Thriifty Decor Chick

Embracing summer

<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYb_FwxcyI/AAAAAAAAJl4/d6qm976DRJo/s1600-h/0183.jpg"><img alt="018" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYb_lxjGXI/AAAAAAAAJl8/ThLXo0-OUIc/018_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="018" width="576" /></a> If you’ve read this blog for about, ohhhh…two minutes, you know how much I adore the autumn season. I joke about it often, but it’s not really joking…I BIG FAT LOVE fall. :) I don’t apologize for it. I mean really -- just about everything about that season rocks. But, I do need to give some props to the time of year that has typically not been my favorite – summer. I’ve always been a warm and cozy kind of girl – in the past I haven’t even minded winter. Shorter days have never bugged me, and as long as I’m comfy in the house, I quite enjoy the winter months…that is till about January 30th. :) <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcAIl9NiI/AAAAAAAAJmA/Z_IYeQV5Dng/s1600-h/010%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="010" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcArqCNhI/AAAAAAAAJmE/Uy11_IhnV0M/010_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="010" width="400" /></a> But this summer, something has changed. I’ve quite enjoyed it this year. Dare I say, really loved it. There’s something about the warmer months that is magic. Magic I had only previously thought was possible during the holidays. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcA7QcNGI/AAAAAAAAJmI/PYNNcdH3cEQ/s1600-h/102%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="102" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcBU9HWHI/AAAAAAAAJmM/pNEDjbLJ9zE/102_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="102" width="400" /></a> So here are all of the reasons summer is now a really close second to October through December for me… Yes, you heard right. I love summer. (Grumble.) I also love storms. I adore thunderstorms. And of course the summer months offer some of the best shows: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcBrHJpSI/AAAAAAAAJmQ/ibvFFoDHcRA/s1600-h/007%5B6%5D.jpg"><img alt="007" border="0" height="375" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcB5K15iI/AAAAAAAAJmU/15l35M_YJMk/007_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="007" width="500" /></a> There’s been a few lightning storms this year that have been fantastic! We stand outside in awe, admiring God’s handiwork.  :) Speaking of great shows, the Bub has become a firework fanatic! We went all out on the Fourth this year and had such a blast -- it was SO FUN. Do you know I’d never set off a roman candle till this summer? Crazy! The biggest hit this year was the balloon chicken: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcCfWu9FI/AAAAAAAAJmY/tpnK2xGBRxI/s1600-h/006%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="006" border="0" height="297" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcCkhhfDI/AAAAAAAAJmc/-uAYXf-SxSI/006_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="006" width="400" /></a> :) I must offer an official apology to our neighbors, for the late night booms that went well into late July. (They were half off peeps – who can resist?!) <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcDMch7WI/AAAAAAAAJmg/SY2qrCpYyoE/s1600-h/021%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="021" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcDnbvzPI/AAAAAAAAJmk/Xv9R2jyi9YU/021_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="021" width="400" /></a> I love that we don’t go out to dinner till 8 p.m. some nights. I also love that we go out to dinner waaay too much in the summer. No cooking, whoohoo! <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcD93CNOI/AAAAAAAAJmo/KMfHpvxbalY/s1600-h/096.jpg"><img alt="096" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcEIEYY4I/AAAAAAAAJms/GSvj8rB7Pjo/096_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="096" width="400" /></a> Late night dinners turn into late evenings in general. I’m a night owl through and through, and most of the year I’m up way later than my husband working. But this summer, he stayed up late at night working as well. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcEpLxD5I/AAAAAAAAJmw/tcOUxwsEeuM/s1600-h/007%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="007" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcEyJ4SbI/AAAAAAAAJm0/CgwXP6NE3GM/007_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="007" width="400" /></a> At midnight some nights, we would sit out on our deck, glass of wine in hand, and look at the stars. Awesome. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcFTFoxeI/AAAAAAAAJm4/_qjhPYf2w9w/s1600-h/029%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="029" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcF5APAvI/AAAAAAAAJm8/SbggmsxOfcs/029_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="029" width="400" /></a> Late nights also mean sleeping in. Helloooo…is there anything better? There’s not for a sleep lovah like me. Have I mentioned I’ve pretty much been a SLUG this summer? Yeah. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcGNUmgnI/AAAAAAAAJog/aoceLNHNuJo/s1600-h/038%5B2%5D.jpg"><img alt="038" border="0" height="375" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcGVEAEYI/AAAAAAAAJoo/s2W5U1AObug/038_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="038" width="500" /></a> The zoo membership is the best money we’ve spent all year! I love that we can go when the urge strikes us, and not spend a dime. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcG8C0c_I/AAAAAAAAJnI/yjDMSPLtE7c/s1600-h/054%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="054" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcHLA49TI/AAAAAAAAJnM/469MsmlgdRU/054_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="054" width="400" /></a> Just look at that BIG SWEETAY!! :) I’m not a big ice cream eater, but in the summer I can’t live without my Spouse Like a House treat (yes, that’s what it’s called.) A sinful mixture of vanilla ice cream, caramel swirls and chocolate covered, peanut butter filled pretzels. **Picture not available because I ate it all.** The happy hour at Dairy Queen does nothing to help my summer sweet tooth either -- Strawberry Lemonade iced drinks half off in the afternoons – can I get a hoooolla? <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcH9ij9eI/AAAAAAAAJnQ/FUryOXHJVmk/s1600-h/042%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="042" border="0" height="525" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcIB6-21I/AAAAAAAAJnU/sZUzEbJ0Bxw/042_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="042" width="400" /></a> I never planted that garden I mentioned earlier this summer, but I have grand plans for next year! I know exactly where it will go and just what I’ll be planting. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcIqXXlRI/AAAAAAAAJnY/5mzTqSawkdE/s1600-h/057%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="057" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcIyejIlI/AAAAAAAAJnc/JwBU1oEh1i8/057_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="057" width="400" /></a> I did finally get some tomatoes off the Topsy Turvy plant this year (YES, it works!!) – it is busting with them right now! (And the animals have left them alone, the buggers.) <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcJArWdaI/AAAAAAAAJng/I_KrfZ9eeUs/s1600-h/058%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="058" border="0" height="545" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcJgwW2BI/AAAAAAAAJnk/Qj9E9wqXzl8/058_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="058" width="400" /></a> Speaking of critters, another bonus of summer around our house is the constant wildlife: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcJ04gMRI/AAAAAAAAJno/OjJ5_xqP-og/s1600-h/088.jpg"><img alt="088" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcKYoCSSI/AAAAAAAAJnw/jM4bJFx7t_M/088_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="088" width="400" /></a> We have bunnies daily (with cutie patoot fluffy bootays!), an incredible array of birds, the occasional deer, and you can hear the coyotes howling and see them playing in the land behind our house. (They really do play – it’s fun to watch...from inside.) <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcKhu1YRI/AAAAAAAAJn0/39yGM0p61tk/s1600-h/060%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="060" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcK9lp1zI/AAAAAAAAJn4/UFfWl8vErs8/060_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="060" width="400" /></a> I’m a TV junky, and summer television is some of my favorite TV. You can’t beat the Bachelor/Bachelorette (don’t judge!), So You Think You Can Dance, and my fave USA network shows like White Collar – all that run NEW shows during the summer. They’re all good, mindless entertainment, which is perfect this time of year. Thinking too much makes you hot, didn’t you know? :) <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcLTwEu1I/AAAAAAAAJn8/kUcTg1H0c3E/s1600-h/085%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="085" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcLl7d_UI/AAAAAAAAJoA/xiYGqaeTMEc/085_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="085" width="400" /></a> And then, there are the pretty parts of summer. We are lucky to have a lot of nature nearby, so evening walks are full of the beauty of this season: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcMIHcB3I/AAAAAAAAJoE/LiWgSmSt0QA/s1600-h/062%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="062" border="0" height="375" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcMoIsCII/AAAAAAAAJoI/jBABwC9roFA/062_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="062" width="500" /></a>      <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcNPuuSLI/AAAAAAAAJoM/5Bdn6NJEJ-k/s1600-h/039%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="039" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcNb9BdPI/AAAAAAAAJoQ/Tnf2gYg0tLE/039_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="039" width="400" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcN-1N7nI/AAAAAAAAJoU/YLUfO1Ymnpo/s1600-h/073%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="073" border="0" height="375" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYcOPAjCfI/AAAAAAAAJoY/wDTHp3iyGd8/073_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="073" width="500" /></a> The Indiana weather is brutal this time of year, but the result can be quite spectacular. These are the reasons I’ve barely touched a power tool all summer. The reasons I’ve had ZERO motivation to finish the kitchen redo. The reasons that, even with the horrible heat and humidity this year, I’ve actually fallen in love with summer. I can’t believe it, but it’s true. :) So what’s your favorite season? What do you love most about it? Are you a convert like me? :) Have a GREAT weekend! **All flower pictures are from our yard and a nearby nature preserve. :)   Thanks to my latest sponsor! <a href="http://www.cuteaspieofficesupplies.com/"><img alt="CuteAsPie-Logo" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGYjQh9R18I/AAAAAAAAJow/3y9GSkcGuhY/CuteAsPie-Logo%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="CuteAsPie-Logo" width="135" /></a>

