Easy Art DIY

In the last post I mentioned how that fresh coat of paint really had me reeling for some art for the spare bedroom. I wanted something fast, easy, and free. So I rememberd that I had some natural coffee filters laying around that didn’t work out on another project and we always have some spare wood in the tool room. All I needed to dig out was some glue. Since I was out of hot glue sticks and just grabbed up some Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue. I knew it would take longer to set up but it would do just fine.

I simply put some glue on the MDF, spread thin so it would set up fast. I put my finger in the center of the filter and used the other hand to get the filter to fold up around my hand. I then pushed my finger into the glue on the MDF. I repeated this several times for each flower. Since I was using a glue that didn’t dry instantly, I only added about 5 filters at a time to each flower then moved on to another while I waited for the glue to set up. I think I used about 75-100 filters on the whole project and it only took me a total of maybe 2 hours.

Wondering how I hung it?

First I ventured into the messiest tool room in the world…

I found these cool little brackets in this picture hanging kit we got from Harbor Freight ages ago…

Then I realized they didn’t work the way I thought they did so I went back to the box… and pulled out my trusty picture wire.

I made a mark down the back of where I wanted the picture wire to run and pre-drilled two little holes for the screws.

I wrapped the wire around and around the loose screw, screwed it in trapping the wire, then wrapped the wire around itself several times, gave it several staples wrapping the wire through those as well, then banged the staples down with a hammer. I may have also added a few more staples just so I could hit it a few more times…. This is very scientific and I would only use this crazy rigging method on something that you hadn’t paid a lot for… You know, just in case it falls in the middle of the night…

We have crazy plaster on top of sheetrock walls in the original part of the house and if you don’t pre-drill holes in, you end up with a huge and cracked hole. So now, I pre-drill. My favorite way to hang things in our walls are these Hercules hooks or Monkey Hooks from Lowes. They hold a ton of weight and only add a small pin hole to the wall! They’ve got two different sized hooks. I like the small ones the best but this big guy was all I had on hand. I’ve used all the rest!

You just push it right into the hole and as long as you haven’t hit a stud, it’ll go right in and be ready to hang your frame/art/mirror or whatever. Just so you know how amazing these thing are, I’ve got three yes only three holding up our HEAVY pallet spice rack in the kitchen.

A while back we hung a chandelier that my Mom had in her Master Bedroom and was going to yard sale last Spring. I gave it a coat of red spray paint and Brian hung it up for me. I didn’t like the globes so I’ve got to find something to go over the bulbs. I have an idea but haven’t got the stuff on hand to try it out.

That’s all for now!

Adding Warmth With Paint

So we’ve finally gotten back to work on the house. This past weekend we primed the hallway trim, ceiling, and walls and I got busy painting over that yucky hello yellow I painted the spare room last summer. Not sure what I was thinking… I don’t event remember the paint color name because when we were cleaning out the tool room this past fall, I got rid of the can knowing I was going to repaint. I think it may have had something to do with a bird… It doesn’t really matter. I hated the color and it had to go.

Let’s stop and chat about creamy white for a moment. I will be the first to say that I DO NOT LIKE CREAM WALLS. I like gray/grey (depending on which side of the pond you are from), white, or anything with a blueish crisp undertone. But this room needed a bit of warmth. Not so much as in yellow but the way the light comes in the room felt cold. It was painted blinding white when we moved in and I think that cold feeling was what pushed me all the way to bright yellow. I needed a color that would brighten the space and warm it up.

We ended up going with Benjamin Moore Battenberg (AF-70).

It isn’t really that creamy. It’s more of an off white with subtle undertones that warm up the space.

This image really doesn’t do the color justice either. It’s just enough different from the trim work to make the trim pop. Every time I pass this room I smile. It’s become a good contender for the fireplace stucco paint color. I’ll have to place a few swatches to see if it has the same feel in that space.

So here’s how the space has transformed…

This is a much better representation of the color!

This paint has inspired some creativity like that little piece of art above the night stand. Next post will be about how I made and hung it!

Welcome 2013!

It’s been way to long since uploaded a post here. We’ve been slowly but surely working on projects here at the Pink Monster and I’ve just been really really bad about photographing them which explains why I haven’t posted anything.

