Ready for Football Season

I picked up a new flag just in time for our first game this weekend.  Hook 'Em!

Putting in a Pool

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Last Sunday I headed out to run errands around 9:30am.  It was already 123 degrees outside, I swear.  I stopped by Home Depot on a mission to find some Horsetail Bamboo.  After completely walking the entire outdoor plant section twice, I had no Horsetail but I did have a nice puddle of sweat coming through my t-shirt.  Onward to Target!

I was relying on the Big Box A/C system to cool me down but by now it was almost 145 degrees outside and Target was just no match.  I began getting the items on my list.  Restocking Diet Coke, frozen meals for work lunch, dogs treats, the norm.  Then I saw the summer swim floaty games aisle, or whatever it was called.  I thought, I wonder how much an inflated kiddie pool is?  They had a nice rectangular one that looked just big enough for me to lay in about 8" of water while sunning.  It was $29.99 but I was seriously considering it.  That is, until I saw the glint off a red clearance tag.  It was on a box for the Intex Easy Set 10' pool.  And it was marked down to $39.99.

Yep, into my cart it went.  I honestly didn't even read what it was.  I just saw the happy family on the box and was sold.  Y'all, turns out I basically bought an above ground pool.  It has a filter and pump and the full nine yards.  I took it home and immediately began setting it up because I needed water ASAP.

Within about 20 minutes I had the top ring inflated and was sitting in about an inch of the coolest water ever!  Over the next couple hours it would continue to fill and I would begin floating around in my chair float that I also bought at Target.

Now in my haste, I just slapped the thing down and started filling.  I hadn't mowed in over a week so didn't notice the ground wasn't level.  That would explain the random objects around the pool trying to keep it from tipping over.  Details.

I floated in that pool until the shade started setting over me.  I even lasted through a brief rain sprinkle.  I'm not sure why I didn't get one of these years ago!  After my Sunday Funday with my new above ground pool, I began draining it.  I bailed water into my watering can and used it on the flowers all week and then I eventually used it on the grass itself.  It's so awesome that you can hook a hose up to it and water!  Last night it was empty enough to move to the porch while I mowed.  I'm now going to set it up in a less urgent manner.  I've found a flatter area of the yard, laid a tarp and will begin refilling it on Friday.  I even ordered a cover for it!  Come Saturday I'll install the pump and filter that came with it and it should be good to go for the rest of the summer.  I even bought a little chlorine container that will float around in it.  Now when Pete tells me the weather is going to be 152 degrees, I will just laugh as I float in my new $40 pool.

More Ledge Art

Still haven't spent a dime on my living room picture ledge but I did dig around the house and come up with a few more frames.  I filled them up with some temporary printouts and magazine clippings to help me visualize.  I'll continue to tweak the ledge but at least it's better to look at now.

Living Room Picture Ledge

Way back in 2013, my living room was pretty put together.  I had my nice little 32" TV in a freshly painted armoire and some nice little Chicago Instagram pics framed down the wall.

I also had a lovely plant that I managed to kill in record time.  Fast forward to 2014, I upgraded to a 60" TV with a new IKEA console.  I love that I can actually read words on the screen now!

I also got a lovely Rubber Tree.  It has been dropping leaves lately so don't hold your breath on that lasting forever.  I loved the new set up but have been staring at that wall for 6 months now trying to figure out what to put on the wall.  This weekend I caught up on 6 episodes of Fixer Upper on HGTV and I guess I got inspired.  I went digging around in my garage for something to make.  I came up with the idea to make a picture ledge with a spare 8' 2x3 leftover from my closet remodel.  That and a little leftover white paint and some leftover hardware from my guest room headboard project had me on my way. 

As you can see, I did this project while watching Big Brother.  Go #TeamDonny!  Anyway, it was a pretty easy install.  The shelf is centered on the wall at 64".  I may need to move the TV a smidge because I don't think it's centered.  Sorry for the poor evening lighting.  My iPhone and the recessed canned lights in the house do not mix.

