for a modest budget. You can't go wrong with that. It's also a special order product from Lowe's, and since I work there now, a discount was taken off this time around. Score!

Disregard the giant toy mess. I've recently taken care of it with a new toy storage option. A post on that will come later.

I'll leave you tonight with one of my most recent favorite shots of Preston. He just came home from nine days away in Florida with my parents visiting my brother and his family. I didn't get to go, because I had to work {insert sad face}.

This was taken on the beach near Palm City. Isn't he precious?!

Crystal xoxo

Before & After: Two Projects Under $20

2012-05-17T00:39:00.000-04:00

I've sort of lost steam in the bathroom, but I have been productive in a few other ways. Don't worry. The bathroom will get done...eventually. I can't live in ruins forever!

In the meantime, let's take a look at some of my FINISHED tasks. Shall we?!

First up, if you're a Facebook fan, you may remember this little $5 stool I picked up at a local antique mall.

Half a yard of fabric later {$3.75} and a staple gun, and I had THIS for under $10!

There was the great debate on whether I should paint the legs or not, and you can see that I opted not to. The wood was in almost perfect condition and too beautiful to touch, and I can always do that later, but for now I'm super happy with the outcome! Trust me when I say this project was really easy too. This is only the second time I've ever recovered something, and I was amazed at how quickly it went! I even lined up the Greek key pattern almost perfectly, if I do say so myself.

Onward. Project two is another one with Facebook mention. You might recall that I scored some great tiles for $1.73/sheet. If you're not up on the price of tile, that's an AMAZING price! I ended up buying the store out and only ended up paying around $20 for the loot.

Here's a look at what my fireplace looked like before. It was worn and ugly and still proudly held the bungalow's original 1940's brown squares.

A coworker of mine ended up helping me out in a major way and installed it for FREE on his day off! I am so appreciative of all his hard work and friendly gesture. Thanks for being a good sport Chris and posing for a bloggy pic too!

Drum roll, please....

$20 CAN refinish a fireplace. Who woulda thunk it? Open those eyes ladies and be resourceful bargain shoppers. It pays off in such a major way!

As you can see, I have yet to dress the fireplace. I'm actually working on a little project {with major impact} for the built-ins, and I'm also considering painting the inside brick now.

As with any older home, the floor was anything but level, and there are some areas that had to be heavily caulked in the back, so I think a few coats of paint on the brick will hide that well. It turns out that these smaller mosaic tiles were perfect for a not so perfect area though. Chris says these smaller tiles are more of a pain to deal with, but they are more forgiving with an uneven area.

Please note: This fireplace will be used for decorative purposes only. You should not build a fire over tiles such as these, and our chimney was capped when we bought it.

This post has been linked to

Crystal xoxo

Birthday Decor & What Started it ALL...

2012-05-04T02:46:00.000-04:00

I joined the awesome network of creative online entrepreneurs when I opened my first Etsy shop in 2010. Then, I was known as PreschoolDoll Designs, and I made homemade crayon party favors and some educational products for preschoolers. The crayons were my biggest sellers {and what cost me countless all-nighters}...

The majority of my business came from children's birthday parties, and I began an instant love affair with party decor and design. My clients came to me with an array of ideas, and I found myself wanting to do more for them. {Of course, I've always loved all aspects of design, so it's often hard for me to just zero in on home decor specifically!} For whatever reason, I never actually pushed a party decor direction in my shop. I still don't in Modern Bungalow , but occasionally I get special order requests for party decor anyway!

My latest children's party request has been for a "UNO" themed first birthday party for a little boy named Alex! I actually did Alex's baby shower...

Needless to say, I am honored to be a part of Alex's UNO Birthday party too! Here's what I've thrown together so far. A door sign to greet guests and help introduce the theme...

Then, I went ahead and made a highchair bunting too...

I have one more project yet to do, but I had to share some {I'm doing a wedding currently too} of what I've been up to on the business front lately!

Happy Friday,

Crystal xoxo

Our Stress Free Spring

2012-04-20T01:38:00.003-04:00

I'm really trying to "center" myself lately. I know how new age that sounds, but for lack of a better term, it fits what I'm trying to accomplish. I recently came to the conclusion that I've been super stressed, and we all know how terrible that is for our health {not to mention just plain NOT fun}, so I've decided to TRY to free myself from as much of the "s word" as possible.

