The Turquoise Piano

What is Your Decor Style?

2012-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm at my mom's house and the internet is a lot slower than mine so the pictures for the project I was going to show you are not uploading fast enough. I'll save that post for Monday. But just so you know, it's something I'm super proud of. And it has something to do with the results of this decorating personality test that I just took at Better Homes and Gardens.

What is your style? Take it and let me know! CLICK HERE for the quiz.

My design style is French Country. No wonder I'm in love with everything French Country. It all makes sense now.

Country French (AKA French Country)

zimbio.com

rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com

topicden.com

You are drawn to a rustic but refined style that feels comfortable and livable for today's families. Your version of Country French style may be rustic (think glazed pottery and chunky woven baskets) or more refined (think gilded details). Either way, patterned fabrics such as toile, stripes, and fleur-de-lis motifs will help you set the tone. Incorporate details such as stucco walls, wrought-iron accents, and furniture with carved details for an old-world look.

Morgan's Room Changed Again

2012-02-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else have decorating ADD? I'm already tired of M's room and we've been here 5 months. I'm tired of my room too (burlap is so 2 months ago), but I haven't started to redo it. I did, however, change Morgan's room a bit. I'm still waiting to make the super awesome headboard that will blow everyone away, but until then...

before

after

This dress was my blessing (sort of equivalent to christening) dress given to me by my mom's mom. Morgan wore it for her blessing too.

This is a coffee filter lamp that I DIY'd. I made it like I made the coffee filter ball at Christmas (which is also in her room.

I got this bird thing at a local thrift store for $3 and painted it white. The after pic is a little overexposed but the birds are distressed.

The new DIY Anthro-inspired bedding.

Silver and lace nightstand.

And this is a bad picture of a faux mercury vase.

Guest Post: Cris @ Signature Furniture Rental

2012-02-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm all about repurposing stuff. But just so you know, I'm not a Birkenstock wearing, tree-hugging, armpit hair growing, save the earth person. I am, however, bothered by waste. Wasting money, wasting food, wasting furniture, wasting plastic spoons, you name it. If it could be used as something else I'd rather find a way to use it (preferably as home decor -- except for the wasted food).
Going green is a pretty big movement as of late. People look for houses with Energy Star appliances and other ways to save on electricity, gas, etc. For some people those things are deal-makers or breakers. Today's guest post is someone I really really wish lived in Boise and would do a joint venture with my home staging business. Chris Coleman is also the community manager for Signature Furniture Rental, a San Diego rental furniture company that has been in business since 2002. Signature specializes in residential and office furniture for a broad range of clients in home staging and temporary housing. Chris is going to give us some tips on going green both in our lives and in our attempt to decorate our own house or stage a house we want to sell. Here's Chris.

One of the biggest reasons people take advantage of the benefits of rental furniture these days is for home staging purposes. We are often asked by home sellers for our tips on home staging and what they can do to entice buyers more than the usual furniture configurations and room decorations. There are several things to keep in mind when staging a home for sale like minimizing the clutter, making sure it is sparkling clean, and removing all personal objects; but what about those prospective home buyers that are looking for something more?

One of the major trends we're seeing these days is the desire for a "green" home that already demonstrates to future home owners how they could use their new house to save money and be eco-friendly. Follow these green home staging tips and check out our easy do-it-yourself projects to impress prospective buyers.

Green Home Staging Tips

Document All Environmentally Friendly Changes
If any green modifications have been made to the home, it is important that prospective buyers know of the savings and the long-term benefits they will reap. Conduct an energy audit pointing out the green changes and upgrades. Be sure to include changes like caulking, insulation, and lighting, and make a special note of any Energy Star appliances or HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning) system improvements that have been made to the home, like filtration systems.

Highlight The Home’s Green Features
Detail the home’s green aspects by displaying them on a drawn out floor plan. Include CFL’s (compact fluorescent lamps), solar panels, energy efficient appliances, water filtration systems, and flooring and other building materials made out of natural materials in your floor plan.

Display A Commitment To Sustainability
Make sure cleaning supplies in cupboards are non-toxic, recycling bins are visible, and plants outside the home don’t require excessive watering. Compost bins outside the home are also a great way to show the home is eco-friendly. Also make sure there are no chemical-riddled products, like Miracle Gro or harsh pesticides, visible in the garage or shed.

DIY Green Projects to Impress

Assorted Glass Centerpiece
Group together an assortment of glass bottles and jars on a tray and fill them with flowers and leaves for this simple table centerpiece. You can collect bottles from home including perfume bottles and jelly jars or buy some from the thrift store for super cheap. The more variation in size and shape, the better! You will be surprised at how easy and how elegant this is!

Sweater Reupholstering
If you are considering reupholstering your dining room chairs, you may not need to look any further than the back of your closet. Simply cut an old sweater apart, trimming off the neck hole and sleeves, which will leave you with two large squares. (One sweater should cover 2 chairs.) Remove your seat cushions, which are usually unscrewed from the bottom, and cover the cushions with your sweater fabric. To secure the fabric, you can use small tacks or a staple gun. Voila! Brand new chairs on the cheap!

