Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Stenciled Corner

I finished the stencil in the corner a few weeks ago.  I have to start out by saying, I love our house.  It is by far the nicest house Mr. TSL and I have lived in. (We've had our share of crappy apartments with lawn furniture for the living room.  I wouldn't change it for the world!)

Although I love it, it is kind of quirky.  The living room has a few things making it hard to decorate around.  It has a load bearing beam off center and also a weird bump out from the HVAC unit on the front porch.

Here is a crude drawing of what I am talking about, the arrow is the weird corner...and I made the door open the opposite direction.


I have tried my best to decorate around them.  The weird bump out got a little sentimental makeover a while back with the girls' baby pics.  

I decided a few weeks back that the weird space next to it should be a built in bookshelf with a stenciled back.

Before:
I know this is the opposite direction, but these are the pics before we bought it and I don't have a pic of that corner.

weird mark from the camera.  this is where Audrey's toys live when people are over.  they are usually spread all over :)


Inspiration pics:


After:


Still working on the shelves.
That window looks into my garage.  The maps were changed into the frames They are maps from 1964 of the lake that's next to us!!



I had these pics in it before:


-Make your life beautiful!

SUNDAY: 
The Girl Creative ,
The DIY Showoff
 ,
Sisters of the Wild West
 ,
The Tattered Tag
 ,
Flamingo Toes,
 
Under the Table and Dreaming
 ,
I Heart Nap Time
 

 MONDAY:
Skip To My Lou,
Thrifty Decor Chick,
C.R.A.F.T.,
Sew Can Do,
Dittle Dattle,
Between Naps On the Porch 
Homemaker on a Dime
Making the World Cuter

TUESDAY:
Tip Junkie,
Type A
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Today's Creative Blog
Funky Polkadot Giraffe
Strictly Homemade
A Diamond in the Stuff
All Thingz Related
Handmade Tuesday

WEDNESDAY:
Blue Cricket Design
Not Just A Housewife
Someday Crafts 

Handy Man, Crafty Woman
Sew Much Ado
Organize Your Stuff Now
Seven Thirty Three
Sugar and Dots 
The Mommy Club  


THURSDAY:
My Repurposed Life
Paisley Passions
House of Hepworths
Beyond The Picket Fence
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Somewhat Simple 

FRIDAY:
Whipperberry
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Miss Mustard Seed
Remodelaholic 
Chic on a Shoestring
Shabby Nest
Tidy Mom
Little Lucy Lu
My Simple HomeLife

SATURDAY:
Funky Junk Interiors
Be Different Act Normal 
Tatertots and Jello 
Young and Crafty

Sunday, September 11, 2011

10 years ago.

I can't believe it's been 10 years.  Some people say, I'll never forget when...Elvis died, Kennedy was shot, we walked on the moon...etc.  For my generation and others, it's I'll never forget where I was when I heard about the World Trade Center Twin Towers being hit.

I was 19 and driving to my calculus class at Wichita State.  I'm sure I was running behind.  I heard on the radio that the first tower had an airplane fly into it.  At the time, I thought, "I bet it was another drunk pilot."  At the time, the news had been reporting lots of drunk flying pilots.  Then my next thought was what an idiot.  I figured it was a single engine plane and that it had probably had a few casualties.  Sad.  When arriving to class, I saw tons of students gathered on the stoop of my building around a radio.  I went in to class and our professor had turned on the news.  It was at that moment I realized that the United States of America was under attack.  I think I had always felt a false sense of security, because we were America.  Everyone wanted to live here.  Wars did not take place here.  Most bombings/murders were caused by our own citizens.  At least, my 19 year old brain believed that.  What the hell was happening?  After our class ended, I drove to work where we sat around a TV watching everything unfold.  I felt completely helpless.  We watched people crying and replays of people jumping to their death holding the hand of a stranger.  Why would they do this to us?

I had to do something.  I wasn't brave enough, nor did I have the means to drive to New York and help.  But, I could do something here.  With my whole paycheck, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought lots of ribbon and some friends from work and I sat in the floral area and made buttons and bows that we sold to raise money for the victims.   In total, we probably didn't make much.  I sent it anyway.  Some is always better than none. I didn't know anyone personally, but I took it personally.

