Happy St. Patty's Day!

6 Weeks Left .. The Den

I spy a Christmas book - do you?




That is an old map of the Panama Canal ~ my birth place



These are from our Pearl Harbor trip ~ what a great time



By far this was the easiest room to clean but for goodness sake it took FORRREVVVERRR to dust *.*  I kept hollering at Mr. (who was in the other room) 'who's was the brainiac who came up with a whole wall unit .... oh yea that's me' -- all you heard was 'sorry honey' but the translation was more like 'I told you so' ... something that no wife likes to hear `.`

This room is my sweet Mr.'s office/music room ... which, like all the other rooms, isn't quite done. We still need to get an organizing system together - maybe something over the computer like a white board or a calendar - he is still getting the feel of the room but I think he might need a bill holder instead. I am going to see about getting a mirror or something reflective above his desk because we all know that you shouldn't have your back to the door and this room has 2. The desk Mr. and Prince built as part of Prince's bedroom set - I love the size but not the color ... trying to convince Mr. to re-stain it a darker color - only time will tell. The shelf units, green boxes on the shelves, wicker baskets, the beige box on top of the shelves and picture the frames are from Ikea --- my second favorite store in the whole wide world. I did see a tan and black faux leather chair (gosh I hope it's faux) at Ikea that would work great here but I am still debating on that.

This room is partly in the helpful people/travel and the career sections of the bagua. So it makes sense that I decorate the den mostly with the helpful people/travel elements. The colors here are black, grey and white and the element is metal. The little decorations are easy here ... picture of our travels, little nick nacks from those trips, pictures and momentos of family and the map. I didn't have anything really that I didn't really like or loved in this room ... well maybe except the old black stools and they will be going away when I find a chair that will work for Mr. when he plays his guitars.

The idea of this room is to bring the helpfulness and kindness of people - whether friends or strangers - you can add Angels or a picture of Jesus ... basically anything spiritual that you feel would help you bring kind strangers to assist you. Also if you use this room as your 'work office' then try to honor your mentors here - business cards or a picture of the two of you. This is the travel section so add posters or brochures of places you want to visit - then when you went change the poster to someplace else and hang the pictures of your travels. Or a world map and 'pin' where you have been. Try not to have too many bare walls - this would make  you feel like you have either no choice but to stay where you are or you have no dreams or aspirations. If you don't like to travel but say you rock climb - then find posters or pictures of places you want to go or have been. Or of a picture of your favorite mountain or scenic view. This room is very personal ... it is your dream room - fill it!





Of course my Girls would be front and center



little travel trinkets - tiki from Hawaii and hippo from San Diego
I remember listening to my mom's jewelry box as a kid
Prince 'painted' the little pot as a mother's day gift

my father's scent was old spice and inside I keep a few of his items
harmonica that Prince used to play
little treasure box that belongs to Mr.
farthest picture is of the kids

 




what the den looked like before ~ I LOVE the changes

 

7 Weeks Left ~ Living Room and Entry

living room ~ before



living room ~ before

mantel and entry ~ before

So far ... so good. The hardest part about cleaning these rooms is that fake palm in the corner. I really don't like dusting that darn thing but I love the look of having a plant there .. keep, donate, keep, donate .. the debate continues.  It's just a little messy, the night before I was finishing a cross-stitch project for Eldest Grandbaby, Husband likes to recline on the couches (since I won't get a recliner), shoes are under the coffee table and yes that is Santa (he just wasn't put back).


mantel favorites



Hi Henry ...



I love how the floors flow from one room to another




weird how the wall with the tv looks white
and it's the same color as the wall by the door *_*

Henry is so funny .. every time he hears the camera chime he starts running in front of the camera like he is trying to photo bomb and as you can tell he was successful =D  I know what you are going to ask ... where are all your wall pictures? Well I haven't developed them yet and I need two frames from Ikea. I have a photo collage that is going right over the couch, which will be so cool. By the front door I was thinking about doing a rustic worn piece of wood with hooks for a coat rack but I am also thinking of a small lap quilt would be nice there and be used on cool nights or maybe just a framed picture. By the door is this long side window and I want to make a macramé curtain to go there. Did you just laugh? What?


apartmenttherapy.com

I know it's not the 70s but I think it might be cool in a natural jute or twine color and no beads just knots. I even love the plant holders and if I get my way I would get rid of the fake plant in the corner and put a side table there and have a hanging plant. I am so in love with my floors, they took me forever to lay but I couldn't be happier with the way it looks. I love that it just flows from one room to the next without a break. It makes every room look bigger. BUT I do need to sweep almost every day. The wall that the tv and electric fireplace is on wasn't there .. do you remember it had the pass thru bar?

about 3 years ago .. white walls, carpet, maroon couches,
and pass thru are all gone  =D

Do you like my super cool chair? It's from Ikea .. I didn't get the matching footstool because I thought I didn't have enough room and now I am thinking I do. It would be handy to have another place for someone to sit. But I don't want to crowd that area so maybe I will make just a small one instead. Husband did a fantastic job framing the windows and he made the side shelves on each side of the fireplace .. he is so talented. I never ever get tired of walking thru this room. It is coming along nicely =D  My favorite little treasures in this room are:  the little side table by the chair was my Dad's, as is the wall clock (I have heard that chime almost my whole life), my electric fireplace isn't old but I love it and the pitcher with flowers in it by the chair is from my Husband's family (the base is in another room).