Cork Trivet
Don’t just toss those corks after opening a bottle of wine! Start holding on to your corks so you can create your very own cork trivets to protect your table tops from hot pots and pans. You will need to collect about 50 corks of the same size and arrange them into a circle. Use a metal hose clamp (8-10 inch clamps are best and you can find them in the plumbing section of a hardware store) to surround the corks and hold them together. Then tighten the clamp to bind them all together and trim the excess clamp with metal clippers. We promise you will enjoy the prep work for this project!

Plastic Bag Dryer
This one I am sure we are all guilty of: throwing away zip-lock and sandwich baggies after only one use. Did you know they can be washed and re-used several times? For the perfect plastic baggie recycler, you will need an old toothbrush holder and some chopsticks. Simply place the chopsticks in the holes of the toothbrush holder and then place washed plastic baggies upside-down on the chopsticks to air dry. Recycling at its finest!

Carpet Coasters
Did you know that carpet accounts for about 1.75 million tons of waste per year in the U.S.? We’re not telling you not to install new carpet in your home, but if you do, save any leftover pieces to make some awesome fuzzy coasters! Simply cut out squares of carpet and trim away any fraying parts. And if you stain them? You can wash the coasters in the sink with soap and water. These coasters will protect your furniture from water damage and cut down on waste at the same time, which is pretty awesome!

Images and Tips: Al, ToolBarn, WholeLiving

(Kelli again) Thanks so much, Chris! I love the cork trivet and will be making on of those very soon. I have also been inspired to do better with recycling stuff that isn't used to decorate and I'm going to share this post with all of my home staging clients. I think that anyone selling a home could benefit from these tips.

Real Estate Series: My Question to Investors

2012-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Instead of a real estate article I have a more pressing matter today. It is a question for investors. And it's pressing because I want to do it before this house goes to auction in April.

The question: Have you or has an investor you know ever bought a mortgage from a bank? I don't mean a foreclosure. I don't mean a short sale. I mean like banks buying mortgages from other banks. A man I know (I don't know him well) is supposedly going to buy a mortgage from a bank instead of allowing it to foreclose. The owner would then supposedly sign over the deed to him. Has anyone done this? It sounds brilliant and I will have to ask him about it, but I haven't ever seen it done. Please leave a comment if you know anything about what I'm asking. Thanks!

And onto the house of the week. Meet Luxury on the Lake. My heart about skipped a beat when I saw this because when we moved to Idaho and started looking, a house similar to this was like double our price range. Now it's fallen into our price range and I couldn't be happier (for me, not the people who are under water).

LOVE the ceiling!

But I think the TV built-in would have to go.

Paint the kitchen cabinets white, perhaps, and maybe darken the floor. And for sure get rid of the red wall that screams 2003.

I'm guessing this is the master bedroom and that sitting area makes me giddy!

Yes, this house made it into my top 3 choices.

I'm linking this up because I need some answers STAT! Thanks' everyone!

Linking up at the great Linky parties found at the bottom of the blog. They are where I find most of my inspiration! Check them out!

plus

Copycat Monday: Sunburst Mirror

2012-02-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hi! Did everyone have a great weekend? Watch the Superbowl? I totally did (if the halftime show with Madonna counts). I ate way too much food, which seems to be a common occurrence. But I got to play games with friends and we had a great time.

Just so we're clear, I'm not being paid (unfortunately) by anyone to write the nice things I'm going to write... but I'm definitely open to a sponsorship from one of the places and if I ever get one, I'll be totally brand loyal and write only things about that place. That said... Lowe's VS The Home Depot.

I love Lowe's. They used to have the cheapest spray paint and were only one mile from where I lived so I went there all the time. Their customer service is great (at least an my stores). I bought a palm sander last summer and a few months ago the metal grip that grips the sand paper loosened on one end so it wasn't sanding well. I just took it back and asked if they could do anything last month, well after their 90 day return policy. It took a few days of working with the "higher ups" but they were able to exchange it for me and now I have a sander that works!

The Home Depot is great too. Everyone is always so nice! We now live closer to one than to Lowe's so I often go there. We were there Saturday and found some metallic spray paint on clearance for $1.33. I bought 4 cans (and one bronze at normal price).

This is what I did with the bronze.

I found this sunburst mirror tutorial at A Mother and Daughter made out of dowel rods, 7" wood plaque, wooden nickles, 1" round craft mirrors, a candle mirror and glue. Their tutorial is great, so go there if you decide to do this. I used wooden skewers instead of dowel rods and a plate frame (I bought a bunch at a garage sale last summer) instead of the 7" wood plaque.

I have pinned so many projects that will keep me busy copying other people for years to come. I kid you not. If you want to follow me on Pinterest, click on that button over there to the right.

Weekend Projects

2012-02-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

You guys... I think I finally understand the term "terrible two's." I swear for the past week Morgan has been so mean and ornery I think she's a 13-year-old in a 2-year-old body. Is this normal? Holy cow! It might have something to do with her being Binky sober for almost two weeks. Maybe. Still no excuse though. I think I need Super Nanny.

Tom has worked the last two Saturdays so guess what... this one's mine! And I have a lot of projects planned. They have something to do with this table.

