LOVE OF HOMES

Making Your House a Home...

2012-03-01T16:27:00.023-08:00

The blog Mrs. Hines Class is having a linky party called "Making Your House A Home " where you share tips on how you do this. I think this is a great idea & thought the title was pretty catchy too...

My blog is titled Love Of Homes,

" Making our house a "Home" one project at a time!"

I think there are so many different things that make your house a "HOME".

For me the most important thing about my home are the people who live in it...my family!

They are the reason I work so hard to make our house a "home".

Our family consists of me, my husband, 4 kids, a dog, a bird & fish...This at times is chaos!

Organization is a must & helps minimize the chaos.

I think it's so important to teach your kids how to clean up after themselves, it's easier for them to do this if they know what's expected of them & if they know where all of their things go.

I love that saying, "everything has a place".

We have designated areas where things go, which makes clean up so much faster & easier.

A place for shoes

This basket is right by the front door & we also have one by the door going out to the garage.

This helps with finding shoes when we are running late too, because they should be in one of the baskets.

*Coats: Everyone has a hook in the closet.

*Backpacks

This hall tree is in the laundry room, which leads to the garage. It also holds shoes. The kids know that's where they go, which also helps with getting out the door on time.

*Toys

These can take over the whole house...so we have different storage containers to put them in.

This bucket holds all of their "Bey Blades"

And makes clean up so much easier.

In the family room we have designated areas for Wii games & remotes.

These are in the console under the T.V.

This trunk is used to hold more games and accessories .

I think Chores are also an important part of keeping up a home.

I also think this is tricky because I didn't want my kids to be the type that would only help around the house if they were paid.

So the only chores my kids get paid for are making their bed & cleaning the bathroom. The rest they are expected to do because we all have to help if we live here!

They each have specific jobs for cleaning the bathroom & they do it together & are done in about 10 minutes. The first time I "showed" them how & they've been doing a great job ever since.

The reason I thought they should be paid to make their beds is because I wanted this one to just become a habit & it worked!

I love it now because whenever I go in their rooms in the morning their beds are made...

It's just part of their morning routine, which is a great habit to have.

Lastly, I love decorating my home! It makes me Happy!!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Our wood shutters...we made them.

Our Entry Way...

Our Master Bedroom

My daughter's nursery...you can see more of it here.

How do you make your house a "Home"?

I'm sharing with these blogs:
Mrs. Hines Class
Finding Fabulous
Stuff & Nonsense
Mom 4 Real
Chic On A Shoestring
Five Days Five Ways
Lolly Jane
Funky Junk Interiors
Sisters Of The Wild West
I Heart Nap Time
The Girl Creative
Lady Bug Blessings
Making The World Cuter
Cherished Bliss
Home Stories A to Z

Ways to Display Children's Art

2012-02-28T07:29:00.007-08:00

I came up the stairs today & noticed my little boy had been helping me decorate...

It's a lovely way to display his Lego creation!

It got me thinking that we really do need a space for the kids to display their works of art.

I found some inspiration via Pinterest & most of them link back to other wonderful blogs!

I thought this was a great idea to hang up clips inside empty frames, it would make it easy for them to switch out their artwork too.

Source via Pinterest
Which will link back to the blog
Less Than Perfect Life Of Bliss.

This is probably my favorite.... I love this framed art gallery!

Source via Pinterest
which will link back to the blog
Laura Winslow Photography.

Another great idea is to paint a board with their name & glue on clips to hang their pictures.

Source via Pinterest
Which will link back to the blog
Baby Rabies.

I think that when I figure out where our art station will be, I'll do a mix of shelves & frames...this way they can also display their Legos or things they make out of clay.

Source via Pinterest
Which will link back to the blog Centsational Girl.

You have to love kids....they'll always help you find a way to display their masterpieces!!

This actually made my day & gave me a good laugh!

My little boy is 4....
I love this age, they are so funny!
I'm sharing with:
Thrifty Decorating

Refinished Nightstands....

2012-02-22T20:41:00.022-08:00

We recently sold our old bed & nightstands because we were ready to change our Master Bedroom.

We found our new bed, but didn't have too much money left to buy nightstands. It's shocking how much these can cost!

I did some searching through the classifieds & scored a pair for $20 bucks. They weren't the perfect color, so I just stained them a darker color & they matched the bed perfectly!

This is my FAVORITE stain!

The color is American Walnut

It is water-based so it doesn't stink & it cleans up well. I've used it on a lot of furniture & on our staircase. I'm so sad though, because Home Depot doesn't sell it anymore! Now you have to buy the water base stain & have them add the color, so it cost a lot more. If anyone knows who still sells it, I'd love to know where.

Here they are before...

And After...

I also stained the lamp to match...

I love finding cheap furniture & changing it up...it's kind of addicting!!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

Chic On A Shoestring Decorating

Finding Fabulous

Lolly Jane Boutique

Funky Junk Interiors

Too Much Time-Get Schooled Saturday

I Heart Naptime

Sisters of the Wildwest

Kristen's Creations

Craft-o-Maniac

My 1929 Charmer-Sunday's Best

Home Stories A to Z

Cherished Bliss

My Uncommon Slice Of Surburbia

Beneath My Heart

Fireflies & Jellybeans

Thrifty Decor Chick

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries....How To

2012-02-15T15:45:00.003-08:00

This is such an easy & yummy treat!

It's our Valentine's tradition to make these every year!

There are only 2 ingredients...strawberries & chocolate chips.

These Ghiradelli are VERY good!

Start by washing your strawberries & make sure they are completely dry before dipping,

or the chocolate won't stick right.

Next, just dump your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.

Microwave for 30 seconds & stir...repeat this process until the chocolate is completely melted. I think I did it about 4 times.

Then you are ready to dip!

I just place mine on wax paper to dry.

ENJOY!!

We sure did!

It's sure to bring a smile to your face...
My "Little Lady" started her 1st Valentine's Day off right!

