Weekend Re-cap

So it's been a pretty slow weekend over here. Saturday was my nephew's 1st birthday...sooo exciting & I can't believe he's already 1!! Time flies. It seems like yesterday we were just @ the hospital welcoming him into the world. Here are some pics from when he was 1st born & this past Saturday:





One thing we did actually get done though - we picked a bedroom paint color & I can't wait to get started painting! We picked Valspar Granite Dust - Satin finish...I think it's going to look amazing in our Master Bed & Bath. We also picked up some mulch & supplies to fix up the front yard; we should be working on these projects this week so hopefully I'll have some preliminary pics to post!

New Look!

What do you think? I am currently obsessed with birdies! I have decided that it will be the them for our Master Bed D&R project! Just purchased the wall decal for the photo wall & we are starting to paint this weekend! And oh, the new microwave is installed, once I download the pics off my camera, I will be posting before & afters! Stay tuned. :o)

Yay, yay, yay...new microwave - FINALLY!!

We finally installed our new microwave! I have hated the previous microwave since we moved in - it didn't match ANY of the other appliances, it's so nasty/greasy & you couldn't even read the numbers on the panel! So, I am very excited about this, here are some before & afters:

*Before*

*After*

Ta-da! Makes the kitchen look so much brighter & welcoming! Full pre-major work kitchen reveal coming soon hopefully! I ordered the curtains to go on the windows, so as soon as they come & we install them I will show off the whole room!

Out sick... :o(

So unfortunately last night I got food poisoning from the Japanese Steakhouse we took my dad to for Father's Day. So I called out of work and am in bed sick, but I am feeling a little better - I think the food poisoning has passed! Woot woot!! I have lots of updates to fill everyone in on - we hung photos in the LR and the art I purchased and we are 95% done with the DR/kitchen minor D&R - I need to buy white curtains for the window above the sink (maybe today) and my new microwave is supposed to be delivered and installed tomorrow, woo hoo!! I'm hoping I can get all the pics uploaded and be able to post everything tomorrow...or Wednesday at the latest. Besides the food poisoning, I had a wonderful weekend - the couples massage on Saturday was the definite highlight! :o)

Here are a few photos from last night (Father's Day)...no pics of me & my dad - I was too into my little nephew to think about taking them, lol!

*He liked the fire!!

Beach trip canceled...BUT

I am going to pretend like I'm still on vacation & treat myself to a massage, then Dennis and I are going to a fancy dinner on Saturday!! Also, since we won't be out of town, I am going to go shopping for the last few items I need to finish up my kitchen!! I need something to go over top of the cabinets on the wall, new white balloon shade (saw cay-ute ones @ JCP) or tie up curtains for the window over the sink && what I am most excited about - my brand spankin' new over range microwave. I am going to ask my dad to come over & install it on father's day after dinner - is that horrible? LOL...he lives kinda far away & we are going to dinner close by my house so it would be good if he can just do it Sunday. :o) ::crosses fingers && anxiously awaits a call back from dad::

Seriously - it needs to be replaced, it's dirty & it's messed up so you can't read the display...you never know how long the food has left in the microwave. WORST of all it's black & ALL of the other appliances are "almond" which is a discontinued color, so I'm getting "bisque"...can't wait! Here is the type of model I'm looking to buy:

I need to also figure out my next DIY project, today I will search thru the bios & blogs of some of my fellow Nesties to get some inspiration, then maybe I can start that this weekend too! Any suggestions??

And finally, for father's day we are taking my dad to dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse & we got him a nice wedding album as a gift - he will be really excited. He LOVED everything about the wedding, lol. We got the same/similar albums for our moms on Mother's Day. We are alos giving him a final copy of the wedding DVD - finally got them from our very difficult videographer!


In other news, we hung up both the sconces and wall art in the DR along with the wall art and framed photos in the LR - pics coming soon.

Finished Semi-DIY DR Hanging Pendant!

I finally finished my DIY project I wrote about in this post (also includes instructions on how to re-create this project). I am so happy with how it turned out! I think it is a huge improvement over the previous lighting...what do you think?

*Before*
(Replaced the lighting in the top left of the photo - still deciding on what to do with the other 2)

*After*

Up-close shot of the crystal beading detail:

One showing the pendant over our DR table:
(PS - due to the placement of that fixture it doesn't fall directly over the DR table)

...And for kicks - one of Dizz watching me stand on the ladder & take pics of the pendant & having a "Mom - WTF are you doing?" look on his face!

This is what I deal with every morning...

Two lazy men! LOL. DH is on the bed sleeping & my dog Dizzle is on the floor with his head under the bed sleeping. Meanwhile I am doing my hair in the MBR @ 5am this morning! I had to take a shot of it! I just love these guys!

*Please excuse half our mattress showing from under the fitted sheet & our messy room.*

It's Monday....again

So this weekend I got a lot done - including my wedding scrapbook and my DR hanging pendant DIY project (pics coming soon - like tomorrow - I hope!), but there was a technical glitch in getting it hung yesterday, so I am waiting on DH to hang it in order to show everyone photos, but it looks pretty and I'm so excited that it's done! Also, picked up my newly framed art print from Michael's yesterday and plan to hang it in the DR tonight hopefully, along with the sconces to go beside it...just wait till you see the full DR/kitchen makeover, it's a HUGE difference!.