Embracing summer

If you’ve read this blog for about, ohhhh…two minutes, you know how much I adore the autumn season. I joke about it often, but it’s not r...

9:31 PM

Bamboo or blinds?

The week after we moved into our house more than six years ago, my awesome Dad came by one day and helped install two-inch faux blinds on pretty much every. single. window. I mean, there’s only so long you can live with sheets over the windows, right?  :) But over the past few years, I have fallen in love with the warmth and texture of bamboo roman shades. And I have now replaced every single blind that my Dad hung for us. (Insert sorry-Dad-I-love-you-so-much face here.) It’s taken about THREE years, but I was trying to be not spend all that cash to replace every one of them at once, delay my gratification, be mature, WHATEVER. :) I get questions about our bamboo shades all of the time, so I figured I would address them all in one post. There a pros and cons to these beauties. One of the pros is the ease of installation. I’m not kidding when I say this – if you know how to use a drill, you can install one in about five minutes. You just measure how far out from the window you want the shades to hang (make sure it’s the same for both sides), then screw them in: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvEz428KvDUtYX7MoFB9sEghPHHfYdqrrZ8NNuqyOLQhyphenhyphen2mXw6NyQ7i5LAnE-cNJTt5lr0Gfn-ayQbz1EUSoVEOCdUSAw8S5rrA7TNElInrTkLTL_VvLWM_hwyFie1Wz07vSNC4brxlk/s1600-h/001%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJADjA6qMNHuW5jOpgUB78B45Vrj5EyotMwkCssAxBltKu0IFn_K16hMDbqzmHdDs3DILem3a-MzryjU6QFEET4d_P3m4BLwaI_O42niSeDF3RYudhjVcRRLIbKEL48kgwQBnSDCT33eY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbgnzstRCFtIvaHlN_atSF-1Hxv7HvA2bJ-LCatSIzAIPco6GnTKZpDjgNAXeXu9P6RRF97o6APVYlZ14DqzroNKBjdxR7ekbSYPSAAUrL-7k0k6qWOcZcCwxRWlH1D1RMAHF-7Haysc/s1600-h/005%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvOs4U96xC37mtau7y25rITanA2CcfAmcDenINjvFhLSQ_plLGo84PL_P1dmn6UoJ7zNtwcpEkQSVqebNcTU3iWcNMYxt5ZJ4l2J_6-TCbrq07JqhEJkWANgAGxAGM_duyiqYwm8C-3I/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="270" /></a> My handy dandy dollar spot pencils from Target were the perfect measuring stick! :) You shouldn’t need to use anchors, since there are usually studs framing out the window where the brackets go in. If you’re in doubt, use a stud finder or drill a test hole to see what’s up in there. You can see, I don’t screw into each hole in the bracket – there’s just no need to. But if you are a just for good measure kind of person, go for it! :) (If you do need anchors, you’ll want to mark the holes first, then install the anchors, then screw the bracket in.) After the two brackets are installed, all you do is slip the shade up into place, then secure it with the wing nuts: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_CDAtwKO8X1LKqCxjHtBfSjOj_1GHzmo0UqfBUx6Lcf716NDgxBTBhc_QLBw-DWl8mYv468drnakE5gjiwbYsa6oUXXogigeVLnCxTWxpqLz_cwbpGaBhXixtcEpnOpYY9AZMwgyxIk/s1600-h/008%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="installing bamboo shades" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0GJDL9DtLzfLEOnHICPqQq_890RRPgX9qE91kq6aY5_HKECL5f6c1hZJQoVk3S64drUnWrsBaHoCet-H3Z7yYSRUDdOnGw9YkFZtYs3ZOXa5c0oZ_W0d0HT6UwTWPYpC6VfhWugHLfE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="installing bamboo shades" width="300" /></a> If you are installing these on your own, you may need to perform some fun stunts like holding the shade up with your head while you screw in the wing nuts. :) I have one of these handy dandy wrappy things by each window, behind the drapes: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTJzsbdk9kXqtVwMfOYbLKeDoL4DL4hQ-k5ah1E0S2MtbPhb-dSe6rYjqzq-nVA0mn-ItBEdswIhYBJ6xkqJ3yKWawoiQltf-chtM6Au2_zgo2V3LXnmysLdNoT7IEPX4XEizxku75Pc/s1600-h/010%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="wrappy things" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJKiZ3xxR0vwrxphscXQd52KNlT3YNKI2TUbuMygHqA3sILjUV2NTZpeDWc9cCHlXjU6d63nhuSqwnw7Uh7cc6myESxOfJxsB0TU7J5HafccuKvwCH5F9s4_ZWfG2NGhGB0A0Sz638jk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="wrappy things" width="300" /></a> I like having the cords wound up for safety reasons. (Now most of these shades come with tools to safely keep the cords out of the way.) Our living room had the last set of blinds to replace, and I worked on them last weekend. For years we had the blinds and some ironwork hanging in the windows: <img alt="[028.JPG]" border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihiH-l0TREs4Xou2xKlA9WG8mNncJRtoI25XeQurQcT_9-iFpC5uS6Q5_01sbi_4rIC_M1pgDInlNGpUGccypVIKkRB7YKcm-Q93epm_uyf3OhHkdQdG-C4NniM53kKeQuFDeMt5ZNUVE/s1600/028.JPG" width="400" /> I saw the idea for the ironwork on Rate My Space and loved it, so I recreated it myself with some clearanced iron snowflakes from Pier 1. I spray painted them black, and for years tried to convince myself that they didn’t look like snowflakes. Well. They did. :) I cut down the <strike>snowflakes</strike> <strike>ironwork</strike> snowflakes last week (they were hung with fishing wire) and installed the new bamboo shades: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYyo4rasvRIg7YSBDbQ8ETuF_N32kEjn-LMPh8CLd5sFKA3Vc0lfdMsqoSulROPCiScw0cY4qgDBxa6ga8L-RUSIXDovlr_IFd3lSC_pzgsW7N5YYS6AlexQz4pVqACkjEe1PCATQ5po/s1600-h/023%5B11%5D.jpg"><img alt="023" border="0" height="649" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskpRqbW_crlJZZUviSzYdrK8uHInrOV-Nzm54Y7TGpCFNFAFd3cmvD1itiBjV-u_IHBnPAG_b8Rd1dFokuIap9AsZFZZTnTLfMTfP2Lf8KAhDLpDG7JTKT4z9Z4yYmd1fFJVeyUV6-QE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="023" width="400" /></a> (Sorry so dark -- it went from sunny and beautiful to overcast with zero light in the two seconds it took for me to get to the room and take the picture. Awesome.) I have three different colors of these shades throughout our house, but this lighter, natural tone is on most of the