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Showing posts from 2016

Basement Cabinet Update

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We got CRAZY and picked up the Ivar cabinets from Ikea the week before Christmas. After measuring and thinking out layout, I wanted four cabinets and a set of drawers. Then, Dave was a total rock star and put them together over two days. His fingers were very sore but there wasn't a massive amount of swearing. And I was nearby cleaning out the storage room in case he needed a hand. They're placed against the wall and laid out how we want them. Now, we're just trying to figure out the best way to mount them to the wall. My theory is we can do it with cleats, similar to kitchen cabinets. Our contractor is coming back this week to go over finishing touches and get the final inspection by our village. While he's here, we'll be peppering him with questions on how best to install these. Maybe, he'll offer to come back and help us do it. (We'd pay him, of course.) Once installed, I'll be staining them. I'm really hot on getting green in the ba

Guess What!? I Love Crafting!

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If there's one thing I take away from this little sabbatical as a stay at home mom it's this: I really enjoy creating things with my hands. When I was a working full-time, driving kids around, stressing about dinner and passing out at the end of each day, crafting was very low on my daily priority list. Weekends were about spending time with family, maybe painting a wall and reading. Not much else to cram in there. But now that I'm home all day and have gotten some really big house projects done, I'm able to indulge in just crafting to craft. And with the holidays, I have the best excuse to create holiday decor things for family members and to pretty-up the house. I forgot how much I love to make things. I have bins and bins of crafting supplies that I've been collecting here and there but never had time to sort through and create. Now free time is finally here and I'm totally indulging in it ... and feeling sincerely grateful for it. Anyway, here's

Adding Cabinets to the Basement Project

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Installing cabinets in the basement was always my phase two project -- I didn't think I could get them into the already-maxed budget. But I knew they were coming. So I had the electrician put the outlets on our cabinet wall at counter height and kept an eye on craigslist and the recon place in Evanston for good deals on used cabinets. BUT we took one look at the Ivar cabinets (at $90 each) at Ikea and the lightbulb went off. These could be perfect! And a quick search through Pinterest confirmed that people are taking these cabinets and giving them a cool custom look! Ivar Shelving System from IKEA We've owned a few sets of these Ivar shelves (one set we brought home through the streets of Manhattan, which is a long but hilarious story) and I've painted the pine all kinds of colors, so I know they last and they're easy to work with. Digging through all the pretty ideas on Pinterest, here's my current DREAM scenario ... The Wall of Cabinet Inspiration

Week 6 in the Basement Project

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We're down to our LAST WEEK in the basement. Everybody dance now!  Because of the terrible weather, my fabulous contractor's son was able to come by for two days and lay the floor in the massive 900 sqft room. That was a huge task checked off the to-do list. Yippee!  In the bathroom, we're down to the finishes. The contractor sanded and installed the vanity "shelf" and it's up to me to stain and poly it this weekend before the plumber arrives on Tuesday to hook up the faucets and toilet. The electrician will be by next week to complete all the switches and hang the scones in the bathroom. And the carpet install is happening on the stairs and in the bedroom on Monday.  This weekend, while we get hit by more snow and sub-zero weather, I'll be attempting to get all the finish paint on the walls, so there won't be anything holding up the trim install. Oh, and that trim needs to be painted, too.  Feeling thankful the kids will

Winter Time in the Midwest

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I do love the change of seasons. And the beginning of winter always feels a little magical, as does the start of all the seasons, I guess. There's a part of me that welcomes the white snow and frigid temperatures. I like layering up to walk outside and pulling a throw blanket around me when I sit down for a movie. Sipping tea and eating toast on a Sunday morning as the snow falls outside. Cozy. Warm. All those lovely feelings. Exploring the Bus Stop After the First Big Snow Calling the Kids in at Dark From Sledding For Hours A Shimmery, Frost-Covered Leaf My Backyard on a Snowy Night But the romance with winter doesn't last. Oh no. By January I'm done with it. And by February I'm so over winter I get bitter and angry, the hashtag #ihatewinter used in all my photo captions. But until then, I'll just enjoy the magic of new beginnings and silvery-white scenery.

Basement Progress - Paint and Tile!

