Off Season....Almost

What the heck have I been doing with my life.......LOTS! 

I have been working a ton and visiting my honey every three weeks! So my goals right now is to get the front yard in working order before my honey comes home for off season......and I am on track!! 

So my dad and I with the help of my personal Lowe's shopper (my brother). We put in the sprinklers and score they worked! One was broke....but it still works, just a little leakage. So it has been about three weeks and well.....ladies and gentlemen I present to you my pride and joy......green patchy grass :) Work in progress......called the gardener today 

It is basically too hot to re-seed it and well that area in the front (right side of photo) is DEAD as a doornail! It literally looks like someone sprayed round-up...who knows....darn foreclosures 

PS...see that dry dead "river bed" Well let me tell you that has been a beast that is SO NOT done......They previous owners loved them some river rock! They have fake rivers everywhere!!! We don't want it so in my free time I toss rocks.....I am probably half way done if I want to be generous with myself...which I do 

This was day one and well I have done it probably total of 4 days....it's been a great workout! 

Also a great work out I never knew about......picking weeds!!! Mother up above my legs HURT mostly my hamstrings! 

There was a total of 8 boxes! VOMIT....but on the bright side good booty workout 

So my lovely sister-in-law is GETTING MARRIED...and I love weddings! 

Her bridal shower was a few weeks ago and I was a part of the dessert table...my mom and I baked up a storm! 

This is just a few of the yummy things 

This was the gift and I wanted to keep it!!! The Mr. told me 

"gifts you want to keep are the best ones." 

Well it must be true because.....she LOVED it! 

So my MIL watched this little monster and his brother.....while I went and ran the color run in SF....so much fun! 

The Golden Gate in the morning on the way to the run

It was cold at the beginning 7am at the bay...slightly chilly

So I didn't get much color no lie I tried to stay away from it....it is chalk and I couldn't breathe! I love running at new spots because you never know how far or where you are going...I love that! 

We walked the wharf and ate yummy food while we sat at the oyster bar 

My MIL sent me a picture of my handsome boy while I was in SF....and yes he was afraid of their chihuahas and wouldn't walk by them so he JUMPED on her desk at work 

Dear Lord that dog

I went and visited my honey and we ate dinner on the roof top with a beautiful view 

I drank a lot of slurpee's and watched a large amount of baseball 

 Dinner Date night out:Tepinyaki:

 Another roof top view from the apartment 

I had a blast and did not want to come home....but don't worry I was going back in 3 weeks 

4th of July at the parents...the dogs crashed....they love lucious lawn: see above ours sucks 

(for now) 

Stogie legimately watched the fireworks and Sam fell asleep on me 

 Went shopping at Hobby Lobby on the way home from visiting a friend and scored towel racks for the bathroom...the hubs loves them 

 I organized the garage..boring but super rewarding.....It is a mess! 

The boys conned me into letting them on the bed...our house rules are no dogs on the bed...it grosses me out...BUT I was washing the sheets that day and I was going to visit the Mr again so they needed extra love

Sam was in heaven! Stogie just tries to be as close as possible to me and make sure he is ALWAYS closer to me than Sam....he is such a bully 

Stogie likes my tempurpetic pillow and fell asleep 

Be a part of this wonderful organization! 

 Sweet Nectar Society  is a new organization that brings together a network of talented photographers throughout Central California for one important mission—to capture the hope, courage, and strength of children undergoing treatment for serious illnesses, disabilities and injuries, and provide their families with lasting memories.

Children and families can apply or be nominated for a private photo session. Once the application is received, a photographer from our network is assigned to the child and family, and a suitable location is determined according to the child’s abilities—in their home, at the hospital, in a studio or at a specialty location.

A slideshow of images from the session, an 8x8 coffee table book and a disk of all the images taken will be presented to each family. The meaningful images will illustrate the beauty and incredible courage of these children in a way that only photography can.

Isn't this booth beautiful! I have a special place in my heart for all these young kids and families. I personally signed up to be a bone marrow donor. Hopefully I can save a life someday! What a blessing. 

 One last pic.....we miss daddy 

xoxo 

Lazy....

Ok.....I have been lazy....not lazy in the not doing anything kind of way....lazy in the house crafting department

BUT I have been working like a crazy woman outside in the "yard." I put yard in quotes because basically it is weeds :( Welcome to foreclosure life....long process!

So little projects....

Remember those shelves I was talking about??? Laundry room heaven

IN LOVE.....so cheap and so easy! It now is holding dryer sheets and my iron also. 

