Words on Wendhurst

We're Moving!

2010-02-03T09:07:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my 200th post. Can you believe it? It's hard to believe that just a few short months ago, no one was reading this blog, and I considered it a success if I updated it every month or so. Things sure do change quickly, don't they? Well, in honor of my 200th post, I thought it was time for some changes around here at Words On Wendhurst. And my announcement is that... we're moving!

Don't worry, we're not selling our beloved castle. :-) In fact, we plan to stay here for a very, very long time. We are, however, moving to our own domain name! From now on, you can find us at

www.wordsonwendhurst.com

So head on over, and join the party! We've got lots of cool new stuff for you over there, so start clicking!

February Goals

2010-02-02T08:45:00.003-05:00

Last month I didn't set any goals. *gasp* I know, it was a weird month. Truth be told, I was tired, and wanted to enjoy a month without the pressure of "I have to achieve this" It's a firstborn thing. I did lots of fun stuff like reading magazines, cleaning up holiday messes, working on the dining room and failing on my attempt to recover a lamp shade (more on that to come) But it was a good start to 2010.

Here are my 10 goals for February:

Recover lampshades
Read two classics
Love my husband more each day, and tell him so!
Make a fun Valentine's craft
Blog every weekday
Not complain about winter
Take some fun pictures
Continue working on the basement, and live to tell about it
Draw something
Entertain once or twice

There's a pretty good possibility that we'll be spending the last two weeks of February in New York City for Lover's work. If that is the case, I have a few additional goals:

Go to an Anthropologie store
Shop!
Take tons of pictures of the city
Shop!
Find cool fabric for clothes and crafts
Shop!
Go to all the museums
Shop!

;-)

Anybody watching Lost tonight? I'm on the fence. Part of me wants to watch the series one week at a time, and enjoy the suspense. The other part of me wants to wait till the season is over, so that I can watch the whole thing at once, without any breaks. Hmm....

P.S. Don't forget to come back tomorrow for my big news!

Basement Remodeling: Part 1

2010-01-31T19:40:00.007-05:00

The first completed project in our basement was actually completed by a professional! After two years of renovating our century old foursquare, and doing all of the work ourselves, it was nice to have a pro come in to take care of a job.

The previous owners had elected to cover up two of the four windows that let light into the basement. Of the two windows we uncovered, one was glass block already, score! The second, however, was just single pane glass, and broken, at that. Because of its large size (nearly 40 inches wide) we decided that it would be best to put in a glass block window, for security reasons. We also figured it would be nice to have the new window match the other three.

When the previous owners decided to cover up the window (instead of fix it), they chose to put paneling right over it on the inside, and a weird slat/frame over it on the outside. Apparently they weren't fans of natural light. :-(

Our work on this project consisted of removing the paneling from the inside, so the window was accessible, and then calling for quotes. We chose a small business owner who had years of experience and was also the best rate. Here's a tip when calling for quotes, be prepared to call as many contractors as you can, and be sure to mention that you are calling around for estimates. They are much more likely to work with you on price. In the end, the contractor we chose gave us a quote that was only $15 more expensive than the actual materials would have cost us at Lowe's. It was obviously a no brainer.

The window was installed and functional in two hours on a Wednesday morning. Not only did the contractor remove the old slats, glass and metal frame (and haul it away for us) but he did such a good job with the new window that it made our old ones look shoddy by comparison. At some point we'll have to have him out to replace the old glass block ones too!

We opted to include a vent in the window, as none of the others have one. We figure it will be nice to be able to air out the basement every once in a while.

So there you have it. A quick and easy renovation job where we didn't even have to lift a finger! (Well, except to write the check, of course. :-)

P.S. Don't forget to check back this week for some fun blog news!

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Make Your Monday @ Twice Remembered

Make It For Monday @ Cottage Instincts

Friday Favs: My Project List

2010-01-29T08:56:00.005-05:00

Last year, in a fit of despair after our trip to Florida was canceled, I made up a list of the house projects that needed completion. At that time, I thought the trip had only been delayed three weeks, and so I made us a "to do" list for those three weeks. The list contained pretty much all of the house projects that I blogged about last year. So you would be safe in making the conclusion that it took us a bit longer than three weeks to accomplish. :-)

I made the list almost exactly one year ago, and it has hung on our fridge since then. The last item was crossed off probably sometime in the fall, and I left the now completed list hanging there to boost morale. :-) It was nice to look at it and think "look at all that we HAVE accomplished." Especially once we turned the heat on and I had to dust multiple times a day due to the incredible amount of dust the furnace was pulling out of the basement and spewing throughout the house. Let's just say that we will need a spring cleaning this year. :-)

Every once in a while I would think about making a new list. There are some little odd and ends projects that need completing, and then, of course, there's everything that needs to be tackled in the basement. But, to be honest, I didn't want to start another list. I didn't want to think about more projects. So I left the completed one up, and it made me smile every time I saw it.

I blogged Tuesday about how we were seriously needing some encouragement in this renovation process. I think the combination of a large renovation project, the exhaustion of the holiday season, Lover's traveling, and the fact that we had plans to be gone for another month long business trip were really stressing us out. It wasn't fun anymore. We were trying to finish the basement by March 1st, for a visitor, and it just wasn't happening.

