Newcomb Home

Blogging Trifecta: Update, Tip, and New Way to Connect

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:06:00 +0000

tri·fect·a/trīˈfektə/

Noun:

A bet in which the person betting forecasts the first three finishers in a race in the correct order.
A run of three wins or grand events.

Hi friends! In case you’re wondering, yes, I absolutely looked that up. I mean, I knew the general concept (three things) but I also knew the ~~actual meaning~~ nuances were escaping me :) Anyway, on to the trifecta. (As you can see, I’ll still continue to use the word incorrectly.)

First, Newcomb Home has a shiny new look!

A friend introduced me to her graphic designer friend, Martha. She designed my new header and button and is really great to work with! She made a header for my friend Rachel’s

brilliant blog too. Martha’s great at blog designs that look professional and clean without losing the blogger’s personal touches. If you are interested in a new blog design, email me and I’ll get you in touch with her.

Martha and I made some other little changes around here. If you’re reading this in your email or a reader, head over to check it out!

Next up, a blogging tip. A fun, easy, FREE way to get a background in whatever color you want.

Go to the Pattern Cooler website. It’ll look like this.

Click on where it says “The NEW Seamless Pattern Background Editor!” or scroll down to see big swatches of the designs. Once you find a design you like, you’re able to click on it and customize the colors for your blog. It’ll then let you save an image file to use as your background. Brilliant! That is how I got the nice hexagon pattern on my blog.

And last but not least, a New Feature! As I’m sure you know, Google Friend Connect will no long work on word press blogs starting… soon? last week? I’m not sure. But soon. Anyway, I know a lot of blog readers and writers are switching over to Linky Followers.

I’m still planning to keep GFC on the blog since Newcomb Home is on blogger. But now you have another option! Linky Followers. Click on the :: Follow Me :: below or in the side bar. I’d love to be your linky follower friend!

Just a reminder, there are many other ways to keep up with us crazy kids over at Newcomb Home. You can subscribe via email or RSS, be our Facebook Friend, or follow us on Twitter. I promise not to talk about my cats too much :)

And that’s it! The blogging trifecta.

Did you switch to Linky Followers? Did you try out Pattern Cooler? Do you want a new blog look by Martha? Let me know!

Here Comes the Sun (and a New Spring Wreath)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Ahh, the sun! This weekend was delightful in Portland. On Sunday, it was so warm I opened my windows! And we Matt worked outside in the yard.

My BFF and I (you know, the one who married us) came out of hibernation for a little spring craft. A post we saw on Restored Style reminded me of a project I featured last year, but never completed: a monogram wreath.

Last year I made a sunny lemon wreath for the front door. This year, we went with more of a natural, subtle look with the moss. Alyssa and I create two different versions. She went with the mossy A for her front door.

I made a mossy wreath and combined it with another craft blog trend, a bookpage-covered monogram.

Side note: Matt looked at the wreath when he came home and said, “When are you going to paint the N?” I guess he doesn’t appreciate the bookpage look :)

You can find directions for the mossy monogram and wreath here. The bookpage monogram was pretty easy. I just took some pages out of an old French dictionary and used mod podge to stick them to a papier mache letter from JoAnns.

Side note #2: I got a smart phone! YAY! I am so excited to play scrabble (I think now in the 21st century they call it Words With Friends), keep up with twitter, and most of all, download coupons to places like JoAnns. And Home Depot. And Target! Oh no.

I love both versions. One things I’m excited about for my mossy wreath is that I can play it up for different spring holidays. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do, but I got some dollar store trinkets for St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. I figure it’ll be pretty easy to temporarily stick things to the moss.

I’m not exactly sure how I’ll incorporate the Easter eggs, but they’re so cute, I’ll figure it out. Plus, they were only a buck!

Also, because I never tire of talking about my cats, here’s a bonus pic of Diego ruining the photoshoot as the sun was going down. (I’m sorry, but its still amazing. He opens the door!)

Are you itching for spring yet? What is your favorite decor switcheroo for the new Spring season?

Sharing at Home Stories A to Z, Thrifty Decor Chick, and House of Hepworths.

I Like Mine With Lettuce and Tomato

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:18:00 +0000

I know. That song’s in your head now. Sorry ;)

source

Last March, I wrote about a few ways to green your spring. It looks like I’m craving the sunny weather earlier this year, as I’m already thinking about spring in Portland. (Well really, summer. Spring is usually just rain rain rain here.)

One of the tips I mentioned last spring is to try out a CSA box. (Community Supported Agriculture.) So, I’m basically here to repeat myself :) Well, two things. I think last March I only had about 5 readers, so I want to spread the word about this awesome program to a few more people. And, I just really, really love it.

source

What is a CSA exactly, you may ask?

I bet most of you know about them, but just in case: its a subscription-based program to purchase fresh produce from local farms. Subscribers pay for a share of the upcoming harvest from a local farm and pick up fresh fruits and veggies each week. Our CSAs have lasted 18 and 20 weeks, but some go for 28 weeks and I’ve even found one year-round program. And they deliver right to your house!

The cost varies, and some farms have different size shares (for a family of 2 versus a family of 4 or 5). Most are organic but all are local. The bounty depends on the success of the growing season, but even in the past two wet, not-so-sunny seasons in Portland, we’ve received lots of fresh, yummy vegetables.

(Here’s a link to find options in your area: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/)

Here’s an example of one a typical Portland CSA box:

source

There are so many benefits to subscribing: fresh produce that tastes great and packed full of nutrients, trying new things you’d otherwise never buy at the grocery store, and supporting local farmers. Just gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling all the way around :)

Plus you learn all sorts of new things. Like eating tons of beets will turn your pee red, make you panic, and run to WebMD to make sure you’re not experiencing weird blood loss. TMI?

