Take a seat

Again, here we go with another blog title that sounds vaguely familiar...

Anyhoo! Moving along. I've been doing a considerable amount of thrifting lately. I know there's a whopping two of you out there who are excited to see what I've picked up this month. But before you get yourselves overly excited...I haven't bought a thing. I've been visiting every last Goodwill, Salvation Army, Amvets, etc. in search of a few specific items (two nightstands and a small console table for the real, real entryway). In the words of the Rolling Stones, "you can't always get what you want". Mick must really be onto something here, because try as I might, I just can't find these damn things.

But in my journeys, a trip to Amvets turned up this beauty...

It's in mint condition, doesn't smell (always a bonus!), and was only $20. Not bad, huh? I'm no thrifting newbie, but I foolishly thought about this chair for an entire day before actually returning to purchase it. Luckily it was still waiting for me, but sadly, some other chairs I was eyeing had already gone home with someone. When I saw that this baby was still hanging around, I nearly took out kindly made my way around another shopper to snag it. There's no time like the present to make that thrifting purchase. Let that be a lesson to all! Me included.

I'd been looking for some extra seating in our living room, but check out just how ridiculous it looks next to our existing furniture...

OMG. Totally ridiculous, right? We have zero plans to replace our existing furniture right now (not to mention this oversized chair is uber comfy), so I'm thinking this thrifted beauty might be finding another place in our home. Depending on where it ends up, I'm planning to have it reupholstered. My mom and her mad skills used to reupholster stuff, but she recently informed me that she got rid of all her tools. What?? I know! So if anyone knows of a good reupholsterer in the Buffalo area...do tell!

And just because I'm excited to share, check out the beautiful fabric that recently showed up on my doorstep...

SIX beautiful yards of this greatness from Anna Horner's Innocent Crush line! As a side note, Fabric.com is fabulous by the way. It was my first ordering experience with them, and although I had heard how great they were...I guess I needed to place my very first order to see that myself! We're (i.e. my mom) are planning to make simple panels to add to the stairwell of the entryway. The lone window in that space has been bare for way too long. I'll be sure to share photos when we finish up this project!

TGIF!

Let there be light!

Something tells me I've used this title in a blog post before. In which case, we'll just refer to this as "Let There Be Light 2". I've never been a fan of sequels, but in this case, I am...

We finally tackled the awful lighing issue in the kitchen. Which, it's about time! We only remodeled the space over a year ago, but never bothered with the little details like lighting or floors. I know, Miss Attention to Details here....honestly, sometimes even I surprise myself.

Anyway, this is the beaut that we were working with before...

I'm aware that taste is subjective, but seriously, the creator of this light fixture should go to lighting prison. The lighting was never appropriate for the space (seeing your food while preparing it is usually a big plus), not to mention this thing was a huge bug collector (trust me, you don't want to know what was hanging out in there when it was taken down...for reals...).

So off I went in search of something new. The husband gave me free reign to figure this one out on my own, which is totally what I love about him. Although, given that the kitchen is his domain, I figured I would hear about it later if he didn't like it (Oh well. I'd cross that bridge when & if we got there...right?). I searched the local reuse stores, but nothing struck my fancy. In the end, I settled for a $35 clearance light from a local hardware store....

And by clearance I mean, they took it off of the display & I hauled this baby out of the store without the box, nor option for return. Which made me a little nervous...I mean, who the hell knew if this thing even worked or not? But for $35 I was taking my chances.

Okay, so I have zero shots of the in between process, but you'll get the picture...prime, spray, and then in a classic rookie mistake apply gloss enamel over gloss paint and watch your DIY project go up in flames. Okay, not really. But instead just watch the paint peel away from your light fixture. And then panic. And then run to another location of said hardware store, praying that you'll find another $35 clearance light fixture (which you do), until finally coming to your senses and realizing the small area that was sprayed with enamel is totally fixable if you just calm down already. I'm happy to report I took a second to relax, review and form a plan of attack (but not without screaming multiple expletives in the process). Turns out the problem was fixable, but cost me a few extra days of work in the end. The fixture is still not perfect, but do me a favor...don't look for the imperfections when you come over to our house, mmmmm kay?

I replaced the existing bulbs with round ones & added a $15 ceiling medalion from Lowes. Then I ended up buying a second set of bulbs since the first ones blinded us everytime we turned on the damn light. And best of all...it's all husband approved!

Oh, and I ended up hiring an electrician to do the work. I know, that's not very DIY of us (especially considering the husband would typically do it). But with the husband busy & an upcoming girls' night at our house just days away...sometimes it's just easier to pay the professionals $185 for 3 hours of their time. Easy-peasy.

