*explanation required

Working Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Remember that I mentioned a few times (beginning like a year ago or something) that I've been working on redoing the look of this blog. Well I have been. Kinda. Off and on. I have no clue what I'm doing so it's taken forever, but I'm really, truly, incredibly close to done. The plan is to spend the rest of this week and whatever time I can squeeze from the weekend, wrapping it all up. Hopefully you'll see me back on Monday with a whole new look!

Kitchen Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:28:00 +0000

I don't know if you remember from the MLS photo tour that I shared when we first moved into our place, but our kitchen leaves a little something to be desired. See what I mean:

We made some cosmetic changes the moment we moved in - removing the crazy amber sconces over the sink, some of the wallpaper (we stalled above the cabinets) and most of the galley rail on the upper cabinets (also stalled). We got a new stove and freshened up the walls with paint. And it goes without saying that the old owner's furniture is gone. I had high hopes when we bought the house that we'd be able to live with the kitchen long-term. The cabinets weren't in bad shape and while they are cream (not white, which is my preference), that could be easily remedied.

But the reality is that the kitchen just doesn't function well for us. We have dry food crammed in the peninsula (which, mind you, is only 12 inches deep) and in the upper cabinet to the left of the stove. That doesn't include cereal, which is too big to fit in either of those spaces and lives in the dining room instead. And our pots and pans are crammed into the lazy susan in the corner to the right of the range. It looks spacious, but looks can be deceiving as there's actually a lot of dead space behind that cabinet. And to boot, our dishwasher just recently died. Whomp, whomp, whomp...

So I was really excited when I heard that Ikea is currently doing a kitchen sale. My dad is a little skeptical about Ikea cabinets, but everything I've read says their boxes are better than competitors', as is their drawer hardware. And their frameless construction means you get more space than you would from a framed cabinet with the same dimensions. Not to mention that even though you have to put them together yourself, they're something that I might be able to install myself (well, with the help of Mark and my dad). So I've been using their planner to come up with a possible floorplan. Here's the current frontrunner:

Check out that U-shaped wonderfulness! This plan has us relocating all the appliances either a little bit in the case of the range and dishwasher (it's hidden by the cabinet door just to the right of the sink) or a lot in the case of the fridge. And we gain four (yes 4!!!) cabinets, including a tall pullout pantry to the right of the fridge, an appliance garage in the far right corner and a trash pullout to the left of the range. All while still leaving some breathing room around the window for fun curtains or artwork. In addition, I've mapped out what items will go in which cabinets and we have an entire cabinet empty right now. Yay for room to grow!

I priced out my first floorplan in an Ikea store. This one's been modified a bit since that 2+ hour pricing session, but not enough to make a huge difference in cost. The cabinets and appliances are within the budget. Now I just need to find a contractor and price out the electrical, plumbing and drywall work that we'll need done. And see if they can build a custom baking sheet cabinet to go in that grey filler space to the left of the sink. Speaking of the sink, I realize it's not centered on the window. This would normally bother my supremely anal-retentive self, but what you can't see is the vertical piece that runs down the center of the window (look back at the MLS photo), which makes it so that the sink is centered on the left pane. Love that this move allows for a nice long expanse of countertop to the right of it!

I'm beyond excited, in case you can't tell!! And thinking that I missed my calling. I'm so addicted to this kitchen planner that I think I should change careers to kitchen design. ;)

A Week of Instagram {Oct 8}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:38:00 +0000

one direction // computer savvy // little ballerina
fun ride // dinosaurs attack // kitchen planning

Follow me on Instagram. I'm @explanationrequired. Or click here to keep up to date via the web.

Quote to Remember #99

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:40:00 +0000

"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." - Albert Camus

Photo Credit: CarolynsHope's flickr

October Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:21:00 +0000

I made some goals at the start of last month and, shockingly enough, actually accomplished everything on my list. The focus of the month was Charlotte's room and I reached all my goals of moving the dollhouse to her room, hanging artwork up, making and hanging curtains (that still need to be hemmed) and creating a photo/art display piece. This month the focus is on our only full bathroom. Here's the plan:

* De-beige the space. Our bathroom gets a lot of light, which is lost on the cream tiles, cream floor, cream/tan walls and wood tone vanity. It's boring with a capital B. So we're going to paint the top half of the space grey, hoping that it'll perk up the beige tiles below.

