The Ex-Procrastinator: Chronicles of A Serial Hobbyist

Room Crashers...Davis Style

2012-08-19T19:35:00.000-04:00

The last 48 hours have been exhausting to say the least. But - I DID IT! Started and completed one full project, added in a side project along the way and planned for one more addition to this project in the next few weeks. At this time I'm too tired to commentate this one so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

So - this would be about the point I thought I'd be done but no...I just couldn't live with the weird corner. Because of the extra height with the side rails, extra length of the box springs AND short mattress the little 'bed side table' looked a bit 'dinky' for my corner. I had extra fabric, some old cushions off of a couch that fell apart years ago - leftover lumber from yesterday hmmmm....ottoman anyone???

And here is where I'm calling it - we'll be doing some art shifting in the room, adding in a mini chandelier, painting a dresser and changing the facades on the ugly bi-fold closet doors in the coming weeks. I'll be sure to post photos as things progress.

2012-08-18T16:40:00.003-04:00

Did I mentioned Pinterest in my last post...you know that lovely little site full of inspiration for anything and everything your little DIY'ers heart could desire? In the midst of my hundreds of unfinished projects I've embarked on yet another one...thanks to Pinterest.

I've been looking for something inspiring that will help me find my vision for my now 2-toddler bedroom. We've moved Swiper out of her crib and into a big girl bed. We've transformed the Interrogators single room into a room for two.We scrambled last weekend to move the girls into the room together just to test it out for a week before spending any blood, sweat & tears (not to mention money) on their little dream room. I had a vision for two beautiful twin sleigh beds in white adorned with the beautiful yellow silk bedding I snagged on clearance at Pottery Barn (yes...I know they are children BUT...this silk bedding is machine washable THANK GOODNESS - although the reason only one bed is shown in the yellow bedding is because the other one has already fallen victim to a chocolate milk fiasco and is currently in the wash). Those twin sleigh beds I so coveted turned out to be not so wallet friendly so I ditched that idea and turned to Pinterest. I found EXACTLY what I knew would be a project I could accomplish with my own little touches added in. Our 2 toddler room started out like this:

The project I was aiming for looked like this (x 2):

Thank you Gabrielle Blair of design mom for this inspiration. The project plans were originally for a toddler sized bed. I already had 2 twin mattresses and a set of box springs from a king bed we just replaced so a rework of the original plans had to take place. In case you are box spring ignorant like myself a king mattress is most of the time accompanied by 2 box springs that look to be the same size as a twin mattress but...they ARE NOT. The twin mattress is slightly smaller. No matter for me, I'm using what I've got and will figure out how to deal with the difference as I go (remember, I'm not much of a 'planner').

Taking measurements of the box spring (since it is the larger of the two) I made my materials list and sent hubby on his way to the local hardware store. I asked that he get as much of the wood cut down as possible to prevent a lot of measuring and cutting at home....we do have those 3 little ones always under foot. Material list looked like this:

3/8" thick plywood in sheets large enough to get the following cuts made:
4pc x 79.5" Long x 10" Tall (these are the 'side' walls on the bed above)
4pc x 37.5" Long x 10" Tall (these are the head and foot boards on the bed above)

2"x2" wood in lengths large enough to get the following cuts made:
4pc x 78" Long (these are the inside supports for the box spring)

My original tool list looked like this:
Drill
Drill Bits
Wood Glue
Screws (whatever size I had around the house)
Nails (whatever size I had around the house)
Hammer
Measuring Tape

He came home with this:
4pc x 79.5" Long x 12" Tall
4pc x 36.5" Long x 12" Tall
4pc 2"x2" wood 8' Long each

To my original tool list I now *happily add:
Mitre Saw
Circular Saw
Dremel Tool (more on this tool later)
Saw Horses (a new but badly needed purchase)
*happily because if you recall in prior postings I love my POWER TOOLS!!!!!

Apparently accountants aren't firm believers in making sure they get what they paid for before they leave the store - go figure. So - working with what I had I changed the plans. Instead of 10" high sides we would now be 12" high sides. About the head and foot board....well, I was a bit screwed - the panels he brought back were too short. Improvising on the fly we found some old fiber board shelving that had just been taken down (12" x 48") and cut it to the proper length and those are now going to be the head and foot boards of the bed.

Measuring the side panels and side rails - a few quick mitre saw cuts and we're all set to assemble. Assembly of the sides turned out to be much more cumbersome than the original plans led me to think...hindsight we would have used a much thicker and sturdier grade of plywood. No turning back now.

We screwed the side rails in from the inside of the bed - opposite of what the instructions told us to do. It seemed easier this way.

Here's where using what you have can sometimes add to the tools and time needed to complete a simple project. The screws I had on hand were a good inch too long - GREAT opportunity for me to pull out the handy dandy Dremel Tool and use the metal cutting bit!

Even hubby got in on this action - check out those sparks as we grind off the ends of the screws that were once too long. Now they are flush with the side panels - which will soon be covered with batting and fabric.

And here is where this story ends for today. Side panels, head and foot panels all squared up. Rather than using a plywood panel for support as the original plans advise we're going for 2"x4" boards fashioned into slats. And here is where day 1 ends...I've got dinner plans so we'll pick this back up tomorrow. Ending day photo below. Next posting will hopefully be the finished product.

Hello....remember me?

2012-08-16T18:48:00.000-04:00

Yes, I've been MIA for WAY longer than I intended...it all starts with a lost password and a recovery e-mail address that no longer exists and long story short I'M BACK!

So diving right in I'll just start with the fact that Pinterest is a procrastinators WORST nightmare. My list of projects is piling up quicker than my paychecks are clearing the bank! My next couple of posts will include the COMPLETE upheaval of my dining room (remember it from last years blog?)...which is now lovingly referred to as the 'Dining Office', pictures of the new built in bookshelves in our family room, pictures of the holes in my children's closets (with the ambition to turn them into secret reading alcoves), some 'creatively borrowed' crates turned into inventive wall storage, AND the project on the brink of stardom..turning the former baby nursery into a guest bedroom/mini gym. Oh the projects haven't stopped....nor have any of them been completely 'finished' BUT there is great ambition still. I WILL complete these projects just as long as I can stay off of Pinterest long enough to focus my energies.

Just a quick post to let those of you who have asked recently 'Where have you been'...here I am with bigger and better projects on the horizon. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Taming of the beast

2011-05-29T09:10:00.004-04:00

After coming to the realization that my vision for the former dining room just wasn't happening and that the behemoth would unfortunately never see the protective shelter under roof in a temperature controlled environment I had to change directions. My car has been living outside in all of Mother Natures fury lately and it has made for quite a few dangerous nights under those old towering sweet gum and oak trees. Alas I came to grips with the fact that the beast would never leave the garage.. The problem is our garage, not unlike so many other families in America, is overcome with most things that do not belong in a garage. No longer are there paths to the door since they are so cluttered with bikes. toys, trash, tools, lawn equipment, furniture treasures, paint, office equipment, files and all the other random finds that never make their way back to their appropriate home and/or their appropriate home is already too overburdened to take on another ounce of junk.

Interrogator Pride

Let the cleaning commence! As with all great projects around my home this one began with someone making the floor a public restroom. It has almost become like a right of passage for any cleaning project. Last weekend it was the 'Swiper' pee on my new bookshelves as they were being assembled. Not to be outdone, the Interrogator wanted to make sure she made her mark as well.

Hubby performing his
civic duty (or doody if you ask the kids)

In our meager attempts to 'potty train' around here the Interrogator spends her weekends diaperless and/or in big girl panties. This day began like most with a double layer of Tinkerbell big girl panties and the threat to not 'tee-tee on Tinkerbell because she would be very upset'. And as typical it only took about 30 minutes before Tinkerbell was completely soaked which resulted in a 2 year old running around commando....thus the poop on the floor. Now....I know...this is not appropriate posting detail but she finds it humorous to see herself in pictures and I'm hoping (in my own twisted way) to find a means to use this one day when the appropriate situation calls for an all out embarrassment. Don't criticize...those of you with kids know exactly where I'm coming from!

The beast was finally lowered from the car jack down and feeling strong, hubby and I began the push....IT BUDGED!!! With a few twists and turns and pushes and grunts we got her into place and you know what...I just figured out why my focus has not been on this thing for a while. I think a higher power was moving me around to other areas in my life so I would eventually give up and allow the beast to stay just where it came to reside back in March. I think this is where it was meant to be all along. It is now situated between the parking area and the pathway to the door making a hallway of sorts. It allows storage on both sides - exterior side for those true garage related items. The interior side for those things usually dropped just inside the door; shoes, school papers, uniforms, hats/gloves, dog supplies.....I'm pleased, hubby is pleased and the kids just think its cool that all of their junk is in one place (for now)... This was an all day project that we will now begin day 2 of. Day 2 will be the balance of the organization so both cars can once again peacefully reside back in their respective sides of the garage. How sad is it that something so simple makes me so happy?

Those bookshelves from last posting....well, they're still there with no molding. Guess what (as if this will surprise anyone....) my molding idea ain't gonna work due to all of the existing molding already in the nook. They are extremely functional and necessary storage at this point so hmmm....how can I mask the chaos it they aren't going to give the appearance of a permanent fixture in the room? AHA!!!

