The 1%

by

I was supposed to have a really fun reveal of our newly painted and updated movie room today. But I don’t… because of what we are now calling “the 1%”.

For the past year and a half Matt’s been mulling over how he wants his movie room (the finished basement room) to look: what color he wants the room, how he wants his speakers set up, what he wants to do about sound proofing. Finally he decided exactly what he wanted it to look like and we got to work.

Last Friday morning he painted the ceiling, last Friday night I put coat number 1 on the walls, Saturday morning we both put coat number two on the walls, Sunday he started on speaker wire concealing and put up sound absorption pads. Then Monday we came home from work and found a pipe gushing extremely hot water everywhere.

I vacuumed TWENTY GALLONS of water out of the room. The water had been pouring out of the hot water heater so not only was everything soaked, it was so hot that the cement paint on our floor had literally bubbled. We swore. We cried. We ate a lot of carbs. And that’s when we decided that 99% of the time owning a house is the most awesome thing in the world, but the 1% of the time things go wrong they go so wrong that you basically want to die.

Instead of the beautiful after I was going to share with you, here’s the current state of the room:

IMG_2506

At least we love the new paint color?

Every single problem we have/have had with our house has been water related:

  • The upstairs toilet runs for a solid 5 minutes every single time it’s flushed. We have no idea why or how to stop it
  • The downstairs toilet worked perfectly fine during the home inspection but was broken by the time we moved in
  • The kitchen sink was sitting on top of the pipes and not actually attached to it
  • The shower faucet was so old and coroded it literally came off in my hand when I turned it (after a FULL DAY of painting mind you, I needed to shower)
  • One of the pipes got backed up and water had nowhere to go so it overflowed out of the toilet (basement flood #1)
  • I tried to wash our old comforter in our washing machine and it didn’t fit so the water overflowed out of the washer (basement flood #2)
  • And now, apparently basement flood #3 was because we had 130 pounds of water pressure coming into our home with no valve to regulate it down to the 60 it should have been

Ugh. Hopefully we’ll have things up and running in time to show you next week!

So friends, commiserate with me please. What’s your 1%?

Succluents in Upcycled Jars

by

If you’re a regular around here, you know I’m a jar hoarder. I can’t help myself. But I’m happy to part with them if it’s for a good cause, like an awesome mother’s day present. Behold:

IMG_2492

Super cute, no? I was hoping to get my nephew’s hand print on these bad boys, but getting an 8 month old to NOT put a paint covered hand in his mouth was impossible. Footprints were easier… not easy, but easier. However, you can make this craft whether or not you’ve got a cute baby to hang with.

You will need:

  • Glass jars (I used a salsa jar, a peanut butter jar, and a pasta sauce jar)
  • Spray primer and paint (I love Kilz spray primer and Rustoleum spray paint)
  • Cactus, Palm, & Citrus soil (like this)
  • Small rocks (either from outside or the craft section of a dollar store)
  • Succulents

IMG_2493

How to:

  1. To get the labels off the jars I just soaked them in soapy hot water, then once they were dry I sprayed one coat of primer and 2 coats of paint on them (I used Aqua by Rustoleum, leftover from my DIY sunburst mirror).
  2. I bought 7 or 8 different succulent plants at Walmart then took them apart very gently to separate each branch
  3. Cover the bottom of your jar with rocks, then add some cactus soil
  4. Arrange your succulents in the jar then fill in your empty spaces with more soil
  5. Lightly water
Enjoy!

Enjoy!

The cute baby foot is optional.

And actually, the spray paint is too. I made one for myself and took the label off the jar but left it clear glass- I really like the look of the rocks and soil.

The best part? Succulents are very easy to keep alive- they love sunlight and only need to be watered 2-3 times a month in the summer and every other month in the winter.

 

_______

Linked up with: Inspire Me Please Linky Party

Wedding Invitations

by

Our wedding invitations arrived yesterday and I am super excited about them, which is an incredibly strange feeling for me because I have hated just about every other aspect of wedding planning. Finding the right dress was dreadful, discussing the guest list is uncomfortable, writing the script to the ceremony was challenging, and I haven’t even started my vows yet. So far I’ve just enjoyed the eating and the invites.

Originally I was all about DIY-ing the invites, I even made up an invitation and an RSVP and took it to Staples to get it printed. I was really proud of myself. But you know what? It looked like I took it to Staples and got it printed. It just didn’t feel special, especially to someone who really likes art and design. So I decided since I only need 16 invitations for our tiny wedding I was going to just bite the bullet and order ready made ones.

I used the site Wedding Paper Divas, mostly because that’s what came up in Google when I searched for wedding invitations. The site was awesome- they let me order 5 sample  invite/rsvp card combos for free and then with the samples came a 20% off coupon.

Of the 5 samples, the one we went with is called “Ocean of Love” (oh god, the cheesiness):

this is the sample card from the site

We ordered invitations, RSVP cards, enclosure cards, and envelopes (invite ones and rsvp ones). Additionally, the site gave us the option to order 5 extra envelopes (in case of screw ups) for just a few dollars more and they printed the host address on both sets.

