Aiden's Room Re-Do

Now I just need to re-paint the dresser and nightstand from red to cream. Yay.

Living Room Revamp

The living room is 90% finished! I just need to create an upholstered cushion for my old army cot and I will have an awesome coffee table!

Re-upholstered antique loveseat (remember the hideous green floral couch and chair set I blogged about a while back? Well here she is again after some major surgery).

And here is her kick-butt partner! Love how the set turned out. Though I don't think I would ever have something reupholstered again. It was FAR more expensive than I thought it was going to be and a few unforseen circumstances (like a broken bit of frame and the need to replace all of the foam backing inside the couch) only added to the price tag. That said, I am still really happy with the end result.

Here is the set all together. Now I just need to start hunting down accessories. (Hears husband scream "nooo!" somewhere in the distance.)

Basement Progress
We are in the final stretch of finshing up the basement. It has been a long time coming—two years. But here it is....

Drake's Room

Living Room

Here is a look back at what we went through....

Entry to the laundry room



Computer room

Living Room

During this whole process, the kids were like this....

and Tyson was like this....

But it was worth it (?) We finally have 3 more rooms for the kids to run wild in. We desperately needed it seeing as last winter around this time we were so cramped together we were ready to strangle each other.

Sock Dolly

I have really been getting into embroidery lately. My latest creation is this little cutie-pie.

I embroidered this one with lazy daisys and "Sophia" for my friends little girl on her 3rd b-day.

I love how this turned out. I am thinking of selling these in mass quantities on Etsy.

What do you think? Would you buy one?....

Shifting

You tell yourself that you agreed to this-
what has been done with your life,
willingly.

Still, there is a constant tug-
a stretching,
and what is left of you is pulling loose.

Suddenly, you find you are shifting
into what you hate most.

The warped closet door that no longer opens,
the paint-worn wall in the hallway,
the water stained floor in your children's room,
the weed-torn garden that you never set foot in.

And he is too tired,
his tools left collecting dust
in some far corner
of the darkened shed, too long,
to fix you.

So again you fold the sheets across their creases,
arrange the chairs at the dining table,
allign the spoons and forks,
and wipe handprints off the windows-

all while staring out at that faded shed
as it casts its crooked shadow across the yard-
as though it holds something that can save you.

Yarn Letters

CRAFT DAY: Yarn Letters

Supplies you will need for this project:

Large letter of your choice, tacky craft glue, and yarn in the color of your choice. For Medium letters, you will need almost the entire roll of yarn. Scissors.

Time it took to finish this project:

About 3 hours.

Cost of this project:

15 dollars. Letter A (2 of them): 7 dollars, Tacky glue: 2 dollars, Yarn: 4 dollars, plus some tax.

STEPS:

1. Gather all supplies

2. Start wrappin'. I found it was easiest to start at the joints of the letters and work out from there.

3. Use the tacky glue to glue the yarn into place when gravity will not naturally hold it on for you. (the upper sides of the letter A were a pain in the butt. So I glued the yarn where I wanted it.

4. Make sure as you are wrapping, that you are starting all of your yarn ends at the back of your letter- my letter A looked pretty scary in the back after I was finished- but if you take more time than I did- you may be able to avoid that problem.

(beginning of wrap process)



(Finished Shot)

(finished shot)

*Note: When I started this project it looked so easy. All of the blogs that I had seen it published on said that it was easy. IT IS NOT! It required way more time than I thought that it would, and looked alot crappier in the back than I thought it would. I think that this is one of those projects that you have to practice at to make it look great in the end. But, at 15 dollars total for this project- I am broke and will have to try again in a few months.
All in all, I would say this guy turned out pretty cute- not perfect, but cute.

New Job

This week was the very first week of a new job for me. I am officially the Managing Editor of Weber -- The Contemporary West. Today, I completed my first ever layout for the journal, and I had a blast. I was even home in time to pick up my 5 year old from pre-school. That said, I plan to spend a lot more time sharing on this blog. Now, instead of spending all my time talking about my house reno (which is currently at a stand still) I will include little bits of craft projects that I now have the time to do.
Craft to do list: Yarn wrapped letters, ruffle duvet cover and shams, ruffles added to living room drapes, and the never-ending search for the perfect and CHEAP antique chandelier for my bedroom. With a little furniture refinishing added in. Furniture to refinish: Buffet in living room, painted a distressed. Drake's bedroom set refinished (if I ever find a set).

We will see how this all goes.

