Off With Their Heads!

Call me crazy.  But I need a head.  I have my own, but I want one on the wall.  (And I don't mean a weird shrunken head, I'm not that crazy.)  I mean an animal head bust, but I don't hunt.  I've been looking at some "animal friendly" busts.  I say animal friendly, because they're not real heads, they're either made out of paper mache, wood, or stuffing!  Either way, they're cool and I want one.

This carved moose head looks pretty realistic, and it would look awesome over our sofa.  It might be heavy though, so I'm not sure wood would be the best option over the sofa after all - I don't want it landing on MY head...



I like these white busts.



Dream Book Design mounted the head in a frame.  Which looks awesome, and they can change the fabric backing whenever the mood strikes!

And I do like these furry options, however, they're over $300, so these made the post purely as part of my daydream:

I might consider a grouping like the one below.

I'm not sure where I'm going to get a head or three. There are plenty of blog tutorials showing us how to make a paper mache head bust, but I'm not so sure about that.  I once made fruit out of paper mache, and let's just say it didn't look much like fruit when I was done, more like shrunken heads.  Paper mache animal bust might be a little too ambitious for me!

Guess I'm going to keep my eyes open.  Would it be weird to ask for a head for Christmas?

 

Cowboy Style

[caption id="attachment_546" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Wellington Garden Boots[/caption]

For those of you who garden, why not do it cowboy-style!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Furniture Arrangement

Since we're having our new fireplace/stove installed in a couple of weeks (YAY), I've had to re-think the way my living room is arranged.  (Big groan from Big A).  I move the furniture around on a monthly, if not weekly, basis.  A fireplace taking up one whole corner of the living room is going to limit my furniture re-arranging ability to an extent.   And I have to steel myself to the fact that whatever I come up with may be one of only a couple of ways I can arrange the furniture.  Although I'll be missing out on many a rainy afternoon throwing my back out and stubbing my toe, I remind myself, I will have a new fireplace to cozy up to, and I'm REALLY excited about that!

When arranging any room the first thing you have to think about is the function of that room.  When we built our home, we decided we wanted a home where the kitchen, dining room and living room, were all somewhat open to one another.  We have a large family and want to be together for functions, rather than in separate rooms.  SO, the function of our living room is mostly for tv and chilling out (as the l'il man loves to say), but also for entertaining, and eating on laps (depending on the event).

For us, we have two sofas, and a large chair with ottoman, several tables/coffee table.  The two sofas face one another with the coffee table between.  The large chair/ottoman faces the tv (and will be next to the fireplace).   The fireplace and the tv will be at either end of the room. This works for us for having people over, or for movie night/relaxing by the fire.

Next, speaking of tv, we had to figure out our focal point.  I KNOW, I KNOW, you should not make the tv your focal point.  But realistically, we have 5 kids, and we watch a lot of Netflix.  When Big A is home in the evening, we want to relax and watch our DVR'd shows.  The tv, unfortunately, has to be a focal point.  We also have a huge picture window which looks out to the back yard with a view of the bird feeder and the woods.  That also competes to be a (classier) focal point.  AND, now with the new fireplace, well, that has to be a focal point too.

I know lots of us have lots of awkwardly shaped rooms, and the only way to get it right is by moving it around and finding what works the best.  There are no rules.  For example, you don't have to have a sofa.   You can have four large chairs around a coffee table, or two large chairs and a sofa.  And the furniture does not have to be stuck to the wall, it can be pulled out, or arranged on the diagonal.  If you do have open plan rooms, use area rugs to create a natural area for a grouping of furniture.

This is my parents living room, which has a large picture window, a tv and a fireplace.  Their tv is not a focal point of the room, because it's generally only my Dad who watches tv in there - here he is, in disguise and looking like something from "Weekend at Bernies" - in his big chair (facing the tv).  The other sofas face the fireplace, and the picture window, which are their main focal points.