Of course, there are some cons, like having to pick your box up at the same place and time each week, which isn’t always convenient. But its well worth it.

One concern we had was not eating all the food. For this reason, we share with our in-laws. I also learned how to can food last summer, so I now know what to do with the fresh veggies we won’t eat in time. You can also freeze some things. We got little pie pumpkins last year so I pureed the pumpkin and froze it. Its currently thawing on the counter waiting to be made into delicious muffins.

So that’s enough. I’m stepping off my farm-fresh, delicious, CSA soap box now :)

Turns out I’m not the only blogger who loves their CSA. Check out these blogs that either solely focus on CSAs and cooking, or at least discuss it a lot:

Cooking 4 the Week
its all happening!
And two different blogs with very similar names:
Cooking Through My CSA Box
Cooking My Way Through My CSA

source

Have you ever tried a CSA subscriptions? What was the best part about it? What would you like to change? Did the side effect of too many beets freak you out too?

Sharing at Serenity Now's Weekend Bloggy Reading.

On an Island in the Sun (kitchen inspiration)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Hi friends! Matt and I are counting down to a vacation, so stoked :) We’re headed South! We’re going to Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana, I’ve never been to any of those states so I’m pretty excited!

Anyway, we’ve been trying to wrap up gathering contractor bids for the kitchen before we go, so we can make a decision and get going once we’re home.

Oh! But before I forget… since we’re going to be gone for a while, I’m looking for guest bloggers! Are you interested? Please send me an email, I’d love to highlight some other blogs. (katiednewcomb at gmail dot com)

The contractors meeting have been going really well. I’ll write up a post about the whole experience once we’ve met everyone but its much less nerve-wracking than I expected :)

Anyway, one contractor asked me about the kitchen island features which got me thinking. There are so many possibilities!

Here are some questions I’ve been contemplating this week (and asking Matt his opinion… sorta :)

Our cooktop will be in the island. But do we have a fancy hood over the island, or an invisible down draft?

found here via Pinterest

found here on Pinterest

Should we have a bar for seating or just tons of storage?

found here via Pinterest

found here via Pinterest

Or both?

found here via Pinterest

If we go with seating, should the island be two levels or just one?

found here via Pinterest

found here via Pinterest

I’d really like a shelf for cookbooks on the end of the island. But there are even several options for that!

found here via Pinterest

found here via Pinterest

The possibilities are endless! Its so overwhelming. And FUN!

And if we can’t decide, the fall back plan is a Lego island.

found here via Pinterest

How seriously cool!

Do you have a kitchen island? What is your favorite feature?

Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge (New Kitchen Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:03:00 +0000

So I’m more than fashionably late to the Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge, but I wanted to participate and share an update with you guys.

Right after my last post about kitchen planning, I got busy searching for price estimates and researching contractors in Portland. Nothing like a little challenge to light a fire under my bum. I’ve also been playing phone tag with someone in the Building Services Dept of our county… I’ve determined that I’m going to be very needy to the kind-sounding woman that called me back, once I get a hold of her :)

So that anti-climatic, underwhelming summary is pretty much where we are in the kitchen addition project :) But here are some fun details for you…

As a little reminder, this is what our current kitchen looks like (on a good, but rare, clean day).

(Now do you see why we ~~need~~ want a new one?)

Here’s me hugging our awesome new fridge that lives in the living room, at least until the remodel is complete.

(Doesn’t Matt make a good Vanna White?)

We have already scored an awesome deal – a GE Profile stainless steel convection microwave and oven.

And I’ve used floorplanner.com to draw out our plans.

I called three local contractors that were rated highly on Yelp (one is a husband/wife team, I have high hopes for them). I left two messages and one person is coming by tomorrow to look at the house.

So while there is still a very large question mark in the overall budget, I’m making progress!

Here is what I did find out about some of the materials we’ll need to purchase (sources for cost estimates in parentheses):

Flooring: $1,500 - $2,200 (Lumber Liquidators)
Cabinets: $3,920 (IKEA Kitchen Planner)
Countertops: $3,300 - $5,000 (Home Depot)
Fridge: $1,100 (Home Depot – already purchased)
Oven/Microwave: $565 (ReStore – already purchased)
Cooktop: $500 (estimate from several sources)
Dishwasher: $300 (estimate from several sources)

TOTAL SO FAR: $11,185 - $13,585

The big question marks are still:
Contract to build foundation and exterior walls
Building materials and windows
Extending a gas line to new cooktop
Hiring an electrician
Cost of permits and inspections (though I think this will be between $500 - $1000)

Based on our goal cost of $25,200, we have between $11,615 and $14,015 to cover all those question marks, plus all the other little (and not so little) things I didn’t list, like a range hood, sink, paint, trim, etc. Eeek, seems like a low estimate to me :) Crossing my fingers!

I’m excited to talk with the contractors and start finalizing our plans.

In the mean time, I’ve been patrolling many blogs for advice from other first-time remodelers. Here are some great articles:

1. Tips on Paying Contractors from Design is… All in the Details

2. Gather Kitchen Inspiration from Houzz

3. Retail Haggling (for appliances) from 5 Days 5 Ways
4. My interview with Anne from Hello Newman’s about her favorite kitchen features, storage ideas, and how to remodel on a budget

So while I didn’t take any giant leaps toward our kitchen remodel, I feel pretty good. I took some necessary baby steps in order to begin the process.

I can’t wait to share our first experience with contractors with you! Looking forward to meeting them (and I’m nervous!). Otherwise, this weekend will be spent fighting a cold, playing soccer, and watching the Super Bowl.

What are your weekend plans? Any advice for us on our initial meet with the contractor?

Thanks for visiting Newcomb Home! If you are new here and enjoy your visit, please subscribe for free via email or RSS or find us on Facebook to stay updated on the latest here at Newcomb Home. Thank you!

