Pantry improvement!

Ok, remember this closet I rid of it's wallpaper? It was the large closet near the laundry room. When I looked at this house while it was for sale, all they had in this huge space was an ironing board and a couple of boxes....OH, we can do better than that! BEHOLD! The Pantry/ Coat closet!
Dad and Steve built the shelves, tore out the bi-fold doors and widened the opening making room for new white (6-panel) by-pass doors. Much better! That way the bi-fold doors won't take up hallway space or opening space anymore! Hazzah! I tell you! Hazzah! Steve told me yesterday that organizing closets was probably my favorite thing to do.....I'm pretty sure he's right (he usually is about me) There's just nothing more satisfying than starting with a blank area and dreaming where the maple syrup, noodles and pretzels should live! (answer: top shelf with baking goods, third shelf left corner with rice and beans, and fourth shelf with chips and popcorn) I could go on and on...and I did the other night when I decided (against practical judgement) to go ahead and transfer all our food goods into their new home! That's right new "home", because I like to believe that our food goods were trapped in a disorderly deep wilderness of a cubby and are now set free to be the displayed food goods they were meant to be! (No more buying a bag of sugar when we didn't see the other 2 in the back!)

Also, the pocket door is painted and hung in place! I went with a chartreuse green instead of the orange. Dad told us this solid wood door would be heavy and he's right, but I think when we finish putting a door frame and trim (and of course sheetrock), that it will be a good sound barrier from the laundry. Meanwhile, I'll just be getting a nice little upper arm workout (...I would only workout for design! You should know this people!)

...can you tell how excited I am? :)

I love St. Valentine's Day

My mom, sister and grandma made pink and red paper hearts the other day when they were over! Aren't they cute with the birdies?! I love having "activity crafts". They did a great job too! Thanks ladies!!! (Good thing valentine decor looks good with Christmas decor...oh come on! I can't be the ONLY person who is still enjoying a great Christmas tree?!....am I?)

So, to carry on our tradition, Steve and I made each other Valentine cards after our dinner out on the town (PF Changs this year). I got him the candy and he let me pick out flowers....couldn't pass up the tulips that I'll enjoy every year: yellow and pink!

I've been working on a painting for a friend, so when it's finished I'll be posting it! Hope your Valentine's Day was lovely!

The fourth side

Ok, I couldn't help myself...
Since I had time I decided the fourth side was lonely and needed to be cheered up! And what better way than two birdies?!

First Felt Playhouse!

Ta Da! Je suis fini!

It has a welcoming front entry with porch light, a mail box pocket and cottage front door complete with pleated curtains! (for privacy you know...)

This property includes a darling window with a fantastic view, maintenance free shutters, and flower box pockets (the tulips are on clothes pins).

On the west side is a mature 'interactive' apple tree with a pouch to hold the velcro leaves (when they fall in Autumn of course).

So this project was a vast undertaking and I am proud that I was actually able to finish it, but all the credit goes to the inspiration here, where she sells them (custom to your table size) on etsy... and I must advise you to seriously consider purchasing one before making it yourself (if the latter, make sure you have plenty of muscle relaxer and aches and pains meds! Ha!) I had a lot of fun though, and it was well worth it! Can't wait to see my little friend Gigi (the birthday girl) play in it! (Also, hoping it holds up to 2yr. olds! :)

*Never needs mowing with this lovely green trim!

You should've seen me getting this bulky wad of layered felt into submission so I could sew the sides together! (Kelso, you would've been proud of me!!!)

Let there be...

....LIGHT! I've had this idea in my head of a huge drum shade that fits snug against our 8' ceiling for the Studio. Have you priced these online?! Sheesh! Found a shade on sale (two feet across! This is Huge people!) at our local Cynthia East Fabrics store; the patterned and solid white fabrics are from Hancocks; and I followed a d.i.y. blog here to attach the shade to an ugly 'boobie' light fixture! Voila! finished in one morning! (well, Steve did the fixture and electric work the night before!)

Luckily the shade was the self adhesive kind so the application was a cinch! I plan on finishing the bottom edge with white trim (bias tape probably). WE LOVE IT! No more ducking underneath the dining chandellier!! Yeah!

I have to brag

I have to brag on Steve for doing alllll the re-wiring in our remodeling project! And there is a LOT of re-wiring to be done (my fault mostly; when I want a doorway moved a few inches over, so go the wall switches...and now the light fixtures aren't centered in the room; when an entire wall gets taken out it makes more sense for the switch to be closer over here than there...you get the point!) Thanks to 'lieutenant commander awesome!'

(see the blue painters tape in the hallway? we don't)

Just FELT like it...

Can you guess what I'm making?!?! It's for a darling 2 yr. old...who likes to play...and this week has a birthday!! (sorry about the rhyme, I have felt fuzz on the brain) Can't wait to show you the finished shots! I'm nervous about it all coming together as well as it has so far...wish me luck!