Inspiration for covering the clutter

Sliding barn style door. They do make the hardware where it can be attached to the ceiling ....hmmmm....I feel another project coming one. This time, I think I'll study up and take some measurements and talk to a few experts before I go drilling into the walls again. I have always loved the idea of pocket doors but installation to an existing wall takes a construction expert from what I've been told. So...I'm not there just yet and I think this option gives me just what I need...plus, a nice punch of a bright color in there will be just lovely.

I promise I do live in the world of organized chaos. My problem is one inspired moment drives multiple inspired moments and before you know it I've got more ideas than days and tools and help to get them done. I've decided that procrastination isn't necessarily avoidance, it just may be a higher level of intelligence for those of us who seek to conquer things more fulfilling in an instant. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...

Home Sweet Home

2011-05-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

After another hiatus from the blog I'm back. 4 weeks on the road with my new job and I'm finally home where all of those glorious procrastinated projects have been patiently waiting.

I was successful in making my pilgrimage to Ikea to purchase those Billy Bookcases over the past few weeks at which point they made their home in the middle of my foyer. After flying home last night and stumbling over them on my way to bed I made up my mind to tackle that project first thing this morning.

Theses ~~bookcases~~ 'organized storage facilities' are desperately needed at this point being that the beautiful dining room that was on its way to being my decorators paradise was so abruptly uprooted and turned into a home office no so long ago. The boxes of supplies, books and computer equipment were overcoming the room and the walls were slowly closing in.

First thing this morning hubby and I started this task. All 3 of the little ones scrambling just under our feet as usual. Taking turns changing multiple diapers, two total baby bladder unloads all over the bookcases & floor, breaking up a few disagreements, feeding breakfast and snacks we were a determined pair. The cases went together like a dream and once assembled were ready to be tethered to the wall. With little ones running around there is bound to come a time where they decide to make their trek up those shelves to see just how high they can climb so you can never be too careful. The task of tethering to the wall around here always results in more holes than necessary and let today be no different. Two tethers resulted in 5 holes in our meager attempts to locate a stud. Stud finder be damned! We've got 3 different variations, none of which have ever perfected the art of actually locating a stud. Cases assembled and tethered....let the load down begin! Haven't decided yet what the look will be since today was just a rush to get them assembled and in place before the moldings are measured and cut.

You're seeing a rough draft here..the final version is yet to come. Sorry for the quality of the photo. I took beautiful clear photos with my camera but the USB cord is hidden somewhere in the mess of cords I've tried to corral into one spot. This poor dining room/office has seen better days. I'm grounded for a few weeks and with a little TLC hope to turn this into the office/dining room of my dreams. Wow have I got my work cut out for me!

What the heck just happened???

2011-05-01T21:51:00.012-04:00

It's been a week away from my thoughts...not just via my blog, via my life. The last week is a bit of a blur that hasn't really become clear just yet. A long drive to the airport for a cancelled flight that led to a long drive back home and a long drive back to the airport the following morning... a flight to Alabama and from Georgia in 24 hours...and another long drive home and here I am. Gainfully employed again I think... computers, phones, missed appointments, drives all over town to find a FedEx hub, forgotten trips to the grocery...I think I left my brain somewhere around here!

Still a mom, still a wife and still a project list a mile long....well, some things will always remain constant and it is that for which I am most grateful for. As I embarked on a new career working from home I have glorious thoughts of a clean house, laundry done and put away all in the same day, a nice hot meal to greet my family each evening and check marks down the long list of things to get done around the house...

Now, at the time our doors closed at my former place of employment, we packed our personal belongings and headed home. What I found is that over the course of 12 years I had become a bit of a pack rat in my office dwelling as well as my home life. The boxes that made their way home (via 2 car loads, 2 SUV loads and a flat bed truck load) overwhelmed the balance of the garage. The boxes of books, pictures, random samples, art, note books, pens/pencils, odds and ends were enough to fill in my significant others side of the garage making for sweet revenge from the placement of the behemoth from prior blogs (still there by the way...). I just learned the quickest way to get something done is to block hubby from getting his car in the garage because those boxes were all unloaded and spread about the interior of our home in no time.

Remember that beautiful clean slate of a dining room just a few brief blogs ago...it has now become the mess of a space that is soon to be my new home office/dining room. It needs a lot of work but I'm taking a relaxed approach this go round. Right now it is functional (not pretty) and actually a nice place away from the other living spaces in the house where I'm so easily distracted.

Ok...so it does need a ~~little~~ lot of work but hey, now that I'm home working I can actually take some time to make it that special place I want to spend most of my day in. Still on a mission to get those Billy Bookcases from Ikea and now I really need them more than ever. I feel a swell of ambition coming on....

Reflection

2011-04-21T22:33:00.000-04:00

No updates today, no new projects today, no lofty aspirations of grand decor or major construction alterations around the house...nope, today is a day of reflection. Reflection on the place I've spent the better part of the last 12 years of my life. The place I knew before I knew my husband, my children, the perils of home ownership...The place I made life long friendships that I'm grateful for everyday. The place where I always felt inspired to do great things amongst great people. The place where I actually felt I could make a difference. The place I called my home away from home.

There aren't many people in this lifetime who are fortunate enough to find passion for their work and who can honestly say they love what they do. I'm still not sure if it was the actual job or the people I loved more but know the friendships will outlast any career I may move onto in the future. I've been fortunate to have spent the last 12 years of my life being surrounded by inspiring people from all walks of life and it all started with a random interview set up for me by an employment agency...an interview I wasn't very excited about at a company, that from the outside, looked like something out of a bad 70's horror film where monsters come and attack from dark gloomy corners of a worn down warehouse. An interview I begrudgingly went to only because my mom was in town and she thought it would be a good idea. Today,12 years later, many mergers and acquisitions later and I listened as we were told the doors will close for good. The fat lady had been warming up her voice for a while now and today she finally sang her swan song. The past 2 years has been such a struggle but one from which I have grown professionally, emotionally and personally. I have no regrets other than the fact that I didn't have the foresight to have banked all of my money so I could swoop in and start my own company with the talented people I've worked along side for so long now. Any takers out there looking to make an investment in a minority/woman owned company???

I'm one of the lucky ones. I have my family and friends to fall back on and even a few industry insiders checking in to see what my plans for the future are. The future is bright my friends and I'm open to the world of possibilities in front of me. Where the doors at Russ Berrie may have closed, the doors to the rest of my life just opened and WOW is it bright outside!!!

If the shoe fits...

2011-04-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

Today I hit the wall of irony in all its guts and glory. I was granted an unplanned, unexpected and unpaid day off from work today. I can't say I was saddened by this but more elated at the opportunity to have a day to myself alone with my projects. I had visions of painted furniture, dusted baseboards and weeded flower beds dancing through my head from the moment I was given this gift. Yes, I am trying to put a positive spin on what was otherwise a miserable run in with the great depression our economy is in the midst of. Oh well...remember, making grape juice out of lemons...

I bound out of bed today ready to start a list longer than there are hours in the day. Top-o-the-list was going to be the grand finish of the behemoth who is still making it's presence known on my side of the garage. Last we left it I set the goal to get it primed and ready to paint. Since that time it is approximately 80% of the way primed only because my hand cramped up in such a miserable crippled position I couldn't hold the brush any longer. For the past two weeks I've had great intentions of getting back to it but every time I'd pass by the beast I swore it was getting bigger. Today when we came face to face with one another I realized it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me ...the beast was getting bigger, just not in the traditional sense. Question: How many of you have a treadmill in your home? And how many of you have found the treadmill of great use as a storage fixture rather than a piece of exercise equipment? I submit to the jury Exhibits A & B:

Exhibit B

Exhibit A

Do you see anything that looks out of place? This not a trick question - there are boxes piled all on one side and junk strewn all over the top. No time or patience to tackle it at the moment so I'm going to go out to clear my head. These days the best place I can find to clear my head is the hardware store. This time I opted for Home Depot (still giving the Lowe's folks more time to forget the last show our family put on). Trip tally:

3 Cans of spray on primer

6 Cans of flat black spray paint

1 spray paint can trigger to prevent finger cramps

2 face masks to prevent inhaling too many fumes

1 circular saw....again, no this is not for my husband. I'd always wanted one and borrowed one enough times that the time had come to get my own...what the heck right? WHOHOOO, power tools make me feel powerful!!! Figured I'm just gearing up for my next home improvement project...just wait, you won't believe me when I tell you about that one!!! It involves making large holes in walls where there aren't any at present.

Back home (only because the Habitat Restore, The Mall and Home Goods weren't open yet) and back face to face with the beast. Still not motivated to clear all the crap out of it so I can get back to painting... Hmm, on my trip up the driveway it occurred to me that our lawn could use a good mow. Quick call to hubby, cliff notes on starting up the riding mower and I'm in business....well, was in business for a while until one of the biggest logs in our yard (covered by a mass of grass camouflaging it) decided to make its presence known. Do you know that if you try and mow over a log with a riding mower the darned thing will just stop dead in it's tracks and shut right off? Well I sure didn't, just thought those big tires would roll right over the 'big stick'. Mower off and back in neutral I hop off to take stock of the damage. Log appears to be the width of the mower and about 4" in diameter and wedged firmly under mower somewhere between the body and the blade. Thank goodness for great neighbors as I was just about to try and roll the thing back into the garage and plead ignorance when hubby needed to use it next. 20 minutes later log is dislodged and I've lost motivation to finish the lawn and decided the time has come to attack the overgrown weeds and monkey grass with the weed eater.