Livin’ on the Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:25:00 +0000

If I were a smart, SEO savvy blogger I’d call this post, “How to Edge Tile”. But alas, its way more fun to use slightly relevant song lyrics as the post title instead.

Plus, I just watched the series finale of one of my favorite shows. I’m feeling so bummed its over, so dramatically singing random song lyrics just feels more appropriate right now.

What show you ask? Chuck. Its an awesome, nerdy, spy-comedy that’s really just a romance story and I love it. The characters are hilarious, loveable and watching it feels like sitting down with your best friend. Seriously. I’m unnaturally sad that its over. Oh Chuck, why did you have to go so soon?

Anyway, in between having too many microbrews, gossiping with my sister, and watching Chuck, I actually did something productive this weekend.

I edged the tile in our guest bathroom shower! We slowly remodeled the guest bath over the last year and we’re 90% finished. Feels so good to check one more little detail off the list.

In an attempt to be frugal, I bought tile for the shower from the ReStore for 50 cents a square foot. A great deal, really. I love the tile, but there were no edge pieces. I was lucky to find 50 square feet of the stuff!

I priced out buying trim tiles but it was just too much money. Luckily, the tile guru at Home Depot taught me a trick to edge tile when you don’t have any of those trim pieces. It looks great.

Its easy, and much less expensive than purchasing trim tile.

How to Edge Tile (Using Grout)

You’ll need:
Painters tape (I always prefer Frog Tape. I get much cleaner lines than other brands)
Measuring tape
Grout tile caulk (I got sanded – grab whichever will match the grout you already used)
razor blade

First, use the razor blade to clean up the edge of your tile. I had to get rid of some extra caulk where the tile meets the tub paint on the edge of the tile.

Then, figure out how far out of the wall you’d like the grout edge to go. I wanted a nice 45 degree angle so I measured the depth of the tile (1/8 inch) and went the same distance out on the wall.

Tape off this section, and tape the tile side too (so you don’t get grout everywhere!).

Once the tape is in place, you can apply the grout. I went about a third of the way down and then used my finger to gently smooth out the line and get rid of the excess. I did this process by section until the entire edge was covered.

Once the whole edge is covered, use your finger to smooth the whole thing, getting rid of any excess grout on the tape on the wall. This will make a smooth line without looking like there is a thick grout build up on the edge. I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of this step. Basically, just make sure there isn’t a ton of extra grout on the tape.

Then (carefully) yank the tape off the wall while the grout is still wet.

Extreme close up!

For me, I was done on one side, it looked great. On the other side, it needed a once over with my finger to get everything smooth. Just be careful. Its like a manicure. If you touch the wet nail polish one too many times you’ll ruin everything :)

Here’s one more look at the before and after.

Its a small detail that makes the shower look so much better.

What did you do this weekend? Complete any tasks you’ve been avoiding?

Sharing at Thrifty Decor Chick, The DIY Showoff, Not JUST a Housewife, Handy Man Crafty Woman, Home Stories A to Z, and

EasyMoza Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:57:00 +0000

*** This giveaway is now closed. ***

On Monday I shared our master bedroom update and rambled on about the wonderful mosaic print my SIL gave me for Christmas.
EasyMoza to make the mosaic. Well, EasyMoza got my oh so subtle hints and contacted me for a giveaway!

Yay! I’m so excited! Even though EasyMoza is really affordable, its still fun to giveaway a mosaic print for free!

Here are some other examples of EasyMoza mosaics.

The website is really easy to use. First, you choose a main photo and upload it. Then you choose a bunch of other photos that will be used to create the main photo. Finally, EasyMoza works its magic and you have a fun, personal mosaic for your home!

EasyMoza is so affordable because they don’t charge you to print and ship the mosaic. Instead, they’ll provide you with a high resolution file that you can print yourself or take to a local print shop.

Now the fun part! EasyMoza gave me three promo codes to giveaway to Newcomb Home readers! You can use the code to create your own mosaic, for FREE!

Enter to win a mosaic from EasyMoza!
Here’s how to enter:
1. Leave a comment below, telling me about the photo you’ll use for a mosaic if you win (don’t forget to include your email address so I can tell you that you won).

2. For a bonus entry, be my Facebook friend! “Like” Newcomb Home and then leave a separate comment here saying you did.

That’s it! THREE winners will be chosen at 8pm (Pacific) on Sunday, January 29th. The giveaway is open to everyone, because I just email you the promo code!

Amy used a company from the Netherlands called

Down the Tube (Master Bedroom Update)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:05:00 +0000

(Or rather, Down with the Tube. The old tube TV, that is.)

Our master bedroom was one of the first places we updated (you can see the before pics here). I guess since we wake up there every morning I wanted it to feel calm and cozy. We painted, got new carpet and bedding, and installed a new light fixture.

One thing we didn’t touch was the dresser. We got an IKEA Hemnes dresser, plopped our old TV on it and that was that. Problem was, we never watched TV in there (not for lack of TV addiction; we didn’t have a cable box in the bedroom).

The big old tube TV has been bugging me for a while, but I wasn’t really motivated to move it out of the room because I didn’t have any fun decor items for the dresser. Well this Christmas, Amy gave me a great print that got my butt in gear (Amy is my SIL I’m trying to convince to blog a little… sorry Amy :)

Amy gave us that cool monogram print on the left. Here’s a close up.

Gah! So hard to take pics of things in shiny frames :)

Anyway, I love it. Not only does it have our monogram and remind Matt what day we got married, but its made of tons of little photos from our vacations and wedding. So thoughtful!

Amy made this print using a website called EasyMoza. Its a website where you can upload a bunch of your own photos and design a mosaic print. How cool! Plus, they say things like “programme” so I think its a European website, which makes me feel very chic.