The enclosure card was a blank slate, you can write whatever you want on it. We included our wedding website and lodging info, and the graphic designer did two drafts of it with us to get it just right.

1-1

this is the sample card from the site

All the cards and envelopes arrived within a week of my ordering it, and they look awesome. I may have already framed one and put it in the gallery wall.

So here’s the deal, I’m not being compensated for this review but the site was a breeze to work with (especially when I wanted edits after I already submitted my text) and the invites arrived FAST. So if you’re in the market for invitations of any kind, I recommend you check them out.  They’ve got invites, RSVP cards, enclosure cards, save the dates, and thank you cards for each design… it’s an OCD person’s dream.

Have you ever used Wedding Paper Divas? Or Tiny Prints? They’re the same company, and they’re both parts of Shutterfly.

Front Yard Hopes & Dreams

by

A few weeks ago I shared with you my plan for the backyard, and I thought today I’d show you what’s going on out front. Beware that none of these pictures show a beautifully landscaped lawn. We’re nowhere near that point yet.

front of house

This is the view from across the street so you’ve got a better idea of the hill we’re working with. We’ve got a street level front yard, a house level front yard, and a 2 tiered side yard (then the two tiers of the backyard as well) sitting on .25 acres. This picture makes things look so lush and happy… but once we zoom in for a closer look you’ll see how sadly mistaken that is.

Let’s start with the dirt patch on the lower lefthand corner of that picture:

lower front

For some reason grass won’t grow here, so last weekend I transplanted a bunch of hens and chicks throughout the area in hopes that they’ll slowly spread and cover, I think they actually spread pretty quickly so this may not take more then a few years.

I moved the hostas to that spot last year, so I’m expecting them to come in big and full this year and then next year hopefully they’ll be ready to be divided. I’d like for those three eventually be six, and to keep them in that area.

Then there’s that gorgeous built in flower bed, which is unfortunately located directly in front of a giant tree so it’s full of thick roots and it’s pretty difficult to grow anything there. The daffodils were there when we moved in so I’d like to add some more, and I recently transplanted some daisies to the upper right corner of it in hopes that they’ll take and spread (so far so good!).

And now let’s head up the hill to flower bed number 1, which we added last year:

rose bed

The rose bush is already bigger this year then it was last, so I’m hoping it continues to grow, grow grow. The impatients are what returned from last year and we need to add at least a dozen more. The petunias I picked up from a garden sale where I work (a college with a horticulture club), so I just put them in there to see how they’d do. All that mulch is what’s left from last summer so we’ll add more once we weed a bit.

And then also on the front lawn is flower bed #2, which is located at our front door  (which is not the door we use):

front bed

Jeez louise do I need to paint those steps. But I also purposely grow gladiolas there because they get nice and tall and hide it- I put the bulbs in last weekend.

Both flower bed #1 and #2 need some love- better more defined edging, new mulch, and more flowering plants. I’ve got seedlings in the basement so once they’re big and strong that’s where they’ll go.

And last but not least for today, the flower bed under our sunroom bay window, which is what I will be tackling this week:

bay window bush

Last year I dug up all sorts of weird bushes that used to live here, and planted my herb garden in it’s place. This year, now that the weird bushes were gone, a few new tulips popped up- I think they were choked out before. It got me to thinking that more tulips and lots of wildflowers would be lovely here. So I dug up the parsley and oregano (that came back from last year) and relocated them to a spot in the yard, and over the next few days I’m going to dig up & relocate the spreaders and that last bush then plant seeds, seeds, and more seeds.

Hopefully in a month or so things will be looking a lot cheerier and fuller! Fingers crossed I don’t accidentally kill it all…

High 5 for Friday: Personal Improvement Edition

by

Sometimes in the midst of working a million jobs, and doing a million house projects, and writing a million blog posts I forget to take good care of myself. That needs to stop. Sometimes you gotta treat yo’ self.

 

Instead of my usual high 5 for Friday post about great things from this week, here’s 5 super easy ways I’m taking control of feeling better about me:

1. SKIN CARE.

Back in high school I had a glorious paycheck from my part time jobs that I could spend on whatever the heck I wanted because I had no bills or responsibility. Then I grew up and had to make cuts to pay bills and now I don’t even buy shaving cream… I just lather up with Dollar Store soap and hope I don’t get razor burn.

I have always used  Neutrogena face cream in the morning before I put on my makeup, but I’ve added a before bed toner and anti-wrinkle eye cream to the mix now too.  After loving the Dickinson’s towelettes I got in my VoxBox, I decided to buy a toner by that brand as well. Then I chose an anti-wrinkle eye gel by Olay to package it with. I am LOVING both of these products. I shower at night, so the toner and eye cream go on right before bed.

The toner will probably last me 3-4 months, and the face cream and eye cream each about 6 months.

The toner will  last about 3-4 months, and the face cream and eye cream each about 6 months.