The last thing you need to think about when arranging any room is the flow of traffic through that room.  The stairway to the upstairs is in our living room.  Furthermore, the hall "divides" the living room and dining room, and allows us to go from the kitchen to the master bedroom, to the basement, to my office, etc.  Obviously, there needs to be a somewhat clear path to allow for us to move about freely.  (I'm clumsy enough trying to walk around without bumping into things as it is!).

How is your living room arranged?  Do you like to move furniture around as much as I do?  C'mon, admit it!

 

We have Gas!

When we built our home, either a wood burning stove or a gas stove were on our list of "want to have", but not on "need to have".  We wanted to include some sort of fireplace when we built our modular home. However, we decided to leave certain inclusions until a later date, because we didn't want them included in our mortgage payment. One year later, and with, dare I say it, winter approaching, we decided to finally look into having one or the other installed.



We made a decision on that guy.  It's a medium size and will be installed in the corner of our living room on a pretty stone pad.  We decided to go with gas, rather than wood burning for a couple of reasons.  First and foremost, although we LOVE the smell and sounds of a real fire (who doesn't?) we don't love cutting up wood, lugging it in the house, or the risk of fire.  We have 3 kids still at home, a dog, a cat, and, let's be honest, we have this guy:



Mr. Perfect, the 4 year old, isn't steady on his feet all the time, especially when he's flying around the living room at 60 mph, and because he frequently spends time upside down, climbing walls, and has an uncanny knack for mischief...  Even though the gas stove will be hot, at least it won't be spitting red hot embers.

Another reason we chose the gas fireplace is because when it's 10 below, which it will be soon, gas stoves heat up quickly, and at the flick of a switch.  Gas will heat our open plan downstairs much more efficiently than wood.  As an alternate heat source, the gas stoves are backed up by battery, so if we lose power (a given), we will at least have some heat.

There you have it!  Decision made, soon we will have gas (even more than usual!).  And the installer is coming in 10 days!  I can't wait to have pictures of our new gas stove installed, and me all warm and cozy next to it!

Decorate for Fall

Sunday was a beautiful sunny cool day, so my Mom and I went to Dickman Farms to have a look around.  We bought some Mums, and plotted how we're going to decorate for fall.  The garden centers, like our local Dickman Farms, are full off fall decor for your porch, yard or home.

Just walking into Dickman Farms puts you in the mood to decorate!

[caption id="attachment_520" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Decor for Fall[/caption]

The Black Eyed Susan's were huge!   And happen to have all of my favorite colors in one flower.

[caption id="attachment_521" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Black Eyed Susan[/caption]

Black Pansies are intriguing, and would look awesome for Halloween.

[caption id="attachment_522" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Black Pansies[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_523" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Purples[/caption]

Loved this little display:

[caption id="attachment_524" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Autumn at Dickman Farms[/caption]

And, just because yellow is my favorite color, I'm including this picture of the mums!  Which my "Mum" very kindly bought for me!

[caption id="attachment_525" align="aligncenter" width="124"] Yellow![/caption]

 

 

Build an Addition!

I recently read an article written in the Washington Post about modular home additions.  I just built a modular home (you should see the blisters it gave me!), and am in no position to put on an addition, but I love the idea.  And yes, I've written about modular home additions before.  Sorry, I'm addicted!  So many people want to add on to their homes, and this is the perfect solution.  The beauty of this plan is that it's so much faster than a traditionally built addition, and it's cheaper.  And in keeping with my theme of late, it can add huge value to your home!

(MOM, are you there?  You know how you and Dad want a new master suite?)

Check this out!

On a cold day in January, homeowners Nick and Catherine Swezey stood in their kitchen looking up at the sky. The roof of their 1923 bungalow in the District’s Kent neighborhood had been torn off to make way for a prefabricated addition on top of the house.

“That was one of the most dramatic moments presented by this project,” said Nick Swezey, advertising director for the Weekly Standard magazine. “We crossed our fingers it wouldn’t rain that day.”

