Mystery Room Revealed.........

Okay ladies (and gentlemen brave enough to read my blog) It's the moment you have all been waiting for........................ The grand reveal of the Mystery Room!!!!! Oh I feel like Ty on an episode of Extreme Home Makeover!! he he he
Ta Duh!!!!!!!!



Our new Den/ Sewing & Craft Room!!!!! Now this room was supposed to be the new baby nursery. However, after a lot of thought and going back and forth we realized that this room would not be ideal (or even close) for a nursery for several reasons. Most importantly this den is on the far opposite side of the apartment from our master bedroom. Our apartment is pretty big so it would be quite a distance. We admitted that we are clingy parents and couldn't see having a newborn that far away from us. There is no closet, the HVAC isn't really adequate in this room, and- honestly, we need an office. This room has acted as a storage and project room for some time now which has proven that we need a place to get and stay organized and not have important paperwork and bills scattered in every room throughout our home. After spending 3 hours looking for an electric bill a couple of weeks ago we realized what needed to be done. I am disappointed that I don't get to decorate that dreamy nursery and that Cali won't have her own room but for the first few months she will be rooming with us like our first two children did. After that she will be sharing a room with Bella until they are old enough to tell us they don't like that arrangement. We'll see how that works out! Until then we have a fab new space that Marc and I are both IN LOVE with! He says it is "Better Homes and Gardens worthy". He is so cute!
Best of all we did this room without spending hardly any money! The cabinets were a dumpster save!! They didn't match which was fine with me because I wanted them white anyways. They fit into the space pretty darn perfect- Marc just had to trim a little off the sides. The counter top was a clearance item at Lowe's because it had a couple tiny scratches on it- which you can't even see because they are covered with the shelving. The shelving is just prefab bookshelves that we have had. We flipped them upside down and bolted them together and to the wall. (We still have to install crown mould at the top) I found the black pulls marked down to 67 cents!! The walls were already blue and everything else in the room was stuff we already had!


The office "stuff" is all pretty much contained on the shelving/cabinet side and my sewing is off to the left here...............

I made the little skirt for the front of the vanity because Marc and I didn't like the "exposed" look. It turned out pretty cute. The dresser holds my many pieces of fabric, trims and bobbles. I had made the window treatments sometime last summer and liked how they turned out but they were so heavy. We ended up finding a black wooden rod at Wal-Mart that would hold the weight!

And what office would be complete without a quiet little sitting nook? Well, I don't know about quiet in this house!! We moved Marc's grandfather's paintings in here because they looked better with the blue walls. The painting on the right is an old one that was given to us by a former resident of Marc's. The chair belonged to my grandmother and I just recovered it in the toile. The little stand is actually a file cabinet we picked up at the JCPenny outlet!

Another view of the "work station"...............

The entire family pitched in to get this project done! Tonight after dinner Marc drilled all the holes for the hardware and Kyle installed all the pulls!! He is such a great helper!!

We have a variety of stuff on the shelves now: CDs, movies, old books, office supplies, sewing supplies and art supplies. The room definitely needs tweaked and accessorized still but I just couldn't wait to post!!!

My little collage of photos. This is in the "sewing area" so I can look up at my little angels while I am doing my sewing. The basket hanging on the wall holds my scissors and permanent markers.......... things you want out of reach of the children!!

Storage bins we picked up at a yard sale that hold all of our movies..............

And my favorite storage containers by far............. my Ball jars!! I picked these cuties up at the same yard sale. I have kids craft supplies in some and sewing supplies in others. How fun is that?? You can see what you are looking for and they are super cute!

Of course we are still tweaking and putzing as we feel the room out and discover exactly how we will use it, what works and what doesn't. But for now we are excited that it is done. I love being in this room and can not wait to actually have a place to sit and do bills or write a letter. Even better- sew without sitting the machine (and myself) on the floor!!! Now that is exciting!!
And here is little Miss Bella.................. making final touches to the angle of the picture frame.......... she knows it's all in the details!!!

Hope you all enjoyed seeing the reveal and hopefully it was worth the wait!! It was for me- and let me tell ya I HATE waiting!!

Now we turn our focus on to the master bedroom. Now that is a project. Ugh. I'll keep ya posted. LOL!!!

Have a great day everybody!!

