If I Could, I Would Marry This Room. Just Saying.

Awhile ago I mentioned that I/we had been working on my studio. My Special Place. It is with a completely and utterly adoring heart that I share these updates with you. Sometimes, even though it is not even close to being finished, I just go up and sit in there. It is such a calming and happy space for me.

First update is the shelf. We actually have four that we acquired at the end of May. They were going to be thrown out. So instead, we stuck them in the back of the Forester. Two immediately were hung in their current condition out in the garage. The other two I sanded, primed, and painted white. One will go in a guest room and then one went in my room.There are little hooks that Jeremiah took off while I was fixing the shelves, so at some point those will be screwed back into their proper places.

It is directly above my gorgeous desk (which is not being shown due to the fact that it is a disaster and has not been organized yet). The shelf obviously is not filled yet. For awhile Maddie Vache slept in the bigger basket.

The next update is the lighting. Sadly, the three guest rooms are not hardwired for any ceiling lights. They all have one switched outlet. Any light that is to be hung must be swagged. For about three years, I have coveted this capiz chandy. Dreamed of it. Whispered to it every time I saw it at the store. For Christmas, Jeremiah's parents graciously provided the funds to get me the light of my dreams.

I can't even describe how much I love it, but I will try. When it lights up, it looks like shimmery gold.

If the AC is running, it almost sounds a bit like wind chimes. I love it.

The framed picture is a print that Jeremiah gave to me for my graduation present in December. I had seen the artist's work up north in a gallery and loved it. The girl is in the woods and is slightly whimsical looking. I identified with her. The wall to the right will be filled up with more art/posters/photographs.


Lastly. Holy crap. The Borders shelves. I purchased three (and fit all three of them in the back of Old Red). When we got them home, Jeremiah liked them so much he immediately bought one from me for his music stuff.

Two of them are going to go in my room. They are huge, reaching almost all the way to the ceiling. I need a foot stool to reach the top shelf. The process for sanding, priming, and painting is a long one. They are so big that only one can be done at a time. In addition, this one was done during the summer and the garage was easily one hundred twenty degrees while I was working on it. I think it took maybe five coats of paint? I am nothing if not a perfectionist. Totally worth all the work, though:

I have books grouped by genre so far, and I am sure to keep it that way, but the second book shelf will help immensely. I am almost out of room already and I still have books throughout the house.

So those are the updates. I seriously am so happy with it. I wish you a space that makes you as happy.

p.s. I have read two exceptional books lately. The first one is Her Fearful Symmetry, which I could not get out of my head when I was done. The second was Homer's Odyssey, which is about a woman who adopts a blind kitten named Homer. Incredible. I cried numerous times. Any one else reading anything good? I have been reading like crazy since I finished my degree.

Holiday Update , Part 2.

As I mentioned, our front room this year has been done up right. The beautiful tree is from my parents and is pre-lit. Freaking wonderful. I decided to decorate with gold, silver, bronze, copper, and white. I love it.

The ornaments are clearance from Crate & Barrel, Target, World Market, and Pier One. There are also some on the tree that I've received as gifts.

Love the tree!

I think my favorite thing is being able to see it while I'm coming down the stairs/walking in the hall upstairs. Love.

How about you? Are you a one Christmas tree house? Do you change themes/colors every year?

p.s. Stay tuned, because we have a family picture coming up, as requested.

The Fourth. Of July.

Yeah.

I'm waaaaaay behind on posting this. Like, two months.

My mom and I took our DSLRs outside on the fourth to play with sparklers. By adjusting the shutter speed on the camera, you can catch some cool images. Like these:

 One thing worth noting is that you have to write the letters backwards in order to get it to be correct for the camera. For example, you still start with the "L" in love, but you write it backwards. Takes some thought and some practice. I mean, for everyone else. I had it perfect the first time. I joke.

Really, I just wanted to show the cool pictures. I had fun and would love to try it again sometime. Probably not in Arizona. One spark touches the ground and the entire dried-up state will go up in flames. So I'll probably wait. Another year. Sigh.


Anyone else try fun things with their cameras? Have suggestions? Questions? Leave a comment!

You Light Up My Life

So above the dining room table hung this lamp:
Looking at it eerily reminded me of dining at Pizza Hut. And the bronze/gold fixture? HAD.TO.GO.

Enter this blog, which offered a sort of diy tutorial.

We used hoops (like for sewing and quilting), screws (they did not) quilting plastic (they did not), and burlap.

Except my boyfriend is a lover of building/engineering and was not satisfied with all of their setup. He got rid of the adjustable knob things on the side (they left their knobs on) by securing the hoops with itty bitty screws. We used quilter's plastic (might not be the actual name) because the plexi-glass splinters, costs more, and we couldn't even find it. We've had warnings of it getting melt-y/bend-y, but our bulb doesn't get too hot and the drum shade is HUGE, so it isn't even close to the light.

Oh, and Jeremiah also spray painted the fixture.

Ready to see the result?


Our total cost was about $17. Seventeen dollars, people.

P.S. I'm not showing the table with it just yet because the table is a disaster as it has been the go to place for crap that we moved off the counter during painting season.

Blinded by the Light

So it is officially...The First Day Of School! Holy Crap! I may actually vomit. For those of you that aren't planning on puking today, I post this, in your honor.

You might remember that I mentioned in a previous post that boyfriend had risked high-voltage for me by replacing an existing sconce with a NEW sconce. That took me months to pick out at the store. MONTHS. Here is the old sconce:
Stop. Stop yelling and fighting. Just send me an email and if you are the first reply I get you can have it. You don't need to fight over it. (Seriously, though. I hate these sconces. We have two more to replace yet.)

Anyway, here is the new sconce:
It's brushed nickel with a frosted glass. Me likey. Seriously a night & day difference.

Also, I've included a picture of a lamp base that I got at SalArmy for about two buckeroos and the drum shade I picked up at Ross for about two more dollars. So I'd like to introduce you to my four dollar lamp that I heart. Seriously.
I don't know for certain where it will go, but I think it was four dollars well spent.

Let there be light!

Now, I know that some people are probably content with having a jar lid and a bare lightbulb serving as fancy shmancy lighting on their outdoor patio, but it wasn't really doing it for me. I found a fixture that I liked at Lowe's and Jeremiah hooked me up with some lighting I could not only live with, but actually liked. Oh, by the way - we needed to use electric (electrical?) tape and found a bit in my emergency roadside kit that I got from dad - that kit has come in handy while working on the cars AND the house - thanks, Dad!