I've been attempting to accomplish my stress free state of mind by simply relaxing on my time off from work, letting some household chores go a bit, allowing my mind to wander to the good in my life and just enjoying the innocence of the stage my son is in at this very moment. He's growing every day, and I do not want to look back on this time and not remember THIS child, because I was in a survival mode haze. His vocabulary is growing at an extraordinary rate, and his sense of humor and kind heart are out of this world. He's teetering between baby and little boy, and I want to squeeze these baby cheeks for as long as I can! I mean, who wouldn't?!

We've been doing a lot of outdoor play time. This means bubbles, sidewalk chalk, watering the plants together, tricycle rides and wagon trips around the block. The evenings are still bearable {not yet too hot for this Yankee}, so I haven't been miserable out in the southern sun. Virginia doesn't have hardly any annoying bugs either. This is a BIG change from Michigan springs!

P and I found this nest while watering our flowers tonight. It truly is those little "teachable moments" that sneak up on us and can just make the entire night! Ya know what I mean?

Another favorite time of mine occurs after Preston's bed time. While I adore my son, I'm NOT one of those mothers who makes daily Facebook posts about how wonderful and perfect motherhood is. I actually still like my me time! For me, that means decorating {duh!}. I recently rearranged some furniture in the living room again. Don't you love that gold tray I scored at Salvation Army for $4.99? It really anchored this arrangement well.

Sllloooooowly, the house is becoming a bit more feminine and a lot more me! After all, it is all mine now, and that's worth celebrating!

Crystal xoxo

A Quick and Inexpensive Easter Gift

2012-04-13T00:22:00.000-04:00

I just realized that I forgot to share the little Easter goodies I threw together for my department coworkers. Sometimes it's a wonder I don't lose my mind. I'm so forgetful these days! Anyhow...here they are!

I was inspired by this pin on Pinterest. It was originally created and posted on eighteen 25. I have to give credit where credit is due, and the sisters so deserve the props here!

They were super easy to make. I just used some plastic eggs I had on hand and bought some fun little nail polishes for the women and tiny candy bars for the guys. Then, I put them inside the eggs. I stuffed each plastic bag with some yellow Easter grass, tied them shut with green twine and attached these free printable from I {heart} Nap Time. That was it, and everyone really seemed to enjoy the gesture. It's nice to get treats as adults for a holiday that seems so child-centered! Don't cha think?!

Crystal xoxo

Happy Easter {and my mom's buying guide}

2012-04-09T23:45:00.001-04:00

Preston and I enjoyed a great morning together at home, yesterday!

First, the Easter Bunny came and brought some fabulous new treats...

tricycle {$43.97}

shiny new tricycle horn {$4.97}

flip-flops {$2.50}

animal lacing cards {$5}

play dough {$1.50}

farm animal memory game {$10}

bubbles {$.97}

jellybeans {$1.97}

tractor shaped sidewalk chalk {$5.95}

a pair of shorts {$8}

his first fake tattoos {$1.97}

Total = less than $87

But keep in mind, this mommy starts early {like late January}. That way, my wallet doesn't feel the impact at once. Plus, I try to stick primarily to things he needs and that I should buy anyway. For example, this year he needed sandals and shorts and a bike. I plan ahead, make my list and watch for deals. Then, I purchase and collect!

You'll also discover I'm not a fan of stuffed animals or trinkets and "junk toys". I'm the mean mom that throws the fast food toy away before we leave the restaurant...

My point is that I try to stay away from the small unnecessary things and stick to the educational or activity-based toys {bubbles, chalk, play dough, books, games, etc}. I also stay away from all "noise makers" and never buy a toy that requires batteries. This saves my wallet and keeps his hands busy and imagination flowing!

We also live in a small house and Preston's bedroom must act as both sleep and "play room". I can't clutter it up, so each of my purchases are carefully planned. He gets only ONE of everything {excluding books, puzzles and games}. However, those books have a home {and I will purge before the bookshelf overflows}. His puzzles stay in a rack, and it only holds 12 {that's all he'll have at one time}, and his games get neatly stored in his closet.