So what all have we done?

• Painted the living room
• Put up the crown molding in the living room
• Installed the glass in our ‘New’ antique front door
• Installed the door itself
• Framed out the columns on the fireplace
• Installed a projection system in the living room that includes a 92 inch screen
• Purchased some awesome chalk painted pieces at a local antique shop for the living room
• Re-arranged the office and I’m in love with it!

I’m in process of purchasing a nice big DSLR camera so that I can take better images for several things so when That happens, expect way to many photos all in one post to catch up!

What are our plans for 2013:

• Travel more, house less! Yep we’re at the point where once we complete a few things we’ll be satisfied with the house for a while so we can save up for the master addition and kitchen move. We’re starting with our second annual snowboarding trip soon. We can’t wait to carve some mountains!
• Paint the house, add some decks, and get the fence installed. Yep that’s it for the big projects this year. We’re going to try to make this house less life encompassing this year. We’ll be doing some small painting projects and the like but that’s easy peasy stuff when you compare what we’ve been up against the last few years.
• I’m launching two, yes two new businesses this year. I’ll be launching my candle company in just a few months and I will also be getting my Real Estate license in the very near future. Needless to say the job I started in the fall did not work out so I’m moving on. I’ve always wanted to venture into Real Estate and the timing just seems right. The candle company will be a once or by monthly booth at a local farmers market and I’ll be helping my Mom with her booth at the same market for her custom embroidery business, Sew Cute TN.  I love the chemistry and Mad Scientist I get to play when making candles!
• Last but certainly not least, I’m getting my butt back in shape. I’ve been slacking for far too long. The gym membership has been obtained, Spin schedules have been memorized and this gal is going to get her body back. I shall defy gravity’s pull. I’ve already cleaned out the bad food in the house and started eating clean. I’ll be lifting heavy, maxing out my cardio, and driving my body fat % down. I’ve done it before and loved every minute of my gym time. I got lazy and let this house take priority over my health and that’s just plain stupid. Not in 2013.

So there it is. Our 2013 plan for the Pink Monster. I’ll be posting progress and projects just as soon as I’ve figured out my Nikon! Now… I just have to find time to take down the Christmas decorations before the neighbors start to complain…

What are your plans for 2013?

Unrelated To The House: My Secret Skin Weapon

So this post has nothing to do with the house. I just realized that some of you may want in on my little secret skin weapon. It’s just come to my attention how often I get compliments on my face after I have used this little gem. I must admit, it wasn’t my original idea. Kandee Johnson introduced me to this product in one of her videos  several years back and I still use it to this day. So what is this amazing stuff? Un-Petroleum.

Image via Beauty Banter

This is how I use it. Right before bed I use my Spa Solutions face scrubber (similar to a Clarisonic with out the big price) from Sigma Beauty. I use it with my cream face wash from Mario Badescu’s Anti Redness kit. I love this kit because my cheeks are naturally flush and sometimes I’ll get a rosacea break out but this stuff keeps mine at bay. Plus it’s great for sensitive skin like mine. Okay I should say my suddenly sensitive skin as of age 28… How does that happen by the way??? So, then rather than slathering on a night cream I just use the Un-Petroleum as my moisturizer. It’s full of all natural ingredients like coconut oil, vitamin E, and more. I only use it a few nights a week so I haven’t had any problems with break outs and I get the most compliments on my skin the day after I’ve used this. I notice that my fine lines disappear when my skin is plump with moisture and I really look refreshed.

As my skin has gotten older I’ve realized the importance of a good routine and this is one of my favorite things to do to pamper my skin at home. This stuff is also great for dry patches in the winter, chapped lips, and even itchy winter legs.

Should I share more tips like this here? I know it’s a house blog but perhaps you’d be interested in things like this?

Perspective: Update

So since we’re coming up on our October 20th drop date for our goals I thought I’d update you on where we are.