For the victims of 9/11, we pray for you and we will never forget.  My children are now taught the events that made 9/11 a holiday for our nation and weren't alive to experience it first hand.  I'm sure they will have their "I remember where I was the day.....happened."  9/11 is my I remember when....although I wish it was no one's.

  

God Bless our troops and their families who fight to keep us safe.

Friday, September 9, 2011

lovin' me some red!!

Mr. TSL loves green.  I do too, but I may be swayed to love red.  Look at these amazing photos.


I have the same door in my dining room, I was going to paint it black until I saw this over at The Lettered Cottage.

These are too die for!!!  I am obsessed!
At our last house I had a red accent wall.  I loved it for a while, but it became a little overwhelming.  These is done perfectly...red, but just a little bit!

Thinking the girls' bathroom needs red towels and maybe a red mirror frame?

From 3 men and a lady (now 4 mean and a lady)  Maybe add some red grosgrain ribbon to  shower curtain?



I was going to paint the hall chandelier red...Mr. TSL picked purple.  Wonder if he'll take it down to repaint? :)
 I did a post about red a while back, but I think I am in love again!!
images via pinterest
-Make your life beautiful!!

30 before 30 part 4

I am working on the following:
I turn 30 three months from yesterday.  I have decided that I would like to do 30 things before then :)
So, here's my list:

1.  Lose 30 lbs-about 7.5lbs per month (totally doable)!  I'm working on it....yesterday I didn't eat any crap!!  This is huge for me.  I usually eat well all day.  I will eat a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner....then the night falls and I'll find something junky that I usually eat way too much of.  I don't by junk food, so usually I bake something.   I always have the parts of some dessert or I can make one up.  Last night, I didn't though!  
2. Get my wedding ring fixed- I bent the crap out of it when I was carrying in paint cans.  I don't know if that's how it got bent, or if that's when I noticed it.  But it happened in like January...needs fixed pronto!
3.  Go out to dinner only 2 times a month-only on kids eat free night!  This should help with our budget :)  For the most part we have stuck to this.  However, sometimes our family pays for it, so I don't count that.
4.  Finish painting the kitchen and dining room floor-yep I started it!  DONE  :)  Read about it here.
5.  Finish painting the green dining chairs-they may be gray..not sure yet.
6.  Exercise twice a week-anything else is a bonus. I suck at this, but I have been following this regimen.  
7.  Organize the kitchen cabinets-I did a few cabinets and the over hang on the island is coming down on Sunday!
8.  Help mom decorate her house-working on it!!
9.  Floss daily  I have managed to do it around 5 times a week, better than my old 2 times a week :)
10.  Build a baby gate-need to get on this, Audrey is driving me bonkers with all the stair climbing!
11.  Get a mani/pedi-  I've had manicures twice, but never a pedicure!  Mom you are totally going with me :)
12.  Take vitamins everyday.  Wow, I need to stick to these!
13.  Paint dresser in the garage for Morgan and Hayley-Totally almost done with this!  Next week I will post it!
14.  Drink a cup of tea before breakfast. Drinking it now!
15.  Build book shelves-I am making them this weekend I think!
16.  Do something nice for my brothers-all of them
17.  Stencil a wall (I stenciled a tray and LURVE it!!) Done with the wall....need to post the wall!
18.  Host Thanksgiving for my family
19.  Plant flower bulbs in the fall, so we have beautiful flowers in the spring! Started cleaning out the bazillions of pine needles yippy!
20.  Go for a couples massage!   ;)
21.  Dress up for Halloween
22. Carve pumpkins and decorate the house at the beginning of October
23.  Make a faux fireplace mantel
24.  Make the girls' lunches everyday They like to eat at school, so I'll make their lunches when they ask me to.
25.  Declutter the house-Working on it!!  Cleaned a whole load of crap for GW from the house and garage.  I have also been cleaning each area at a time to get rid of the crap!!)  I want to toss most of my wardrobe and start over.  I'm almost 30 and I want to dress better.  I went to the Eddie Bauer outlet a few weeks back and got the best pair of jeans.  They fit perfectly and they don't stretch!  
26.  Spend less time on the computer.  Only after the kids have gone to bed, or before they are awake.  Today, I will start this!  
27.  Put clothes away after I fold them--I wash them, dry them, fold them and stack them on the dryer. Totally suck at this one.  Told Mr. TSL if we had a stackable washer and dryer I couldn't do this...no dice.
28.  Make dinner by 5:30 every night I do it every night!
29.  Teach Audrey to walk and wean her around 12 months or so. She has taken 8 steps and is standing from a squatted position!  But she crawls so fast she had little need to walk.  We are also down to 2 maybe 3 feedings a day.  I am hoping to be done within 2 weeks!
30.  Read Janet Evanovich book 17 Mom bought it, now I just need to read it.