The elements in these two rooms combat each other .. the living room is fire (red) and the entry is water (black). Water douses fire and fire can't survive in water. I need to add more red in the living area .. too much black will douse any fire in the fame/recognition area (meaning all your hard work will go unnoticed and who wants that). Jazzing up the entry reminds you what you are working so hard for .. family and career. A pile of bills or an unwatered plant will remind you that you still have more work to do before you are able to unwind. Remember 'clutter clogs' all it does is block up the energy.

The next room will be the den/office .. this room is in between the travel and career area.

Happy 300th Post!! 8 Weeks Left ~ Dining Room

Wow! 300 posts - it's just crazy how the time flies. I went thru some of my early posts and I can remember the moments I wrote them. Is that weird? I am just really happy that I get to share those moments with you. There are some types of posts I want to get back to ~ the beauty and recipe posts are my top ones and I still need to post the house remodel ~ I have the world's largest DIY/CRAFT list ever that I need to get started on and with any great luck I won't be in my 90s when I am done LOL

Ok, back to the task at hand .. the dining room.  This room wasn't too hideous, it just needed me to put my stuff back (and yes it is always me who is the pile maker) and clean up the hutch. Angel always has a great time when it comes down to his cage being cleaned since he gets to come out and fly around. About a year ago I started putting snails in the fish tank to see if the tank will stay cleaner and I do have to say that they (Eleanor and Rigby) did a fantastic job. And when they passed away I didn't know if I would replace them but I found that I had to clean the tank much more often so back to the pet store I went .. I got a grey/blue and a  yellow/orange, so their names are Jean Grey and Phoenix. LOL .. I can't help that I am such a spaz =D  ** Incase you were wondering about the fish .. the orange and white one is Two Tone and the orange with a black tip fin (which looks like a mohawk) is Magua from the Last of the Mohicans **  I usually have my stand-by creamy yellow table runner that I use but I think I am done with it .. the other side has a southwest design and now I am going for a clean relaxed grandma's farmhouse kind of look and so I think it needs to go, along with several napkin rings which I have never ever used and our outdoor place mats which have been rarely used. We are not those fancy people who do tablescapes .. I love the look but it just isn't in my nature to overly decorate the table with stuff so I need to let go of what I don't use. The tablecloth I got 2 years ago at Target and I really haven't had a chance to use it. Well wait that's not true, I've had several chances to use it but I like having nothing on my tables but a plant or candles, that I just haven't used it. This room houses tons of our little treasures: the antique phone belonged to my Husband's grandfather, the tea pot set belonged to my Husband's aunt and the Mola above the fish tank was my father's and we have had it since I was a child, the little quail stitch work was something I started the 1st year of our marriage and it took me about 4 years to complete (it's been a running joke in the family) and our hutch holds our china and silver which we use for Passover and have wonderful memories. Again the motto: IF I DON'T LOVE IT OR IF IT DOESN'T HOLD A SPECIAL MEMORY THEN IT NEEDS TO GO. Besides maybe perhaps someday getting a bigger fish tank and stand, I think this room is about as decorated as I want it. It's clean, simple and easy to maintain.

Both this room and the living room are in the 'fame' section .. so I need to think red, triangles and flames and all I can think of is natural, airy and bright. I do want to make a redwork table runner  .. I love redwork I think it is so beautiful and I really like it when it is used with a cream or tan background. So I will put that down on my project list .. I think that is project number 515 LOL

The next rooms are the living room and front entry.

9 Weeks Left ~ Craft & Laundry Room

Tick .. tick .. tick .... BOOM!!!!!

craft room - before

craft room - before

Doesn't it seem like a bomb went off in here? Well it didn't this was the crazy holiday mess I was talking about. We dragged all the holiday containers from the closet and tried to organize them as we put up the decorations, then came the gift buying and saving the packages they came in, then I also was cleaning the guest room getting it ready for company so all the cast offs came in here .. I don't know at some point I just let go and it became the HUGE mess you are seeing now *.* Then after the holidays I was so sick I couldn't do anything. And all I wanted to do was to get into this room and clean it out but by the time I got to it I started to feel overwhelmed. I usually don't feel like that over a room (maybe the kitchen) but it has been a while since a room looked like this. So what did I do to feel less overwhelmed? Watched YouTube de-clutter videos .. of course on my phone since I could barely see my computer under all the stuff. And I have to say my absolute favorite hands down without thinking twice is PinkSoFoxy - she is clever, sweet and funny and what I like THE MOST about here videos is that she doesn't show you a messy room and then cuts to a clean room and told you she cleaned everything out .. you are actually seeing and hearing her thought process 'I already have 2 of these why would I need back up' or  'Oh gosh, I forgot these were in here' and she has been really helpful. My motto is: IF I DON'T LOVE IT OR IF IT DOESN'T HOLD A SPECIAL MEMORY THEN OUT IT GOES.  This way I am constantly surrounded by loving memories.  I haven't gotten to any of my wall projects yet .. I want to put up some of my pictures that I have taken as my wall art but I haven't taken the time to through them all to select what it is that I want to display. And I still need to make 2 cork boards .. one for above the sewing machine and the other above the desk. But what I did do was reposition everything to make the room more functional.

