The First Step Is Admitting You Have A Problem...

Hi, my name is Holly and I'm a decorating addict...or rather, I have a severe (and seemingly incurable) case of decor ADD. You can ask my mom, I've been weird about arranging and decorating "my space" ever since I was a kid. It would drive my mom nuts when I wanted to completely re-do my room every year, but I've come to embrace that as part of my need for a creative outlet. It would be nice if my outlet were something inexpensive (or free) like writing, or painting, or gardening. Believe me, I've tried all of those things and many many more, but I keep coming back to my space. Call it a sickness, but I have made my peace with it.


My latest victim is our living room. The one that I finally had "done" as of a few months ago. At least, it was as done as it was going to get without new flooring, a new couch and some recessed lighting. And we liked it. A lot. And then I got tired of it.

So. I've been mulling over what to do about our "entertainment center" setup...the bookcases were too much visual clutter and waaaaaay too much horizontal surface for my taste (it took like 40 minutes to dust that sucker! No thanks.) I've been trolling craigslist and thrift stores looking for a great dresser to take the place of the bookcase under the tv, but everything I found was either a) too ugly or b) too expensive. I did tend to find great potential pieces, but they always popped up right around the times when dropping an extra chunk of change was just not feasible.This is the look I was going for:

 

I know it's pretty standard fare these days, but I like the idea of drawers (keeps dust off of dvd's and video game crap) and it's affordable, and frankly, while I love me some ikea (like, I'd marry it in a heartbeat love) I have always felt like it was starter furniture. It is the kind of stuff that is great in small doses, but too much feels like "hi, I just graduated college and am finally getting into my first 'grownup' place so I'm on a limited budget" kind of thing. And while we did  just get our first grownup place (a year and a half ago) and we are almost college grads, I'm ready to move on from the ikea life. We already have a tried-and-true ektorp couch in the room, and it was more fiscally feasible to replace the bookshelf setup, so the hunt was on for a new dresser/tv stand.

And then, THEN I found what I thought was an amazing deal on CL for a great big hideous dresser with matching mirror and headboard, for 80 BUCKS! It was still more than I wanted to pay but with the money I made selling our two bookcases I was able to grab it and still have a little cash left over for the supplies to repaint it. Sweet. I say "I thought" it was a great deal because it looked like solid wood in the add, but when the Mister got it home, it turned out to be part wood, part composite, part plastic. Yeah, plastic.

Yikes.

Do you see that glorious brassy hardware?! I'm pretty sure this is not something you want your kid banging their head on, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Because I'm a good mom like that.

                                         
The dresser is still going to work just fine, but I'm not sure what to do with the headboard and mirror. I had planned on selling them to bring in a little more cash to make the small bookshelves to flank the dresser, but who is going to want to buy a PLASTIC headboard and mirror?? Even if they do have a great vintage feel...would you?? Maybe if I paint and spiff them up first?

 

 We got started today while C went down for a nap. I took off the hardware and the Mister took a brush and vacuum to clean the dirt and dust off the drawer faces. There are a ton of nooks and crannies in the faces, which is what I love about them, but they were kinda gross from sitting in the previous owner's home.  

 After we taped plastic garbage bags around them (which was one of my more brilliant ideas...worked like a charm!) I threw on a thin coat of primer, because in case you forgot, the drawer faces are PLASTIC. Sheesh. Usually with primer I use regular old kilz in a can, but while we were picking up painting supplies I noticed that there was kilz IN A SPRAY CAN!! Genius. Pure genius. It ended up going on pretty well...we did have to wipe down the nozzle after each  face because there was some buildup that caused dripping. However, I only got primer on ONE fingertip (I have a knack for getting primer all over my hands for some reason, and it is just the most impossible thing to try and clean off) so I'm calling this one a success.

Primer on the drawers has dried so in the next couple of days we will prime the dresser and then slap on some paint thanks to a sprayer we borrowed from friends (fingers crossed it works better than the one we bought to do our kitchen cabinets with!) After that all that is left it putting it back together with a new top we are building from 1x4 planks and we're done!

Times, they are a changing...

Before. Waaaaay before. Before new tv, before tree mural was finished, before the big black armoire went white and came inside, before we realized that the record console looked good there, but as there was no plug nearby it wasn't functional. But the bookcases are what matters:

My house is in a state of total chaos right now...we are breaking down and selling off our trusty old ikea shelves. We've had these since we got married, adding one each year, but now it is time to say goodbye. With this house being exponentially dustier than our previous places I'm trying to limit the number of horizontal surfaces that requires weekly cleaning. That, and while you can't beat the shelves for function, they are big, dark and my collection of books makes my room feel more cluttered than it is.

Maybe this is some kind of early spring cleaning, but I feel the need for a fresh start on this room.

