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May 19, 2016

Laundry Room Makeover

Happy Friday Eve everyone! I’ll just get right into it. I’m a tad excited to show my laundry room makeover – yippeeeeeeeeee!

We moved into our current home almost three years ago and this was the status of our laundry room. Obviously, we added a washer/dryer since then, but not much else had changed. Then, last September, I bought a gallon of paint to get started on the makeover. It sat there on the floor for 7 months before I finally got around to painting it last month. What can I say? I get this done real quick around here! ;-) Are you ready to see the makeover?

Tada! Ain’t it perdy? I could’ve posted pics about 2 weeks ago, but I didn’t have a green wreath for the wall yet.

There’s the wreath. See…you wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much if I didn’t have the wreath. Ok, I’ll stop talking and let you enjoy some pics. :-)

I made this sign five years ago and had it hanging at our previous house. I still like it.

We just bought raw wood and I added a coat of Minwax walnut stain and then some finishing wax to polish it up a bit. I just love all of the knots and grain in the wood and really think the dark board contrasts nicely with all of the white in the room.

My hubby is awesome. He framed that window for me. It wasn’t the first time he’s done this. He had practice on the master bathroom window (here). It looks a billion times better now. You think he’d mind if I asked him to frame all of our windows? Just kidding. I want to stay married, duh.

This is a clothing valet. I think that’s what it’s called. It comes in so handy when I have to hang clothes to dry or ones that need ironing.

Those are dryer balls, in case you were wondering. Use them instead of dryer sheets. Save the planet. Save yourself. Or something like that.

Every laundry room should have a darling chandy, no?

We will put new flooring in here ~~before we die~~ someday. But, for now, a rug does just fine.

I got those cabinets at a garage sale for $25. I’m ~~cheap~~ thrifty like that.

So, if you’re looking for me, I’ll probably be in here ~~eating Heath bars and drinking red wine~~ folding laundry all of the time now. Because, let’s face it, pretty rooms make us happy. Or, at least they do me. ;-)

May 4, 2016

Sprucing Up an Old Wooden Dresser with Hemp Oil

It’s Fridaaaay! Ooooh, yaaaaah. It’s been for what seems like forever since I did a Furniture Friday post, so here we go! Wait, it’s Wednesday. What the heck?! Oh well. Look at me breakin’ all the rules.

I scored this dresser at an Estate sale almost two years ago…I think? Anywho, I found it online and sent the hubby up the road and through the desert about 10 miles to get it. I do that a lot, don’t I? Except this time, I just had a baby, so my excuse is legit. Isn’t she perty? It’s super sturdy and old and all banged up. I love it all, but it needed to be polished a bit, shall we say.

I read somewhere to try using hemp oil to bring your furniture back to life. Not to real life. Just to make it look better. I can’t imagine if furniture came to life. Yikes. Picture a huge armoire coming at ya with it’s doors flapping and stuff.

Here is a before pic of the top of the dresser.

And here is the after. It like magically covers up all of those scratches without changing the actual color of the wood.

Again, before and after.

Here’s another before pic, but of the edge this time.

And the after. Notice the blue crayon on there? Kids.

I also wasn’t sure of the knobs I had on there. They kind of blended in a bit, but they’re still cute for that somewhat rustic/woodsy look.

So, I put these on for a test drive. I think I like them??? I don’t know. What do you think?

Again, before new knobs…

And after.

I also LOVE the keyholes in the dresser, but they didn’t “pop” like I wanted them to. Queue the Rub ‘n Buff. You can get this in an assortment of colors, but I chose gold leaf. It was like three bucks on Amazon.

Before and after. It really makes the keyholes stand out more.

Rainy day pic.

Sunny day pic. Lighting makes all the difference.

So, not a HUGE, paint everything transformation, but it looks so revived. I also have an old secretary desk that I might do this to. And my crows feet. Wait. Does it work on wrinkles?? Maybe as long as I don’t go in the sun with it on. Hey – remember that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer put butter all over his body and fell asleep in the sun. Google it. Ok, enough shenanigans.

Also, I’m like thiiiiiiiis close to having the laundry room done. Aaaaggghhh! One shelf to install and then it’s complete. Hold your breath that I’ll have it on here next week. Op! No wait, don’t hold your breath. I don’t want to be responsible for any mishaps.

April 27, 2016

TravelENG to Four Corners

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are all having a lovely week :-) . This past weekend, our school girl had a 4 day weekend, so we decided to take a trip out of town since our actual Spring Break plans got canceled last month. The last time we took a road trip was a year and a half ago and it was less than pleasant. Crying, crying and more crying. It’s like we had a baby or something. Wait. I guess we did.