~Heather :)

A Place to Lay My Head

Well, I am down to the finishing touches on the "mystery project room" so I decided it was time to start making important decisions in the bedroom. The walls are painted and I LOVE the color, the bedding is here and I LOVE it. The problem is I don't think I love them together. The paint sample looked great up against the bedding but Marc and I had................... an issue with the paint. We had never used Dutch Boy before but we had problems with the application, it was runny, and it smelled like dirty gym socks. Hmmm...... that's a new one. Anyways, for one reason or another it turned out about 3 shades off of what it is supposed to be. So now the bedding and the walls just kind of clash. So while I am deciding what to do about that I thought I would look for beds.
I was on Fabulous Fifi's blog yesterday. ALWAYS finding inspiration there! Fifi recently got back from a photo shoot of the famous Rachel Ashwell's home and shop. On display in her shop was a four poster canopy bed that really caught my eye. A beautiful, weathered-looking four poster canopy bed with all white bedding and sheer lacy curtain panels hung from all four sides...........ahhhhh..............I honestly got lost in that picture. I imagined sitting in that bed, surrounded by comfy white pillows, reading (the most recent issue of Romantic Country of course!) with the sheers blowing in the breeze from a nearby window with Lesley Garrett playing softly in the background. And then, just that quick, I snapped out of my little fantasy when I heard my son screaming "MOMMYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! Bella took her diaper off and there is poop everywhere!!!" I looked away from my computer screen to see my naked daughter running proudly and happily down the hall........... leaving poppy footprints as she went. Yuuuuk! Hmmmmm............. Is all white bedding really such a great idea? Will my kids be hanging from those cross-bars like monkeys from a tree? Will those sheer drapes survive or be used as a Tarzan vine? How practical is a canopy bed?
I suggested the idea to my husband........ "What are your thoughts of a sheer- covered, four poster, canopy bed?"
His response? "Twelve year old girl."
Wow. Harsh.
So what do you all think? Do you like canopy beds? With their dreamy sheer curtains blowing in the breeze? Or is this type of decor best left in junior high??
I found several canopy beds online. None that really turned my head, so to speak. I have the ideal one pictured in my head........... just haven't found it yet. All of the beds tend to be black too so I would have to paint them white and give them a distressed finish.


This is a little closer to what I was imagining but it is still lacking some umph!

There, that is better......................

And then I kept looking at other alternatives. I found this cute four poster bed. Very cottage......

And then we have this elegant beauty. My heart sings......................

How gorgeous is this bed?? Very French, very shabby chic and OH SO ROMANTIC!! It is from the Chris Madden Collection at JCPenny. Hmmm. This would give me the romance I am looking for and have that same whimsical feel as a canopy bed. It would also be a shock to my wallet. But it is dreamy. I'll have to think about all of these beds and see which one comes up the winner. What do you all think??

Have a great day!!

~Heather :)

Misbehavin'???

Okay, I admit it. I think it is official that I am, in fact, in the "nesting" stage of my pregnancy. Trying to tidy up the apartment, washing baby clothes, sanitizing rattles and play toys, putting final touches on decorating and painting anything and everything I can get my hands on. The reason I think I am in the nesting stage?? Well, because everyone keeps telling me that I am! Problem with this is........... well, it's hard to tell if I am or not. I have always been a person that just goes and goes and goes. From the time Marc and I started dating he nicknamed me the Energizer Bunny. He is always asking me "Can't you sit still for a minute?" And he has informed me more times than I can even recall that I "just don't know how to relax". Actually, I think I do know how to relax. But relaxing to me is not what others may consider relaxing. I relax when I am doing projects, painting, sewing, cleaning, dishes and even laundry. Weird- I know. I have a very hard time sitting on the couch and watching an entire tv show, let alone an entire movie. ADD perhaps?? Uh, yes. Definitely. When I sit still and do nothing for an extended period of time I get anxious, my head starts spinning with everything I want to do or need to do and I end up jumping up and going to town.......... and then I feel very calm. Besides that, staying in any position right now for an extended period of time is not comfortable for me. I am carrying around an extra 44 pounds of dead weight and it is all in my belly. My body feels best when I keep moving. Now this drives my husband crazy- especially now that I am preggers. Yesterday he came home from work and saw that I had painted the cabinet doors and immediately said "Do I need to call Rue?!?!" She is my bloggin BFF. Pretty sad that he knows that I fear her more than I fear the threat of him calling my OBGYN!!!!!!!! LOL!!! Why? Well, I told my OB what all I did this past weekend and he laughed at me and shook his head. My husband tends to be very protective of me........... especially during pregnancy. This pregnancy started out very, very rough so he is even more protective this time than he was with the last two.
This past weekend- although I worked the entire weekend- I felt great! I felt better than I had in months! My body wasn't aching, my feet weren't swollen....... I felt fantastic. Monday I did nothing and I hurt, my feet were terribly swollen and I had no appetite. My doctor said it was just because I had time to think about it! However, Monday's doctor visit did scare me enough that I have been trying to take it easy- easy for me. Trust me there are SO many things I would love to be doing.................... but instead I am doing the little things and taking my time doing them. I am saving the bigger things for Marc which he actually seems thrilled about. Am I bored? Absolutely!!!!! Do I care? Oh yes!!! Do I feel lazy? You better believe I do! But do I really want to freak my husband and friends out by "over doing it"? No. And to be quite honest you all are probably right. My husband always tells me that I just don't know when to quit. And I know he is right because I don't and I never have. I have already decided that Cali is coming early.......... I have thought that for a few months now. I don't know how I know but I just do. So, with that being said I am not going to do anything to entice her to come any earlier than she is. I will be continuing my projects- but just the small ones. This will be very hard for me to do but I am going to try. Really, really hard.
Today I put one more coat of paint on 4 cabinet doors, did one load of laundry, ran the dishwasher and made dinner. That is it! My husband came home from work and I honestly think it put him into shock. Poor guy never knows what he will come home to!!
So, that is it. My promise to TRY and "behave" myself........... for a few more weeks. And then I will have to behave myself. I won't have a choice then. Everyone keeps telling me how much harder and crazier it is with three kids............... I guess that is why I have been pushing to get everything done before Cali gets here. Hard to tell when I will find the time after her arrival. Then again, will it be so bad to have three of these? Isn't this enough beauty in my home to be surrounded by???????????