See where I'm going with this ONE "rule"? The yard isn't cluttered with a zillion outdoor toys and riding toys. His room isn't full of every possible toy car/train track on the market, and he has ONE brand of building/connecting blocks, so I don't have to constantly sort them and find individual homes for each set. He does have a collection of musical instruments that all fit in one case, and he does have a collection of dress-up clothes that all hang in his dress-up area. A place for everything, and everything in it's place...

Anyway! Next, we got ready for the day, and I "tried" to do a little photo shoot outside...

This was the BEST picture-if you can believe that! All he cared about was getting back on that tricycle.

Photo Details: His Easter basket is from Pottery Barn Kids, and I bought it his first Easter {he was just over a month old}. I knew I wanted to start traditions and keep the same basket for him to adulthood, so I splurged and opted for something that I felt could withstand the test of time. I'll most definitely save money over time, since it was less than $30, and I won't be buying a brand spankin new container each year. Plus, this adorable thing is made of material and folds up for easy storage!

The bunny ears were props I bought while student teaching back in 2007-before mommyhood.

His clothes were The Children's Place clearance finds from last May that I've held onto until he grew into them. Pants were $5 and shirt was $3.99.

After the photo shoot, we went to buy Grammy some flowers and headed to my parent's house for dinner. It was a small gathering, but we had an enjoyable time amongst the dust {my parent's are going through a semi major reno}.

After dinner, we went to the park to get the tricycle a little more use {he didn't get off that thing all day and threw a fit to eat}. Then, we went back to my parent's for dessert!

What did YOU do to celebrate the day?

Crystal xoxo

Super Cheap DIY Home Fixes

2012-04-06T03:58:00.003-04:00

First of all, AdSense is live on the blog! Yippee! I told myself I'd add advertisements to BBB once I hit 50 followers, and it took me a little bit, but I did it! This is me doing my happy dance and hoping this is the beginning of wonderful things here...

Okay. Back to the subject at hand.

I started looking around my house today and thinking. I'm kind of in a rut lately. A major rut, and it's effecting my mood and the state of our dwelling. I'm self diagnosed with O.C.D. My home is usually organized to a T, and it just isn't lately. Although motherhood has loosened me up in that way, deep down my inner O.C.D self wants to get out a label maker and hang my shirts by color and sleeve length! Ya know?

The bathroom reno is not moving as fast as I'd like it to, the house is no where near as neat as I normally keep it, and I just zoom back and forth to work. I hardly have time to eat and just focus on mommyhood, and I'm drained! Period. Then, I started thinking. What, besides my sweet boy, makes me happy? Well, that took all of TWO seconds to answer. My home. Decorating. Organizing. Writing. Everything that I love about my blog and yet never seem to carve out much time for lately. At that very moment, I turned around and kicked myself in the booty. {Not literally though. I'm not an acrobat.}

I thought, "Crystal, you have a TON of ideas to share with readers, so start DOING something about it. Right now!" Well, right now had to wait, because I had to get to work, but I'm doing something about it now. At 3am. After I got home, visited with my babysitter {my mom}, hung some new ferns on the porch {that I got an awesome deal on at work} and ate. Now, I write. When most of the world is sleeping. This is my life, and I'll be tired in the morning when that little voice calls out to me, but I'll live, because this mommy needs some serious, productive "me time".

I don't have any pictures to share, because that requires actually taking pictures in decent light {and it's dark out} and actually editing them {and that takes a ton of time}, but I did want to share some of my super cheap DIY home fixes I've picked up along the way.

Our bungalow was built in 1941 {so the papers say but I suspect it's older}, and it still has the original heat vents. They're black, old, beaten up and UGLY, but they're also an odd size, and the sizes vary from room to room. I've tried buying replacements, but stores don't carry anything their size. I've looked into ordering them, but they're super expensive. Instead, as I've moved through redoing each room, I've spray painted them! I know what you're thinking. Who cares about heat vents! Right? Most people probably don't, but I do. It's the details to a home that pull it together!