windows: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc85neOVwbwQZ5PFSx5eD73L_wJnBdEHRt9A6aZWgF_q7xQoHwgJwy4JfTPUpuO-sIxKLOJGyYk83K9QKUiY7ChG1F5MQNzZkFrOjJy6QePoMcPM9wwye-Z_5mYUVSrnsQh1BZPrffUYw/s1600-h/037%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6ZkCE1Jlvm6y8sVaZVYfCyFBveUGCwmVWHYJ0sV-C35HtAnxLa_ElPvdk0JaJGlBmzwrW-ljYs7a9sE-ez9LrYdxNt9FJgoBDj9XYnCtB2jlxWUKcUZnYJyTMUAgTwiwXOgFr8qScQc/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> I love, love, LOVE all of the varying colors and tones of the wood. Here’s a before shot of our <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/10/dining-room-reveal.html">dining room</a> with the blinds: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWkvXCbndph1U8VmywUknOxU97LtDROooxKDHKEI4vEv1WmGqQGWW09aYMWxmZ1rG7So3sFChb6xz3nlpPszn81p_pzMjMzq1jArVkv3wZm2RjmjJlIqJuY2iiSyH5f1cO46Jp-dU0ro/s1600-h/DSC05870%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ICMDUdyCEFNC7Bab_BfqoSlHTdwy0b4Naqr7BdTD8CeMNC9AIv1_4ssGRbDIokCpdckjU9NjrnJ51_QjxvI_Ulq1AkUxFEFGaMEYRltQ0PtqVxFL-vZ6QbM2RuzBnU59VcCClMOb5Ds/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> Here’s the shot with the dark bamboo shades installed: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI58NDRWcD7dnMXCt8LU-33tWahRYeSMZBD6vLZC6RyIubvhohGOPpNeZ6sdMb0eLH-dsPmGj_hc6azdbMWsCTnZrvO4YyYLtUAUISv-gpCZk1mR37A7HLJcwK6g7kW4Bvx1ZPL5jju8/s1600-h/011%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPRGDA4ArIJO4O-CBE22eCS9lsaK69T7m7s4QldQzmu62ij8jnm-B-6KoYECMT_0FVOaFLmPOC9H2J7TOxNHOTu55qjiX6JNTRbQ2J5ttOOSVllN2IGF_KV7YVZUc6XWLcC8hMLxJpgM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> OK, OK, I know the paint color, window treatments, light fixture, all that goodness kind of transforms the room just a teeeeeny bit, but I think the shades warm it up quite a bit as well. :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh900KfF4BcnVxyqiPPvzbbi2O9wicRiHg6ij7W40Jf_h8U4tChNtXEQUqsbWuIcKtDe9vAgi6-dSRHTcU1REOoeTlO3lp07LkWdYppiGzs2csFwE1tdubQyh565yYf_EIX-OxcdxPAahk/s1600-h/DSC01962%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="bamboo roman shades" border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v5AbSeak3mmMk4w6aImzwbT0kX2w3iA9E8K58QBRXM3L0yVZti4HI4WzwaCE0PnjXtPYTHR_iuJK6f0v94xX1kTygoiy2m2nJleZPuIpW4v1Jz-Bz2gxZjuYASdkVZ28vGet0l-DNf4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="bamboo roman shades" width="400" /></a> LURVE!! Let me be clear, I love two inch white blinds. I think they are classic and traditional and all things ME. But once the first set of bamboo went up, I was hooked. The <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-most-favorite-room.html">Bub’s nursery</a> had blinds up for years, which looked fantastic with all of the white molding: <img alt="" border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8xuRmaLqvuWqkSGQeL82bd4DnhLKUfkEwly-aV4OlUjb58x7tDqoX9T1Z-Dv5ltGw4MSF40mp42Sr2Q8N_OE5jQDVhL18wCGG04rI1vXniJJHNz95no6auVlcOQDSCSS7iYTmQOVT5w/?imgmax=800" title="" width="250" /> But the natural look of the bamboo shades in his <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/05/big-boy-room-reveal.html">big boy room</a> just floats. my. boat: <img alt="night" border="0" height="664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl92MTxIZgfjEV_yUC3I6G9BkSJbbHzwJ9cUdw-poXPoLZh7_S6EOButIPayASBLpEWJ731MuezSTKrI7XRLXGGmDelEphNUle-yhGnNVWaEjgSpnSEPxR7-oi4RIzHN40Empl2I2VVk/?imgmax=800" title="night" width="500" /> Speaking of the Bub’s room – the only reason I hesitated with bamboo shades at first was the whole privacy and light issue. I’m a Mom, and any Mom knows the kiddo’s bedroom needs to stay nice and dark and cozy as long as possible during naptime and in the wee hours of the morning. And it needs to block the blinding sun that comes in at 9 p.m. in the summer. ;) Our son’s favorite line at bedtime for the last three months: “But it’s not dark out!!” Smarty. Anyhoo, there’s two things I’ve found to help with these issues. One is finding a really tightly woven shade, like those in our bedroom: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BzdbGuuc_dPLHqcrPKo94CuioOWdRHRbgtRrR_l3GuRxrBCtjdvC7rCgLk83tfA9fOIettvgmrXGwDVC_RtVkXMi3h4kudJyHjdWZpsXXkJsaWrBu0xnwGT1_wlL8qkz1mE_msamIHA/s1600-h/034%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="034" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJAXluZk33JJYrdlkFIS4iO02y38UksIGYyBjt-hzPMLq-q-fp4fTkwPO4XTJgKq_zDkHbV31zrvOmc9E2vFPcl5gfiy-xGgn4aiMM1inxZXTDsGlsA4Gyt7uNYAVPsJHOZLgF6zakFg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="034" width="280" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL-k9TDZv1wIZi21q2hUubrVsHIjtJ235fWXnn9qJRNHA6IBFk8-p1xWk_Dy9TfAIi0gbrcnVh1kJ8PSJhV-wOPRhb0yqId9HIni2U6glDcO119RhC1RKJ2UWC264SCiDzAtwYuuJzRI/s1600-h/040%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="040" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TNiwasn5MkdghcrcB2JFJVYeJm2osAEyYCryHIfaO6LwRoicRyFrVSUVfFRTqpovZn3bo86g-l_LQKd7zNtB-3oI39erehEPgNcWbuQBdat5Jqu4FbMOobOimG7yQbN18BCrhmRtp10/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="040" width="280" /></a> The are so dense, you can barely see the light coming in, even on the brightest mornings. Awwwwww yeah baby! I am a sleeper, so bright summer mornings are the bane of my existence. All bright and cheery and whatev…I’m trying to sleep! :) Another way to keep light out is to install a privacy shade behind the bamboo shade: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MXQWwS4Hn305HEvT-P1gYigQUVgUEZRnCvwyGd2a4dX1AbZ4NTNfB-f5VzeucF0G-Q2YdCNKv8ogbLSKxPWKO2ld_Qc68L7JRx_QAxDZVrLQrev4nev5TokzwJTNKOFIia1RJZfMpHU/s1600-h/043%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="privacy liner" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3PJywSyEQAx1j091SkG_GKZKc1NJZQJvtavp_muHulVAKZ5RwEJr8flOKTxcc2vBi5M_PNRcubxheLixdGo-z9OV3Zbqy-903LyaY2wFmG8ziZXT2S0qhbxcGNi_iaZncd0x9sXEj7s/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="privacy liner" width="300" /></a> The only place I’ve found these is Lowe’s, and they sell them for all different sized shades. They are pretty easy to attach – you just lay them on the