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There's so much happening in our basement this week. The bedroom is really coming together. We painted the ceiling using Rare & Radiant from Sherwin Williams. This is the color going on all the ceilings in the basement. We did one coat and really couldn't tell if we needed a second coat. The paint guy at Home Depot said we'd likely only need the one coat if the primer was high quality. Not know what that meant (high quality primer?), but knowing we didn't want to do a second coat if we could get away with it, we didn't. Looks great. You won't notice. Before: Primer On, Ceiling Painted The wall color is Cloud Sky from Behr. Both the contractor and Dave gave me a hard time about a blue bedroom. "It's a boy room color." Ugh. It's not. It's a warm blue to make the guest room welcoming and the black-framed art is just going to pop. So boo to anyone who assigns gender to a color. Lastly, the closet got Morning Sunshine from Be

Basement Drywall is Up Up Up

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Another milestone reached in our basement project ... the drywall is up! I thought framing was cool, but that was nothing compared to drywall. The spaces are now actual rooms! The View of the Long Room, Looking Toward the Stairs Closets in the Bedroom The bedroom has all these nooks and closets that are now so well-defined. The bathroom ceiling, that we decided to lower, isn't really that low and the area near the shower that was so blank doesn't look wierd at all. And our long runway of a room looks wider and longer than I envisioned when we decided where the walls should go. It's amazing. Looking Into the Bathroom The crew is now on the "mudding" part and primer is sure to go on before the weekend. Plus, they're going to start on the finishes. I spotted the shower and bathroom tile head down there, so that's gotta be a good sign. We might be painting the bedroom this weekend! Onward!! Related Posts: Framing is Done Check ou

Carpet Ordered for the Stairs

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We're talking lots and lots about flooring, as today starts the DRYWALL portion of our basement work. Wohoo! We set the flooring budget and I did a bunch of research on all the options out there. And there is a lot to think about. The most important consideration was the stairs -- we wanted the stairs to look professionally done, so that first impression of our basement isn't my DIY disaster. I looked at (and priced out) installing a runner, painting the treads, carpeting, etc. And we just decided paying for the professional carpet installation on the stairs was what we wanted most. And it only ate up 1/3 of our budget (we tacked on the bedroom, too). Here's what I picked: Very Neutral Carpet For the Stairs This company (Empire) also had laminate flooring that looked like what we found at Floor & Decor, but their all-in estimate blew my budget out of the water. So, I picked a carpet color that would match that laminate we're considering and we can delay t

Shopping at the NYC Holiday Markets

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While we were in New York City on Monday, we hit two of the fabulous holiday markets; Bryant Park and Union Square. Of course the girls found EVERYTHING they've EVER WANTED EVER and asked for everything. And, of course, we said no about 200 times. And we asked for cards from some of the shops we liked, in case we changed our minds after we got home. For those not able to get to New York City this holiday season, here's our favorites: No Chewing Allowed  - insanely-good truffles. We got a few boxes for teacher holiday gifts. One box *might not make it* to the holidays. ;) Hazel's Village - adorable handmade dollies with matching outfits. Leah loved the little green frog. Pop Chart Lab - an art shop that sells creative and hip charts, such as the Charted Sandwich or a cool diagram of Broadway costumes. Whoops! - a colorful and lovely macaron shop. We tasted the dark chocolate, strawberry milkshake, pumpkin and raspberry. Yum! Three Blue Birds - I had seen thes

Wall of Restraint is Now WHITE!

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Extra! Extra! The green wall is gone! And The Wall of Restraint will need a new name, as it's now getting all decked out. And I'm OK with it. To summarize, this wall is near the garage entrance to the house. And it's a very visible wall, as you can see it from several parts of the house. I've been congratulating myself for not stuffing it with art/pictures, etc. since we moved in. It was the wall I was not going to install hooks on and keep it as a calm focal point. Thus, the Wall of Restraint. But, after four years, I got pretty tried of the moss green color and not having anything to rest my eye on when I gaze in this direction. So, I've been slowing changing it. First came the board to divide up the wall (which is 12 feet high) and then paint color -- white to match the neighboring walls. Ta da! BEFORE! Green Monster! AFTER! White and Bright! I've been home since October, so it's a bit surprising how long its taken me to paint a wall. I l

