Before and Afters

So, what do you call 11:26 am?  It's not really morning.  It's not really afternoon.  I'll just say, "Good day to you."  Henry is in his room playing with his cars, being content in his pre-lunch, no-older-siblings-schedule.  I have been straitening the house because I have a couple of projects I'd like to work on this afternoon.  1) I can't "play" in a messy house.  Well, I guess I should say, "my messy house."  I could come to your house and if it were messy, it wouldn't bother me at all.  2) I feel guilty playing when there's work to be done.  It's a happy balance:  work in the morning =  play in the afternoon.  And sometimes work turns into play.  I love a good project.  Here are some before and after shots of our living space desk/library area and our master bedroom closet.  Keep in mind the before shots are taken with the before camera and the after shots are taken with the after camera.

Before:

Desk Library Area.  3 Bookshelves in a L-shaped pattern.  Before yellow wall color, too.  Crowded and dark.

Here is our messy closet "before".  We kept waiting for the money to do a "real" closet renovation, but the money never came and we got tired of looking at this mess and decided it was time to design on a dime.

I, first, have to share with you the inspiration for my living room design.  It's still a work in progress, but I have read/heard that you are so suppose to start with one focus piece you love and build on it.  I love this afghan from Pier One Imports.  However, it sheds and snags, so I have to keep it in a protected area on the back of the loveseat.  My opinion is that you shouldn't skimp on your "focus" piece, but it could be something as simple as borrowing a book you love from a friend and keeping it in the room you're designing until the process is done.  I blew my clothing budget for 1 &1/2 months on this but it really brought me into "focus" on the decorating direction I wanted to go.  My true inspiration for the area came from two other object that aren't present in the room right now:  1) The paper chain that hangs on our Christmas tree and a book about Chilhuly's works that isn't in the book budget right now. 

After:

New paint color on walls:  Wool Skein and Perfect Khaki

 

 

We love the craftsmen built-in look but can't afford the craftsmen built-in price.  I found these bookcases at IKEA.  The price for the three of them was what I paid for one of the old bookcases just 5 years prior.  I was able to re-purpose two of the tall cases in the boys room for toys and two cases in my closet for added storage.   A little brain power, some fresh paint, and my mad organizing skills and the closet is not my "dream closet" but a lot better without the buyers remorse.  Time for lunch.
smooch

Saturday Morning Sentiments

Rails...and Snails...and Kitty Cat Tails...

This what I should be doing:  
Paying the bills, making my doctor's appointment, washing the dishes, making a grocery list, heading out the door to buy those groceries, finishing the closet organization project I started...


This is what I'm actually doing:
Calla, Molly, Teige, and Katie are visiting that place they visit for 5 long weeks in the the summer and Henry has been bored out of his mind and a little confused. (And I miss them like crazy, so pray for my heart)  I have been keeping the little guy busy as much as possible and that has taken a lot of time and energy, but it has been fun, as well. Jeff has been working evenings for the past several weeks.  

So what's new...the newest member of our family, Peeta Blue.  We have refrained from having a cat for the past few years because Jeff had allergies when he was a boy and we just weren't sure how he would react to one now.  After much begging from the kids (okay maybe a little from me), he said we could try when this free little cutie was offered.  Calla seems to be the only one suffering from cat allergies thus far, but not enough to send Peeta packing.  And you can probably guess what we've been reading this spring/summer.

Kitty Cat Tails

 New camera taken with the old camera.  I think it's hilarious that the old camera finally decided to open it's lens and take a half way decent picture today...

Old camera taken with the new camera... I'm going to be slow as snails learning how to use it though.  I've read 32 pages of 202 in the owner's manual... Here are some shots of Henry (who is ALWAYS ready to pose) I took in auto mode.

For 2 days we have been putting the Geo Trax together and taking the Geo Trax apart, putting them together, taking them apart, putting...you get the idea...

It is so funny that Henry went and got the Zhu Zhu Pets out on his own and put them on the track while I was making lunch...it looks like it's rather enjoying riding the rails...

Which brings me to what else is new...my diet.  After 2 months of being pregnant, losing the baby, and then another 2 months of drowning my sorrows in bacon I have put on about 13 pounds (lost 4 of it already this week!).  Blueberries are the new bacon...One can pretend...

Smooch,

Nicky