In keeping with our home's age and original existing hardware, I've gone with antique bronze finishes on every metal surface-light switch plates, light fixtures, door knobs, hinges, faucets, and even my toilet flusher thingy! Doing so helps add flow and unity to the entire house, makes it custom to us and also gives off a higher-end feel {in my opinion}.

Because these changes can be expensive, I've just moved from room to room and repeat bought everything as needed. Thank goodness Lowe's has continued to carry my switch plates for the past three years! For anything that can be spray painted {like the heat vents}, I just use an antique bronze spray paint {whatever brand and shade I find at the store when I need it}. Just make sure you wash and dry any surface before application. Sometimes I prime, and sometimes I don't. It just depends on how much extra money I have at the time and if I want to shell out an extra $5 for spray primer!

Tip number two is seriously super easy and super cheap!

Our house has 98% of it's original woodwork. In the living and dining rooms, it hasn't been touched! Yippee! Cancel all of that excitement though, because the room's walls have been painted. Many times, and the previous owners haven't always been very careful. This has left behind a gazillion tiny {and not so tiny} paint splatters all over my otherwise beautiful trim and baseboards. I happen to have a HUGE permanent marker collection with a ton of different shades of brown, and I happened to find one that was almost an exact match to my woodwork. I think you know where I'm going here...

I just started in the living room, sat my happy butt down on the floor and moved around the entire room with my little marker coloring each of those paint splatters. It was THAT easy, and the results were fabulous! It did take some time, but it was totally worth it. Just make sure you test those different marker shades out in an inconspicuous spot!

I'll leave you with a picture of Preston's room that you've seen before. This is the only exception to my above spiel. His room doesn't have a "metal finish". I accent his room with red and white, so we spray painted his vent red. It adds a touch of whimsy and acts as a small element of surprise. It is hard to see here. It's hidden under the table mostly, but I just used leftover red spray paint from that cute little lamp! The lamp was originally silver and sat at my desk for years prior to having him. It just found new life here! {clicking the picture should make it larger}

Crystal xoxo

"T" is for Tractor {and Two}

2012-04-03T02:11:00.006-04:00

This post has been anticipated for awhile. Maybe so long that it's lost it's steam and excitement, but I'm going to put it out there anyway.

Waaayyyy back in February, my baby turned TWO. His current obsession is tractors, and he calls himself "tractor boy", so the theme for his party was pretty obvious!

I decided to go with what I'm calling a "Mod Tractor" theme, and I wanted to get big bang on a budget. I mixed vintage tractors {Johnny Poppers} with chevron and used lime green and school bus yellow accents. I'm also not a big fan of characters {Spider-Man and Batman, SpongeBob, etc}, so I limited the licensed John Deere accents too...

Because we don't have a TON of friends and family near by, I saved money and nixed invites. Everyone just got a text. LAME! I know, but I'm being honest...

I hope you're ready for a picture thick post, because here I go...

I happened to have a cake mix on hand, so I just bought some green frosting and some yellow stuffed Oreos. The idea was to make them look like tractor tires in grass. BIG fail, in my book, but they worked! I bought the yellow number "2" candle for $.60. The yellow and white striped cupcake liners were from HeyYoYo on Etsy {the green paper straws were from her too}. She's one of my favorite party vendors! Tip: Always add another cupcake liner after baking, so you can see the vibrant colors!

I added height to the cupcake display by turning one of my white square bowls upside down, adding a green plate I had on hand and topping it off with my cupcake stand. I just cut a circle from a yellow and white paper chevron bag and layered it underneath. Not perfect, but you have to be resourceful, and it ALWAYS feels good to save some dough and use what you already have. Open up those cupboards and start playing!

I kept the menu easy and SIMPLE. I preordered a dozen "tractor tire" doughnuts from Walmart {$3.60}. Then, I picked the doughnuts up on party day and grabbed the rest of the supplies. We served up a fruit tray "Harvest" {$5.97 with dip}, a bag of cheddar popcorn "Johnny Popper Corn" {$3.00}, some mini cookies and cream cupcakes {12 for $3.50}, butterscotch candies "Sunshine" {$1/bag and 2 bags filled my apothecary jay}, some lemons and limes and a gallon of lemonade. I also ordered pizza and bread sticks and offered bottled water to anyone who didn't want lemonade. That was it, and it was just enough!