I've been working on a few fun projects lately, which explains my abscence from blogland. But I'll be back to share some updates and pictures soon!

Friday randomness...

Okay, hold on to your underwear. It's about to get random up in here....

So for starters, we got a new area rug for the living room. Last month we received reimbursement from our insurance...you know, after the whole break-in fiasco. Aside from our big to-do (replacing the damaged door), we also intended to replace the rug. But lest you get yourselves too excited, we (actually, just me) decided to get the same 'ol rug we had in the first place. I know. Bor-ing!



(disclaimer--OLD PHOTO!--you didn't think our living area was currently this tidy, now did you?)

I had high hopes (and money burning a hole in my pocket) of purchasing something a bit different this time around. I searched West Elm, CB2, Pottery Barn (where the only rug the husband and I could agree on was $600...um, no thanks), etc. And I was also this close to purchasing a lovely WHITE shag from Homegoods. But then I realized I have a husband, a dog, and the inability to take my shoes off before walking in the door. So in the end I ultimately hauled my ass back to Target, and $145 later we have our new-old rug. The end.

Did you know people are pinning my stuff on Pinterest? And by people I mean my cousins and two other people I don't know. But still...pretty cool, right? And this is coming from your's truly who still hasn't pinned a single thing to my account (note to self: take advantage of this upcoming long weekend and learn how to use Pinterest, alright already).



Ever get lost on the internet & in blogland (who me? never!) and suddenly feel your space and belongings don't measure up? Well, in and effort to keep things real (and make you feel better about yourselves), I present to you the current state of my office/craft room......brace yourselves.......um, for real.....omg you guys...

Aside from learning how to use Pinterest this weekend, I know what else I'll be doing.

And last but not least, we have snow.

the view outside my office today

You guys, "sprinter" is o-v-e-r! Ugh.

 

So with that, I'm off to hunker down and keep it cozy! TGIF!

Thriftin'

If you know me well, then you're aware I spend a decent amount of time thrifting. Goodwill, Salvation Army, Amvets....I'm like a kid in a candy store at these places. Only there's no candy, just smelly belongings that someone left behind (potato, potah-to).

I'm pretty bad when it comes to updating the 'ol blog with my found treaures. I figure you'll all get to see them at some point (when I figure out exactly what to do with them). But after the Christmas decorations got tucked away, I realized I'd been hoarding a lot of my recent finds. Because frankly, I had no freakin' clue what I was going to do with them. That's how I roll when presented with the opportunity to purchase something cool for $5...buy now, figure it all out later (or not).

These little guys were a Salvation Army find for $3 (I just realized this photo is a little deceiving...these things are tiny...like, fit into the palm of my hand tiny). I don't know why, but I think they would look great in a nursery, no? But don't go getting any crazy ideas in your heads...not our nursery, just any old nursery. So until we have a baby & a nursery, these things will just have to take up space elsewhere...of which, I'm still trying to figure out. Surprised, much?

"But it's a fake!" That's what my mom kindly pointed out when we were thrifting & antiquing one day. I mean, for $25, I sort of figured that out. Ain't no real federal style mirror sold at that price point! But I've been wanting one for a long time, and this one fit my budget. Real or not...I have no shame!

I have zero clue where this thing is going. But at $8.99, I could not pass it up. End of story.

Okay, so this one was not a thrift find (and I'm well aware that these birds are grossly disproportionate to the size of the bell...I'm still working things out here), but I couldn't resist this bell jar that I picked up at Paris Flea. I think this thing is in temporary placement for now. Seriously, I need to get my act together. You would totally get that if you came to our house right now.

So that's the latest & greatest on the thrifting front! It's so hit or miss most of the time, but I'm thinking that if I have a jackpot month of great finds, I'll be sure to update on a more regular basis!

Start fresh

I've been feeling pretty inspired lately, and that's a cool thing. We had a fabulous Christmas, but let's face it...I'm done with the holidays. Not to mention those damn decorations that finally found themselves a home, tucked away in the attic. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who feels this way, right? Here's to a more tidy, organized and less cluttered 2012!

I've been thinking a lot these last few days about tackling some upcoming house projects, entertaining, decluttering the house & getting rid of stuff we just.don't.need (our attic is a hoarders dream...in fact, we're dangerously heading in that direction). I'm a firm believer that everyday is an opportunity to make changes, but there's just something really motivating about doing it at the start of a new year, no? I'm still perfecting my list of resolutions, but to give you an idea of what I've been working on, here goes nothing...

Floss more. Because everyone should be doing it really (at least that's what your dentist tells you). Yep, true story, I'm not a flosser. Which would explain why the husband asked what the hell I was doing last night.