So we sat down and had a long talk. We reminded each other of the promise we made when we moved in: this house was for us, and always would be. We'd renovate on our own schedule, and we wouldn't become crazy, stressed out, maxed out renovation people. We told our upcoming visitor that the basement wouldn't be done in time, we took a weekend off, and we both felt better. And the funny thing is, we've accomplished a lot more in the last two weekends than we had previously been getting done. It's fun again!

So now that I've gotten my second (fourth? fifteenth?) wind, I'm ready to make a new list. This crisp new one is hanging in place of the old one, inspiring me to get moving on some new projects. And this year I'm being realistic. I probably won't get them all done in three weeks. ;-) Heck, the basement may take us another five years, for all I know. :-)

You'll notice that the right side, where it says "basement" is blank, with a lot of little boxes. I figured it might get depressing to list every single project that needs doing down there, and if I summed it all up in one, a la "finish the basment", well, that would just be depressing. I've told you before how I like lists, and being able to check things off. One line item for the basement just wouldn't cut it. :-)

Oh, and the old list? It's going into the scrapbook. I want to make sure we document all of the hard work that's going into this old castle. :-)

I've got some fun news coming up next week for the blog. It's something I've been working a ton on, and I am really excited about. Don't forget to check back in with me next week!

Linked to Finer Things Friday @ Amy's Finer Things

Sparkly Senior Portrait Session

2010-01-27T08:27:00.005-05:00

It's snowing outside my window, and the wind is brutal, so I thought I would share a session that I did this summer (when it was warm and sunny. Yay!) Carly was heading into her senior year and needed some affordable portraits done. She is an extremely talented and artistic girl, so we brainstormed some fun locations and outfits that would reflect that. She told me she wanted to do some "glamour" shots (how fun!) and showed up to the session with awesome makeup and even neat little pupil enhancing contacts! Here are a few from the first location we chose:

And for the next location, Carly told me she had chosen a "Michael Jackson" inspired outfit, as he was her favorite artist. We had a lot of fun with this one, and got some really neat looking shots.

All in all we had a great time and I was really happy with the pictures that I took. What's your favorite picture of the bunch?

Linked to Talented Tuesdays @ My Frugal Family

Inspiration Tuesday: Fellow Renovators

2010-01-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

We're up to our eyebrows in basement renovations, and, to be perfectly honest, it can get discouraging at times. I think the hardest part is the time right before you start rebuilding, and everything is torn apart and looks a mess and makes a mess, and you wonder what were we thinking to tackle this enormous project?

When we started the basement renovation, we had no idea that the previous owners had covered up huge holes in the walls, or shoddily replaced a door with chunks of drywall. We weren't aware of the fact that the basment was actually seven feet tall, and they had lowered the ceiling more than a foot in many places. We also found two windows that they had completely blocked off, drains they had covered, and electrical work that was a disaster waiting to happen.

Needless to say, it turned out to be a project that was far beyond what we were expecting, which was both overwhelming and discouraging. (Have I mentioned that my office/craft room was next on the list? oh, yes, I have)

That said, we're finally at the rebuilding stage (after months and months of demolition and carting garbage out to the curb) and things are moving along, albeit slowly. I'm finding great solace in other bloggers who have tackled huge renovations and either lived or are living to tell about it. ;-)

There's Kim and Ryan at Newlywoodwards, who renovated their entire home, and then bought a rental last year and renovated that too. I think they are actually reincarnations of Popeye and WonderWoman. :-) Click this link to read about their first renovation.

Then there's Layla and Kevin at The Lettered Cottage, who are slowly remodeling their less than picture perfect home into something seriously stunning.

And Jennifer at The Old Painted Cottage, who truly had a vision for her kitchen and dining room that took the rooms from sea-surfing weirdness to awesome.

And lastly, anytime I start to feel sorry for myself, I head over to Thirty Eight 20 and read about Emily and S's adventures renovating their log house built in the 1800's. Nothing, and I mean nothing, we've endured renovating compares to the stuff they've put up with: no running water, no heat... even no toilet for a while! These two are hardcore. I am in awe.

So there you have it. A bunch of people with mad skillz that encourage me to keep on keeping on, with the hope that one day, our little (!) basement project will be finished. Next week I'll start giving you pictures of the basement renovation, with lots of information and pictures and a few before and afters. Fun!

On a side note, isn't it funny how, when you're in the midst of a renovation, money begins to be represented in renovation items? Example: we have $60. Oh, perfect, we now have our new toilet. :-) A weekend of overtime = 2x4s and sheetrock for the walls. :-)

Have a wonderful day!

Spinach Stuffed Chicken with Bacon

2010-01-24T16:21:00.008-05:00

Lover and I are enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon, especially because Lover just finished working 32 hours over the course of Friday and Saturday. It's insanity I tell ya! We decided to make up something delicious for dinner, using whatever we had in the fridge. We decided on spinach stuffed-bacon wrapped chicken breasts, and let me tell you, they were ah-mazing! Here they are all ready to go in the oven:

And then on our plates, ready to be devoured.

If you'd like to make your own, here are some guidelines:

Ingredients:

4 green onions, sliced
one medium onion, diced
one stalk of celery, sliced
two cloves of garlic, diced
frozen spinach
two handfuls of mozzarella
small container of ricotta
four large chicken breasts
6-7 bacon strips
spices (thyme, garlic powder, rotisserie chicken spices, etc)
a little salt

We chopped the onions, celery and garlic, (and thyme to taste) and sauteed them all in oil till tender. While that was cooking, we heated up the spinach in another pan with water. Once the spinach was warm ,we added it to the onion mixture, along with the ricotta (about half the container) When the ricotta was heated, we added the handfuls of mozzarella, and then let it all simmer together for about 5 minutes. While it simmered, we trimmed the breasts and cut them open for stuffing. We sprinkled them inside and out with garlic powder and rotisserie chicken spice.

