{Christmas in October?}

Hey there! Happy Saturday!!

My little dog baby woke me up early this morning so I thought I'd do a quick post before I'm off to get my mums and pumpkins so that Mikey can carve and I can decorate with them!! I have seen such cute pumpkins ideas lately, who knows what we'll come up with!!! :)

So, I  was in THE Home Depot a couple of days ago and *accidentally* found myself in the faucet aisle.  This accidentally finding myself in random aisles happens A LOT. Mostly in Home Depot and Target......
Anyway, in Home Depot picking up some stuff and found this pretty faucet that I'm newly obsessed with.

Look at all the other prices of the faucets....Oh well...I'm not letting this one go!

It's oh so pretty!

I put it on my Christmas List board on Pintrest, but I'm thinking I may want it before then.  Isn't she a beauty?? Hubby has always said that he wants one of those spray things to clean the sink/whatever you do with it (I've never lived anywhere that didn't have one, so I think it's weird), so it would make us both happy! These bridge faucets are just so pretty to look at and don't you think you need something pretty like this when you're miserable having fun doing dishes?  


Here are some examples I found on Pintrest of the pretty bridge faucets:

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L.O.V.E


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HAPPY FALL

{wrapped & done by December 1}

OK guys, that is my plan.  To be wrapped & done by December 1 {I got the idea from this gorgeous website}....Do you think I can do it? 

I started my Christmas shopping just recently, and because I always get ahead of myself I have included a link to the gift tags that I will be using this Christmas on all of our presents!  Aren't they just as cute as can be? I love this! Fall can't come soon enough.....

These are the two tag pages that I love so much! I may tie in some of the black ones too, but I'm not loving the lime green.  To print them yourself, just buy some good ole card stock, print the tags out, cut them out, punch a hole in the top and put some ribbon through it. Voila!! Gift tags can get expensive! Well, the really cute ones that I like can.... Not anymore!

CLICK HERE For the Website Link!

You're Welcome!

P.S. Please don't print the tags from this blog post, they won't be very good quality.  Go to the website above and scroll down, click on the tags you like, then print. 

{I Bet You Didn't Know...}

Welcome back and Happy Friday!! Since I'm headed to the lake this weekend for a long weekend (Sat., Sun., & Mon. And yes (!!!) I get to do it again in 2 weeks but then it'll be a 4 day weekend) where there is absolutely NO time for phones or technology, I figured I'd give you my latest blog post now...

In case you didn't know, I have a Pintrest app on my phone.  When I'm bored, I like to browse through and look at the gorgeous photos. A couple of my 'pins' on Pintrest consist of some great ideas that I would have never thought of! I wanted to pass along a few of these tips I've discovered on there to you guys! Ya know, just to make your life a little simpler.

First off a few tips for the bed/sheet situation. (You can click on the photo button under each picture to follow the link & get more information on the topic)

1. Do you know how to fold a fitted sheet? Perfectly? I do! I would post pictures of my sweet linen closet, but you've already seen it! Just picture it with some perfectly folded sheets.



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2. This is a must-read tutorial on how to make your bed.  And you thought you knew how...A well-made bed just makes me smile. Love



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3. How to get grease stains out of your clothes. Chalk as a pre-treat. Brilliant!

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4. Aloe vera ice cubes? Perfect for those summer sunburns.  We try our darnest to wear sunscreen upon sunscreen but the lake always seems to brew up those sunburns!

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5. This is on my list.  If you know anything about us, then you know we loooooove our pancakes.  This would make pancakes AND waffle making so much easier!

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 6. Hang all your cleaning bottles from a tension rod! I love this idea, that way you can get little baskets to organize underneath the sink.

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7. A tab from a soda can as a picture frame/ DIY art hanger.

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and my last one...

8.  What a great solution for a stripped screw, just put a rubber band underneath.  We have no shortage of rubber bands at our house.  My husband has worn at least one on his wrist since I have known him.  I'm trying to shake him of this habit, but it seems there's no end in sight.

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I hope you will use some of these tips! I think they're all wonderful! Stay tuned for some more Pintrest posts.

{Kitchen Thoughts}

Welcome Back!  I did a post yesterday but have been busy today and wanted to do another one!
Remember the project I talked about yesterday.  The drapes painted with wall paint?? Well I did it! And I swoon over them every time I enter my kitch! They are perfect.  I should not say 'perfect'.  None of my projects are perfect,  that's what makes them unique!  It does have little bitty minuscule teeny tiny flaws like the paint line is not so even on some parts.  But if you're looking that closely, you probably would not be invited into my home in the first place...

Here is the before:

During...

More measuring???!

Hard at work!

The curtains all painted!

And the beautiful but not perfect after!

They look so great here! Mike doesn't ever know they're up yet! 

This picture is a better indication of the true color.  I think it's beautiful.  I am definitely going to paint the wall this color as well!

I'm toying around with the idea of having some open cabinetry.  My mom doesn't like it, but it's growing on me.  I took three doors off yesterday and rearranged some things to see if I like it before filling in the holes from the hinges with wood filler.  I think I like it! Here's just two of the doors off. 

Our Wedding Cake Tray!

Since the upper cabinets will be white so will the inside of the open cabinets.  I'm thinking mirrors on the back of the cabinets...Sounds pretty.  And I need to get some cabinet liners, BAD!

I took the doors off of the cabinets below the sink, as well.  Our kitchen just had WAY too much oak.  I wanted to break it up a bit until we refinish them, so I added a little sink skirt.  It's pretty darn cute if you ask me.  It was actually a longer curtain but I just chopped it off and used some Stitch Witchery from JoAnn's and cropped it a bit.  I then bought a cheap tension rod and VOILA...

