It's finished! (almost)

The guest room is finished! I actually can say almost because we are waiting on two things, shelves to be bought and the cable to be rerouted from the ceiling. Yes, that's right. Our previous owners have the cable coming out of the ceiling. I'm sure most homeowners notice weird things that the previous occupants did, but I think we have more than usual. Anyhoo, everything is in place. The painting went well, and let me now say, Benjamin Moore paint is the way to go! We did have to end up using two coats in order to cover marks on the wall, but it went on so smoothly I didn't mind at all. With my dad's assistance, we painted the room in 6 hours, including some prep and cleanup. I'm very happy with the overall results. Here are a few reasons why I suggest painting for a easy new look.

1. Paint cleans up the dingy factor a room might have. You might not realize how dirty your walls really are until you have a new coat of paint.
2. Its relatively cheap. My one room used 1 gallon of paint, costing me a whole $33. I'd say budget $50 if you need supplies as well.
3. You can change it! If you don't like the color, its the easiest thing to change about a room.

The cost ended up being a little higher than I wanted because of all the frames I had to buy, but thankfully a gift card came the day I need to buy the last of the frames. The total cost is below.

1. Paint - $33
2. Frames - $80
3. Pegboard Items - $12
4. Grand Total - $125

Below are some photos of the process. Now it's on to the rest of the house!

The token "before" photo. We are ready to paint after taping off everything.

See what I mean about the cable outlet!

One view of the room.

My favorite corner!

All Paint Is Not The Same

Remember a few weeks back when I said that I would be remodeling the guest room over the next few weeks? Well the most important part, the painting, is happening this weekend! The ugly shelves "gifted" to us by the previous owner are down and now I have some 1/2 in. holes to spackle, thanks to their not so conventional use of screws. But after that, and moving everything except the bed out of the room, I will be ready to paint.

My parents have painted two whole houses already, so I nicely asked my dad if he would like to assist me since my mom will be out of town at a medical conference this weekend. He oh so nicely said yes. Just a side note, my parents are great and have helped Chris and I so much with things around the house over the past almost two years. I know that Chris's parents would help us out too if they didn't live 3,000+ miles away! But I digress. My parents have informed me to buy a certain brand of paint. I was thinking that I'm sure paint is paint right? But no, according to them, paint is not just paint. There are certain qualities of paint, some cover better than others, which means more paint and more coats which then equals more time and money. With some coaxing from my parents, I've gone with Benjamin Moore. This paint is known as some of the best in the industry, so I am going to try it out and see what I think. I'll make sure to follow up after I finish the project as well to let you know how well it worked. By the way, the color I selected is named Woodmont Cream.

I also said in a previous post that I wanted to keep the entire project (frames, shelving, drapes, paint, etc.) under $100 dollars. So far I've spend $33 for the paint. I also bought one of the 10 picture frames with a gift card, so no money from the budget gone there. Only 9 more frames, shelves and drapes to go!

Public Service Announcement

I'm just doing my part by spreading the news that Linens 'n Things is closing 120 stores around the US. Click here to get a complete list of closing stores by state. Over the next few months, I'm sure that there will be bargains. How great? One only knows. I feel like closeout sales are never that fantastic. In this case, they can simply ship the merchandise to another store that's staying open. However, you never know what steals you'll be able to find when rummaging around.

That's my part today, short and sweet. Stay tuned for tomorrow's Recipe Wednesday!

Huge Tasks Ahead

This weekend got me thinking about the huge tasks we have ahead of us in the next few months. My goal is to work on each of the rooms in our house, one or two weekends per room, to get them to where I feel they are actually "done". It's amazing how much you can change a room with a few simple ideas. My first step is the guest room since we are expecting guests at the end of this month! Below are two older photos of the "before" look. My goal is to spend less than $100 on the room transformation. We've already refinished a dresser Chris found in the trash (yes, the trash, as in a large dumpster at a friend's apartment complex) and bought prints from a local artist in the Florida Keys. As you can see from the bedding, the theme is tropical.

