Exterior Update

Kurt's parents came for a visit a few weeks ago and we happened to mention that we were thinking about painting a portion of the exterior. It would require painting a part on the garage, side of the house, and front. Their response was, "let's do it tomorrow!" So, we picked a color and got to work the following morning. I didn't think the house needed any changes but thought it was just kindof boring. There was nothing that really popped. The colors were too similar. Nothing a little paint, OK, a lot of paint, couldn't change.

Let me finish by saying that I don't think there is really anything "cute" about the exterior (I really love the interior) of our house. I prefer a cottage/bungalow style with a front porch. Something that is a little more quaint and welcoming. I do however, LOVE that it is our house, our first house, and that we can make changes for it to be a bit more "us".  I think that changing the landscape is going to do a lot and give the house some more color and warmth. More updated pictures when that happens.

So, here you go!

Before

After!

What we changed:
-anything that was green, we painted gray
-hung the American Flag
-spray painted the house numbers and mail box black
-spray painted the door hardware (that doesn't work) black to match
-painted the front and side door white
-installed a new storm door
-hung a new light over the front door
-power washed the exterior

Still needs to be done:
-landscaping by the house
-remove old basketball backboard on garage and replace with new

*Thanks to my in-laws for the motivation and help! It would have taken us months to accomplish what we did!

Bathroom Update

So our bathroom wasn't horrible when we bought the house but something about the mint green walls was making me hate it more and more every time I walked past it. Thankfully, paint is an easy fix! So, is buying a shower curtain that fits your personal taste. Funny how those 2 things (paint and a shower curtain) can do wonders to the bathroom.

Side note: the bathtub and bathtub walls are pretty old, probably original to the house which was built in 1947, hence why the shower curtain is closed in both the sellers picture and in my newly decorated picture. Maybe one day we'll replace it, but for now a few simple and cheap changes have made me a happy girl as I walk past the bathroom.

Before-sellers picture

After

After

DIY Lamp Shade Cover

I had this pretty plain lamp that I wanted to spruce up for the babies room so I searched around on the old web and found some inspiration to cover my lamp with fabric! It's really easy and really fast!

Here's what you'll need:
-fabric (amount would depend on the size of your shade)
-hot glue gun
-some sort of tracing paper (wax paper, news paper, parchment paper)
-scissors
-spray paint (if you want to change the color of the base)

1.Trace the lamp shade on paper (I used wax paper), cut it out and then wrap it around the shade just to make sure it works. 2. Lay it on the fabric. I put some painters tape to hold in place while I cut. Leave an extra inch or so on either side as you cut so there is fabric to tuck under the shade. 3. Cut the fabric!

There it is, all cut out.

4. Now wrap the fabric around the shade to double check that it will work before yous tart gluing. You want to make sure there is extra fabric on the top and bottom to be able to wrap under the shade. See how the fabric is taller and longer then the actual shade?

5. Start by hot gluing along the shade seam and then put very small amounts of glue along the bottom and top edge as you go around. When you get back to the seam fold the last bit of fabric you have left under and glue to create a nice finished edge.

When I glued under the top part of the shade I cut little slits in the fabric so that it would lay nicely inside. You can sort of see it in this picture.

Complete

 If you want to spray paint the base, just take it outside and tape off any parts you don't want painted. Let it dry completely and then attach the shade.

There it is in the babies room.

Baby Update

A Twin's Update (13 months)

Luke: 25 lbs
LOVES: stealing toys from Mae, screaming at the top of his lungs just for fun, playing on the bottom step, to cuddle when he wakes up from a nap or in the morning, being in the water "swimming"
GAMES: peek-a-boo, so big
FOODS: literally shoves hand fulls in his mouth of anything except avacado. Hates avacado!
WORDS: cheese, dog, da (daddy), car, dis (this), la la, lu lu
Teeth Count: 7

Mae: 22 lbs
LOVES: climbing the stairs, pushing her new race car (she looks like an old granny with her walker), having a stick in her hand at all times if outside
GAMES: so big, blowing kisses
FOODS: almost everything and eats one piece at a time. Very lady like
WORDS: dada, dog, ma
Teeth Count: 5

They LOVE to eat leaves and sticks

About to eat a leaf. Also you can notice Luke's hair here is starting to have an Emo look. straight down and to the side. Time for a hair cut!

Playing Peek-a-boo

What happens when you play peek-a-boo at dinner time!

They are playing together a lot more...

and racing after the same toys. (Luke's hair is still hilarious) oh and Luke pretty much steals every single thing Mae plays with

Loving to walk around with her new race car and show me leaves and sticks she picked up along the way

Playing together again!

Before and After - Babies Room

Before (picture from previous owner)

After

Yay! I finished the babies room yesterday with help from my in-laws for the 2 remaining things. I have to say that the room turned out EXACTLY how I was hoping. It is HARD to put together a room for both a boy and girl at the same time! My only hesitation was the rug b/c it had some pink in it and some of the shapes were flowers but after MANY second opinions, no one thought it was "girly". One said, "I wouldn't put it in a teenage boys room, but for a baby, it is great!" So, I went with it and am really happy I did.

Ok, here's the run down!

-painted walls. Valspar color Delicate Mist
-DIY lamp. It used to be a brown base with a cream shade. I covered it with fabric from an old table cloth I bought at a 2nd hand store and spray painted the base
-Rug from IKEA
-Alphabet picture (see previous post)
-Bookshelves - IKEA spice racks painted white (Idea from Pinterest)
-Painted cribs white
-New/old metal basket on floor for toys
-Painted cross stitch frame white
-Hung white curtains I already had
-Name signs, used wood we had in the garage and hung it with twine
-Baby pictures, set up an old quilt as the backdrop and took headshots in the back yard. I bought the frame for $4 at Goodwill and painted it white. The glass broke when trying to remove it so I had to improvise. I hot glued twine across the frame and then secured the pictures with tiny clothes pins I already had.
-Dresser I already had from my dad
-Chair from Target that I already had

So there you have it!