Crates purchased at my trusty antique/thrift store downtown 3 for $15....please and thank you...or shall I say....gracias'

Next up on the list was that darn bed skirt I have been procrastinating on FOREVER....but I was sick of seeing the royal blue box spring so I got myself in gear 

I love it! It hides the dust under the bed and voila' 

I attached it with velcro I sewed the soft iron on velcro to the fabric and then steamed it on also with iron...I then attached the rough side of the velcro to the box spring with the iron also....It held pretty good and when I want to wash it there is no craziness of lifting the million pound cal king mattress.....SCORE

Ruffled fabric purchased here 

Next up.....inspiration from pinterest for flower clips

I work at a local Children's Hospital so basically anything goes for work attire and the kids love it! So big flower headbands are appropriate and so are super hero t-shirts 

I made these

They work but I def need to refine them because the flower is floppy 

Flower made by a yo-yo maker from JoAnns 

Bobby pin clips from JoAnns also 

Hot glue 

RIng bling in the center...flat backs also purchased from JoAnns 

Anyone watching Bachelorette? 

I'm addicted and I am ok with it....I have watched EVERY season with the exception of Ben....I didn't like him! I tried to watch but never got into it...So i guess I ruined my biggest fan record :| O well....EMILY is amazing!

My prego bf Erin was craving my ginger krinkle cookies and rice krispy treats....SO I made them for Bachelorette night...man I rock in the good friend category...you should check out her blog by clicking on her name above it is SO cute...I envy her crafting ability for sure....she is the one who got me going in the craft department that is for sure....BofA bankers knitting in the back room...we are old souls at heart

PS who is your favorite on guy on Bachelorette? 

I like Arie I am calling it...he wins...we shall see if I predict the future or not 

I did make this apron for a certain someone....who might read this so I can't tell who....I hope she likes it...Fabric courtesy of Erin's leftovers :) 

Last but not least my thrifting finds.....

Exhibit A: chippy paint USA love...no clue where this is going but I had to have it for $10 

ABC chalkboard...too cute to pass up for 5 bucks! 

Remember how I tried to convince you I haven't been lazy in all departments...well ladies and gentlemen I stacked wood like a champion 

I was so proud of myself! Don't judge that I justified that...one....I was cleaning, two....working out, and three.....getting a tan in the process.....doesn't everyone stack wood in a bikini?

Until next time....I might have been convinced by Erin to make a quilt we shall see...I am drooling over this fabric 

http://www.southernfabric.com/Aviary-2-Lilac-One-Yard-Bundle_p_255.html

Beautiful right?!?!? 

One last picture of my photogenic dog

He is such a HAM....I love both of our dogs equally however, Sam is terribly NOT photogenic! 

xoxoAmanda 

PS.....I am not a language major or writer so don't judge :)

Dresser re-do

I am in the process of re-finishing a dresser for our bedroom.....The one we have now is a hand-me-down from the in-laws and we love free!  

Except I found a beauty at a local antique thrift store. Same place I got the vanity. I know if doesn't look like much but let me tell you it has beautiful lines! This is the before picture laying in the back of the truck 

I know fabulous paint job...and they painted the handles!! Really lazy bones! 

Back to the grind I started out by stripping off the paint....fail..... it was starting to eat away at the not so real wood underneath :( 

Therefore primer would have to do.....

I use and only use the Kilz primer it's about $6 bucks/can but does the job with grace 

I used 2 1/2 cans on the whole dresser 

First I removed all the hardware and found this idea on pinterest 

You place all hardware in a crock pot with water and laundry detergent and let it cook over night....I was skeptical but it totally worked!!! My hardware is good as "old"

Next up was the priming 

Aren't these gorgeous! My cousin came over and said I like it white are you keeping it white? I said...."ummmm that is primer but I think it was such a huge change from the first fabulous paint job that anything would look good" haha

I tried to decide on the perfect color I wanted a gray/purple 

Off to Lowe's I went.....

Found these two....

they look more purple here in the picture but I think they will be perfect! 

My plan is the one on left will be drawers and the right will be the base and top 

I found this cool product and we shall see how it works.....brush marks suck 

This is our room and the anthropologie vibe I love to attempt and where this beauty of a dresser shall be going....

I painted and painted....the drawers are the darker color and the base is the lighter

some of the drawers painted with the lighter base 

SO then....I was finished and I wasn't IN love yet.....my mom and I were staring at it and I remembered the idea I "pinned" so long ago here 

So....I busted out some lace I had in the fabric closet from my bridal shower 

Taped the edges...thanks mom 

and THEN IT HAPPENED 

This was mid spray and I got soooo excited! My husband had to see this....picture moment 

SO IN LOVE

AFter 2 long weeks of drying and a vacation for a week.....My big muscles my brother and dad moved the beauty into our room 

Here is the two toned beauty in our room! I love it and it totally pulls together the room 

Close up of the drawers.....in case anyone is wondering my husband approves and I told him it is more purple than I thought it was going to be...for reals I was shocked....but he is fabulous and says, "people love our house you go babe."

One more angle 

AND THE BELOVED lace top! 

I'm in love thanks for reading....until my next project...

Laundry room shelves made from crates??? WHAT??