Then we carefully stuffed the breasts, keeping them closed with toothpicks and wrapped the bacon around them. Then we set them in a glass pan we had sprayed with cooking oil, and cooked them for about 15 min, or until they showed a safe temperature.

All that's left to do is enjoy the yummy goodness!

Linked to

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch

Made It for Monday @ Cottage Instincts

Make Your Monday @ Twice Remembered

Making the World Cuter Mondays @ Making the World Cuter

Just Something i Whipped Up Monday @ The Girl Creative

DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land

Friday Favs: Pandora

2010-01-22T09:08:00.006-05:00

My brother-in-law introduced me to pandora.com about a year ago, and I've been addicted ever since. It takes about two seconds to set up an account, and then you have infinite options for music, depending on your mood. And the best part? It's free!

Basically, you create a station, and Pandora analyzes the type of music you selected, then adds other artists that have similar characteristics. Here's an example:

I added a station called "Il Divo" (Awesome group, btw)

And Pandora added Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Enya, Sarah Brightman, Jim Brickman and Charlotte Church. Every once in a while Pandora will add in a new artist for me to weigh in on. With a simple thumbs up or down, I can approve the new song, and you also have the option to put a song on the shelf for a month, or to simply skip it that day if you're not in the mood.

I really like the like/dislike feature, because although I may like a particular artist, they may have a song that I don't care for, and I can have that one removed.

And because it is free, I can try out new artists all the time, without having to spend any moolah. So go check it out for yourselves, and let me know what you think!

Linked to Finer Things Friday @ Amy's Finer Things

Killahara Castle

2010-01-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello friends. Life outside my window is snow covered, cold and dreary, so I figured we could play make believe again. 'Member this castle that I posted about a few months ago that was for sale? Well, I've found another, this time in the magical place that is Ireland. Let me introduce you to Killahara Castle, just an hour and a half away from Dublin, Cork and Shannon.

This lovely is 500 years old, but has been lovingly restored by diehard conservationists. They managed to update the castle with all of the comforts of home; running water, heat and electricity, while still maintaining the authenticity of the castle. The castle has been owned by various clans and families throughout its long and rich history, and it was even a dance hall in the 1920's and 30's. Check out the beautiful architecture.

Although the decor inside is decidedly castle-ish, it is beautiful and austere. Pictured here is the bedroom that was originally occupied by the chief who built the castle in 1550.

The dining room is spacious and light-filled,

and the bathrooms are thoroughly modernized.

Take the original spiral stone staircase all the way to the top,

and you'll find the penthouse suite with a gorgeous views, a bathroom and a rooftop patio.

The views!! Oh, the views. This is Ireland, after all. Try not to drool on your keyboard.

But don't get too carried away. Renting this castle for the weekend will set you back nearly $2,000, and purchasing it outright? Well, let's just pretend like we don't care.

Images taken from original listing here, and also from the castle's website.

Made In China

2010-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lover often sends me listings on Craigslist, usually with a question along the lines of... love it or hate it? Yesterday was no exception, with listings for couches, entertainment centers and miscellaneous items. Then Lover sent me a listing with this picture,

and this description:

The is a Pier One Vase. It is made out of Clay and is in great condition. It measures 27 inches tall and has a 16 inch diameter at its widest point.

The best part was Lover's commentary:

This would be cool if its history was

"Made in China in the 13th Century"

instead, its history is

"Made in China by the lowest bidder"

And that's why I love the man, cuz he makes me laugh.

Mood Board Monday: Wisteria Dresser

2010-01-18T12:44:00.005-05:00

I came across Sarah's blog recently, and saw that she has a semi-regular party making mood boards! How fun! I signed right up, and today I'm showing you an imaginary room featuring this marvelous dresser from Wisteria.

I decided to design an imaginary dining room, that would be small and intimate, but still very elegant. This dresser turned buffet wouldn't fit in just anywhere! The palette (1)is really rich and layered, but still laidback, so that the dresser is still the focus of the room. The wall color would be Smoky Charcoal by Glidden. The aged silver of the dresser is repeated in the chandelier, mirror and napkin rings. The rest of the colors from the room are pulled from this painting (3) with lots of warm neutrals, light and dark green and smoky blue grays.

I'd hang this painting (3) over the dresser, opposite the large windows across my imaginary dining nook. The windows would be framed in ivory silk duponi drapes (4) and this beautiful and eclectic chandelier (5) would hang in the middle of the room. Beneath it, this blue gray rug (6) would add a bit of modern pattern, and provide a cozy cover for this classic white pedestal table (7). This room would be a place to settle in and enjoy a lazy morning or a long evening, so these upholstered chairs (8), in sage linen, would provide plenty of comfort.

This pewter mirror (9) would reflect even more light, as well as the view of the pretty chandelier. The topiaries (10) would sit on the dresser/buffet, and I'd finish off the room with a lovely table setting (11) of this beautiful china with a great pattern, some cream colored napkins with silver rings and sparkling crystal.

So there you have it. A beautiful imaginary dining room with loads of color and comfort, and lots of glam. Sources are below. Hope you enjoy!