Eat clean. I'm a fairly healthy eater by nature, but I married a foodie (and a darn good cook at that), so it's easy to be tempted now and again. I know, everyone vows to eat better & lose weight in the new year. But that's not my intention. The simple truth is that getting on track (when I've fallen off) is a pretty incredible feeling.

A new blog design. A new year, a new look...right? I'm currently exploring my options right now, but I'm definitely planning some upcoming changes to the 'ol blog. I love what I've got going on right now, but change is a good thing. I'm not exactly sure when it's all gonna happen, but consider this your notice.

Start pinning. In one of those you 'didn't see it coming' moments, I joined Pinterest. But don't ask me what that means because: 1) I haven't pinned anything, and 2) I don't know how it all works (which would explain my lack of pins). I suppose my next resolution should be something to the effect of Learn how to use Pinterest.

House projects. I wasn't very good about tackling my 2011 to-do list, which included (in my delusional mind) redecorating just about every last room in our home. This year I'm sticking to a simple, more managable list that includes a master bedroom makeover (finally...this one is way overdue), window treatments for the dining room (we've lived in our home for, ahem, over four years...so shall we talk about what's really overdue here?), and a side entryway/hallway makeover (that includes finally covering that ugly drywall from a door enclosure during the kitchen makeover). And speaking of the kitchen, I guess another really good resolution would be to finally post kitchen pics on the 'ol blog. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here....

So here we go! Onward & upward, and ready to take on 2012! Even if it's already January 4. It's never too late to get started!

Be careful what you say...

...because it just might mean that the tree trimmers are gonna do that landscaping afterall...

Ah well, what are you going to do. It looks nice & the job was done correctly...even though it took 5 godforsaken months to complete. But who's counting (besides me)?

It's at this point I would normally rant & rave about how these folks grated on my every last nerve, and how I wouldn't recommend you use them either (unless you like waiting absurd amounts of time for a job to be completed). But you know what? It's the holidays, so I'll spare you. Consider it your early Christmas gift!

Christmas decor anyone? Well, it's about time!

I'm already feeling antsy about the amount of decorations cluttering our home (which went up the day after Thanksgiving). So before I get a chance to put them away next week, there's no time like the present to give you a little glimpse into our home, holiday style....

So yeah, then there's the tree. This baby stood at a cool 8.5 ft. and we eventually trimmed it down to a mere 7 ft. And when I say 'we', I'm referring to my sister and myself...naturally. The men are never around to help when you need them, huh? In the husband's defense, he was out of town that weekend, but happened to call just as Mrs. Paul Bunyan was getting her saw on (not the most ideal time, let me tell you).

Starting tomorrow, I'll be officially distancing myself from anything work related, and I think I'm really ready to start enjoying the holidays now. And you do the same, ya hear? 

And then there was no tree

...in our backyard that is. Remember when we had a tree removed from the backyard, um, this past summer?

Well, months went by before they came out to remove the stump (after several empty promises & no-shows), but stump they did remove! It only took forever, but you know.

But see that small stick-like thing next to our neighbor's fence? Well, that small "stick" was actually a small tree that had sprouted sometime within the last year and was going to be an impossibility to get rid of without removing our neighbor's fence first (which was not happening...in fact, the house is a rental property & we don't even know who owns it). So with the promise that they'd return at some point to cut down said "stick", the wait was officially ON. Fast forward to December 20 and finally....oh yeah, wait for it...

The stick is gone...finally! It only took several threats of non-payment for them to finish the job. It's funny how dangling money over someone's head can convince them to actually do their job! Just barely of course. We had planned to contract this same company for landscaping (that was also supposed to happen this past summer) but now I'm having second thoughts. Obviously. But did you notice (minus the leaves) that the before pic is relatively similar to the after photo? Yep, no snow! December 20 and not a flake to be seen. Which just goes to show that it's not always snowing in Buffalo people. Just thought I'd point that out....

So how's that for some excitement today?! Here I thought I'd be sharing Christmas photos & stories on the 'ol blog this December...and instead I'm sharing tree trimming stories. Early Christmas present perhaps?!

Christmas cards...coming to a home near you

Okay, not to all of you. Because I'm pretty sure I don't know every single person reading this here blog. But to my friends and family...they are coming. When exactly, I'm not quite sure. I'm usually on top of the card thing, typically sending them out the first weekend in December (even back in the days when I was crafty and would make my own cards!).