It's Official

Well, it's official.
The couch and chair set have been sent off to the upholstery shop. Both the upholsterer and my husband screamed in horror when I suggested cutting off the legs, and changing them out for more modern, sleek ones. SO, I was overridden, and I am keeping the frame the way that it is. Cost of refinishing the wood framing on both pieces- 500 dollars. Cost of re-upholstering each pieces 950 dollars....I think I am going to throw up.
But, in the end, I have been saving to have these re-finished for a while, I am ready to take the plunge, and have them re-stored to their once beautiful selves.
Plus, the upholstery guy said that once they are refinished, an antique appraisal will like come in at over 5,000 dollars for them... that is pretty cool.

So, it's official. I am committing to paying the excruciating amount of money it will cost to have my antique couch and chair set re-done. I have grown just a little tired of having 4 couches in my living room. So Rocky Mountain Upholstery picks up the antique set on Friday, and I am posting the other set on KSL this weekend for 600 bucks. I will used the 600 to find my dear husband a nice, neutral, traditional, Pottery Barn-esque sectional.



I heart this french chair (above) from Miss Mustard Seed Creations http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/2010/12/french-chair-makeover.html
It was my main inspiration for how using drop cloths to re-upholster something, can make a piece turn out looking awesome, without spending alot.

I heart Cotton Love Home. Find it here http://shop.cottonlove.com.au/onlinestore.php. The chair above is SEXY-if a chair can be such a thing. I told the upholsterer that I wanted him to saw off the legs of my antique couch and chair, and reattach ones that look exactly like these. He thinks I am crazy.




This couch is a finished product from Rocky Mountain Upholstery in Utah. I think it's turned out awesome- I hope mine does too when they are finished with it. It better seeing as it is costing more than my first born to have re-done!

Couches, Couches, and More Couches

The problem with couches, is that they cost an un-holy amount more to refurbish than you would ever guess. When I bought these antique beasts (beasts, because they weigh more than I did at nine months pregnant) I thought that the 80 dollar price tag was a steal of a deal....

....Little did I know, the seller knew something that I didn't. This set would end up costing over 1200 dollars (not even including fabric) to re-upholster! Even if I stretch my budget and recover them in drop-cloth, I am appalled at the idea of spending that much on something that in the end will still only be masquerading as my true love couches from Restoration Hardware. So, here they sit. 4 couches in one tiny living room. And I am starting to think crazy. I am considering selling them all- and starting over. Buying a 400 dollar NEW set from Ikea and a more expensive slipcovered set from Evans Gatehouse. I could have 2 new sets for the price of this one- maybe. At least in my head it works out that way.

The Issue with Couches

My entire computer crashed this last weekend- We lost everything from the last three years. Baby pictures, family pictures, poems, essays, everything. SO there shall be no pictures for this posting. I bought an antique furniture set a month or so ago. I have visions of them one day looking just like the 4000 dollar restoration hardware couches that I can't afford. For now, they are green velvet, with peeling wood and a hole in one cushion.
A measly 850 dollars- and they could be the couches of my dreams- any one up for some charity work?

Things to be Greatful For

Random Things That I am Thankful for...

Delicious Children Who, though they keep their room like this...



I love anyway.

My parents, who started feeling bad for us and our falling apart-barely painted table, so they gave us an early Christmas present.....

Pretty Killer, huh.

I have been wanting these wire, topiary, thingy's for EVER....

so....

I finally caved and bought two of them. I am in love....


With these ruffly-shabby chic drapes

They make our bedroom feel like a cloud.

And of course, the always gorgeous, oak armoire-

I am thankful for the heated, half-finished mess that is this house, and this life...

I am thankful for the right now.

I have been gone A While

I'll be the first to admit.
I had some serious aspirations for this blog.
When we started out renovating this house, and doing this blog, I was all full of optimism about what both could become. I had visions of those gorgeous shabby chic houses you see on every other blog site out there.
Then reality set in.
I haven't posted in months because I am burnt out, and totally over this house.
Literally everything that could have been wrong with this house was. We ripped the entire inside down to the studs out of necessity and started over again- strained our budget until there is literally nothing left- and still have an entire basement left to finish.
It snowed yesterday- and we have no furnace. Not even any heat ducting to blow hot air anywhere even if we did have the furnace.
So, here we sit, in sweatshirts and sweats, hovering over space-heaters.
And I am feeling crabby.
No new pictures to offer, no pretty nick-nacks, because I can't even afford to buy drapes, badly needed dressers, or a single rug at this point.
No new entries, because my life is not a vacation, and I have to work. All day. Every day.
Maybe, at some point,
I will get over this Edgar Allen Poe moment I am having
and write a happier post.
:)

Long time no see! We have been actively renovating and moving over the last two months or so, and here it is. Finally, the big reveal of our 1950s brick cottage.


