Home Updates

Although I've been slacking in my posts, I haven't been slacking in the home improvements arena.  Hubs and I have been hard at work fixing up our home.  Hubs has been focused on the master bedroom and our kitchen-- Both are in the market for a paint job.  I have been fixated on smaller, aesthetic changes such as new lamps, curtains, and shelving.

Here's what I've been doing:

I found an old lamp base in my basement yesterday.  I remember, Hubs and I bought it right after we were married 7 1/2 years ago.  I must have put the lamp down in the dungeon when we moved because the poor thing was missing it's shade.  During a quick trip to Target, I picked out this herringbone lamp shade-- $12 bucks on sale!  This lamp now makes it's home in our living room.

This just so happens to be our stairway window.  We've had a temporary paper shade in the window since we moved into our house, but not any more.  I found these fun, vintage panels at Pier 1 and was able to snag them on clearance for $7.48 each-- Down from $28 per panel.

I recently hung a basic blackboard in the craft room... You may remember it from my 30th birthday decorations.  I originally bought the chalkboard to direct party-goers to the wine, but now I use it to track my craft projects.  To add even more pizazz to the wall, I hung old silhouettes (that's Hubs on the right and me on the left) and our initials- cut out of scrapbook paper and framed in thrift store finds.

These pictures (there are actually three) also came from our local thrift store.  When I saw them, I immediately fell in love with their vintage feel.  I snatched this trio up, paid 99 cents for all three, took them home, and promptly hung them in the bathroom.  I think they add a warm, whimsical touch without being overtly feminine. 

Here I am- showing pride over my stairway picture gallery.  We used to have a blank, empty staircase--It was sad and depressing to say the least.  That all changed when I inherited some freebie black frames.   Now our staircase is being used to show off family wedding photos--That's my parents (seen to the left of my face) on their wedding day.  I love this picture in particular because Hubs and I have one that is very similar from our wedding day.

This ridiculous picture shows my "downstairs chalkboard".  This board/photo frame lives next to our front door.  We use it to house our keys and to send guests a holiday-specific greeting.  I love changing up my decor and this chalkboard offers an easy method for my I-love-change madness.

This is my favorite addition.  Hubs and I took some of our Christmas money and invested it in a new shelving unit from Costco.  We did a lot of searching for just the right unit.  We looked at Home Depot, Target, Menards, and Lowes.  By far, this unit was the most cost effective and sturdy (it can hold up to 1000 lbs per shelf!)  We put this monster on our back porch right across from our older, slightly smaller shelving unit.  We use the new one for food and canning supplies.  We use the older shelf for small kitchen appliances and tools.  We are so organized--I love it!

Yet another chalkboard... This one is in the kitchen.  Right before Christmas, I used chalkboard paint to coat the kitchen side of the basement door.  Right now, the door sports our new year's resolutions, but it is also used to entertain visiting kiddos, to offer up inspirational sayings, and to display favorite recipes (almost always from skinnytaste.com).

I love these changes because they represent progress-- Getting us one step closer to having a house that truly represents our style: Eclectic, comfortable, inviting, and fun.

Have a blessed rest of your MLK Day!