This is where some of my simple home decorating tips will come in handy. I'll give the run down when I've completed the project but a few things I have up my sleeve are...

• Buy a variety of frames and fill them with photos from Florida and the beach to go on top of the dresser.
• Take down the not-so-pretty shelving and glow-in-the-dark stars that were left by the previous owner and add some smaller shelves instead.
• Paint the walls a soft color.
• Possibly add drapes or a valance over the window.

Summer is a great time to work on indoor projects, because let's face it, it's darn hot outside and you can only take so much sun and heat! My suggestion is to work room by room in order to not feel so overwhelmed. The other big task is to clean out each room as you tackle the decor part. A cluttered room won't have the same pizazz, no matter how nicely it's decorated. Donate unwanted items to charity, or save for a garage sale later. Also, stick to a budget. Don't let yourself go overboard and try to save money wherever you can.

Holiday Weekend BBQ Menu

Today is the start of the holiday weekend! I am excited for a few reasons. One is that its in the 50's here in Arizona today, and should be in the low 70's and 80's through Monday. Two is that, weather permitting, we are going to finish our front yard "remodel" this weekend. Pictures should be coming soon! Three is that we are having our first official summer party on Monday afternoon. As I said in a previous post, I am here to post my final menu and give some last minute decor ideas.

Menu
Onion dip with potato chips
Brats with all the fixins' (buns, cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, etc.)
Ranch beans, the ones from a can, they are so tasty!
Garden salad with a variety of dressings
Fruit
Patriotic sugar cookies
Ice cream
Beer from our keggerator

I'm keeping it pretty simple in terms of decor. I bought some nice outdoor lights at Michaels that I plan to hang around our patio. They can stay up all summer since they are meant for the outdoors and can withstand the weather. Summer flowers will adorn the kitchen table since I will be serving inside. Hopefully I'll have time to buy some citronella candles as well in patriotic colors for other small areas around our yard. At the same time I hope to get some outdoor dinnerware.

The sugar cookies are my favorite part of the weekend. I'm using red, white, and blue sprinkles and a new sugar cookie recipe. I'll definitely post some pictures of these when they are finished. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Perfect For A Holiday Weekend BBQ

Even though its only Monday, I am already preparing for the upcoming holiday weekend! I love a good excuse to have an outdoor celebration so a BBQ around our pool with friends is a must. I'll be posting my menu with recipe ideas once I have it finalized, but in the meantime, I'd like to share a great way to spruce up any outdoor party. Instead of using plastic or paper plates, or even your everyday dishes, purchase the outdoor version instead!

There are so many different, and inexpensive, outdoor dishes available right now. Colors and patterns vary, but all of them scream summer. I've seen plates as low as $1.50 each and with bowls, cups, and serving pieces to match. You don't need to buy the entire set, but feel free to mix and match. Don't want to spring for the matching patterned glasses? Try finding cheaper glasses in a corresponding solid. If solid dishes are more your style, cover your table with a patterned table cloth or use patterned glasses or napkins. You can use your dishes all summer long and it's a nice break for your "regular stuff". Made of Melamine, most are dishwasher safe as well, which is definitely appealing to those who host parties often.

Below are a very that I like. I will let you know which ones I end up buying this week!

Household Items At Discount Prices

That's right, I am a sucker for a bargain. I used to be completely willing to buy things at full price, and now? Now I am more hesitant to buy without taking price into consideration. Sure, there are things I buy at full price, but household items is one area where I love getting a bargain. This past week was no exception. My two favorite places to find great household things are Marshalls and Home Goods. I don't know why, but I always seem to find good deals at these places. Need new cookie sheets like I did on Saturday? Home Goods has a HUGE kitchen department and I found one 1/2 off. I also bought a beautiful rope encased hurricane glass (think nautical) for $3.99. In fact, Marshalls is where my Item of the Week comes from! I was browsing around Marshalls and came across the clearance table. Now, not only are you already getting a bargain just by shopping there, but you get an extra deal! And sitting on that table was the most beautiful blue pie plate, and for only $5.00. Normally pie plates are around $10.00, and this was was oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe, some of the best words to my ears. Later, I did a little research, and found this plate retails for $18.00, which means I bought it at almost %75 off!