We get SO much natural light in our kitchen.   

I also wanted to give a quick tip to my readers that have chalkboards in their homes.  I discovered what is called a Chalk Pen at HobLob.  It makes the writing so much more clear.  I'm obsessed!  Check out my chalkboard with this new pen! No chalk dust or anything.  Think about it.... :-)

Linking Up HERE!

Vacation Inspirations and Other Ramblings

Before I begin today, I would like prayers for my family, especially my Uncle Ed and his family. We lost one of our family members last Wednesday for a terrible reason. My cousin Andy was 41 and had two beautiful daughters, so everyone please say a quick prayer for the Enderson family.

On a happier note, and completely unrelated to my house blog as well, we found a puppy last night! Long story short, he had no tags except a rabies vacc. # so we had to wait until the clinic opened this morning to find the family. We had just the sweetest overnight guest. What a lucky family to have such a great dog! Look at how sweet he is...My little Buppy...
Next topic, before I start contemplating stealing him back from his family to be my forever dog.

New Zealand Inspiration

Yes, This blog post is going to be very random. We went shopping. If there was something I liked I took a picture of it. Simple.

Every single one of my inspiration pictures for NZ were taken in the tiny community of Arrowtown. It was the cutest little town about 10 minutes from where we stayed. Look at this sweet little restaurant in Arrowtown.

These mini vases came as a pair. They were connected on the side. I thought they would be so precious on my nightstand, or in the kitchen in our little catch-all tray. They had an $85 price tag...for these little things. I bet know I could replicate these for much less using cheap glass from HobLob and spraypaint.

You know I love my burlap, and anything French looking!

In NZ, they serve water in these bottles. I say we do this in America, much less work for waiters/waitresses and they look so cute here don't they?

Oh, Pillows, How I Love Thee!

Oh, Baskets, How I Love Thee...as well...

Ok, see the Paris basket? I just decided what I'm going to do with the chest (below) that we acquired from my mother-in-law yesterday. I just think it's so functional that I couldn't let her give it to disabled veterans! Hey, I can use that!!

I'm going to sort of white wash it with Heirloom white and then paint our wedding date, or "Paris" or something of that nature on it. Our bedroom has sort of a romantic French feel. It's so peaceful! I'll keep you posted on that project

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this saying. I wasn't quite sure where I would put it though. Solution? Write it on my chalkboard. Pefect!

Have I showed you my cute guest bedroom? Well now I have an excuse? See that little furry white pillow that is a real sheepskin (not really their skin) their fur (?) pillow. And I kept seeing them all over NZ I finally had to have one and bought it. I was thisclose to buying two but didn't.

Hope you enjoyed today's post. I think I set a record for the closest together posts ever! Love

Projects, Projects, Projects

My mind is so full of decorating ideas!! I am going to list all of them here that I would like to complete by the end of this month summer. I just can not wait. These three, or, um four things (who am I kidding there will be way more than 3-4) will improve the overall look of our home SO MUCH!!


First things first:

1. I want to paint our U.G.L.Y ORANGE kitchen cabinets. I want to thank Centsational Girl for sharing with me this new product! What a wonderful idea! No sanding, I'm down!

I'm absolutely swooning over the all white kitchen look but I'll be honest/sad and say that it doesn't go with our decor...it's a little too cottagy (surely that's a word...if not it should be) for our taste and decor. Plus, Mr. HubbyMan has made it clear that while he does support my design decisions, he WILL NOT stand by me on this one. He likes the color black, not white. I'm thinking a compromise is in order bottom cabinets black/top cabinets white!! A la this picture..

I can't remember where I stole it from but the layout is identical to our kitchen. (Sorry blogger out there with faboulous taste!! If you ever come to my blog let me know if this is your kitchen and I'll put your name under it!!) What do you think?

I'm thinking all dark cabinets will make our kitchen too dark. Which sort of leads into my next project....I sure hope Mr. HubbyMan is not reading this....Hi, Mike! Think happy thoughts!

2. I want to paint our kitchen. It's RED. I'll be honest it's really not bad. But "not bad" is not good enough for me. It's a brick sort of red but I got to thinking if we paint the cabinets black and white I want something beigey-gray on the wall I'm thinking BM Camouflague or Bennington Gray (leaning towards Bennington Gray). I guess mama knows what she likes!

So that'll be another project! Getting excited yet?!?!?!?! I AM!

3. Look away Mike, it's for the best...I want to paint ALL of the molding in our cute little house from that oak that i love soooo much to white! I love the look of white molding against all paint but the oak is so dated. I've lived with it long enough and I've had ENOUGH of it!!

4. The 4th project will be wainscoting in the guest bedroom. Mikey and I just love, love, LOVE the look of it! Eventually the guest bedroom will become a nursery for the baby that's not even a twinkle in our eyes yet, and I know I want wainscoting in the nursery. NO, I. AM. NOT. preggers but I am thinkin' ahead. I don't want to be doing all this crap fun stuff when I'm pregnant (athankyou) I know, I know. Just say it. "She is so smart"...and keep those sweet comments coming. I like this picture frame look better than beadboard and the thicker bordered wainscoting.

Centsational Girl

5. I have my heart set on beautiful chandeliers at the moment too...My goal is to find 2 of them. One for the guest bedroom and one for the kitchen. The kicker is I want to find them CHEAP! I mean really cheap. That's the thrill of it. I love doing things all by myself. I don't like to make it easy and just buy everything ready to go. Nope, I like to make it as difficult as possible. :) But, I digress...

I want to find one cheap that looks a little like this beaut ...

And turn it into something like this beaut...



Possible? I think so. I have some time but I'm ready to get things rolling! NIGHTY NIGHT