Changes...

We have a couple weeks until it's planting season around here so I will be spending that waiting time making a few changes around the house. New look coming for the bedroom. I found some fabulous deals at JC Penney!!

I can't wait...

Heading Toward the Finish Line

The valances are up in Olivia's room. It is the last day of the month. I am not finished because I don't want to just settle on art for the room to just get it done. We are going to take our time to find something that Olivia really likes and will work in the room. Despite that, I am happy with my progress this month.

Curtain Rods & Valances

have been picked up! One window is done! The other is going to have to wait until next week. Bob wants to go out to dinner now, tomorrow I have a busy day, and Sunday is my day of no housework if I can help it. LOL!!

I love the way it looks and, more importantly, so does Olivia!!

Progress...

Found lamps for Olivia's desk and dresser (I know it's really a chest, but I call it a dresser...LOL). The lamp for the dresser is too cute!!

During...

Olivia's furniture arrived around 9:30 yesterday morning. I was able to finish what I needed to before they arrived. I just finished ordering valances and curtain rods. We need to find a couple lamps, art for the walls, pillows to put in the shams (hanging over the chair), and desk accessories. Here it is so far...

Olivia's New "Crib"

Finished painting around 1:30 this morning. Boy, my body is sore. I am not quite ready for delivery. I have to put on the outlet covers and switchplate and vacuum again. I'm hoping they will not be here until I take care of that.

Paint, Paint, Paint

I'm heading into Olivia's room to begin prepping for painting! I need to finish this by tomorrow morning. Her new furniture will be delivered between 9:15AM and 1:15PM. If it's not ready, you know they will show up in the early part of that delivery window.

Slowly, but Surely...

Purchased the paint for Olivia's room on the way home from my hair appointment!

Paint Chips Galore

And Polished Silver is the winner! Woohoo!

Thirty Days of...

I was so into making sure I had a daily blog entry I kind of forgot to think of something for September. I did pretty well posting 28 of the 31 days in August. Since I have been shopping so much for Olivia's room, I will concentrate on getting that completed before the end of the month.

The mattress we ordered on Friday was delivered Sunday. The old mattress is still in her room. I do not want to move it to the basement as I know it will never come out of there. DH has good intentions of helping me get things cleared out of there. However, other things come up; and it just never gets done. (Yes, the basement will definitely be a future 30 days of..., but it might take 60 or 90.)

Today: Furniture ordered!

More Shopping

Olivia needs a new mattress & a local furniture store is having a "get what you spend back to spend in the store" sale. The prices were competitive with what you would pay in the area. I thought there would be a huge mark up because of the sale, but there is not. She got a new mattress & boxspring, Bob got a "free" 32 inch LCD TV" (which we planned on getting at some point anyway), and I got an awesome lamp. I would have never, ever bought this lamp without this deal. It was pricey!! :eek:

Believe it or not it was really hard to spend what was left over after the TV. I walked around that place for two hours trying to decided what to get. There wasn't a TV stand I liked that would fit in the space where we will us it. There was a full length mirror Olivia liked, but it didn't take up the whole amount & I couldn't find enough stuff to use the remaining $$ up. I didn't want to leave any "money" on the table, but when I saw this lamp I knew I must have it. It was over what was left, but only by 39.99.

When I was checking out for the "redemption" portion of my purchase, I said something to the lady about how hard it was to spend that money. She said there are people who spend $10,000 and spend a whole day walking around the store to spend the other $10,000. Can you even imagine?

Last Day of "Summer"

Did a little shopping with Olivia to celebrate the last day of summer vacation. We found a great little set of mirrors that will go in her room after the makeover. Reg $24.99 Paid $12.48! This set of mirrors is similar to one we saw while furniture shopping last week. She LOVED that set, and we were planning to get it for her. I asked her which she like better, and the answer was this one we bought! Girl is smart the set we saw last week was $134.99! :) Can we say we saved $122.51? LOL!!

I <3 Target!!

More Shopping

Olivia & I hit a couple furniture stores today! We are looking to update her furniture. We didn't really see anything a the two stores today that wow us that will go with the look she wants for her room. We did find one in a style we like, but it's not available in the finish we are hoping to find. Some online searching turned up something she will probably like, but she is at work so I can't show it to her now. Fingers crossed I have found the bed, tall dresser, desk, and chair she will love!!

Going Shoppin'

It's time to update Olivia's room. She can't decide if it's too little girl or too old lady...LOL!! She's tired of the pink walls, "granny" floral pattern comforter, valances with little blue bows on them, etc. We are going with a black, grey, and purple pallet.

Cross your fingers the comforter is still in stock at one of the stores near me. It doesn't look like it is available online any longer. Since it is part of the College 09 collection we need to act quickly even though we won't be doing her room until later this year.

This is what she has picked out!



As you can see, it's still a floral, but a more sophisticated floral than the hand me down she has now.

Searching

Our family room furniture has seen better days.

We would like to replace it eventually, but would like to hold off for a while. That means the search begins to find slipcovers that will get us through maybe a year or so with this furniture.

I don't want to have to completely redecorate the entire room so that means finding one in our current color scheme in that area of the house. Blue, green, yellow. I'm pretty sure I won't find a shade of green or yellow that would work, but I have seen a blue out there that will. The challenge is going to be finding it in the right fit/style for our pieces.

Wish me luck!!

Tree #2

I finished decorating the real tree in the living room just a few minutes ago. I love the color scheme of ornaments on this tree, but I definitely need to find more ornaments that are NOT round, glass balls.

Confession...

I don't think I ever told you all that my mom is a "h00ker", and we're all proud of her...lol!

Rug h00ker that is...LOL!! The photos above are of the one made for me for last Christmas. I got it back recently because she entered it in a couple shows and wanted to photograph it for the records she is keeping of the projects she has done.

It will go in our home office -- the only room that hasn't been redecorated since we moved here in 2000. This rug will serve as inspiration for color & style. I can't wait to get going on it after I complete a few other projects!!

Poinsettias

in non-traditional colors make me smile...

Tree #1

I got one of our Christmas trees up and decorated Sunday evening, but had to purchase a new topper. I was a bit sad the old one stopped working until I found the perfect replacement at Target today.

There are a few more pictures of our Christmas decorations here.

The Full Bath

Here are the pictures of the bathroom I promised you all way back in, when was it, November.

before

after

I still don't care for the green counter, but it isn't as bad with this paint as it was with the green and white striped paper with gold and pink details. (UGH -- that paper is hideous.)

I usually use a darker hand towel but the usual ones were all in the towel hamper I didn't realize I had a back up on the towel rack until I edited the picture. The rugs and towels are a deep purple similar to the mat of the two florals. I am really happy with the way it turned out. I still want to paint the vanity & possibly do something about that counter, but for now it's a HUGE improvement.

I did end up finding and using most of the items from this post.