Our first stop was the Meteor Crater near Winslow, AZ. I thought this sign by the entrance to the building was appropriate to be our first picture on this trip, since we have three monkeys.

The winds were INSANE. We had plans to go on the guided tour, but about 10 minutes before it was scheduled, they canceled it due to high winds. Sixty.miles.per.hour. How is that even possible?!

I’m such a sucker for these penny machine thingies.

Oooh, this little monkey sees his shiny little prize.

Panoramic view of the crater with hubby’s phone.

“OMG – Did you hear what he said and then she said? No way! Like for real?” – I can already hear how her phone conversations will go in about 5 years. Or maybe that’s just how mine went? No dating until you’re 20, young lady.

We told them to act scared like dinosaurs were chasing them. I said dinosaurs, real dinosaurs, kids. Not Barney. Sheesh. Their acting skills need some work. ;-)

No way. You mean to tell me this thing is an actual phone? What’s up with the cord? Mine got cut at birth, why didn’t yours?

We spent our first night in this hotel. We actually made no reservations because we live on the edge. I really wanted to stay at this historic hotel and thankfully they had one cancellation for that night. Apparently, they are booked out a year in advance. Crazy. It’s such an adorable, charming hotel. I would actually consider booking a room and spending the whole day at the hotel. It had everything, really.

All of the light fixtures were so pretty and unique.

This is the art gallery upstairs. (No pics allowed of the artwork – boo.)

Patio overlooking the garden.

I wanted to take this home with me, but it wouldn’t fit in my suitcase. :-(

Gah. I love old desks.

It even has a library. They really thought of everything.

I could live here. So charming.

The floors were stunning and creaked every time you walked. Annoying to some, but it was music to my ears. l might consider installing something like this in our house for when the kids are teenagers and think they can sneak out at night.

I like little balls of butter. I want a butter baller now. So fancy and cute.

My little Liam refused to be in the pic. He so doesn’t enjoy being in the camera most of the time.

The next day we went to the Petrified Forest. The winds were crazy this day too…45mph. Good grief. It was pretty to see, but 28 miles of it…yawn. It did make for some great photos though! I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the winds. It made everything so miserable. Sand + wind = my poor eyes.

You can really see the sand blowing around in the distance.

The cuteness of this photo might actually kill me.

There were quite a few Indian petroglyphs on the rocks.

Digging for bones.

Panoramic view of the desert with hubby’s phone.

Digging for gold.

On the third day, we headed to Four Corners. It’s the only place in the US where 4 states come together.

Still searching.

We hit up a consignment shop in Winslow and I found a Bible. This kid went crazy for it. I had no idea it was a Mormon Bible, but he just had to have it. He’s like me, he likes the cover, the pages, the overall feel of the book. Never judge a book by its cover? Meh, I always do. Anyway, if someone comes knocking on your door on a Sunday and you aren’t expecting anyone, you might not want to answer. It could be this kid and his Bible. He is pretty dang cute though, so I’d invite him in for milk and cookies.

We headed home on Monday and had winds the entire way. I got some pretty nice pics, even thought they were taken through the windshield. Even though I didn’t like the high winds, I loved the sepia tone/feel of the storm.

The areas we drove through were so desolate. You’d see houses scattered here and there and I just wonder how they live out there with no services for miles. I couldn’t do it. I guess they do order stuff from Target though because UPS delivers. I’m just guessing it’s Target. That’s what it would be, if it were me anyway.

My wonderful hubby drove the entire way, while I read. He’s so nice. I am a really good backseat driver though. No really, I am. He loved it. There may have been moments of being close to death, but I don’t know for sure. He says no, but the jury is still out.

We also had snow flurries on the way home and a whopping 36 degrees. And you all thought Arizona was a blazing hot desert.

We had a great trip and will definitely do it again. When I was younger (like birth to 32), I hated, hated, HATED car rides. I couldn’t go more than 30 minutes in the car without complaining. However, I’m getting used to the fact that this has to happen if I want to leave my little suburban bubble. It really helps that the kids have a dvd player to watch movies the entire way and I have my book. There are times (like every 2 minutes) that somebody wants or needs something. We want food! We’re hungry. We’re bored. They always want something. Sheesh. It’s like I’m their mom or something. Don’t they understand, I’m READING. Hello???

Anywho, I’m looking forward to many more trips and memories to make!