Cord capers

Last year I bought this lovely lamp base at a yard sale.

I just loved the different colors of green and gold. 

I bought the shade at another yard sale the same day.

Which just solidified my LOVE for this lamp!  I thought the narrow shade was perfect for this little nook in my kitchen. 

The warmth this little light gives first thing in the morning, on a dark afternoon, or at night cozies up the place.  Sometimes it's on just for funzies.  ;) It's the first thing I turn on in the morning, before coffee starts brewing and kiddos start asking.

Now.  On to the issue at hand.

Yes, cord.  The spotlight is on you.  We all see you.  You aren't even trying to hide.

What to do??  I am not loving this cord.  I tried to hide it this way:

but I think it looks cluttery with the long box.  And a smaller box isn't heavy enough to push the cord back.

The cord plugs in here:

Hmm...should have wiped the counter before I took this one...

The only other plug is on the other side of the sink.  The cord will stretch over there, but then it's all in my business on the sink (tangled in the soap and faucet).

Is there a better way to hide this sucker?  Help! 

The Final Frontier

We have lived in this house for twelve years.

It took me a veeeeery long time to be brave enough to paint. 

Too long.

I started in the guest bathroom.  (AKA:  Small).  Waited until the hubs had gone out of town and went mad with a too-bright yellow.  But it's still the same yellow and I am crazy about it.  That room is now the kids' bathroom, and I found the perfect shower curtain to tone down the yellow madness.  Most importantly, though, was that it made me brave.

Each room we've painted over time has been the exact same process.  Paint swatches.  Samples on the wall.  Jump in.  PURE PANIC THAT IT'S TOO DARK.  Eventually, love! 

Everything is going to look drastic when you are painting over builder off-white.  At least I keep telling myself that.  It doesn't seem to change the process for me, though.

So, finally we come to the last room in the house that needs (desperate) attention.  (OK, we aren't going to count the laundry room yet.  The paint swatches are taped up in there, though...that counts, right?)  Drum roll..........

The dining room! 

I've been so scared of this room because of those high ceilings.  I've always wondered How in the blazes are we gonna get up there???

When I painted the master bath, I found this lovely friend:

He's my dear friend.  We're close.  And holy moly, did you know there was a Mr Long Arm website???  Oh, I will be checking out this guy next.  And these would run circles around my plastic Walmart-bag-in-the-fridge method right now, don't ya think?  Technology...amazing...

Focus...

So I thought this would be the perfect time to buy myself some tools  try my hand at chair rail.  That's to come!  (It's sitting in the garage crying at the neglect it's experiencing.  I'm coming, lovely chair rail!)  Can't WAIT to break in my new compressor and nail gun.  Yeah!

But first, must.  Finish.  Painting.

Here's another look at our colors:

Love love love to peel the tape.  Couldn't wait-had to see the chair rail line...

And here's how we are living right now.

Wow.

Really tired of that.  The kids love it, though.

:)

Dreaming of the first meal in this new room...Can't wait!

Style Study

I have a very traditional home.  I think.  I have a very traditional style.  I think.  I choose traditional furniture.  I think...

Do you see a trend here?

I'm not exactly sure what style is, per se.  So I have an idea!  I'd like to do a series on the study of style.  Traditional, modern, contemporary, California Cottage Chic...ya know, the normal stuff...

Once I have a grip on this style thing, I'm gonna fling it all out the window and go with what I like. 

Pottery Barn

Now I know what you're thinking:

Seriously.  There are books for this kind of thing.

Wouldn't that just be too easy?  To the easy and obvious, I say "Pshhh!"  Hang on, let me wipe the keyboard...I think I'd retain the info better if I do the research.  I have mentioned that I'm a nerd, right?  Information absorber?  Reader of all the signs at the museums and parks?  Much to my family's dismay...  how many times to I hear,  "Mom, come on..."  I know.  I call it my "knowledge."  Yo.  It's how I roll.

So!  Knowledge, here I come!  Want to join me?

the evolution of my camera

I have always loved taking pictures.  I remember my very first camera as a girl.  It was my mum's cast off Vivitar film camera.  I loved how it loaded the film with the bar bell looking case.  And I loved advancing the film to the next exposure. 

It looked a lot like this one! I took that thing on all our trips.  It was super special to have my own camera!  I can still hear what the flash sounded like when it was revving up while I waited for the orange light...