And this office (or is it a storage room?). That desk has been the bane of my office decorating existence.

So how about a door desk? It's on my 2012 goals list. And I picked this up at DI for $3!

With these fugly legs (not my ideal, but free so I'll make it work).

And here's something else I picked up at DI. $3. I love it but it will be white. It's pretty much the only thing I do with birds (until I find a fabulous birdcage to spray paint).

Have a great weekend, friends!

To Be Auctioned

2012-02-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

I am having major problems with Chrome today so I'm doing this in Internet Explorer and things just aren't working out as I'd like. Grr. I guess it's time to restart the computer. Another thing I'm having major problems with is my spare time. All I want to do is look for houses, which is so much fun but less effective than oh, say, cleaning. I can't help it though so I guess I'll just face it and post some of my findings here for you to see too.

Okay, these are all "notice of default" houses that I found online on the Idaho Statesman's website. Did you know that there is a section of your newspaper (most major newspapers) that shows when an auction will be held for the homes in default? It also shows the addresss, how much is owed, and which bank is suing (or whatever the bank does). It's pretty great BUT if you buy a home at auction, you have to have the cash up front so you either have to have the cash yourself or borrow in advance (and you can't do that with a conventional mortgage).

Tom and I have decided that we'd like to invest in a wholesale deal, but one that we would live in (I've said this before). That means that it has to at least (very least) have a 3 car garage and 2500 square feet (although 3500 is more ideal).

This one is my fave. The front is nice, but the back kills me. I love it! And it is on a golf course.
Front

Back

The price on this one is so low that even though it's in a neighborhood full of spec homes and foreclosures, I'd totally consider it. I like how it looks and apparently it needs some TLC, which is a bonus. :)

This one is in a neighborhood where some clients of mine bought last summer. This house is similar but the price is $200k less.

I would love to show you the insides of these houses but I can't be bothered with my computer today. Next time though. Next time.

Guest Post: WhyCuzICan

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to have one of my good blogging friends guest post today. Suzanne from WhyCuzICan is not only one of the nicest people I know, she's also very talented. Take a look at some of her things.

You won't want to miss her tutorial on image transferring from paper to fabric using Citra Solv (she'll talk about it a little, but seriously, it's super cool and kind of prefaces her post today).

And here she is:

OK, first off, if you wanted to do a place mat just like this one you see here, you will need to use Citra Solv to make the place setting fabric you see here using these graphics (offered for free at Graphics Fairy -- I maintain a page listing all the images I use on my blog on this page for direct links).

Click Here for my newest tutorial on how to do a Citra Solv transfer to fabric (less wordy than the original and better photos).

How To Make This PlaceMat
I used:

~(2) pieces of 14" x 18" of white muslin 100% fabric (you can vary the size to suit your need. This was just a simple size for ME to work with).
~(1) piece of scrap quilt batting (low loft) slightly larger
~Sewing machine (but I suppose you could hand sew this too-it's up to you)
~Images of your choice copied on a laser jet printer or photo copied (think Staples, local library, whoever has a good' ol' photo copier. Ink Jet prints will NOT work)
~Citra Solv. (My newest Tutorial on to transfer images using Citra Solv, see above link or my sidebar of all of my tuts available)

Step One:
~Cut your two piece of fabric, to the desired size, and your quilt batting slightly larger (for trimming ease)

Step Two:
~With rights sides together, put the backing fabric, the focal fabric (such as your newly made Citra Solv designed piece- or just regular print fabric, it's up to you)
and place on top of quilt batting (yes, this will be three layers- one batting, and two fabric)
~Pin securely around three sizes-leaving one short side open for turning inside out (So, sew two long sides and one short side) sorry, took photo before all of my pins were in place. Use as many pins as you feel you need)

Step Three:
~Sew around three sides that are pinned. I use 1/4" seam (I'm a quilter, it's the only seam I "seem" to know!)

Step 4:
~When you have sewn all three pinned sides, trim up the piece (I use my trusty rottery cutter and mat- again, I'm a quilter- old habits, but scissors work too)

Step 5:
~Turn your piece right side out so it looks like a place mat, but with one unfinished end.

On the unfinished, carefully tuck each side (and batting) to appear to be a finished edge, and pin securely.

Step 6:
Now you just sew that end shut (1/4" seam), and while I'm at it, since I don't want the end to look all strange with a straight stitched when the other sides don't have that, I go ahead and sew 1/4" seam around the entire top area, so it makes a kind of decorative boarder :-)

(Of course you can just hand stitch the end closed too, without making an inner "boarder". I like to, but it's just how I roll).

Now go forth and make some pretty new place mats for your table, and if you wanna, teach your kid how to set the table properly.

GIVEAWAY TIME! To celebrate my first ever Guest Post, I am giving away the single sample place mat shown here in this tut, and one fabric business card holder/mini wallet and matching fabric checkbook holder.

There are THREE ways to get a free entry into the drawing: Leave each comment for each entry on my blog at WhyCuzIcan.

1) Become a Follower of WhyCuzIcan. Leave a comment letting me know on my blog at WhyCuzIcan.