The weed eater is not the friendliest of lawn machines. I think I ripped my shoulder out of socket trying to get the thing started. Finally gave up, called hubby for another round of cliff notes and with a few more yanks of the cord we have start up SUCCESS! I'm off to attack everything in my path..obliterating the monkey grass (you can't kill the stuff), eating the weeds down to the dirt (good idea to wear long pants and safety goggles for this kind of action) and attempting to eat down some rogue trees that have appeared out of no where in my Iris and Gladiola beds. Weeds, rocks, dirt and sticks flying everywhere...I'm in the middle of a blur of nature when the weed eater just gives out. Did you know that trying to take out trees with a weed eater will eat your weed eater line up to nothing? Take it apart, pull some line out, put it back together and try to start up where I left off...25 pulls later and the darned thing won't start back up!!! Done with this thing!!!

Back to the garage, the beast staring me down at this point I decide I'm still not ready. Spend the next 3 hours organizing the tools, screws, nails and outdoor toys. Start a grand pile for Goodwill, recycle and the dump. Crank up the shop vac to do one of my favorite activities (vacuuming) and before you know it...it is 5 o'clock and hubby will be home with kids any moment now.

I did accomplish a lot today...the irony of those accomplishments are that none have anything to do with my main objective for the day. Finish the behemoth. I managed to spend almost 12 hours in the presence of the beast never giving it more than a glance and the cold shoulder. ~~Avoidance~~ Procrastination in it's rawest form. Friday - Friday is D-Day for the beast. I have all the tools and will have extra hands (everyone is off work/out of school) so I have no more excuses. The darned thing has started haunting me in my sleep so something has to be done. I'm figuring this procrastination thing likely has a 12 step program I need to look into. Admitting you have a problem has to be step one right? I am a PROCRASTINATOR. That shoe fits and I appear to still be wearing it.

Grape Juice Reflection

2011-04-18T22:01:00.005-04:00

And how about the face lift I got??? No, not the real deal (at least not yet…wink wink). I’m talking about the new blog look that is so appropriate I’m at a loss for words. Don’t laugh (that goes for you Uncle Favorite since you did remind me that my blogs were like mini-novels). Thanks to my baby sis for being such a creative inspiration in my life (and for making me a free logo!!!). Check her out at
http://mwj-everythinginbetween.blogspot.com/

Image Source: http://www.zencollegelife.com/lemons-lemonade-and-grape-juice/

Feeling a bit melancholy at the moment and looking for inspiration. Life throws lemons at me sometimes…doesn’t hand them to me but more or less tries to knock me out with a nice violent pitch. I think it happens when I need to look the truth in the eyes and accept it. I’m looking forward to making great grape juice with the lemons from today.

While stumbling around the web for inspiration for my room that is still considered a work-in-progress I found a thought provoking post at www.marcandangel.com. It was a list of 50 questions you must ask yourself to free your mind. I narrowed it down to the top 25 and thought I’d share for those of you who are in need of a little self reflection:

Which is worse, failing or never trying?
If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?
Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
Why are you, you?
What are you most grateful for?
Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
Has your greatest fear ever come true?
Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
If not now, then when?
If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

Unintentional Sabbatical

2011-04-17T21:57:00.001-04:00

Swiper: No, that's not her
hat. If you'll notice
prior pic of Desctructo and
The Interrogator you may
recognize that hat....

Decoration detour for the last week...sometimes life takes precedence and you have to focus on those things most important...

Destructo and The Interrogator

Opening season kick off for T-ball last weekend along with first round of real games...so that weekend was dedicated to all things baseball.

Then began the week-o-illness with calls from daycare about kids with fever, multiple trips to the pediatrician and all plans to complete any kind of project by April 16 sidelined. Friday April 15 was a planned vacation day for me from my day job. What I hadn't planned for was the assistance I would get from the interrogator since she was home for day 3 with unexplained fever. Lack of sleep and lack of food didn't do either of our moods any good for the day but we pushed through it and successfully completed too many loads of laundry to count, 4 changes of bed sheets, review and retire of all kids clothes that were too small, too worn out or just too ugly...several advanced meal preps for the weekend, cupcake baking and decorating, a quick trip to the grocery and POOF...where the heck did my 'vacation' day go???

Saturday April 16 and what had I accomplished in the dining room that was to be completed by this point? Nadda, zip, zilch...other than the rug and roughly primed walls I had completed nothing. Saturday was also dual birthday celebration day for the girls celebrating a late #2 and an early #1 with extended family...

One thing I think I forgot to mention...and one of the main reasons I had set the weekend of the 15th as my target...I have invited my Bunco group (funny because we don't actually play Bunco) to mix and mingle over appetizers for the evening and had hoped to have the grand unveil.

Noon - Saturday April 16...primed walls, rug on floor and no paint color that I love. I stumbled upon an old 5 gallon bucket of paint in our garage that had been there since we moved in over 3 years ago. Opening it up I find it looks like my homemade Italian salad dressing after it has sat in the fridge a few weeks...oil on top, gunky chunky brown beneath. No paint stir stick to be had so I rounded up a ruler and went to work...I think this may be...wait....YES IT IS!!!! It is the camel color that is in my master bedroom that is one of the best neutrals I've seen AND wait...I think...YES IT DOES!!! It absolutely compliments the wheat color in my rug perfectly!!! I have a few random painting tools around, I'm still in my pajamas, my parents, sister and her husband and my nephew AND my three kids are running around like crazy but what does my heart desire? PAINT PAINT PAINT!!! With a few hours left before company arrives I go to town. Quickly rolling my way around the room leaving all trim work in hopes someone would kindly offer to do it for me. That is the one thing I despise about painting. Probably because I never have the patience to tape anything off and usually end up getting paint everywhere it shouldn't go. Down to the wire...hmmm...I think I have a small paint brush somewhere in the garage...still no offers to handle that trim so it looks like it's up to me. Brush in hand, sweat rolling down my face and time running too short for comfort (still refuse to tape off) I go to work and VOILA! Room painted and 60 minutes to spare. Still need to shower and dress, room empty but painted ...BRING ON THE CAVALRY!!! In come sis and mom to the rescue. This room needed some desperate staging.

This tall beauty arrived the night before with my folks. Nothing I love more than hand-me-down relics that add charm to any room. Fits perfectly between the two windows. The behemoth is not completed yet so all I have is an old table that belonged to my husband prior to marriage. We painted it black a year ago and began using it as our desk in the office upstairs that has since become another nursery. It's horrible but beggars can't be choosers. In it goes along with some random chairs I bought years back from World Market...just because I liked them and not because they actually went with anything I already owned or any styles I was already using in the house. Black table, brown chairs...throwing caution to the wind...

Art - thank goodness I hadn't bothered to fill in the nail holes in the wall before painting. Those nail holes served me well along with a picture hubby took prior to me removing the original installation from the walls. Kudos to my very talented art guru for bailing me out of the very first party ever thrown at my home about 1 week after we first moved in 3+ years ago. She pulled in random elements I'd collected and threw them together on my wall in a pattern I still love to this day...why rock the boat??? Check her out over at http://greenwayacre.com/

Now for that gaping recessed area that I've always found to be an odd feature in this room...toss in a hand-me-down hutch base from my grandmother (also painted black many years ago)...I see it coming together right before my eyes.... still missing the touches of 'me'. I'm no fan of void wall space and really don't care much for the current lighting but you know what, not half bad for a few hours of work.

I'll check this one off as my 'temporary' fix and call it a day! Because that recessed area has been bothersome to me since we moved in I think I stumbled upon the solution while perusing random blogs on organization the other day. Check this out:

Compliments to Maillardville Manor http://www.maillardvillemanor.com/2010/07/billy-bookcase-all-trimmed-out.html for this inspiring and cost effective solution. Can you believe these are inexpensive Bill Bookshelves from Ikea http://www.ikea.com/??? Varying widths and heights with the addition of crown molding painted to match and another VOILA moment for me! The look of built-ins without the ridiculous cost or hours of labor to measure and cut..measure and cut...measure and cut. I'll be Ikea bound by end of the week.

I've got the blues...