Fortunately, the weather cooperated and three prebuilt structures were hoisted by crane the next morning and assembled into a second story within the day. The new 900-square-foot level adds a bedroom, a bathroom and a walk-in closet for the homeowners, and a pair of bedrooms and a bathroom for their daughter Charlotte and son William. “Our kids were thrilled when they could look into their rooms on the ground before they were lifted into place,” said Swezey.This type of construction, made off-site and transported to a property, is still a rare sight in D.C. neighborhoods. Called modular, manufactured or systems-built, it accounts for only about 1 or 2 percent of the national residential and commercial construction markets, according to Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute, a trade association based in Charlottesville.

But pre-made modules, once considered formulaic and flimsy, are becoming more common as a faster, cheaper and less wasteful alternative to conventional stick-built construction, experts say.

“Perhaps because of the recession and certainly as a result of heightened awareness of sustainability, many owners, developers and architects are demanding more efficiency from their contractors,” said Hardiman. “This, in turn, is forcing contractors to reexamine previously ignored methods such as modular.”

Proving his point is Case Design/Remodeling Inc., the Bethesda-based company responsible for designing the Swezeys’ addition. “This was our first modular project,” said Bill Millholland, a Case executive vice president. “We got into this type of remodeling to do it in a less expensive and faster way.”

Once the addition was designed, Case tapped Icon Legacy Custom Modular Homes LLC of Selinsgrove, Pa., to fabricate the structures. Windows, wallboard, crown and base moldings, bedroom carpeting, bathroom vanities, mirrors, toilets and tub were already set into place when the structures arrived on a flatbed truck. Roof rafters and sheathing were pre-built and hoisted into place, and roof shingles were installed by the end of the day.

The control over construction quality in the factory and accelerated construction schedule convinced the homeowners to try the modular method. “It’s a very efficient process. We were able to get the square footage we were looking for in a shorter period of time — six months of design and construction versus the nine to 12 months it would have taken to stick-build the second floor,” said Catherine Swezey, who works for HotelMe.com, a hotel review Web site. ((End story))

Here are a few pictures of modular additions.  This first one is just so cool.  It reminds me of when we had the cranes on our property!

I really, really think I could handle an addition with a fireplace like this one.

I adore the vaulted ceilings in the addition below.  Big A and I would love to have a sun room addition some day!

 It's hard to believe these additions go up so fast, so, for a real eye opener, check out THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO !  The Washington Post story mentions a 6 month process, but I would be willing to wager, that was very time consuming compared to most modular additions.  Of course, you have to wait for a sunny day to set your addition - especially if it involves removing a portion of your existing roof.

Add Value to your Home

I guess I'm on an "updating" kick at the moment.  It got me thinking about the value of a home.  Whether you're building or selling you still want to put the most value in your home.

Here's a list of things that you should consider to add value to your home:

1.  The siding you choose for your home is key.  Choose a siding that will perform well in your climate.  You CAN tell a book by it's cover.  So, if you're looking to sell, make sure the siding on your home is in great condition.

2. Minor changes to your bathrooms make a big difference.  If you're selling your home update the floor, tiles, and faucets.

3. Don't be afraid to paint in your home.  It is an instant update that is clean and fresh. If you're selling keep the colors classic and neutral.

4.  Add a deck to your home whether you're building or selling.  It doesn't have to be too big, but it shouldn't be too small.

5.  Finish your basement to add square footage.  Check out www.ifinishedmybasement.com for help.  (This is a great blog!)

6.  New windows, like siding, add value to a home if you're selling.  It tells prospective buyers that the house is looked after.

7.  There's no such thing as too many bathrooms. Believe me. Before we built our home, we shared ONE bathroom between all of us. And the first thing our realtor asked us to do was put a half-bath in somewhere before we put our house on the market.  If you are short in the bathroom department, consider adding one under stairs, or in any unused space.    (We were so traumatized by sharing one bathroom with 2 teenagers, and a toddler, we built our new modular home with four.)

8. Bigger really is better.  Whoa, get your mind outta the gutter!  I'm talking about kitchens!  If you can possibly make your existing kitchen appear bigger, by opening up a wall, or taking down patterned wallpaper, do it.  Even people who don't cook, like a kitchen where they have lots of room to hang out in.

