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Monday, April 30, 2012

Garage Sales!!

I am so ADDICTED to garage sales.  
Every Friday I get on KSL Classifieds and look up all the Garage/Estate Sales happening on Saturday.  I draw out my plan of what ones I will go to and the order I will go to them.  
{writing this makes me feel a little crazy} 

But it is the best feeling when I find that treasure for $5! 

I found this window and I love everything about it.  I love the chipping paint, I love all the hardware and the best part is the shape!  I can't wait to hang it, I think it will find a home on my landing!






My other find were these awesome jars!  I love the details in them, and I LOVE how they look in my bathroom!  



I did find some other treasures I will share later, they need a little love!

Every Saturday Morning my 3 year old gets up early with me and we head out!  she loves to come with me and find her own treasures.  I have a mini me in training!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Mirror REDO!!

I have had a few questions about the Chicken wire mirror......I hope this answers them!

I have come to find behind every piece that is refinished there seems to be a story...My Mirror Story...

This mirror was the first piece of furniture my husband and I bought together {ahh so sweet} I always wanted a free standing mirror and felt like a million bucks to bring this home!  As I have mentioned before we have moved 5 times in our 7 years of marriage and so things get broken.  Such was the story of this mirror.  on our 4th move the movers accidentally broke the glass and I realized it too late to get it fix, so it too found a home in the basement.  

When I started redoing my daughters room I decided to paint it.  The original plan was to put glass back in it.  However to get the glass cut was more than buying another used one.   I have tons of chicken wire so I decided to put that in instead.  I love how it turned out and she LOVES it too...she can now change her own hair bows everyday {I don't know if that is a good thing} 

I just spray painted the frame and sanded it a little to add some character!  The chicken wire is just stapled to the back!  SO EASY!!!





Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My daughter's Room


Before


After:







This Room has been so fun!  I wanted the walls to be very neutral and light.  Our rooms upstairs are small, so I wanted them to feel as big and open as possible.  My wonderful husband out did himself once again with the moldings in this room.  I love the chair rail design!  

The paint color for the wall is Halo by Benjamin Moore and the Molding is White Dove by Benjamin Moore.  

her bedroom furniture is actually pieces I have just collected.

The Dresser I found in the Classifieds for $35.  I painted it pink and added some hardware for a total of $100

The Night stand I found at a thrift store for $7.  I used some left over paint and bought the hardware for a total of $15

The Headboard was my great grandma's I just painted it white with some left over paint....Free

The mirror used to be in my room but in one of the moves the glass got broken, so we put some chicken wire in it to hold all of her hair flowers!

I made the pillows on the window seat...that post is here

I am almost done with the cushion for the window seat (I have been almost done for a month now)  One day it will be done and I will finish the window seat how I want it.  I need my mom's help with the cording and she is in pharmacy school so I am patiently waiting!!  She graduates in June, I am so proud of her!

She is 3 and really wanted a Disney Princess room, I on the other hand wanted a room she could grow in, so we added a few princess touches.  When we went to Disneyland for Halloween she had a characture drawn of her as Cinderella and we bought her a fun frame with the princess on it.  It seemed to satisfy her need for a princess room.  Although chandelier over the nightstand is her favorite princess feature!!

I am very happy with the way this room turned out.  

TTFN

Brooke

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Monday:Mod Vintage Life*C.R.A.F.T*Mad In Crafts*Lines Across My Face*DIY Home Sweet Home*Singing Three Little Birds*Crafts Keep Me Sane*Its So Very Cheri*Made with love monday*Making monday marvelous*Pink hippo party*The DIY showoff*Motivate me monday*Craftastic monday*Mad Skills*Making the World Cuter*Made by you mondays*Just something I whipped up mondays*Market yourself monday*Show it of Monday*A Round Tuit*Meet Me Monday*Whats in the Gunny Sack*More the Merrier Monday*Do it ya Self*Creative Me Monday*Craft O ManiacTuesday:Anti-Procrastination*Tuesday Tutorial*Sew Cute Tuesday*Anything goes*Take a Look TuesdayWednesday: Grateful Belly DIY by Design*Rae Gun Ramblings*Blue Cricket Design*Domestically Speaking*The Trendy Treehouse*Savvy Southern Style*Southern Lovely*Oopsey Daisy*Creative Share*Sugar and Spice*We did it!*Show & Tell*Be Inspired*Whatever goes Wednesday*Upcycled Awesome*Lil Luna link PARTAY*ReCreate Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage*Somewhat Simple*The Charm of Home*Strut your Stuff*Transformation Thursday*Show off your Stuff*Giveaway Directory*A crafty soiree*We can do it cheaper*Hooking up with HoH*Make it Wear it*It's stinkin' cute crafts*DIY Diva Thursdays*Crazy Cute Thursdays*Thingamajig Thursday  Friday: The Shady Porch*At the Picket Fence*French Country Cottage*2805 - Potpourri Friday*Common Ground*LaurieAnna's Vintage Home*Stuff and Nonsense*The Shabby Nest*Miss Mustard Seed*Finding Fabulous*Jillify It*Thirty Handmade Days*504 Main*Fancy this Fridays*Finding fabulous*It's a hodge podge Friday*Look at me I'm so crafty*Creation Corner*Friday Flair*Show and Tell Friday*Creative Genius*Shine on Fridays*Free for All Fridays*The Grant LIfe Saturday:Weekend Wrap up Party*Saturday nite special*Show and Tell Saturdays*Weekend Soiree*Scrappy Saturdays*Six Sisters Stuff*Funky Junk Interiors*Be Different Act Normal*Candace Creations*Nutmeg Place Sunday:Think Pink Sundays*Under the Table and Dreaming*I Heart Nap Time*The DIY Showoff*Nifty Thrifty Things