His friends all got to take home a package of tractor shaped sidewalk chalk. Aren't they too cute?! They were $5.75/6, and Christie was great to work with. She even made me a custom order of all green and yellow tractors for the party {each friend got one of each color}. I couldn't resist and just ordered Preston a set for his Easter basket, because mommy was trying to save money and only ordered enough for his friends for the party! Go check Sunshine and Sidewalks out for this summer!

I got the adorable DIY printable favor packaging from chickabug. She created the "Happy Birthday" banner too. I just printed, cut, strung and hung! Easy peasy, and there's no ship time with PDF printable files! I did add yellow Easter grass to all the favor bags. The grass was bought at a dollar store. Don't feel compeled to go all out in the favor department. Sometimes one really cute treat is WAY better than a zillion matchy-matchy, sugar-filled, designer buckets that cost way too much and were way too underappreciated!

I ordered those adorable paper tractors above {4/$3.00} from My Paper Pantry. They were really affordable, and she threw in an extra one! I just asked her to leave off the cupcake sticks, hand wrote on them and taped them to paper straws or that cool yellow chevron ribbon {$2.50} from Endless Inkabilities. These were first time purchases from both shops, and I was thrilled. GREAT customer service and fast delivery!

My Paper Pantry also made this larger tractor {$3.00} and added the number 2 at no cost...

I just hot glued it to this yellow 10" crepe paper fan {$1.92}.

The drink table cost next to nothing. The yellow plastic utensils, green dinner napkins, yellow dinner plates, green dessert plates and yellow cups were $1/package {the green table cloth on the food table was $1 too}. I used my grandma's vintage yellow and white plaid table runner underneath, my drink dispenser and a few other accessories I had on hand. That chevron ribbon and those cute little paper tractors were used over there too as "Tools" {silverware} and "Fuel" {lemonade}. I wrapped the silverware with the green napkins and some green twine I had on hand, and my mom happened to have the perfect straw holder already. She was gracious enough to let me borrow it.

Over at the gift/kids eating table, I tied some helium balloons to a toy tractor Preston already had.

The white tractor balloons were one of my favorite party finds, but they appear to be sold out now. I got the green and yellow "Happy 2nd Birthday" balloons from the same site {$.80/package}. The little white table and chair set was Preston's birthday gift from mommy. I got that at Pottery Barn Kids. Thank goodness for tax returns!

These streamer mobiles were the only real craft project I made for this party. I just bought two packages of crepe paper {one of each color} and two cross stitch hoops. I used the inside wooden hoops and tossed the outside hoops {the ones with the screws}. Then, I hot glued the streamers around the hoops and finished the tops off with the yellow chevron ribbon. Lastly, I hung them from my dining room light fixture with my green twine and trimmed the streamers to my desired length. Tip: If you decide to do this project, make them longer than you think you need and trim once hung.

I'll leave you with some party action shots. I'll warn you. I had a bit of fun playing around with Picnik.com

Note: I did do a 2nd Birthday photo shoot prior to the party. They had a tractor prop, so we snapped a few of my tractor boy, and I used some as party accents {one framed at the drink table and one collage hung on my dining room bulletin/chalk board behind the food table}. We went to Portrait Innovations. They were wonderful with Preston, affordable, and they print your pictures right there. No return pick-up trips! A HUGE plus for this mommy.

P.S.

I still don't have a working camera, so all of these party pictures were captured with my cell. That explains the less than blog perfect shots and poor quality, but that's where Picnik comes in handy. Did I mention I'm REALLY going to miss that site?!

This post has been linked to:

Addicted 2 Decorating

Crystal xoxo

A little Update...

2012-03-30T02:57:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile since I've let you in on what's going on with the "Big D", so I thought I'd bring you up to speed. A lot has happened.

In January, we went to court in a mad rush, because "he" decided he was moving to Wisconsin for a job. All of a sudden, it was imperative to get before a judge and get an agreement. Hallelujah! That's what I had been pushing for since SEPTEMBER, but whatever's convenient for him...