2) Become a Follower of The Turquoise Piano. Leave a comment letting me know on my blog at WhyCuzIcan.

3) Leave a separate comment telling me where you live (just state and country is fine) I love knowing where folks are located :)

Remember, each entry must have a separate comment so it might be assigned a number for the drawing. And remember to comment on my blog at WhyCuzICan.

The Giveaway will end on 2/7/12 at Noon here in Illinois.... (Oh, it just happens to be my birthday on the 7th too). I will announce the winner the evening of 2/7/12, here on this post

Make sure your settings are not set to NO-REPLY. I have to have an email address for you if you are the winner, so I can contact you for shipping information.

If the original winner can not be contacted or does not reply within 7 days, I will choose another winner as a back up.

Smiles to all,

(Kelli again) Thanks Suz! I love that the place mat is a reminder of the correct way to set a table. Such a great help for those of us teaching children how to do it (or learning ourselves). Remember to check out her detailed tutorial on how to do the graphic transfer. Head on over to WhyCuzICan and leave her some love (and enter her awesome giveaway)!

Real Estate Series: Rehabbing a Property

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

So, you just bought a fixer-upper (at least hypothetically). You've heard that rehabbing properties is one of the quickest ways to make money in real estate. You’re right; however, if this is your first time, you are probably not a hundred percent aware of how much work you just put ahead of yourself. Even though you can make a lot of money this way, it is not a get-rich-quick scheme. This can be a fantastic learning experience. Don’t get discouraged if you are fixing it up by yourself and it takes longer than you originally anticipated. It most likely will.

Depending on what you bought the property for, you may want to hire a rehab crew to do the work for you quickly. This article will help you weigh the pros and cons of you doing the rehab yourself verses hiring a rehab crew.

Do It Yourself

Good for you! You are going to spend the next few weeks to months fixing up a house in your spare time. If this is your first time, there are some things that you need to know; like how to caulk shower tile, or, for some of you, what is caulk.

There are so many things you may want to do to your house. This information is ‘more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.’ It will not cover all of your options thoroughly but it will give you some ideas and hints. Do what you feel comfortable with. And do what is in your skill level.

Always do rehab work on the interior before you do the exterior, unless you have to redo the roof. You will want to fix that first to prevent leaks on the inside.

Ceilings:
Some older houses have asbestos in the ceiling or walls. For example, some "popcorn" ceilings are made with asbestos. Asbestos is a mineral that was commonly used in insulation materials. If asbestos fibers are inhaled, the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma is highly increased.

Asbestos is not harmful if it remains undisturbed, however, it is when asbestos is removed and fibers become airborne that asbestos becomes harmful. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommends that when dealing with asbestos, you hire a professional to do the work for you.

If your property does have "popcorn" ceiling, you can either leave it that way or change it. Have it checked for asbestos. If it does contain asbestos, leave it or have a professional remove it. If it is asbestos free, the "popcorn" can be removed, and must be removed before texturing and painting the ceiling.

This is very messy work and you need to cover all floor coverings with drop cloths to catch the water when you spray and to catch the material when you scrape it from the ceiling.

Walls:
It is necessary to remove all wallpaper before you texture and paint in order to prevent the paper from absorbing moisture and the compound and paint from bubbling. Your rehab will look better if you remove all wallpaper first.

If you are painting your walls different colors, put painters tape where the colors will meet to keep the paint line straight. Don’t use regular masking tape. It is very adhesive and hard to remove. You can use a paint sprayer or roller brush for most of the wall and a normal bristle paint brush for the corners.

Tile:
Tile looks great and is an upgrade that pays out when you sell. Make sure you have a flat surface. To do a tile job correctly on an existing sub floor it will be necessary to put down cement tile board or staple wire mesh over the area and float quickcrete over the mesh to create the flat and stable surface you need for the tile. For best results, you should remove the original flooring (i.e. linoleum, wood, etc.) and then put the tile board or mesh down. When using tile board you will have to use screws and mortar for it to adhere properly to the sub floor. This gives the tile a stronger surface and prevents cracks in the tile.

Read the instructions on how to install tile. And don't forget to seal the grout. Sealing the grout prevents stains in the grout.

For shower tile, you may not need a cement tile-backer, but you will do the rest the way you lay floor tile. Start at the bottom and work your way to the top in sections to prevent the tile from sliding down. Once everything is dry, you will caulk between the tub and tile to prevent moisture from getting where it would grow mold. Buy caulk that is specific for the bathroom/shower. It helps prevent mold. Recommended caulks are GE Silicone II if it is for the tub or shower, or if it doesn’t need to be painted, and DAP DYNAFLEX 230 if it has to be painted.

Before you caulk the tub, fill the tub with water. This pulls the tub away from the tile ever-so-slightly and gives you a larger space. Caulk once the tub is full. If you don’t do this, your caulk could pull away from the tub or tile when you take a bath, allowing moisture and mold into the crack.

Light Fixtures:
New light fixtures are relatively inexpensive for the aesthetic benefits they provide. Buy items that are inexpensive but look nice. Before you install or uninstall light fixtures, turn off the light and circuit breaker so you don’t electrocute yourself. All fixtures are different in some way, so be sure to read the instructions before you start. This could save you hours of frustration and starting over.

