When we purchased this house we knew we had a pile of work to do - and we got right down to it! We conquered the "small" re-do's first which lead us to re-paint baseboard to ceiling in every room. What I have come to love the MOST is; before the furniture gets put back in and the new colour is already on the walls, I put the final coat of semi-gloss, cloud white paint on all of the trim (baseboards, windows & doors)and it just changes everything.
Most of our rooms have paint that at some point WAS white ..... but after many years of reglect the white has dimmed to a terrible mixture of dirt and grime. So, after I paint the ceiling, walls & closet I get to work on trim and I must say - it seems to be the smallest touch that makes the largest difference.
Fresh white trim frames everything, the walls "pop" against the fresh white, the house looks like it is more loved and cared for, it finishes a room like nothing else, it is crisp and clean, it makes the room look cleaner ...... to me, fresh white trim says to people that someone cares about this home ....
..... the devil is in the details right? Or, for us hoping to flip a house - the "deal" is in the details! (hahaha, I'm lame sometimes!)
XO,
S
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Kicking the Bucket List
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.
And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Howard Thurman
On Monday night I went see Eat, Pray, Love with a good friend who is moving away (to Africa) for a few months and afterwards we took a detour to Chapters. While I was there I was drawn to the journal section and we each picked up one; her to write about her travels in the next 6 months and me .......?
I have not written in a journal for years, and even when I did I was never that good at it! I wouldn't write daily; I won't write about friends or boyfriends or family or love or drama ...... I wrote what I called poetry that was vague, backwards and often vengeful. So I am unsure what drew me to this fuchsia journal, but I own it now and have been carrying it everywhere.
When I opened the journal the first thing I did was write "My Bucket List" at the top of the first page - and I started jotting all the things down that I want to try or do in my life. A few notes turned into 5 PAGES of things ..... they range from easy, potentially one day things like "take a cooking class" to journeys that will take most of my life to complete like "step foot in every continent", but I am INSPIRED to complete them all!
When I stopped my wish-like, feverish writing and I looked at the list I realize that a lot of the things are just things I want to do for myself - some have to do with our future children and many are things that I see Ty and I doing together - but in they end they are things to satisfy myself, that I can do alone if I choose, or things that will bring me joy. When I look at the list I am happy to see that I still want things for myself - I haven't turned into someone that is just my job title or "Ty's Wife" or someones future mom ..... I am me, with crazy dreams to ride a mechanical bull just once!
XO,
S
And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Howard Thurman
On Monday night I went see Eat, Pray, Love with a good friend who is moving away (to Africa) for a few months and afterwards we took a detour to Chapters. While I was there I was drawn to the journal section and we each picked up one; her to write about her travels in the next 6 months and me .......?
I have not written in a journal for years, and even when I did I was never that good at it! I wouldn't write daily; I won't write about friends or boyfriends or family or love or drama ...... I wrote what I called poetry that was vague, backwards and often vengeful. So I am unsure what drew me to this fuchsia journal, but I own it now and have been carrying it everywhere.
When I opened the journal the first thing I did was write "My Bucket List" at the top of the first page - and I started jotting all the things down that I want to try or do in my life. A few notes turned into 5 PAGES of things ..... they range from easy, potentially one day things like "take a cooking class" to journeys that will take most of my life to complete like "step foot in every continent", but I am INSPIRED to complete them all!
When I stopped my wish-like, feverish writing and I looked at the list I realize that a lot of the things are just things I want to do for myself - some have to do with our future children and many are things that I see Ty and I doing together - but in they end they are things to satisfy myself, that I can do alone if I choose, or things that will bring me joy. When I look at the list I am happy to see that I still want things for myself - I haven't turned into someone that is just my job title or "Ty's Wife" or someones future mom ..... I am me, with crazy dreams to ride a mechanical bull just once!
XO,
S
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Six Months Since .....
This morning as I was brushing my teeth I realized that just a few days ago Ty & I had been married for 6 months; it went by with no fanfare or cards or gifts, and I thought about it and came to the following conclusion ..... when you plan on spending the rest of your life with someone that if you were to celebrate ever month or two or six, it would get irritating and expensive!
Remember when you were in grade school or high school and you and your boyfriend would celebrate every month!? Were we actually celebrating because we knew it wasn't forever and so the gift train would eventually come to a stop and you should celebrate whatever will fit into those months? Because seriously Ty and I have NEVER celebrated a "month" anniversary - we have exchanged cards some years to mark "year" anniversaries, but no large gifts - just nice words (written by Hallmark or ourselves)!