First let me share this. My girlfriend and I were chatting last night. She’s been going through a lot of stress having a home renovated before purchasing it and it has been more than challenging. She and I were chatting about our perspective and how when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or just off it’s helpful to think about those things we are thankful for. I realized that I’m a skeptic. I view things in life in negatives more than positives. I’m pretty sure I was born a skeptic and I’ve had that perspective on life for as long as I can remember. I turned 30 this year and I’d love to know how one  conversation at a Mexican restaurant can reveal so much about my personality when 30 years of experience hadn’t brought it to my attention. The funny thing is, I have no problem talking about positives and glass half full stuff with friends in trouble, but with myself is a different story.

All this is to say that from now on I’ll be making a more clear effort on how to make things better, how to be thankful, how to see all the good and positive in my life. I’m going to put more positive energy out there. I am going to will myself into being a thankful positive person rather than a skeptic.

With that said, here’s the update on my perspective post:

UPDATE: Even thought we will continue to work on projects here at the house, we’re not going to measure our success using our project ‘to do list’ any more.

Here are mine:

1. Wake up and start my day no later than 7am each M-TR. Okay well 7:30
2. Walk/Run Maddux every day. Not met this one yet… Poor Maddux!
3. Launch a new business idea by Sept 1st. As per my last post, I have a full time job so this one is a wash.
4. Get library card and begin reading books on my book list. CHECK
5. Make a list of current ‘Lindsey’ projects and finish them before I begin any new ones. See below. 
6. Find a gym I like, get a membership, and begin my training program. Not happened just yet thanks to the 40 hr work week. 
7. Reach my wedding day weight by our anniversary. LOL, I’ve got 18 days and honestly I don’t see this one happening. 
8. Plan at least two date nights a month with Brian outside of the house. CHECK We actually went out of town for a few days last month and this month is our anniversary!
9. Plan at least one lunch/girls night with my friends each month. I’ve been doing so much better with this. Love, love, love seeing my girls. 

Here’s the projects I’ve started and not finished:

1. Curtains for the new Sunroom shelves. (The last panel is in the wash right now!)
2. Ikea BJURSTA buffet update. We need the storage but the style is just too modern. (I’m halfway thru this update.)
3. Polly/Wax Dining Room table & benches. (I’ve got one coat on the table top but it needs at least 3 more.)

Here’s Brian’s list:

1. Wake up at 5:30 each M-TR. He’s doing better for sure. Not quite 5:30 though.
2. Begin application process & obtain study materials for PE (Professional Engineering) exam in April. CHECK
3. Organize the tool room & maintain the organization. (Finding tools is a nightmare right now.) Getting a dumpster in the next month or so to get this all straightened out. 
4. Find a gym he likes and get a membership or get a home gym set up. (We don’t look for the same things in a gym so even though there’s usually a family discount, we don’t always go to the same one. He also prefers home gyms while I MUST have a great spin class.) Again not quite there on this one but we’ll get something figured out very soon!
5. Reach his wedding day weight by our anniversary. Again… LOL. He’s lost more than I have but we’ve got a ways to go for sure. 

Both of us want to:

1. Have at least two backyard BBQ’s here before the weather gets too cold. Finishing the Living room this week and hopefully set this up in the next few weeks!
2. Get back on a clean diet. We’ve been eating junk for a year and it’s time to get back on track. It’s crazy how good you feel when you eat clean and when you fall off the wagon it’s hard to get back on. We’ll be implementing our Sunday is Grill Day method. We cook all our protein for the work days on Sunday night, that way dinner is as easy as steaming or grilling some veggies and heating up our lean protein. This also makes packing our lunch each night easier too. UPDATE: I’ve recently subscribed to The Fresh 20 and am loving the recipes so far. I haven’t had an opportunity to do the full week because our schedules have been so busy but I’m shooting for next week to be a full week. The recipes we’ve had so far were DELISH! The idea is you keep 20 items on hand at all times, you shop for 20 items each week and the recipes will feed 4 people 5 dinners each week. LOVE the concept. Everything is fresh or in season and no preservatives. I like that very much. They also include the calorie count so you can decide how to manipulate the menu if needed. There are Classic (3 meats, 1 fish, 1 veggie meal each week), Gluten Free, and Vegetarian menus available. Full review will follow my first full week on the plan.  

So there you have it. Our updated perspective goals. I’m happy with where we are and looking forward to accomplishing more.