IF there are any leftovers be sure to store them in the refrigerator.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's day!!
I'm sharing with these blogs:
The 36th Avenue
Fireflies & Jellybeans
Thrifty Decorating
Crafty, Scrappy, Happy Thursday
Kristen's Creations
At The Picket Fence
Chic On a Shoestring Decorating
Finding Fabulous
The Girl Creative
Ladybug Blessings
Ginger Snap Crafts
Craft-o-Maniac

Ruffles...

2012-02-08T09:41:00.003-08:00

I think adding ruffles to anything makes it better...especially on clothing.

A few months ago, I got a few tank tops on clearance for $1.00 at Walmart. I got quite a few in different colors. I knew they had potential.

This is what I have done to the first one

I added ruffles to the bottom of it.

I cut my fabric into strips...

The width was 7 inches.

Then I put a 1/2 inch hem on the bottom & sides of each one, so the fabric doesn't fray when we wash it.

Then I started at the bottom of the tank top & worked my way up.

I left 4 inches between each ruffle. I put on a total of 4.

My daughter was so excited with how it turned out!

It was a little low in the front so she layered it with another tank top underneath.

Then I took an old black long sleeve shirt that I had & cut it to make a jacket!

No sewing involved...it's knit so it doesn't fray when you cut it!

I'll show you how we did it on the next post, but I think it completed the whole outfit!

A close up of the ruffles...

The back...

Put it with some leggings & you have a new "ruffle" shirt for a total of $6.00!

Which makes for a happy girl

And

A happy bank account!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

Sisters of the Wild West

I Heart Nap Time
DIY Showoff
Craft-o-Maniac
Homemaker On a Dime
Making The World Cuter
The Girl Creative
Under the Table & Dreaming
Brassy Apple
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Home Stories A to Z
At Home With K
Mom 4 Real
Fireflies & Jellybeans
The Sasse Life

Custom Frame: On A Budget

2012-02-01T16:56:00.002-08:00

When we had Sophie's newborn pictures taken, I was so excited because they did a collage, which would be printed as a 12X12. I couldn't find a frame that would work!

Then when I got a quote to have one made it would have been over $100.00.

Then I was at Hobby Lobby & I saw what I was looking for...only it was a picture. It was the style I wanted & they were 50% off, so it would only be $24.99.

So, I decided to make it work.

I removed the glass & ripped off the backing & covered the print with pink polk-a-dot paper.

Then I spray painted it pink...to match her room!

Then the collage picture didn't turn out...when the pictures printed they had a weird tone & couldn't be fixed. :{

So, I just took an 8X10 picture & glued on some pink ribbon to the front & added velcro pieces to the front & back corners.

This way I can switch the picture when she's older!

Then I just put velcro on some flowers & velcroed those onto the corners of the picture to dress it up a bit.

I really love how it turned out & I love that I can still change the picture when I decide to.

It's hard to find frames that are "chunky" & matted without spending a lot, but luckily this worked out just right for the space!

If you would like to see more of her nursery, you can view it HERE.

I'm sharing with these blogs:
Thrifty Decorating
The 36th Avenue

Fireflies & Jellybeans

Under The Table & Dreaming

Thrifty Decor Chick

Home Stories A to Z

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

The Sasse Life

Savvy Southern Style

Ginger Snap Crafts

Organize & Decorate Everything
Kristen's Creations

Winner:My Memories Digital Scrapbook Program

2012-01-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

I used the Random Number Generator, but it wasn't copying right, but the number came out 13.

The winner is Heidi...she was the 13th comment!

HeidiJan 24, 2012 04:37 PM

I liked My Memories on fb! :)

Congratulations, I will be contacting you with how to download your new Scrapbooking Software!

If anyone is interested, you can still use this coupon to purchase the Software...

Just enter this Promo Code at checkout:

Promo Code: STMMMS90665

Paper Garland: How To

2012-01-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to make a paper garland for a long time. When I pulled out my Valentine's Decor, I decided to try & make one for my mantel. You can see it HERE. I like how it turned out, so I decided to make a Happy Birthday banner that we can put up for birthday parties.

I picked out some scrapbook paper I liked & some ribbon to coordinate.

Then I made a template for the shape of the banner...

Real fancy...huh? It worked though!

Then I traced the template & cut out the paper.

Then I hot glued my ribbon onto the templates to create my banner.

Then I traced out my letters to spell "Happy Birthday".

I actually got my letter templates from the dollar store....

They are the perfect size & included the whole alphabet & some numbers.

Then I just glued them on to the banner & I was done!

I'm really happy with how it turned out...

It will be fun to put up when the birthdays arrive!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com
www.the36thavenue.com

http://www.firefliesandjellybeans.com/

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com/http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/search/label/Link%20Parties

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/february-before-and-after-party.html

http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

http://www.thesasselife.com/

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/

http://organizeyourstuffnow.com/

My Memories: Giveaway

2012-01-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be hosting my first giveaway!
My Memories was kind enough to offer one of my readers their My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Program for FREE! This is almost a $40.00 value! This makes digital scrapbooking so easy!

My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews.

They are also kind enough to offer my reader's $10 off the software (reduced price of only $29.95), plus get a coupon for $10 for the My Memories online store.

Just click below & enter this promo code at checkout: STMMMS90665

It really is quick & easy to use!
I was FINALLY able to get my daughter's "newborn" baby book done...she's already 8 months old, but now it's all ready to print!
Here is one of the pages from the album...

I just used one of the templates that is already on the software, added my pictures & text & it was done!

You can also create your own custom Albums & Pages to be designed exactly how you want.

There are so many elements that you can add. These include video, music & narration.

I had a little fun & created my own custom Subway Art for my baby Sophie. Then I just printed it on my computer & framed it...EASY!

For the background, I used a small dot with the color White Magnolia.

I love how it turned out!

There are so many choices of background paper to choose from & they come in a variety of colors & textures.

It's now your turn to try & win your own My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software.

