sometimes my brain wants to explode....

We are creeping up on living here for 3 years.  I can't believe we have been here 3 years.  In this time, I have done a lot to our house...no room is complete, like I want it to be.  I'm getting there.  This is also the last year I will be staying home, next fall I'm back to playing teacher.  Whilst I am looking forward to 2 incomes again, I will miss being home to see my babies all day long.  

Tonight and tomorrow I will be cleaning to take pictures of before and afters so fars.  Mainly because tomorrow is Mr. TSL's birthday and we have his family coming over to bbq.  I'll write the story of how we got our house soon....it's a doozy!

I have redone both bathrooms and already have better ideas to improve them.  I am not going to start it until spring, because I have decided to do the kitchen first.

My brain is exploding over excitement for the kitchen island....

black cabinets and planks

I am going to make a live edge counter top and have it held up with custom hairpin legs! 

images via pinterest

I am hoping in the next 2 weeks to start the island!

xoxo

craigslist is a scary magical place......

So not only do I buy stuff on Craigslist, but I am constantly selling stuff on there too.  With Design ADD it's best that way.  If I find something I am on the hunt for I sell something to pay for it.  It's like having a garage sale that you don't have to haul out all your crap and sit with it all day!

I am hoping to get these things:

$15

$60

$15

None of these are definite...with craigslist until it's in your truck nothing is definite.  Keep your fingers crossed 

I did score these chairs though!!

I paid $40 for 4 of them, the lady had them listed as clear plastic folding chairs.  SCORE!   The legs on mine are gold though...not sure if that's some kind of patina or what, but they have the MADE IN ITALY

 sticker on them.  I know they are worth a little dough, couple hundred bucks or so!

Do you buy stuff because you know it's fabulous without a plan of where to put it?  I may sell these, I may keep them for the sun porch.  Not sure yet!

Plus they are super sturdy...they held me and a jumpy 2 year old climbing all over me.  Holy crap, she's actually almost 3.  Time flies.  Jeez.  That means my gentleman baby is creeping up on 1.  

Got all mommy-boo-hooey on you.  

Back to Craig and his list.  I have a secret for you.  If you already knew this you suck by the way for not telling me.  My mom showed me.  On the home page of CL of your city {or other cities you are willing to truck to} you choose your category.  Click Furniture (or whatever) Then at the top of that page you can click grid view and the listings pop up with the picture showing.  LIFE. CHANGING.  your welcome.

  

xoxo

Kitchen Updates and Plans

When we first moved in our kitchen looked like this:

After some demo and yanking up the crapet(yep, I typed crapet instead of carpet....seriously gross, carpet in the kitchen and dining room. barf.)

I painted the lantern I picked up for $10 at the thrift store.  I still love the lantern, but I'm thinking it needs to be black instead.  I also had mason jar lights above the kitchen area after I switched out the crappy lights that were there.  Apparently they got super hot and when my brother in low tapped one...shattered.  Suckola.  Luckily I had this barn lights that were in the kids' rooms when we moved in.  I had to switch those for ceiling fans because it is so hot upstairs.

Kitchen Plans:

Phase Easily DIY:

*add some planks to the back of the island and trim bottom out.

*paint the kitchen cabinets white on top.  

*add some shelves below the cabinets, they have been raised and we could use a little reachable storage.

*paint bottom cabinets black
*spray paint hinges black or nickel....we'll see.

Phase Need Some Assistance:

*add hardware
*skim coat laminate counters with concrete
* subway tile backsplash

Phase Costs Some Dough:
*new countertops
*new sink
*maybe add a window


Phase DIY and NeedSome Assistance will be done by Christmas...I'm hosting Christmas for the first time in 9 years. I am going to begin most of this at the beginning of October.  I already purchased the hardware and will be getting the subway tile as soon as I choose which one I want to go with!