Dresser - Wisteria

Curtains - Pottery Barn

Mirror - Overstock

Art - Allposters.com

Rug - Target

Chandelier - Shades of Light

Table - One Way Furniture

Chairs - Ballard Designs in sage linen

Table Setting - Waterford, and Bed Bath & Beyond, Bed Bath & Beyond

Topiaries - Ballard Designs

Linked to Mood Board Monday @ Pewter + Sage

Five Minute Lamp Makeover

2010-01-17T16:38:00.007-05:00

I love how using a little bit of paint and ingenuity can transform an item for your home into something that works perfectly for your decor. When Lover and I got married, and set up our first little apartment, I bought this diminutive candle lamp at the Christmas Tree Shop. I liked its small scale and cute little handle. It worked great in the apartment, but once we moved into the castle I couldn't find anywhere to work it in. So I tossed it into the Goodwill pile.

This is one of the times when procrastination was actually a good thing. I was moving some things around in the dining room, and realized that what I really needed was a little lamp for the dresser turned buffet. I started to add it to my "to purchase" list, but then remembered this little lamp.

I have a box full of craft paints in my office, and I grabbed some blue, brown and black paint and a brush to transform this lamp. As I have said before, craft paint dries really quickly, so I was able to transform this lamp in an afternoon. I first coated the whole lamp in midnight blue, then randomly placed splashes of brown and black paint to mimic the aged look the lamp had carried before. It didn't end up looking aged, exactly, but the color does have a lot of dimension, which I liked.

Now it fits in perfectly with the color scheme I chose for the dining room, and I didn't have to spend a dime. This makes me very happy. :-) (Which means I'll have more money in my stash for the next project I decide to work on)

Linked to

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on The Porch

Made it for Monday @ Cottage Instincts

DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land

Friday Fav: Portrait Photography

2010-01-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

I've talked before about how I left my ~~boring day job~~ stellar career to pursue my dream of having a successful photography business. Last year turned out to be a great year for the business, and the business may have had its first profit turning year! That's exciting to me, but what is even more exciting is that fact that my client base is growing, my photography skills are improving, and I am really happy with the direction my business is taking.

I started a blog for my photography site last year I think, but I was horrible about updating it. My goal was to post about sessions I was doing, as well as other fun pictures as I took them. However, I was not so good at actually posting stuff on the blog. Therefore, my plan is merge the two blogs into one, here on Words On Wendhurst. So, every so often, as I have a session or take some pictures that I like, I'll be posting them here for you to enjoy as well!

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting some sessions from last fall that I never got around to putting up (several adorable little babies!) so you can look forward to that. For now I'll leave you with some of my all time favorite shots that I've taken for my business. :-) Enjoy!

All images from www.bellisimaphotography.com

Linked to Finer Things In Life @ Amy's Finer Things

On Bethlehem, PA and wrestling.

2010-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

So.... I travel around a lot with Lover, and a few weeks ago we went to Bethlehem, PA. He was scheduled for what was supposed to be an easy day of work, but about five hours of travel to and from the site, so I tagged along to keep him company. And we stayed at this nice Holiday Inn, which was great, because I have stayed in a lot of hotels and let me tell you, some are better than others. :-)

Anyways, Lover goes to work first thing Monday morning, and I hang out in the hotel room for a few hours. Once checkout time rolls around, I pack up my laptop and head down to the guest lounge, which, again, is really nice. And I get myself all set up at a table and prepare to spend a couple of hours surfing the net and just generally wasting time. Let me tell you, this is one of my favorite ways to pass the day. I was luv-in it.

So then Lover calls and yada-yada-yada, we are staying because there is a problem with the do-hickey and the thinger that controls it. And yes, those are the technical terms that he used. So I get all comfortable, and hang out in the lounge for a few more hours, and then go back and re-check into the room.

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that the entire hotel is full the first night and again this night because there is some sort of wrestling convention in the area, and when you live in Bethlehem, PA that is a big deal. Cause there's like a total of 35 people that live in this little town. :-) So I check back into the hotel, and we go out to eat, and have a nice evening.

Day 2. Lover goes back to work, trying to fix the do-hickey. I hang out in the hotel room, a little longer this time, because we asked for a late checkout. Then I pack up, head down to the lounge, and set myself up at a table, once again as happy as a clam with my internet and notebook. So there I am, minding my own business, all alone in the rather large lounge, when a bunch of the wrestlers and their parents come in. And the irony is, that morning I had looked in the mirror and thought, "gosh, I look pretty hot today" Little did I know I'd be regretting that cute outfit before I knew it.

Wrestler Kids One and Two settle in on the lounge couch across the room and turn on the TV. Wrestler's Dad settles in too. They sit for a total of 60 seconds, and manage to be gross and rude in that short amount of time. I do my best to ignore them and project an "I'm busy, leave me alone" attitude. It doesn't work. Wrestler Kid One, who looks to be about 18, stands up, turns around and says to me "so...what's up with you? You were here yesterday too."

Yes, Wrestler One. I was. You are nothing if not observant. I nicely, but disinterestedly answer "I'm waiting for my husband, who is down here for work." Emphasis on husband. Emphasis on leave.me.alone.

Wrestler Kid One looks crestfallen, and leaves with Wrestler Kid Two immediately. I breathe a sigh of relief that I have shaken off the overly hormonal twerps. I turn my attention back to my computer, trying to block out the noise of the TV.