FIRST,
Stop by their website MyMemories.com & take a look around.
Then choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout & leave a comment here letting me know which one.

And for a few EXTRA chances to win:
1- You can "like" My Memories on Facebook & leave a comment here letting me know that you did.

2-You can follow the My Memories Blog & leave a comment here letting me know that you did.

3- Follow Love Of Homes & let me know that you did.

Good Luck!!

Winners will be announced on Saturday, January 28th.

Promo Code: STMMMS90665

Giveaway Now Closed

Valentine's Decorations

2012-01-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome...

This is our porch.

Wreath with a heart...

I just added a heart with a ribbon to my pots.

I've added little touches of Valentine's Decor throughout our house.

In the entry way, I just switched my usual wreath to a heart one.

I hung these little wooden hearts from the lamps.

I added a little candle to my table lamp.

This is by my dining room & great room.

I changed the mantel this year & made a paper garland to hang.

Then I switched out my candles with some white tissue paper pom-poms.

Then I added a polk-a-dot ribbon.

I also added a wooden heart & pom-pom to my wire bird cage.

A few more decorations...

It's kind of simple...

My little boy was so excited to see the hearts up...

Because once Valentine's Day is over it's closer to Easter, which means his birthday is getting closer!

Yes, he's already on the count down to turning "5"...I love how excited he gets!

For now, we are going to enjoy this holiday first!

Happy Valentines' Day!!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com
www.the36thavenue.com

http://www.firefliesandjellybeans.com/

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com/

http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/search/label/Link%20Parties

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/february-before-and-after-party.html

http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

http://www.thesasselife.com/

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/

http://organizeyourstuffnow.com/
http://www.happyhourprojects.com/search/label/Freestyle%20Friday

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/

http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

http://www.cherishedbliss.com/

http://cheapcraftymama.com/valentines-party/
http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/

http://www.athomewithk.blogspot.com/2012/01/be-mine-bonanza-day-1-sweetheart.html

http://www.summitstreetjoy.com/2012/01/handmade-valentines-day-crafts-and.html

http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2012/01/valentines-mantel-link-party-2012.html

http://www.betweenuandmeblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.flamingotoes.com/

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/ http://www.beneathmyheart.net/

http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/february-before-and-after-party.html http://www.cherishedbliss.com/search/label/14%20Days%20of%20Love/Dear Lillie Blog

House Tour: Kids' Bathroom

2012-01-11T19:28:00.001-08:00

I started my blog by showing you changes we've made to our house over the years.

So far, I've done posts on the changes to the:

Exterior...HERE.

Our Entry Way....HERE.

My Daughter's Room....HERE.

The Baby Nursery....HERE.

My Boys' Room...HERE.

Today, I'm going to show you the changes we've made to the kids' bathroom.

This was the bathroom before:

It had hand painted black flowers & swirls...

It was a bit overwhelming when you walked in & of course the cabinets were a light oak color.

Since we have boys & girls that share the bathroom, we needed a more neutral theme.

So we started by painting it a light blue color.
We chose the paint that already had primer in it & it covered the black flowers really well.
Surprisingly, it only took 2 coats.

Then we lightly sanded the cabinets,
Painted them white, wiped on a few coats of Poly and added new hardware.

I love the cabinets white...it really brightened the whole bathroom.

They have really held up well too...so far no chipping & it's been a few years since we did it!

Here is the after:

My kids wanted a "beachy" bathroom.

We added a few star fish & shells...

Can you guess what was above the toilet before? A hand painted black flower with swirls!

We found the oar at TJ Maxx...

My kids love this jar because it's filled with sea shells & rocks they actually collected from the beach themselves. It brings back fun memories from our trip to California.!

Here is another favorite...the fish!

Now everyone is happy with the bathroom, although my little boy asked me to paint white clouds on the wall. Not sure if I'll ever get around to that! ;)

One more time:

Before...

After...

I'm sharing with these blogs:

An American Girl Closet

2012-01-08T13:09:00.001-08:00

American Girl....

My daughter LOVES these dolls! She has a good size closet in her room, so we turned it into her American Doll's "room".

We got these cork board squares on clearance for 50 cents each. Then she went through the catalogs they send us in the mail & found pictures of the dolls she & her friends have. Then we pinned them on & added a sticker with each doll's initial.

Libby has Morgan, Lanie & the dog coconut.

Living Room


Bedroom & Salon

She does have clothes in there too...above the living room.

You can see the rest of her room HERE. We just changed it a few months ago.

I'm sharing with these blogs:

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2012-01-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

This is an easy & yummy recipe my Sister-in-Law Denette shared with me.
It's turned into one of our favorite dinners.
It all just goes in the crockpot & is great for cold winter nights!

4 chicken breasts uncooked
(You can even put them in frozen, just add an extra hour to the time)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans undrained
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans Mexican stewed tomatoes (I use regular stewed)
1 cup salsa
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
Tortilla chips or Frito chips
Cheddar Cheese
Sour cream

Combine everything in the crockpot except the chips, cheese & sour cream.
Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours. Remove chicken & shred it. Add it back to the soup. Serve soup on top of a bowl of chips (or crunch the chips on top of the soup) & top with cheese & sour cream.
Enjoy!

I'm sharing at these blogs:

A Touch of Lace...

2011-12-29T08:13:00.000-08:00

I love anything with lace or ruffles lately.

I have an 8 month old little girl & I think it looks so cute on her too!

I started out with a cheap little tank dress and pants that I got from Hobby Lobby with my 40% off coupons.

Then I purchased some lace by the yard when it was 50% off.

I just stitched it to the bottom of the skirt...

I love how it looked!

So then I added some lace to the bottom of each leg ...

And

A strip across the back...

Such an easy way to dress up an outfit!

She looks so cute from the front..

And from behind!

I love how this turned out so much I have another project to show you with a jacket....you can't go wrong with a little lace & ruffles!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

2011-12-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas...

From our family to yours!!