(Obviously, EasyMoza doesn’t know I’m giving them a shout out. I just love the print and wanted to share the great resource. EasyMoza if you’re out there, email me ;)

The other big print is a photo taken by a local photographer named Squid Vicious (what a cool name!). The photo was auctioned off at a benefit event for Outdoor School and I won the silent auction. The photo is of Mount St. Helens and is so bright and cheerful!

Side note: At the Outdoor School benefit event the MC was a local weather man. I got to meet him. I felt like I was talking to a celebrity! Closest I’ll probably ever get to the Kardashians. Plus, he made a nerdy joke about cloud formations. Could it get any better? (Yes. Yes, it could. I could have met Leonardo DiCaprio.)

The final photo is a pic of Matt and me from our friends’ wedding. The bride was generous enough to frame the pic as a gift and its a miracle – we both look normal!

All the other items are things I already owned. The jewelry box was a gift from Matt last year, the silver tray is from my grandma, and the candle is a hand-me-down from my mom. I’m telling you, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. I love hand-me-downs!

I love that each item on the dresser represents something near and dear to my heart and thanks to the generosity of my friends, the update was free! (Well, I’m not counting the silent auction purchase, after all, it was a donation.)

And of course, I can’t get through any blog photos without a Diego photobomb. I didn’t even see him until I uploaded the photos onto the computer.

Overall, I think its a great improvement. Now, instead of having ~~a place to throw sweatshirts~~ an old TV, we have a fun display.

(Definitely progress but I JUST noticed everything is not centered on the desk. Too tired to take more pics. But, you get the idea :)
What’s your favorite, inexpensive way to update tabletop/bookshelf/dresser decor?

PS. I made some progress on my “Impossible” today. I sent in a ‘pre-application’ for permits for the kitchen addition. You have to fill out a pre-app just to get an appointment in the permit office. I first mentioned the “Imagine the Impossibilities” Challenge I joined here. You can read about the Challenge from the host blog, The Space Between, here.

Thanks for visiting Newcomb Home! If you are new here and enjoy your visit, please subscribe for free via email or RSS or find us on Facebook to stay updated on the latest. Thank you!

Linked up at Not JUST a Housewife, Home Stories A to Z, and Coastal Charm.

A Little R&R (&R) in Puerto Vallarta

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:35:00 +0000

That third R is for delicious rum drinks we had all. day. long. Oh, the beauty of an all-inclusive resort! The place served these drinks called Banana Mamas, with rum and other goodness (and real bananas so I pretended they were healthy). Delish!

Anyway, I’m a little behind on house projects, and I’m partly blaming the vaca (yes, I know we got back two weeks ago). While I’m spending the weekend working on some updates to share with you guys, I wanted to show you a few pics of a place we’d probably all rather be this weekend :)

Disclaimer: A lot of the more beautiful photos were taken by my travel buddy/sister-in-law Amy. Amy’s super creative. I’m working on convincing her to blog about some of her crafty projects here. Cross your fingers!

We took a day trip to an area called Las Caletas. Lots to do there including snorkeling, kayaking, and torturing the animals. (Not really, don’t worry – I say that because my ~~child~~ husband stuck his finger in the monkey’s cage and it bit him. Hard. Amy and I haven’t laughed that much in a long time.)

Don’t worry, I do realize I’m exposing my nerdiness in that deflated life vest.

On the way back to our resort we saw some humpback whales snacking on a tornado of anchovies. Amazing!

We enjoyed seeing a little of the town, a gorgeous church, and beautiful sunsets.

But we spent most of the time relaxing by the beach and playing in the waves (I didn’t quite have the technique down).

We ended the vacation by ringing in the new year together, at our resort. What a great way to end the holiday season. Counting my lucky stars now :)

Sharing at Serenity Now’s Weekend Bloggy Reading.

Organizing Tips for Every Room in the House {Features}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:19:00 +0000

The beginning of the new year (plus a few days off work to stare at my house) gets me itching to organize. Seriously, sometimes I feel like a mini hoarder. Our house is clean and I only have two cats, but I keep a lot of random stuff. Matt says I turn each area into an “everything drawer” or an “everything closet”. I don’t want our house to turn into an “everything house”, so I’ve gotta organize.

Turns out I’m not the only one! These three bloggers are hosting series focused on organizing. Each one is full of a whole bunch of great ideas. Check them out!

Toni at A Bowl Full of Lemons has a 21 Days to Get Organized Challenge. I love it because she focuses on one room at a time, which is how I have to do things. I’m starting in the laundry room. Doesn’t Toni’s look great?

Kelly at Imperfect Homemaking hosts a series called 31 Days to an Organized Home. Check out her practical tips to organize a master closet.

Becky at Organizing Made Fun’s series is 31 Days to Cheaply Organize Your Home. Her approach is a little different. She talks about different (often free!) items that can help you organize on a budget. How cute are these paint cans above the desk?

Have you been trying to organize and declutter? Where do you start? What is your best tip?
PS. Last October I also rounded up some great storage tips, check them out here.

Sharing at Not JUST a Housewife.

Can I please have a wine rack? (New Kitchen Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:04:00 +0000

As I’m mentioned a million times, this year Matt and I are going to remodel our kitchen.

Eeeeee!!

When I picture the new room completely finished, I’m SO EXCITED. But when I think of all the steps to get there, I’m just overwhelmed. Palms sweaty, high blood pressure, eyes bugging out overwhelmed.

We’ve taken the most important step of saving money. But what is next?

So far, what’s next for us has been arguing over if we should hire a professional to lay the foundation and change the footprint of our house, or DIY.