The Behind-the-TV Set Up

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The media area in the basement has been an ongoing conversation. Projector TVs, reusing TVs from other parts of the house, surround sound, wall mounted screens -- all terms that have been bandied about as we plan that all-important part of the basement. After a trip to Best Buy and Ikea, we've eliminated the idea of the projector TV and are now considering wall-mounting the TV. And a piece of furniture is being moved for below the TV, whether it's hung or not, to locate all the media components. The electrician and cable guys were good enough to cover a few scenarios so we can try various different set-ups. Check this out! They added two outlets -- one up high for the mounted TV option and one low for the various gaming consoles, etc, that will be set up on the shelves. They also added this genius PVC pipe (can you see it?) that will get walled in and used to feed cords through the wall and up behind the TV. Giving us NO VISIBLE WIRES! BAM! Also in this picture not

Paint Sample Day!

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This week I need to get my paint story together for the basement. My colors are falling in the same family as the rest of my house, though not as navy. I just want everything to be bright and happy! The walls are going to be a gray-beige, the ceiling will be a white. The bedroom will be a pale blue. And I'm thinking about adding a very green accent wall and using it on the stairway, too. Colors for the Basement I've got walls in the stairway that I can paint up with samples and get a good idea of how they'll work together and with the dim light of the basement.  The budget is starting to pinch, so I may be doing the majority of the painting myself. Yipes!  More paint sample pictures to come!  Related Posts: Check out the original floor plan And see the Before photos Earlier Color Ideas All the Paint Projects!

Thankful in New Jersey

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We just arrived home after spending a fantastic week in New Jersey and New York seeing friends and family (oodles of time with the grandparents!). It's always delightful to go back to familiar territory seeing places that stir up memories. We've only lived here in Illinois for five years and while we have a few oft-visited places, we don't have the roots here that we have back east. The girls especially loved our two days in New York City, riding the subway, visiting the holiday markets at Bryant Park and Union Square and, as is tradition, having breakfast at Alice's Tea Cup.

Framing Done in the Basement Project

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We can check Framing off our to-do list, because I just approved it. Hooray! This is a pretty cool phase, as all the shapes of the rooms and ceilings are on full display. The ceiling has soffits around the venting and walls are clearly defined. There were a few difficult spots the contractor made some clever fixes to, but all in all it was straightforward. Rough plumbing is also complete. And electrical is just a tad behind, but they're moving pretty quickly to get it done by next week so they can get the village over to pass rough inspection. A Look at the Long Room Door to the Storage Room and New Bedroom Next week they will be working on insulation and getting ready for drywall. On my to-do list is contact the painter to schedule his work and buy the wood for the vanity. Related Posts: Check out the original floor plan And see the Before photos

Team Jess!

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We've been binging on Gilmore Girls episodes before the new-season/continuation starts on Netflix next week. I started with Season 4 and have been getting reacquainted with the characters of Stars Hallow. And I'm reminded how firmly I'm Team Jess!  Though, Logan does have his good qualities!! Team Jess All The Way Have been reading a little about the new season in Entertainment Weekly and hoping it will "fix" the awfulness that was season 7. The new episodes release at the end of this week on Netflix. Yippee!!

Basement Update - Pipes!

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Not an exciting week in the basement, picture-wise. Lighting and plumbing have been underway while the contractor/carpenter has been away hunting. Yup, hunting. I live in the midwest, people! Here's the pipes all in place for the vanity in the bathroom. Picture a Sink, Mirror and Lights Here! Next week the framing will be complete and the electrical should all be in place, because the week after Thanksgiving is the rough inspection. I'm told after the rough inspection is passed, things move pretty quickly. Yippee! Related Posts: Check out the original floor plan And see the Before photos