2011-04-06T23:56:00.000-04:00

Benjamin Moore
Hale Navy

Benjamin Moore
New Providence Navy

No silly, not the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese kind, the kind that has me loving these shades of blue paint! The darker the better! Today I made a quick trip with a pal to the local Benjamin Moore Paint Store. While there I collected every shade of blue they had on display with swings into the green and gray families just to be sure I had my bases covered. Upon arriving at home I sprawled out each swatch of color on every square inch of the rug and guess what? Not a singled darned one of them did ANYTHING to compliment the rug. I turned the overhead light on and off, table lamps on and off, adjacent room lights on and off and NADDA...not a stitch of love for any color combinations. During this process it dawned on me that the primary reason for starting in this room was because it was too dark with the hooker red walls and here I am having a great love affair with the new providence navy and hale navy swatches under foot which I don't exactly think fit into the categor of 'lighter paint colors'. I realize my problem in hunting for the perfect complimentary shade of blue is that the rug colors are so well intertwined that they change with each change in lighting (natural and man made). As the sun started setting the livelier shades began to turn dark and mysterious...still beautiful, ,don't get me wrong. Something just doesn't feel right about considering blue now that it was getting dark outside and my rug was giving off a charcoal gray vibe not to mention those shades of olive green just completely changed to brown. Hmm..I'm really in love with the idea of a blue denim finish on the walls but does denim have to be blue? For those of you who remember Captain Kangaroo I bet you'll agree, Mr. Green Jeans would answer that question with an emphatic NO! Is it the color blue and the thought of my favorite pair/s of jeans that evoke that pleasant at peace and happy feeling within me? Maybe its the earthy organic textured component that is beneath this heated desire for denim. You know, I get the same way about linen. Although I must admit that I don't own much because I hate to iron and the 'no-iron' linens just never look the same. And you know what...the technique used to create a linen look on your walls isn't that far off from the technique I would have been using for denim....

I think I've got it!

By pulling the wheat and vanilla colors from the rug in lieu of the blues AND giving the walls a linen finish instead of denim I think I'll hit 2 birds with 1 stone (speaking of birds, you'll see them in an upcoming post soon enough). Lighter color on the walls while still staying complimentary with the colors in the rug. Notice I did not say 'matching' the colors in the rug...don't care much for the matchy matchy look but also not looking to take this into the realm of Punky Brewster (sorry for those of you who missed out on the 80's). Yes, I do realize most faux paint techniques are passe and someone out there is screaming for me to get with the times but the only alternative I can think of to bring the look of texture to the walls is wallpaper..has that come back into style yet? If so someone break the news to my poor parents who've spent countless hours taking wallpaper down in too many rooms to count the last few years! I hate seams so even if it's back in fashion I'm not likely to go down that path without a pro.

Considering a linen finish should also bring back in a little formal vibe to what is, in most houses, a formal space. This bit of formal will not overrule my overall style which is about the farthest thing from formal you can imagine. I think this finish will bring in the depth, interest and texture I'm craving.

Are you keeping up with me yet?I'm actually having a hard time myself. With the injection of the new rug into my space all things color related are being revisited including the color for the behemoth - which by the way did get the first round of primer over the weekend (photos will come soon). It's getting late and I'm rambling... I'll do a quick check in over the weekend to let you know how things are progressing. Stay tuned....

Game changer...

2011-04-05T23:10:00.000-04:00

I've officially exercised my right as a woman...you know the one where we can change our minds at any time for any reason without warning?? One fateful trip to a TJ Maxx/Home Goods super store a few towns over and one inspirational rug later and I'm headed in a completely different direction than I anticipated. I'm not sure my photography skills (or lack there of) do it justice. I'm sure you are there questioning my choice in a dining room rug and asking if I realized this is more of a living room rug...the answer is yes but I can usually be found throwing caution to the wind when I get on one of my decorating whims...why stop now?

So, what is it about this particular rug that sucked me in? Maybe it is my personal affinity for all things paisley or the rich indigo blue in the background or the contrast of the pale glacier blue accents that wander aimlessly about...could be the way the great rusty reds and rich wheat browns outline the flowing paisley patterns wrapping delicately around pools of olive green and vanilla... Its like music to my eyes!

Now that the rug is right at home in the dining room that is sitting in blank canvas state at present, I can start making some final decisions. The dining room itself is divided horizontally by stark white chair rail moldings with wide base board moldings with picture frame moldings between the two...did I mention there is also stark white crown molding outlining the top of the entire room - a special thank you goes out to the prior home owners since I never mastered those corner angle cuts with my miter saw. I use to just invest in those ready made decorative corner pieces that allow you to make nothing but a straight cut and skip that whole corner angle cutting business. Yes, the miter saw is mine and not my husbands...I bought it for myself. Hubby freaks out when I bust out the power tools. I think it's because he's scared of the tools...he says he's scared of me using the tools...whatever..I still have all 10 fingers and toes and have had stitches less than 10 times in my lifetime so that makes me a pro right? Needless to say. there are lots and lots of moldings which leaves very little wall space that will actually require painting. Because the painting will be limited to the space above the chair rail molding and below the crown molding I may brave a new painting technique. Denim anyone???

If you thought denim was just for jeans, think again. What could be better than bringing the worn-in look of your favorite comfy pair of jeans to your walls?? I can think of nothing I'd love more!!!

Inspiration: Denim Painted Walls

The most common technique to achieve this look is a two layer paint process. Start with a nice pale base coat (glacier blue for me) then apply a top coat in a darker shade (mine would be the rich indigo blue from the rug's background). Then before the top coat dries you drag a “weaving” tool over the walls to give the finish a woven appearance like a real pair of jeans. I think I'll also interview a few paint counter consultants at my local Home Depot or Lowe's to see if they've any experience with the technique themselves just in case they have pointers...and this time I will make that trip alone as it looks like I'm going to need to make friends at the paint counter ...which means I won't go back to the store in Mocksville until they've had time enough to forget the incident from last Friday evening. From the instructions I've found online for this technique, it really doesn't seem that hard...famous last words right?

Color my world...

2011-04-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

And now I'm back around to paint. This time for my wall color. I've been following the suggestions to collect a variety of paint chips. I'm almost positive I own every color chip from every paint store within a 30 mile radius at this point. From experience I know to hold off on making my final choices until the theme for the room is finalized. Since paint is easy to change and one of the cheaper elements of a room I know this isn't my most urgent of decisions to make. I'm collecting ideas but ultimately waiting to make my final decision until after I select my area rug, settle on a light fixture and make sure I'm good with the fabrics I'll be employing.

My present home is a variable plethora of color. I'm not a believer in the style rule that each room should have complimentary colors that flow into one another...I'm more into the shock factor of throwing in a random color that has nothing to do with any other room in the house. I am absolutely not scared of color...just ask anyone who visited my prior home to see the vibrant purple guest room accessorized with bright orange and hot pink feathered pillows.

After the birth of my last two children, both of whom are girls, I find myself taking a step back in time to all things frilly, big brightly colored ribbons and bows, pony AND pig tails, tutu's , ruffled white socks, patent leather Mary Janes, my best friend Beauty Secret Barbie and her hunky boyfriend Sport & Shave Ken... Ahh, such pleasant times when all of my choices were made for me and I didn't realize just how good of a thing that was. So now I'm left to my own druthers and just what color am I feeling inspired to consider...PINK!!! Not pale pastel 'half-hearted' pink but BOLD magentas and HOT pinks. Why you may ask...I honestly don't know...just something I cannot seem to get enough of lately.

I did an Internet search to try and find inspiration for hot pink rooms and came up with several giving me some great ideas to think about if I go the pink route. First one I stopped to take a second look at was this great harlequin pattern...I obviously have forgotten just why there were so many expletives exchanged at my last house over wanting to have something 'differnt' on the walls than just a solid paint color...and all we did was a simple yellow and white stripe! Somehow I don't think this one will get the buy in from hubby...

Another one I really like...shocking pink! Love the pops of bright green in there...maybe I should rethink the shade of green I'm fixated on for the behemoth and reconsider something more bold... probably another tough sell to hubby but you know what...with 3 ladies in the house (both of my girls are drawn to all things pink) I think he will be outnumbered!

What do I love about this one? That tonal stencil effect on the walls is fantastic! May be a little too burlesque-boudoir looking for a room where we'll be eating a meal (albeit only twice a year).

Bold pink and brown with touches of ivory...I'm in love! Not sure how to apply this look to the dining room but will file this one away for the upstairs office...just as soon as the baby comes out of her crib. I've got a few years to go on that one but never the less...it's never too early to start planning.

Notice a trend with my inspirational pictures? None of them are dining spaces...as a matter of fact I was completely unsuccessful in finding even one inspirational dining room image to work from so maybe mine will be the first if I go this route.

In reading up about the use of pink as a wall color I did learn a couple of things #1 Steer clear of gloss finishes when painting in shades of pink. Better to go with matte, flat or even chalky finish to prevent the finish from looking too much like a piece of candy and #2 Bolder pinks are very energizing. They bubble with life and energy so they should be used in moderation. I think I'll interview a few more color schemes this week and hopefully make some decisions by the end of the week. All of the energy I've gotten from the images of pink rooms is making me tired. More decisions and the clock is ticking....

Let there be light!

2011-03-31T11:12:00.000-04:00

Disco anyone?

Probably one of the last features of the room I should be concerned with...but one that will take some real thought. I read somewhere that a successful lighting scheme, one that meets practical needs and creates atmosphere, plays an important part in establishing the style and character of a room. On the practical side, the right lighting provides illumination for day-to-day tasks. Decorative lighting helps to create an atmosphere, and should complement your color scheme and furnishings. Since I'm right in the middle of selecting a color scheme and creating some furnishings, lighting is something I'm only window shopping for at the moment. Trying to find just the right fixture to inspire the mood for the room and one that will compliment all of the other details that are swimming around in my head is going to be difficult. Not unlike my hunt for an area rug, the choices for lighting appear to be endless!!!

