This Project Is Brought to You By The Letter N

1) Supplies:

Monogram 'N' that I had atop our chalkboard in our school room - fell down occasionally and really didn't have a great purpose in the room.

Leftover chevron shelving paper from kids room closet project

Old frame that I was planning on sending to Goodwill

Scissors

2) Decided to spray paint the 'N' yellow (leftover paint from our play room wall scone project)

3) Finished project - I think it's going to go in the kids room but not 100% sure

I kinda like it though!

All of the items I had on hand so this project's cost to me: FREE 

:)

Got the idea from Pinterest, of course!

Happy New Room's Eve!

It's been 4 1/2 years since we moved into our home.

It's been 4 1/2 years since the kids have had a "nice" room.

Truth be told, I just could never get my thoughts together when it came to decorating their room.

Noah was born the first year we lived here and he spent the first 2 years of his life sleeping in our room. First in a bassinet, then onto a pack 'n play and finally into a crib.

I guess it didn't seem worth it to do up a room when the 3rd member of the family wasn't IN the room yet.

I really don't know what my reasoning was.

Maybe it was just laziness. Who knows.

I'm super embarrassed at the "before" that was their room(s) (at times, I cannot believe that I actually had the nerve to post the pics on facebook!).

We never even put a fresh coat of paint over the UGLY that the previous owners of the house put up (worst taste EVER!).

Being that I didn't care about the room(s) because they weren't the way that I wanted them, I "let" them get trashed even further. I just didn't see the point, I guess, in keeping not nice...nice.

Honestly, when I don't like something but don't have a solution to make it better, I tend to "close the door on it" rather than face it in all of it's hideousness. Truth.


This is not an excuse. This is an explanation. One that I can finally admit to myself and make peace with...

...because...

...the fact is that all of the "ugly" is finally coming to an end.

Phew! 

♪♫ I can see clearly now the rain is gone...♪♫

I literally can almost see/feel a depressive fog lifting. 

What WAS this...

Turned to this...

(ignore those black specks on the wall - they on the camera lens, not the actual wall)

I've been spending the last few months planning planning and more planning...

Ideas and dreams have been written in notebooks, added to "notes" in my phone, googled, facebooked, blogged and pinned.

Shopping carts have been filled with goodies...

Bank accounts have dwindled... ;)

But this weekend...all of my months of hard work and preparation are finally coming to fruition.

The furniture is being delivered...the room is being set up...the wall decor will be hung...big boy and girl beds will be made (comfiest EVER)...the lights will be lit...and then comes...

The Big REVEAL.

My husband and I have managed to keep the kids out of their room completely since we've started the remodel.

Our goal is to reveal their room makeover to them in one shot.

We plan to have the video camera rolling...pictures will be taken...memories will be made.

I can't tell you how excited we all are.

And EXHAUSTED.

Part of me wants to scream. Part of me wants to laugh. Part of me wants to cry.

So much of me has gone into this project...and I've had so much wonderful support from my family and friends who've allowed me to run ideas by them...thanks for listening to me "dream out loud" guys! XO

I have a feeling that once the beds are in place tomorrow, I'm gonna feel a gravitational pull towards them so that I can throw myself onto one and sleep for about a week straight.

For as much as I am gearing up for tomorrow and being able to see it all come together, I'm also just REALLY excited about reclaiming my house and having it all DONE.

Anyway...alllllll this to say...YAY...HAPPY NEW ROOM'S EVE!!!!

And now I'm off again...so much to do!

Wish us luck tomorrow and I'll be posting the BIG REVEAL hopefully SOON! (as long as I don't fall into a catatonic state of exhaustion)

XO

Research for a Furniture Remod

 

Source: bit.ly via elva on Pinterest

Of course, I can never leave well enough alone. 

As if there isn't enough to do with our kiddos room remodel, I've got to throw in a furniture re-mod as well.

Oh joy.

My husband and I currently use a beautiful Ikea clothing armoire to store our clothes. It's a pine color with great glass doors. I've had it since my single days and it's held up unbelievably well....

But all good things must come to an end...

It's time to once again return her to her some-time owners, the smallest members of our family (it's been passed around a bit, if you can't tell).

When you own a smaller home, space saving is key. Since our 3 kiddos will be sharing a room and their beds will take up a good portion of the space, dressers were not an option.