back of the shade, Velcro them to the top, then attach them using these plastic jobbies: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNSjVqypwv-dlSUcx8B1DB_8YHyUFQiQt6QIGblVff6ILEip_nKB5Dt_1GOvdpdW3YBnP6PsMxKG2-MNsAnTwLUp6bzK0i8q8MbkvYyvf5bJWFQ5YGjiueOlLfiUmNPtRMp55D3v0rUc/s1600-h/045%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxYO4_kDsysJnN7ffrOGzzUb561Q7WdyNx2yU3rG3xyqTpgzjQWDRakZUc3iXqBM2JD0WTHid1q8l03uFjm8rCy7L35-JMcYu37p0nm7lCDYW4s2h7uBcd_1nW3GmL9Ne_15B6ShfBZ4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> I am oh-so-technical today. ;) I’ve installed these on a few of our windows and they do the trick. The privacy shades are about $22 for our size windows, but some are less, some are more. These liners will also help prevent an issue we’ve had with the bamboo shades in the playroom: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxk9TO6chhIaG7VHyhsABYAGtuODl_TVtCfJbU9b_e71XV9iqlYCHawAKhIvdlgG718fCeZoqMS_NzkHHmhb5B8omzpYe0WWDMO2TYA8S1QoMU_wMR86hWRHbyyy_o9qaFx6Jn8gRzsM/s1600-h/048%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rFF_KrE-XdSBuVeB0eKTvia_625dj8-a5rjbLoGv_sCMF0nTeVRfuANv5ocAoItBVhxDDEDTIv9SdZP2LSYvvU7J3yiwUulzVzIaRHb3ZZeyviQv54gajXo1xpPMRv5YBiGDf6-Q7E0/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> Do you see the stripes from the sun? :) Because these don’t offer a ton of privacy, they are pulled up most of the time and the sun has bleached them out. These were the cheapest I’ve found, and you can see why. :) I got this set at Target, and they were SO inexpensive – I think about $10 each? My very favorite set of bamboo shades is in our family room. I got them from Target a couple years ago: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDAGCZgIq2bo7biJaiYToXnJqQ5GjrTr0TWsrWZEoVz8vnWyMLIybX51wcoh3ZkK4CUoAiKkR8rdZnatkNt9pEBi2pM0qkpjt8WKDhRM9Plt_-M6kwzMCfIOVzx7o29M5VlDr0Ivs8UU/s1600-h/056%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdW0F0Md1w1DZI0mL_BJniwgqD6oLusi5kTdEk2FA5M60kySqNq9asGduyZd7f0m6lD_IBcY6IUrhmEilVUTvMSK9XbFzPfnI1AmxoLFOdLUH3g-ssiAnOqTb5NiJxkVsjesY_DEcBEXk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="450" /></a> You can see a hint of the warming up I’m working on in here – I’m obsessed with it, I love it so very much. Gleeeee! More on that soon. :) Here’s how the blinds looked in that room: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf-zXhHJG_9xaozZiwPe4_26k8kb7Ap_Z2owwcEypVAfbENSf15qHJDshyphenhyphen2PpbHar6_Jzdawj5V9-UfT8T1PAXMIGuWzoXmV4weD-C2l0z90cHjxX2yB0JaGj_te2JoNI6o9cwMqpTzI/s1600-h/Photo_Video_b5e98623-2efa-4e81-b881-e2602696e954_medium%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiQtdvTMDEsC_6PpvNbwXuXHh0TDRPUJgCeSkfWjZOWnTEJBPeFSV0MNv_jX1CY6VEOemn3_NC_ZrU199RgS9BtA7SNenyRIGgbKo3pecZUqE5GHgXOm2JhRdZcHRJvPjej0clesApjA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> And the after, with all of their lovely texture and warmth: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1vAdrp2Z4yy9vqG1iKzQa-70RVfhx6HWoovGwoDShleQz7cM7oR3myhLlDqKAga6e3cTxBdtW0T8hQ3x-wz2XsqcwlIiHHhiVpG1c8NTcyIqvTMqC6pax6XMtl5ar1BhX47-wWM_iMw/s1600-h/045_thumb%5B1%5D%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHpHrSP1b7oEBbQsfYW3gWYaOvsXt86J3tn0EtbZ_d39Kpr6mHpvSlRCitaiHIlgTmvrbXVq7mQRRZnIFj6MJnqe8ulRGcHZ9P0sbBToFqxUatomDExF8GTjI4FIkom6m80yxSA2JPFg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> They work for all seasons – in the warmer months, the natural tones work perfectly. In the cooler months they just ooooze cozy. Yum. I’ve bought our shades from three stores over the years – Home Depot (they clearance them out a couple times a year), Lowe’s (they sell the privacy liners as well), and Target. I’m bumming because I can’t find them at our Target store anymore, and they had the prettiest color I’ve found (in the family room above). For the most part they run about $30 to $35. The pros to bamboo shades: <ul> <li>- They look great! (Oh wait, I said that. About 50 times.)</li> <li>- With a tightly woven shade, combined with a liner, they let way less sun in a room (even our tightly closed blinds still let light through, turned either up or down.) </li> <li>- Bamboo shades are less expensive than the faux (two inch) blinds, and WAY cheaper than the real wood blinds. :)</li> <li>- They are much easier to clean! No slats covered with dust!</li> </ul> The cons: <ul> <li>- Blinds provide better privacy. </li> <li>- There’s no “in between” with bamboo shades -- with blinds you can open the slats just a bit and control the amount of light. I found I was a wide open or shut kind of person anyway – I either had the blinds pulled all the way up or down. </li> <li>- I imagine, over time and without a liner, the bamboo will become brittle from sun exposure. I don’t know this for sure though – I’ve had some of ours for about three years and haven’t had any issues with this. </li> </ul> I hope that answers all of your questions about the lovely bamboo beauties. :) Again, I got nothin’ against the purdy two inch blinds – it was just love at first installation of bamboo shades for me.  ;) So do you do bamboo? Or the classic blinds? Skinny slats or fat slats? Real or faux? Or are you a let it all hang out there person and you don’t cover your windows at all? You nekked window folks do know people look in your windows as they drive by to see what your house looks like inside, right? Hmmm…maybe that’s just me. ;) While we’re looking at the windows around our house, let’s check out the view: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGNxw6ysKdI/AAAAAAAAJlw/mrdnOZamW_0/s1600-h/050%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TGNxxVxLZJI/AAAAAAAAJl0/RL_aFZvHFlU/050_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> Oh yeah, that’s right, you can’t see outside, cause it’s like walking around in a freaking pool out there. A 98 degree pool. And you’re surprised I’m ready for fall?? :) P.S. I believe I said “texture,” “warmth” and “shades” about 314 times. Go ahead and count. P.P.S. “Wrappy” is not in spell check. How is this possible?

