TIME FOR A POOL PARTY!!!

I am so excited, our pool is finally complete.  It took a couple weeks longer than we had anticipated because we had to wait for the landscapers to finish a job ahead of ours but it was worth the wait.   

I have to admit that while we were in the process of the pool installation I did NOT think that a pool was worth all of the hassle.  It was a huge headache trying to coordinate the pool company, the electrician, the landscaper, fence builder and the patio company but now that it is complete I am so happy with it.   The one thing we agreed on was that we did not want a typical rectangle pool.  

I really like the design of the circular pool.  My husband wanted a pool that reminded him of a pond but I wanted our existing paver patio to meet up with it so that friends with small children can sit pool side.  The river rock and patio extension turned out to be a great compromise.   

Have a great day everyone, I myself will be sitting pool side (well after I link up to the follow blogs)

http://debbie-debbiedoos.com/

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/06/wow-us-wednesdays-70.html

http://thenymelrosefamily.blogspot.com/2012/06/whimsy-wednesdays-15.html

http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/

Lisa 

BEFORE THE EXCAVATION STARTED 

(my husband had to chop down my favorite 25 foot tall ash tree)

STARTING TO DIG

THEY HIT A TON OF ROCK SO THEY HAD TO JACKHAMMER

THE LEVELED OUT POOL (AND ROCK)

THE STEEL WALLS BEING SET

THE POOL BOTTOM BEING SET

WE HAVE WATER (and gravel, clay, mud, etc.....)

THE FINAL PROJECT 

KITCHEN ISLAND REDO

We moved into our home 10 years ago.  I loved my kitchen but absolutely hated the island.  Not only was it very boring with no trim or detail whatsoever, but the fake wood grain panel on the back ran side to side instead of top to bottom like it should have.   After several years of disdain for it I decided that I would just replace it.  However, my wonderful hubby decided it would be easier to just makeover the old one instead.  Sooo......off to Home Depot we went, having NO idea what we could get, we decided on bead board.   Once home he started working.  I still had no idea what it would look like but wanted something country, kind of farm house like.  Once hubby was done I started painting and glazing.  That afternoon my teen son came home from school and took one look at the new and improved island and says "YUCK, what did you do to the island? It looks like a piece of furniture from an old barn"  YES!!!!!  YES YES YES, I was so happy.  That was the exact look I was looking for.   This was actually done about two and a half years ago but I still love it to this day. I am linking up to Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/06/wow-us-wednesdays-69.html  


and http://junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com/2012/06/link-it-up-wednesday-33.html

THE BEGINNING (see the fake wood grain on the right?)

WAY WAY BETTER (I wish I had a total before shot)

THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CHANGES SINCE THEN BUT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ANOTHER POST. 

What I really like is that now when you look into my kitchen you don't see a whole ocean of wood tones.  Well not as much. 

Well that is it for today.  Enjoy this lovely Monday. 

Lisa

   

I finally did it!!

I finally did it.  After three years of estimates and budgeting and worrying about it and always in the end talking myself out of it.  I finally made a decision and I'm sticking to it.   I am finally................... finally.............., are you ready for it?  I am finally getting a pool!!  I am super excited.  I can't wait.  It is a big commitment and one I was just not ready to make until this year and I am very comfortable with my decision now.   So in the next few weeks, I will have a pool company, an electrician and a landscaping company making a huge mess of my yard but in the end I am hoping to have a dreamy back yard.   I will post pictures of the progress once it starts.  


Hope you are enjoying your weekend. 


Lisa

O.C.D, ANAL, EXTREMELY ORGANIZED are all many names I've been called

I love to organize.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  I love seeing the end result but more so love seeing others expressions when they see their rooms or spaces all organized and neat.   My friends say that I am OCD, ANAL, organized, etc but they don't seem to mind when I am doing their spaces and I so enjoy it.  Here are just a few spaces that I have done recently.  

ABOVE:  Before and after of a home office closet

BELOW:  The same home office before and after

BELOW:  A friend's awesome pantry

Below:  Another friend's scrapbooking space

Below:  My cousin's linen closet

One tip I try to do is always try to keep things off of the floor.  I think it opens up spaces and makes it look less cluttered.  

Another tip I offer others is to just do a little at a time.  Extremely cluttered spaces can be overwhelming and it really does help to do a little area or space at a time.  Spend one hour a day or so working on one location and the next day do another and so on and so on and before you know it, it will be all picked up and neat. 

Today I will be linking up to: 

 http://betweennapsontheporch.net/tool-storage-and-organization/

Hope you are enjoying your day.  Happy Organizing!!

Lisa

  

Window Treatment Fiasco........