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

YARD WORK & the BACKYARD!!

I have felt like a slacker when it comes to decorating lately!  The weather has been so nice lately I just haven't been able to stay indoors!  Here is a sneak peek at my backyard!

I think the before picture actually looks better than the after!


When we bought this house the backyard was all gravel with planter boxes, and a sport court.  We really wanted grass for the girls to play on so the gravel and planter boxes(above) had to go....We are keeping the sport court!!

We will not call this the AFTER picture....
we will call it the 
WORK IN PROGRESS 
picture!


In the corner where the wheel barrow is there used to be a waterfall, a bird cage, composters, a fire pit and a cute vinyl fence. Everything that is dirt will ONE day be grass!  Good thing I like yard work right?


My youngest daughter wanted to help out too.....apparently the dirt is good in our backyard!

TTFN

Brooke

Friday, April 6, 2012

Living Room Turned Office

I realized the other day I had shown parts of this room but never really elaborated on it.  I have a feeling this is going to be a big post.... here it goes.

Lets begin with the BEFORE shall we??




As I have said before I don't love front rooms as we never use them.  So we decided to turn it into an office.  There really isn't a way to put a wall up to close it off so it had to be a pretty office!


My husband has ALWAYS loved big fancy desks, so the search began.  We found this one on KSL (the local classifieds) for $150.  It is a 6 foot desk and SO HEAVY!  It took 3 big guys to get it in and even at that I didn't think it was going to make it.  Since it was so big and heavy I refinished the desk where it was going to stay, I didn't want  it to get messed up when being brought inside.

Here is what it looked like when we got it home....



Now for my favorite part...THE AFTER!!!


The only thing the same in this room is the wood floor, which I love!  They are real pine planks.  I am so glad they were already here, I don't know if I would have been daring enough to do it on my own but I LOVE THEM.  The best part about them is they are supposed to be distressed so when my daughter rides her bike in here I am not freaking out!  

My husband hung all the trim (base, chair rail, window casings and crown molding)  I love the personality it adds to the room.  The dark color in this room is perfect to make the moldings pop.  I felt okay doing such a dark color in this room because of all the windows.  
  
The paint color for the walls is Dansbury Downs by Pratt and Lambert, and the molding color is White Dove by Benjamin Moore.   


This little chest is made from real barn wood.  I love the character.  My mother in law gave it to me when Devin and I got married.  We were in desperate need of furniture, at the time it was red!  I refinished it after we moved here, I am so in love with the charm this piece adds!


You may recognize this piece, it was my first chalk paint project.  I love everything about this wall.  I have wrote a in depth post/tutorial on this wall and how I did everything here.



Notice the vicious guard dog!


Here is the desk after!  I couldn't be more happy with the elegance it brings to the room!  At first I thought I wanted a rug...but I love how it looks on the floor.  I think I will just get 2 chairs to go in front of it!



and my picture wall....I love it!  It makes me smile every time I look at it, mainly because it displays the 3 most important things in my life!  Here is my post all about my picture wall.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and a HAPPY EASTER