I’m pretty sure Matt believes that, if he wants to do something, the knowledge is magically placed in his brain. Just this morning he told me, “Katie, I know how to lay a foundation.” He’s living on another planet :)

But I’m not here to tell you how to win arguments in your marriage (but if you have a secret please tell me!). Today I want to share with you our ‘getting started’ ideas. I’m hoping if I write everything down, it’ll inspire me to take ACTION.

(img source)

We’re trying to start with the most important (and boring) part of the remodel.

The budget.

But really, draining our savings for a new kitchen is a huge deal. We don’t want to spend so much money we’ll never get it back when we sell the house. But we also don’t want to skimp on important things just to save a buck or two.

We’re not entirely done budgeting, but for us there are two steps. Figure out

How much we’re able to spend; and
What can we get for that amount of money.

Not only are we remodeling/upgrading the room, but we’re adding onto the house. We didn’t really even know where to start, so we took this great advice from my Dad:

Figure out how much we paid for the house, per square foot*. Then calculate the amount of square footage we’ll be adding on, and multiple it by the cost per square foot.

We paid $175 per square foot.
We’re adding on about 144 square feet.
$175 x 144 = $25,200**.

* This may not work if you purchased your house in 1968. Try to find a per square foot price for a similar house in your neighborhood.
** This does not of course include the value of improvements such as upgraded appliances but its a great place to start.

So, is $25,200 even possible for an addition/kitchen remodel?

Who knows?! This is where the second question comes in: what can we get for that amount of money?

We haven’t entirely answered that question. Like I said, I still haven’t convinced Matt that he’s not a licensed contractor, he works full time, and wouldn’t even know where to start with the foundation. In his mind he is Holmes on Homes.

To get a rough estimate, we started with a list of the big ticket items:

- Foundation + New Frame of the House
- Cabinets
- Counter tops
- Flooring
- Appliances (already purchased a fridge and oven/microwave. Still need dishwasher
and cook top)
- Building materials / windows
- Possibly extending a new gas line to the cooktop
- What’s missing??

Now do you see why I’m so nervous???

That’s a LOT to think about. Usually this is where I start panicking, Kermit style.
(img source)

Of course there will be other expenses, like knobs, plumbing materials, lighting, etc. And all the wine to fill my new wine rack. But we’re just trying to get a rough estimate to see if we need to go back to the drawing board. What if all this adds up to $50k? Then we’ll have to rethink our whole plan (and cry a little bit).

But I’m determined to get past the panic, finish making our budget, and muster up the courage to call some contractors for quotes.

Since I’m not done pricing everything out,

I’m going to leave you in suspense :)

In the next couple weeks, Ill share our specific costs for materials and if how I mustered up enough courage to call contractors to get quotes for the foundation.

Oh! I almost forgot! I’m joining the fun over at The Space Between for the “Imagine the Impossibilities” Challenge. Some great bloggers are hosting the challenge, where we can all tackle our most daunting project and support each other along the way.

Obviously, by the end of January, we’ll have barely started. But that’s my most daunting project: to start the kitchen. When I was training for a marathon I just kept repeating my favorite quote:

”The miracle is not that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start” (John Bingham). That’s how I feel about this project, too!

2012 Goals for Newcomb Home (and the people who live in it)

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:42:00 +0000

Well, really, just me.

Matt got a new job. I signed him up for a kitchen remodel and he’s playing basketball, soccer, and dodgeball. So I think that’s probably enough for him :)

Me however, I need to declare some goals. I need to shout them from the rooftops and have you lovely readers hold me accountable.
I’ve been thinking about a post from Layla at the The Lettered Cottage about choosing one word for the year. Almost instantly, I knew my word.

Consistent.

Usually when I try things (working out, going to bed early, staying organized), I’m so excited about it at first, I do it All. The. Time. But then, my excitement fades and I give up. Not entirely, but I feel like I end up half-assing things.

Like this blog.

When I first started it was so fun! (By the way, it still is. Just time consuming.) I love ‘meeting’ readers and sharing parts of our life with all of you. Problem was, I tried to post every day, stayed up too late, got out of shape and annoyed my husband. It definitely conflicted with my ‘go to bed early’ mantra :)

So, my 2012 goal for the blog (and my life) is to be consistent. And the key to that is to also be realistic.

So I am not going to try and blog everyday. Or work out everyday. Just like I won’t run a full marathon, lose 35 pounds, or save all of our money.

But I can lose some weight, get in shape, increase our savings, and blog. Consistently.

Here are my 2012 Goals.

(Coley from What Your Make It said its important to be specific with resolutions.)

Of course, there will be some unplanned crafts and recipes to share with all of you. And if I’m spending my time running, learning the camera, or relaxing with Matt, I’ll probably bore you with that too. Yes, this is a blog about our home. However, my attention span is too short to be all kitchen, all the time.

But the kitchen. MAN am I excited! More on those plans soon :)

What are YOUR goals for 2012?

x

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Best DIY Projects of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:48:00 +0000

I’m jumping on the trend I’ve seen on many blogs and sharing my top 10 projects (of my own. The list of fave projects from other bloggers is too long!).

Here is look back on 2011 for Newcomb Home. Not to be upstaged by my look forward toward 2012, which I’ll share on later this week.

Top 10 Projects (based on page views)

Turn Old Wine Bottles Into Water Pitchers (Its Easy!)

Say Goodbye to the Naked Wall

How to Make Your Own Napkin Rings

Slithery Snake Wreath (Halloween decor)

Useful Art for the Kitchen

How 8 Cans of Spray Paint Updated an Entire Room

How to Make an Ice Bucket (Bring on the mimosas!)

How to Make a Snowflake Wreath

A Trick to Make Spray Painting Hardware a Cinch

Bathroom Vanity (almost) Complete

I saw Allison at House of Hepworths thanked her top referrer. What a great idea! So of course I’m ‘borrowing’ it. Thanks Allison!