Some more progress pics:

xoxo

Corner Nook {black with white shelves}

I have this weird nook in my living room made by the spot where the furnace is.  It was wasted space when we moved in.

Before 

I painted it awhile back with a stencil (I actually just measured and taped....I am not purchasing stencils!) 

After some badgering, Mr. TSL made me some shelves to make it more of a bookshelf look.

I'm not going to lie.  I didn't love it.  In fact, I never even got around to actually styling it.  Just through some crap up there and stared at it for much too long.......

Finally, I figured out what to do.  Paint it again.  I do this a lot, almost nothing I originally painted is staying the first color I chose.  Decorating ADD at it's best.

xoxo

SUNDAY: The DIY Showoff 

 MONDAY: Thrifty Decor Chick, Dittle Dattle,Between Naps On the Porch, Homemaker on a Dime
TUESDAY: Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Strictly Homemade
WEDNESDAY: Not Just A Housewife Sugar and Dots The Mommy Club  
THURSDAY:My Repurposed Life. House of Hepworths, Beyond The Picket Fence, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Somewhat Simple 
FRIDAY: Fingerprints on the Fridge, Miss Mustard Seed, Remodelaholic, Chic on a Shoestring,  Shabby Nest
SATURDAY: Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello 

Oliver's Room Inspiration

Over the summer I hope to finish Oliver's room.  It needs repainted and I'm starting with the ceiling.  Which I am super excited to paint, I compare it to having my nails pulled out.  Woohoo.

Anyway, pretty pictures from pinterest:

Color:

Buffalo Check Curtains:

oh ryan, you cheeky bastard.... ;)

Cow Rug:

Furniture:

Accessories:

all of these images brought to you by the letter P and oliver's room pinterest board

and if it strikes your fancy, follow me on pinterest

xoxo

repairing worn leather with shoe polish

We have those puffy leather recliner on both ends matching set of couches.  I dislike them.  I don't hate or loathe them, but given the money/opportunity I would go with something completely different.  We bought them brand new 6 years ago and they were 1000% better than the crap we had.  Two moves and 4 kids worth of wear and sippy cup spills, they are holding up just fine.  If they would die I could get new, but whateves.

The only thing wrong with them is a few nics hear and there from being shoved through doorways and some regular wear, nothing a brown sharpie can't fix.....yep you read that right.  I take a brown Sharpie to my couch for small touch ups.

 One spot in particular was looking extremely scratched and ratty. I couldn't Sharpie that one or it would look like Audrey drew all over the couch.  The ratty spot might be my seat, I'm not as bad a Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but it's my seat. My seat.  Anyhow, after Audrey and Oliver were born it's where I slept with them, nursed them, changed them.   I always sit cross legged for most of this...it was wearing the leather.  Plus, Harley the Super Border Collie sleeps there at night.  She is sometimes covered in sand and then rolls on the couch, essentially sandpapering my spot on the couch.

Before:

Cripes that looks like shiz.

I decided to try some brown shoe polish to disguise the worn spots.  I picked it up in the shoe department of Wal-Mart.

After:

I just followed the directions on the back of the can.  I wiped it on with a soft rag, let it sit for a bit and polished it until the rag still looked clean.  I didn't want brown all over our clothes.  At first it was sort of sticky and smelled weird.  That goes away.  It is considerably less obvious and a cheap fix until we get new furniture....after our children quit getting ours gross.  I know, you probably don't let you kids drink in the living room....I don't either.  But, those little twerps sneak it in!! 

xoxo

Rugs: A story of a kick ass deal!

I have been lusting after this rug for like eva!

Sometimes, I click on the link and stare at it.  Then last night, I am stalking the rug...it was 65% off for memorial day and I bought the 5x7 for $91.70!!!  Plus, I got this rug for $38.85, it's 5'3 x 7'9!!  That one's for the girls' room!

They are still on sale for the 65% off, plus they have a ton of other fabulous rugs for that discount!!

xoxo