Birthday, Part One

It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that to kick my butt into high gear to finally tackle the half finished projects in the house, there needs to be a very definite deadline to get things done.

So I threw a party.

Isabel is turning five this year.

(HOW DID THAT HAPPEN??)

 

And since the big party will be in Malaysia this year, I had a small one earlier at the house.

And invited some of her closest friends from her daycare whom she has not seen much of since starting kindergarten this fall

It makes the heart warm to see all of them together again

And something to note, almost 5 years olds are VERY noisy when they reunite.

Especially when they are all girls.

All in all, it was fun.

The guest list was small enough for me to have time to pay attention to the presentation details and DIY crafts and decorations that I have seen on the web and thought, "Oh, that is such a fantastic idea!"

The study/library worked exactly as I envisioned it when I was planned the room -- it was perfect for hosting a sit-down meal. 

 

2014 resolution: If my friends and family lived close by, I am sure that it would be a frequent occurrence, but I need to break out of my comfort zone and invite people over for meals (although I may want to leave the actual food cooking to the experts!)

Going Batty

I've never decorated for Halloween before...Figured this was a good year as ever to start after an impulse purchase of $2 cobwebby fiber thingamajig from Savers....and cut out 60 bats, essentially copy-catting MADE.

And drew out this little ghost family portrait as a filler for an empty frame in my project-gallery-wall

 A little $5 Halloween decor project that makes everyday life a little less mundane. Cheap, easy and fun.

On another note, my coat stand broke (grrr) so it was the perfect time to change things up and put up these coat hooks...

Thing 1 and Thing 2, as Isabel puts it.

 
 

Evolutions of a Study/Library/Office

One of my dreams was always to have a room that is to be deemed a "study". Just one of those quirks of mine.

When we bought the house all those years ago, there was an extra room that was designated as such.

This room was where I would pay the bills. That was the extent of its use for a long time. Eventually, it became the place I sewed, and now, craft with Isabel.

The first time the room was painted, circa 2008 thereabouts, I went with a darker green for a masculine, serious feel...

Looking back, I cringe. It looks dreary, and boring and empty.
I don't even LIKE green.

Then I went through my white phase, picture circa 2011:

 

Room is still equally empty - I've never been good with accessorizing

But the room feels lighter, more airy, more girly.

And here she is now:

With actual bookcases...filled with books, books and more books. I think that was what was missing all those years ago...

Books are an important part of my life. Always have been. And I am glad to be reunited with them.

A glitzy chandelier is also an obsession.
This room is by far the most "colorful" room in the house, with the exception of Isabel's bedroom.

The walls have something beyond paint on them

The room is done (for now -- just need two more parson chairs to complete the seating)

I came across lots of old pictures of Isabel while looking for the original study pictures -- my darling, my love (although she really hates it when I call her my love...that term of endearment is apparently reserved for her future boyfriend to call her)

  

Art, Or Lack Thereof

I don't know squat about art.

However, I am quite picky over what I do choose to go on my walls (and trying not to go with commercialized, cookie cutter prints that one finds in big box stores) which explains why they are all still pretty bare 6 years later...For example, I completely do not understand the allure of abstract paintings. To me, it is pretty much equivalent to what my 4 year-old can produce, and I prefer her work over those thousand-dollar pieces.

However, those walls must be filled and I am trying to do it with the very limited categories that I do love - two which stand above all others are equine and ballet

In one of the random (but now staple!) blogs that I stumbled upon, the Etsy seller Eye Poetry Photography was highlighted in one post.

And I am in love.

And just to throw some variety into the mix, this owl....

  

Has rendered me completely speechless

The wonder of God in creating such beauty. 

Now the question is....do I pick just one and have a massive print of it, or do a collage?

Ob-sessed

I have a thing for the ballet. The dances, the dancers, the poise, the grace.

I wish I had been able to go for ballet classes when I was a kid.
Therefore, you bet that I am living vicariously through Isabel. =)

I have been looking for art for the house and have been obsessed with the following --

 

I keep going back to the artist's etsy shop to look and hem and haw....