And I am not even trying to convince people that I KNEW the moment I met Ty that he was my forever ...... but I can say that I never looked at him and said "oh sugar bear, we have been dating two months - yeah *gag*" .... that is SO not a milestone when you're staring down a 60 year wedding anniversary! I have always said that our relationship progressed very naturally - it was never a ticking clock, it was never a calendar date or a deadline - just a feeling like we were ready to take the next step; whether that be moving in together, buying our first place, or getting married (I must say however, I was ready for the next "diamond" step sooner - as were friends & family!).
So, here we are with 6 months (and 5 years) under our belts ..... I guess "happy anniversary babe" is in order, but really, when I look at my 6-month husband the only 6-months I can imagine celebrating with him is our kids 6-month birthdays!
Here's to the first 6 months of marriage, and the 60 more years to come ...... it has been perfectly wonderful!
XO,
S
Remember when you were in grade school or high school and you and your boyfriend would celebrate every month!? Were we actually celebrating because we knew it wasn't forever and so the gift train would eventually come to a stop and you should celebrate whatever will fit into those months? Because seriously Ty and I have NEVER celebrated a "month" anniversary - we have exchanged cards some years to mark "year" anniversaries, but no large gifts - just nice words (written by Hallmark or ourselves)!
And I am not even trying to convince people that I KNEW the moment I met Ty that he was my forever ...... but I can say that I never looked at him and said "oh sugar bear, we have been dating two months - yeah *gag*" .... that is SO not a milestone when you're staring down a 60 year wedding anniversary! I have always said that our relationship progressed very naturally - it was never a ticking clock, it was never a calendar date or a deadline - just a feeling like we were ready to take the next step; whether that be moving in together, buying our first place, or getting married (I must say however, I was ready for the next "diamond" step sooner - as were friends & family!).
So, here we are with 6 months (and 5 years) under our belts ..... I guess "happy anniversary babe" is in order, but really, when I look at my 6-month husband the only 6-months I can imagine celebrating with him is our kids 6-month birthdays!
Here's to the first 6 months of marriage, and the 60 more years to come ...... it has been perfectly wonderful!
XO,
S
Monday, August 9, 2010
I Heart Organization
After sending me away for lunch with both my Mom's, I come home to find that not only had my handsome husband used his new 6 drawer organizer to bring order to his tool room - but he had also put up my closet organizer! I never knew I could love organization THIS much! It is amazing, I seriously smile every time I see it - which is every time I walk into the Master right now because there is no closet door!
So, I got home from my lunch to find this wonderful surprise and got straight to work on moving my clothes from the stand alone clothing rack that they called home for what feels like the last year (oh wait, it's been the past year and a half!). I get straight to work at taking EVERY shirt, pair of pants, skirt & dress off their hanger and re-hanging them perfectly. I re-fold all of my jeans and hoodies and place them perfectly on the shelves - colour coded of course! Some of my clothes didn't make the cut; they just weren't good enough for the new closet! After the cuts, I go to work at perfectly spacing the hangers and standing back and admiring the newly organized closet .... and now I share that view with you .....
First - the newly organized closet closer up...
Second - the newly organized closet and the soon to be "off-season clothing" organized space...
I know that it is unlikely that anyone will enjoy this as much as I do, but I thought I would share my happiness!!
Gone to organize!
XO,
S
So, I got home from my lunch to find this wonderful surprise and got straight to work on moving my clothes from the stand alone clothing rack that they called home for what feels like the last year (oh wait, it's been the past year and a half!). I get straight to work at taking EVERY shirt, pair of pants, skirt & dress off their hanger and re-hanging them perfectly. I re-fold all of my jeans and hoodies and place them perfectly on the shelves - colour coded of course! Some of my clothes didn't make the cut; they just weren't good enough for the new closet! After the cuts, I go to work at perfectly spacing the hangers and standing back and admiring the newly organized closet .... and now I share that view with you .....
First - the newly organized closet closer up...
Second - the newly organized closet and the soon to be "off-season clothing" organized space...
I know that it is unlikely that anyone will enjoy this as much as I do, but I thought I would share my happiness!!
Gone to organize!
XO,
S
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