9.  The roof should be, or look, new.  Like siding and windows, the roof announces the condition of your home from the street.  If you're building a new home, also consider an interesting roof line.

10. More and more people are working from home.  A home office is almost essential.  If your home doesn't afford an entire room for an office, there are plenty of ways to incorporate work space into a home - use a closet or fill a niche area.  Check out this post by Centsational Girl!

11. These days most buyers are looking for a master suite.  Consider updating your existing master bedroom, and at least try to incorporate a good sized closet.

Now remember, if you're trying to sell, it doesn't hurt to put on a pot of coffee and bake some cookies before the prospective buyers come and look around!  (Also, they say you should bury a statue of St. Joseph in your yard if you want your house to sell fast.  I'm not sure about that, but I know coffee always smells inviting!)

If you're building a home, please check out Ritz Craft Homes.

Any other valuable tips I didn't think of?

 

 

 

Easiest curtains ever

Just a couple of pictures of the easiest way to make curtains for a small window.

We have a small window over our kitchen sink, which was only 29" across.  We have neighbors who live really close to that window, so we needed some privacy.  NO, I'm the worst liar!  There's not a sole out there.  Just woods.  I wanted curtains there to let in the light, but that I could close when I am feeling like goblins or bad guys are looking in at me while I do the dishes!   Sad, but true.

I found some pretty cloth napkins at Pier1, that were just a couple of bucks each, got a tension rod and curtain clips (in white to blend in with my white woodwork), and hung them up.

[gallery]

Easy fix.  Under $10.  (Would have been less if I used pretty kitchen towels or napkins I already own).  Looove cheap, almost free, fixes. :-)

 

UPDATE! (on the CHEAP)

To update the look of my home on the cheap, here are a few things I do every 6 months or so, sometimes more if I really want to annoy my family.  And I thought I'd share my madness with you.

Update your home for free (that's how we all roll right?) and keep it looking new and fresh, whether it's for the changing seasons, or if you're like me, you just get distracted and bored very easily.  That's when I end up mixing it up in my house.  Here's a little insight as to how my brain works when, for instance, I sit down to write this blog:

HEY, LOOK, A TRUCK IS GOING BY!  OH, I FORGOT TO GET THE MAIL.   MAYBE I SHOULD VACUUM NOW.  I HAVE TO MOVE THIS SOFA, WAIT, THAT DESK WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IN HERE.  I'M HUNGRY, I SHOULD GET THE FISH OUT OF THE FREEZER, HEY, LOOK, WE DO HAVE WAFFLES!  WHAT ARE MY KEYS DOING IN HERE?  WHAT IF I SPRAY PAINT THE FREEZER!

I think you can relate, can't you?  Anyhoo.  As I was saying, when my brain so rudely interrupted me, there are millions of easy ways to update your home, and you don't have to spend much money!  Sweet!

Move the furniture around.  This is my favorite past-time!  Really, I do it all the time.  In fact, I just did it last week.  The kids are to the point that they no longer notice the entire living room, or that their own bedrooms are completely moved around.  BUT, in my defense, you can update the whole look of a room without spending a penny!  (You might even find some $ if you shake the sofa down.. who knows).  SO, change your focal point, move a large item from one side of the room to another, swap chairs from a different room, or change the placement of a large rug.  Just give it a try.

Pillows and Curtains.  Pile the pillows on one sofa.  Add fringe to the pillows, or lamp shades, and find a new tie back to curtains.  This week I found some awesome napkins (no, not the paper kind), and hung them as curtains in the kitchen window.  Voila!

Lighting.  We have pendants, recessed and all kinds of overhead lighting.  But in general, we use table lamps, and our under-cabinet lighting to light our home.  It's so much warmer and homey.  And, I'm a big fan of white twinkle lights all year round.  Pile them in a bowl, string them over your cabinets or hutches, stuff them in a clear vase, or wrap them around your headboard.

Check out this picture from http://thatbohemiangirl.tumblr.com/.  It's sooo pretty!