The following blogs/websites were my top referrers of 2011 (since I signed up for Google Analytics which was mid-March). This doesn’t include Google or Pinterest, of course. Some of these referrals are from link parties and some are features. Either way, ‘meeting’ new readers is exciting so THANK YOU to:

Thrifty Decor Chick
Re-Nest
Oh Dee Doh
The DIY Showoff
The Inspired Room
House of Hepworths
Home Stories A to Z
Someday Crafts
Centsational Girl
Tip Junkie

And last but certainly not least, thank you to all the Newcomb Home readers out there. While I started this blog to document the process of our home renovation, the fact that some people out in the interwebs actually read it makes me so happy! I very much appreciate your comments, tips, and support (and your patience for my grammar!). Thank you Thank you Thank you! Please pour yourselves a glass of wine or a shot of tequila, on me ;)

On Wednesday I’ll be back talking about my goals for 2012. House goals of course, blogging goals, money goals, and the yearly “I swear this is the year I lose 20 pounds” goals :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

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Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:54:00 +0000

However you celebrate this Holiday Season, I hope it was a great one!

image via

Now... Matt and I are off to sunny Mexico for vacation. YAY!

Talk to you all when we get back!

Dessert and Drinks with Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:52:00 +0000

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com

Hope everyone is having a good week! I’m loving all things Christmas around here. Its getting pretty cold (for Portland), but it just makes me want to snuggle ~~my cats~~ my husband and watch Christmas movies.

I’m also excited because I have Cooking Club with my girlfriends this week! (One of our fave recipes here.) We try to have Cooking Club once a month, but as these things go, sometimes we miss it and sometimes not everyone is able to come.

This month all the gals are available and I’m so looking forward to catching up with everyone. In true Cooking Club form, we decided that we’d just have pizza, salad, and drinks to leave maximum time for chatting :)

So when I was given the opportunity to write about Duncan Hines, it was perfect! What a great time to make an easy dessert and fun drink to share with my friends!

I made the Duncan Hines milk chocolate brownies. Its family size, so there was enough to give Matt a couple and have plenty for the girls.

I just followed the super easy directions on the back, but replaced half of the oil with homemade applesauce. It turned out great!

To go along with the brownies, I made a festive peppermint martini. The peppermint flavor is the perfect complement to the brownies, they taste great together!

Now Cooking Club isn’t until Thursday but of course Matt and I had to taste test the drinks.

Here is the easy recipe.

Peppermint Martini
Combine equal parts 2% milk (could use cream or nonfat, just depends on your preference), vodka, and peppermint coffee creamer. Put in a shaker with a few ice cubes. Shake and pour. Simple as that!

The peppermint martini and Duncan Hines brownie combo is a perfect holiday dessert for a night with friends! Can’t wait :)

Do you have a favorite holiday dessert or drink? Please share!

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Oh, Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:32:00 +0000

Last weekend Matt and I joined my sister and parents in a hunt for the perfect Christmas trees.

Actually, the Christmas trees were more of an excuse to visit this guy.

Plus all of his animal friends. Our family went to a Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of the Portland suburbs in order to visit some cute animals.

The baby alpacas are so cute! We loved them. We also got to visit a cute set of friends – a sheep and a cow (damn! I don’t remember what type of cow it is but I think he’s Norwegian).

On our walk to the tree lot, we got to say hi to these gals. Matt and I don’t think we’ve ever seen a camel in person before!

Don’t worry – we did remember to get a Christmas tree. We decided to put it in the TV room so it was visible as you walked in the house (and let’s face it, Matt and I spend a lot of evenings in front of the tube).

We had Spanish coffees, turned on the Christmas music, and decorated the tree. Diego helped.

I love our tree! We throw all decor rules out the window and just use colorful lights and ornaments that have been given to us, ‘borrowed’ from our parents, or picked up along our travels.

I got that tree skirt at the dollar store. For a buck, its perfect :)

Here’s the cats view. They sit under the tree a lot. I think they’re pretending they are outside, but with a heater :)

Have you decorated your tree? Do you have a decor theme? Use sentimental ornaments?

How to Make a Snowflake Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:08:00 +0000

Last weekend I completed my first Christmas craft – a snowflake wreath for the entry way. Like most of my crafts lately, I avoid thinking for myself by spending time on Pinterest first :)

I was inspired by this wreath.

from bhg.com via pinterest

Of course, like most things on pinterest, mine ended up looking different. But I still love it!

It actually was pretty easy to make. I just poured myself some wine, turned on the Christmas tunes, and started hot gluing away. Here are some instructions (though it really is pretty easy! I only got hot glue on the carpet once :)

How to Make a Snowflake Wreath

You’ll need:
flat wreath form
white spray paint
hot glue and glue gun
snowflake ornaments (I got mine at the dollar store. I used 4 10 packs)
ribbon

(All the necessities)

1. The night before you want to make the wreath, spray paint your wreath form white. This will make it less noticable if any wood shows through.

2. Remove the hooks from your ornaments, if needed, then glue the ornaments to the wreath form. I put a little hot glue in the center of the ornament, and overlapped each ornament to fill in most gaps.

Also I should note that since these ornaments were 10 cents each at the Dollar Store, they broke easily. Its okay to use the broken ones. Just hide the broken side underneath the next ornament.

3. Once you cover the whole wreath form, your wreath will look like this.

I wanted to see the entire snowflake, so I glued a few more ornaments on top.

That’s it for the wreath!

I planned to hang it on a mirror in my entry way. I always wondered how people did this without putting an extra hole in the wall. I folded the ribbon over the top of the mirror and used painters tape on the back to hold it in place. Its working pretty well - the wreath is still in place!

I love the touch of winter in the entry way! I’m thinking this can last past Christmas into January and February. (Once I finish decorating the table in there, I’ll show you the whole room :)

Have you started (or finished!) decorating for the Holidays?