Ten minutes later, Wrestler Dad, still on the couch, turns around and asks "so what does your husband do?"

My thoughts: Really? That was the best one-liner you could come up with, asking me about my husband?"

"He works with computers."

"Really? What exactly?" Wrestler Dad, with an air of " that is so interesting, please keep talking to me"

Me, bored and irritated "He does blah-blah-blah and I travel with him sometimes." Thinking "please leave me alone"

Him. "Well we are here for the wrestling convention" You're joking. I so did not get that. "My sons are both competing. They're in one of the top wrestling teams in Delaware."

Delaware has less people than this dinky town. Whoop-de-doo.

"They are so good. We've traveled all over, and they are so great. And blah-blah-blah. And my sons this. And that"

Dear God, how do I get out of this? Maybe if I bring up Lover again?

Me: "Yeah, Lover and I travel a lot too, all over. He took me to NYC for two weeks last year. I love spending time with him."

In other words, I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in you.

Wrestler Dad begins to try a new approach "Oh. Well, my wife has never come with us to any of the wrestling stuff." Because it is as boring as watching paint dry? Or maybe she is grossed out by men in skimpy jumpsuits grabbing at each other?

"She never does anything with me. I don't think she even likes me anymore."

I love when men try to be subtle. Like I don't know where you are going with this. You're lonely. Newsflash, I am not. Leave me alone!

At this point I am thoroughly annoyed and wishing with all my might that I could get out of this conversation. Unfortunately, there's no where else in the hotel for me to go, and it is -20 degrees outside.

Miraculously, Wrestler Dad gets a phone call, and is distracted long enough for me to text Lover:

"CALL ME. I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAN'T TALK. I WILL MAKE.SOMETHING.UP"

Lover calls, and I pretend to be talking to him for several minutes. It's long enough for Wrestler Dad to get sidetracked by some other parents who had come into the room. I make a run for the bathroom, and hide there until Lover comes to pick me up about a half an hour later.

Moral of the story: Check the news before you travel to small, rural towns. You never know what kind of lonely, wrestler dads will be waiting for you. Then again, if you are single and desperate, I know just the event for you.

My Required Reading

2010-01-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

credit

One of my goals for 2010 is to read 12 classics. (Last year I read 12 non-fiction books) Having done the majority of my schooling in Europe, my list of English classics that I have read is sorely lacking. (That said, I've read a bunch of neat classic Spanish books!) I consider it to be an important part of my intellectual development, and the fact that I have never read a one of Shakespeare's works bothers me not a little.

Ideally, my goal is to purchase these 12 books that I plan to read this year, so that after I have read them, they can take up residence in my home. :-) These cloth covered Penguin classics that Anthropologie sells are beautiful, but I am looking for something a little more vintage and a little less $$$$$. I'm a sucker for vintage hardcover books, but I'm finding that true classics are really hard to find. Any suggestions?

I've read pretty much everything that Jane Austen has written (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, etc) , Frankenstein, and I've also read Jane Eyre. I need some other suggestions friends! Here's what's tentatively on my list this year:

Great Expectations
A Tale of Two Cities
Oliver Twist
Wuthering Heights
Hamlet

I know there are tons more, so which would you recommend? They don't have to be particularly interesting, just classics. :-)

Inspiration Tuesday: Canopied Romance

2010-01-12T08:22:00.004-05:00

image taken from goodhousekeeping.com

I love the simplicity of this room and the romance. This would be a beautiful look in a master bedroom, a little girl's room, or even for a guest bedroom. So ethereal and serene. Obviously the bed makes this room, without it the room would just be ho-hum. The good news is that the furniture in this room is painted, so you could find deals in secondhand shops and perhaps on Craigslist to pull together a similar look.

Here is a new version of this four poster canopy bed, but it will cost you a pretty penny. Then you could hit up places like Target for the bedding (this set is oh so feminine) and lamps, and order a sheer canopy set here from Overstock. If you couldn't find a second hand set of nightstands, this one from Pottery Barn has a similar look. The wallpaper in this room is beautiful and understated, much like this beautiful pattern from Ballard Designs.

So what do you think? Does this style speak to you at all? Are a ruffles and lace kind of girl, or more of a plain Jane? Is there an element of this room that you would work into another style of room all together?

Cheap and Easy Wall Art

2010-01-10T09:46:00.007-05:00

I gave this wall in our dining room a makeover back in September. I showed you all about it and talked about how proud I was that I did the whole thing myself. I knew I wanted to do something simple to dress this wall up, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money or time on it, because, frankly, I don't have a lot of either to spare. :-) Actually, the real reason is that the majority of this wall will be removed when we remodel the kitchen in a few years, so I didn't want to invest in something that I wouldn't need in a couple of years.

A few days ago I came up with the idea of putting a quote onto this wall. It's cheap, fast and easy, and easily removable when the time comes to tear out this wall. There is an enormous variety of cute quotes out there, and I was faced with the insurmountable task of choosing one to place on our wall. Decisions like this are really hard for me. Which quote do I want? Will I like this quote a minute after it's been up? What sentiment do I want to express with this quote? I hemmed and hawed over it for about a week, and then decided I was overthinking it. I'd simply wait till I came across a quote that jumped out at me, and then I would use that one. The very next day, I went to and antique and crafts store, and saw the perfect quote. Here's what my wall looks like now.

I love the sentiment that this quote expresses. This castle is filled with love, and even though I like things to look nice and pretty, my most important goal for this house is that it be a home to those who live here. (and those who come to visit!)