* Add some vintage fun. A month or two ago, on our Goodwill Tour, I picked up a bedcover in a fun floral fabric, with fringed trim. I loved it, but had no clue what to do with it. Then inspiration struck - a shower curtain! So I'll be adding some button holes (once I figure out how to do that) and hanging it up.

* Hang some kitschy art. I already shared the great old posters I found, but haven't come up with a solution for how to hang them just yet. I'd originally planned to laminate them and use clipboards on to hang them, but now I wonder how well the clipboards will fare in the steamy bathroom. Up they'll go, just not sure how yet.

* Pretty up the fixed pieces. The vanity and mirror must stay as there's no way to swap them out easily. So they'll be painted a deeper grey to try to camouflage their beat up wood finish. It wouldn't be what I'd pick were I designing a brand new bath, but you gotta work with what you've got.

We'll see how well this month goes, because it's bound to be a busy one in other ways. There's Halloween and its related parties, a road trip weekend and another 5k race in the works. I've got my work cut out for me, that's for sure!

September PhotoADay Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:46:00 +0000

Eeesh, last month was awful for me in terms of completing Fat Mum Slim's PhotoADay Challenge. I'm not sure what my deal was, but I couldn't remember to get photos for 10 of the days. Nevertheless, here are my photos from September:

father // bright // every day // at night // most weekends
black & white // hero // together // table // favorite
price // underneath // man-made // up // before bedtime
3 things // near // love/hate // a good thing // errand
In spite of my not being able to get my act together, you should consider joining in on the challenge! Whether you share them through Instagram, Facebook, a blog or just keep them to yourself, it's a fun way to capture your days. Here's a link to the October challenge.

A Week of Instagram {Oct 1}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:25:00 +0000

homemade cupcakes // daddy's love // cuteness
breakfast pit stop // pretending // balancing

Follow me on Instagram. I'm @explanationrequired. Or click here to keep up to date via the web.

Quote to Remember #98

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:37:00 +0000

"Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere." - Albert Einstein

Photo Credit: ashleypyeatt's flickr

Philosophy and Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:40:00 +0000

Another month is nearly gone, so as usual I'm back with some funny bits I want to remember about my Chuckles:

* I was buckling Charlotte into her carseat when she looked at me and said, "Is this real?" I asked "is what real," to which she responded, "all this," motioning around her. Through our conversation I learned that she wants to make sure our planet is real and her idea of how to do that is to go into outer space to see it. She says she'll go to school to become an astronaut first and then she'll come back and be a firefighter. Okaaaay...

* Charlotte loves Hearty. Like really loves her. She dresses her just so for every occasion and gives her lots of hugs and love. And she always knows where she is. Except for one morning when she was left on my bed. Charlotte was searching for her and finally spied her from her position at the foot of the bed. So, because I'm sure this makes sense to a 4 year old, she climbed on the bed and leapt from the foot of it up to the head of it to grab Hearty. I was still in bed at the time. And nearly had a heart attack.

* As much as Charlotte loves Hearty, I love So You Think You Can Dance. It's easily my favorite show. We were watching the finale the other day (yay Eliana!!) and listening to the judges critique Chehon's performance. Charlotte looked over at me and said, "I like the Eliana. You know Eliana and Cyrus, when he was a robot and she was a ballerina." I was floored that she got their names right and remembered the details of a routine that aired weeks earlier. Like a sponge. (Check out the routine here if you haven't seen it before.)

* Charlotte's been potty-trained for a long time now, but we still struggle with hand washing. She knows she needs to clean up after and will remind you to as well if you don't head to the sink immediately. That said, she tries to get out of "needing" her hands cleaned all the time. She thinks if she doesn't touch the potty or wipe (ie. gets Mark or I to do those things), she can get out of handwashing. Not gonna fly baby.