Bamboo or blinds?

The week after we moved into our house more than six years ago, my awesome Dad came by one day and helped install two-inch faux blinds on p...

9:00 PM

True Value DIY Blog Squad!

Hello there!! I am so thrilled to tell you about a fun partnership that’s been in the works for the past few weeks. I’ve been chomping at the bit to tell you!  :) I am very pleased to announce that TDC is one of the ten DIY blogs involved with the <a href="http://www.truevalue.com/content/home/default.aspx">True Value DIY Blog Squad</a>: <a href="http://www.truevalue.com/content/home/default.aspx"><img alt="diysquad-v1_3-large" border="0" height="239" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxalHj98I/AAAAAAAAJdk/K2C29ZX4W1Y/diysquad-v1_3-large%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="diysquad-v1_3-large" width="495" /></a> When the folks at True Value asked me if I wanted to be involved with this project, I may or may not have squealed (just a little), danced a happy dance (in my car) and then said YES PLEASE, thankyouverymuch! :) You all know the hardware store is pretty much my very favorite place to be. Well, besides home. And New York City. Anyway, it’s is right up there. A trip to a store with nothing but tools, paint supplies and endless possibilities makes me a very happy chick. I remember going to True Value stores with my Dad when I was young, so going back is a tad bit nostalgic for me. They just ooze friendly, happy, small-town kind of place. You know what I’m talking about? The kind of place that has free popcorn right when you walk in the door: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxa3iXrYI/AAAAAAAAJdo/HyIVNc2QZqM/s1600-h/popcorn%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="popcorn" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxbeFdfrI/AAAAAAAAJds/gejVBnRPOXc/popcorn_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="popcorn" width="300" /></a> I mean, really. You serve me free popcorn and I’m yours for life. :) The location I visited last week is in a small town, and the staff was so friendly, I felt like they knew me personally. (And no, I did not wear a sign that said “I’m a part of the DIY Blog Squad!!!,” even though I kinda wanted to.) I grew up in small towns (Channeling John Mellencamp right now – I lived in his small town for years. :) ) and there’s just something about the True Value experience that took me back <strike>25 years</strike> to my childhood. Well, let’s get to the goodies, shall we? I have to say, I was SO thrilled at the selection!! I mean, it was crazy good. I’m warning you…many of you DIYers out there going to pass. out. from glee when I show you the spray paint selection. I could not believe how many options were on the shelf: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxbqUEbjI/AAAAAAAAJdw/6GtPCcabaQk/s1600-h/photo%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="spray paint!" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxcNdhCOI/AAAAAAAAJd0/CfwlgvEILGo/photo_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="spray paint!" width="400" /></a>Told you, CRAZY GOOD. :) I couldn’t even get all of them in the shot – it was a whole wall of spray paint Squeezies! It just doesn’t get any better! GLEE!!! The hardware section alone would take me an hour to go through. I have never seen such a selection anywhere: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxctljJ_I/AAAAAAAAJd4/tTd4LXaiPHA/s1600-h/hardware%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="hardware" border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_b0sI-ZlP76FF1t9QugykbsQwZLBbBNDla_astVYs4UbCubeNWZFY91z88kQFK5_itP91KhXtl12i700lMbZiT6m50pyXQrdyOOaTHyyDuWErfA_by1YbVZnpsqAjCGGX1KPMrkXoHk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="hardware" width="500" /></a> Ack!! Nuts! I was in heaven! There was more too – way more! There were tools galore, power tools (swoon), a fantastic outdoor section, (including a full nursery!) and even an aisle of kitchen supplies!: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxdfc4NlI/AAAAAAAAJeA/l1ytC2pXBsw/s1600-h/kitchen%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="kitchen" border="0" height="533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TFwxdhsAy_I/AAAAAAAAJeE/MnoBEegi_Yc/kitchen_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="kitchen" width="400" /></a> I only left because my child wanted to eat. I could have stayed for hours. ;) So over the next few months, I’ll be sharing some fun DIY and home improvement projects using supplies from True Value. (Squeal!) I have some great projects in mind, but I’d love to hear your thoughts as well! Is there a home improvement project you want to attempt but aren’t sure how to do it? Is there a tool you’d like to learn more about that I haven’t used? If there’s something I can help you learn, I’d love to try! There are a number of fantastic blogs involved in the DIY Blog Squad!: <ul> <li><a href="http://allbowerpower.wordpress.com/">All Bower Power</a> <a href="http://bungalow23.com">Bungalow 23</a> <a href="http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/">The Handyguys Podcast</a> <a href="http://www.theletteredcottage.net/">The Lettered Cottage</a> <a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/">Centsational Girl</a> <a href="http://www.designmom.com/">DesignMom</a> <a href="http://diydiva.net/">DIY Diva</a> <a href="http://joeyandlana.com/">Joey and Lana Make a House a Home</a> <a href="http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/">The DIY Show Off</a></li> </ul> Be sure to check out their True Value projects over the coming months! (I know I will!) You can also find out more about all of our projects when you follow True Value on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TrueValue">Facebook</a> and<a href="http://twitter.com/truevalue"> Twitter</a>. I am so excited for this opportunity, my mind is positively swimming with ideas. Let me know if you have any as well! *I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.* **Stay tuned for a great giveaway this weekend!

True Value DIY Blog Squad!

Hello there!! I am so thrilled to tell you about a fun partnership that’s been in the works for the past few weeks. I’ve been chomping at t...

