Project Update: The Latest Nursery Addition, Master BR Color & "Befores"

Nursery Fan Makeover
So, it's been a while since I posted a project because I've actually been doing them. Big surprise, right?! Below are pictures of the latest addition to the nursery. We had a naked ceiling fan. We got an awesome light kit from my dad and his wife for Christmas but it was disappointingly not compatible with the existing fan. Alas, I looked for a DIY makeover option instead. $6 later, we have this!

It looks like a plain old globe light in this picture. Wait for it. . .

Of course, this view is incomplete without seeing how it will fit into the entire room. We plan to go with a very naturistic feel using natural and aged elements in the room. Thus, I hope it works when all the projects start coming together. (T-minus 10 days til I know which decor to start: boy stuff or girl?) It cost me $2.50 for Aleen's clear tacky craft glue at Hobby Lobby. I still have more than half a bottle. $1 got me a small bouncy ball at Wal-mart and another $2.50 got me white string in their craft section. That's all I used to get this wonderful contraption completed.

The full tutorial I checked out is here: http://www.craftynest.com/2009/03/hemp-pendant-lamps/. I went for a bit of a lighter look with thinner string and let it cure for about a week before deflating the ball just to be safe. I plan to make a larger one of twine/ hemp for our master and affixing it to a simple pendant lamp with no fan since there's one ceiling fan already! Oh-about the fan-some people wondered how this would sit still when the fan is running. Luckily, it's attached to the base which should sit pretty steady on a well-built fan so it stays put with the fan running no problem!

It was surprisingly easy to attach too. The screws that sit on the fan where a glass piece can be put in were used. Oh yeah-69 cents for three new screws, so we're up to $6.69. I just worked the fixture back and forth to fit over each screw and it holds it in place just fine. It's basically just sitting on top of each one; I didn't have to hold it still while screwing through the fixture so, like I said, surprisingly easy! Now, I have to decide if I should paint it or not. If I do, I think the glue flakes that are clear and not apparent now, will show up and cause a headache so it's likey to stay white like the fan it's attached to.

Master BR Color
The bedroom is completely painted with minor touch-ups to be done this weekend. We still have all the trim to put up including baseboards, windows, closet door frames and the entry door. Thus, it only looks close to done. Add that to the many projects I'm still planning to complete for decor (remember-this bedroom was bare when we moved in and so dreadfully ugly, I didn't even unpack the bedroom decor I already owned let alone get anything new). I'm so excited to put it all together AND sleep in our own room again!



Waterscapes by Behr in Satin finish on sand textured walls. We did knowckdown texture on the celining.





Befores
For more teasers, here are some upcoming projects. These are my befores and works in progress.

I got these 2 boxes (the peices with handles sit inside the open/ shelf-like pieces) at an antique store for $10. I don't need that particular color but would like the extra storage. Where will they go and what new use will they have?

I got this dresser for FREE. Well, pretty much. I helped a friend get ready for a garage sale. Who wouldn't benefit from having someone else mark your valuables at a price others will actually pay? In return, she gifted me this dresser she had in her garage with no use for some time. Rehab is coming and it's needed; check out the top of the dresser. I'm all for distressed but not plain stressed out!



How I Met My Husband

I was re-dating. You know. . . re-dating. It's the term for dating an ex AGAIN. It was a bad habit in my pre-married life. Nonetheless, without that habit, I may not have met Mike.

I was waiting for my ex (and current dating friend) to get ready for dinner when Mike showed up to his apartment. The roommate he was friends with was gone so he was stuck with me. He tried to play his video game in silence while he waited but he didn't stand a chance at that with me. Small talk was cut short by his friend's arrival and off I went on my date.

Encounter number 2: A group of us including my dating friend were in the hot tub at the apartment complex when Mike and his friend were headed to the gym. I instantly suggested he wrap up his workout by joining us and the discomfort came across his face plain as day. He never made it. I think I scared him.

A couple weeks later, I'd moved to Ames for graduate school and had called it quits on another attempt at re-dating. Mike struck up conversation via facebook (I know. . . how romantic). Soon after ensuring I was actually responsive, he called. A three-hour first phone call led to a nightly routine for 2 weeks before we ever got together in person. I won't tell you the first date story as it's not anything you'd expect to lead to and then we were married. 

So, in a way, this was the first time re-dating actually worked for me! Did any of you go with re-dating (or do you still)? Hopefully, it will lead to Mr. Right in one way or another.

How I Met My Series. . .

Who doesn't love a good re-run of "How I Met Your Mother"? Well, it gave me an idea for a new blog series: How I Met My. . . This should keep me going on content while I'm working on yet-to-be-posted projects.

Stay tuned for. . .
How I Met My Husband
How I Met My Dog, Tucker
How I Met My Dog, Lily
How I Met My Favorite Neighbors Ever
How I Met My Neice
How I Met My Besties
How I Met My Match
How I Met My House
How I Met My Child
How I Met My Nickname

Recipe: Tomato Pasta Salad

It's that time of year when the women supposedly get a break from "cooking" because men have fired up the grill. However, all the prep work, defrosting, and side dishes still fall on me so I'm not sure where the break truly comes in. Speaking of side dishes, I have a new one. We had friends over last weekend and I didn't have all the fixin's of maccaroni salad like I thought, but I di have. . .

Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 can fire-roatsed tomatoes (mostly drained)
8-10 oz. Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette (Kraft)
1 cup garlic croutons crushed (I actually used garlic parmesan pretzels this time)
Dusting of grated parmesan cheese

Boil pasta until tender. Then, add all other ingredients until well mixed. Chill before serving. Voila!

I reminded myself that if everyone hated it, it was okay because experimentation is a risk worth taking with food from time to time. It was a hit so make a smash at your next get together. Oh, and I'd love to add a jar of sun-dried tomoatoes instead but I'm probably too cheap for that! :)

Pupdate: Stealing my heart!

I'm shocked at how often I look at my two pups and think of them as a blessing. I can hardly believe they'll have to share the spotlight with a human babe soon. I mean, how could turning the corner to find this not distract you from a child? I can't wait for them to share in the joy of Baby Decker!

This is Lily in the sleeve of my sweater. She ended up wrapped in it because I left it in HER spot on the back of the love seat.

16 Weeks: Am I REALLY Pregnant?

I must be honest that the realization of being pregnant has really only come every 4 weeks when I hear the heartbeat and today's was as grand as any. It was down to 146. I'm measuring exactly where I should be and everything looks great. I was able to schedule my 20-week ultrasound for MY BIRTHDAY! :) So, on June 6th, Mike and I should know if it's a boy or a girl! Names are picked out for both. No, I'm not likely to blab them on this public blog and yes, I've decided against using the dog's names for middle names!

This 16 weeks has been pretty relaxed as far as the pregnancy goes. We've got so much house stuff going on, we hardly talk about it. That will change when we know what we're planning for and then the fund really begins. Pregnancy has given bad skin all around-breakouts and dryness beyond belief and I don't see the amazing miracle grow happening to my hair either. However, I've been lucky in not seeing it in my belly yet too. No maternity clothes yet. I tried em, hated em, and I'm just not there yet. They have built-in hips that don't work for me (which I hear, sadly, I will fill out soon enough). So, for now, I'm really enjoying dresses as you can see from the belly shot!

I had a Mother's Day! Crazy, right? Did you hear I'm having Mike Decker's baby? He's kind of a big deal! I'll let you know if it's a Mikey or a Breezy in just a few weeks. Yay!

Masterful Inspiration & Thrifty Finds

So. . . it's been a while since my last post and this is why. It's hard to post on projects when you're busy doing them. The master bedroom renovation has been going swimmingly. The pace picked up and I realized all of my ideas needed to get set in motion sooner than I anticipated! Needless to say, all of my ideas required some shopping. Thus, I'm highlighting some of my projects to come and my thrillingly thrifty finds!

First, we have two ceiling fans in boring white and one has no actual light fixture so, they're now disassembled with a pendant light ready to be ordered for my slightly feminine corner of the room. The disassembled fans will be spray painted in brushed nickel for a cheap and quick update before being put back up in the room. The light that's coming is from World Market. Believe it or not, my attempt at shopping to DIY it quickly told me it'd be cheaper to order it (if I can find a way out of the $20-30 shipping charge)!

Already painted one and Mike gets to figure out how to get it back together!

Another project is to add some framed flare and I had an old set of country style framed words I had gotten as a gift. Super cute, but I have no place for them currently so, they'll now end up either with some patterned mirrors or a fancy filling that ties all the colors of the room together. We'll see. Here's the starting point (notice the backs that make it easy to remove the existing pieces for a quick re-do)!

 

Another to project come will include a shelf. We're mounting our small flat screen TV when the room is done but there is only about 30 inches of clearance between the end of our bed and the wall, so I can't add a shelf very deep. I found Ikea's lack shelf but it's still too deep and pretty boring. I need it oak to match the big pics I plan to hang on either side of the tv. So. . . I found Ikea Hackers! With it, came this post and I'm going to give a try. Even better? I don't have to start with the $30 lack shelf from Ikea because I found a 24 inch long (BUT 5 inches wide) floating shelf for $2.99 at a local liquidation store. Go figure-LUCK was on my side!

So, on to shopping. I found these steals of deals of CB2! I plan to stagger them above our headboard and soon-to-come reading lamps below some cursive wall words. The wall mounted tea light holders and beaker vases will be great! And did you notice how cheap they are?

Additional finds are as follows:

Vintage owl salt and pepper shakers (not to be used as such) for $2.50 at consignment.

And black pedestal $3.99 at liquidation because it's crooked so I'll have to get out the sander.

Small decorator box for a little flare: $3

Capiz shell frame to match my pendant light (hard to find) and only $5!

And a glass ball wrapped in wire to blend with the glass pieces coming from CB2: $1

 

 

 

 

These are my thrifty finds and projects to come. There's so much more in store and I can't wait for the big reveal. Our goal: My birthday on June 6th!