A Favorite....Orange Julius

2011-12-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

This is one of my family's favorite breakfast drinks.

Orange Julius = YUMMY!

It will always put a smile on their face!

Here is the recipe we use...

You will need a blender, can of frozen orange juice, milk, water, vanilla, sugar & ice.

Just blend together:
1/2 (12oz.) can of Frozen orange juice.
(I just scoop it out with a spoon)

1 C. water

1 C. milk

1/4 C. sugar or Splenda

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 C. Ice ( I like it ice-y so I usually add a little more)

You can also added other fruit & spinach to make it a little healthier.

If you feel a sore throat starting up, I swear if you drink this a few mornings it usually goes away.

Enjoy!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

Christmas Gift Ideas

2011-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Friend Gifts:

This year my daughter wanted to make her friends these fingerless gloves.

They are actually made out of socks & then we added the flower to the top. She was very excited with how they turned out & they actually do keep your hands pretty warm!

My 8 year old boy actually had me make his friend some plain blue ones...they are really into Bey Blades, so they look just like the battle gloves they wear in the cartoon.

They were a hit with their friends.

We found a great tutorial at this blog Tousled Day.

Teacher Gifts:

This year we made their teachers decorative clipboards & flower pens to go with it.

We just mod podged scrapbook paper onto the clipboards.

Then we added a bow & the teacher's name with vinyl stickers.

Then each of my kids wrote their teacher a note & we clipped it on the board.

I think they did a good job & their teachers loved the gift!

Neighbor Gifts:

At the end of the Christmas season I always go on the search for neighbor gifts for the next year. Everything is usually on sale. I found wrapping paper that was on clearance for .50 a roll & decided that would make a great gift that everyone would use. We attached this poem & our Christmas card.

The poem says:

"Wrap" up your troubles,

"Wrap" out a song,

"Wrap" up some laughter,

And don't take too long.

"Wrap" it up early,

"Wrap" it up smart,

"Wrap" up a Christmas

Straight from the heart!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"Life is a gift...untie the bow"!

-Shauna N. Steen

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas...it's coming up quick!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

Christmas Pillow Covers....

2011-12-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

I have some pillows in my living room that I wanted to look more festive for the holidays. I decided to make covers so I can use them each year.

I started by measuring my pillows...they are 15 X 15 inches.

I cut my first piece of fabric to be 16 X 16 inches.

This will be the front of the pillow.

For the second piece of fabric, I added 3.5 inches, so it makes the flap in the back to insert the pillow. So it ended up being a 19.5 X 16 inch piece.

Now cut the 19.5 X 16 inch piece in half.
These two pieces will end up being the back of your pillow.

On each of the smaller pieces, fold the fabric over on one side about a 1/2 inch & sew it down.
(You will now have two pieces that look just like this)

If you are going to add embelishments or decorations to the front piece....do it now before you sew the front & back together.

I ended up making three pillow covers.
On the first one, I used felt & cut out a tree & a star & then sewed them onto the front piece of the pillow.

I cut out a Christmas tree from a gift bag to use as my template

For the next two pillows, I took white felt & made some ruffles & then sewed them on to the front.

Now that the "decorating" is done, we are ready to finish them!

Place your fabric right sides together, line up the edges (remember...your back side will end up with a flap in the middle so the one piece will overlap the other).

This is the first piece of the back lined up ready to sew.

Next, add the second piece to the back & put a few pins in & just sew all the way around!

Both of the back side pieces are lined up....you can see the one overlaps the other.

Turn the fabric around & you have yourself a cute pillow!!

My Christmas tree pillow...

My ruffle pillow

These are going to look so much better with my Christmas Decor!

This was shared this week at:
www.passionatelyartistic.com

http://www.thecorsoncottage.blogspot.com/

Christmas Mantel

2011-12-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

This is our family room...

Each of our kids have a stocking to hang.

I got the fireplace cover over 10 years ago at Costco....
My kids always love getting it set up.

We have Santa & Snowmen stockings.

There is something magical about this time of year!

I'm sharing at these blogs:

Our Scripture Tree

2011-12-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

Last year, we started a new tradition that my kids LOVE!
It's an advent calendar that has a scripture & a question for each day until Christmas comes.

I originally got the idea from the magazine called "The Friend" which is put out by our church for the children to read. You can find the link HERE.

I decided to make ourselves a Scripture Tree out of felt.

So we could do it every Christmas.

I typed up the scripture for each day numbering them 1-25 & put the question next to it.

Next, I printed it out & framed it.

Now the questions hang above the tree in our hallway.

I was going to make a felt ornament for each day, but then I found these adorable stickers at Walmart. I just added Velcro to the back & they have worked out great.

They are made of plastic, so they'll last a long time.

Each night the kids take turns & read the scripture, answer the question & pick an ornament to hang on the tree.

When the tree is full...we know Christmas is here!

They love it & it helps remind us what Christmas is all about!

I'm sharing with these blogs:

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

2011-12-01T09:48:00.000-08:00

The inside of our house is ready....Still a few more things to finish up outside.

OUR ENTRY...

We added garland & little wreaths up the staircase...

We didn't put lights in the garland this year

Because this table in front of the staircase has lights...


The presents actually light up...so cute!

I love how the house feels with the lights on at night...

Our Tree...

Traditional RED & WHITE...

This year we added a little green ribbon...

Presents & Peppermint Candy

Initial Ornaments...Click Here to see how I made them.

Side View

My Boys' favorite part...The Train

Night Time....


MERRY & BRIGHT....

Easy Cute Skirt...

2011-11-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned this before, but I don't like sewing with patterns. A complex I gained in the 7th grade...you'd think I'd be over it, but I still avoid projects that include cutting out a pattern. I have wanted to make my daughter's matching skirts for a while & I found a way to do this without using a pattern! If you can do some basic math skills, this will work for you!