8:59 AM

Live like no one else

<img height="405" src="http://andrewalma.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dave.jpg" width="328" /> Let me introduce you to my <strike>nemesis</strike> <strike>best friend</strike> debt free inspiration…<a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/">Dave Ramsey</a>. I’ve mentioned him a lot lately, and many have you responded, wanting to know our “debt” story. I’m sharing it with you because hearing the stories of others is what inspired us to become debt free. My hope is that those of you who are drowning in debt right this very second will be inspired as well. I hope that you will see a light at the end of the tunnel. Ours was a long, long, very dark tunnel. :) We are not debt free…yet. We’ve been working on it for about three years. The start of our massive debt started almost exactly sixteen years ago – the month I started my first year of college. I went to school that fall not knowing exactly how I was going to pay for it. I had some help from the government in the form of grants, and I had a part time job that made a little, but those together were not nearly enough to cover everything. My mother had no money. My father had no money. (My parents were divorced.) My home life was not good – and I had done all of the prep for college on my own – registration, picking out classes, applying for financial aid, etc. I had NO idea what I was doing and really didn’t give much thought as to how I would pay for the THOUSANDS I was supposed to shell out that first year. ;) All I knew is I was going to college. It was a dark time in my life and I needed control of my life, needed to control my own destiny -- and getting that education simply had to happen. At the time, I very much felt like my life depended on it. (Dramatic, but true.) If you’ve been on a college campus in the first few months of the school year, you’ve seen the credit card companies out en masse – promising free money in the form of a shiny new credit card to kids who make little to no money. I figured I would use it for back up – it would only be a few hundred bucks at most, right? So I applied for one card, got it. Another one. Got it. Another? Got it. And I got a free t-shirt each time! Or, even better, a two liter of Pepsi! WHO, I ask, could resist that?  ;) Now, when I look back, I am thankful for those credit cards, because when the first bursar’s bill came due, I went to the ATM and withdrew from each card. Enough to pay my college bill…and I did it every few months for ten months. After that first year, the balances were growing out of control, and I realized I couldn’t keep up. So I applied for school loans and got them. But by then, I had been living with credit cards for a year, and was HOOKED. Remember -- I was young. No one had taught me how to handle money. No one had talked to me about debt. We had NO money at home for such a long time, and these little cards were magic to me. I could spend, and then only pay $15 a month and all was just fine. I didn’t go crazy – but when my school loans ran out each semester, and the part time job money was gone, I went to the cards. It became an addiction. I truly believe I was addicted to credit cards. And then the you-know-what hit the fan and the calls started. Suddenly I didn’t have enough to pay the minimum  payment on all of my cards. So I paid one, and not the others. And the others called. Then I’d pay those, and not the other, and the other called. I was late on all of them, above my balance on all of them, and it was a very scary time in my life. The credit card companies would call and harass me, all day long. They yelled at me and mocked me when I cried and said, NO, I had no one I could go to for the money. (I hear they’ve changed the laws on what they can say and how often they can call.) They threatened, and I was scared out of my wits. Finally one day I realized I had do something. I went to a credit counseling service while I was still in college, and it was one of the best days of my life. They sat with me, went through all of my bills, and set up a payment I could deal with. (One payment that was dispersed to all of my cards.) The service called my cards and got my interest rates lowered, late fees frozen, and I started to get control of my life again. Let me clarify one thing – this service was FREE. There are credit services that charge for this service and I’ve not heard good things about them. The people I worked with were a not-for-profit agency and they helped me more than I can even express to you. Fast forward years from that time, and I was still paying off those cards. It was slow, but I was doing it. One day I decided to get my credit report, to see my progress. Then I saw something that helped to turn things around even more -- I found a department store card I had applied for and had forgotten about. It was the ONE card I had left that I could still use – my credit was so bad I couldn’t get any new cards, and the current cards I had were frozen. So I called that store, got a new card and went and charged twenty dollars on it. And paid it off. Did it again, paid it off. For months. My credit got better and better. Then, I had student loans I was paying off as well. So I paid those on time. And it helped. I actually was able to get a car loan (with a crazy high interest rate, but it was a loan!) and I paid it on time. Slowly, I was repairing my credit. But did I stop using it? Nope. I don’t know why I hadn’t learned any better. Maybe it’s because I was making a decent living and living comfortably? Maybe it’s because I was still addicted to credit and had the mindset of someone who is addicted – it’s not that bad, I can control it, blah blah BLAH. Enter my future hubby, who had created a ton of debt on his own. He had done it over time, even longer than me. And we continued to live like that for years. Then we decided to build a house. I took a second job and we worked our butts off to save for a decent down payment – and we had a little leftover for some new furniture. ;) But as I’ve mentioned before, we moved into a house with lots of rooms and very little furniture. And I kept getting the itch to fill each space…some of it was big stuff, like the dining room furniture. Some of it was small, like a file cabinet from Bombay Company. But it all added up. I had learned nothing. Nothing. Years of harassing calls, years of crying, years of growing debt (again), years of not knowing how to tell myself NO. I guess I should say “we” – both my hubby and I were equally to blame. About five years ago, while traveling through the state for my job, I came across a radio talk show that caught my attention. (I LOVE talk radio.) People were calling into a show to talk to some guy named Dave, asking about and talking about their debit issues. And this Dave, in his southern drawl, would bring them back to reality in a hot second…calling them out and making them take responsibility for their lives and their money. I was intrigued. I went home and couldn’t stop thinking about it. So the next trip, I searched the radio again, and found it again. I was hooked. I came home and mentioned it to hubby. We talked about it, daydreamed about it, but never took any action because it was too overwhelming. We were in it SO DEEP. Then Mr. Dave’s show came to our local radio, and I listened every day. On Fridays, people would call in and tell Dave how much money they had paid off. One couple I remember in particular had paid off $168,000 dollars. (That’s THREE zeros peeps.) Some callers had paid all but their house. Some had paid everything. They had NO debt. Nothing. Utility bills and retirement were their monthly expenses. And at the end of their call, they would count down, 1…2…3…and scream “We’re debt free!!!!” And I would cry for them. Because I wanted to be them, because I was so happy for them, because I wanted to be grown up just like them. So we started. My husband was still a bit hesitant, but we bought Dave’s book and he read it within a few hours. We were hooked. We were ready. We were SO EXCITED. We’ve been at it for about three years now. We don’t follow Dave Ramsey’s plan to the T – no rice and beans, beans and rice. ;) If we did follow it exactly as he lays out, we would probably be debt free by now. But we have become more strict on ourselves with each passing month. The closer we get, the less we spend, the more we pay off. The more being debt free becomes a reality. :) Because my husband runs his own business, we may keep one credit card for those expenses after all is said and done. That will most likely be the Amex that we will have to pay off every month. But we also figure that if the rest of our debt is gone (all but the house that is), we probably won’t need it anyway. We’re not rice and beans, more like macaroni and cheese. And lots of Goodwill. ;) No more new furniture. Even if we can pay for it in cash – we put the money towards cards. No large purchases. No new cars. We rarely go on vacation. (Most trips we do take are for hubby’s work.) We are paying for my stepdaughter’s college education – NO LOANS. And the gift we are giving her by doing that is overwhelming to me. I know she appreciates it, but I know she will truly appreciate it in about 15 years.  Yes, we splurge sometimes, and that’s another way we don’t follow the Ramsey plan exactly. But we pay for our splurges. They don’t sit on a credit card for six years. And they don’t end up costing us 3.5 times more than they originally did. ;) We work on one credit card at a time, and when another one is paid off, we are like little kids. Giddy. Paying off credit is so much more fulfilling than spending money we don’t have. It is JOY. Pride. It is delayed gratification. It makes me feel like an adult. :) And it has created SO many possibilities for our family. Dave Ramsey talks about the new way of life you create for the generations of your family after you… and that is so true. When we are debt free, we will be able to save for our children, mentor them, lead by example and then one day pass along what we have saved to them. It is exhilarating. It makes me want to cry at what is possible for our family without this monkey on our backs. So how much have we paid off? In the past three years, we’ve ridded ourselves of approximately $60,000. Actually, that’s probably pretty conservative. It’s car loans, credit cards, department store cards, student loans, furniture loans, you name it. It took a long time to create it all, and it’s taking a long time to pay it all off. We still have a big chunk to go. I won’t say how much till we’re done – don’t want to jinx anything. :) But we are pretty sure we will be debt free by the end of this year, if not in a few months. The thought of it makes me so emotional. When we pay that last payment, it will be the first time in my adult life I will be debt free. It is overwhelming. And fantastic. And so worth it. I cannot even express to you how worth it it will be. And the day we make that last payment, we will call in to Dave Ramsey’s show and scream WE’RE DEBT FREE!!! And I will cry. I’ll let you know when that day comes too. ;) P.S. If you want to know more about Dave Ramsey, click <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/">here</a>.