I stumbled upon a few beauties while perusing the web recently. I've often longed for a chandelier in my dining space... not a traditional one dripping with glass crystals draped from ornate brass arms embellished with strings and strings of beading. Just a simple one to add a vibe of girly sophistication. These styles bring together 2 elements I'm drawn to...chandelier and drum shaped shade. Decisions decisions decisions...

too contemporary?

white fabric shade + dust =
potentially more to have to
keep up with in my cleaning efforts!

Watching Paint Dry...

2011-03-28T20:20:00.000-04:00

Original 'Hooker Red' Colored Wall

Literally....watching paint dry. Because my great plans to complete the behemoth were thwarted over the weekend by Old Man Winter, I moved on to other items on my list. I had found the desire to paint (that NEVER happens) and since I could not do it outside I moved inside. Currently the the dining room is a lovely shade of 'hooker red' (thank you hubby for such a 'colorful' description). Although I had always longed for a sophisticated red dining room with lots of stark white moldings (and got that wish with this house) I didn't find the room to be inspiring enough to do anything more than cross through it on my way to the kitchen. I have been finding the red walls to be a bit of a distraction in my efforts to envision a bright inviting room. Since I was inspired to paint I thought it might be beneficial to prime over one of the walls so I'd be working from a semi-blank canvas.

Primed Wall

OK - so that didn't really help and I ran out of time to finish even one wall before life and family came a calling. No matter. The intention was just to take the bold red out of my immediate vision so I could consider alternative color options for the room. Plus...I really wasn't planning on wasting time priming the entire room since two great friends have now informed me of the wondrous covering powers possessed by The Home Depots' BEHR Premium Plus Ultra® paint. It is is the only #1 rated paint and primer-in-one...at least that's what they say on their website.

Onto the next element in the room...one that doesn't involve paint. The floor. Presently the room has beautiful satin finished wood floors in mint condition meagerly covered by a hand-me-down oriental area rug. One rug in desperate need of a good cleanse and move to another location with less foot traffic. I've been on a mission to find a nice rug to ground my dining room since as far back as that perfectly colored cranberry coverlet that once so elegantly graced the cover of my bed...yes, remember the one that didn't survive the minor 'house fire' mentioned in an earlier blog (and yes...for those of you wondering I was able to find a more than suitable replacement at Pottery Barn outlet shortly after moving into my present abode 3 years ago). I've spent countless hours perusing discount websites (my favs www.overstock.com, www.ebay.com, www.craigslist.com), pillaging through discount stores (my favs Tuesday Morning, Big Lots, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross and the like) and also making a few uninspired trips to Goodwill and the local Habitat Restore. I've found a few looks I'm drawn to but having difficulty making a choice. I struggle with the ability to pull a room together which usually results in random purchases or acquisitions of odd and end pieces that are never united into a finished space. Those items are usually exiled to the attic or garage only to be forgotten about until we run out of storage space forcing me to purge. This time there shall be no purchase without knowing precisely what role it will play in my finished space. With that said, I'm giving a preview of those rugs that have made the cut so far. This rug decision MUST coincide with my drapery fabric selection and final wall color so it is an important one to make in a short amount of time....what a busy few weeks to go...

Shall I do bold pattern simple color....simple pattern, bold color?

How about a floral with LOTS of color?

Not even sure how to categorize these; contemporary, psychedelic, wild???

There are many things to consider when choosing an area rug. The first of which is what size is appropriate for the space you are looking to fill. One rule of thumb is that you should allow 18-36" from edges of rug to wall to create a pleasant border space so the rug doesn't over or underwhelm the room. For a dining room you should also consider the shape of any furniture that may be on top. In my case the room itself is approximately 13" x 11" and the behemoth that will soon become my 'table' is a rectangle. For this space I will be selecting a rug that is rectangle in shape no larger than 8'x10' and no smaller than 7'x9'.

Second thing to consider is the material of the rug you are considering. All materials will require different levels of care so it is important to take note of how much time and effort you can put into caring for a rug before making a purchase. I have learned that handmade and/or wool rugs may need more delicate handling than a machine-made synthetic rugs....some even requiring a shake to clean and special spot treatment for stains. Knowing I haven't much time for anything beyond work and childcare at this stage of my life I'm looking for little to no care requirements outside of a quick run of the vacuum. There isn't much that gets 'delicate' handling with 3 kid ages 5 and under running around this house!

Hoping for a flash of inspiration to help make this decision easier than it seems at present...stay tuned. Until next time...

2011-03-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

After a long…VERY LONG…work week I started the next stages of the behemoth project on Friday night with what I hoped would be a quick trip to Lowe’s. After 3 children I should have learned there is no such thing as a ‘quick trip’ anywhere…while I’m at this spot in the story I think the following must be said:

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE PEOPLE OF MOCKSVILLE, NC WHO WITNESSED THE PERFORMANCE OF MY LOVELY 2 YEAR OLD AT LOWE’S HOME IMPROVEMENTS ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

What is it in the mind of a 2 year old that causes tantrums of magnificent proportion at the most inopportune times while in a public place for absolutely no reason at all???

Friday night, armed with a slab of the behemoth and an idea in my mind, I visited the paint counter where a not so talkative and extremely busy looking (although I was the only one at the counter) Lowe’s employee looked upon me with annoyed eyes and greeted me with a very hesitant ‘May I help you?’ Maybe it had something to do with the fact I had ‘The Interrogator’ draped over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes or the fact that my own husband had the other two crazies corralled into a shopping buggy and he, himself, was trying to get away from me. I was on a mission and nothing, not even a screeching flailing 2 year old, was going to stop me! I showed him my slab in the hopes that he would inform me no stripping, no sanding and no prepping would be necessary and I could just stain away ‘til the cows come home. I did learn the behemoth is made of solid oak (explains why it was heavy enough to cause a hernia) and that is only has 1 thin coat of stain at present with no sealer or polyurethane on top. With a bit of surface cleaning and maybe a light sanding with the Mouse Sander I’d be in business. I selected a water based Minwax stain in a color called ‘Green Tee’. It was a very subtle earthy green I thought would be a great neutral in the dining room. Mix her up and ready to go…but wait…here we go again with yet another meltdown by ‘The Interrogator’. This time I broke out the camera to video her in action. This little angel from birthday picture not 24 hours earlier...remember the one with the tutu and hair bows...she had now evolved into the devil right before my (and everyone else in the store) eyes! My husband tells me this is called 'exploiting my children'. I call it future evidence and blackmail for those dreaded teenage years. Just as soon as I can figure out how to edit the size of that video and get it off of my Blackberry you shall bear witness to the incident for yourself.

Left Side: Untouched
Right Side: Green Tea colored
Minwax waterbased stain over
lightly sanded surface

Saturday came…hubby off to work weekend tax hours and I’m home with the little monsters watching them destroy my house in slow motion. During these hours on Saturdays I find it to be wasted energy to even try something productive around the house so I use this time to think about my master plan for the dining room while making sure ‘Swiper’ doesn’t swipe and ingest something toxic and ‘Destructo’ doesn’t create the next great disaster of epic proportion in any room of our house. I end up spending most of my day dodging the never ending inquiries from ‘The Interrogator’ who feels the need to know the meaning behind each and every breath, blink, sign and movement I have through out the day. That evening I broke out the ‘green tea’ colored stain. In the can it is eerily reminiscent of a pair of fluorescent green socks and matching scrunchie I once had in the 80's. I employed 2 slabs of the behemoth; one lightly sanded and the other wiped clean to see which would have the best reaction to the new stain. With a few brush strokes of the new green stain I quickly knew I didn’t LOVE this color. It rivals the color of green grass in the spring after a nice soaking rain. Pretty in a picture but not on a piece of furniture. Definitely not the subtle neutral green color I was going for. There goes the first $10 ~~spent~~ wasted on this project and my master plan to make quick work of the beast….ahhh…but I DO have a plan B. One I had hoped to not need. Although I LOVE painting I hate the prep work that goes into doing it the right way. I’ve spent a great amount of time searching on the Internet for the finish I was going for and found exactly what I was looking for. By the looks of it Plan B is going to take much longer than a weekend to complete.

Inspiration for the finished product

This morning I had great intentions of priming the entire beast and continuing to hunt down details of the green beauty within (need to find out just what color paints were used so I make mine an exact replica) but alas Old Man Winter just cannot let it go. It's a balmy 36 degrees now and according to the directions of use on my Kilz Primer can I should only use the product when the air temperature is between 50-90 degrees...FOILED AGAIN! Not making excuses this time...actually trying to follow directions ...proof is below. I guess that works because now I'm forced to actually do the real prep work I loathe. Here I come Mouse Sander and Vinegar (remember...a great surface cleaner). I shall prepare the beast for what will soon be several rounds of intense paint sessions.

