48 Hours

Just 48 hours ago our kitchen looked like this...

It's amazing what paint (with much help from my mother-in-law) and a few cabinets can do!

Now it looks like this... 

And if you care to see a little more...

One of my favorite parts- built in china hutch!

 

Backsplash and flooring

Now for the VIDEO (can you tell I'm a bit excited?)!

One last picture... 

This remodel is giving me a beer belly! But Alan looks good!

Razor vs Fine China

Just a little update... The kitchen is coming along and cabinets are going in this weekend! YAY!!!!
But this is the current state of our bathroom.

My dear husband doesn't really need counter space, right?

Sink Saturday

One major plus to this whole kitchen remodel is that everyday feels like Christmas! 

Our house is covered in snow (dust)

I get to make wish lists for Santa (the workmen)

and we get to unwrap so many presents (boxes) 

Ok, so maybe not really Christmas, but I was giddy like a little girl on Christmas morning when I opened the box containing our... NEW SINK!!!!

And this is where the sink will go! 

(Hubby earned major points for this one!)

Work It, Labor Day

3 trips to Home Depot 

+ 5 gallons of paint 

- 3 layers of linoleum 

+ 3 black widow spiders 

+ 1 laundry room overhaul

= one labor filled day!

 Now, take a peek at what we're up to!  

 

Before                               &                          In Progress

 

Happy Labor Day!

Let There Be LIGHT

The fact that we now have lights in our kitchen made me cry happy tears tonight.

Not only for the fact that we actually have recessed lighting in our kitchen, but the "light at the end of the tunnel" saying was truly realized. The preparation for this remodel has consumed our lives, and now we are handing over our dreams to the professionals so that they can make it all happen!

Cheesy... But that's how I roll

June Wreath

So begins my adventure in wreath making. For my first wreath, I found inspiration in one of my favorite things, WEDDINGS! But this isn't just any wedding. My best friend, Carrie, is getting married on 

July 4th and this is her beautiful invitation.

I used natural colors and textures to create this wreath.

And since it was inspired by a wedding invitation, I felt it was necessary to include some tulle, despite the fact that I didn't allow tulle within 100 ft of my own wedding! :)

If you liked it, then you shoulda put a "D" on it

"wo oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh oh"

Yes, the letter D makes me sing with Beyonce!

I will spare you from actually having to listen to my singing and just show the goods

The wine cork project was incredibly easy, but the etching cream was a different story.

I guess it's safe to say I have embraced my new last name!

8 before 28

Only hours until my 27th Birthday, and I have a good feeling about this upcoming year!  I've noticed a lot of bloggers jumping on the "bucket list" train or "30 before 30" as seen here, but I don't really want wait that long. So I have decided to make my own mini version.  Here we go!

Renovate the kitchen and laundry room
     This has been on the books for some time now... if only HGTV would knock on my door.

Take my 1st Cruise 
      Hopefully the destination will be Greece.

Make a front door wreath for each season
     And if I'm ambitious, I may make an additional wreath for each holiday.

Make an upholstered headboard for our bed
     I feel like we're not really adults until we have a headboard. And why not make it a pretty one?

Try two new restaurants each month
     I'm sure there are 24 local places just waiting to be discovered!

Take a hot air balloon ride
     See the world from a little higher up.

Take my vitamin every day 
     Sounds simple enough, but not as easy as it looks...by writing it down maybe I'll actually stick to it?

Take ballroom dance lessons
     How did I make it through my life of dancing without learning ballroom?


Now we just have to wait and see how I do!

Disappearing Act

Now you see it

Now you don't

If only cleaning was that simple.

But I have found a solution with minimal effort. 

Let me introduce the 'Tray System'

I have had this tray in the china cabinet for almost a year. While it is a nice decorative piece, it is even better as a functional item. Last week I placed it on the coffee table and informed my dear husband that this is where all of our 'junk' goes. Then before bed we simply take the tray to the kitchen, place the items in the trash/dishwasher/etc and return the clean tray to the clean coffee table. 

Maybe if we didn't drink so much wine in front of the TV we wouldn't have this problem, but since we do, here is the perfect solution!

Half empty or half full?

Forget about the half empty, half full debate... when decorating the home, I've found it best if the wine glass is to-the-top full!

See the exhibit below...

Above, you will see the materials needed to make the bulletin boards for the laundry room cabinet renovation. Notice the level of wine in the glass.

Below, you will see one completed board and an empty glass.

But have no fear, when the entire project is complete, the wine has magically reappeared (and seems to be a little more full)!

I can't wait to finish the rest of the cabinet... but that will just have to wait!

Cheers!

May Flowers

We've made the inside if the house "ours" but now we're trying to personalize the yard. I've found it a bit intimidating, but my dear husband has jumped right in. Last year we he planted some Asiatic Lilies under our kitchen window. They were gorgeous with big blooms, then all the petals fell off and they looked like boring sticks in the dirt. We figured we'd plant something different there next year.

But...to our surprise, this spring they came back bigger and better than last year (as bulbs do, which we have since learned)! And they bloomed very quickly.

24 hours later:

This makes me really excited about what the rest of the yard will look like soon!  We may have green thumbs after all!

Happy Home-iversary

& Happy Easter!

We became official homeowners Easter weekend 2010. Here we are one year later... celebrating our 1st home-iversary. Yes, I just made up a word to justify my excitement for this occasion.

The traditional 1st anniversary gift is paper. I have decided to take a more modern approach to this anniversary and begin this blog in honor of the past year and our future together. Here's to you, Home *clink*!

In the past year we have learned quite a bit about home ownership; renovating, decorating, property taxes (yuck) etc. But I have also discovered I'm obsessed with homes; designing, decorating, entertaining, cleaning, gardening, and generally all things in and/or around the house.  Here is my outlet for said obsession. :)