Carpet:
Unless it is brand new, replace the carpet. Tan and beige colored carpet makes the room look more spacious. They are neutral colors and easier to resell.

Check your state and city laws to see which permits are needed in your area.

Don’t get caught up buying the most expensive items. Buy items that look nice but don’t cost a lot. If the new owner wants to replace them with something specific, he may. If you rehab with expensive items, the value of the house will be about the same as if you rehabbed with inexpensive, nice looking items. Save yourself money.

Again, only do what is within your skill level. Don't become the electrician if you have no idea what you are doing. That is dangerous (if not illegal -- I don't know). And that leads me to hiring a rehab crew.

Rehab Crew

If you’re not up to doing it all yourself, or don’t have the time, hire a rehab crew. With a rehab crew, you will be able to get the rehab done in a timely manner. Your rehab crew should be experienced, so they know how to do the work the right way.

Your rehab crew is the group of specialized people you will hire to fix up your property. It is very important to get a rehab crew that is licensed (plumber, electrician, etc.). This way you make sure you are dealing with a crew that is legal to work in your country and that the crew is obligated to do the work at the standards set by correct authorities.

The best way to find a qualified rehab crew is through your friends, family, and fellow investors. Be sure you do thorough research on the rehab crew that you choose. After all, you will be paying them quite a bit to do the work. They better do it correctly.

You will benefit by asking them some specific questions, such as:

How long have you been in business? (You want someone that has had experience with the work you need done).
Do you work in the city that I do business?
What kind of rehab do you do? – They must do the right rehab for your area and property (if the house is in a low income neighborhood it doesn't need expensive countertops, etc).
How many people are on the rehab crew? – This is for time efficiency. The more people they have, the faster.
Who is the supervisor? Find out who to talk to about the progress and concerns of the project.
What type of insurance do you have? Usually they have at least general liability insurance to protect their property from damage. Depending on their area of specialty (i.e. architect, engineer, etc.), they may have professional liability insurance, as a physician would have malpractice insurance.
Do you warranty your work? The contractors warranty is for the materials and labor provided. It is standard to warranty the project for a year.
Are you bonded? – Get a copy of the certificate.
Do you have your own vehicle and tools? – Only use people that have the necessary things in order to get the job done.
How are you billed? You have to decide and write in the contract how you want to be billed before the actual work begins. Also, if you want to know, have your rehab crew notify you if they go over budget. Get an itemized bill for your documents.

Ask for references – If they have done a good job in the past they will be happy to give them to you. If not, they are not good enough for you

You will also benefit by getting a copy of their driver's license. You don’t want to be the victim of a scam. If you have their driver's license you will have information for any legal recourse, in the event of a theft or anything they might do that could hurt your business.

Before you give your rehab crew a key to your property, you should make sure you have them sign a contractor’s agreement. The contractor’s agreement should include:

A list of everything you want done to the property (including the little things such as light switch covers)
Payment phases – commit to paying your rehab crew in 2 or 3 phases. Pay at the end of the phase, but don’t pay until 100% of the phase is complete
Completion date – set a reasonable date by which the rehab crew should have everything finished. Give them a week cushion if you’d like.

Refusal of the contractor to sign a contract
Requirement of more than 20% for the down payment
Inability to contact the references provided
Cannot verify licenses
Cannot verify insurance
Pressure from them for you to sign a contract
Refusal to give you a quote
This is their first job

Once you have found the rehab crew you want, don’t think that your part is finished. Keep an eye on them. Make sure they are doing a good job. You can do this without looking like you are suspicious. Bring them doughnuts once a week as a “thank you” for doing their best. This will help you build a good relationship with them while checking on their progress. If you treat them well, they will usually treat you well (and by them treating you well, you will have fewer problems and make more money in the end).

You now know some of the options that you have for rehabbing your fixer-upper. As with all things in real estate, don’t make hasty decisions. Contemplate the method which is best for you - whether it is to do it yourself or hire a rehab crew - and make an educated decision. Use this article as a guide. Remember, this is your project and you can do it however you want. The guidelines laid out in this article will help direct you along your path to a successfully ‘fixed-up’ property.

Personal Experience

The first house I bought was a fixer-upper. I had a friend who knew what he was doing help me out and it took us for-flipping-ever to finish. What we did looked great and the value increased by 25% when it was done. Unfortunately the market crashed before I sold (because I was greedy and didn't want to settle for less than I thought was worth -- another lesson in itself) so it became a hassle rental when we moved out of state. And we finally sold it. Yay!

Hoarder House

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

You know what makes my heart happy? A good before & after. I recently found an investor/Realtor friend in Indiana who has been busy buying wholesale real estate and renovating/staging. Seriously, these pictures that I'm going to show you are so amazing. You won't be able to tell it is the same house.