* I mentioned in my post about The Color Run that we bought Charlotte a waterproof camera a while back. We haven't put the waterproof feature to the test yet, but that thing has lived up to it's shockproof claim. It's been dropped from several feet high a million times over with no damage to it and no change to the quality of the photos. It's not the most fantastic camera out there, but Charlotte loves having a camera of her own to use. Here are some of her captures:

Thirty-One

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:16:00 +0000

Do you know what today is? September 26th. Right. And do you know what is one month from today? October 26th. My birthday. I'll be turning 31 (eesh, when did that happen?!?!) and so decided to put together a list of 31 things I love, just in case someone (ahemhusbandthatwouldbeyou) needs some ideas.

1. Traveling in the US. This book seems to have some great ideas for that.
2. Europe would be good too.
3. Charlotte's artwork. Perhaps made into magnets.
4. Chalkboards.
5. Silly home decor items.
6. Taking pictures. How about a new camera or lens?
7. Yeah, the camera and lens are pricey. Maybe a new camera bag instead.
8. A good steak.
9. Walt Disney World. Good thing I have two trips planned for next year!
10. Old quilts.
11. Sleep. ;)
12. No really. Sleep.
13. Jason's Deli.
14. Art with words. The Wheatfield and Pen & Paint have some really great pieces.
15. Thrifting with my mom and sister.
16. Dinnertime with my family. Conversation starters would be fun.
17. Tried and true family recipes like chicken soup and pork spaghetti. Them made into custom art would be awesome.
18. Tea towels.
19. Old books.
20. Starbucks iced green tea.
21. New, pretty kitchens. ;)
22. Lime margaritas.
23. Singing in the shower. This radio would help drown out my pitchiness.
24. Pedicures.
25. Vintage sheets. I'm especially on the lookout for plaids and stripes.
26. Movie nights.
27. Groovy needlepoint.
28. More groovy needlepoint.
29. Even more groovy needlepoint.
30. Vintage paint by numbers.
31. World peace. ;)

Crib Spring Photo Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:36:00 +0000

When I made my to do list back at the beginning of the month, one of the items included was to work on a way to showcase some of Charlotte's artwork and family photos. Whatever I decided to do needed to meet a few requirements. It needed to be made in such a way that it'd be easy to swap out one item for the other whenever I saw fit. I know myself. And I know that if it requires taking down a frame to swap out a photo I'll have the same photos up years from now. I also knew that it needed to be cheap. I am a tightwad, after all. Here's what I came up with:

One of the casualties of our basement flood last year was Charlotte's crib. The wood pieces all got pitched, but I wisely saved the spring since it wasn't damaged at all. A leftover crib spring plus a scrap of wood and some screws was about as cheap as you can get (ie. completely free), and with the addition of a few binder/bullnose clips (to be replaced when I come up with something cuter), it's easy to change out pieces. Hanging it was super simple. I just screwed a small piece of wood horizontally to the studs, then removed two of the actual coils so I could send a screw through the resulting hole into the wood I'd screwed onto the wall. Clear as mud, right?! Yeah, I know. But I promise you, it couldn't be easier. Then I just clipped up some favorite photos and artwork.

I'm so stoked that the spring fit into this spot. It wedges just perfectly between the bathroom door and my bedroom door. Seriously, there's only about 1/4 of an inch to spare. And best of all, Charlotte's really excited about it. It's fuller than what is pictured here because she's already found other drawings and paintings that she wanted to add to the mix. Love that!

I've never been one to hang photos of my family everywhere. For one thing, I don't have many (well, I have lots - just not printed out). But mainly because it feels weird. I don't know why since I like it in other people's homes. But this bulletin board of sorts just feels right. I love being greeted by it every time I head up the stairs!

Sources: La La Love You print - Sparkle Power, Let the Sun Shine In print - Slide Sideways, pants hanger - Ikea, paintings - courtesy of Charlotte, super cute girl in the photos - courtesy of me :)

A Week of Instagram {Sep 23}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:40:00 +0000

johnny rockets // after dance class // thrifting addiction
goofy girl // making curtains // timeout pout

Follow me on Instagram. I'm @explanationrequired. Or click here to keep up to date via the web.