Linked up at Home Stories A to Z.

Delicious, Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Since Thanksgiving is coming oh so soon, I thought I’d the very best cranberry sauce recipe in case you need something to add to your meal on Thursday.

My friend J Bo (first told you about her here), shared this recipe with us while we were living in Maryland. Although we were far away from family, we got to spend Thanksgiving with great friends and J Bo delicious cranberry sauce :)

The best part is that its really easy. WAIT! Actually, the best part is when you have leftovers and you can make cranberry crisp… for breakfast.

How to Make Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients
4 packages cranberries (3 lbs)
The rind of 3 oranges
One cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar

Pick over and wash cranberries and place in a roomy saucepan with sugar, brown sugar, orange rinds, orange juice, and cinnamon.

Bring to a boil, stir occasionally, cover and boil just until the cranberries burst - four to five minutes. Sauce jells when cold.

(For me it was sorta hard to tell when the cranberries burst. It looks like this.)

Makes about 2 quarts (and makes your house smell great!).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:58:00 +0000

Its starting to get chilly in Portland, which makes me crave soup, apple crisp, hot cocoa, pretty much any comfort food. I love curling up on the couch with a blanket, hot dinner, and a little Modern Family. (Yes, we usually eat in front of the TV. We take advantage while we don’t have kids. Once kids come along, to the dinner table we go.)

One of my favorite comfort food recipes is this butternut squash risotto. Some of my girlfriends and I get together around once a month to try new recipes, drink wine, and best of all, gossip :) I got this recipe last Fall from one of my cooking club friends, and I’ve made it several times since then. Its delicious!

Creamy Orzo Risotto with Butternut Squash (serves 4)

Ingredients
1 spray cooking spray
2 cups butternut squash, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 a small onion (not part of the original recipe, I just added it)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 tsp thyme, fresh, or 8 whole sprigs (sprigs preferred)
2 Tbsp fat-free half-and-half
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Wine (at cooking club, we don’t dine without wine :))

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

(My first step is to con my husband into peeling and chopping up the squash. For some reason I just really don’t like this step.)

In a medium bowl, toss squash with oil and salt; spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between squash cubes. Roast, stirring halfway through, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add orzo. Stir constantly until orzo begins to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. This is where I added the onion. It was still pretty strong but a great addition. Next time I’d probably sauté the onion first for a couple minutes before adding the butter and orzo.

Add water, broth and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove thyme sprigs; stir in half-and-half, cheese and roasted squash. Season well with salt and pepper; serve.

Can I just say that food is really hard to photograph? I can’t seem to get a picture that looks appetizing :)

I’d love to hear if you try this recipe! What is your favorite comfort food for the chilly weather?

Bathroom Vanity (almost) Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:52:00 +0000

90%. We’re almost there. That’s right, the world’s longest bathroom remodel is 90% complete!

A couple weeks ago I showed you a sneak peak of our new bathroom counter. We hadn’t hung the mirror, caulked the granite or anything so I wanted to wait to show you our new, working vanity!

Well… I still haven’t caulked the granite. But the sink and mirror are in. Since we’ve already replaced the floor, installed the toilet, and remodeled the shower, we’re almost there! We still have quite a bit of finishing work to do, but now our guests can use the bathroom for all things its supposed to be used for :)

But let me back up a bit. The counter. A long while back (when I was less realistic about our laziness), I asked for our readers help in picking a pattern for the tile counter.

I had purchased some cheap granite pieces that I had planned to make into tiles for the counter. The tiles were only $30 and fit with my low budget goal, but we just couldn’t decide how to design the counter. Nothing was really working for me us.

Like the agreeable husband that he is (I’m a lucky girl!), Matt jumped on board with the plan to totally blow our budget and buy a slab of granite for the countertop.

We bought a remnant piece from an overstock yard (is that what they’re called?) so as far as granite goes, it was still pretty inexpensive. And I love it!

I’ll be honest, I had a few freak outs. Like, mumbling nonsense words, dramatically throwing my head in my hands, threatening to try and return the slab freak outs. Yes I know. Its just a countertop. So maybe I needed a little perspective at that moment? :)

The whole thing (granite, backsplash, and sink) was $270 and that is a lllooott of money for us. The sink hole is slightly off center and I was worried the warm gold-colored flecks in the granite wouldn’t go well with the black tiles in the shower and grey tile on the floor.

But, the gold flecks are really subtle and even my OCD mom said the off-center sink is ok. It allows us to actually keep something on the right side of the small counter.

I’ll be back later this week with a tutorial and some tips for installing a granite counter and undermount sink, and a final budget for the bathroom remodel. But for now, I wanted to show you this before and after. Its like the bathroom can breath now! No more crazy colors :)

As you can see from the caulk and TP in the ‘progress pic’, its not staged :)

I’m sure you noticed, the 10% we have left to do is all the finishing work. Touching up paint, installing trim, caulking the countertop, and a few other touch ups here and there. I’m worried about my motivation level to finish up now that the whole bathroom actually works, so I haven’t let myself accessorize yet :)

I’ve been saving a Macy’s gift card to get a new shower curtain and I have some candles that’ll go perfectly in there… those will be my reward for getting the bathroom 100% done.

Do you procrastinate on the last little details? What is your motivation to completely finish big projects?

Linked up to Not JUST a Housewife, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, and Thrifty Decor Chick.

Clever Storage Solutions {Pinterest Tips Round Two}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:22:00 +0000

Last month I share a few household tips to make those nagging chores a little easier. Of course, I got the ideas from Pinterest :)

Well, I’ve spotted some more great idea that I’m excited to share with you guys. This time, its all about clever storage ideas.

Our house is plenty big enough, but our storage options pretty limited. Our kitchen is small and the master bath has a pedestal sink. No storage space at all! These storage solutions would help us organize a lot.

