Wake Up Call

I was going to talk about the weekend projects at my daughter's house this past weekend....and I still will (some)....but seeing these pictures was a big WAKE UP CALL!!!! 
So when I'm not doing projects around my house....I in some ways help her with her house...sometimes it's advising or throw ideas around, some times it's buying stuff for the house and then sometimes like this weekend it's physically helping with a project or 2.  Bill worked some overtime...so I didn't really want to be around my house much while he was sleeping and my crazy mother-in-law wonders arounds...being crazy.  She doesn't roll out of bed until about noon...so the timeline for these kinds of days is to do things around my house until noon....then spend most of the afternoon at Tiff's...getting back home in time to fix dinner for Bill be he goes to work.



Without the extra frame




with the frame

 So Tiffany got some ideas off Pinterest for a home organizational center....she been collecting items....had to do some painting to get the right colors....but here are two options of the work in progress.  You decide and give Tiffany your opinion. 











Now for the other project we started....and the subject of the title of this blog:  We starting do some planting in the front of her house; we only got about half done because we had to stop and treat for ants....they are bad his year....and we ran out of flowers.  But this grandma had the best little helpers ever: Rocco and Taegan had so much fun...and as it turned out it was Earth day...so what a perfect activity.  Tiffany took pictures...she is awesome about documenting everthing with the boys...but this is where my WAKE UP CALL came in...I knew I had gained some of my weight back...I've seen the number on the scale....I know my clothes are tight...but it's always that moment of seeing the picture that slaps you in the face.

That's it...I can't look like that!..... Today is Tuesday...so I can't really change what is going on grocery wise for this week....but come Sunday ...I'm back on plan with a vengence!
But on a positive note....I love my crew....even if they pull out flowers I just planted!

Spring is in the Air

and nesting instincts are in full swing!....OK...last blog one of the home improvement projects I shared was the mantel and built in that Bill refinished....so of course that prompted needing to redo the entire space. We got a new painting for over the mantel....which I believe I shared already....and now for pictures of the new furniture.

That is from three different views....I still need a new coffee table....found the one I want at Sam's....Found the perfect lamps at Home Goods .....I'm still on the look out for end tables.

Now for Easter, of course most of my pictures are after pictures....but these cute little "favors" and my cake were both ideas from pinterest.  We also had the typical Ham dinner; the Cervantes gang came over and we got to enjoy a little egg hunt and Easter baskets with the boys....of course I didn't get any good pictures...but Tiffany did, so you will just have to wait for her Blog update for that.

I did manage to get some flowers planted in the front this weekend; only on the left side through...I ran out of flowers and it started raining.  The first year I had these areas to plant....I did multi color...an explosion of color is what I had in mind....then last year I tried all red and that didn't look nearly as good.  By looking at the left side you can see my before.  Usually Bill prepares the dirt for me and all I have to do is waltz in and plant...but for some reason this year I was on my own....I have my suspicions as to why, which I will share when I get to my veggie garden.

Below are my herbs, the biggest plant is an herloom tomato, also there is a big pot with a lone jalepeno....I'm also going to plant some eggplant in that pot.

This (pictured below) is the outdoor kitchen counter Bill finished.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

And last but not least...my veggie garden....my potatoes are doing awesome...but the veggie garden, not so much.  Everything around the perimeter is growing, but everything in the center dies; my suspicion is that when he was preparing the dirt....he got carried away with the round up....of course he denies this, but that is really the only explanation.

Long time no Blog?!?!

Why no Blog?...Well a couple of reasons, I guess...with the first of those being that I was just really discouraged with my garden.  The last time I posted, I was super excited about everything that I planted.  Well, most of it died...my husband thinks it was too early....I think it was MIL's stupid dog.  Another reason I didn't blog for a while was because my nose was buried in books...I read the Hunger Games series....I wanted to get the books read before the movie came out....I could not put the books down....great story.....and now we saw the movie last night...the movie was excellent....but not nearly as excellent as the books...as usual they have to leave things out and and change things to keep it at a reasonable time....but it is always interesting to see how another person visualizes things.
Since then I did a bunch of replanting both indoors and out....and things doing much better than they were earlier in the month, and I'm really excited about the potatoes in the barrel finally sprouting.

potato barrel and garden...you can see some green now

tomato plants

mostly herbs in the pots

another view of the potatoes and garden

Notice the little fence?....I hope this keeps the dog out.  I added dirt to the potatoes, you can see some of the lettuce that's doing pretty good....I planted peas directly in the ground and those are coming up....also have garlic and onion looking pretty good....maybe the broccoli will make it this time as well as beets and carrots....all of which got transplanted today.  I need to keep Bill away from the miracle grow,....I've been showing him articles that explain why over fertilizing is bad....I'm pretty sure that is why we didn't have peaches or very many tomatoes last year....keep your fingers crossed on this one :-)

Now, remember the the built in and mantel that Bill was re-doing...it's done and he did a fabulous job...we also got a new painting for over the fireplace....which made the living room furniture look even more hideous.  Bill was not down with the slip covers...after he thought about it for a bit...so over spring break, one of our adventures was to find a new sofa, love seat and chair....but it's going to be a few more weeks until that is delivered.  But while we are waiting for the furniture...just look at how awesome the built in, mantel and new picture look...here is a before and a now.

Before

Now

Bill has also started re-doing a portion of the outdoor kitchen....the prior owners.didn't do something right and the tile starting coming up....Bill started looking at the inside and the framing wood was all rotten...so here is a picture of the work in progress.

It's not grouted yet....but I know it's going to be fabulous when it's done.

ME....let's see...I need to get busy with some of my creative projects....

The closet is done...mostly



before




after



















The closet is mostly done, I probably need do do 2 more boxes ....I found one when I was doing a little bit of organizing in my closet. So, I need one more and I ran out of modge podge.  But I have to say, I'm really pleased with the results.

My last blog post was the directions on covering shoe boxes with wrapping paper if you are inspired to try this at home.

Source: kimquilts55.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Time to move on to my next project.  I'm not really sure what that should be...keeping my closet and clothes organized seems to be an ongoing project....so I'll just work on that as I go.  I did try an idea from pinterest for my t-shirt drawer...I don't think I saved any space...but the fact that you can see them all is a good thing.

Source: simpleorganizedliving.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

 
This blog also has other great ideas for closets....I need to re-read for more ideas.
My craft/sewing room is also a disaster...really too much to take on at once...so I try to do just one little organizing project in there every weekend in the hopes that by the end of the year I will be good.  I cleaned and and organized the party supplies and and gift bags this past weekend....and looked around trying to decide what to tackle next...I decided finishing a few half finished sewing projects would be good.  Below you can see what kind of mess I'm dealing with...really it's a miracle I get anything done in here!

Last but not least....the garden plans have started,  I found this site where you create a login, it's free.  You put in your zipcode and select the vegetables you would like to grow and it tells you when to start indoors and plant outside. 

Source: sproutrobot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

We went to the garden store and bought some seeds so this week I'm starting my spring veggies indoors.  Last year our garden didn't do that good....it was just too dang hot.  I'm hoping for a better year this year with better timing.

Another idea I got from pinterest was to grow potatoes in a barrel...so we also got a big wiskey barrel (half barrel really) plus some peat moss and potatoes....I'm excited about this project.

Source: motherearthnews.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

That's all for now.  Need to get to work so I can pay for all my projects.