Quote to Remember #97

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:29:00 +0000

"The things you take for granted someone else is praying for." - Unknown

Photo Credit: nimble photography's flickr

The Birth of Hearty

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:27:00 +0000

I told you yesterday about our colorful run through Richmond. I didn't mention what went on for the rest of the trip - a lot of driving, a lot of shopping and a lot of eating. Basically, the most boring trip imaginable for Charlotte. So when we happened upon a Build-A-Bear Workshop during one shopping outing, I know we had to stop in. She has a reindeer from there, but it doesn't fit into most of the clothes, so we've never spent much time in the store. Until this weekend. I think we were in there for about an hour. Eeek!

Our bear-building started with her picking a pale pink bear and helping Allison (the worker at the store) get her stuffed and fluffed. Charlotte decided to name her bear Hearty, after the heart patterned fabric on the bear's paws. We all got a good laugh at the super obvious name, but Charlotte stuck with it. Here she is, captured by the same junky waterproof camera that I used on the race:

After Hearty was sufficiently bathed and brushed, we got to shopping for clothes and accessories. One thing is for sure, my girl knows how to shop. Mark, my mom, my sister and I all helped (steered) and she ended up with quite the mix of daywear, pajamas and princess dresses. The amount we spent was a bit shameful, but my girl doesn't get these sort of shopping sprees often (ever, really), so it was fun to be able to spoil her.

She spent the rest of our trip changing Hearty's clothes for every occasion - bedtime, dinner out, the drive home. And she's been playing with and sleeping with Hearty since our return. I have a feeling this bear won't have any shortage of love.

The Color Run

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Have you heard of The Color Run before? I hadn't until this year. Once my friends and I learned about it we scurried over to their website to sign up for the DC run, just to find it was sold out. Whomp, whomp, whomp. So we did the next best thing and road-tripped to Richmond to take part. It was so much fun!! I mean, you run (or in my case walk, due to some medical stuff I've got going on right now), get colored corn starch thrown at you, and act like a crazy fool. What's not to love?!

Luckily, I'd bought Charlotte a waterproof digital camera a while back. I figured if it can survive 14 feet underwater it can survive a Color Run. I was right. So here are some (unedited) shots during the action:

Now the run itself is fun, but as you can see, our shirts ended up being just a slightly more pastel version of their formerly white selves. Boring! So into the after party we went, where participants get to throw packets of color in the air. Or in each other's faces. Your choice. :)

We stayed in this hue-filled mosh pit for about half an hour before we headed to our cars, dusted ourselves off and went back to the hotel. We met Charlotte and my mom there (thanks Mom for watching her!) and Charlotte didn't even recognize me. Not that I can blame her, given that my face was completely purple.

I'm psyched at the thought of signing up for this again when it comes back to town next year!

The Queen Mum

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:35:00 +0000

I was browsing Apartment Therapy a while back and came across this article that featured a color chart showing what the Queen's preferences in clothing were over the course of a year. The illustration struck me for a couple reasons. First, Mark is British and therefore loves just about anything with the Royal Family. Tins, mugs, tea towels... we've got it all. Second, I like color and loads of it. That's evident all over the house. So this particular piece seemed like the perfect marriage (haha, so punny) of my and Mark's predilections. I scoured the web for the largest size of it I could find, sized it up a bit more so that it'd fit a 12x18 sheet, and had it printed at Staples for just a few bucks. Into a frame I already had on hand it went, and we were left with the vignette you see below, which is atop a wardrobe in our bedroom.

Isn't it fun?! I love when a plan comes together and comes together cheaply. And I love getting items crossed off my to do list, even if it didn't happen until early September instead of August. Progess is progress, right?

Sources: Security Food Pail - Bellalulu Vintage, Fake Plant - Michael's, Corked Glass Jar - thrifted, Plaid Tins - Ikea, White Frame - Target

P.S. Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy birthday Mark!! I promise this artwork isn't your gift. ;)

A Week of Instagram {Sep 17}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:38:00 +0000

firefighter charlotte // la la love you // pre-race whiteness
rawr says the dinosaur // bottoms up // riding high

Follow me on Instagram. I'm @explanationrequired. Or click here to keep up to date via the web.

Quote to Remember #96

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:12:00 +0000

"No one has ever become poor from giving." - Anne Frank

Photo Credit: Dani Ayu's flickr

Hey there... today is the last day to vote for me (#126) in the room makeover giveaway over at Vintage Revivals. Thanks for your help!!