Live like no one else

Let me introduce you to my nemesis best friend debt free inspiration… Dave Ramsey . I’ve mentioned him a lot lately, and many have you r...

9:26 PM

The tale of three desks

Hello all! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! This is a long, long, LONG, slightly annoying tale (for me anyway), of finding a desk I love into our den. I started the redo of this room a few months ago, but then the kitchen, foyer, family room, dining room and bed making kind of got in the way, so I didn’t work on it for quite a while.  ;) We’ve always had a Bombay Company corner desk in the room:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVfeSsaM-00ACereWqN0RJ-o7QgP7MfJ-Uwt7X0c27rk-t9K9MB17st1xLWQ1nk1xDfuFFqWMSjijiGu13sJCLXO0foTi-yRxfwNh6rJOxvpufNvyPgZsUaVw_pQBiw4ctBm9bLQp1rk/s1600-h/DSC08094%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj817wYRqIHhD3nQqn2hvye7cXL5ys-DPu92a2QtLFzyaJGf30f4P3KQPvDaJu9z6UfRVcdlBuJMVAQl3Zn1l9L_oA6JYdvckftQ2ODtaPsG29Pd1CrzaySU3eXZ5AmXrE25QQGHUtydY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> Nice sippy. ;) But with the addition of a laptop, the tall corner desk with the pullout for the keyboard wasn’t working anymore – it was WAY too tall. And, I was tired of staring into a corner when I did work at that desk. (I’m usually on the couch, but whatev.) So, we took that one downstairs for hubby to use, and switched out his desk for upstairs: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnI05v7OMiqrDQShQ0ay8Me58sSVQ9IRcqE9n96WmOzn61I4gXaB4aX_zaRvZG0xXnEsfpkF0T_KHhdfuGk78DkDxD1TiXUbctCVCRSLo0_-zZuvFi0fhbIMGaNngkyc_uN7BqL0_ElY/s1600-h/desk%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="desk" border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB6jmuCLeIIGE8JHL_JldUxODN1K3nkcDFyIcScO4Qw5-hVFDkGOtSSV4gP5VdCEq0JMJo0mIe_QxQwc9Gtgt2kL7WufB92JGnJI-Wvm3ZyXM01zlpeTwNpuyaw5wdGMkoD_inVNUTR4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="desk" width="300" /></a> This baby was a $20 Goodwill find, and when I found it, it was a NEON green. (Not kidding. You’ll see in a minute.) I painted it, added new knobs, and we’ve used it in various spots over the years. Because I was trying to spend very little money on this room’s redo, I had a new vision for the desk and forged on with my changes. I worked for HOURS taking the paint (my two coats of black, and the previous owner’s crazy neon paint) off the top of the desk: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3ZE0tuFx_yuuqcrZtyHwK1OSDpqlvtOXvSykZMNuvy4_wupAFGGIDnlBdJorJ67ctu5gnFI49odGUc8VnLULxyvQ83alkdN2gJkkGja35hNbDgZBamTm5r_FdHD1jSXAJAJkplSzMiI/s1600-h/090%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPFsFjhWpsNJKH-qoKxg9B8-XyR_De16lq3BvV5P6NeWjjk92BTyNbQFa_rgd-LAoURwQl132i31pRwY4kRWtuIe11UKQ1mmyliMoEQVMfGjMSK8q5e-rwLVVOcJEqyvSEyCGPMtKyOU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a>YIKES. Told ya! I got the top down to bare wood, finally…and then started my next phase. I had a beautiful white desk in mind, with a dark, luscious stain on top. Because the desk was unfinished on the back, I figured I could cover it and wrap the three sides with something and then paint it: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3huMhjDewOzPg9Hvh0ZHq9yxNxAw4bBss-kxgH7DLpLwOKMWSomCsLfqBZCmJrHeu2ugOh_UHJxZ1ChkfirnGzcT63vnx149Ng0YKdnwLumN0eMTtsIF-cAEmwdn6keRjHQZoFCOBOYE/s1600-h/020%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlxzpu8dWloriR2yo9YMQ1l3mXY6S6cCHmFvB7TDyvlo2ajwwTKDVXPV565TGFGZ_sJQauYAs52KYT0GNF6znrmuYvnwwjpC40hZLv3oMU5_qDDtftv9gErDZtQETRUbSXRD1SdzMLA8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a>I used plywood first, to even out everything on the back, then installed beadboard panels around the back and the sides. I got baseboard molding to finish off the bottom. Then I primed it…and it sat. And sat. For days. Weeks. MONTHS now.  :) I know pretty quickly when something isn’t workin’ for me, and when I’m not digging it, I basically ignore it. Sometimes a new vision will come to me to fix it. Sometimes I realize it’s just an absolute train wreck. This one was a train wreck: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gZto5Vm9t0uptl3Ms4b1GCHeLNcVUZEjQ2te6TJ2edYB8X3LHymrM9LE9KD6m7bAq2hlRxvKmfNtFD3RFZfn4P2LsZrW7DDpPc5OjsM1M39MlTuV4t6QbnfFnUErCmlBqZqq8YPyDpY/s1600-h/015%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKabEW0jNfgo0Hl1jfGXcpDIpS2Za6hyphenhyphenX2u8kgnxT4w_iwOtLIps2G889Wf2KLTiCzSR3yb8VgBxNXsgFetwqvQtzaZ4I7hAbTwGQkcng3WnbFJtdobx6moVwV_NRzfZDAETU_ch8p_o/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> Nothing was looking how I had in my noggin. I didn’t even paint the front of the desk: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r0krsaspnsBm4qqDSzDQ-Qmp0Oj4HYGM74CU_m9HJnwqUnxw6rUcGohzZp3DJ1pShAHIe8CcFY7sEwZHjNtRmos7l4zx1r_fjj7rAN4jc2zWTp_1oXe9RMCyIQm2-SlPmoIPJ2VabYQ/s1600-h/019%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSClbosg5V3bEInj3q97N9snKkiuJ6KVrtfi4IbREbBK3h0hCkCQ7NaHgEzSL6ED7S7yEQjOljTwI0mXXQd9qCVNhWxvsA4JytwPR1x0sPceXoc1nDnshwDka4onPri7Liz_6gRmOciE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> That is a hot. mess. Smokin’ hot. So…I’ve been searching Craigslist for my next vision – a table instead of a desk. Because of another change in here, I don’t need desk storage anymore. (More on that soon.) So the idea of a table was really growing on me. It would be open, light, and would show off the molding treatment I have planned for the room. It would have much more surface space, (unlike the current desk), and it would just be pretty darn it! :) In my head was a curvy table top, beautiful legs and it had to be just the right size – not too small, not too big. Translation:  next to impossible to find. Till this weekend. You know how when you are looking for a job, people