Bathroom Vanity Inspiration

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There's something so satisfying about creating this custom vanity for the new basement bathroom. Not just because we're going to save on budget, but because it will be uniquely ours! And I'm lucky that our contractor/carpenter is also excited about getting creative. "It's why I do what I do!" Here's more inspirational images of vanities ... The Top Middle Image Is the One Our Contractor is Working From. And the One on the Left Shows the Tile I Found. And here's the vessel sink and sconce we ordered from Amazon... Shop Link: Vessel Sink Here and Light Fixture Here I Have a Mirror That We'll Re-Purpose. We'll start building out the wood shelves next week, as I'll have to stain and seal them. Then, we'll tile the backsplash and start contstructing the space. Yippee! Lots more to come! Related Posts: Version 1 of the Bathroom Ideas

The Hole in My House

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The plumbers arrived on Thursday and jack-hammered the FLOOR of my basement to install the pipes for the new bathroom. It was super-loud and just a little smelly. But in only a day they had it all laid out. The Rubble From Below My House! Next steps is to pass the plumbing inspection, clean up the mess and pour concrete to fix the holes. Because, you know, we need floors. But, we'll have a shower, sink and toilet in the basement. Huzzah! I'll just say this ... if you're building a house PLEASE rough-in a bathroom in your basement ... even if you're not going to put one in immediately. If the folks who built this house had just done that, our budget wouldn't be so strapped. Sigh. Related Posts: Check out the original floor plan And see the Before photos

The Election That We All Lost

I have clear memories of 2000 election and the horror I felt when Gore lost. That feeling has followed me around each election year, as I go in knowing there's always a chance it won't go my way. That feeling is nothing compared to the disappointment I feel now. First, because I have to explain it to my daughters. And second, because I have to try to understand it for myself. So, where to do we from here? This is what I know: a President doesn't have absolute power in our democracy. He's got to work with the two other branches of government to get anything done. He (adding "or she" continues to be frustratingly unnecessary) needs the support of his party and, for most legislation to pass, bipartisan support. He can't get a Supreme Court judge elected without a hearing and a simple majority.  From all that I've read and seen, Mr. Trump does not have that support. He belittled the GOP for the last 16 months while campaigning. And I can't imag

Day 3 Basement Progress - Bedroom

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Today was spent on the bedroom that we're adding. There are three closets that needed framing, two that go around utility things like the water meter and sump pump. Tomorrow the plumber and electrician get started ... and that's the really fun stuff. Having never done additions or built a wall before, this is pretty exciting for me. I've been day-dreaming about this basement for so long and seeing it just starting to get out of my head and into real 3-D space is incredible. Related Post: Here's the early draft of the floor plan with notes . 

This Weekend's Car and Tile Crisis Answered

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All week I've been looking at tile and flooring and cars. And on Saturday, all my questions were answered. First, we test-drove the Subaru Crosstrek , which I was impressed with. It drives better than the Outback we owned eight years ago and the seats are just as comfortable as I remember them. However, no climate control or navi system. Plus, the sunroof is tiny and Alice had a major problem with no center console in the backseat. "Where will I put my head when I want to nap?" But, given all the pros/cons, this is probably the car we'll go with once we unload our VW sport wagon (hopefully soon). The only question is color: desert khaki or quartz blue pearl? Next, we went to Floor & Decor , which I'd been hearing is THE place to go for good deals on, well, floor and tile. That rumor proved to be true, as we got a great deal on tile flooring for the bathroom, found a wall tile I really liked and talked to a pro about flooring for the larger (900 sq ft!)

Progress in the Basement

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With all the supplies to get underway loaded into the basement, today was filled with saw and hammering noises. And classic rock. Day 2 - Walls Going Up It's funny to think maybe someday in the future this wall will be taken down. They'll see this graffiti and know whom this basement once belonged. Leah's Basement - YEAH! Electrician and plumber arriving on Thursday. Off and running!