Change small accents.  You can paint your kitchen cabinet knobs, or paint all of your picture frames one color, and update the color of an old vase - this is where spray paint comes in handy!   It comes in all colors, metallic, textured... And I get it for .99 at Wally World.

Plants.  I love plants.  They help the air quality in your home (so they say, I can't tell the difference...), and they're a cheap solution to decorating a table top, or filling a corner.  Check Lowe's and Home Depot (or your local garden shops).  They usually have a clearance section on house plants.  AND, Lowe's will re-pot your plant for you for free if you have a new pot!



Paint. You do have to spend a little bit of your hard earned cash on paint, or maybe you have some in your basement!  Accent a wall, the ceiling, or even just a door.

Check this out from Budget Wise Home:

Fall friendly advice

Hello!  Just FYI - in general, I don't like being practical, and some would argue that I am NOT very practical, but, nevertheless, it's time for some very practical home advice.  Can I say practical again? Annoying isn't it?

Yes, I'm grumpy that summer is coming to a close.  But, at least it's a little cooler at this time of year, it's in the 70's and 80's right now (as opposed to 90 or 100 just a few weeks ago).  And although we're still in shorts, it's cool enough to tackle some household chores in the next few weeks, to get ready for the cold weather. Dare I say, it's time to winterize?  Shudder.

Even in a new home, you need to take some time to get ready for whatever winter is going to hand us.  And, although I'd rather be splashing in the lake, or sitting by the camp fire, there are lots of things I'm going to be taking care of in our home and yard. Yup, winterizing.  The effort I put in this fall, will save money and time in the spring.  And give me more time and money next summer for lakes, boats and fires.

Insulation.

Attics require 12 inches insulation.  Without it, it's the same as leaving the front door open. A good rule of thumb is, if you can see the joists or rafters, you need more.  When we built our modular home, the upstairs was unfinished.  We (I mean Big A - I drank coffee) put in about 15" of insulation just to be extra certain we weren't going to allow our heat to escape through the second floor.

Storm windows.

If you have you have single pane glass windows, you could replace the windows, but for a fraction of the cost you could install storms.  Installation is fairly simple, and you could reduce the amount of heat lost out of your windows by 40%!  Uh, that's a no-brainer, right?!

Gutters.

Cleaning the gutters to keep them free of leaves and pine needles, is a nasty business, but it'll keep snow and rain off of the roof. You don't need roof damage!  Furthermore, clean and properly aligned gutters make sure the down spouts take the water away from the house, so you don't get damage to the rest of your home.

Leaks.

A drafty home is not good for your heating bill.  Before it's 5 degrees below, walk around the house on a windy day, and find the drafts.   Pay special attention to door and window frames, electrical outlets and recessed lighting. You can stop door drafts with door sweeps, weather stripping and caulk.  Similarly caulk around leaky windows and outlets.

Furnace.

Turn the furnace on to make sure its working.  The first run may produce a dusty smell, but that's fine and should disperse soon.  If not, have the furnace checked out.  Last week, by accident the furnace was turned on, and although it was not on purpose, not only were we baked to death nice and toasty, I smelled that distinctive smell, and knew our furnace is in working order.   Before you use your furnace, replace filters to keep it running efficiently.

(Note: allot extra time for your trip to Home Depot for the filters - it takes me at least 30 minutes to find the filter aisle, and 30 more to find the right size filter!)

Leaves.

Remove fallen leaves from around your yard.  By "remove fallen leaves", I mean rake.  Raking produces blisters, herniated discs, and sometimes head trauma (don't ask).  BUT, it's good for your lawn.  And although I dread raking leaves in the Fall, I dread raking dead wet leaves that are stuck to the ground like cement in the Spring, even more!

Lawn.

Cut the grass short before the first frost.  Long grass can bend and trap moisture in your lawn, which can cause mold. Eww.

If you do anything else in the fall to get ready for winter, let me know!  I'm all in for saving on the heating bill, and having more free time in the Spring and Summer!

 

Minty Fresh!

