Lookie what is on it's way!!!

For a long time I've been aware that we are outgrowing out table. There is room for 4 comfortably if I dish up plates from the stove and we can squeeze in one extra person when we need to...but I love the feel of a family meal where all the food is piled in dishes on the table, and being able to invite people over would be so nice. We just don't have room for that, and Katie will be joining us at the table (instead of in her high chair next to the table) soon. So, I've been watching DI (thrift store) for a new table...they range from $40-$80 there generally, but I've only ever spotted one I even kind of liked...and it was on a day I didn't have cash for a table. And I didn't like it *that* well. So I've just been living with our too-small table until I could think of a solution that would fix the problem and not break our budget. Well, I think I've found one and I just ordered part of the solution!

Awesome, hu?! I'm so excited! And in case you are wondering, I totally did not buy these for my husband for our anniversary. These babies are MINE...though he did help me pick out the best ones for my budget, and I'm letting him think he will have access to use them if he needs (teehee). (doesn't look much like a table does it???) Well, HERE are the plans for the table that will be mine once the weather is stable enough to let me work on it outside. Isn't it pretty? We're going to alter the plans a bit...hers is 30inches wide and 8 feet long...a little longer then I have room for, and not quite wide enough for dishes of food. Mine is going to be about 37 inches wide and 6.5 feet long. Aren't you excited for me???

And until then, these new tools will be a big help with stuff like....
You remember this pretty little thing? Well, it is now all prepared and ready and waiting for those new tools to show up. (ok, I PROMISE one of these days I'll actually get an "after picture of something up, instead of just teasing you :p)

Next up on my wish-list (because it will make building the new table 100% easier!)...A nail gun! The miter saw is going to have to wait to see if I'm using the other stuff enough to justify it...but, oh, do I want one!

Pretty in Pink!

Remember this?...

Typical computer tower...big...black...

In our house, we don't have computers hidden away in private rooms...heck we don't even have places to tuck them away (you saw my living room, right?) Computers are a big part of our life and therefore, right out in the open. I figured I could make this little guy a little more interesting, so here it is now...

Cute, right??? More work then I figured, and I cut a lot of corners...I should have sanded initially and taped off better and done a clear coat at the end. I have more plans, so the clear coat may get done then, but we'll see. Initially, I was going to try to make it look like a dresser or chest with wood moulding and little decorative handles...but the shape of the case isn't really boxy enough for that, but I think I'm going to add at least a little something more at some point. For now...I shall call her "Bubbles" lol :) And just think how pretty she will look sitting next to my pretty new desk once it's painted black! Oh, spring, you can't come soon enough!

*note! this project was able to be done because it was a new case with no computer components installed and I had my husband who is fairly knowledgeable about computers help me. I would not recommend taking your tower out and spray painting it w/o talking to someone who knows about computers....I dismantled the whole case to do this. I'll post more pictures tomorrow when I get them transferred from my old computer so you can see how I did it.

What I've been up to

To start with, me and the girls made these cute valentines for their classes. I decided I needed to have them put a little more work into them then just picking out a box from the store. I cut out the circles and hearts, they glued them on and wrote names on the back. It was kinda a fun project.
Beyond that, I haven't really been crafting as much. (I can't believe I'm going to show you this next picture...but here it is...) I kinda figured I didn't appreciate how much Chris did to help out around the house...but now, with him in school...I'm amazed at how much just doesn't get done. On top of that...we are not very good at being minimalistic...we have a LOT of stuff in a very small space, and we need to get better about it. But, 2 days ago, this is what my front room looked like...completely and totally out of control....and this is after a week when I really, truly made every effort to keep it clean since it was clean the week before for a dinner party...it was clean the day after the party...I'm not sure when it all fell apart....
In this space, we have several needs...tv watching area, 2 computer desks, sewing desk, room for the elliptical (preferably where there is access to show watching while using it), parking spot for stroller, and space for kids to play (no, they can't play in their room as there is barely room for their beds and I'm in the process of moving all toys out of their room as they are not cappable of keeping the toys picked up because of the space's limitations...). Is it any wonder that the room looks like this? On top of that, we have several things being stored in here since we are lacking in storage space in general. So, this week, I've been working out a better floorplan that makes more sense for our needs, as well as getting real about what we really NEED to keep and what we could definitly live without...things have started moving around and looking a little better, but in the midst of it, 2 of these showed up....
Along with all the guts that come with them. Chris is running on a borrowed computer system since his died, and mine is running worse and worse each day...so this year tax returns mean new computers for both of us. Which mean I have lots of boxes of computer components added to my already overfull living room. *sigh*...

I did however get a really exciting project most of the way done yesterday, and I'll be posting a ton of pictures on it tomorrow! Look forward to it ;)

Beautiful Desk

Ok, this has nothing to do with my new desk...but the other day, for our valentine advent, we were to give each other "a small gift" of one of their favorite things...I made banana muffins...heart shaped ones were just for Chris, and he didn't have to share :) He brought me chocolates (awww, sweet) and Chips and French Onion Dip!!!!!! (squeel!!!) Sometimes, I feel like he gets me gifts with out truely thinking of what *I* would really want...but this one was so unexpected and showed that he was really thinking about something *I* would love. Isn't he so, SOOOO sweet? :)

Ok...the desk!
Here is her story (dont' know why it's a her...I just feel she is...)