always say “It’s all in who you know?” Well, this weekend I found that to be true in decor as well. ;) A friend, and her friend (who is my friend), and her friend’s friend (HUH? Stay with me peeps!) had a garage sale this weekend. My friend came over for a visit and showed me the great stuff she had bought from the third friend involved with sale. I was drooooooling. Then, she was telling me what was left. One item was a medium-sized table. Ears perk up. It was all pretty and curvy on top. Shut up. It had spindly legs and looked vintage. Um. Hello? That is the one in my head! Best part? It was only $15. Shut. the front. door. So after some late night texting to friend number two, I got some pictures of said table, then went over to look at it today, fell in love, came home and took some measurements (height, length, width were all PERFECT), and immediately texted her again and said SOLD!!!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgWDHIheAf5T2CTq8gNKZGlbm0m-kzJ68-46qw4R9hEHBWwWpYy37DvohazAIkW_C5P-wfuSvbBRicpTuySZ2UJkpJHIC53T8UIcfRKTesrWmnHXQave3i7uh8q-dMS-Divof4QFTy5k/s1600-h/004%5B10%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX29KjdPP8oARn8v27vLu1RApMMKK_A-uUJjo4mEnj0O4TYZt9HPLxjjoqlH44Y2G5H7q59V0ULCteSCL4z_Y5CC4tzbMYO_Oq78DwcQwWefyu_XnsSdjUZrNoYFRpE8_rJ2QFAdybZfo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> It is LOVELY: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCl8d5mVs9EcDsHAmwL1K6FBrs9q84sYw620RO5F-zoJh36kdJKX08MTJthoJLyXILii7GoF5Ne5AsoHkEu3L9QLCFVzorakgu-q1uxyxCCq76J7KDeHZI9pOxQu3dUf8n-AGZkY7p4w/s1600-h/009%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBdPcEkK_vAvZmCQU-9vE-exZObkuORq8xe71t2963saehzb_wXwFJJ22xoNrE6KArWxgKtLKciyP73tEmeyt-zKaExwifaf3G0WHWSp1UgPaJO1AUqmRjZsZPPjM8Jx4awvS7U4A8jg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> And in really, really bad shape. :) The third friend who sold it had painted it and kept it outside. You can see the brown paint on the picture above. (It’s literally falling right off, and there’s very little left.) But there’s a few issues. The wood has patinated to a beautiful grey color, but it’s also got some mold growing it as well: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOSP2h7wk8JCCpN_yMMhCtAzwxJNSEjGlwRXK5WTIjjS4anyiZ2kp04PLPS3W3hUp1I71KF3J_5_CeRUPnsJH2ZlwgihhPhTsNp8jaWgWv5OfrKPpVUhHKwNrzO0O9jtsTYUYbbhvJSk/s1600-h/006%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P7BQP8zGFh3GW5b7lqmeFpOIIxemgd5D_Bva-gslYoFXiWxxV9_4Uy3WS_Zly-662zvj3NhebVnhM5rqr77Ux0tqVlVXWLbVew-FCR-1W9dxiC8nCcd9JhAPDTRPUrakmvIFgtvxPEI/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="280" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYuLDq_TjNtRQle7Vp1ImzaKiSF3GSa5my8IogP8fVaQ4TCW9a0duo-dAX4uw2eoVVPyvSuc-RL8z6JkjQafFqLSShxG2bT4FBNNn1azXXab84Qazkcv_4J2OWdsY6zJ5yndPwYayh18/s1600-h/005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdkHCnbiXB3Ei9oRD7Re7SrY9n0M2HYPhk9T7oGBhU67So5ZZu_Gaj2qIm99rar4Kcb4jCI554USVCVSIljV3N1kTFjOBis5defGgYQEm5_WefLpCIwlh9i61CC0IIYWuF017pdgVkSc/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="280" /></a> I should stop here and mention that mold fareeeeeks me out. So until it’s addressed, it’s staying in the garage. BUT, there’s only two spots, and my Dad told me some bleach should take them right off. I did some research online, and found that the fear most (that would be ME) have of mold it largely exaggerated – most molds aren’t a danger to most people. But I’m not messing with this stuff. It looks like black mold, which sounds like is fairly harmless. I found instructions on how to remove it, so I’ll let you know how that goes. The other issue is the wood itself – obviously being out in the elements has not done it any favors. I’m so afraid that I’ll go to sand it and it will start falling apart. Part of me wants to clean the mold off, scrape off the paint, then just poly over the whole thing and save that beautiful grey. The third issue is that the legs don’t match the orientation of the table: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6qRQuJlYzDsPQ15KSbcSUVGGS36u0Dr2lUW8lKOMvgG76NXSJ91at2_vF0wZounm_VZiYyok7eUg1P_2Rs16bhrwSX2fBBBhKTtcvCJ529ZiHusGIidf7l-yBU52HOwZ4tYUBybEV64/s1600-h/002%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgamPzvogotsPv7d6ZxDpb_E5ju0MaJfpgkR-NphKSDsamkBxFLnrA7w1GjZKySMsGBBeQ134A6TvnCv5VnJXIUq8ECeJQdnnKrRuB_ZlGXWjtp3dF_nygGYrBF29TtyIKCgDP3tUPps/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="486" /></a>The wide part of the table is the short opening of the legs, the shorter width of the table is where the legs are further apart. Does that make sense? The table has two leaves that fold down, and the previous owners reinforced it underneath with wood, so the leaves don’t go down anymore. But that makes the legs and table not match in their direction. I need the width on both to match up so I have room to put my desk chair. So I’ll basically have to take the legs off, then turn them and reattach the long way. It shouldn’t be hard to do. Argh! I said it out loud!! That’s the kiss of death! ;) After all that, I think I’ll have a perfectly lovely (and safe) desk. Swooon! So…anyone out there know anything about removing mold from wood? Am I right about the black mold? I read to make a mixture of detergent, water and bleach and clean it with a brush. (Wet it first, wear a mask and eye protection as well.) Here’s to hoping the third time is a charm!! Wish me luck. I think I may need it. P.S. Please join me at the August Before and After party tomorrow night! P.P.S. Anyone want a beadboard desk? Partially complete? (Crickets.) No?

The tale of three desks

Hello all! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! This is a long, long, LONG, slightly annoying tale (for me anyway), of finding a desk I love i...