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

I'll be honest, with all the work that was done, I am not sure which before picture goes with which after picture, but you get the point. Isn't it amazing what a great renovation and some home staging can do for a house? So, the part everyone is interested in... the numbers. The purchase price was $35K, costs that include holding, renovation, paying the real estate agent, staging and open house were around $95K. Renovation took about 8 weeks. The end sales price was $190K. Just so you don't have to do the math, the profit on this house was (excuse me while I get out my calculator) $60K, which was split 50/50 with her funding investor. And all that equals $30,000 for 8 weeks worth of work. Good. For. Her. The only thing I was taught to do differently was to offer the funding investor less (like 20-30%) because he doesn't have to do the work... although he does take the risk and if she has a great relationship with him, well, that would just mean more deals for everyone.

So, my goal for February is to make at least 10 wholesale offers on houses that we would live in (in case we got "stuck" with it -- remember 2007?)

Also, I have been asked about becoming a home stager. I took some courses from the Association of Property Scene Designers (APSD) and I am very happy with what I was taught. It's not only about how to make a house pretty -- anyone can do that -- it's about making a house sell. They focus on that and on how to make your business successful. Very awesome! If you are interested in becoming certified with APSD you can either get more info with a free CD here or you can just go for it and sign up for courses here with a limited offer for lots of free bonuses. Or if you really want a great deal, let me know and I can see what I can do about getting you a course for 40% off.

*Please don't think that I am heartless when it comes to the problems and challenges that the previous owners of the house obviously had. I am only writing from an investor's point of view, emotions not involved.

Silver Nightstand

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I pinned this DIY silver leaf dresser (if you are going to pin it either go to my Pinterest pin or her website -- under the pic).

My Champagne Taste

I'm in love with its bling. Seriously. But silver leafing a dresser is time consuming and I'm already in the middle of like, 5 projects and trying to work with a budget (new year's resolution) so I didn't want to spend more than $5 on it. Well, silver leaf was out so I stopped by Lowe's and bought some metallic silver spray paint so I could make Morgan's mid-century nightstand a ~~little~~ lot different.

I sanded through four layers of paint. This nightstand belonged to my grandma, who then gave it to me at least 25 years ago. It's had a lot of wear.

I decided I wanted to do something to the drawers so I decoupaged lace along the edges.

Then I spray painted everything and put the hardware back on.

It's not silver leaf (maybe that will come another time), but it is the next best thing.

before

after

Linking up at the great Linky parties found at the bottom of the blog. They are where I find most of my inspiration! Check them out!

plus

http://handmaderyangosling.tumblr.com/post/15036108565/submitted-by-ginnymartyn

Hey Girl. Wine Cork Art

2012-01-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

I've been in love with wine cork art for a while now. I have wanted to do something. Anything. But the problem (not necessarily a "problem") is that I don't drink wine (or any other source of alcohol or beverage that uses corks) so I haven't been collecting corks for any sort of art project. I knew I needed to find a solution. And I did.

Last Friday we went out with some friends to a nice restaurant in downtown Boise. I knew over all we would spend a good amount of money on dinner so I had no problem asking if they could keep the wine corks that weekend and give them to me. Well, when I asked, the waiter said that the owner was collecting them for some sort of project and literally had thousands. I told him I only needed about a hundred so he worked some magic and brought me a bag full of them.

When I saw this wine cork ampersand at Living Savvy I knew I had to do it. It is such a great piece for staging!

Living Savvy

Well, here's where I am on mine. I ran out of corks. So remember that 100-ish corks actually doesn't go a long way. When you do this, ask for at least 200. Now I have to go find another source of corks to finish my ampersand. I guess another nice dinner is in store.

Guest Post: I Know the Plans I Have for You

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! I am so excited to introduce you to a blogger that I recently found. She has some seriously amazing stuff and I'm so lucky to have "met" her. Ladies and gentlemen (my husband and dad?), Jill of I Know the Plans I Have for You.

Hey guys! My name is Jill and the name of my blog is I Know the Plans I Have for You. I was so excited when Kelli asked me to guest post at The Turquoise Piano!

Just a little about myself...

I am a wife and a stay at home mom of 3. I have 2 girls, 1 and 5, and an 8 year old son. I have stayed home with my kids for 7 years and was super lucky to find a passion in refinishing furniture, painting, sewing, crafting, and blogging. All of these things have given me something of my own, in a sense, and keep my busy and proud.

After painting my cabinets, I started thinking about painting my counter tops. Of course the buzz is all about the faux granite kits. I wasn't apposed to going that route, but what I really wanted to do is paint them with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I searched the internet to see if anyone had tried this, but I wasn't able to find anything. I wanted to know what the best way to apply it was, what the best top coat was, and of course....how it held up!!

I'm sure I'm not the first crazy to do this, but since I was unable to find anything on it, I thought I would tell you how I did mine....and what I learned along the way. So this tutorial is sorta gonna be in 2 parts. The way I did it, and the way I would have done it had I known....

This is what my counters looked like before

A nice powder blue

It's not that I minded them so much, but I knew that they could be improved.

Here are the supplies I used:

blue painters tape

a paint brush

a foam roller

a sponge applicator

ASCP in Graphite

Minwax Wipe-On Poly

a sanding block

steel wool grade #0000

nail clippers

I first decided I was going to see what it looked like on the small section of the counter top. So after I taped, using a paint brush, I brushed on the 1st coat

BEFORE

The 1st coat was much more gray than
I had expected, but I loved it

Know that the paint will seem very streaky as it
dries, but will be smooth when dry

Now I was in it! I went for the rest of the counter! I didn't have a plan if I hated it, so good thing I didn't!!