2. TEETH CARE.

I am obsessed with brushing my teeth, that is never ever an issue. However, when I buy my Dollar Store soap I usually also buy my dollar store toothpaste. Then I got Colgate Optic White toothpaste in my VoxBox and you know what… there really is an actual, noticeable difference between $1.00 toothpaste and $3.00 toothpaste. My teeth are freaking sparkling right now. So I’m going to keep that up. And also, I am flossing every single night before bed. Next time my dentist asks if I floss regularly my answer will not be a lie!

All 3 of these came in my VoxBox, the toothpaste is what I have decided to stick with (and Matt's still using the brush).

All 3 of these came in my VoxBox, the toothpaste is what I have decided to stick with (Matt’s still using the brush too).

3. GETTING OFF MY BUTT CARE.

I do not like to exercise. I choose watching Netflix under the covers with my dog 112% of the time. Unfortunately, I sit at a desk all day at work. Then I sit at a desk all night at work. Then I go home and go to bed.  My body is displeased at my lack of movement. I don’t blame it. My new goal is to walk at least 2 miles 2-3 times a week and to do solid yard work 1-2 times a week (building walls and walkways is exercise!). Baby steps here, folks. I’m not about to start training for the Olympics.

4. EATING SOME DARN VEGETABLES CARE.

Yeah, in addition to the not exercising I also eat like a 5 year old. Like I go daysssss without eating fruits or vegetables. Sometimes weeks. Obviously that needs to stop because I’m a freaking grown up and I need to eat more then bread and pizza and peanut butter. I downloaded and app for my phone and I’m tracking what I eat, which will hopefully help me make some better choices.

Screen shot 2013-05-01 at 6.02.48 PM

5. THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN.

What do you do to “pamper” yourself that you could never give up? And I say that in quotations because seriously, my idea of pampering is buying name brand toothpaste. Let a sistah know!

Constructing a Cement Path

by

You’d think that after I built an entire wall out of cement pavers that were already  in my yard that maybe I’d be out of cement pavers. You’d be wrong. My yard is chock full of cement pavers. I have no idea why. So I dug up some more of them and made a little path that leads from my driveway to my backyard fence.

I’ve said it a bunch on here, but just as a reminder we live on a hill. A no joke sized hill… like the basement of my house is level with the roof of the house directly across the street from me. This means our soil is incredibly rocky, uneven, and hard to grow things on. I only dug about 5 inches deep to create the spot for my path, and this is all the rock I extracted in the process:

Please note that the path is only about 2 feet wide and 6 feet long. And I dug in less then half a foot. AND HAD TO REMOVE ALL OF THIS.

Please note that the path is only about 2 feet wide and 6 feet long. And I dug in less then half a foot. AND HAD TO REMOVE ALL OF THIS. Most of those rocks are at least 6-7 inches long.

Eventually I gave up caring whether or not the path was level because the deeper I dug, the more rocks I hit. Also, this path is like 80% cosmetic because we normally enter the yard through the sliding doors in our house anyway.

I used a pitchfork to pry up the pavers that I wanted, then spent some time arranging them until I found a pattern I liked. If I had been smarter, once arranged I would have filled the hole back in with dirt so they’d be nestled comfortably in the ground. Unfortunately, I’m not smarter. And I was exhausted and very busy hating rocks. So I just  threw my grass seed down and called it a day:

IMG_2429

Maybe mother nature will take care of business and the pavers will settle into the ground eventually.  Maybe I’ll end up removing all those pavers next summer and seeding the spots where they are now. Either way, if any grass is going to grow and survive through winter it really needed to get started now. I used Scott’s brand patch filler grass seed and it needs to be watered twice a day for the next two weeks.

IMG_2428

 

We’ve got lots more grass seed to spread, lots of rocks to relocated, and years of work to do outside of the house, but for now every little bit helps!

What outside projects are on your list for the summer?

 

4th Annual Walk for Tish Recap

by

For the past few months I’ve been raising money for our 4th Annual Walk for Tish. I was hoping to raise $500 and through the generosity of so many amazing friends and family we wrapped up with $810 total raised! I was absolutely floored..seriously. I thought $500 was a reach.

The walk was yesterday and it was a gorgeous day out. The 5k went really smoothly and this was the first year Tish was up and alert the whole time, looking around and humming a bit- it was lovely. After the 5k there’s always a BBQ, a raffle, and then we go for ice cream as well. I think the first year we did it there was 6 or 7 of us there… now look at our herd!

We raised so much money they even printed a "sponsor" sign for us!

We raised so much money they even printed a “sponsor” sign for us!

The first year me, my dad, and my brother walked with Tish. Then we added my sister-in-law and Matt, then Dutch, and now this year Jack-a-roo!

Thanks again to everyone who donated, and particularly to my mom and brother who handle the day to day stuff with Tish- going to meetings, making decisions on her health, even bringing her new clothes (maybe a new hat needs to be next… I’m just saying…). :)