In the end I decided not to use a vinyl quote, simply because I had the materials on hand to paint it on the wall myself, and that would be much more frugal! I used a yardstick and a level to draw straight guidelines on the wall, and played around with different fonts on my computer until I found some combinations that I liked. Then, using a piece of chalk, I traced out the basic design of each letter onto the wall, taking my time and erasing parts I didn't like. Once the outline was complete I went over the design with my Painter's pen (left over from this project). I found that if I drew right next to the chalk line the painter's pen didn't get too mucked up with chalk, and I just kept a wet paper towel on hand to wipe off the tip as I went. I let the paint dry for about twenty minutes, then went back and wiped off the rest of the chalk with the wet paper towel. The water evaporated in about a minute, and then I set about filling in each letter until it looked the way I wanted it too.

I worked on this project off and on for two hours total, I would say. I love how it came out, and the fact that I spent almost nothing (just the chalk!) for this little part of my dining room.

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Made it for Monday @ Cottage Instincts

DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land

Friday Fav: Focal Point and NYCLQ

2010-01-08T08:30:00.001-05:00

Lynda Quintero Davids

In my opinion, queen of redecorating on a dime. This glam girl reinvents her living room every other month it seems, and always does it in high style. She is an expert at reusing and reimagining the items that she owns to create a totally different look for her rooms.

She first caught my eye on Rate my Space when I saw her taxicab-inspired living room and recognized it from a magazine I had just seen it in. I spent some time perusing her other rooms, and loved her style, her free decorating tips and her endless vision to constantly reuse her items. Here's the picture I recognized:

And here's the same room, with a totally different, tropical feel thanks to smart swapping and accessorizing.

And again, glammed up for the holidays, during the day and at night.

Changing the pillows, lamps, curtains and a few accessories brings a whole new feel to this room, as demonstrated by this redo, and yet another.

It's like "One Room, Five Ways" and "How to Re-Use What You Have" got together and had a baby. And I love it. To see more of her rooms and redos, do a search for her (nyclq) at ratemyspace.hgtv.com or check out her blog at http://nyclq-focalpoint.blogspot.com/.

Have a great weekend!

Linked to Finer Things Friday @ Amy's Finer Things

Tiger Woods and our obsession with celebrities

2010-01-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've all heard about the latest tabloid scandal, involving Tiger Woods. Oh, you haven't? Well, come out from under that rock that you apparently live under, and listen up.

Back in November Mr. Woods had an unfortunate car accident, with some strange circumstances surrounding the accident. Shortly after news of the accident, rumors began to swirl that he had allegedly been having an affair with another woman, and then, immediately after that, all hell broke loose. Women started coming out of the woodwork to confess having hooked up with the Tiger. Then Tiger released a statement saying, basically, that he wasn't going to say anything. A man has the right to some privacy. This only created more questions for the fans, while ignoring the message of his statement, which was, essentially, "please give us some privacy."

As more and more of this story came out in the open, if you can even say that, with all of the "alleged", and "rumored" and a lack of corroboration by Mr. Woods himself, I heard over and over again, "I thought he was such a nice guy" and "Wow, I never would have expected this from him." I wondered to myself "why?" "why wouldn't you expect it?" Did you ever meet him? Have drinks with him? Spend hours at his home getting to know him in a personal and more intimate setting? Surely you must have some basis for this statement, other than the fact that he wears nice polos and khakis, and up til now has never been accused of even a speeding ticket.

My point is this. We are obsessed with an entire group of people that we know nothing about. There are still people that are haters of Angelina Jolie because she "stole" Brad Pitt from Jennifer Anniston. All of these people that have never met a one of them, and have no bearing on their lives. For all we know, Jennifer was a total shrew, and Brad hated it. Maybe Jennifer was so fed up with Brad leaving his dirty underwear on the floor that she was the one to break it off, and then he met Angelina. Maybe the entire relationship was a cleverly thought up scheme to boost their popularity. We can't possibly make character judgments based on what we "know" about these people, which is, in fact, nothing. The five minutes we spend reading a tabloid in the checkout lane does not give us insider knowledge on the intimate lives of the rich and famous.

While I'm not condoning what Tiger may have done, let's stop and think for a moment. Imagine, for a moment, that you have something embarrassing happen to you. Imagine that you have a little too much to drink and get pulled over and get a DUI. Embarrassing and bad. But now, imagine that someone posts about you on Facebook, and they make a note about you in the church bulletin. Imagine that they put up a sign at your grocery store announcing what you've done, and also at your children's school. Imagine walking down the street and every single person recognizes you and reacts negatively to you. Sounds awful, right? Something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy? Sadly, this is what happens to celebrities on a daily basis.

In medieval times, the crown prince had a whipping boy. This boy took the public and physical pain and humiliation for the sins of the prince, since it would have been unthinkable to inflict any kind of punishment on the prince himself. Leaving the morality of this practice aside, it is interesting to see how in today's culture we have merged these two positions. Our royalty, the rich, the famous, the celebrities, are adored and revered and worshipped, sometimes to the point of hysteria. But when they show any sign of being human, be it gaining weight, having cellulite, cheating on their wives or committing a crime, we turn them into our whipping boys and humiliate them to the point that they must literally hide from the world itself.

Why the double standard? Why do we love them and then hate them? For that matter, why do we even care? Newsflash, my friends, Tiger Woods doesn't care about you, and you'd be better off not caring about him.

