The Yellow Dresser....

My hubby's momma gave me a dresser and a bed frame recently for our guest room so I busted out the sander and paint brush and got to work on the dresser first! Here is the before...

Oops, apparently I didn't take a before picture with all the drawers in but it does have all the drawers. Structurally it was in great shape but it just needed some TLC.

First, I sanded then filled the holes from the knobs...

Next came the priming...oh and a little tip, spray paint primer is awesome! It it so quick to apply and it drys really fast too...I think I am in love!

Then came the pretty paint...I used Marigold by Glidden

And finally the knobs...they may or may not be little birds...precious!

One more time...before

And after...

Exterior Updates!

This is what the outside of our house looked like when we moved in...

I loved our home but there were a few things about the outside that drove me nuts...

The blue/gray shutters and door just looked dreary to me and the light fixtures were a strange rusty color. I am not sure if they were originally that color or if they had become rusted over the years but either way, they were looking pretty sad. And then there was the landscaping...oh man, it was a mess! It was really overgrown and out of control. 

Up close and personal with the light before...in case you didn't believe me!

The fence also needed some help! It had never been stained so next to the neighbors fence, it just looked unfinished. Here is the before (you guessed it, our fence is on the right)...

So when the weather finally cooperated, I of course called in reinforcement and so began the transformation of the front of our house! It is oh so pretty now...just wait and you will see!

First, the hubs and I took down the shutters and painted them and the front door a crisp black. While the shutters were drying, my handy hubs took the light fixtures down and I spray painted them black to match (yep...spray paint..it took all of about 10 minutes). I was instantly impressed with the lights. They look like they were from Pottery Barn but nope, just a $5 can of spray paint! I think it made it look pretty classy...

I loved the progress so I began on the fence next. First, I powerwashed the whole thing...talk about a gross job. There was 10 years worth of dirt, moss, and bird poop off the fence when I was done but I was covered in it. I let the fence dry for several days then I got to staining. I asked the neighbor what color they used so I could match it...in case you are wondering, it is Behr Natural Cedar.

The neighbors fence is on the left and our freshly stained fence is on the right. 

Next came the landscaping. The old shrubs were removed and the new planted all in one day thanks to my awesome family (especially my dad who planned it all out!).

 

 

The last shot of the shrubs before.

My brother and dad tilling.

And finally...

And just so you don't have to scroll to the top, here is the before and after again...

The Craft Room!

The only room in our house that was not beige or white when we moved in was a spare bedroom. It had a french themed wall paper (my mother-in-law actually has the same wall paper in her dining room!) that we both agreed needed to come down. Here is a reminder of what the room looked like before...

This room became a very important room...the craft room! I have lots of craft supplies and it has always been tucked away in closets. It was always frustrating to have to drag it all out and put it all away so I knew that a craft room was a must! I called in some reinforcement (I really do have the best family!) to take down all the wall paper and to paint the room. What color did I pick??? Well my favorite color of course...purple!

The work begins...

Taking down the wall paper was quite the process! It came off in tiny pieces instead of in nice large chunks. But my sweet family was so patient. It took us two days to get all the paper off and get the room painted.

The finishing touches!

Once the hard work was done, the decorating began! 

Here is the craft room now...

I love it! The total cost of the room was around $120! 

Don't believe me...well let me break it down...

• Paint (from Westlake)...$15
• Table (it came from Kat&Co. in St. Joe)...$25
• Bookshelves (they came from Target)...$20 each
• Curtains (the fabric was  from Hobby Lobby and the rod from TJ Maxx)...$22
• The "Create" decal (I found cute ones on Etsy but was too cheap so I bought a roll of white      contact paper and cut it out by hand)...$3
• The picture frame on the right side (the frame was $2 at the DAV, the paint was $1 from Hobby lobby and the wire from Westlake for $10)...$13

Everything else was free...the black table I found in the attic at my parent's house, the chair is my computer chair from college, and the magnet board on the left is also from the college days.

Did I mention that I love it! Oh happy crafting...

Our Home

The hubs and I bought our first home in October 2010. We lived in a 700 square foot apartment in the Jazz District for two years and were ready for more space and a yard! We looked at about 15 homes before finding the perfect place for us. It was the last place that we looked at and we were sold. We knew there would be some decorating to be done but the house had all new carpet, came with all the appliances (a bonus for us since we didn't even own a washer and dryer), had neutral wall colors, and was close to the highway (another bonus since both of us commute to downtown for our jobs). It felt so clean and cozy and we knew it would be the perfect first place for us!

Front Room

Dining Room

Family Room

Family Room

Guest Room #1

Guest Room #2

Craft Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Guest Bathroom

So pretty quickly after we moved in, the decorating began...with the craft room of course!

When I was a little girl, I loved to go stay at my grandparents. My grandpa always called me Sookie Jane, I have no idea why, but he always did. We would spend the days working on the farm and the evenings cooking, sewing, or creating something unique. My grandma was a wiz on the sewing machine (she used to make my sisters and I matching Easter dresses each year) and could cook up a storm. She made all of our birthday cakes and even made my wedding cake! She and my grandpa used to put out not one but three gardens each spring and canned all the extra produce so the family would have homegrown veggies all year long. My grandma is simply amazing and I can always hear her in the back of my mind saying, "well we can make that!" So I dedicate this blog to my grandma who inspired me to figure out how to make it on my own! This is my journey to make our house a home!

My 6th Birthday with one of grandma's cakes!