Remember the coat rack debacle? Well, it is still not resolved…but I have at least begun to make a few small changes, just moving things around that I already own. Want to have a peek?
Sorry the photo quality is so awful and grainy, I’ll try harder next time! The bench is from my dining table set, but we don’t really need it at the table (we have extra chairs) so I moved it over here. Now we actually have a place to sit and put on shoes, etc., hurray! Beside the bench is a little white filing cabinet I had tucked beside my desk, and even with a stack of my favorite home and garden books on top there is still a bit of room to set keys or a small purse.
So what is not shown in this picture? Oh, just a pile of coats and bags from the dangerously tippy coat rack…and all of those shoes. So yes, the problem is still not completely solved, but I thought I’d give myself a wee pat on the back for at least doing something! Next up: I am on the hunt for wall hooks or a shaker-style peg rack, shoe basket, and perhaps a mirror, stay tuned ;)
(lousy image: Laura Gaskill)
This morning I reached my maximum frustration tolerance: while I was desperately wrestling computer cords away from my cat to prevent the monitor from toppling over, I turned to see Bixby attempting to haul the (very tall and heavy) coat rack down on top of himself. I had already barricaded it with baskets borrowed from his room, see?
But did that deter him in any way? Why, of course not! This is Godzilla baby, after all! He simply flung the baskets aside and made a beeline for the forbidden coat tree. Oh, and see the ugly mess of shoes to the right? Yeah, he likes to eat those. On the upside, I’ve been wanting to change up this sadly neglected corner of my home for a long, long time and now I have a really good reason to tackle it.
Like, today.
And p.s., I will be operating on virtually no budget. Wish me luck!
Hi there sweet friends! How is your week going? Mine is going splendidly as Benny had yesterday off due to snow and we got to hang out at home together as a family which is always nice in the middle of the week! You know, I got to thinking as I was looking around my home yesterday – a lot has happened in this house in 2010! I think now might be a good time to recap some of the biggest projects we tackled over this past year. Let’s review the before-and-afters I shared on Lolalina in 2010…
In the bedroom, we started with this lime green catastrophe:
We painted it a calming lavender and added a fancy new quilt, plus I finally found the just right bedside tables to fit the small space:
We took this junky office/spare room:
And turned it into a peaceful nursery:
And I painted our little vintage cupboard:
Which is now a cute changing table:
Our kitchen was already in pretty good shape:
But we swapped out the bright tomato-red for a more sophisticated gray:
We transformed our dungeon-like red basement:
Into spacious guest quarters and movie watching area:
We ripped out the old nasty screens and mildewy rug on our porch:
And put in fresh flowers and a little seating area:
And finally, I went from being a pregnant lady…
…to holding this bundle of sweetness:
I still feel there is so much to do, but it is nice to sit back every once in a while and simply appreciate how far we have come.
(all images: Laura Gaskill)
Come in, come in! :) I thought I would share a few pictures of my home as I get ready for the holidays – so help yourself to a hot cup of tea or apple cider, grab a cookie warm from the oven, and have a look around around. Above you can see a brand-new print by Irene Suchocki, which I spied recently on Melissa Loves and just needed to buy immediately – thanks, Melis! Also you see our tea things, including little plates that were my Grandma’s, and a black & white photograph of Ben’s Grandpa, who was a pediatrician.
We can light a fire later, but for now why don’t we warm ourselves by the twinkle lights? Hee hee :) On the mantle is not a formal arrangement, just a few things that make me smile including a painting by Jenny’s Bake Shop, a photograph by Ez, a jar full of candy canes, and a few candle holders.
Near the front door you will see this mini-clothesline I strung up to display Christmas cards and little bits of art, plus a tiny wreath I made with an embroidery hoop, based on the DIY in Gifted Magazine.
Our dining table is bare except for a pitcher of bright red winter berry branches…
…and our tree is small, but has a nice shape I think!
Well, that is all for now!! Bixby and I are off to make a pot of vegetable soup (for me) and some applesauce (for him!), so I will see you tomorrow. Thanks for coming over! xo Laura
(all images: Laura Gaskill)
Hello there friends! How is your week going so far? I apologize for not getting to post yesterday, it was my very LAST web design class meeting and I was working like crazy to finish my final project and then present it. Thankfully it went really well, I got some really nice comments from the instructor and fellow students, grin, grin :) So all of that hard work paid off and I left the last class feeling really, really good! Also over the weekend I finally got to a few little decorating projects I had been meaning to do for ages, including this:
Bixby fell asleep on our bed and I couldn’t help snapping a photo of him, he looks so sweet in front of the big heart, doesn’t he? I used those little tiny stick-on hooks to outline the basic shape (I did this quickly, but you could easily take a bit more time & make it a bit neater) and then simply strung up the fairy lights. Easy as pie, and you could make any shape you like – I also considered making a tree silhouette, for instance. I like how the strand hangs down at the bottom because it reminds me of a big heart balloon :) It is nice to have something so twinkly and cheerful in the bedroom.
I also rearranged the furniture in my living room and workspace, got started on an art wall in the living room, and hung the photos pictured above in our bedroom…unfortunately my camera battery just died, but I will take more pictures of the rest tomorrow!
(images: Laura Gaskill)
Interested? 