   

Aren't they gorgeous?! 

Warm-weather Shelves

I try to rotate the open shelving in my kitchen at least once with the change of each season.
Now that the weather is getting more and more crisp, having my warm beverage essentials close at hand makes me happy.

 

Finally, my Martha Stewart turkey platter sees the light of day after hiding out 4 years in the basement...

 

And in the soup tureen, we have my prized acquisitions from our trip to Australia ---

 

 Freddos and Caramello Koalas!

Should have bought more than a bag of each.

Hindsight is 20/20

Time to Bring out the Shovels

My backyard is the bane of my existance. Along with the front yard.

 Looking at it is enough to rile me up, and you can see why...uggghhhh!

This year is the year to start turning it around. My grandmother was very, very passionate about her garden, and when she passed away last year, I really wanted to try and cultivate a garden that she would be proud of. Plus, it would stop me from feeling embarassed of having the trashyard of the neighbourhood.

After a weekend of work, a real flower bed is defined:

Excuse the peeling garage. That's another to-do on this summer's list.

Lets just hope that the plants florish...Isabel was in on the action

Tulips that I planted last fall with mom and brother are coming up! I'm still surprised that it actually took root! There is hope yet for this black thumb!

Bathroom Pretties

After 2 months or so, my upstairs bathroom is in full working order again. Woo hoo!

Still bummed that the matching pedestal sink was too big for my dinky bathroom. =(

Loading up the bathroom with pretties help ease the disappointment.

 

Zoom out a little, and we'll get a more realistic view of life with the bright plastic kid stuff littering the room, the overflowing trashcan and the toilet brush.

I need to get a new light fixture.
And a toilet paper holder.
And a clock, since I'm always underestimating the time I need to look presentable.

But I am just glad that I can move all my stuff back upstairs.

And that I can start using the clear cube organizers that was purchased months ago.



I  have an obsession with lipsticks, if you can't tell. 

Looking at this particular drawer makes me happy =)

Bedroom Transformation

For the past week, I've been working on the master bedroom. MY master bedroom. Finally.

Sunday

Even though majority of my stuff were moved downstairs last year, there was still a healthy amount of crap that was lurking in hidden corners of the room

ARGHH!!

JUNK!!!

Closet was emptied out and repainted and by the end of the night (and I mean about 2.30am Monday morning), it was filled with my bag collection and dresses/long skirts....ahhhh...organization makes my heart skip a beat.

Monday

  Started painting - 1 1/2 walls done after 2 1/2 hours? So slow....

Tuesday

Ex-husband was willing to trek down to IKEA with me and help me haul the packages up the stairs. Spent the night assembling ---

A major FAIL! 1 1/3 hours later and I still have quite a bit to do...this is probably the most complicated IKEA furniture assembly I've had to date.

Wednesday

More fail points.... =(

Durn thing is too big for the intended spot...change of plans needed. Bah.

By the end of the night, wardrobe is in place and is started to be filled

And finished up my gallon of paint, only to still have a tiny bit left to paint....sigh. Back to the Home Depot tomorrow.

Thursday

Wall painting, DONE!!! 

Room clearing, almost done. 

Mattress, OUT!! Sustained a bruise (or more) but I managed to move it downstairs.

Curtain rod, ON!

Couldn't resist pretty-fying it a little. The candle is from Bath and Body Works and it's my favorite-st scent ever

We are getting there!!

Friday

Afternoon - Bed's here!!!! Holy crap, it is huge!

Night - bedding all washed and bed all made --

My dinky little 18 inch tv is set up too -- Look how tiny it is from the bed!

Just to show how big this bed is -- against Isabel as a yardstick:

Decked up the side table with some books that I want to reread --- yes, I read Twilight.

That night, I lit my candle, turn on the lamp and breathed a huge sigh of contentment.

It is still far from done (curtains, mirror, armchair, dresser..argh) but the big pieces are in and it is habitable. I would have to say that this is the first time where I've had a grownup bedroom with pieces that are actually going to last me for more than a few years, and for that I am grateful (Thank you, Yee!!)