This blog has the BEST tutorial...step by step with pictures!
Less Than Perfect Life Of Bliss
You can make a skirt in ALL sizes using this method.
I ended up making a skirt for my 10 year old, her American Doll & my Baby.
They turned out so cute!!

I love the ruffles...

I love how you can choose how long you want the skirt to be too.

Here she is with her Doll...

This is much cheaper than buying the doll clothes!

Don't they look cute??

I just added one ruffle to the bottom of Sophie's skirt. Then I took pink ribbon and sewed it down the middle of the ruffle. She's happy with how it turned out!

I already went out and bought more fabric to try a few more variations!

I LOVE these girls!!

I'm sharing at these blogs....

My Blog Was Featured....

2011-11-26T22:10:00.000-08:00

You can go here to check it out.

It's a fun blog that combines blogs & Pinterest boards.

Cheap Christmas Print...

2011-11-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Do you want a cute & easy Christmas Print?

I got all of my supplies at the Dollar Store...

I picked out a gift bag that had a cute Christmas Tree on it. Then I headed down the frame isle & picked up an 8X10 silver frame to match.

Trace the paper that comes in the frame onto the bag...cut it out & place it in the frame!

Voila... a $2.00 Christmas decoration!

The best part is that you can still use the other side of the bag to make another one to give as a gift. You actually get two prints for a dollar. You can do this for any holiday, they really make cute gift bags for all of the seasons!
I'm linking to these parties:

Shabby Apple

2011-11-18T22:43:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of Shabby Apple?

It is an online boutique of dresses & accessories. Here are a few examples of what you can find at their website...Aren't they cute?

Love the Details on this dress...

This Dress Is On Sale...

I love this too!

If you get a chance, stop by & see all of the great clothing they have to offer.

Easy Christmas Ornaments....

2011-11-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

I found a cute gift bag & a frame from the Dollar Store.

Then I got an initial ornament for .50 at Hobby Lobby for each of my kids.

First, paint your frame the color you want.

Take your gift bag & trace the paper that came in the frame onto it.

Mine made four & I still had a whole backside of the bag to use for something else, it's cheap scrapbook paper! Next, cut them out & glue the paper onto the cardboard part of the frame.

Place it back into the frame. I didn't put the glass back in the frame for this.

I then hot glued the initials onto the paper & began decorating it how I wanted.

I just put some ribbon through the frame to hang on my tree.

I added ribbon to the initial ornament & to the outside of the frame on this one.

On my boy's initial I added glitter & I had a cute snowman gift tag (from the dollar store) & glued it on the side.

I did each of my kids a little different...but they turned out cute!

I can't wait to show you what they look like on my tree...when I get it up next week!!
I'm linking to these parties:

A Touch Of Blue...

2011-11-15T20:44:00.002-08:00

I've found a new color....blue! It has never been one of my favorite colors, but lately

I love it...so I've added a few touches of it to our upstairs. I just took things that I already had & brought out my trusty new friend "spray paint".

I started with a table I've had for years.

It was a beige color before & now it is nice & bright!

It turned out so cute for the space!

This is in the hallway at the top of the stairs.

I just spray painted it, sanded the edges, & wiped the edges with a walnut color stain.

Of course this was just the beginning...Now all my decorations that were red didn't match! So I painted a few more things!

A decorative shelf that is above the window.

A flower pot that sits on the desk.

A sunburst mirror that has been painted a few times over the years...

It has been cream, brown & now blue!

I'm loving how bright & fresh it has made the upstairs feel.

A can of spray paint can do wonderful things!!

Everything use to be a dark red & now it's nice & bright!!

I'm glad I took the risk & painted the table...

It makes me happy every time I walk up the stairs!
I'm linking up to these parties:

Domestically Speaking Paint Party

Easy Pretzel Caramels

2011-11-13T12:09:00.000-08:00

Start with a bag of mini pretzels & a bag of Rolo candies.

This is the hardest part....

Unwrap all of those Rolos.

Try not to eat too many before you get started! ;)

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper & place your pretzels on the pan.

Top with a Rolo.

If you want to add a little color, you can also place an M&M on top of the Rolo.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees & bake them for 5-6 minutes until the Rolo is starting to melt.

Let them cool for about a half an hour and Enjoy!

I guarantee you will eat more than one! They are yummy!!

I'm linking to these parties:

A Space Room...

2011-11-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

My two boys share a bedroom.

When my youngest got too big for his toddler bed we sold both beds & decided to get bunk beds.

We found a guy that custom makes them at his house for a great price.. These are full over full beds and you can separate them into 2 separate beds. They are really sturdy!

My boys LOVE space! So we decided to do a "space" themed room.

We got these letters at Hobby Lobby & put them above their window.

(They go on sale for 50% off all the time)

We already had their initials & frames, so we painted them with craft paint to match their bedding. Then we sanded the edges.

We found the bedding at Overstock.com. It was a great deal & was a complete bed in a bag.

Zack got the telescope for Christmas...

We got the vinyl planets from Kohl's ...the stars glow in the dark!

The boys think their room is "Out of this world!"

Here it is before...

And After...

My boys are very happy with how it turned out!

I am linking to these parties:

Car Seat Cover

2011-11-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

I've never had a car seat cover for my other kids. I really wanted one for this baby, but I didn't love the idea of paying between $40.00 & $50.00 for one. So I decided to give it a try and sew my own. With my sewing skills, this can be a risk!
I found a tutorial from the blog Sumos Sweet Stuff. You can find it HERE. It was easy to follow & it worked!

You pick one kind of fabric for the top.

You pick a second fabric for the bottom & straps

Then I added a couple flowers to the handles.

I am very happy with how it turned out & it only cost about $15.00!!

This is one of the reasons I absolutely LOVE blogging...there are SO many talented people out there!
I'm so grateful they are willing to share their great ideas & talents. It's also an added bonus for me when there is a tutorial with pictures! I'm a picture person...it helps me out a bunch, it really motivates me to try new things that I normally wouldn't.

I'm linking to these parties:

Initial Love...