But this year I went the "get your ass to Barnes & Noble STAT" route. Surprisingly, the folks at B&N really came through for all of us lazy folks who hadn't gotten their acts into gear. Don't you love the owls? They're my thing lately. The "Keep Calm" motto is way over used (in my humble opinion), but I'm loving this take on it. Definite words of wisdom to live by this year....

Last year, our cards were a bit more fancy & official (if you will)...



We were newleyweds & felt the need to share it with the world! Oh my, did I love this card from Tiny Prints. Seriously, I could sing their praises until the cows come home (or the fat lady sings...whichever comes first). And no, Tiny Prints didn't pay me to say that. It's just that when you work with good people and good companies, you feel the need to share (equally amazing is their sister company, Wedding Paper Divas, from which we got our wedding invites & save-the-dates).  I opted not to go the photo route for our cards this year. As much as I love seeing the husband and myself in photos, I'm not sure other people are so interested (into ourselves much?). I mean, maybe I'm wrong here. But I think I'll hold off on another photo holiday card until we have kids one day.

And because I've been slacking at the blogging thing lately, I'll be back soon (by husband's orders!) to share pics of our place decked out for the holidays. And a tree story. Ooooh, yeah, that's a good one! And then before we know it, Christmas will be over & I'll be cursing that thing all over again....

The post where I talk about things I want for Christmas...I think.

So it's that time of year again....to make your list & check it twice. I've gotta say we're waaaaay behind the eight ball on Christmas this year. Maybe it's that we've been busy, or that we still haven't gotten our tree yet, or that it hasn't snowed (a huge WTH?! at this point in Buffalo). Whatever it is, I have yet to totally get into the spirit.

Last year I made that fancy list. The list that a few folks in our family found uber helpful & I ultimately found some of those items under the tree. I wasn't planning to make & broadcast a list this year because, frankly...I haven't a clue what I really want (ask me the other 364 days of the year and I could totally tell you, but right here and now...not so much).

But then one trip to Anthro sealed the deal for me....I want coffee table books. Does anyone else think that the books stocked at Anthropologie are the best? They really have a great selection, if you ask me (or if anyone really cares what I think, for that matter). Okay, anyway. On my list?

Our house definitely leans towards the imperfect these days. And this book is gonna teach me to embrace that. Or so I'm told.

I like modern. I like vintage. And I'm a firm believer that the two can totally coexist. Consider this book sold...to me.

We all know we can decorate (or at least think we can!). But it certainly doesn't hurt to get someone else's perspective on the subject. Not to mention some added inspiration!

No, I don't own this book. Yes, I'm aware everyone else does.

So that's pretty much where I am right about now. I know, it's not the most spectacular of lists. But ask me what I really want...on December 26. I'll have really good answers for you!

Open for business

Growing up I owned a retail store. In my parents' basement. We sold fine items like stickers, empty Chanel perfume bottles and an assortment of random shoes (mostly belonging to my mom, of which I intercepted before they ever made it into the Goodwill pile). With an inventory like that, I was nothing short of imaginative.

I took great pride in setting up the store, displaying the items and changing out things seasonly. My sister occassionally worked for me. But most times she was bagging groceries at the register in our dining room (which incidentally became her part-time job in high school...minus the dining room, of course). And when I decided to close shop for the day, I'd work in my cousin's basement store...Pier 2. I don't remember her inventory, but man...that shop name! I really felt she was onto a possible franchise there...

But now that I'm an adult, owning a store is way more involved than opening the basement door & "working" whenever I want to. It's about a business plan, managing employees, ordering inventory, budgeting, payroll, advertising, and getting real people--not your parents--to buy your stuff (and like, really buy it...none of this fake money business...).

So for now, I'm living vicariously through Tori Spelling. Because if I had a store, this would be it. Tori is taking all of her finds & selling them at her store InvenTori. Pure genius. She shops & then sells her goods. How's that for a business plan?

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I often find myself thrifting for fabulous things that we just don't have the room for. Aside from purchasing a new & bigger house to hold all of those goods, a store sounds like a more appealing option...right husband?

Hey, at least I have the retail experience.

Another one under our belt...

It's official. We have another thanksgiving under our belt. And this time we did it with a fully operational kitchen! It's the simple things in life, people. If you need a reminder of the hilarity that ensued last year...knock yourself out. And feel free to laugh your ass off when I mention in the post that we're "not it" for hosting duties next year. Joke's on me, apparently....

So for anyone who knows us, you're all aware that the husband does the cooking & I'm in charge of decorating. Up until about 2 days before the big event I had ZERO clue how this was all going down. Until Katie Bower & her burlap entered the picture. So off to Lowes I went. And with a $10 roll of burlap in hand, I intended to make this the most burlap-tastic thanksgiving you ever did see!