Have a great one everyone!

~Heather :)

More Treasures & More Projects

Well we finally brought the rest of my yard sale bargains from this past weekend out of the van. It's about time, huh? Here is a cute old scale that I picked up for $1!!! It has a patent on it from 1912 and 1913. Cool, huh?? And it works!!


And these precious girls............

The brown part is actually wood so I think they will be painted white and go in our bedroom. I also bought more white glassware/milk glass..............

And more bud vases too!

I worked on another little project today. Well, a couple actually. The first is a little table that I have had for years. I picked this up at an antique store while visiting my cousin in Oklahoma. I hauled this thing home in the back seat of a little Honda! Not an easy squeeze!! LOL!! I put a fresh coat of white paint on it today and plan on using it in my bedroom as a night table. It is a little shabby which I think makes it fun. I just have to find a pretty glass knob for the drawer. My husband asked me the other day "Is everything in our apartment going to be white?" Hmmm.............. it's kinda lookin' that way, isn't it?!?

My poor den! I keep clearing stuff out, throwing stuff away and then I keep coming up with projects to do................... and the den is where I do all of my projects!!! It's just a nice place to go and work and when paint is drying I can close the doors and keep the kids out!!

Here is another project that I am working on............... but just a peek!

Are you getting curious yet?????????? he he he Soon! You will find out very, very soon!! My goal is to have this project finished and posted by Friday!! I am SO excited to get it done just so I can post it!! Isn't it funny how blogging can be such a great form of motivation!?!

Have a great day!!

~Heather :)

Day of Rest?

Today around two o'clock I started having pains that could only be described as........... contractions. Yeah. I was scheduled for an appointment with my OB at 4:30 so I just waited until I went in to see him before calling him about it- or telling my husband. The doctor did an exam and concluded that everything is fine for the time being. He ordered me to go home, increase my fluids and sit on my butt for the remainder of the evening. Hmmm. So I decided to take in an art show....................


Snap some pictures of my goofy girl.....................

No, my children are rarely clothed. They leave their clothes on in public (most of the time) but as soon as we get home they strip down. Honestly with as hot as it was today I don't blame them as I would be doing the same thing. If I could get away with it!!

Then I decided to sit on my butt and do this.............

I made a little skirt and attached it to my vanity table. And then I sat on my butt some more and did this....................

I reupholstered an old chair that my Grandmother gave me. Isn't it cute all dressed in toile???

And then my husband came home. Uh Oh! And he informed me that this type of "sitting on my butt" wasn't exactly what my doctor had had in mind. Huh? Bummer. So I decided to play around with this..............

My wonderful husband got me a new toy!! There isn't really anything wrong with our current camera................. nothing major anyway. I just missed our last one (a Canon). It was easy to use and all of the pictures turned out fabulous. It made me feel like a real photographer and when it took it's last breath I do admit that I cried. It was a good camera and we experienced so much together. But now I have a new one and I am so excited!

I also wanted to share some of my cool new treats that I picked up at a yard sale on Saturday. The rest of the stuff is still in the van- how lazy can we get?

I got this cute galvanized tub for $5!! I rolled my quilts and sat it by the fireplace. Don't worry- I will move the quilts when we use the fireplace!!

Fun, huh? And one thing I was probably most thrilled about was and is this.............