TTFN

Brooke


Monday:Mod Vintage Life*C.R.A.F.T*Mad In Crafts*Lines Across My Face*DIY Home Sweet Home*Singing Three Little Birds*Crafts Keep Me Sane*Its So Very Cheri*Made with love monday*Making monday marvelous*Pink hippo party*The DIY showoff*Motivate me monday*Craftastic monday*Mad Skills*Making the World Cuter*Made by you mondays*Just something I whipped up mondays*Market yourself monday*Show it of Monday*A Round Tuit*Meet Me Monday*Whats in the Gunny Sack*More the Merrier Monday*Do it ya Self*Creative Me Monday*Craft O ManiacTuesday:Anti-Procrastination*Tuesday Tutorial*Sew Cute Tuesday*Anything Related*Anything goes*Crafty Lassie*Take a Look TuesdayWednesday: Grateful Belly DIY by Design*Rae Gun Ramblings*Blue Cricket Design*Domestically Speaking*The Trendy Treehouse*Savvy Southern Style*Southern Lovely*Oopsey Daisy*Creative Share*Sugar and Spice*We did it!*Show & Tell*Be Inspired*Whatever goes Wednesday*Upcycled Awesome*Lil Luna link PARTAY*ReCreate Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage*Somewhat Simple*The Charm of Home*Strut your Stuff*Transformation Thursday*Show off your Stuff*Giveaway Directory*A crafty soiree*We can do it cheaper*Hooking up with HoH*Make it Wear it*It's stinkin' cute crafts*DIY Diva Thursdays*Crazy Cute Thursdays*Thingamajig Thursday  Friday: The Shady Porch*At the Picket Fence*French Country Cottage*2805 - Potpourri Friday*Common Ground*LaurieAnna's Vintage Home*Stuff and Nonsense*The Shabby Nest*Miss Mustard Seed*Finding Fabulous*Jillify It*Thirty Handmade Days*504 Main*Fancy this Fridays*Finding fabulous*It's a hodge podge Friday*Look at me I'm so crafty*Creation Corner*Friday Flair*Show and Tell Friday*Creative Genius*Shine on Fridays*Free for All Fridays*The Grant LIfe Saturday:Weekend Wrap up Party*Saturday nite special*Show and Tell Saturdays*Weekend Soiree*Scrappy Saturdays*Six Sisters Stuff*Funky Junk Interiors*Be Different Act Normal*Candace Creations*Nutmeg Place Sunday:Think Pink Sundays*Under the Table and Dreaming*I Heart Nap Time*The DIY Showoff*Nifty Thrifty Things

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

5 Things to Consider Before Remodeling....


Have you ever had that itch to remodel or buy a fixer upper?  My husband and I have now bought 2 of them.  After the first one we swore we would never do it again....but this time around things are going much smoother.

So I thought I would share what I have learned.

{budget}

 IT ALWAYS COST MORE THAN YOU THINK!  If I could make that sentence any bigger I would.  Both times we have made out a budget but without fail we always seemed to go over.  WHY, you ask?  When you start pulling things apart you usually uncover problems you didn't know existed.  Give yourself a cushion on your budget just incase, it is always better to come in under budget!  If you are buying a house with the intention to remodel make sure you get a good inspection.  Structural problems can be costly!

{when to do it yourself} 

I am a DIY'er by definition.  I believe I come by this very naturally.  As I was showing my brothers something I bought the other day and they both responded "Brooke, you could have done that yourself"  I guess that is what I get when I grow up with a very crafty creative mother that figured out how to do anything...for example she mastered mudding and taping, she reupholstered our couch, she laid all of our tile, and well the list goes on for a very long time.  As for my father he is an electrical engineer, as you can imagine between the 2 of them we mixed most things, we very rarely bought new stuff, we just made it new.  
Naturally, when something needs to be done or fixed my first thought is "how do I do that?"  most of the time this is a good thought.
However there are times you call in the experts.  My husband and I thought we could fix some plumbing in our master bathtub.  We know the basics, and have done some plumbing before.  What we didn't know was that 21 years ago the manifolds for showers were different.  In the process of trying to change it we kinked the hot water pipe.  Since the tub has a fiberglass surround in order to change the manifold it all has to be torn down and redone!  If we had paid a plumber it would have been a couple of hundred now it is going to cost much more than that!  

{time}

It usually ALWAYS takes longer than you think.  As we were looking to buy this house my husband and I found ourselves saying all too often we will JUST do this or tear that out or fix this {that list became really long}.  As we began to change and make things ours we uncovered other problems that had to be addressed which added more time.  We found very quickly it was more than JUST doing something!
When considering how long something will take make sure you give yourself a reasonable amount of time and allow for bumps, it is always better to finish ahead of schedule.

{don't cut corners}

When budgets get tight it is natural to just cut corners to get it done.  Up front you may be saving money but in the long run it will end up costing more.  Our first remodel we did together was a condo we bought after we had been married a year.  We found, what we thought was, AWESOME Laminate flooring for a great price.  It turns out it was probably the cheapest CRAP you could find.  It would chip and crack, so as you can imagine it had to be fixed and replaced which made it one of the most EXPENSIVE CRAPPY floors!

{be thrifty}

By saying be thrifty I am not meaning get everything from a thrift store or second hand.  More I am saying to shop around.  The carpet in our master bedroom was original to the house (21 years old) so it had to go.  Our main floor flooring is all pine planks and I wanted to continue that into the bedroom.  I called the mill where the wood was originally purchased and the bid came in at $500.  Which is actually pretty cheap.  My husband searched the classifieds and actually found someone selling pine planks for much cheaper.  We were able to do our master bedroom for $126.  WOW, what a savings.  My advice to you would be always get more than one bid and compare prices whenever possible.  Also repurpose things, the internet and blog world are great tools to get inspiration.

I have loved to put my touch on this house and make it our home.

TTFN
Brooke