I have been on a huge industrial minimalist kick lately.  Pretty sure Mr. TSL would be mad if I asked him to change the light fixtures again....but, I love the industrial look!

















images all via


-Make your life beautiful and your butt smaller!!





Friday, September 2, 2011

Crafting with the Stars!!

I am totally joining Crafting with the Stars!!!
I have entered some of my projects :)


The cry it out method

Last night, Mr. TSL said let's let her just cry tonight.  I don't have a problem with that (who are we kidding I can hardly take it. )  He had to run to town and drop off a truck he sold and wasn't going to be back before Audrey's bed time, so I had to put her down.  I was not doing the cry out method on a school night because I was worried I would interrupt the girls' sleep.  I would just nurse her and rock her until she was asleep.  

We went upstairs and everything was going normal...nurse, nurse, turn over, nurse nurse, stand up, say dada in a loud whisper, nurse, switch sides, smack mommy to make sure she's still awake, pinch mommy's arm, nurse nurse... this was all in about 10 minutes.  Sleepy-not happening.  Then the phone rings. Not answering it.  I am so anal that I am dying to go down stairs, but I know it's not important.  It only rang 3 times!  Thank God.  Starting to doze off...me, not Audrey.  Then the dog barked, not a random bark.  Like a someones-outside-and-dad's-not-here-and-we-live-in-the-country-oh-no-we're-going-to-be-attacked bark.

This makes me nervous, I immediately inventory what I am going to do in the event of an intruder.  At least, all 4 of us (Morgan, Hayley, Audrey and I) are all upstairs.  If the bastard decides to come upstairs, I am going to run into him like a 300lb football player and launch his intruder ass down the stairs.  Mind you I still have my boob out nursing Audrey, but I can put it away with the quickness.  Then, I try to locate in my head any weapon like objects I can find in Audrey's room.  Nothing. Who puts that crap in a nursery?  Still looking like my best bet is shoving him down the stairs.  Then it flashes into my head, "What if it's Mr. TSL and I launch him down the stairs"....pretty sure he'd be mad at me.

Then the dog barks again.

Shit, I really need to see what she's barking at...remember from this post Morgan heman-ripped the door knob off, so the front door is cracked open.   See we have a border collie and she is the most amazing dog.  She has mad skills in the tricks dept. and she is super super smart.  But if you say good dog to her, she'll go get her ball for you to throw..not a guard dog.

I put Audrey down awake and she immediately starts screaming.  I run downstairs in time to figure out the dog just wanted to go potty.  Then the phone rings again.  Talk, talk, talk.  Audrey is still screaming.  You know what I AM going to let her cry.  Only took like 30 minutes.  Then she was asleep.  I let her cry the first time she woke up too.  Then the 2nd time I nursed her because I had brick boobies.  I told her I loved her, laid her down and she went straight to sleep.  No crazy ninja engineering of fake arms to lay on her back tonight! Awesome.

She slept til 830...it was glorious!  So, we did it.  Then today I laid her down for a nap and it took like 15 minutes!!  Hallelujah!

Hopefully, I will be able to get back to posting about my projects.  Until then, here is some Pinterest porn for you!!





all images via Pinterest

-Make your life beautiful!!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Oh what a night....

The whole month of August, well, was really freakin hot for one and has sucked for projects/sleeping time for mommy.

Audrey has decided that she is never going to wean and has given up on sleep so she can nuzzle my boobs, which I'm pretty sure may fall off at some point.  Not that I'd miss them, they are nothing to write home about.

I haven't written any posts in a while because I feel completely unmotivated to do anything.  When all you can think about is the day your boobs will be for show and not for baby and when or if sleep will ever some again, you give up on most projects.  The one's I have completed I have no motivation to write about right now.  I'll get to them, but I set my own deadlines.