Our beloved armoire is just what this interior designer wannabe ordered.

BUT...of course...I couldn't possibly leave it it's original color, could I?

Oh, heck no.

So, I'm thinking a soft yellow...to go along with our gray/white/yellow with black and white accent "theme".

And I found some really good step by step instructions to do the job.

http://www.thepurplepea.net/2009/05/how-to-make-repainting-your-ikea.html

So...what do ya think?

Have you guys ever refinished a piece of Ikea furniture? How did you do it?

I'm a little nervous about it and might be possibly kinda sorta procrastinating quite a bit on getting it started...not gonna lie...

If you have any good tips, I'd love for you to share them with me...since I know nothing, anything helps!

What Do Ray-Bans, Watermelon, Paint and My Salvation All Have In Common, You Ask?

They were FREE! 

 

One evening in Ocean City, New Jersey while my mom and son, Nicolas, were walking on the beach with the metal detector, they came across a pair of sunglasses. Covered in sand and sea scum, they looked like something worth throwing away, so into the bucket they went with the intention of disposing them once back at the house. Well, for whatever reason, once they returned home, they decided to rinse them off to see what was what. Girls, they just so happen to be the very nice pair of $200-ish Ray-Ban vintage lens aviators that now happily reside on my face whenever the sun is shining bright. They are the BEST sunglasses I've ever owned - no squinting! Yay! :) It just goes to show you that we should always look a little deeper. Sometimes what first may appear like garbage could really be treasure lying underneath. I mean that literally and figuratively!

Thank you Mom and Nic! I adore my little beach treasures - and the treasure that I have in both of you as well. :)

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My favorite little farm stand is having a special going on this week - mention "Facebook" while shopping at Renninger's Farm and they'll give you a FREE sangria watermelon (while supplies last)! We picked ours up on Thursday and we have loved on it a little bit already. Typically $5 but this week FREE. Check out their Facebook page for details.

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Last year, my husband was doing a window job for a Benjamin Moore store going out of business and they asked us to please take some paint off of their hands...oh really? No problem!  A few minutes later, we had 9 gallons of FREE paint in our trunk. Hello...score! :) 

Currently, one gallon of our FREE paint (in the color Sedona Clay) is being used on this "beaut":

I bought this dresser last year at a yard sale for $25 (the black spray paint came later thanks to one of my lovely yet somewhat destructive children). I had always planned on putting it at the bottom of our bed but recently I changed my mind and now it's going in our living room in place of our entertainment armoire. Cannot wait to get that beast out of our living room and replace it with this beauty...or at least, I think it'll be a beauty when it's done? Not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous about it. BUT...with the right color, new knobs and new feet, I'm kinda thinkin' she might be a winner. Stay tuned to find out!

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Last, but definitely not least, on my list is my salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 gift (noun)
Something bestowed freely. 

Now, here is where I tie it all together...(thanks for being patient with me...)

I had no problem accepting those sunglasses as a free gift. I had no problem accepting that watermelon as a free gift. I had no problem accepting that paint as a free gift. So why, so often, do I have a hard time truly accepting my salvation as a free gift? Even just today, I prayed, "Father, please forgive my unbelief (to be read, lack of faith)!". The Bible says that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains (Matthew 17:20) so I guess faith isn't as easy for us as it should be. My heart believes...I know it does...I can feel the Holy Spirit's convictions often to prove it. But my head...my head has such a hard time wrapping around the knowledge that an all powerful God who always was and always will be...Creator of Heaven and Earth sent His Son to die a cruel death on a cross for...me? 

I feel like I can never live up to that and very often frustrate myself with that knowledge. Feeling very unworthy because I am. I can NEVER be worthy. I will NEVER be worthy. 

But listen...I did NOTHING to deserve those sunglasses either...did NOTHING to deserve that watermelon...did NOTHING to deserve that paint...and I can do NOTHING to deserve my salvation.

All I can do is reach out and take it. Trusting in Him that He speaks Truth in His Holy Word. 

There is nothing you nor I can do to ever deserve His free gift of salvation. Just take it. HE is yours for the asking. 

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

How about you? Will YOU accept His FREE GIFT today? 

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

I'm linking up with Lindsay over at Hello Hue for the first time this weekend!

It truly is all about the little things! 

Who says nothing in life is free? :)