December 2011
29 posts
November 2011
9 posts
House Projects! Getting Ready for Christmas!
Yay, for an easy and inexpensive home improvement that only took up 2 hours this evening. I recently discovered www.pinterest.com, which is absolutely my new obsession. I try to limit myself to an hour a day searching through other blogs about DIY crafts/projects, art, design, music, and tons more. An hour, you say? Shh… it’s better than TV, right? I found this idea while browsing online for installing wainscotting/bead board in the kitchen and thought, hmm… I want to do that to our kitchen island before Christmas:
Source: homestoriesatoz.com via Nicci on Pinterest
So, as soon as I got home from work this evening I threw on grubby clothing, measured the two sections on the island that I would cover with bead board, and drove to Lowe’s. I only needed one large piece of bead board that Lowe’s cut into measured pieces for me. Can I tell you how helpful EVERY Lowe’s employee was? At first, I thought it was because I was a girl aimlessly walking around with nails and wood, but even a younger female was overly helpful in the paint aisle. Thanks Lowe’s!
I purchased a handful of things: bead board, small nails (called finishing nails), caulk, spackle, kilz (primer), semi-gloss white paint, and some new rollers for my paint roller. I felt like a kid in a candy shop…… and then I walked outside. Hmmm, how was I going to fit these huge pieces of bead board into my Honda Civic Coupe? I went ahead and put in my small bags and little scrap bead board pieces. Then all of a sudden a father and his son came over to me. His 4 year old grabbed a bead board and said “I can help!”, the Dad picked it up from him and said “Want to try and put it in the back seat?” SO NICE! What a wonderful people day! I’m still smiling.
I drove home, unpacked my new “tools”, and prepared for Tyler to come home. I knew he would be excited to have a chance to use his saws and other wood tools. I went ahead and warmed up some Curried Split Pea Soup, an amazingly easy and yummy Alton Brown recipe that I made last night for us and started to clean off the surfaces of where we would be installing the bead board: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/curried-split-pea-soup-recipe/index.html So, side note as to not get off track - My sister, Nicole and I were just talking last week about how our mom makes a killer Split Pea Soup and that we needed to find a good recipe. Well, this is definitely a keeper if you like yellow curry!
Back to tonight’s project… I was right, Tyler was thrilled about using his toys and sawing bead board when he came home. He ate a slice of last night’s Banana Berry Bread and went to work. I traced out our outlet and re-measured the smaller piece, because Lowe’s measurement was a little off. Once cut, we ate pea soup and started to work together nailing the boards. Next step, caulking the corners, seems, and other imperfections as well as spackling the nails. Tomorrow evening, I will prime and paint!
I took “before” pictures and will definitely post them with “after” pictures tomorrow night or Wednesday morning before work.
I love checking “honey-do” tasks off my list! :)
Goodnight! xoxo
“A blog focuses on your ideas how you think and what you are thinking about.” - CNN”
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This weekend was BUSY! Preparing food, helping Dad host, and cleaning up our festivities was so much fun, but extremely exhausting. My ankle is swollen, but it was all for such a great cause. Happy Engagement Dani and Davis! We’re so excited for you and looking forward to celebrating your marriage next year. Lots of love and hugs and kisses… Pictures to come soon! xoxo
Since, my current project was “free caterer” yesterday I wanted to share a few other amazing blogs with you. I have many motivations for starting “beautydetermined” and much of this decision was encouragement from my dear friend and bosom buddy, Tracie Talbert Rodriguez. She writes about running, volunteering, and overall the love of life in her blog: http://runworkeatsleep.wordpress.com/ Tracie and I met at White Barn Candle Company in 2004 and have been inseparable since. She has an amazing personality and is one of the most positive people you’ll ever meet. She has guided me through life lessons including my running, training, and recent DEPRESSION with my ankle injury all while smiling and cheering me on. Tracie has always been one of my inspirations in life to be a better person… and I hope she motivates you as much as she does for me. You’ll love her too… READ HER BLOG!
Another awesome blog that was my FIRST blog to follow was Project: BABY (http://www.projectbabyblog.com/). Definitely a MUST READ for any mom, mom-to-be, or hesitant to take on the new title as mom, but is totally curious… ME! Kristin Broeils Timmerman and I met during our study abroad trip to Prague, Czech Republic. Fate it was! I had originally planned to be roommates with other girls on our trip, but since I flew in late that day, I was a lone traveler. I tried to get into the hostel after midnight and everyone was sleeping. I basically was kicked out of my planned room, but a half asleep girl I didn’t even really know and really didn’t know what to do. I contemplated sleeping on the couch in the foyer of our hostel imagining crying myself to sleep, but I decided to knock on one more door. Kristin, half asleep, came to the door and let me in! Who cares if I was an axe murderer!? She had already accepted me as her new roomie and I wasn’t an axe murderer. We haven’t seen in each in years, but I think about all of the amazing people we met and all the memories. Much love to that summer! We need a Prague Family reunion. Kristin also offers style advice and pure honesty… READ HER BLOG!
And, Miss Ashley Teeter Tot Bitting! She’s married to a great guy, who happens to be a cop and is pregnant with her first BABY. A little boy is on the way and she is the cutest pregnant lady EVER! Ashley and I have actually known each other since high school. Mount Tabor Alumni… Spartans, you know! Check out Facebook… there are even prom pictures of us on there. You can’t miss our dresses either. I think some of mine kept sequin companies in business that year. I started reading Ashley’s blog when she posted this AMAZING homemade headboard for her master bed. Martha Stewart would be impressed. If you are a young professional, crafty, and a mom-to-be OR just love sarcasm… like ME… READ HER BLOG! http://cuffedforlife.tumblr.com/
Guys, I know we’re all short for time day-to-day, but check these blogs out when you have a chance. These ladies are funny, creative, intelligent, and clever! They have motivated me in ways they’ll never know and I really just wanted to share my other inspirations for starting my own blog.
Love and happiness to you all. Sweet dreams… xoxo
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson” —
― Ralph Waldo Emerson” —
Ahh, my first blog post… this actually feels really great. I always joke with Tyler, my hubby that I’m like a George Lucas film. There’s so much going on in my head at all times. Don’t get the comparison? Watch a Star Wars film and pay close attention to the background in his movies. You’ll be amazed at all the activity going on BEHIND the main characters and scenes. There are stories within stories going on throughout the entire movie. This is exactly what’s happening inside my head!
I have decided to start blogging in order to create another way to organize my ideas and thoughts, especially to help me FULLY-bring back my artistic roots. Any projects, art ideas, paintings, creative thoughts that flow through me on a regular basis will be shared with all.
So, WELCOME to my blog! I’m excited for this journey and hope that you enjoy my experiences, while I learn to appreciate beauty in life. My discoveries will hopefully lead me to success… and me…
“May the Force be with you” :)