Working on the beast during the week likely won’t happen until after tax season so I'm left to my weekends only. That's ok...as I dig more into the details of the forthcoming paint project I can focus on a few other details that require no initial physical/manual labor. Flooring and Lighting next on the list.... My goal for this entire dining room redo project is completion by April 16. Lofty right? Time is a ticking...I’ll keep you updated with each step forward. Until next time…

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2011-03-24T17:25:00.000-04:00

Short post for today because I've got more important business to handle this evening...and as my sister pointed out today my posts are WAY too long for the average person to stay focused on...I've added that to the list of things to work on. Today is the 'Interrogators' 2nd birthday and I'm off to "Old McDonalds" (that would be the home of Ronald McDonald for those of you unfamiliar with the world in the mind of children) followed by an intimate cake and ice cream ceremony at home. I'll share the transformation of the birthday girl just out of bed (looking eerily like a Nick Nolte mug shot) into the beautiful birthday princess...she picked the outfit out herself...what a little DIVA!

Must be the hair???

Transformation Complete!

Meet the 'Behemoth'

2011-03-23T22:20:00.002-04:00

Meet the 'Behemoth'

BEHEMOTH : something of monstrous size, power, or appearance…I can’t think of a better name for the monstrosity that has taken up residence inside of the garage in the place where my car usually resides. There are two sides to our garage: mine and his. When not parked in the garage our vehicles are subjected to the perils of mother nature…rain, snow, sleet, hail, pollen, bird crap…you name it and it is likely to have fallen on my own car sometime in the past year. Just since the behemoth came home, I know of at least 3 birds who are using my car as their personal toilet! Somehow I think the intentional placement of the beast on my side of the garage is hubby’s way of forcing me to address the problem I have with bringing home strays. Not strays in the typical sense, you see, this stray is one heck of a brainchild that came to me during inspired moment recently.

Back up to where this behemoth originated….About a year ago a local department store in a mall closed its doors and offered up their floor displays (you know…the ones with dress shirts and sweaters) to anyone with a truck large enough to tote them off. A few fellow coworkers made the pilgrimage to the mall, confiscated those displays they thought could be of use in our line of work and away they went. I’m still not quite positive how they got them loaded onto the rented flat bed truck but do recall it taking a forklift to get them unloaded into the warehouse located on the backside of our offices at the time.

Over the last year our employer, not unlike many in these tough economic times, had several rounds of lay offs resulting in very few staff left in a far too oversized office. Just recently the decision was made to downsize to a smaller place…a smaller place without the advantage of a warehouse for storage. As we packed up the office those humongous displays loomed over us begging for a decision to stay or go. Knowing we had no room to house them, we unloaded as much as we could to a local used office supply company deciding to donate the last standing soldier they wouldn’t take to whatever organization was willing to come pick it up. Over the course of a few days as we talked about contacting our local Habitat store my thoughts kept circling back to that lonely display and what I could possibly find to do with it. I just couldn’t bear the thought of it ending up being treated as salvage goods with the potential to be demolished down to spare parts. I made the decision to bring it home and repurpose it into something grand. Logistics and planning aside this baby was mine. I announced this plan to a friend who made arrangements to have it loaded onto his truck (with a forklift mind you) and delivered to my house. I eyeballed it thinking it wasn’t that big and surely would be a quick and easy move into whatever spot it would soon lovingly call home. I arrived home to find it parked inside of our garage in my spot.

Later that same week I was thinking the time had come to begin a rework on my dining room. I suddenly had that ‘flash of inspiration’ I’d been waiting for when bringing the beast home to my garage…the behemoth would become my new dining room table. I’ve long searched for the perfect table for that room never finding anything that I loved enough to spend money on or time on to repurpose. Remember, this is the must have separate dining room that gets used about twice a year for it’s named purpose…the rest of the time it serves as the kids toy box and our dump and run room…you’ve all got one of those, right? That room where everything gets dropped off never to make it to the proper destination. It’s like an out in the open junk drawer that you cannot close and hide. This beast would soon be transformed into the envy of the neighborhood because not only would it make a great dining table but a multi-purpose one as well. This thing was large enough and functional enough to transform my dining room into a clean mean storage machine for all things toy, dining and/or office related.

Sliding divided drawer
in position

Sliding divided drawer
out position

First course of action was to slide it into the center of the garage so I might get my car in. Parking in the garage is important this time of year, especially with 3 kids, being that there are threats of violent thunderstorms and tornados on a weekly basis. I made the first attempt all by myself and pulled every muscle from my neck to my ankles. I waited a few days to heal up and then employed hubby to help. Surely the two of us could at least slide the beast over just enough to make some extra room. With a few grunts and groans from me and multiple expletives from hubby the beast didn’t budge. Ok…I have the solution….lets remove the cubbies that slide in and out like drawers to lighten the load and THEN it will slide with ease. Drawer # 1-4 out in a flash…Drawer 5-8 too low to the ground to get my screwdriver under and release so looks like we’re going to have to find a way to raise the beast up. By this time I could see the annoyance written all over hubby’s face. ”Lets lift from the bottom…. On the count of three…One, two, threeeeeee”…OH LORD!!! I think hubby just busted a blood vessel in his head from straining…OH CRAP!!!…I just re-injured the same muscles previously strained during my solitary attempt to move this dang thing…don’t let it show, don’t let it show….wince, wince, wince…suck it up…tough it out….don’t cry, don’t cry…. Had I shown the least bit of defeat or pain on my face it would have been all over then and there…hubby would have called in forces to remove and destroy what he had deemed ‘the HUNK-O-JUNK’. Now what??? Ahhh…I have a jack in my car for those flat tire occasions…never used it myself but it’s there and I’m sure we can figure it out…we…wait, where did hubby disappear to? Oh well, I’ve got work to be done and the beast will NOT defeat me today. After approximately 1 hour of maneuvering that jack under the beast and getting it up off the ground high enough to remove drawer 6 & 7 it occurred to me that if we were having this much trouble lifting this thing with most of the drawers removed how the heck were we going to get it up the deck stairs and down the length of the house through the French doors (because those are the only ones wide enough for this thing to fit through) and into the dining room…and CRAP…was our floor even supported enough to handle the weight of this thing??? Yes…the things I should have thought of BEFORE having this brought to my house and into my garage where it might never leave….

And that, my friends, is where this story typically ends. You see…normally you would be able to visit me a year from now and find the behemoth in exactly the same spot it was delivered to a few weeks back Never fear though…You would quickly be advised the project is on that mythical list of things I plan to do when I find time. I began working through the actual logistics earlier this week so I could formulate a plan by the weekend. Those logistics began with a few quick measurements which helped me determine if the fella will actually fit in the room…thank GOODNESS it will…I’d have never heard the end of it. I’ve even started looking at paint colors to try and give it a little character. Eventually I will need to make a top for it so it can actually serve as a table with storage beneath…then find chairs high enough to sit in and eat or learn to build risers for my current chairs, then those chairs would need to be covered…oh, and don’t forget new curtains and that rug (still #76 on the list)…all of this is making me tired which is exactly what typically happens when I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

The biggest part of this blog process for me is finishing precisely these sorts of projects one at a time before being distracted into starting something else. Publicly vowing to see this through is a great starting point. I’ll post a progress report by the end of the weekend. Wish me luck. Until next time….

Special Request: Regression - Digression

2011-03-22T23:08:00.000-04:00

This posting is an absolute regression on my part - a digression on the part of the one who made the request of me today on my drive home from work as it has absolutely nothing to do with the intention of this blog but possibly everything to do with how I arrived at this place in my life. Laying the groundwork for the relationship I have with my husband was something this person felt needed to be done so you get a good picture of the man I married...or as she put it...the man who married me. You see, I married the most wonderful, caring, loving, generous best friend a person could ever hope for in one lifetime. He's been the greatest partner and most wonderful father anyone could imagine. How'd I find him you may ask??? Cliff notes...blind date I wasn't aware I was on, a few too many adult beverages during a time in my life when I considered myself to be a bit too much of a free spirit and BAM...away we went...marriage, home ownership, babies and all the fun that goes along with building a life with the person you love. You see, for anyone who has known me at any stage in this life and not yet had the privilege of meeting this wonderful man I can tell you he is NOT what anyone would have pictured me with. I say this with confidence since it's been told to me before by long time friends who know me good and bad. He is extremely conservative and reserved, somewhat shy and awkward in social situations, not much of a talker, a maniacal planner..so much so that he even scheduled the shopping date for my engagement ring with written notice in his day planner ..he also made a note on the day he was picking the ring up and dared to leave said planner out in broad sight...well, sort of in broad sight...ok, so it was closed and YES I was being nosey. Our list of differences is so long that soon after marriage I realized we are the epitome of polar opposites...and that is what makes this so much fun.

Now that I've given a glimpse of him I'll share this story...the one that for some reason is still stuck in the mind of one longtime faithful friend so much so that she told me to put it in writing because by the time my children were old enough to appreciate the story I'd be too damned old to remember it. I've told it many times over the years so forgive me for those of you who have heard it so many times it bores you to tears...I'll tell you who you can blame at a later date since she too, will become a character in this blog of life. With that said here goes...

