Last but not complete!

The basement family room has been an ongoing project over the past 4 months.  When we moved in the basement was the land of the cast away furniture.  Anything that I was not using went downstairs, the blue couches (I did love these in our old house!), the over sized coffee and side tables Builder bought as a bachelor, and much more.  I started trying to tie all these items together, I was using a primary color palate since I had soooo many colors.  It was really bad!!  The red curtains were by far my worst design choice...hey at least I can admit a mistake!  It was just wrong!

After some paint, built ins, and a softer color palate it is coming together.  I still have work to do but I like what I see....

I also have not shown the pictures of my office and bathroom downstairs, both rooms are super fun.  As you can see in the pics my office is a orange! I am in my office for 8+ hours a day and I needed it to be bright, bold, energetic...orange with accents in pink, brown, and cream.  My inspiration board in my office is sometimes what gets me through the day...the quotes and pictures remind me to relax, enjoy, and imagine!!  Many people would look at it and be overwhemled but it really provides piece of mind for me.   Many DIY projects in my office.  The chandelier was brass and with a little watermelon color spray paint it has a new look!  The lamp base was white and I, well really builder, painted it watermelon as well.   The curtains were made by me!! I am not a sewer but I did make the valance and trimmed it in a brown ribbon.  






















I love stripes!!  When we moved in I knew that I had to have different textures on the walls in this house or it would all just be paint.  So I went with wallpaper...as many of you know wallpaper has been updated and is coming back!  Thank goodness for Mimi, she worked so hard one fall weekend last year wall papering, I love the results! 

Few more rooms to go and I will have the house captured on this blog...well for now.  I love changes!!

FACEBOOK

The builder was opposed to facebook and everything about it.   I will admit my first thoughts towards facebook were similar but then through work I was drawn to facebook.  It was a technology people were using and I had no idea how to use it.  I was falling behind the times and falling with facebook.  I had to change, this was in Dec of 2007.   My thoughts on technology changes ...the bus is moving so either be a passenger or walk.  Builder has remained a walker until this week......oh how facebook has become part of his life.  Builder only uses for work purposes and doesn't have his own page by name.  But the friends, pages, fans,...he is on it.  He has even got it set up with Twitter.   I have not had the urge to tweet but I will not rule it out.  He has seen what the world of social networking will bring to business.  We both work in jobs where the college age is our target market and social networking is a norm in their age group.  Thus we are both on the bus as riders. 

Books, Books, Books

Last week I was on a book kick...I had to have hard back books! S had introduced me to this idea last year but I need so many more.  When I get on these kicks, my brain runs until I figure out an answer.  So on my lunch break I had to make a run to Goodwill.  Yes Goodwill was the first stop and success.  I found books and was very happy!  Side note, this was my first time in Goodwill and have to share this funny conversation between builder and random man.  While holding all the books in Goodwill this man asks builder,  man: "you an avid reader" Builder: "No, my wife is using them to decorate"  man:"never heard of that"  Me: I was laughing he whole time

So after my success in Goodwill I knew I just needed a few more to finish off the shelves.  I imagine them filled with all the bright color books.  So on our way home from the Lake we stopped at this random Flea Market, I spotted on the way in so we had this planned stop.  This was a random Flea Market, all sorts of stuff in this little old house.  But I found books!!

So happy Reading or Decorating!!

she's back.....

It was a warm summer night (just had a quick rain storm) and we walked towards the columns.  A new exciting adventure ahead of us...no I was not entering college but I had my best friend in CoMO for the next 4 years!!  Bonding, shopping, dancing, wine, chatting, wedding planning, and many more memories were ahead of us.  I knew then I got 4 years.  Well those 4 years are up but lucky me I get an extra semester...this is it on family in CoMO.  I feel very lucky to have had 2 siblings here for a period of time but boy it would be nice to keep them here.  Can't have it all!  So I will live it up with S this fall....yes A she is mine for now.

Summer Time

There are a few things that just make me think summer time...with summer coming to an end very soon I have to enjoy some of my favorites.  I still can't believe the schools went back this week.  This past Thursday you would have thought that me and oh bother were going to school with the kids.  We woke up extra early so we would be ready to wave off all the kids at the bus stop.  Total enjoyment and nerdy as well.  We love all the neighbor kids and they LOVE oh bother.  I mean he sold lemonade this summer with them, they ring the bell to see if he can play, they ride scooters together, he is part of the crew. 

So back to summer past times...All day today it looked like rain then sun and then thunder and then sun....I really just wanted rain.  I love a summer thunderstorm...loud cracks of thunder, lightning, water (which means I don't have to water!!) ...ok all good things have a bad side, the house just went dark.  My heart jumped but lucky for me and oh bother it came right back on.  Candle lit now just to be prepared.