The sippy cup just adds to its beauty ;-)

I was afraid to turn the water on to do the dishes before it was all sealed

I continued to paint the counters using a paint brush. It looked great as it was going on and as it dried it felt smooth. So I put on a second coat of paint. Still felt smooth! Then, without sanding, I applied the top coat. I used a sock to wipe it on and waited about 3 hours for it to dry. Next, I gently went over it with the steel wool before applying the 2nd coat.

Here is also where the nail clippers came in. As I was sanding, my nails kept scratching the paint....so keep them SHORT!

Now this is when I wished I had advice before I started!

I could see all the brush stokes! When I paint furniture I always sand before applying the top coat, so I wasn't used to this!!

The steel wool wasn't smoothing it out and I began to panic! So I sent the hubby to the store to get a sanding block, a foam roller, and a sponge applicator.

Using the sanding block, I lightly sanded until there was a smooth finish.

The sanding block worked like a charm! All was smooth and I continued....

I ROLLED on another coat of paint, and touched up where my nails had hit. I sanded the paint when it dried with the steel wool before applying the top coat.

I used the sponge applicator instead of a sock to apply the poly. After 4 hours, I sanded with the steel wool and applied another coat. I applied 4 coats total. I wanted to make sure that there was a good amount of poly to protect the top from any wear and tear or nails hitting it!

Much better!!

I woke up this morning and my kitchen looked like this:

Ok...I cleaned first, haha

So to recap what I would do:

roll on the paint, not brush it on

sand the paint before applying whatever top coat you choose

cut your nails before starting lol

use 3 coats of paint

use at least 4 coats of poly....more if you'd like.

I'll let you know how its holding up, and if you have already done this to your counter like this, I would love to hear from you to know how yours is holding up!!

Thank you so much for letting me share this project and I would love to have ya'll stop by and browse through I Know the Plans I Have for You!!

Wow! Way to be a trailblazer, Jill! I hadn't thought of using chalk paint on counter tops but I LOVE yours. Everyone head over to I Know the Plans I Have for You and show Jill some love. :)

Kelli

Real estate Series: Contact Sellers

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm stoked because I know of at least 5 people who read my real estate investing article on wholesale last week! Awesome! So, today I'll talk a little more about finding deals and contacting sellers (with a bonus deal that I found today at the end).

Before you make offers and do deals, you have to know how to find sellers and contact them. This is the second article in the Wholesale series. You will learn how to find sellers in ways that are not as common as the newspaper. This way you have a better chance of getting the deals before someone else.

Direct Mail: This is a great way to get the word out to people that you are willing to buy houses. First you have to know what to say, and then you have to decide the best way to do it. One option is to create your own direct mail postcard. USPS gives some suggestions on where to do this here.

Usually one of those sites will let you create a postcard and they will print it and send it. You just have to design it, pay for it and tell them where to send it. Some may even let you do a trial postcard to send to yourself.

Wording is very important. The people who receive your direct mail pieces have to be able to understand what you are offering. Here is an idea on what you can write:

Do you own an unwanted house and need to sell quickly? Is your hose vacant? Need repairs? Are you in foreclosure? Behind on payments? Relocating? Divorce? Bad tenants? Owe liens?

We buy houses from people in situations just like yours!

We buy 5-10 houses per month and would like to buy yours. You’ll get a quick sale with no hassles. Call now to find out how we can solve your problem.

Your Name

You can say what you want to say. Just make sure that you get your message to the sellers. They can then contact you and you can work something out.

MLS Expired Listings: A great way to find motivated sellers is to find expired listings on the Multiple Listing Service. The MLS is a comparable sales site available to real estate agents and other professionals. In some cases, you can access the MLS as an associate or affiliate member of your local board of realtors. Contact your local board and see if this is an option for you. Keep in mind, there will most likely be a fee.

If you are able to do this, you can find listings that have expired and did not sell. Contact these sellers. They may still want to sell and might sell for a lower asking price just to get out of their payments.

Attorneys: Attorneys have a lot of things cross their desks. For example, you could find tax liens, divorces, bankruptcies, and probate files that are still open. This is a great place to find a real estate deal.

To find attorneys, you could go to your title company and get referrals. You can also check the white pages or online. When attorneys give you information, follow through. Call the potential sellers!

City Planning Office: Each city has city plans available to the public. You can take advantage of this information by being a step ahead of other investors who don’t know what will be happening in the city.

For example, there was a busy freeway in Texas with two off-ramps in a certain area. There was some land in the middle of the off-ramps that was vacant.

A certain investor went to the city planning department and found out that there were plans to build another off-ramp in between the two that were already there – right by the vacant land.

This savvy investor found the owner of the property, who lived in Chicago, and bought a lease option for $3,000 per year. Meanwhile, he prepared a marketing presentation and presented it to major hotel chains. He utilized his option, bought the property, and later sold to two major hotel chains and a gas station. He made millions!!!