Over night, his story changed. He went from claiming a visitation schedule of every other weekend and one night each week wasn't enough {even though he never called and made an effort to see him about once a month} to claiming a move to Wisconsin was "better" for Preston. This way he could "start a college fund" for him and "pay his health insurance". I guess quality face-to-face time is overrated...

He was VERY agreeable. He gave me the house and full custody of Preston...if I would take on all the debt. I wasn't thrilled with this "settlement", but I was getting the better end of the stick {my son}! He also agreed to give me the entire tax refund and pay one year of spousal support. While doing the math, I was still absorbing A LOT financially, but it was SOMETHING, so I agreed. I just wanted it to be over, and I wanted to make sure I could afford to support Preston on my own. Keeping the house was also very important to me, because I didn't want to disrupt this little boy's life anymore!

With this new found income, I was able to immediately get off assistance and step forward, and I was feeling fantastic. He was to begin paying on February 1st, and I had until June 1st to refinance the house in my name.

Immediately, I began the refinancing process. I was able to turn our fifteen year mortgage into a twenty year and combine one existing loan. This ended up saving me about $350 a month! I was on cloud nine...

Then, January 30th came {moving day}, and we never heard from him. He didn't even try to say good-bye to his baby! I was devastated. Heartbroken. Confused. ANGRY! But those words don't even sum up my real feelings...

Then, February 1st came, but the money didn't. With a little texting pressure, I was able to get payment from him by the 15th, and I was still optimistic that he would hold up his end of the bargain. He called Preston on February 17th {Preston's 2nd Birthday} and again on the 18th. I asked him to please begin calling on a regular basis so Preston can count on it and look forward to it. He said he fully planned on doing so...

Then, March 1st and the 5th and the 15th came and went, and nothing. No money. No phone calls. Nothing.

As of right now, he refuses to pay me, so back to court we go. He informed me {via text} that he won't be paying me until he's forced to. This time around, my lawyer is able to ask for him to pay my court fees, because he's not following through on the original agreement.

As of April 1st, he will be over $1,400 behind, and I'm feeling the pressure. I do not know why he has to make everything SO difficult on me. I don't understand why he must fight me on everything and why he's refusing to follow through with the agreement he signed! I don't understand why he can't even {at the VERY LEAST} pick up the phone and talk to his son. I don't have the energy to babysit him and go back through this legal process, but I also don't really have a choice.

I'm stressed. I get no parental support from him and adjusting to this single parent thing has run a toll on me. Some days, I want to climb in a hole and not come out, but I can't, and I won't...I promise you that!

The Birthday Boy

2012-03-26T00:18:00.001-04:00

My "baby" turned TWO on February 17th!

I'm way behind on this post {as usual}, but I still wanted to share. We kicked off the morning of his birthday with a little surprise. The night before, I blew up six packages of yellow and green balloons and quietly snuck each one in his room. It was so much fun {and affordable} that I hope to make it a new tradition...

We spent the day together running errands and went to lunch at his favorite spot. Then, we ended the day with a fabulous tractor PAR-TAY! Details on the big event coming soon. I promise!

Spring Cleaning "Disaster"

2012-03-25T02:24:00.003-04:00

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I work at Lowe's. I'm in the appliance department officially, but I'm training to be in the kitchen design department. It's a great place to work, but it's easily the most involved/challenging job I've ever had, and I used to teach preschool!

While I love Lowe's {and always have}, one of the MAJOR perks of my job {besides the constant inspiration and eye candy} is the discount...

Tuesday, I decided to do a little spring cleaning. When we first moved in, we painted the grate on our storm door to match the shutters.

I watched "him" easily take the grate out, paint it and put it back in. Since the door needed some serious scrubbing, I decided to take the grate out. Only, it didn't come so easily this time! I ended up bending it, bending the door and pounding the door back in place with a hammer. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the grate back in, and I discovered that it supported the glass. Without it, the glass rattles, and there's a BIG gap at the top {about an inch} that critters can fly in, so I was left with no choice...

I ran to Lowe's and bought a new storm door. With my discount AND a sweet coupon, I ended up getting this for $261.20 {Reg. $319}. Not a steal but definitely a deal!