The floors in our living room were stripped and refinished. Look how amazing they look after 50 years!

Here is the master bedroom complete with my "cloud" bed. I plan to keep with a white color scheme in this room to keep things looking heavenly.

This is the newly completed closet size bathroom. By the way, who knew that faucets would cost an arm and a leg??

Our beautiful tile work made of travertine with glass accent tiles.

This is the pantry in our new kitchen. We got the cabinets from lowes, painted them white and smeared a brown glaze over them. Delicious.

Here is the new kitchen nook. The art is my fav, I have been wanting this painting for a very long time, and now here it is in my first kitchen!

The kitchen cabinets are made of knotty alder and distressed in the same way that we did the pantry. I love love love these cabinets. But they were also painfully expensive. SO, no granite counter tops for us. The Formica is called ebony mocha, I was drawn to it because the name sounded like coffee, and you know how much I worship coffee.

This is my favorite part of the kitchen. I love the staggered cabinets and I love my new oven.

There is lots more to do around here. The new dishwasher comes on Wednesday. I am so excited after doing dishes by hand for two months.

I am going into full hunting and decorating mode, and will be dragging you along with me whenever I can.

Love,

Kristin

We are currently in the process of sheetrocking and mudding the entire first floor of our house this week. My husband, power tools, goopy mud, and me don't mix. So, I will be posting a new set of photos tomorrow when he is mostly done with the messy work. As for now, it is time for a kitchen update. The awesome kitchen table that I showed in an earlier post was sold not soon after. :( So, I have been on the hunt since for a different table. If you haven't already guessed, I love all things antique, old, and somewhat sad looking.
This table is for sale at Savvy Brothers Consignment in Logan. And I loove the detail in the legs. This table measures 42 inches wide, 30 high, and 30 deep. Even though it is quite small for a table, it still may too big for my tiny eat in kitchen. I will have to measure this week to see if it makes the cut.

Speaking of cuts. I currently have a dining room set, but it is far too big for my kitchen. I was thinking of cutting the table. Just take saw and cut a big chunk out of the middle and then glue the halves back together.

That could work right??

Dress it Up

I have been dreaming of antique dressers lately. Yes, dressers. I have a beautiful antique armoire with carved wood and beveled glass doors that I have been looking for a mate for, for a while. Somehow no dresser I have found lately seems to be good enough. Too big, too small, too much detail, not enough detail.




Then... This gorgeous hunk came up for sale on KSL, a Utah classifieds website, yesterday. It is absolutely perfect. I love the detail of the feet and the original wood knobs. Sadly, it is priced at 450 dollars. Ouch. My already over the budget, budget cannot afford it.

SO, here are a few other pictures of lovely antique dressers I have found lately.

Ahhh, if only....

A look at our beautiful, leaf free backyard. A few days ago, the backyard looked nothing like this. The previous owners hadn't raked this yard in years. There were three feet of leaves in parts of the yard, and it took us 25 gigantic black garbage bags to clear it all. It made for a fun weekend, and some very happy new neighbors.

The inside of the house is not so pretty right now. We have just finished the electric, a total rewire of the house was required. We initially did not plan to completely rewire, but when we found out that the garbage disposal was merely hot wired into an electric outlet, we thought we might need to take a look at the rest. Boy were we right.

Here is a look at the fantastic recessed lighting that has been newly wired into the kitchen.

And here is a look at the kitchen with new plumbing and wiring added. Sad to say, this level of dis-repair looks much better than the house did when we bought it.

And here is a look at the worlds most expensive light switch. Who knew light switches could cost 6 dollars a piece. About 25 throughout the house, and it adds up quick. (I won't add it for you, I am an English major)

My Mother in Law, Hollie, and I packing leaves into bags the size of me.

Don't let the pictures fool you. This is the one and only time I have done manual labor during this renovation. Thank you husband.

We are working on having the heating and air re-routed this weekend, and also having new doors installed this weekend. Goodbye 4 inch gap under all doors! We will also be having the cabinet maker come to make his final measurements for the kitchen this weekend. Hello American Debt! It should be a busy, interesting weekend.