I started out by layering what I had on hand...tablecloth, burlap, random wooden runner....

Now, I know things are looking a little iffy with the mismatched chairs & teeny, tiny random wooden runner. But just go with me here. Teeny tiny is gonna come in handy when we start adding in the centerpieces, plates, napkins...and oh yeah, food.

Next came the apothocary jars, fresh flowers, tea lights & a thrifted gold bird and terranium...

The flower arrangments were pre-made from Wegmans. I hesitated at the $19.99/each price tag (I know, I'm cheap). But when I started picking & choosing to create my own arrangements, I had put myself well over $20...so we just went with it. I'm not a professional florist (oh, you didn't know?), so Wegmans won in this case. I already owned the square vases & then wrapped each with ye 'ol burlap. Are you sensing a theme?

Then out came the china and napkins, wrapped in....you guessed it, burlap.

Our guest list included 14 adults and 2 children (more than the main 'adult' table could handle), so I was forced to set up an ugly stepchild 'kid' table. Even Phil Dunphy's thanksgiving day bistro tables were way cooler than this.

The kid table sported some super fancy paper napkins, more cranberries & a small floral arrangment. And you guessed it...a burlap tablecloth. The kid table was definitely not as cool as it's big sister, but again, I worked with what I had and our guests were none the wiser.

And lest you think the giant cornucopia went away....

....it was displayed on the buffet, with some other large serving pieces. No need to remove this thing once dinner was served, as it fit in just perfectly this year!

So that's it my friends. Another successful (however you define it) thanksgiving under our belt. Bring it on year three!

I've been so busy, I forgot I had a blog.

Or the other appropriate title would be 'Our house got robbed & in addition to life, I've just been waaaay too busy dealing with insurance, detectives & security systems to think about this here little blog'. But that would be too long of a title, now wouldn't it?

So yes, I've been an absentee blogger these days. In one of those "it will never happen to me" moments, our house was robbed last week. It's not fun, it's not glamorous, and I sure as hell find myself a little (okay a lot) nervous to come home alone most days. We were lucky in that the intruder made off with mostly jewelry (some of which were family pieces, that sadly, we'll never see again) and the sister's netbook & ipod. Ironically, said intruder was relatively respectful of our property, with the exception of this....

They kicked in our side door, taking the interior moldings & half of the wall with it. Lovely, eh? As upset as we were about the robbery itself, this door nearly put me over the edge. What a freaking mess. Luckily, the husband's contractor friend showed up bright & early the next morning to repair the door (we'll replace it as soon as the insurance settles, whenever that may be....), and we were able to rid ourselves of those projection screen stands that temporarily secured our door.

Ironically, the bulk of the mess came from the police & their fingerprinting dust....

Area rug....ruined. I crossed my fingers that the insurance adjusters would have sympathy & tell me to purchase a new rug ASAP. But instead, they told me to call a cleaning service to remedy this little issue. Which isn't so bad, I suppose. But it's certainly not the West Elm or Crate & Barrel replacement I had in mind...

But onward & upward! It's time to move on & get to some stuff I meant to talk about earlier this week. We finally got around to replacing the light in the real, real entryway. Remember when I dabbled with the idea of having a professional come & install overhead lighting? Well guess what...a $29.99 sconce from Home Depot won.

I begged the husband to replace the light right away. Afterall, I'd be welcoming my book club friends through these doors in a matter of days & people generally like to be able to see where they're going when it's dark. Which ended up being just one big LIE, since the real reason we needed a light was to welcome our friends to the husband's surprise, "Yay! You have an MBA!" party (I got really good at lying that week....).

But sadly, the light is just decorative at this point. The wiring is all f'd up. I'd always wondered why the old light never worked? Well, there you have it. The husband was so annoyed with this fact that after a solid 30 minutes of working, everything got tossed aside in a huff. And we're no further along than when we started. But it sure does look better! 

I also finished painting the steps. Hoorah! Lack of lighting kept me from tackling this project on weeknights, so whenever a spare moment presented itself on the weekends, I was painting (scratch that...I was actually frantically painting a mere days before the husband's party....I'm the poster child for procrastination). 

Oh my. I looooove that this is complete. Amazing what some painted risers can do for your home! I'm still debating about installing a runner, but that's way down the line, if ever. Snow & salt is much easier to clean off the wood floors!

So that's about it! I'm hoping to get my house mojo back in action...enough to be posting more frequently! With Thanksgiving just around the corner (um, quite literally!), I'll be sharing my thoughts & ideas for how we'll be celebrating next week.

Hint...this year it involves a kitchen. Just sayin'.