This is public information -- available to you! Use it! You could benefit immensely.

Drive Around: Some of the best deals that you will ever find are the houses listed for sale by owner near your own neighborhood. Take a Sunday drive with your family and look for new opportunities. Contact these sellers.

These are only a few of the ways to find people who are selling their property. They are also great ways to begin. If you're an investor or thinking of investing, do something this week! Make a direct mail piece and send it to yourself. If you are ambitious and want to do more, practice each of these ways to find sellers. You might even find a fantastic deal.

Good luck. Work hard. Be honest. Get out of your comfort zone. And most importantly, DO NOT use emotion when investing in real estate (ie fall in love with a house -- unless, of course, it is the dream house you will be living in forever). That's the best way to lose money. Logic, numbers, and... logic! Wooh!

And now for my deal of the day. I found this on Craigslist.

It's not super pretty, is it?

But OH MY GOODNESS does it have potential!

This baby is 3100 sq ft on 5 acres in a growing part of the city. There are subdivisions coming up all around it. It is a mile from a freeway entrance. No HOA (that's huge for me)! And all it needs is a little paint, some new light fixtures and hardware and it's totally modern (assuming the only repairs needing to be made are cosmetic -- I haven't done research that far). The price is low (again, I haven't researched it enough to know if it is wholesale).

I'm thinking that I'd like to go in and fix it up, subdivide the lots into five one-acre lots, sell four them for market value, and make a good amount of money while still living in my totally modern (and by "modern" I mean classic) fairly large house on an acre that I own completely free and clear (by selling a lot or two).

Hey, Tom... Can we buy this?

Business Stuff

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Can I just tell you how glad I am that the weekend is over? Why? Because for me, what was supposed to be a weekend with the family turned into a weekend of me and Morgan alone by ourselves. Tom was unexpectedly asked to accompany his boss on a weekend business trip to Canada -- like, I found out Friday night and he left Saturday morning. I would normally have no problem with this last minute trip but I had a makeup appointment at Macy's Saturday (I'd had it for a month with a guy who was flying in from New York for it) and Tom was supposed to watch Morgan and I was supposed to get my makeup done and walk around the mall by myself. Instead, I imposed on my friend who I'm sure had plenty of Saturday things to do and I went to the appointment and home after (with a short stop at Jo Ann's in which I did not purchase anything but I did feel overly made up with my smokey eyes -- I'm sure it was intimidating for the other shoppers). Plus, we lost Morgan's binky Saturday so she went a whole night without it. It wasn't too bad so I decided that we are done with it for good. I'm writing this on Sunday night and I'm practically banging my head against the wall. I can do this though. And that was my weekend (along with a LOT of empty calories).

I am excited to show you some stuff that I have been working on. This first one is the business card that I made as quickly as I could (while figuring out the program) so I could give it to a Realtor that works out at the same time as I do. He is a broker and has about 30 successful agents so this could be big for me. Anyway, the white card is the one I made myself.

I had my brother-in-law make some legit cards for me though. He's a designer so he knows what he's doing. Click on it and it will take you to the other thing I've been working on... my website. Let me know what you think. Oh, you don't think that giant picture with the ocean in the background is great for home staging in IDAHO? Well, maybe Oregon just shouldn't be there. Then that picture would work out perfectly because Idaho would have the ocean (at least the Boise area).

front

back

Okay, so really, what are you opinions on the website? I want it to be fabulous so if you think I should change something, let me know!

Love your guts!

Headboard Help

2012-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Okay creative people. I need your help. Does anyone know how to make an ornate frame for a headboard (not the diamond tufting -- I get that) like the three seen below from The Paris Apartment (the new site I want to knock-off)? Any ideas are welcome. Have a great weekend!

TOYS

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I picked up this toy box at the thrift store for $30. I tried to talk the manager down on price but it was so new that he wouldn't budge (I'm lame. I know). I loved it so much that I bought it anyway. It is made of pine and was already put together. Score!

For Christmas I got a can of white and a can of red spray paint from my sister-in-law and I knew they would be perfect for this project -- thanks, C!

I started by having my friend cut out the letters TOYS with her massive vinyl cutter. It was awesome because I only had to give her the dimensions of the toy box and which font I wanted and she did it perfectly.

I took off all the hardware and put the vinyl on the wood.

Then I spray painted it white with one coat (not enough to cover well).

Then I sprayed red over that with enough to cover the whole thing well.

Next I took the vinyl off.

Then I brushed stain over the whole thing so the red would be darker and the wood where the letters were would be dark.

And I sprayed the rest of the toy box red and brushed the stain on it. I didn't paint it white underneath the red.

I let it sit for a few minutes then wiped the stain off, leaving the red a little darker but not looking oily.

I put the hardware back on and everything together.

Then I sanded the toy box so it looked aged. This was the reason I painted the white coat on the lid first. I love that some white comes through.

The only thing I have left to do is put some casters on the bottom so we can roll it around. I love it for both its looks and function!

Linking up at the great Linky parties found at the bottom of the blog. They are where I find most of my inspiration! Check them out!

plus