So goodbye sweet Expedit shelves! I hope you go on to homes that love you as much as we have, but to be honest I'm really looking forward to the cash you are bringing in, and in the interest of full disclosure you should probably know that I already have your replacement sitting in my garage...

Goodwill Goodness

I'm in the middle of putting together a small quilt for a friend who is expecting her first wee babe. In her nursery she is trying to incorporate vintage elements and her color pallette is neutrals with pops of color...so. I've gone back and forth and up and down on what this quilt is going to look like and after much deliberation I finally decided (but I'll wait to tell you more about it once it is done and the soon-to-be-mommy has opened her gift next weekend.)

 The important thing for now is that I needed vintage fabrics. (Lots of them! Sooooo many fabrics!! I need ALL THE FABRICS!!!) I have a small stash, but it's pretty hard to find vintage stuff that is vibrant, especially since my stash is limited to sheets and pillowcases. A few days ago I happened to be in the general vicinity of my favorite Goodwill for finding good vintage linens--it's in a prime location in the middle of an older neighborhood so when the local geezers kick the bucket or move into retirement communities their well cared-for linens go off to the local thrift store--so I stopped by and made out like a freakin bandit! An old sheet and pillowcase bandit...because I'm cool like that.

In addition to the sheets and pillowcases  I also snagged this little gold mirror for 3 bucks, and I found this gorgeous vintage blanket for $14.99 (which is pretty steep for me, but I have a thing for these old blankets...they just speak to me.)


So what about you? Any good thriftstore finds or quilts in the works?

Dear C

Dear C,
This past Monday you turned 5 months old. I'm not sure how you managed to do this as I am entirely sure I did NOT give you permission, but being the stubborn little monster you are I guess you figured out how to do it anyway. Every time someone asks how old you are they are always surprised to learn that you are so young. Because you are such a big kid everyone thinks you are several months older than you actually are. You are so tall! At your four month checkup you came in at 16.5 pounds and 26.5 inches long (that is the 97th percentile for height!) You definitely take after your daddy and not your very average mommy.

You are a busy busy kid. Right now you love your exersaucer and we joke that when you are in it you are busy "working"; you've got stuff to figure out and you don't have time for distractions--after you finish working on the purple hippo mirror you have to get busy on the flippy monkey so you can get the results to your boss by five (har-har!) You have always loved to "stand" so this toy has been great for you (and it doesn't hurt that I finally have somewhere to put you while I try and clean up the house a little.) If you're not in the exersaucer you like to sit up (with our help) on the floor while you play with your toys, and you are an old pro at rolling over while you lay on the floor. You outgrew your bouncer seat months ago, and for now your legs are a little too chubby to be comfortable in your bumbo chair (like I said, you are a big girl!)

You are a chatty little thing too...you are most talkative in the mornings and after you eat. In the later afternoons and evenings you are usually either quiet or whining for a bottle or nap. You are definitely queen bee right now and your daddy is quick to give in to your demands that you be held and walked around when you are tired. He is a bit of a pushover with you, but that isn't surprising...you seem to have that effect on everyone.

The last couple of weeks you have been spending time at Aunt Amy's during the day while I go to school and I hear you love to soak up all of her attention. I think you really like to spend time with your cousin Cooper and he is really good at entertaining you...the other day when I went to pick you up he was busy "reading" you one of his books! I hope that you guys will be good little friends.

This is your last month on formula-only...soon we will start solids! I snuck you a little taste of steamed sweet potatoes a few weeks ago and you seemed to get a kick out of it...I hope that you are not a fussy eater (if you are anything like your mommy or daddy then you should like almost anything edible.)

I am bad about taking enough pictures of your since our camera isn't working very well (probably because I have dropped it waaaaay too many times) but I'm trying to be better. Today was a big day because I put your crazy hair into piggies for the first time. It sure is cute, but you started pulling on them almost immediately (stinker!) I love them, but as soon as I stepped back to look at you my baby was gone and there was a little girl there instead! I'm not sure how I feel about that...


I'm so lucky to have you C. You are the happiest baby I have ever seen! You love everyone and strangers love to see you smile at them. All of the old people at Hobby Lobby find you pretty darn irresistible and everyone gets a kick out of your laughs and chatter. You are such a bright spot in our lives and I can't wait to see the little person you grow into (though I would really really like it if you stayed happy...it would go a long way in motivating us to add a little brother or sister to our family some day.)

Tutorials

I'm working on some tutorials. They will be posted on the home page and you will be able to see ALL my tutorials here.

Blarg!

So I will spare you the details but I may have deleted our family blog on accident. I'm working on getting it back, but for now let's just say that if I ever meet gmail in person I will punch it in the face.

Until our old blog is up and running again, I will be posting here. Begrudgingly.