I don't know what art will go up there but I'm working on getting a few prints and a little more color and height variety.  I guess I should start watching more HGTV since it tends to be what motivates me to get things done these days.  I'm pretty hooked on Fixer Upper and last night I caught the first episode of Flip This Block.  I have a new free furniture piece arriving soon that will need a major overhaul so stay tuned for my next adventure.

Hand Me Down Headache?

Last weekend my mom gave me her stacking pots planter.  I'm not sure if this act was a gift or punishment because she didn't seem to like the planter.

Once I figured out the correct order to stack them in, I went and picked up some victims flowers at Calloway's.

I planted them as 483 mosquitoes swarmed my body attempting to deplete my blood supply but I prevailed and it turned out great!

I used nine completely different plants in hopes that surely they wouldn't ALL die. 

Now I just have to carefully water them all using a slow soak technique so that all the water doesn't drain out.  If and when I succeed, then I will thank my mom for this gift. 

The Tools Take Over

It's been three years since I installed this peg board in my garage and I finally decided I out grew it.

I bought two additional panels and a few more hooks.  The original one needed to come down so as to accommodate the two new ones.  And while I had it down, I figured "Why not spray paint it!"  Purple was not my first choice but I already had two cans so I just went with it. 

I played around with the layout in my living room, trying to make sure things were grouped in the most efficient way.  I also tried to paint shadows of the tools in contrasting pink but after 3, I gave up.  Painting on a pegboard with a tiny brush is not fun.

The finished install turned out perfect!  I even have room to grow!  With such a tiny garage, utilizing the wall space for storage helps me cram as much in as possible yet still have it be functional! 

Motivated by Company

It's amazing what the pressure of incoming company can motivate you to finish around your house.  This past weekend I had not one, but two visitors!  They were actually part of a number of visitors that came in town to celebrate one of our friends at a baby shower.  I've slowly been working on getting my guest room reorganized and painted but unfortunately that is still not done.  You'll have to stay tuned.  But I did get some minor electrical work done!

The ceiling fan light fixtures in my guest room and office were the same and they both got upgraded.  Here is what they looked like before.

With eight foot ceilings and a small square footage, there was no reason to have these lighting cans pointing in various directions.  They cast odd shadows around the room and really didn't do their job very well.  I swapped them both out with a single bulb simple dome light.

Obviously this is my office, but it's the exact same as the guest room.  This light works so much better although I'm still trying to find the perfect bulbs for each room.  I'm really having issues around the house coordinating the CFL bulbs...warm white v. bright white v. daylight.  Different rooms look better with different colors and it's been a bit of trial and error with whatever I've had on hand.

Because I was having two guests at the house, I converted the office into a guest bedroom for the weekend thanks to my new air mattress.

I bought it off Amazon for $45.  It's awesome!  It takes about 2 minutes to inflate itself after you plug it in.  Just set it and forget it!  I wasn't really paying attention when pulling out linens or it may have matched a little better.  That's a combo of a couple different bedding sets.

I love that it inflates to the size of a normal queen bed and I don't have to ask guests to sleep a mere 6 inches off the ground.  It was a great buy.  It also folds back into a bag for easy storage.  I also got the blackout shades installed in the guest room similar to the ones in my office.  More on that later.  After I finished those little tweaks to the rooms, I set out some fresh flowers and enjoyed a fabulous weekend with my friends.

Big XII Battle

My neighbors to the right have had a yard flag out since I moved in.  Most notably during football season when they hang their OU flag.  This past year I got new neighbors on the other side and they now have been displaying a Baylor flag.  Well, that was all it took for me to decide I needed to represent UT out in the front yard.  While I was at Gardenridge grabbing my new chaise cushion, I found the yard stake for $10.  They didn't have college flags but I did grad a basic "S"...

And then I also got an American flag for holidays.  It flew out front this past Memorial Day weekend.