In other news, DH & I had a wonderful date night on Saturday - it consisted of dinner and a movie, but not just any movie...the new Denzel Washington and John Travolta movie, "The Taking of Pelham 123," which I have been dying to see since I first saw the previews! Can I just say I L-O-V-E both of these actors, they are AMAZING and not too bad on the eyes either. :oP


*~*My Review*~*
I give it a 10 out of 10 - you really can't go wrong with Washington & Travolta in the same film! The movie was definitely a non-stop action/thriller & had a cast of other wonderful actors, such as James Gandolfini as the mayor of New York. Travolta was both terrifying and witty as the villain of the film and Denzel was brave, but had his own dark side as well. I highly recommend going to see it, unlike some of the other movies I have wasted money on this summer - this one was definitely worth the $20 (for the two of us)!!


Coming up this week, I plan to post some of our professional wedding photos and pics of my DIY DR hanging pendant project. We shall see what else this week brings for post inspiration. This weekend = beach trip for me & the hubbs - fun in the sun, can't wait!!

My LR makeover was featured on the DIY Show Off!

Yay, I'm so proud...makes me want to do even more DIY projects so I can do even more submissions. :o) Check out the DIY Show Off blog, it's pretty great!

PS - I'm almost done with my DR Hanging Pendant project, should be posting after pics this weekend!

Ah Etsy...how do I love thee, let me count the ways!

I used my powers of persuasion on DH last night and made another great purchase today on Esty && I'm so excited to get my package in the mail! :o)

Beautiful paintings from Etsy seller kristend12:

I will put two of these on either side of my back LR wall and the other...hmm, I haven't quite figured out, but it'll go somewhere in the LR. I have been searching high and low for a nice two+ part painting to go on the wall on either side of the shelves since I thought the wall looked a bit bare (see this post for a current photo of the wall). I will post pics of the art on the walls once I receive them, yay!! :o)

DIY Mods to DR Hanging Light Pendant...wish me luck!

So, I bought this beautiful Capiz Shell Hanging Pendant from World Market about a month ago to hang over my DR table. It will replace the FUGLY glass & brass one that has been there since the house was built I believe.

I am *attempting* to re-create the look of this one I saw online with crystal beading added:

*beading detail*

I bought the stringing crystals (several different size beads) & clear string from Michael's:

To re-create this project, follow these steps:
1) Decide how you want your crystal beads displayed and start stringing them with the clear string. Cut at least 1/2-1 yard of clear sting (depending on length of beading string) to work with - you want to have lots of extra string because you will loop it several times around the pendant base.

2) Tie one of the larger crystal gems to the bottom of the clear string.
3) To get the beads to "float" like I'm doing string a bead through once and then make a loop around the bead with the clear string & string it back through. If you hold the string taut & vertically the beads won't fall.
4) Loop the clear string several times around the metal base of the pendant & tie tightly to secure. Adjust the spacing and length of the beaded strings to your preference.
5) Add as many as you want & voilah...a completed, beautiful hanging pendant!

...did only 1 strand last night...looks like it's gonna take a while to finish, but I will try to hurry so I can post after pics ASAP!

~Feel free to send me a message or comment to this post fi you have any questions. ;o)

Weekend Re-cap

I would say that this past weekend (6/5 - 6/7/09) was pmb (pretty much basically) a success...I got A LOT done & I'm proud of myself. I'm off every other Friday and this past week was my day off, so I slept in sooo late! One of my good friends treated me to a belated bday dinner that night & gave me the CUTEST little makeup bag ever!

On Saturday my friend had a kick off for her Mary Kay business, so I went to it to show support & bought a little something...the rest of Saturday consisted of shopping, shopping & more shopping!! Here are a few things I scored:

*Hot Fiya new New Balances for only $30 from DSW (I used one of those rewards coupons!):



*New doggie bed for my furbaby - Dizzle (he's so spoiled!):

...And I bought some scrapbooking stuff (for my wedding scrapbook - yes, I am JUST getting around to it!), some other items for my next DIY project (see next post) from Michael's, got lotsa pics developed @ Ritz - even finally got new passport pics to send in!

Sunday I took my fat dog to go and visit my BFF's new puppy, Kiwi...arent they the cutest?!

**Kiwi**

And then I got most of the wedding scrapbook done!

Overall, I'd say I was pretty productive...now this week, I will attempt to finish my DIY DR pendant project (see next post)....wish me luck!

Living Room D&R Project

We closed on our first home back in April 2007 and then got engaged in May 2007, so ALL of our extra money went towards paying for wedding stuff and my poor new house was neglected for two whole years till we finally got married in March 2009. So now that we are all good and married, I'm on the ball with my home decoration/renovation projects....first project = the LR/DR/Kitchen areas (they are all connected). The LR is finally done, here are some before and afters:

Before - with previous owner's stuff:

Check out the plain walls, empty LR, and UGLY curtains!

And voi-lah (sp?) our LR now - paint is Duron Mocha, Tables (including entryway) are from the Target Dolce Collection, Entertainment Center is South Shore and area rug are both from BJ's, Curtains from World Market, Throw Pillows/entryway rug from Target, floating shelves from Kohls.*These are from the memorial table @ our wedding...wanted to incorporate them into the LR somehow (middle one is prof. pics of my lil bro and me and my sisters)*

*DIY centerpiece with material from left over wedding stuff & Michaels*

*This is a key/knick-knack holder I DIY'ed based on a fellow Nestie's DIY project*

BFF's Wedding!!

So one of my bestest friends ever got married this past weekend and it was so beautiful! The weather was good to her too, especially since it's been raining so much around here lately. The wedding was a Catholic ceremony held in a church in Northern VA and the reception was in Washington DC - it was the first wedding I was in, here are some pics I (and DH) snapped of the festivities:

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding and Reception

I finally did it...

...started a blog that is! Hi everyone, welcome to my blog - I plan on using this blog as a little diary chronicling my life & all the CrAzInEsS that goes along with it! I hope that you enjoy it & come back & visit often!!