Today is the Day We See History Made

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Not to get all political on this blog... but holy hell this is a biggie. I mean, every election is history in the making, right? But this one, whoa! blows them all out of the water. I have lost all perspective. As a feminist, mother of daughters, fan of suffragette history -- I mean, it just doesn't get bigger. I'll say this: If you were just looking at the resume of these two presidential candidates, because you live under a rock and haven't seen any of the media coverage at all, you'd laugh. The choice would be so simple it would be ludicrous. In one corner, a person who has held public office and has worked on policy for decades. Or a person who is a business person and reality TV star who has filed for bankruptcy a few times, and has never-ever held public office. And U.S. President is the highest PUBLIC OFFICE position you can hold (in case that's not totally clear.) It's like hiring a plumber to be the CEO of Apple. Ok, so throw in the first w

Basement Bathroom Vanity Ideas

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This weekend we hit all the big box stores to get an idea about bathroom vanities, flooring options, showers (acrylic vs. glass) and tile. Not to buy, just to touch some things and learn what is out there. We came to a few decisions about the vanity in the bathroom. 1) I really like the open shelving. As a guest, open shelves make you feel less creepy when you have do dig through cabinets to find extra toilet paper. 2) We'd like some wow-factor. The bathroom will be used primarily by guests and when we're in the basement, so we'd like something in there that will add a little flair, and the vanity is a good place to accomplish that. 3) We'd like to avoid white cabinets, as they're looking a little builder-grade to us. That's the exact look we're trying to avoid. Keeping that in mind, I'm seeing two top options: This From Home Depot That Has the Open Shelving. The Black Vanity with Vessel Sink Has the WOW and More! Here's the fun pa

Basement Before Photos

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Just recording some BEFORE pictures of the basement, as it's going to get quite a transformation! These two images are from the wall looking back at the staircase in both directions. This view is going to be finished as one long room. The ping-pong table will move to the middle and the farthest wall will be the media area. Still trying to decide about flooring ... carpet? Laminate? This angle (below) shows the future location of the unfinished storage room (around that aqua-blue shelf), and the bedroom (far right area). So when the project is finished, this view will be walls and two doors. As you can tell, a lot of clean-up is still in progress. We're filling up a big dumpster bag in the garage and have recycled a LOT of cardboard boxes. And there's more to be trashed. Though, I can leave some stuff in the unfinished area, but I'm being careful to vet it before I decide to hang on to it. Related Posts:  The basement floor plans .

Halloween Art Project - Plywood Silhouettes

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Most of my DIY projects are inspired by what I have laying around the house. I don't like to throw out perfectly good materials. I had this extra plywood from a project my husband finished and had a fun, FREE idea for a Halloween craft... Spooky Halloween Silhouettes! Here's the step by step ... 1. I found three pieces that were imperfect squares and spray-painted them with white primer that I had in the garage.

Basement Bathroom Ideas - Version 1

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All week I've been pinning on Pinterest like a madwoman looking for the BEST and most COST EFFICIENT option for the new bathroom in the basement. Here's my current favorites:  Two vanity options -- both are more than I had expected to spend, so David and I will be making a few trips to some area stores to check out what's REALLY out there (and not just online). We really like this wood-effect tile (bottom left) that we're seeing everywhere, and it's inexpensive! I'm also a sucker from the green/blue subway tile. This one is ceramic, but I also like the idea of glass tile for the extra shine. The white hex tile on the right is a second inexpensive floor tile, that could be used on the wall, too. So many choices out there! How will I ever choose?! For more stuff that I like, check out my Basement Please Pinterest board. Related Post: Check out the Basement Floor Plan!

And Most Importantly ... The Spanish Food!

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I've told you about my favorite spots in Tenerife and shared the two-day itinerary of Madrid, so let's now get to the important stuff ... THE FOOD! Our first meal in Madrid: Tortilla Espanola on fresh bread with Cafe con Leche.  This Got Us Out There!   We ate lunch in Plaza Mayor ... which I KNOW is a faux pas, but we just wanted the views. And the ham. We got both. We were happy. Jamon Iberico -- Worth the Price of the Flight.  After sleeping through our hotel-provided breakfast the second day in Madrid, we hit the streets and found this little cafe near Plaza de Espana. Faborit Breakfast - a Mini Banana Muffin, Yogurt with Fruit and ... yes! Cafe Con Leche! In Tenerife, we had been walking around for a few hours and needed a bite. Glorious ham, manchego cheese and bread are almost always on the menu -- even at a tiny plaza cafe. Manchego Cheese and Jamon!  Seaside in Puerto, we dined on veggie pizza (surprisingly good), croquettas, a fish called La Vi