2011-11-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

I go through phases when I'm decorating where I love using certain things. For instance,

I LOVE...

Clocks

Wreaths

Frames

And lately I love using initials...

This is in my bedroom...

It was perfect for this space on the wall.

My Boys' Room

Liberty's Room...
You can see more of her room here.

I added an initial in my photo collage in my entry.
You can see more of the entry here.

This one sits on my piano.

So I thought I'd share some easy ways to make your own.

To make the large letter like the one in the master bedroom...
I just got this BIG letter "P" at JoAnn's, it was made out of cardboard.

I spray painted the sides dark brown & added scrapbook paper with mod-podge.

I've also made a few of these plaques...

This is what you'll need for this project:

1-I got these plain wood discs at Hobby Lobby for about a dollar.

2-Paint the sides & back the color you want.

3-Trace the circle on the paper you want to use & cut it out.

4-Apply mod-podge with a foam brush and press the paper on.

5-Decorate your wooden initial. Either paint it or mod-podge a contrasting piece of paper to it.

6-Hot glue the letter on to wooden disc.

7-Display in a frame holder & add a ribbon to the top.

There are so many ways you could decorate these & it only costs about $3.00 !!
My favorite kind of decor cheap & cute!

I'm linking to these parties:

2011-10-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited...One of my favorite blogs called Better After has featured my post about the changes we've made to the outside of our home. You can see it here:

http://betterafter.blogspot.com/2011/10/pink-eye-sore.html

Her blog is so fun if you like to see before & afters of all kinds of projects!

Liberty's Room

2011-10-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

My daughter is ten years old and she was ready to change her room. We kept everything we had & just spray painted things & added black,white & blue accents.

The first thing we did was sew new curtains.
I can't sew with patterns, a complex I gained in 7th grade when I cut on the fold & had to sneak the project home....Ms. Marchant still gives me nightmares! :)
I just measured how long I wanted them to be and added 3 inches to the top & an inch to the bottom for the hem.

We got the material from Hobby Lobby....the one section of fabric is always 30% off or you can use a 40% coupon on the weeks they have one.
Then I made a sham cover with the same material.
We did get the polk a dot pillow at Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off.
Next we made an accent blanket for the bottom of her bed...I actually just hot glued the ribbon accents on the ends.

We also got wood letters to spell her name & mod podged them with paper that matched her room.

Then came spray painting...

I spray painted the lamp shade (it was pink & white checkers before)

Then I added the flower ribbon with a glue gun.

Then we spray painted this cute frame...it use to be pink, cream & green.

We spray painted this dresser.
You can read more about this transformation here.
I spray painted the frame holder & made the initial plaque.
I sprayed this frame white & hung it on her door.
Then I was inspired by one of my favorite blogs Craft-o-maniac. You can see her lamp here.
So, I took an old red lamp that I had and sprayed it blue.

Then I took the same material as the curtains & made ruffles with my sewing machine.Then I pinned them on to the lampshade.
Next....
We changed the material & paper around the pictures on this...

We added blue ribbon to the board.

Her room is now done!

I love changing things that you already have & making them new!

Before...which I loved too.

After...Libby loves the new colors!

I'm sharing with these blog parties:

I Heart Nap Time

Pizza

2011-10-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Cooking isn't really my favorite thing to do. I can think of a lot of things I'd rather do, but this is what we made for dinner last night. It's quick, easy & ALL of my kids like it!

You will need Rhodes Texas size rolls, pizza sauce, cheese & toppings of your choice.
If you don't have Texas size rolls, you can just put 2 classic rolls together.
If you wanted to make it healthier you could always use whole wheat rolls.

My kids actually love to make their own. So we start by washing our hands!

Then coat your pan with Pam & place your rolls on it.
You can cover & let the dough rise for 4-5 hours if you have time.
We usually do the speed method....
1-Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2- boil water in a small pan
3-Once your oven is 200 degrees turn it off & place the boiling water & rolls in the oven.

Close the oven door & Let them rise for an hour.

They will be double in size.

I give each kid a piece of wax paper to roll their dough. (Easy clean up!)
Then have them spray a little Pam on it, so the dough doesn't stick.

Just pat the dough & spread it out.
Then add the sauce, cheese & toppings.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!
We usually just pair it with a salad or carrots & ranch , then add a fruit and you've got a yummy meal!
I love Rhodes dough. You can check out their website for even more recipes.

I'm linking this too:
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2011/10/tutorials-tips-link-party-33.html

http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/

http://mommybydaycrafterbynight.blogspot.com/

http://organizeyourstuffnow.com/wordpress/

http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/

http://diycraftstomake.blogspot.com/

http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com

http://www.the36thavenue.com

Our Entry Way...

2011-10-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, I showed you some of the changes we've made to the exterior of our home. This week I'm starting the tour of the changes we've made on the inside.

"WELCOME" to our home!

I find that changes are an ongoing theme around our house....just when you finish one project, I think of another!

The very first thing we did was get new tile in the entry. I don't have a picture of before, but it was plain bright white, with dark grout. We added travertine tile & it warmed it up a bit!

The next big change we did was stain the railing a walnut color.

This process was triggered when I bought this new piece of furniture for the entry way...

Then it didn't match the railing or my other furniture,

Being the impatient person that I am...I began staining the staircase that day!

This lead to staining 3 more pieces of furniture, which I will post about another day.

OK, back to our entry way...

It was quite plain for years...

It had a lovely GOLD chandelier!
It's amazing how a few changes warm up the whole space.

Here is how it's changed over the years:

1-The color of the staircase...I LOVE how the dark stain contrasts with the white rails.

It was a really dramatic change

2-I waited for over 6 years for board & batten...we finally got brave & added it last year.

I think it turned out beautiful...

3-New lighting. Our Chandelier was not a pretty sight! It drove me CrAzY for years! Other projects always seemed to come first, but FINALLY a few years ago... it became the project! Best change we ever made!