I now have 93 days to locate a Longhorn flag so that I'll be ready for our first game.  I'll show those Sooners and Bears!

Gardening Continues

I really thought I was done buying plants for the backyard after I got all of this done.

 

Yes, there was a lot of blank space but I was counting on several of the items to grow.  But then I saw Whitney's shade garden this weekend and experienced some envy.  I should have taken a picture but just trust me, it looked magazine worthy.  So off to Home Depot I went.

Biscuit was stalking squirrels as I was trying to take these pictures.  I basically added 3 more hosta, 1 addition coralbell and 2 "Tropicanna" Cannas.  The cannas should grow to about 4 feet, provided I don't kill them.  My goal it to hide the ugly gas meter with leafy plants.  I think I may also paint it brown so it blends in more. Most of the things I've planted have the potential to triple in size so fingers crossed!

My wonderful plant out front spouted a baby this season.  Since that plant already gets so huge in the summer, I dug up the offshoot and moved it to the back.

You can see it lying in the dirt in the upper right corner.  I'm hoping it perks up soon.

This thin fuzzy plant is the beginning of my asparagus endeavors.  I've had a few of these shoots sprout up somewhat overnight.  It should be interesting to see how they produce.  Other than that, I'm starting to see blooms on my squash and pepper plants and tomatoes are coming in strong.

I have high hopes for the back yard this year.  It helps that the roses are now so well established and low maintenance.  I'll have some updates on the front yard later this week.

 

Target Continues to Get Me

A few weeks ago I was walking through Target and let out an audible gasp.  I found that they were now carrying paint and removable wallpaper. This picture is sideways but you get the idea.

 

 

 

I had no idea where I needed wallpaper in my house, but I knew I needed it.  I bought one roll of the turquoise Moroccan print and a small paint sampler.  The roll was 20" wide and 16.5' long so I was pretty limited in what I could do with one roll.  I literally walked around my house holding it up to things until I got to my guest room and stopped.

 

 It looked awesome with the bedspread.  I didn't have enough to do a whole wall so I started brainstorming.  I considered doing just the bottom half on the wall and have it act as a sort of headboard.  Then I remembered the scrap of wood in my garage from when I converted the metal trash bin holder into a table.

 It was perfect!  I wanted to paint the edges and went ahead and gave the whole thing a coat of paint thinking that would help the paper stick.  It was so easy to stick on and create an insta-headboard.

 I've been having fun with my scraps too.  I lined the drawers in the guest room.

 I backed the shelves in my closet.  It made me want to wallpaper the whole closet.



 

I also have a test piece hanging in the kitchen.  If I found a cute pattern, it'd be an easy way to cover up my backsplash until the Magic Genie of Home Renovation delivers my Kitchen Remodel Fund*. 

This paper really has so many possibilities.  It's $30 a roll so it would add up quick for a large project but it doesn't take much to make a big impact in a room.  I really have no frame of reference as far as what regular wallpaper costs but considering this stuff is already stick and can be removed without causing damage to surfaces, I really can't see myself going that route.

*No such Genie exists.  Sigh.

Cushion Down!

Most of the winter I've been noticing white fluffy polyfil littered around the back yard.  I kept assuming Biscuit was taking the guts out of her toys and either bringing them outside or "eliminating" them in the yard.  That is, until I noticed this:

It seems squirrels and/or birds have been picking stuffing out from my chaise cushion and using it for nests.  Do squirrels have nests?  Maybe it's just birds but I like to blame squirrels for things.  Luckily I wasn't too attached to this cushion.  I snapped it up on clearance at the end of a season and never really liked the colors.  I couldn't find any affordable cute cushions at Home Depot or Lowe's so this weekend I headed out to Gardenridge.  I swear their cushion selection and pricing can't be beat.  I picked up this cheerful cushion on sale for $23! 

 

It looks so much better than its predecessor.  And if I kill of my real flowers, at least I will have some blooms in the back yard.  I guess I should thank the squirrels, as much as that pains me.