During our first year of wedded bliss we became home owners and there begins the journey to the never ending list of hobbies and projects. We'd lived in our house through spring, summer and fall and then winter was upon us. I'd spent the better part of those first months of home ownership making that house our home. Painting, Decorating, Furniture and all of the other elements I hoped would make my house magazine ready. During our engagement and through these first few months of marriage I set my sights on starting my master bedroom decorating foundation with a cranberry colored quilt. I searched high and low for just the right color quilt only to be fortunate enough to score one during a random trip to Tuesday Morning. Quilt and pillow shams to match. I carried my treasure home, laundered it and immediately dressed the bed. It was BEAUTIFUL and just the perfect shade of red to set off the rest of the room. Curtains were custom made, paint shade picked out to compliment and a full bedroom suit to round out the finished product. All built around that perfect quilt I was so fortunate to stumble upon.

That year Old Man Winter brought with him several bouts of snow and ice which resulted in several rounds of lost power at our house. Most of the time it was just a few hours but on one bitter cold evening we arrived home from a full day of work only to find the power had been out all day. This immediately set hubby on a downward spiral towards 'Angry Man Land'. Rather than stew about it at the house we decided to go out for diner and hoped the power would be back on by the time we returned. As fate would have it we returned to a completely cold and dark house...not only that but with a quick cell phone call to the local power company we learned the power would not be back on for at least 72 hours. I think hubby was so discombobulated by that point he had to just walk away. He headed upstairs for the bathroom (one too many chicken wings) telling me not to get carried away with the lighting of the candles around the house. I decided to stay in the bedroom and focus on our comfort for the night. In our bedroom alone I think we were in the neighborhood of 12 different styles of candle, 3 of which were on my bedside table and those are the 3 I lit first. After those were lit it occurred to me that I too needed to visit the potty...rather than take the long way around the bed to the bathroom I decided to dive over the bed for a more direct route. As I dove my foot must have caught the corner of that beautiful cranberry quilt that had so elegantly graced the surface of our king sized bed without me noticing. I went about my business only to return moments later to see my side of the bed engulfed in flames. Remember, hubby at this time was off to angry angry land in the upstairs bathroom and I knew this would just send him over the edge. All I could think to do was 'Stop-Drop-Roll'...and there the madness began. I dove on the flames not realizing I, myself, was wearing an extremely flammable fleece pull over which instantaneously caught fire as well. Flailing about like a fish I had absolutely no regard for my own safety but was much more concerned with the stroke hubby was going to have if he actually saw this madness taking place. As the flames were extinguished (yes...that stop, drop and roll deal really does work) I stood up only to see a plume of smoke overhead. At this point I had been the fastest and quietest woman on fire you could imagine. I had already pulled the coverlet off the surface of the bed and crammed it under the bed, stripped myself of that burned fleece cramming it under the bed as well and covered the burned holes in the carpet from the hot embers that got loose so there would be no evidence of what had just taken place...and now...that plume of smoke was moving faster than I and headed straight towards the smoke detectors that had, up until this point, not made a peep. The only thing close to me I could use in hopes of dispersing that smoke was a pillow. I sped over to the smoke detectors, pillow in hand waiving it around like a crazy person but it was too late. I quickly learned that once one smoke detector was set off in our house it caused a chain reaction and every single detector in the house, including the one directly outside of the bathroom door upstairs, where hubby had been hunkered down for quite some time now. Over the screeching of the alarms I heard a thunder rolling down the stairs and could only envision my sweet hubby having a heart attack and falling down the stairs to his doom...he didn't fall, he actually ran fearing the worst only to find me still flailing about like an idiot trying to get the smoke away from the detector so the noise would just stop. I hadn't even had time to come up with a good cover up yet and he starts in on me... 'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON DOWN HERE'...I was genuinely scared for the man as he is a bit melodramatic when it comes to minor 'incidents' around the house...he very quickly took stock of the room and put the pieces together himself (one minor detail I forgot in my haste to hide the evidence...I left all those damned candles burning not thinking once to blow even one of them out). The next statement from his mouth was (sans most of the expletives) 'YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF THE DOG'...I, in all of my own drama, was already on the verge of tears and the mere thought of that poor creature probably huddled in a corner or under a bed somewhere literally scared to death was more than I could handle. My response was 'Don't say that, it's just mean and I didn't mean to do it'...to which he replied...'NO, YOU LITERALLY SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF THE DOG...HE SHIT RIGHT ON THE FLOOR BESIDE ME THE MINUTE THE ALARMS STARTED GOING OFF AND I"M NOT CLEANING IT UP!!'. To this day that dog still isn't right and cowers at any noise above a whisper...and hubby; well let’s just say I'd be willing to bet he's got the fire chief on speed dial.

So, the two of us...polar opposites. He: A diligent planner who gets bent out of shape when things don't go according to plan. He: A list maker who actually checks things off of his list when they are completed. He: the one having to cut holes in the walls to make more storage so we can house all of the supplies I've collected each time I get on a whim. Me: plan, what plan? Me: I have a list around here somewhere it just never seems to make it with me when the time comes to take action. Me: hmmm, today sounds like a good day to paint and make some new curtains but wait, I just saw a picture of a dress I think I can make myself... ohhh, wait...look what I just got on sale and saved a ton of money (I learned that works well when trying to sell an accountant on why I keep spending money)...no matter my son wears a size 5 and the jacket is a size 10...he'll grow into it right???

I'm not real sure what the story above has to do with where I am today but I'm allowing those around me to educate me on myself in hopes I get to the root of why I never seem to be able to stay focused long enough to see things through. I think the request for me to tell the above story was meant to show me how I have a tendency to lose focus on those things that are kind of important...like making sure I don't burn the house down and give my husband a stroke in the process. Until next time....

Where did the time go....

2011-03-21T16:08:00.003-04:00

Weekend tally:
1. 14 loads of laundry - 12 of which are hanging in appropriate closets or folded in appropriate dressers, 1 of which is folded in a basket to be put away (here is where most of the laundry usually gets stuck), and 1 of which is presently in the dryer for round 2 (takes about 1 1/2 full drying cycles to get them dried to perfection...yes, I'm desperately in need of a new washer and dryer).
2. 3 loads of dishes and a 4th started this morning before work
3. 4 rounds of vacuuming tackeled but this is a task that never is complete when you have children...and a husband who snacks in every room of the house BUT the kitchen and never notices the Hansel & Grettle like trail of crumbs he leaves everywhere he goes.

Still not yet completed:
1. Bathrooms
2. Windows & baseboards
3. Kitchen counter tops
4. Delivery of purged items to Goodwill (those are blocking my kitchen walkway intentionally so they'll be toted off...that or they'll just been maneuvered off to the side so we can get in and out like most other obstructions in the kitchen usually are)

As I finally gave my public notice of the great intention to clean the 1st floor of the house in 48 hours alas I can say I've had minimal success...I didn't win this one, not by a long shot...but I had success. Friday was a wash since I spent the time shopping for supplies with great intention of putting them all to good use. Saturday...also a wash since I spent the better part of the day writing and talking about what I was going to do. Saturday evening went to dinner with a group of fabulous women. One of them overheard my ambitious cleanse and purge plans (not having started anything at that point) and pointed out that I appeared to still be...dare I say it...."PROCRASTINATING"...and you know what??? I absolutely was.

Sunday morning came and I attacked with vengence. Before any good cleanse can commence, total destruction has to take place. WOW did I have the perfect crew for that part of the process (refer to those innocent images from Day 1 of this blog) but add a husband in the mix. By 9 AM the entire ground floor of the house was an absolute wreck! So much worse than the day before but this is what happens each year about this time. Between tax season and these darned basketball brackets getting good help isn't easy. Around 9:15 AM my husband disappeared into the garage where he went to clean his car out....CLEAN HIS CAR OUT!!! Little good that did to touch the disaster on the inside of the house but at least I was one crumb dropper down...only 3 to go. 2 of the 3 actually understood the goal for the day was to clean the house...the 3rd one was too busy eating dog food from the dogs bowl in the kitchen to notice the rest of us (it's all natural food so don't freak out on me...and no, I didn't stop her, only moved the bowl out of reach...sad what happens by the time you get to child#3 isn't it???). Dirt be damned...here I come!

I began this cleaning journey with mop in one hand and vinegar in the other...Not because mopping makes sense as the first course of business, but because 'The Interrogator' had a list of her own. You see, no one advised me that Sunday was 'Commando' day at my house. The Interrogator isn't quite potty trained...ok if we're being honest, she's not trained at all thus we ended up starting the day with the mop. Vinegar, for those of you who aren't familiar, is the cure all for many home cleaning woes (pee on floor ESPECIALLY...dogs, humans no matter). When someone suggested I use it around the house all I could say was 'Why would I use something I eat on a salad on my floors and surfaces'...then I thought why not? I mean if it's good for the body it's got to be good for other things. In my research I learned that vinegars are made from the fermentation of alcohol products, such as red wine, rice wine and apple cider. The finished product is actually an acidic liquid that can be used as everything from a salad dressing to a hard wood cleanser. Stick with the white kind as it has no color thus it cannot stain. It is a GREAT disinfectant and deodorizer for surfaces but DO NOT use on marble or tile with grout. When mixed 1 part water 1 part vinegar you can clean bathtubs & showers, toilet (poor undiluted vinegar in the toilet to get rid of toilet ring). It's also good to get rid of soap scum and hard water stains. I've been told to use vinegar as a fabric softener (haven't tried this one just yet). Its supposed to be great for families with sensitive skin. The instruction for use with laundry is to add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. The added benefit to laundry use is that vinegar breaks down detergent residue that doesn't always get completely rinsed from clothes before they are dried. Enough about vinegar... today that vinegar was for the pee pool on my kitchen floor and before long it, and the smell, were things of the past.