4-Decorating the landing above the door. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do up there, but we added a few decorations last year...I'm sure this is one of those projects that isn't "done".

5-The latest change was adding a picture collage up the staircase.

This change was triggered when I couldn't find the 4th frame to match these oval ones when Sophie was born.

So I just gathered a bunch of old cheap frames that I had & gave them a new coat of paint.

And a collage was made...

I'm loving the entry way now...it feels very "home-y"!!

You know how I said that one thing leads to another....I have one more change & I think we are done!

Hopefully I'll get to that soon!

I'm linking this up to:
(You can find their buttons on the right side of my blog,
click on them & it will take you to the party!)

http://lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com

Creative Bloggers Party& Hop
You Are Talking Too Much
Amaze Me Monday@dittle dattle
Cure For The Common Monday
Making the World Cuter
Craft-o-maniac Monday
Homemaker In Heels
Made By You Monday@skiptomylou.org
Tip Junkie@Tip Me Tuesday
Handmade Tuesday
Today's Creative Blog
Tutorial Tuesday
Ta-Da Tuesday@Mommy by Day Crafter by Night
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2011/10/tutorials-tips-link-party-33.html
Your Whims Wednesday
Crafty Sasse Wednesday
Inspired by You Wednesday
Fall into Fall

We Did It Wednesday
What I made Wednesday
Watcha Work up Wednesday
Strut Your Stuff@Somewhat Simple
Show off Your Stuff@fireflies & jellybeans
Crafty, Scrappy, Happy
Thrifty Thursday Link Party
Kristen's Creations
Hoo's got Talent??
The 36th Avenue
French Country Cottage
Frugal Friday@The Shabby Nest
Tickled Pink@504 Main
Sassy Sites
Fancy Friday@Mel Dreams Often
Inspiration Friday@At The Picket Fence
Lolly Jane Boutique

Thrifty Decor Chick

2011-10-19T08:09:00.001-07:00

WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES OVER THE YEARS...A LOOK BACK

We moved here seven years ago. It all started when Steve returned home from Iraq. He had been gone for 15 months. The house we were living in was over a half an acre. By the time he got back, I was tired of mowing all that lawn! There also weren't too many other kids in the neighborhood for ours to play with. So we started looking for a new house...I am always doing this anyways, it's kind of my hobby! We kept driving by this house & would call the number & they would say it's under contract. Then one day we were looking at a home & the Realtor sent us an email with other homes we might be interested in. This house was on the list & we asked if it was available. It had been under contract, but the sale had failed that day! Our Realtor suggested we hurry over because it was a short sale. We walked from the entry to the great room & my husband & I both said, "This is the one!" Of course, we ended up with anxiety...Will our house sell in time? Will we be stuck with two house payments? Somehow it all worked out & we got our home.

October 2004

October 2011
A few things we've done to the outside...

1- Put in lawn & a tree up by the door.
(This area was covered in rose bushes, you couldn't even see the front door.)

2-Updated the lights

We got these at Lowe's...I LOVE them!

3-Spray painted the gold kick plate black & replaced the gold door hardware with a bronze color.

4-Painted the pole & pink trim white

5-Made & hung black shutters

6-Cleaned up the flower beds & added more plants.

Of course there are still a few things we hope to add in the future: Painting the stucco,replacing the red brick with rock & my biggest dream...a big front porch!

Looking back though,
I can't believe it's the same house!
Linking to:
Somewhat Simple
Fireflies and Jelly Beans
French Country Cottage
Frugalicious Friday
Tickled Pink
Crafty Scrappy Happy Thursday
The Shabby Nest
Simply Designing
What Have You Redone Every Friday
Thrifty Thursday
Fancy Friday: Mel Dreams Often
Family Ever After
Funky Junk Interiors
Craft Envy
Along For The Ride
Sundae Scoop@ iheartnaptime.net
Sisters Sunday Link Party
Think Pink Sundays@ Flamingo Toes
DIY Showoff
Craft-o-maniac
Creative Bloggers Party Hop
You Are Talking Too Much
Amaze Me Monday@Dittle Dattle
Cure For The Common Monday
Making The World Cuter
Ta-Da Tuesday@Mommy by Day Crafter by Night
Blog Hop@Saved By Love Creations
Thrifty Decor Chick

Their buttons are on the right side of my blog if you want to check these great blogs out.

Board & Batten "How To"

2011-10-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Our base boards were 1/8 inch on the top. We didn't want to have to replace all of them, so we found a 1/8 inch slat of wood & had it cut into our 4 inch vertical slats. We found the sheet at Home Depot for $20 & they weren't busy so he cut our 4 inch pieces (the width) for free! The edges were a little rough so we took our electric sander & sanded the edges down. You could also prime & paint the slats before you start...we painted at the end. We also purchased the wood for the top rail & it was
5 1/2 inches wide. Then we were ready to begin.

Step One:Prime & Paint bottom half of the wall.

Step 2:
Measure down from the ceiling to where you want the bottom of the horizontal top rail to be.

Step 3:
Cutting the board where two pieces meet at a 45 degree angle will support & hide the seam better.

Step 4:
Recruit some help & nail gun the top piece of wood where you had marked it in step 2.
We wanted ours to be up higher up on the wall.
(It was about 48 inches from the bottom of the rail to the floor.)

Step 5:
Mark the wall for the space between the vertical slats.
(We wanted 12 inches between each slat.)
So we made a mark every 16 inches to account for the 4 inch width of the vertical slat.

Step 6:
Measure how long you want the vertical pieces & cut to fit.

Step 7:

Before nailing the vertical slats, use your level & make them straight.
Then you are ready to nail them in. (We used a nail gun.)
Step 8:
Counter sink all nails so the surface is smooth and ready for putty.

Step 9:

Fill each nail hole & seams on the horizontal rail with putty.
Once it's dry it may need a light sanding to make it smooth.

Step 10:

Apply a thin bead of caulk (with a caulk gun) on all wood edges.
Then you are officially ready to paint!