I can only describe my lack of sleep to utter blahness.  There are nights when I'm pretty sure my head isn't on my pillow for more than 3 hours, which sucks balls!  And the 3 hours it is on the pillow, I am in between some kind of rest with my eyes clothes (<----I am so tired I typed clothes, instead of closed.) (and usually a throbbing headache) and paranoia that I am going to close my eyes and she will wake me up screaming within minutes.  I pray every night for her to sleep. sleep doesn't come.

Last night, Mr. TSL put her to sleep (he's been doing that now for like 2 months...it's amazing...if she'd stay asleep for more than 2 hours.)  Usually he and I stay up for a little while and talk.  We don't see each other in a quiet environment very often. Okay.EVER.

She woke up around an hour and a half later.  I went up to nurse her back to sleep and she nursed forever and she has all four front teeth now and they suck.  She also switches sides on her own and will switch back and forth standing up, then sliding down over and over.  She won't drink from a bottle, only her mom's knockers.  Suckola for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love(d) nursing her.  It is one of the most amazing experiences to nurse your babies, but after a while I'm over it.

It's like eating ice cream for dinner, awesome but you can't do it forever.

After, her nursing I put her in bed and let her cry.  I needed to walk away from her.  I came downstairs and Mr. TSL went up to rock her to sleep.  I went to bed.  He was up there for about an hour.  Shortly after that she was up AGAIN.  CRAP!!

I attempted to nurse her again, but my boobs hurt so bad I just couldn't do it.  So, I laid her down in her bed and patted her butt and had my hand on her back.  I did this for a while practically hanging over her bed.  Then I removed the hand...no dice. screaming.  After a few minutes, I wondered if I was tall enough to have my hand over her rails and be on my knees, my back was really hurting.  I could, I sat there for a little while.  I removed the hand....son of a b....screaming.  Arm's getting weird tingly, not like it asleep, more like agonizing.  Then I wondered if I could comfortably fit my hand through the rails and sit cross legged.  I can.

As, I am sitting there trying to keep her asleep these are the things running through my head in no particular order:

1.  Is there something I can roll up or lay on her back to fashion a crude hand or arm within reach of my legs? NOPE, I actually reaches my leg around in hopes of finding a nanny, who in broken English, would say, "you go sleep now miss, I'll rock her."

2.  I should invent something like that...you know, like those creepy hands for Halloween or fill a doctors glove with bread dough or something smushie, but dense.

3.  I wonder if other mothers do this crap.

4.  I want to punch the next mom that says, "Oh, my baby has always slept through the night."  I bet an open hand slap across the face would shut that snide bitch up.

5.  That new show with Christina Applegate is going to be funny...Up all night.  The promo says. "if you have ever contemplated selling your baby on the black market, this is the show for you."  (This thought made me snort.)

6.  I think after she falls asleep I am going to go downstairs and tie my own tubes with a butterknife.

7.  Why don't they make Tylenol PM for babies or at least organic tryptophan (that's the stuff in turkey that makes you sleepy at Thanksgiving, they sell that shiz in capsules and it is uh-maz-ing.  Can't take it while your pregnant or nursing. Suck.)

8.  When she gets older I am going to keep her awake like this for like a week and see if she likes it.



After the night was said and done, she got up at 6:30. blah

Then this morning Morgan heman ripped the door knob off the inside of the front door.  We already have the replacement handle (we've had it for almost a year now...another one of my projects)  She freaked out like we were trapped in the house and she and Hayley were going to miss the bus.  I told her to just go through the garage and open the door from the front.  Panic averted.   Then she opened the door, with the sun shining in on this glorious extremely exhausted morning I was able to clearly see where the dog (who isn't suppose to sit on the furniture, but does while I'm sleeping) had barfed down the front of my leather couch and onto the carpet....can I get a woot woot...don't woot woot that, I was being sarcastic.  

I wouldn't have cared, I would have just gotten back to it later if I weren't watching Hayley's teacher's kids this week.  Shit, I have to clean it now.  Plus, I don't get to go back to sleep.  All week I have been plagued with the ancient Chinese syndrome Dragonass...{draggin' ass}

The only things I have gotten done is pin stuff on Pinterest, it requires very little effort and it gets my daily fix of lusting after stuff that I'll never own/wear/create :)  Maybe, I'll get to some, but until then I pinned them!!

I leave you with a cute picture of my tiny munchkin, who despite the bullcrappyness of her lack of sleep is one of my three favorite girls and the reason I get out of bed...you know to go nurse her :)


Holy cow, she's cute!


 -Make your life beautiful!!