In our kitchen adventures I learned something valuable. My husband does not know the difference in a nice clean crisp white monogrammed handtowel/wash cloth and a basic nasty kitchen rag! I cannot criticize else risk getting no more help putting the laundry away...he meant well. After arming each participant with a rag of their own we decided to work on the inside of the microwave and then to tackle the dishes. First comes role call: Destructo...check, The Interrogator...check, mom...check... Dad, lost somewhere in the garage....WHERE THE HECK WAS THE BABY??? Ahhh...climbed into the dogs cage and playing quietly...why disturb her...don't give a second thought to what it would look like to an outsider and move on. Open all dishwashers to asses the damage...all full to the gills but not washed...see, we have a septic tank at our house. My husband has a great fear of 'overloading' it by running our appliances all at once so his solution is to just not run them at all. Actually, I think he has a great fear of water in general...probably stems from the pseudo-flood we had at our prior house in the basement after a hard rain but who knows....this will NOT slow me down. With 2 kids and myself staged to press the 'On' button on the count of 3 here we go....all 3 dishwashers at once...not only that but I threw in a load of laundry to boot. Septic tank be damned!

Now, you're probably asking yourself what the heck does anyone need 3 dishwashers for??? I too ask myself that question everytime I notice we've filled all 3 up and are pulling out dishes on an as needed basis rather than putting them away so we have an empty dishwasher to fill once again. See, when we purchased the house the prior owners put a lot of time and effort into renovating the kitchen into a major showplace. It is actually the reason I fell in love with the house the first time I set foot inside. What they don't tell you about all of these modern conveniences in kitchens with multiple appliances is that it is just more to clean AND, with 3 dishwashers I'm allowed to prolong the inevitable...in my case the inevitable is putting the dishes away. Something tragic must have happened in my childhood that causes me to develop full on physical symptoms just at the thought of cleaning out the dishwasher...it starts with a headache, the sweats and the shakes to the point where I have to sit down just to stabilize myself... my sister suffers from the same affliction....seriously, she does just ask her husband.

12 PM - Out of the kitchen and into the den, where I spent most of the day. It really should be called the 'Family Closet' since it is the home to all of the wayward laundry that never makes it to the appropriate home in the bedroom closets or dressers. Not today my friends...today all laundry has been banished to its appropriate abode! Around 5 PM last night when I was still folding laundry I had a terrible case of dejavu with a cute little pair of pink polka-dot leggings. I felt like I'd folded these leggings recently.... WAIT...I DID just fold these about 30 minutes ago...and the shirts and pajamas beneath them. I finally realized I had been living in a permanent state of 'Groundhog Day' for the last few hours of my folding adventures (sorry for those of you who haven't seen the movie as that will make absolutely no sense at all). I literally sat and folded the same few loads of laundry multiple times and only realized what had been happening when I got up for a bathroom break taking my time to look back into the room as I exited. What I witnessed was 'The Interrogator' (obsessed with clothes at the age of 2) pillaging through that freshly folded pile of her brothers clothing to find the perfect pieces to play dress up with. I did get a little tickeld when she placed boxer shorts waistband around her head with leg openings facing up and turn herself into the 'Eater Bundy' (phonetic spelling of what she said). After a good laugh I can check this one off the list....Laundry done - clothes baskets hidden. I have found that if I leave the clothes in the baskets after they're folded they end up being used just like the dishes...on an as needed basis straight from the basket which ultimately results in them never being put away! Solving that problem today by making baskets disappear until the next time they are needed for unloading the dryer.

7 PM Dining Room - otherwise known as the ground floor toy box! The dining room is a room I felt MUST be a separate room in any house I own. I have absolutely no idea why since we may eat in it 2 days out of the entire year but that is beside the point. It serves multiple purposes for us:
1. Toy Room
2. Craft Room
3. Semi-Office
4. Storage - becuase of it's location just beside the staircase it ends up becoming home for those things we're too darned lazy to carry up the stairs
5. Catch all for those things we just don't know where to put

Toys make up about 90% of the room anymore. Even with my obsession for plastic storage bins (that way everything has a home right??) everything still ends up everywhere!!! With the resurrection of some long stored storage bins (empty ones), a few rolling carts and a LARGE box labeled 'Goodwill' I started in on this disaster. Storage bins make quick work out of this room and next thing you know I can actually see the floor...GROSS!!! What is that on the floor...hmmm...looks like....yes, it is was a banana. Hmm...haven't bought bananas in about a month...EWWWW what is that under the table??? Ahhh...and there's the peel in a state of rigor mortis. Well, at least someone was eating healthy that day but the rug has seen better days. Item# 76 on the 'To-Do' list...find a new rug!

9:30PM - my body can take no more bending and crawling around on the floor so I dive in to the final round of vacuuming. This time it's under the couches, under the cabinets, under the tables and under the couch cushions...advice, if you haven't been there and you have kids and/or a husband who likes to snack on your couches just don't go there!!! I end the evening with a photo of my vacuum treasures.... nail file, 2 Nintendo DS games, 2 socks, 1 fabric coaster, a few army men and dinosaur figurines, a Ziplock snack baggie, a Matchbox car, a piece to a sippy cup, a Bakugan ball and some orange weapon thingie that goes to a Batman something or another belonging to my son...matter of fact, most of these vacuum delights belong to him.... good old Dyson. Takes a lickin and keeps on kickin!!!

I leave you with a photo of what was on my deck this morning when I left the house as this incident will play a large role in future blogs... it is a grill tool set in precisely the same spot it was in late yesterday afternoon when it was actually being used to prepare our dinner....until next time....

A mere 48 hours

2011-03-19T17:00:00.001-04:00

Today is the first of what I hope will be many innaugural events that leads to actual state of the 'union' updates ultimately resulting in commencement posts...in other words I'm actually going to try and finish something I start and both teach and learn a little along the way. I'm moving towards a goal to start and finish those many undone to-do lists, projects, crafts and hobbies for which I've spent countless hours of research on and rediculous amounts of money getting prepared for only to find myself overwhelmed at the thought of actually beginning something I know I won't finish. Those days are over my friends.

Today I begin the process of tackling the down stairs rooms in my house. That includes the 1/2 bath guests use, the full master bath in my bedroom, the kitchen, the dining room and the den....as well as the piles of laundry I've allowed to get far beyond a manageable amount. I start this project knowing 48 hours is not enough time to even think about how I'm going to tackle this one. I'm not unlike most familes in America with children...they mess up just as quickly as you clean up. This is why I hope my images of the beast in front of me will not seem foreign to most of you, although they're embarassing the crap out of me but I'm done making excuses about why my house looks like it does. For those of you who have visited my house on one of the better days, be thankful you never had the need to open any closet doors or look under the beds. What you would have witnessed is the sheer and utter horror that is my reality. I share these images for your viewing pleasure and hope that for some, you'll see you're not quite as messy as you once may have thought.

Now, you should know that I took the day off yesterday from my day job so I could start some projects. That day was spent once again gathering supplies to start my projects. I seem to have found a terrible obsession with cleaning supplies lately. I have at least 4 full cabinets of supplies; some open, some new and unopened, some so old I don't think they're made anymore and others I think I inherited from a few cleaning ladies I once had the luxury to help me out a little....although it was just once every 3 weeks, that once allowed me to actually enjoy a full day of relaxation in my home without worry of how the toilets looked, how many crumbs were on the floor, how filthy the windows were, when is the last time I changed the sheets, how many more loads of laundry do I have before I see the floor...I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. All of that is in the past and with the current economic conditions all luxury items are off the table around here. Although, I bet if you added up what I've spent on supplies preparing to clean for the last month I could have had those ladies back to clean my house a few times over....don't tell my husband!

So, now you know the goal and you should know the supplies and resources I'll be using:

Destructo

1. Unsuspecting 'Destructo'...yep, thats him, that sweet little white haired angel who is presently creating mess# 5 for the day right in the den that was already in need of so much work!!!

The Interrogator

2. 'The Interrogator'...yep, ,that's her without pants and looking oh so innocent. As I snapped this one I had to run from the inevitable barrage of questions that all begin with 'Whats that mom'?

3. A multitude of cleaning products one of which is a homemade surface cleaning solution - 1/4 Cup Liquid Dishwashing Liquid (I use Dawn because it cuts grease), 3/4 Cup Rubbing Alcohol and rest hot water. I used on old Windex spray bottle to mix this solution and it works WONDERS on my granite, marble and ceramic tile.
4. 5 laundry baskets - 1 for each member of the house

5. Hand held steamer, and upright floor steamer mop, and my oh so dependable Dyson vacuum

The Swiper

And of course...look who woke up from her morning nap just in time to help Looks like I've got a full cleaning crew (or demolition crew....depending on how you look at it) Let the games begin... I'll update this post on Monday once the family has headed out for the work and day care school week. Wish me luck....