A few tips about visiting these stores...Marshalls usually has a smaller selection, since they house clothing, accessory items, and home products all under one roof. I tend to buy smaller items there, such as picture frames, and seasonal door decorations. Home Goods, however, is the mecca of home shopping. They have everything you could want, kitchen, table and bed linens, small appliances, decor, furniture, rugs, etc. Just recently I outfitted two bookshelves with items from Home Goods and spent all of $60.00. They are best for bed and bath, dining, and big ticket items. These places need to be visited regularly in order to get the most out of them. The inventory is always changing, so new items are always being brought in, and items exit just as quickly. If you see something you like, buy it. It might not be there when you return, even just hours later. Items can be returned at both stores with no problem, so if you are unsure, buy it, keep the tag and receipt, and it can always be returned later. The next time you need something for your kitchen, bathroom, living room, or even a gift, check out Marshalls and Home Goods. Even if you don't find what you came for, you are sure to find something you can't leave the store without.

Creating Home Decor Out Of Vacation Memories

As beach season grows near, I have the perfect home decor item to make out of those precious beach memories. I have always enjoyed collecting sea shells while at the beach. Most families, especially kids, do as well. However, once the shells make it home, they often get shut away in a drawer or cabinet, never to see daylight again. Its time to rescue them! Not only this project a nice centerpiece or display item, it allows you to actually showcase your beach memories. The best part of this project is that shells can be added from each beach you visit. My shown masterpiece includes memories from Mexico, California, Florida, and Panama!

Materials Needed
Beach Memories (shells, sea glass, etc.)
Glass or plastic vase
Sand

Instructions

Place shells in colander and let water run over them to clean off any remaining sand. Lay shells on towel to dry completely. While shells dry, fill vase with sand to desired level. Use glass cleaner to clean the inside of the vase, the sand may cause some dust to settle on the inside of the vase. Once your memories are dry, place in vase in desired locations. I suggest putting any larger shells you have at the bottom so they don't cover the smaller ones. And viola, you have an instant decor piece out of practically nothing!

Beach Memories ($0) + Vase ($9.99) + Sand ($0) = $10.71 TOTAL ( including tax)

Celebrate Spring With Backyard Furniture

As I have previously mentioned, we are in the process of "remodeling" our backyard. I'm sure that we aren't the only ones happy to have spring upon us (although for us, it will be in the 100's in a matter of weeks). While Chris was busy determining the new landscaping, I was busy figuring out how to replace my cheap plastic chaise lounge with some "real" furniture, two chaise lounges to be exact. As I was doing research, I was shocked by the price of outdoor furniture. We are talking $600+ for a table and chairs, and $200+ for each chaise lounge. If it was going to be inside my house, fine, but the fact that it will be taking a beating from the sun and heat, well that's just ridiculous.

LUCKILY, my parents came to the rescue! My mom found some wonderful chaise lounges at Linens n Things. Not only were they inexpensive, but sturdy and made of rust-free metal. You can use a 20% off coupon, and they also accept competitors coupons, specifically from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Be smart and get two, then its 20% off each chair. This is why they are my Item of the Week! What exactly is that you might ask? It's a new thing I'm starting to showcase one new (or not new) home item that tops my favorites list for the week. This week its my new patio furniture. It's a stylish edition to any backyard and is perfect for that twenty something who doesn't want to break the bank to spend a little more time outdoors. Thanks Mom and Dad!

P.S. Actual photos of the furniture in my backyard will be coming shortly.