Fresh Veggies! We have the sweetest neighbor across the street.  Grandma Jeanie!  The whole neighborhood calls her this and she has the best veggie garden on the block.  She is really one of my inspirations but that will be its own post some day.  I am just saying I hope at 80, I garden, use power tools, update, and love life like she does.  Of course she was out this Thursday waving the kids off!  So back to her veggies...it starts a little in June and then by mid July to mid August the veggie bags come weekly.  Her tomatoes are the BEST!  She took Jay from not eating to tomatoes to loving Grandma Jeanie tomatoes!!  hot peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, green peppers, green beans.  I love a filled fruit and veggie stand.

Kiawiah Island!!  It has been a while but this beach and biking community is everything you want in a summer vacation.  One thing that really reminds me of this place is grilled cheese and tomatoe!  Not the beach or the sand but a sandwich that my Aunt whipped up one night after a day at the beach.  Tonight that was dinner for me!  Builder had to add some meat for him and whipped up a cuban sandwich ...builder/cook!






Fresh Brewed Ice Tea...make this every night in summer and just feel aaaaaah!!











Enjoying the last few week of summer loves!!!

Oh Etsy

Etsy has been a recent weakness. You can find anything on this site. I love it all! I know I am behind the times...

One of my Etsy purchases, I love Missouri. Its hard to see in the picture but there is a yellow heart where Columbia would be on the map. After some matting and framing it looks great! It hangs in our upstairs hall bath.


Below arrived today for my downstairs guest bath. I have been waiting on it from Australia. I was so happy to finally find something I like for that bathroom. What to hang in bathrooms is always a question for me??? Of course I will go for anything that is like a monogram or uses an M. Love my Ms!!




My latest Etsy find is this fabulous pillow! I am changing the color of the ruffle to navy. I can't wait to see these on my cream chairs. I have found the flare, sophisticated, and fun look I was going for. I have a weakness for pillows, lots of thoughts around pillows.

Oh Etsy!!

A few of my loves...

oh how I love....
crisp morning air, venti skinny vanilla latte, babe, a quiet Saturday am, hot bath, breeze on the beach, warm sun, polka dot wine, watermelon, blogs, walks, feeling after a run, bright colors, fresh manicured nails, the idea of a new project, fresh veggies, football, sugar cookies from Schnucks, fresh flowers


on the top of this list would also be HOME GOODS! I love this place, so my move to CoMO was sad because no Home Goods. This just means that every time we go to STL or the Lake we hit all Home Goods/Marshalls/TJ Maxx that we pass. One day last year I think builder and I made 6 or so stops. I mean who doesn't love a good deal. Last week we were in the Lake and due for a Home Goods shopping trip. The cart quickly filled up with who knows what. I was not look for anything in particular...scary! Once I found these tables I was sold. Thanks to THREE MEN AND A LADY, I knew that I had found a great deal. If you visit her site she say them for 150 and I got these for 50 a piece!! I was sold!! I had to sell the builder on them but I knew I would love the look they add to the room. It was time to get rid of the tv tables.



my last love is a STL fabric store, Anatols. When I lived in STL it was my go to spot. Without this luxury, I have tried to find a new place. Sorry JoAnn you just won't cut it for all my fabric needs. While in JoAnns I feel in love with this fabric for the new guest room curtains. It was the gray and white look, a different texture, and I just love it! Of course the price was not something I loved...74.99 a yard and I need 9 yards. So after a simple google search I found the fabric for $20 a yard!! Same exact designer and fabric. I was sold. When I was making the purchase I read under the company title....part of Antols fabric in St.Louis, MO!! I love it!!


**Pictures added to the last post, check that off the list.

late summer weekend!

It was a very productive weekend at the Mandas. Our Big D project list was in dire in need of attention. We have many checks on the list for the weekend.
**Side note to this post: Last week I lost my work computer to a virus and we had lost J's computer a few weeks back. This meant no computer for W...sad but can't live without a computer because I can't work. So where I was going with that is that we had to purchase a new computer fast. We got a mac and I love it but still learning. So pictures to follow this post.
So what did we get done.....

*Made the 1 new headboards for the guest room. Turned out fabulous! Thank goodness for builder! The room is coming together.


*Made a new coffee table/ottoman for the basement. Looks awesome! The basement is getting the cozy feel I was going for



*Found paper for my DIY Ms

*New pictures for the basement...of what would we do without the ideas from A. The paper has come through again



*Also A made an Ikea run and our picture wall in the basement will be done soon!
*Randomly got a new piece for the guest room in the basement...good bye tv table. It looks great with the tv on it and the tiger pieces inside
*changed out the tables in the front room and the great room. Did some sanding and now have a white table in between the chairs. Love it!

*In the same random shopping above found a white piece for behind the sofa in the great room. The room has the exact look I was going for! Now I just need to decide what to put on the shelves

I am sure I'm missing something but over all a great weekend. As I sit here and type, I hear the football music (you know the NFL sounds). Makes me warm inside...I love fall ... football, leaves, cool breeze, friends, school supplies (I know I don't buy them but I love them!), family. Sad that this will be my last fall with family coming back into town but I will enjoy the time we will share!!