I Like Katniss Too

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:13:00 +0000

Do you recognize the quote above? It's from Mockingjay, the third in a trilogy of books written by Suzanne Collins. But I bet you knew that. Nearly everyone does. You basically had to have been living under a rock for the past year to have missed out on the whirlwind of frenzy that is the Hunger Games. (Seriously, if you haven't read these books, go get them. Now.)

Just yesterday I was reading through some of my favorite blogs and read what Katy (great name, right?!) of Scottyboy and Katygirl had to say about the third book. It's by far the most hotly debated of the three, as people tend to have an absolute love or absolute hate relationship with this part of the storyline. Katy will tell you that she likes Katniss, but not for a reason that I'd thought of before. Her words have made me want to reread the series so I can draw some more parallels between Katniss' life in Panem and our lives here. So head on over and take a look at what she has to say.

Hey... I'm still in the running for an epic home makeover from Vintage Revivals. So get on over there and vote for #126. Thanks bunches!!

Prima Ballerina

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Charlotte started dance class on Saturday, so prepare for a photo overload!! I was not ashamed to be the mother standing there with DSLR in hand (everyone else was using their phone), taking photo after photo of my little cutie. In the waiting area. In the classroom. In the parking lot. She's lucky I didn't take any photos of her in the restroom. ;)

The day started like this. Goofy faces and a silly attitude. Which I was actually quite thankful for. A while back (last summer, I think) we signed Charlotte up for a toddler gymnastics class that our county's parks and rec program was offering. We went to two classes before we called it quits. She was super clingy and cried a lot. She just wasn't prepared to be separated from me at all. With her going to school a few days a week for the past six or so months, I knew she wouldn't have that attachment. But I still worried that she'd be in a cranky mood and wouldn't want to participate. Shockingly enough though, she seemed just as excited as I was.

Having taken dance classes for years (about 15 or so), and having taught for the last few of those years, I had pretty high expectations of how the class would be conducted. I wanted her to be learning at a studio that stressed the fundamentals (ballet) and had a lot of variety available should she really want to focus on dance. And I really wanted it to be a place that wasn't quick to make little girls grow up (ie. doesn't dress them in hoochie mama costumes). I did what research I could online, and then just hoped for the best. Things seem up to my standards so far, so yay for that!

Sorry for the not so stellar in-class shots (had to take them through a window), but is she not the cutest little ballerina you ever did see? She twirled and jumped and marched every which way. And was talking a mile a minute after class was done about the new things she learned. The photo below is her sweet smile after the class. Love it! A while back my mom found a small ballerina trophy at a thrift store and we gave it to Charlotte after we got home from her class. She was amazed that she was good enough to get a trophy of her very own. So, so cute!

Thanks for taking a peek at my little cutie!! Now, how about clicking on over to the room makeover giveaway at Vintage Revivals and voting for me -- number 126. Thanks a bunch!

Resiliency

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:26:00 +0000

I'm so grateful for the resiliency of the human spirit. No doubt God is to thank for that wonderful part of our beings. And how amazing that he made himself evident even in those horrible days that followed September 11, 2001?! For the most part, I'll be spending today as I spend just about every day - working, caring for my family, and so on. There won't be an outward display that this day is any different than yesterday. Or tomorrow. But I'll certainly continue to think about and pray for those who were personally affected. Just as I did last year and each year before.

A Week of Instagram {Sep 10}

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:51:00 +0000

computer time // it's so fluffy // jumping on the bed
swinging // on charlotte's wall // getting supplies

Follow me on Instagram. I'm @explanationrequired. Or click here to keep up to date via the web.