Yesterday morning, Betty was combing her hair in the bathroom. Normally the bathroom door is closed so the baby doesn't reek havok in there...well, obviously, the baby was in the open bathroom with her sister. Usually that's not too big of a deal, so I was puttering around in the living room when I hear a collosal crash complete with breaking glass. I rushed to the bathroom to find the over toilet shelf thing across the floor and into the tub...under it, was all our hairbrushes, toothbrushes, q-tips (you get the idea) and it was all sitting among a plethora of broken glass. (Katie was a little spooked, but no-one was hurt luckily) So, instead of dishes and laundry and sewing like I'd planned, I spent my day cleaning up the bathroom. The only problem was that the shelf/cabnet thing wasn't going to go back. It had been in poor shape before, but after the fall...well, it just was done. My sister-in-law came over to drop something off and offered to take me to find a replacement. We decided to start at DI. We were going to stay focused and just look for bathroom organizing things, but of course we got sidetracked. While she was looking at some stools I spoted a little desk...it was cute and sturdy and I've been wanting a permanant home for my sewing machine. It would have been perfect. It had a few drawers(somethign my current computer desk is lacking) and would fit right in the spot next to my computer desk...at $30 I decided I'd grab it and had the furniture guy do up a tag for me. Then I turned around...I'd walked down this isle about 3 times already, but this was the first time I really looked at her. It was love!!!
(I know I say this a lot...but ignore the mess in the background...my kids are making blanket tents this morning) I love the subtle details, and check out her hardware! She's completely sturdy, the drawers are on rollers and open like a dream. And, it was only $10 more then the desk I'd already picked. When the guys brought it out to the van, they chuckled cause I couldnt' stop from jumping up and down with pure joy! It doesn't fit in the spot I'd planned at all...I gave Chris first dibs on using it to replace his computer desk because I know he didn't like that we couldn't bring his bigger desk when we moved...but even if he uses it, it will be *my* desk. I know she needs a little love...but oh, I'm willing to give it to her! The one handle on the door is missing, but I think I'll replace it with a sweet knob. I think I may paint her too...maybe white or black or deep brown, but I'm really not sure yet, but I'm kinda leaning toward a nice glossy black. I think that would make her pretty handles really pop out. What do you guys think? It will be a good while before I get it done, but I'm so excited to have her home!

Saving the planet, one napkin at a time

I work in the nursery at church. We have about 10-15 little toddlers every week, and every week we serve a small snack to these little ones. The routine goes...play, clean up, lesson, color, snack, singing time. During coloring, an adult or two starts putting together snack stuff, which means, counting the kids and getting cups with water and paper napkins for all of them. Several months ago, we upgraded to those "disposable" yet re-usable sippy cups because we had a large group of kids come in brand new who still were a bit unskilled with a cup and liked to dip their goldfish in them...messy! Plus we figured that money would be saved by not having to buy lots of dixi cups, and it's better for the environment. Now us teachers take turns bringing the cups home and throwing them in the dishwasher and bringing them back. Well, I was noticing the huge stack of paper towels we were still going though...we put them out to put the snack on in front of the kids...so I thought it was time for a second upgrade. I just used leftover fabric from other projects or peices I'd picked up in a bag from D.I. that had something much cooler in with it...they aren't all the same size...some aren't square...but the fabrics are super cute and it will be much more fun on the table then boring white paper towels. I also have a little fabric tote that I'd made for a scripture tote, but ended up a little too small...it's perfect for carrying the napkins in, and can just be thrown in the wash with them (so we can throw the dirty ones in there, and not have to worry about not having something clean to put them in to bring them back.) I think it's briliant, if I do say so myself :)

Hello Clock!

To be honest, there is nothing inherently wrong with this clock. We got it as a wedding present...I'm pretty sure we even registered for it...and it looked very nice on our walls in the past. But I have been hit with the BLAHs lately. We are living in an apartment, where we can't paint and everything feels very...monotone. So, part of my New Year's resolution is to create beauty and happiness around myself. So, the monotone HAS GOT TO GO! And since I'm working on a budget, I'm working with what I have. A wood frame clock is very nice...but....

...a glossy RED clock is way WAY BETTER!!! And I have plans for this little guy...oh, and they are gonna be good!

This took about 3 coats of cherry red spray paint...it probably would have been less, but I didn't primer it first and it was staying very brown/dark. And...for the record...it didn't take me 3 whole hours to do this project...it was probably only 20 min (including waiting a bit between coats). I taped off the face while I was feeding kids and getting them off to school and down for naps.

Preview!

This picture has been sitting around my house for some time now...I used to do home staging, and this is one of the things I inherited from a mentor. It's sweet, and could be called "calming" in the right setting...but in my house, it falls under the category of "boring". Well, I'm tired of having all kinds of junk around my house (junk, right now, is what I call anything that is not actually being used). Now, I have a plan to make this not boring and not junk...just wait. It'll be great!

Oh, and I KNOW you are DYING to find out about this little beauty! But this is all I'm gonna give you.