Then enjoy the view...

It took a little time...but it was SO worth it!
You can see more of the nursery here.

I'm linking this to :

Funky Junk Interiors
Craft Envy
French Country Cottage
DIY Showoff
Craftomaniac Monday
Think Pink Sunday@Flamingo Toes
Sister Sunday Party
Sunday Showcase Party: Under The Table & Dreaming
Amzae Me Monday@DittleDattle
Pinkapotamus
Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop
Making the World Cuter
Tuesday's Treasures@My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Handmade Tuesdays@Ladybug Blessings
Tip Junkie
Tutorials & Tips@ Home Stories A 2 Z
Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple
Mommy by day Crafter by Night
Tutorial Tuesday with Hope Studios
Inspired by you Wednesday
The Idea Room
Whatcha-Work-up Wednesday
French Country Cottage
Frugalicious Friday
Tickled Pink
Crafty Scrappy Happy Thursday
The Shabby Nest
Simply Designing
What Have You Redone Every Friday
Fancy Friday: Mel Dreams Often
Funky Junk Interiors
Craft Envy
I Heart Nap Time@iheartnaptime.net
Fresh Friday@Release Me Create
To visit their blogs....click on their blog buttons on the right side of my blog!

Give-a-way

2011-10-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Jen at Tater Tots And Jello is having a give-a-way for two $50 gift cards to Home Goods. To enter visit her blog here:

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2011/10/homegoods-giveaway-50-to-2-winners.html

Baby Nursery

2011-10-13T08:14:00.001-07:00

We had our 4th baby in April. Who knew adding one more person to the family would cause so many changes. I have a daughter who is 10 & she has a room of her own, our two boys share a room & the third extra bedroom has always been the office. In the middle of the rooms is a loft area which had a couch & TV. It was a great place for the kids. We decided the baby needed it's own room, so here's where the fun began. We had to move the office & some how keep the loft a lounge area too. Since this was our last baby & it was a GIRL...I wanted to make it a really cute nursery. I love the board & batten look. So my husband got to do the hard part & I got to decorate! Her room has turned out to be one of my favorite rooms in the whole house...

It turned out so bright & fresh

I took wooden letters from Hobby Lobby & mod podged some paper on them.

I went with a "bird" theme & found the perfect clock.

My sister in law made the cutest quilt!

Here is the refinished dresser that ended matching the other furniture perfectly.
You can read more about that here.

Keeping with the bird theme, I added a vinyl tree with birds.

This is here little reading corner
(when she's bigger of course)

This is a frame I transformed to put her newborn picture in.

So this is the before
(if only had always looked this clean!)...
And After...
My next post will be a 'how to' for the board & batten.
I'm linking this to:

iheartnaptime.blogspot.com

http://lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com/

2011-10-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

I've been given a blogger award from Jane at

Littlehouseofprojects.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for recognizing me!

The rules for this award is:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave the award to you

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Send it along to 15 other bloggers and let them know you have awarded them!

Okay, so here are my seven things:
1- I used to teach 6th grade.
2- I love a clean & organized house.
3- I have 4 cute kids.
4- I've been married for 13 years.
5- I love decorating my house.
6- I love blogging.
7- I love a COLD Diet Coke with Lemon!

Blogs I'm giving this award to:
Craftomaniac
Clear the Clutter
Beneath My Heart
Leelala
Take My Breath away
That's My Letter
Stacey Embracing Change
Saving 4 Six
Sunny Side Up
Right At Home
Lookie What I Did
Craft Wannabe
The Stuff Of Success
Eat.Sleep.Decorate
Little Blue Prints

Halloween Decor...

2011-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. My kids couldn't wait to decorate this year. Zack begged me to wait until he got home from school to decorate. He was awesome...He carried everything up from the basement for me!

Here is our family room. We cut the bats out of black construction paper & taped them on.
My favorite is the witch... I got her after Halloween a few years ago on clearance.
We added the haunted house this year.

We made this with a wood circle from Hobby Lobby. Then we mod podged the orange paper then glued the bat & moon.

Dining Room

Living Room

Happy Halloween!!

I'm linking this up to one of my favorite blogs

iheartnaptime.blogspot.com
tipjunkie.com
http://ladybug-blessings.com/

New Loves...

2011-10-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

I have found two new things I love.

1-KSL classifieds
and
2-spray paint
Mix these together & you have cute/cheap furniture!

Here are a few projects we finished up this summer....
I needed a dresser/changing table for Sophie's room.

I found this dresser on KSL classifieds for 20 bucks. It is definitely older, but it was just the size & style I was looking for.
I was going to stain it, but that didn't work. So we just spray painted it a dark brown color. Then we lightly sanded & sprayed on a Polycrylic spray to protect it.
The color matched her other furniture perfectly.

It was just the size I needed & was such a cute shape.

Older furniture always has more detail.

It's working great as a changing table for now!

After this worked out so well. I found another great piece for 20 bucks!

This one looked awful, but it was so unique. I loved that it had cupboards & drawers.

We sanded this a little and wiped on this liquid that claims there is no need to sand. We had to spray a few coats of primer...it had some red & black paint showing through.

Then we spray painted it white.

We used the original hardware, I just sprayed it a bronze color.

I love the legs on this piece. I love the older furniture because once again, it has more detail.

I just finished a table for my hallway, nightstands & another piece for my bedroom. I'll show pictures soon.

I'm now searching for a desk for Zack & Tyler's room.

I linked this up to:

Reno and Organization
http://renoandreorginization.blogspot.com

Domestically Speaking
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/

2011-10-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

I love anything that has to do with homes & decorating. I'm starting this blog to document how we've made our house a "home". We have lived her 7 years now! That is the longest we have lived anywhere. I'm going to document some of the changes we've made a long the way & show different decorating ideas that I have. I love blogging & am excited to share some of our ideas. I say "our" because my husband Steve gets asked to help on quite a few of our projects.