One of the first things I did was to make sure I didn't take anything out of the room that was going to be put back in .. in other words I didn't clear the room, clean it and then bring back stuff. I walked in and the first item in my way was either put away or put in the donate pile and I systematically went around the room like this and then I worked on the shelves by clearing each shelf, purge items and examined my placing habits and keeping items that I loved. This was hard when it came to the books and magazines but it had to be done. So now I have room to showcase Elder Princess Easter basket, a postcard and shells from our Hawaii trip, a few dragonflies scattered about, my old cameras had to stay even though they don't work, paintings made by Husband and the kids when we homeschooled and stitched projects made by Elder Princess when she was younger. It is a great room and I feel pretty blessed to be able to have it. 



Much better =D

Special Treasures

I love my Aloha post card .. it's glittery and cute

My new Christmas surprise from my sweet Husband
it's a modern sewing machine with a retro look
painting made by Husband

top painting made by Husband
bottom painting made by our Prince

Hey what about the laundry room? I forgot to take pictures .. what can I say `.`  Nothing much happened in there but cleaned through the drawers. This room seemed easier since it doesn't hold anything of sentimental value. If an item wasn't being used it got passed on. But I am indefinite need to put some wall art in this room.

Next room is the dining room .. that room should be a snap. 

Eeeeek!!!!!

Having issues posting *.* All I seem to be doing is cleaning and when I am not cleaning I am dreaming of cleaning ... is that weird? It seems weird to me ... seriously I feel so tired, like I have been moving.

Last week was craft room and laundry room and this week is to be the dining room and since I moved everything out of the laundry room and put it in the dining room I feel like I have been cleaning it for over a week (and technically I have). 

Tomorrow (Thursday) is the posting day. I wrote it down .. 'Post update tomorrow'.  Now I am off to bed. Nighty night =D

To The World ... A Not So Romantic Valentine's Day

The Kiss by Hayez

Now before you begin to panic and start commenting responses of condolences let me explain. I used to - before my Mr. came into my life - half heartedly celebrated Valentine's Day. Some how this holiday always seemed to fall short on the romance meter but I never really wondered why. So one day - or several days - I really pondered the question "Why don't I LOVE this holiday ... I like flowers, candy and kisses?" "Why do I approach this day of love with such animosity?" And I figured it out! It's not romantic. Somehow pressuring - not by me but by society - a guy to creatively profess his love for me is not romantic. Or getting me the same flowers, candy and dinner on the same day that a trillion other women are getting theirs isn't romantic to me. I just don't get it. And frankly I am too special to treated as if I am "like every other woman". I have often have said that if my husband wants a divorce all he needs to do is come home with a box of chocolate and bundle of flowers on Valentine's Day. This even goes for the children. So there is no, non, niet Valentine's to be celebrated at my house! Now mind you I AM NOT anti-romance. I am a girl in every way and we girls LOVE our acknowledgements of endearment. But ladies define what you find to be romantic.



The End Of The Quest by Dicksee

Being woken up with a kiss good-bye every morning, my yard maintained, the way he never thinks twice of spending his free time with me, just they way he looks at me *sigh*, makes an ice cream run (even during half time on Super Bowl Sunday), cooks meals (even after he worked full day at the office) and a million other little things my Mr. does 365 days a year is romantic to me. So tonight when others are panic ridden and stressed about the gift they will present to their loved ones at an over crowed restaurant where they can't even hear each other talk just to hurry home to relieve the sitter and drop into bed because of the sheer exhaustion of the day - which all frankly fall short on the romance meter but high on the "not tonight honey I am exhausted" list -  I will be cuddled up with mine watching our favorite shows, having a wonderful home cooked meal, laughing at inside jokes and blissfully enjoying our happy marriage but then 10pm comes and we end like it began, lots of cuddling and a kiss and quiet whispers of good night.

So cut each other some slack - drop the one over hyped day and just enjoy your marriage 365. Become each others number one fan. If a couple spent a tenth of that energy on their marriage ...  WOW! what a fantastic relationship it would be and then there will be no need to celebrate one overly commercialized day. So save going out to a nice place or those perfect roses or that beautiful watch for your anniversary - a special day that belongs to just the two of you. Now doesn't that sound much more romantic?