Let me start by saying I have had the SAME valances in my family room for nine and a half years.  Years before that I had a couch and love seat in the same fabric but got rid of those five years ago.  I always liked the valances but a couple months ago, out of the blue, all of a sudden, I looked up at them and it hit me...... I HATED them.  They had to come down IMMEDIATELY along with the brackets,which I made my hubby hang four inches higher.  So on to Hobby Lobby I went.  I found the most gorgeous fabric and without any hesitation or concern for cost, I bought it.  When I got home I started cutting and sewing and cutting and sewing and sewing some more.  When I was done, I was so incredibly happy with them and myself until I did the next thing........ I hung them.    I just about cried because like the previous valances, I HATED them.  I was so heartbroken.  It was at that moment that I realized that I just was not into valances any more.  Perhaps I could try solid panels or maybe panels with a little print.  No, I wouldn't be able to do that either because my windows just about but up to my stone fireplace.  UGHHHH,  what was I to do???  I went on the Internet and found something I thought would work and that is what I did.  Well, since dear ol' hubby was busy with our new company I hired a contractor and he came the other day for me.   What do you think?  Here are the before and after shots. 

Family Room BEFORE

Just getting started

Two windows almost done

A little paint makes a big difference 

They had a little extra so why not do my laundry room door

The finished Family Room.  Much better (at least in my eyes)

The contractor still needs to come out and add a box and trim to the top of the stone but he has to wait for the electrician to come and add a light to the trim. 

Oh and FYI the brown floral pillows on the couch are made out of the fabric that I bought from HL.  LOL.  I'm going to make some for the front porch too and a seat cushion for my swing. 

Well that is all for today.  I have another project in the works and will share that shortly.  

Have a great weekend. 

Lisa

SCRAPS SCRAPS EVERYWHERE

If there is one thing every scrapbooker has it is SCRAP paper.  I try to use my scraps when I can but always seem to have tons left.   A couple years ago, while looking for a specific piece of paper, I had all of my scraps strewn about.  As I looked down I realized how well some of the scraps went with the others so I started pairing them up.  Then I got a brilliant idea.  I got out my sewing machine and started to sew the scraps together (YES, I actually sewed them).  After I had turned them into 12 x 12 pages I looked for embellishments that matched and then added them to the pages.  In the end I had about 45 pre-made scrapbook pages to use at another time.  I just did this again (this time using glue not thread).  I'm so excited to have these pre-made pages to use and even more happy to have only a teenie tiny amount of scraps in my scrap basket.  What scraps I did not use for my pages I cut to 4x6 pieces to use for matting.  The fun part of this method is putting papers together you otherwise would never think of putting together.  

Well that is what I have been up to.   I hope you enjoyed checking out what I do with my scraps. 

Scraps all strewn about (I have to use the floor because 

I don't have enough space on my desk)

Scraps matched by color / theme

Scraps with embellishments added (ribbon, stickers, etc.)

Just a small portion of the completed pre-made pages. 

Another pile of pre-made pages ready for use

So what have you done with your scrap papers lately?

Hope you are having fun with your project today.

Lisa

HOW TO SAVE SOME BUCKS ON GROCERIES

Years ago, (okay, I'll age myself, it was the mid to late eighties) I read a book about how to save money on groceries.  The key was coupons.  I started clip clip clipping away.  I read about how to match my coupons with the Sunday grocery store ads and of course, do so on double or triple coupon day.  I would spend hours on end shopping at four different stores but I was soooo pleased with the end result, which was feeding my family of 6 for less than $75.00 a week.   It's a little harder for me these days since I have gone with fresh produce along with organic foods, which you all know, there are RARELY coupons for.  Weeeeeeell, today I think I did pretty good.  I spent $150.00 (this will be for two weeks with the exception of milk).    I went to Big Lots first.  Today they had a coupon for 20% off your ENTIRE order.  I couldn't resist.  Some people would NEVER think to grocery shop there, but why not, they have a grocery department.  For produce and refrigerated items, I went to Aldi.  I love that store and they have proven over and over again to be the cheapest place around for milk ($2.99 a gallon) and other items.   Here is what I got today: 

3 Nutrisystem meals

3 bags romain lettuce

1 head iceburg lettuce

4 tomatoes

4 green peppers

1 stalk of celery

4 loafs (Nature's Own) wheat bread

2 loafs (Nature's Own) white wheat bread

2 dozen eggs (organic)

1 5 lb bag of potatoes

2 large containers of cottage cheese

2 gallons whole milk

1 half gallon lactaid milk

6 lbs of hamburger

2 packages of spaghetti

1 box Krusteaz pancake mix

2 boxes Krusteaz honey cornbread mix

1 box Krusteaz blueberry muffin mix

2 packages Bear Creak wild rice soup mixes

6 pack of Brawney double paper towel rolls

2 frozen frozen Fit & Active meals

Large bottle of Ken's salad dressing

6 boxes of 24 servings each International Delight coffee creamer

5 cans Old Dutch cleaner

1 bottle shampoo and conditioner

2 bottles The Works toilet cleaner

1 bottle The Works shower cleaner

3 sponges

2 bottles Purex HE laundry detergent

8 bottles of Glass Plus

2 bottles of Palmolive

Progressive Soups

2 cans refried beans

2 cans tomato sauce

1 box (80) dryer sheets

3 large boxes of Little Debbie snacks

13 cans of Pringles

and finally 15 (yes 15) boxes of cereal.  All brand name or organic

(well except for the one box from Aldi that my husband loves.

Well that is it, I hope you get some good deals the next time you are shopping!!

Have a blessed day,

Lisa