Focus on the people (the real ones!) that are a part of your life. Invest in your family's lives, in your friends' lives. If you don't have friends, or don't like the ones you have, go make new ones! Leave the rich and famous to themselves, and to their inevitable demise.

-Rant over-

How to Write a Thank You Note.

2010-01-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

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For the last few years I have had the tradition of writing thank you notes for gifts we receive throughout the Christmas season. I began it as a way to remind myself to actually be thankful for the gifts I was receiving, and now it is a tradition I really enjoy.

While email, Facebook and texting are becoming our communication methods de facto, there's nothing quite like receiving a handwritten card in the mail. It says you cared enough to find the time in your day to personally remember someone. Handwriting a thank you note, however, can be a daunting task. Here's how it's done.

I like to find cards with a pretty design on the front, that are something that I think is stylish. Thank you cards are a great way to express your own sense of style.

Find cards with a blank inside. I find this easier, as I don't feel boxed in by what is already written, as a thank you note is generally straightforward and to the point.

Write neatly, so that the recipient doesn't have to struggle inordinately to understand your writing. However, don't worry if you don't have perfect handwriting, as the simple fact that you took the time to handwrite the card will make it special.

Start with the recipient's name, using a title if appropriate. (Mr, Mrs, Grandma, Grandpa, etc)

Dear Jessica

-or-

Hi Grandma!

Explain that you are writing to thank the person for the gift that they gave to you.

Just wanted to send you a little note to

say thank you for the lotions you gave me.

-or-

Just wanted to send a little note to

say thank you for having Luke and I over for dinner last week.

Mention the gift (item, time, effort, service) specifically, and mention something that you like about it.

I really like the scent you picked out, vanilla is one of my favorites!

-or-

We had a great time, and the food that you made was delicious!

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite meals.

Wrap up by mentioning again how grateful you are for the gift, and thank them for the time and sentiment behind the gift.

Thanks again for thinking of me, it made me feel so special!

-or-

We really appreciate the time and effort, and look forward

to spending time together again soon!

Express a closing sentiment that is appropriate for your relationship with the person.

Your friend,

-or-

Love,

And sign your name. A first name is fine for anyone you are friends with, and also for family members. If it is someone from work, or a more distant relationship, it would be more appropriate to sign your full name.

Jenny

So, in summary, your written sentiment will look like this.

Dear Jessica,

I wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for the lotions you gave me.

I really like the scent you picked out, vanilla is one of my favorites! Thanks again for thinking

of me, it makes me feel so special!

Your friend,

Jenny

-or-

Dear Grandma,

Just wanted to send a little note to say thank you for having Luke and I over for dinner last week. We had a great time, and the food that you made was delicious! Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite meals. We really appreciate the time and effort , and look forward to spending time together again soon!

Love,

Jenny

A few tips:

- Write with moderately large handwriting, so that your card is easily read. The bonus of this is that it will fill up the card!

- Start your greeting about one fourth of the way down the blank part of the card. This makes the card look nicer, and helps to fill in the card.

-Send the card within one to two weeks after the gift has been received (or the event has taken place). It's acceptable to take three to four weeks after a large event like a shower or a wedding. That said, the expression better late than never definitely applies to thank you notes.

So there you have it. A quick and simple guide to your very own handwritten thank you note. Now get to it!

Calm and Serene Living Room, and Kid Friendly Too!

2010-01-05T08:53:00.005-05:00

Something about winter and the New Year always has me editing the decorative items in my home and reducing them to the bare minimum. With that frame of mind, it's no wonder that this simple, no fuss room is speaking to me this week. I found these pictures on Jen's great blog Inspiration for Decoration. She has thousands of images uploaded, and I could seriously spend days looking at all of the great pictures. ETA: This room belongs to the talented Michelle at Three Men and a Lady. Thanks, Emily!

Things I like about this room:

The affordability: the floors look to be laminate. The couches and chairs are slipcovered, meaning you could purchase whatever was in your budget and then cover them all to coordinate them. The pillows are all simple, and easily made by you if you can sew straight seams.
The color palette: a very restricted color palette of greenish khaki, soft tans, creamy whites and black and white photos means this room is relaxing and serene.
The kid-friendly factor: Slipcovered furniture means washable furniture. The dining room table is simple and durable, the curtains can be bleached clean. The rug can take quite a beating before it will show wear, and the ottoman in place of a coffee table means that there are no sharp corners to bang little heads on.
The wow factor: As calm and kid-friendly as this room is, it still has a glamorous chandelier, a funky fan/light, pretty moulding and interesting dining room chairs. It's a great example of making a room stylish, and still making it friendly for those who live in it.
The personal touch: As a photographer (mostly of children) I love those gorgeous portraits on the wall. Showcasing them in black and white makes them more like art, while still keeping it very personal.

What about you? Does winter have you furiously editing your things and restricting your color palette? Or is that just me...