Mine looks just like this, but it will have bronze hardware! It also has a retractable screen, and I think I'm really going to like that feature. We don't have central air, and it gets HOT in Virginia {hot to this Michigan girl's standards}!

I am a little bummed to lose my "Welcome" decal though. Oh, well! It is what it is.

The tentative goal is to have it installed this week, but that will depend on my ~~handyman~~ dad's schedule...

Preston's Toddler Room: As Easy as 1, 2, 3

2012-03-08T02:15:00.006-05:00

You might remember this original post showcasing Preston's 3-in-1 easel. I have had so much fun watching him explore his artistic ability and strengthen his fine motor skills with his easel, and it's EASILY my favorite DIY project to date! I mean what's not to love?!

My only issue was finding some way to store his supplies in a ~~handy~~ cute way.

I racked my brain for creative solutions. Then I had an idea. I was going to keep it simple, but I needed three pails. The hunt began, and I looked and relooked everywhere. Nothing was right, or they didn't have enough on hand. I was getting frustrated!

Last week, I finally found the perfect shade of red pails at Hobby Lobby {$1.19/each}, and they had enough!

Little bronze hooks were easy enough to find, but I actually got them in sets of two at Kmart for around $2.50/set. The finishing touches were the little wooden numbers I've been hanging onto forever.

I can't remember where I actually bought them, but I do remember that they were $.50/each on clearance! I happened to have the perfect shade of blue paint on hand, so I just painted them and hot glued them in place. Some might say they're a little large for the pails, but they don't bother me...

Gosh! Isn't it c-ute?!

And Preston seems to love the easy access. He pulled his stool up to it right away and got to work. Why didn't I think of that?!

Oooohhh! I'm so in love with this entire project, and it really was super easy to do!

This post has been linked to:

Addicted 2 Decorating

Tatertots & Jello
I Heart Nap Time: Sundae Scoop

Spring Mantel

2012-03-06T02:12:00.003-05:00

My spring mantel is complete, and it's ready for it's debut! I am rushed for time though, so this post will be more pictures and less talk...BIG surprise. I know.

Keep in mind that I STILL don't have a "proper" working camera, so ALL of my blog pictures are being taken on my iPhone and edited at Picnik.com {OMG! What are we going to do when they close in April?!}

Not much was invested here. The felt egg garland was purchased for $3.99, and the adorable white bunny was originally $9.99 {but I had a $5 gift card} at Target. The sequins eggs were bought at Hobby Lobby for around $.60/each. They originally had sticks, but I snipped those suckers off and used them as filler in my little milk glass dish. I love that little dish {originally $3 antique mall purchase}.

The topiaries were clearance Pier 1 finds {$29.95 each-plus extra $10 off coupon}. This is something I would normally consider a splurge and not necessary, BUT I have been on a mad topiary hunt for over a year now. From what I've seen, finding them under $30 {for their sizes} was a steal!

I still struggle with decorating the DVD player. It has to go there, and the cords have to go there {because I don't want to drill holes in that wood}, so if ANY of you have an ideas...I'm all ears! I kept the candle holder from my Valentine's Day mantel, but I just changed the candle colors. I had some pastel tea lights on hand, so it was an easy update.

That about wraps it up. It's simple, but it has enough presence for me and will be SUPER easy to take down {always a plus for us busy mommies}. I'll leave you with a larger view of the entire wall, only if you promise not to pay too much attention to what's inside those built-ins. I have BIG plans {and all the supplies} for that DIY. I just need to find the time...

Happy Spring

A Different Kind of Before and After

2012-03-01T19:26:00.001-05:00

I don't think I've ever shared here that I met Cari Cucksey, of HGTV's Cash & Cari, last spring! My mom and I happened to be in Michigan {my home state} for a wedding, so we planned a deliberate trip to her Northville, Michigan store {with my aunt and cousin}.

I was SUPER excited to simply go to Repurpose, so you can imagine the level my excitement climbed when SHE ACTUALLY WALKED IN!!!!

Cari was super sweet, answered ALL my questions, and even posed for a picture with me...

Since it's almost been a year, and what a year it's been, I thought it would be fun to demonstrate the wight lose I've accomplished since then! Check out the before and after. I guess divorce is good for one thing...