Now this is no ordinary flag................ this flag only has 48 stars on it. It isn't super rare, I know, but it is special to me. I had a flag like this for years. It was given to me by a very dear friend who is no longer with us. About 6 years ago the flag was stolen and I was heartbroken. Now this isn't that particular flag but it is still neat that I found one with the 48 stars. I have been looking since the last one was taken and this is the first one I have come across. And I got the lady to take $6 for it!!! It is in perfect condition and smells like cedar......... someone took care of it.

So anywho, that was my day. Sitting on my butt.............. resting............bored to tears.........thinking of all the fun stuff I could be doing.....................but here I sit. Oh well, tomorrow is another day!!!!!!!!

~Heather :)

A Busy Buzzy Weekend and a Thank You

First of all I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words to Marc and I on the loss of Marc's PapPap. Marc and I were both blown away by the comments that were left and how loving all of you are. It truly touched our hearts and we were overwhelmed by the support from the blogging community. You will never know how wonderful and how encouraging your words were to us at this time. Thank You!!!!!!


What a weekend! Marc was on call all weekend and we were busy with a ton of projects. I still can not believe what all we got accomplished in just a few days time.
Most importantly we took care of a very pressing issue. About a month ago we had some neighbors move in. These are the kind of neighbors you do not want in your community. Not only are they a nuisance but they are mean, dangerous and they were killing my plants! Uh huh! Can you believe it? Well, by Sunday I had had enough and Marc and I decided that something needed to be done. I was tired of dealing with them and tired of being afraid to go outside because I knew that they would be out there.......... waiting for me. Honestly- they scared me to pieces and they were getting worse all of the time.


Yes.......... hornets. Big scary hornets had moved in and were taking over the ceiling of our balcony. They were killing my plants.......... and the ones they weren't killing they made it very difficult for us to water because they would swarm us every time we went outside. Not only that but they must have told their friends about what a great place they had moved into because they started moving in too! Like a whole hornet community!!

Marc came home from work on Sunday ready to take on these savages with just the right weapon.............

He snuck outside to move some plants and furniture out of the way...............

And then took on those bees like a true manly man that he is. Yeah ladies- eat your hearts out- this is how a real man kills bees. One hand out the door and the other hand holding the door knob ready to slam it shut!!!!!!!!! Careful baby! It was pretty intense for awhile let me tell ya! There were a lot of bees crammed inside that nest and they came out ticked off!

But after a whole can of hornet killin' spray......................

The nest fell to the ground and all remaining inside were pronounced dead at the scene. That'll teach ya to mess with my flowers!! I don't think they'll be back. At least I hope not!!

Saturday we went to Lowe's to get materials for a project that we worked on almost all weekend. That will be in a post later this week as it is not quite finished and I don't want to show it until it is officially done. Marc and I are super excited about it though. He says it "Better Homes and Gardens worthy!!" Here is Marc pushing the kids in the cart.................

I think they are enjoying the ride!

On Friday I did some painting. I know- I am so going backwards in this post but it's been a long weekend- bare with me!

I wanted to spruce up our entry and make it feel more cottage. I took this old coat rack/shelf and painted it white along with a lattice framed mirror. Here is the coat rack before............

And the finished project............

I am very happy with the results. We can't put too much on the shelf though as every time our neighbor slams their door stuff falls off. I had to glue the "DREAM" sign to the shelf!!!! LOL!!

Something very exciting arrived for me Friday! My new bedding for our master bedroom!!! See............................

What? You actually thought I was going to show you? Why that would ruin the surprise!! I did in fact choose a color- between red and blue! Major accomplishment, I know! I even painted the bedroom Sunday and I LOVE how it looks! There is still a lot to do in that room before it is done but maybe by next Monday I will have pictures to show!! Marc has been busy painting the dressers for the room and I can't wait to see how they look!

Also on Friday I painted Kyle's room! It looks so good!! I did a faux denim treatment on his walls. It only took a few hours and although at first I wasn't sure about it, I really like how it turned out. Marc really likes it and Kyle loves it! We rearranged his furniture too. Not so much for design but out of necessity. He had bunk beds and Bella fell off the other day! Oh my goodness! The only thing that saved her from breaking her arm was a mess of stuffed animals on the floor below her. That was one time I was glad that Kyle didn't listen to me when I asked him to clean his room!! So we separated his bunk bed and he now has two twin beds. Much safer!! I need to hang up a few more accessories in there before I show you all the final result but let me tell ya- it's CUTE!!!!!!! Kyle keeps telling me he loves his "new room". That to me made it all worth it! Here is a sneak peek..........

Suspenseful isn't it?!? LOL!!!

So all in all we had a great weekend. We got a lot accomplished. We painted two rooms, decorated two rooms, organized a ton and got rid of our annoying neighbors. It feels good. It also feels exhausting. I need some sleep now!!

Hope you all had a great and safe 4th of July weekend!!

~Heather :)