First World Design Problems

I had started a long winded post, whining about my 'first world problems' and how my how my house isn't where I want it to be yet, but Wordpress deleted my draft.  I think that was the universe telling me to stop b*tching. So I'll listen. After I was forced to say goodbye last week to my 6 year old alienware laptop, I decided to take this opportunity to upgrade.  In 8-10 days, I will have this baby in my hands

a 15" MacBook Pro with the anti-glare screen (not a fan of glossy screens)!!  Kinda excited.  I'm also thinking, now that I'll have a laptop which actually not run outta juice instantly when unplugged, I can start blogging on the train home, giving me more time to blog better.  I know I promised at the new year that I would blog more & blog better, and I've yet to step it up.  I'll have no excuses now!!

Enough with my tangents, let's get to what I was planning to blog about.  As usual, I've been keeping myself quite busy.  I'm putting finishing touches on my nephew's nursery furniture and am hoping to deliver it to his room this coming weekend.  My sister will need a place to put all his gifts that she gets at her baby shower in 2 weeks.  Which is another thing keeping me busy of course.  Shower planning and DIY are full steam ahead.  Maybe for this shower, I'll actually remember to bring my camera (unlike for B's bridal shower- fail).

I'm already mentally working on my next home project which is scheduled to commence in May- maybe mid-April if I'm lucky (between babies, wedding, and birthdays- none of which are mine- my schedule is overloaded).  My dining room is finally going to get some love!  Aside from putting furniture in it and hanging a few curtains, the room is the same as the day we moved in.

This picture is from May.  If you add a little extra clutter, it looks pretty much exactly the same.

My plan for this space include

• a built in china/liquor cabinet

• Board and batten

• A vibrant paint color
• New lighting
• Refinished chairs and buffet

I know board and batten is everywhere in DIY blogland lately, but I'm really hoping it's not over-done.  I think it'll be the perfect way to add some period charm to my 100+ year old house and at the same time will give me the opportunity to put a vibrant color above the ledge without turning the room into a cave.  I'm itching to get started, but I have to be patient (not my best quality).  I can start with baby steps and work on regluing and repairing my future dining chairs.  My the time free time allows, I'll be ready to put detailed plans into action.

I can't wait!

I hope I'm not the only one obsessing fixated on future projects.  What projects are you hoping to get to next?

images via apple, pinterest, pinterest

Circle Garland DIY

I love it when small DIY projects actually go as planned, really DIY projects of any size.  It's just fun when things work out the way you want, don't you think? Well, I'm trying not to go too crazy with decorations for B's bridal shower on Sunday, but I really can't help myself.  I think I missed my calling as an event planner.  At the very least, I can't turn my designer brain off and I... must... make... it...all... pretty....

This is the room I have to work with (the clubhouse at the grooms parent's condo):

It's a little dark, a little formal, and generally in need of some pizazz.

I stopped at Michael's Arts & Crafts when I got home from work yesterday to get some supplies for some misc decorations.  The first decoration project I tackled was circle garland.

Supplies:

• 2 sheets of yellow paper
• 1 sheet of white iridescent paper
• 1 sheet of gray iridescent paper
• 1 1/2" hole punch
• craft needle
• string

Once I punched a bunch of circles, all I did was string them up (2 holes in each circle, like a button).

I taped it onto my banister just to see how it would work for the shower and it works like a charm!  I did have to space the circles out after hanging, but I love the result.  (I also had to enlist Hubby to entertain a playful bearcat who felt the need to paw at my garland.  Beware of ferocious bearcats.  Luckily there will be no bearcats at the shower.)

I love the way it looks, and I can already see it draped on the banister at the shower.  Playful, bright, but still chic.

I wrapped it around a piece of cardboard and taped the ends so it won't tangle until it's big performance Sunday.

Successful, quick & easy DIY projects can really put a smile on your face.

Pay No Attention to the Hole in the Wall

Wouldn't it be nice if I'd finished a project to show you?  I wouldn't get your hopes up.  Projects always seem to take longer than I expect.  I think its a conspiracy.  Some sort of time vortex that only happens when I'm trying to get things done.  That sounds plausible, and I'm going with it.  Blame the vortex. I did get the bulk of the work done on the midcentury pieces that I'm refinishing for my future nephews nursery.  I haven't reattached the legs or knobs on the dresser yet, but aside from that, all it needs is a coat or 2 of poly so it'll stand up in a child's room.

The cabinet is a little further behind- I need to finish painting the doors and paint the interior.  Next weekend is my last free weekend for the foreseeable future, so you can bet your britches that I'll get them done or die trying.

So... for that hole in the wall...

After a year in the house, we still don't have curtains in the bedroom.  I kept wavering about what style I wanted, so I just avoided them altogether.  Well, last week, I finally bit the bullet and ordered 2 sets from West Elm.  These and these.  The gray linen ones came in, but the others were on backorder, so I'm impatiently waiting.  With one set of curtains to try, I decided to hang the curtain rods I bought....8 months or so ago.

I've hung a few curtains in my day. Plaster walls, however are not my friend.  I got one window hung with no problems,

but it couldn't all go smoothly, could it.

Wall anchors are a necessity in these walls, but if the anchor won't grip and the plaster crumbles around it, it just kind of makes a big hole...  I can hear Handy Dad cringing as he reads this.  Luckily, I can hide it behind the bracket and curtain.  Pay no attention to the hole behind the curtain.

The main reason that anchors are required with curtains in this house:

The bear (AKA Charlie cat) likes to wrap all 15 lbs of himself in curtains.  It's ridiculously adorable.  But it also means that the curtains and rods need to durable and chubby-kitten-proof.

When the other set of curtains come in, I'll put them side-by-side and get your 2 cents.  Then maybe, just MAYBE, I'll have a completed project to show you.  I just need to figure out how to beat this time vortex.