Then there was the "fancy film camera" that my older sister and I were allowed to only look at.  I don't remember Daddy ever using it, really.  But it had the manual focus lens.  I thought that was so cool.  Especially when my pictures sometimes came out blurry.  I always thought about that camera when I got a bad picture back.

Alas, my sister got that camera.  She got interested in photography and got really good!  It led to a job for her for a while and I forgot all about the fancy camera.  It was always in the back of my mind, though.

A number of cameras later, I've always liked taking pictures.  (Storing or displaying them is a whole other post...) I won a cool book at a mommy meeting once on taking better pictures.  That was a great win!  I learned a lot about what I was doing right and what would look even better.

My appreciation for beautiful pictures fueled my enjoyment of the blog world.  I love to look at other people's pictures!  There are some seriously talented folks out there, too.  And just a click away?  Get out! 

I am a stay at home mom.  So any splurges on "gadgets" (as my husband calls them) have to be planned out and saved for.  I've been drooling over smart phones for EVER.  But adding to our budget monthly just isn't smart.  So I'd been hording my moolah a little each month since my birthday in July.  When we agreed that the smart phone wasn't, well, smart (har har), I kept saving with my sights set on a camera.

New?  Used?  New?  Used?  Decisions!  (I think that one came down to patience).  Brands.  Way-out-of-my-league models.  Opinions!  Fortunately, (nerd alert) I LOVE research.  Maybe just another reason to click away on the computer after the kiddos are in bed...I digress...

WELL.  March was my month!  Yippeeeeeeeee!  The camera of my dreams was delivered by my lovely postmistress.  (She thought I was nuts when I opened the door squealing at her).  The kids were jumping up and down with me-having no idea why!  I may have heard some singing as I unpacked my brand new (to me) Nikon d40!!!

I'm still so excited I can't stand it.  I actually have a fancy camera like the one I drooled over as a kid!  I'm taking pictures of everything in sight.  I sleep with my manual.  It's a dry read.  And I don't know what most of it means.  But I have reenrolled myself in the 31 day series (remember?  The one I loved so much back in October on some amazing bloggers' sites?) on Life With My 3 Boybarians all about taking better pictures.  I tried to hang with her in October, but I knew my little point and shoot that never held a charge on the rechargeable batteries I fed it wasn't exactly what she was focused on.  I'm in the game now!  Darcy-thank you.  I'm learning so much!

What are you learning that's new and exciting to you?

True Confessions

It's true.  I've been a lurker. 

*Hangs head in shame*

I began my blog reading last fall.  Saw an article in a magazine about organizing and a blog to go with.  I'd never read blogs, so I thought I'd check her page out.  (That dear writer has since taken some time off-hence no link).  Maybe I'd get some new tips!  Oh my.  Did I ever!  One thing lead to another and I began a folder in my favorites for these blogs I found myself checking on a couple times a day.  Silly novice lurker!  There are RSS feeds for that!

I really loved the pictures that were included in everyone's blogs.  Artistic.  Different.  Inspiring. 

Oh my, then October hit.  And my favorite blogger extraordinaire The Nester introduced me to a 31 day series that opened my eyes to a host of other talented women!  I couldn't wait to log on each morning and check what each had to say.  Coffee time was filled with "reheat" sessions in October.

I've gone back and forth on starting my own blog.  What do I have to share?  Maybe nothing new, maybe nothing surprising.  But my excitement overfloweth!  (Careful you don't get something on ya).
I'm just learning so much from my favorite blogs.  So, here I go!  Dipping my toes in and taking some risks in this house that is mine.  Lent to us to be blessed by for a season.  Rejoicing in what God has given us! 

Thanks for reading!

Spring benchmark

Around these parts, there are a few things that scream "Spring!"  Pollen is, of course, at the top of the list.  So are the blooms that take my breath away.  (More of that coming later!)  And lastly, my husband delivered the precious third item that we just love.  LOVE.  Starburst jellybeans.

Have you tried them?

We have discovered that it's a new heaven if you combine flavors.  Like lemon and orange.  Yippee!  I've always been a "one flavor at a time" gal.  That's what kids will do to ya.  They stretch your boundaries.  And taste buds.  Going to grab a handful!

Divine

Under construction

Alrighty then.  I need to jump in and post something so I know what it will look like out there!  I have waaaay too many ideas for this blog!  House, wood working, photography, children, and all things in between.  Pretty sure I need to narrow it down so the site doesn't explode.

More to come!