Final 2009 Recap

2010-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've kept you updated throughout the year on how we were progressing on our goals for 2009, so I won't go into great detail about the things we accomplished this year. Here's a quick recap;

We met various financials goals like increasing our emergency savings, saving for a car, etc.
We did fun stuff over the summer like going to the Renaissance Festival, going camping, and throwing fun parties like the Yellow Party.
We took vacations to Wisconsin and California, both to see family, and had a great time.
We made family a priority and saw them pretty much once a week. It really seemed to have an impression on our nieces and nephews, I think it's safe to say we're the favorites! :-)

I also set a goal for myself to read twelve non-fiction books this year. I can read fiction easily, and I prefer to read fiction, so this was a hard goal for me to accomplish. I did it though, and read some really interesting books like;

A Chance to Die (a biography of Amy Carmichael)
Beyond the Ranges (biography of missionary James Fraser)
Queen of the Dark Chamber (biography of a Christian woman in China)
I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebecca (book on marriage)
Hansi, the Girl who Loved the Swastika (autobiography of a former Nazi)
Financial Peace (great financial advice)
Hedges (another marriage book, this one not so great)
Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God (a book on being a wife, with interesting perspectives on a wife's role in the home.)
Queen of the Reformation (biography of Martin Luther's wife)
Revolution in World Missions (a wakeup call for privileged first world countries)
Created to Be His HelpMeet (an excellent book on marriage)

We also worked on the castle quite a bit, finishing the living room, and guest room, mostly finishing the dining room and master bedroom, and revamping the front of the house for more curb appeal.

It's been a productive and fun year, and we're looking forward to accomplishing lots more in 2010. What was your favorite part of 2009?

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T11:25:00.003-05:00

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Happy New Year to everyone out there! We enjoyed a lovely holiday week, mostly at home, relaxing, including last night. Our big New Year's excitement was popping the cork on a fizzed up bottle of sparkling apple cider (we decided to save the champagne for another night when we weren't so tired) and enjoying a quick toast. We spent a few days traveling this week, and we were pretty beat, so we hit the sack early. We're looking forward to a long weekend, and then it's back to business!

While I've enjoyed the last week off, I am eager to get back to the wonderful world of blogging. 2010 will be bringing some fun changes to Wendhurst Castle, as well as to our blog! Here are a few things you can look forward to in 2010:
Full basement remodel, including a new bathroom and laundry area.
Office remodel and makeover into my very own "sunshine" room.
Regular photography posts from my professional sessions.
Opening a shop for my photography
Improving the entire blog for a better reading experience
Those are just a few of the projects we'll be tackling around here in 2010. We thought 2009 was a pretty good year, so here's hoping 2010 is even better!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

From our castle to yours, we wish you a very

Merry Christmas!

I'll be taking the next week or so off of blogging to enjoy the holidays. I plan to be back in 2010 in force!

Dare to DIY: Christmas Traditions

2009-12-21T08:10:00.005-05:00

Sadly, the Dare to DIY party is drawing to a close. I've had so much fun with these posts each week, and even more fun exploring all of the wonderful creations that everyone came up with. Thanks to Kim for hosting each week!

This week's challenge was to share the traditions that we already uphold, or the ones that we are starting this year. I am a big one for traditions, so you can bet that I'll have lots of share.

Celebrating on Christmas Eve Lover's family has always celebrated on Christmas Eve, so most of the time we spend at least part of the day with them. Lover always jokes that he was quite old before he figured out that Christmas wasn't on the 24th. :-) This makes me happy, because we can then spend a quiet Christmas morning together.

Decorating the tree This year we began a new tradition, of waiting to put the ornaments up until Christmas Eve. The tree is currently decorated with lights, balls and ribbon, but all of the sentimental ornaments are patiently waiting for the 24th in a pretty box under the tree. I'm hoping to blare some Christmas tunes, put out some treats, and have a smashing good time.

The dark side of the tree. Several years ago my brothers started this tradition. Someone gave us some seriously weird ornaments, and they jokingly placed them on the back of the tree, dubbing it the "dark side." The tradition has stuck, and now we place all of the questionable ornaments on the back of the tree. So much fun.

Watch Christmas movies. Up until 2009, our tradition was to watch It's a Wonderful Life. This year we ditched the old classic *sniff* in favor of our own favorite Christmas movies; Home Alone, Elf, and While You Were Sleeping. We're trying to do this in lieu of an Advent wreath, so essentially one movie a weekend.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch stole Christmas. It's a bit of a joke around here that Lover is a Grinch when it comes to Christmas. (Although in his defense he has been so, SO much better this year) We started watching this heartwarming tale last year on the 24th, and plan to do so again this year.

Grinch ornaments. By chance, the first year we were married, I was out shopping the day after Christmas and I found a clearanced Grinch ornament. I bought it as a joke for Lover (see above) and the tradition has stuck. This one does take some work though, as it is apparently very difficult to find a Grinch ornament each year. It may also be because we have strict guidelines. We have to purchase the ornament around Christmas time, we must be together, and we have to go to a physical store, not shop online. It really is a lot of fun, regardless.

12 days of Christmas. As most couples do, the first year we were married we lamented the fact that we didn't get to have our "own" Christmas together. So instead, we gave each other a few small gifts in the days following Christmas. The second year we turned that into a full fledged tradition, buying five small gifts, one for every day after Christmas. Eventually our plan is to give each other one gift each day from December 26 through January 6th. (The day they celebrate Christmas in Spain, where we both grew up) This year we are up to 7 gifts. We keep a $5 limit for each gift so things don't get too crazy. It's my favorite tradition of all the ones we keep, and I look forward to it each year.

So those are the traditions we keep here at Wendhurst Castle. It's been fun to hang out with all you fun peeps, and I've had so much fun finding all sorts of new blogs to add to my reader. Have a Merry Christmas!

Images found through images.google.com