The first idea is something I need to do right away. This rack would help organize our pots and pans shelf so much!

found here on pinterest

And this measuring cup/spoon rack would make it so easy to find what I need!

found here on pinterest

Here’s two ideas that would help organize our small bathroom so much. Clever storage solutions go a long way in a bathroom that’s only about 5’ x 5’ :)

found here via pinterest

found here via pinterest (how cute!)

And finally, look at this idea that would help all of us ~~hoarders~~ thrifters store our finds until we’re ready to use or repurpose them. Our garage would be so clean if everything was kept on the ceiling instead of the floor.

found here via pinterest

Hopefully my urge to purge (sorry, couldn’t resist) will continue this weekend and we’ll do a little organizing and take some trips to Goodwill. To donate. I’ll try really hard not to buy anything!

What are you up to this weekend? Organizing? Halloween-ing? Watching football?

Halloween Entry Way Display

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:09:00 +0000

Hi guys! How was your weekend? Our was great. As usual it went by too fast, but Matt and I went for a run in Forest Park (It was sunny. In Portland. In October!), watched the Beavs win with family and friends, and I canned a whole bunch of pears with my girlfriends. All in all a great weekend, minus a itty bitty hangover on Sunday :)

I also finally got around to taking some pics of my Halloween decor in the entry way.

Sorry about the weird angle of this pic. Our entry is pretty skinny so its hard to get a decent shot.

I had our summer decorations up way too long, so I was excited to change it up with the Halloween decor. I keep it pretty simple in the entry since its so small, but I love having a little space to decorate. I already know exactly what I’ll do for Christmas (damn you, Pinterest!).

Anyway, the decor was centered around using my fancy Halloween candles.

I splurged and bought these at Pottery Barn last year (I had a 10% off coupon from attending a class). Usually PB is way out of my price range but I knew I’d never be able to DIY these candles and I just love them.

I’m also digging the bright orange in the Chinese lanterns (that plant grows like a weed in my yard) and the pumpkins in the vase.

The silver and black gourds I bought at the dollar store and spray painted. Funny enough, my sister-in-law (the clever bat pumpkin artist) bought the same ones and spray painted them gold for her fall decor. Great minds! :)

Last but not least, my favorite part of the decor is Black Jack.

Although his wild purple hair does not go with anything else, and he’s just a randomly placed toy on our entry table, he’s definitely my fave :) He reminds me of “playing trolls” with my sister when we were little. We went through barbie and stuffed animals phases too. We were only weird some of the time. He also reminds me of trick-or-treating in the old ‘hood, trying to wear a costume over my raincoat (oh, Portland), and collecting pillowcases full of candy.

So even though Black Jack takes the sophistication of my decor down a notch, he’s most definitely my favorite part about it. (And I’m telling myself that with Halloween, most people aren’t looking for ‘sophisticated’ anyway.)

Did you guys save trolls from when you were young to use to decorate? No? Just me? :)

I know you guys DO have some great mementos displayed in your home. What is your fave?

PS. I changed the blog template without ruining our site! I was nervous about it, but it wasn’t too bad. I still need to fix the header but hopefully its a little more user friendly around here now!

Linked up to A Bowl Full of Lemons and Today's Creative Blog.

Pardon the Mess

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:08:00 +0000

I'm updating the blog template. Its ~~a total breeze and I'll be done in a sec~~ really confusing so I'll probably be working out some kinks for a while.

Please let me know what you think! I used a template I found online that seems to be working pretty well. I'll write a post with the links to the resources I used once my eyes uncross :) Thank you for your patience!

x

Pumpkin Carving Party {Halloween Celebration}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:52:00 +0000

Last weekend Matt and I had a few friends over to carve pumpkins. So fun! I love carving pumpkins, we’ll probably continue the tradition forever.

Armed with yummy hot cider (recipe here) and some Pinterest inspiration, we started carving.

Most of us chose a design, scooped out the seeds and carved away. Then there was Andy.

Granted, his design was intricate and looks great, but seriously. It took him hours to carve his pumpkin! The rest of us carved, had hors d’oeuvres, more cider, and roasted seeds, while he was still carving away.

Yes, Andy looks a lot like Matt. Twin brother.

Have you ever roasted seeds? Its super easy and delicious. We just rinsed off the pumpkin bits and baked them on a baking dish with a little bit of salt, stirring every 10 minutes or so. I think it took about a half hour to fully bake? And Andy was still carving :)

Its tradition for us to vote, by cheering loudly, for pumpkin winners. We line up the pumpkins, light candles, turn out the lights and vote. Yes, we’re all adults, but what is more fun than slinging back a few ciders and yelling for your fave?

We had four categories, scariest, most creative, best overall, and most like Charlie Sheen. You’d think the pumpkin enjoying a beer would have been voted most like Charlie Sheen.

But the little guy in the middle of this pic won. I think its because of the facial expression :) (The pumpkin on the right was dubbed scariest).

My creative sister-in-law won best overall with her cute bat.

Poor Andy didn’t win anything :(

I didn’t either. The only votes I got were from the cats.

After carving was over, we kept the yelling going with a rousing game of catchphrase. It was a wonderful Halloween celebration!

Also, on Monday I shared a sneak peek about our finished bathroom vanity… sorry I’m slow in sharing it with you guys :) Tomorrow we have a dodgeball game but I’ll post it soon, promise!

Linked up to Serenity Now and Fingerprints on the Fridge.

Bathroom sneak peek

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Newcomb) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Yay! Our bathroom is fully functional!

Yep, that’s a car jack holding up our sink while it adhered to the granite. It worked beautifully!

I’ll be back tomorrow to show you our wonderful vanity with a sink that actually works! Cheers to being able to wash your hands in the bathroom, not the kitchen :)