Pssst... I'm still in the running for a makeover of my sunroom. Head on over to Vintage Revivals and vote for me - #126. Tell your friends to vote for me too!! :)

I Need a Makeover!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Well, I don't need a makeover. My sunroom does. Ok, I could maybe use a makeover too. You know, a new wardrobe. Maybe a fresh cut and some color. But that's neither here nor there. The focus here is my sunroom and all it's hideousness. Have you seen it before? No? Well, that's because I've never really shared any photos of it on the blog because it's so awful. But Vintage Revivals is doing an Epic Room Makeover Giveaway, and if you want to win you have to display the fug. So, here goes:

Yeah, the photos speak for themselves, right?! Well, the labels help. :) The room used to be a carport, but at some point prior to us purchasing the house it was finished off into a three season room. I use that term loosely, because it's really too cold to use in winter and too hot to use in the summer. Guess I need to invest in an A/C for this space. There's a lot of potential here, but so much is working against it right now. Icky and worn carpeting. Wood paneling whose stripes, when combined with the stripes of the ceiling, can induce dizziness. Windows galore that make coming up with window coverings difficult. A stairwell that never gets used (yeah, that didn't make it in the picture, but it's near the rear door - the one with the pet door). A porch light placed sorta randomly on the only open wall. Need I go on?

But like I said, this space has so much potential. It's been my goal to turn it into an additional entertaining space since it's the path between the kitchen and the backyard, which means it gets tons of traffic whenever guests are over. So seating and fun decor are the main priority. But I also envision using it as a spare work space too. Our place is small so there's no one room that can be devoted to creating with Charlotte. Currently our dining table is her art space, but having to always pick up in order to eat can really stifle your creativity. I'd love to be able to leave the occasional project out until it can be worked on again.

Truth be told, there's tons I'd like to do around my house and this room is just one of many tasks on the list. Right now, our priority is working with what we've got and saving our pennies to redo our kitchen. It's the epitome of dysfunctional and will take some real work, so everything else, this space included, is on the back burner. Without a little help I don't see the sunroom getting the attention it deserves for several years. If that even. So please, pretty pretty please, go check out the entries and vote for your favorite choice (mine). Make sure to pick someone who you think really could use the help (me). And a space that has the potential for an awesome transformation (this one). And if it'll sway you my way, imagine that I'm batting my eyelashes and pouting. And if that'll sway you away from me, know that that's not my style, so I'm totally not.

Pssst... I'm entry #126. Voting ends on Sept 14 and you can vote once per day per IP address. Go vote!

September Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Last month I put together a short list of things to accomplish during the month. Between working full-time, running, and spending time with family, I've found it increasingly difficult to get things done. I did manage to make progress on, and in some cases complete, the items on my list. Maybe I'll snag some photos of the results soon. And yet, I still end each month feeling like I haven't gotten much done. What do I do all month? I certainly don't have a lot to show for it. Hmmm... I'll have to think more on that and be more intentional with my time. That said, here's the plan for September:

* Make and hang curtains for Charlotte's bedroom. Quite frankly, it's pathethic that these aren't done yet. I first posted my plan for them over seven months ago. Yes, that said seven months. See, here's the proof. Ugh. Gotta get on that.

* Swap furniture in Charlotte's room. I found a huge dollhouse for her a while back and we gave it to her for her 4th birthday. It's been in our family room ever since. I haven't been comfortable leaving the Barbies and accessories that go with it out because other little people use that room and many of the items are too small for them. So it's time to move it up to her room where she can play with it to her heart's content.

* Get some stuff on the walls. In Charlotte's room, of course. I have a fair amount of artwork that was already purchased with her room in mind. I just need to get them in frames and figure out what other items I'll need to round out the space. Should be pretty simple.

* Work on a way to showcase some of her artwork and family photos. I have a plan in mind for a display solution that will allow for easy swapping as I find new favorite photos and she makes new painting/drawing/cutting masterpieces. Now to just put that plan in place.

So, as you can see, the focus for this month is mainly on Charlotte's room (#4 on that list will actually be in the hall outside her room). My girl has been nothing but spectacular for her whole life, and she deserves a room that is pretty and special. And complete. So the plan is to give her one.

August PhotoADay Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:29:00 +0000

I didn't fare so well in last month's Fat Mum Slim photo a day challenge, having missed seven days of the month's prompts. Oops! Nevertheless, here are my photos from August:

outside // one // coin // somewhere you sat
logo // writing // 8 o'clock // glasses
messy // ring // purple // spoon
simple // arrow // ready // food
faces // inside // hole // cool
home // pair // fresh // dream
You should consider joining in on the fun! Whether you share them through Instagram, Facebook, a blog or just keep them to yourself, it's a fun way to capture your days. Here's a link to the September challenge.