Well, this is just a quick post, cuz we've been doing nothing but weeding.  And quite frankly, I've pretty much exhausted that subject!  I know you are rolling your eyes, and you get the drill, but in case you need a refresher course:  bend over, pull out weeds, throw weeds in wheel barrow, dump weeds in hedge row.....  repeat 32 thousand times.

Anyway, just so I don't leave you with nothing today, let me give you a little tip I just found today.

I was digging in my jewelry box looking for a bracelet, and found the one I wanted, but it was badly tarnished.  I looked in all the usual spots for my silver cleaner - in the junk drawer, under the sink, in the bathroom, in the freezer (you never know where I put things, just ask Big A)...  Nuttin!  So I googled "cleaning silver", and on the first website I opened, I mean, after hours of research, I found a website that said to use toothpaste.

Well, I have toothpaste!  So I grabbed my tube of Arm and Hammer Whitening and  slathered some on.  I let it sit for an hour, and  then wiped it off, rinsed and dried it.  It works!

Look!





And to top it off, I'm pretty happy with my toothpaste choice cuz if it works that well cleaning silver, just think how clean my teeth are!  PLUS, now not only is my breath minty smelling, so is my left wrist.   It's a win-win!

Out with the old...

Since the kids are back in school, and the autumn insists on approaching, I've been grudgingly enthusiastically embracing the need clear out and move on with the season.  Decorating for fall has got to happen sooner or later.

So today, while Big A stepped up to the plate and did some much needed weeding, and while L'il A encouraged from a rocking chair, I said "adios" to my
knockin'-on-death's-door-hanging-baskets and potted plants.



The porch is now oozing with potential.   As are the fruits of my labor in the gardening department.



Yup, that's it.  3 little tomatoes and 7 little peppers.  Sad, isn't it?  But I'm determined.

I will turn those hot little peppers into something edible (thank goodness we didn't count on our vegetables to see us through a long hard winter!).  And I will fill those baskets with some beautiful autumn cheer!  I promise!

(Thank God for all of the awesome bloggers out there, and for Pinterest!)

 

Face it! It's Fall.

Yesterday I happened to be in Wally World, trying to focus on my task at hand, when I noticed a display promoting flu shots.   What?!  And this morning my kids went back to school.   What's happening?!  To further my confusion, I pulled in the driveway after dropping the kids, and noticed a whole tree, the whole thing, is orange.

Ugh.  With a capital U.  I guess there's really no denying it - it's fall y'all.  Part of me wants to cry, the other part wants to throw something in the crock pot, curl up with a book, and mentally wave goodbye to mosquitoes, sunscreen, and quite frankly, burgers.  I do know we'll have a few beautiful summer days, maybe even manage to get out on the lake a time or two, but our days are truly numbered.

Don't get me wrong.  Fall is okay.  However, in Central New York, Fall equals IMPENDING WINTER.  But let's not go there, I'm starting to get hives just thinking about it.

Ready or not, I suppose I have to make a small effort to welcome in the changing season.  I'm not saying I can handle pumpkins and gourds, corn stalks and scarecrows, and mums in every corner.   But I guess I could make a teeny tiny little effort.  After all, my hanging baskets look like something out of "The Living Dead" - they're still hanging there, but the life has left.   Not to mention, the pansies look like a some sort of sick Halloween prank.

So, that being said, here are a couple of things I could consider...

Loving and old post from Thrifty Decor Chic with window boxes.  I am definitely going to borrow this idea:



Or these mum "stuffed" pumpkins, photo by Amber Bordelon, are really cute.  I would probably use fake pumkins from the dollar store so that I don't have to deal with them molding and mutating on me.



And from nowserveme.wordpress.com, I love the lighted branches and gourds (I already have a few strands of lighted branches):



Similarly, like this vase from Pinterest:



Dried beans and berries - cheap and cheerful:



And also this from budgetwisehome.com.  You could do the wax paper trick to preserve the leaves before you put them in a vase.



All in all, it's not too terribly ambitious, but baby steps people.  I'm mourning the loss of summer.