a christmas virus

A few days ago I got a computer virus that has corrupted my Windows XP. We are hoping to be able to fix it, and save all my stuff on my computer. I am sure all of you understand how upsetting this is. You all design and love to take photos. I will lose alot of stuff if we can't fix it. :(

So, I am bummed out about it. I am using someone else's computer to post this! I just wanted everyone to know why I won't being commenting or blogging over the next week or how ever long it takes. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Much love!

jessie

Couch Love

I have being dreaming up designs for our basement when we finish it. Which won't be anytime soon, but if I get ideas in my head, I have to design. :)

I have been looking at many fun couches. Here are some of my favorites.

This one has to be my favorite so far. I just don't know how comfy it is. It is just really fun to look at. Would look pretty cool in my house if you ask me. (link)

This is basically just cushions, kinda like bean bag chairs. I just love the square look and the lime green. It is from Target. (link)

IKEA KARLSTAD couch (link) Comes in lots of colors and options.

Look at this great vintage 1970's couch! (link) I kinda would like to do all vintage pieces in the basement. This couch is priced around $600! Not to bad, for such a great piece.

This couch is cool, but I would like to just build a couch on my own that is like this one. (link) Make my own frame & cushions.

HOLY CRAP! I am really in love with this couch. (link) Again, looks fun, but not good for lounging and watching tv. I do think that this is my favorite. I am in love.


so many couches, so little money.......
lol

Shower Curtain Love

I think I may have found a shower curtain for my hall bathroom. I am in love with this line by Jonathon Alder sold at Wrapables!

The Bespoke Shower Curtain

I love the pattern, and the red and white of course. All the matching bath accessories are really fun too.

This is just on option. I do have my Andy Warhol shower curtain in there right now. Its just I have so much Pop Art everywhere else. I like the more "fancy" look of the red & white curtain. I think the bathroom would look nicer that way.

The good thing about the Warhol curtain is every color in my house is on it. So it would look good. I just feel its a bit too much Warhol? (keeping in mind, that all my masterbedroom is going to be) Also, the red and white one is a totally different look.

This shower curtain is just funny.

(link)

Does anyone have any suggestions or a favorite? (My Andy Warhol can go in the basement bathroom when we do it.) Also, I was thinking of leaving the bathroom painted white. I might do a pale color if I stick with the Warhol curtain.

If you would like to see some awful pictures of our bathroom from back in April before we bought the house click here.
(by the way, we are ripping out the tile now, not painting it.)

*My Kitchen*

The kitchen still needs some work. Its not quite done yet. It needs new outlets, under cabinet lighting, and other small things. The ceiling has some cracks in it sadly, so they will need fixed. The original kitchen was outdated and not very functional. We dreamed of having an IKEA kitchen, and we were able to use some of our escrow loan to do it.

BEFORE

NOW

We went with the ABSTRAKT White cabinets from IKEA. I wanted a white contemporary kitchen. Since red is my favorite color, and a theme through out our house, I thought it was a perfect color choice for the room that is the heart of our home.

We flipped the island/bar to the other side of the kitchen. It is alot more functional this way. The kitchen feels and looks so much bigger now.

I hope to get my barstools that I want for Christmas. (link)

I love that you can see KYLIE while in the kitchen!



BEFORE



BEFORE

Here is the Dining Area. We do have the trim up now.

My white vase collection.

We ripped out the old china cabinet that was in the dining area. We hope to buy more cabinets and put them in this area in the future.

Here is a detailed photo of our tile backsplash. I picked this tile, because I felt it had a vintage retro feel.

Oh, and I *heart* my faucet!!!! Its from Moen, sold at Home Depot. The red wall color is called Code Red, it is a Disney color sold at Home Depot.

*Butterfly Guest Bedroom*

(This room is now my pink office. I decorated the "butterfly guest bedroom" in 2007 when we first bought the house)

I have always loved Lime Green. Lucky for me, my husband lets me paint any color I like. (unless its pink, then he draws the line.) When I first painted our guest bedroom this green color, even I thought it was too bright.

The wall color is Grape Green by Behr.

This whole room was based around the Issac Mizrahi bedding from Target. Sometimes when you see something, you know you must have it for your home. The bedding was a great balance of white, bright colors, and a modern feel. Plus, butterflies make me smile. If you would like to see my Inspiration board for this room follow the (link).


I painted "Do it for the Butterflies" over the bed. It inspires me to keep going. Butterflies are happy and free. So, when I read it, it reminds me to never give up on my dreams. Its also a line from the Adam Sandler movie, Little Nicky.

The room isn't all the way done. I plan to make cornice boxes to put over the curtain rods. I was glad I was able to throw the houndstooth pattern into the decor. Another one of my favorites!

Also, the mini-blinds will go bye-bye someday! They are there now because they fit, and we need them. Also, I have had those stupid nightstands for years. Once IKEA comes to OHIO, I plan on buying some new ones. When you are on a budget,...or just broke, you use what you got!!! lol

Here is another thing you do when you are on a budget. You go to the dollar store and buy picture frames.

The photos are pictures I printed off my computer and a Justin Timberlake cd booklet. When I find cool frames at the dollar store its like Christmas for me. :) The great thing about the room is, its very me. Anyone who knows me could see this room and know its mine. That's one of the best things about decorating.

Here is a before shot of the room. What it looked like when we bought the house.

I don't hate orange, but it did give you a headache is a 10x12 bedroom. Along, with the checkered floor. Wasn't working for me!!! lol

Want to see the day we ripped out the checkered floor? (link)

The Rehab Weekends 2007

Another year is gone, and I will always look back at 2007 as the year my husband and I dived head first into our "fixer upper" house.

Photos that never made my blog.....


I wanted to have one post that contained all the links to all my REHAB WEEKEND posts in the order in which they start. When I feel like there is still so much to do, it helps to go back and see where I started.

* We Got It! ~ First photos of house right after we closed. 5.17.07
* Rehab Weekend 1 ~ Demolition begins! 5.23.07
* Rehab Weekend 2 ~ Goodbye old Kitchen & Mold! 5.31.07
* Rehab Weekend 3 ~ Red Paint & No Floor. 6.1.07
* Rehab Weekend 4 ~ Trip to IKEA to buy our Kitchen! 6.8.07
* Rehab Weekend 5 ~ Building our IKEA kitchen. 6.19.07
* Rehab Weekend 6 ~ No roof, new pool liner. 6.23.07
* Rehab Weekend 7 & 8 ~ Painting & Flooring. 7.10.07
* Rehab Weekend 9 ~ Kitchen Backsplash Tile. 7.14.07
* Rehab Weekend 10 & 11 ~ Goodbye Floors! 7.21.07
* Rehab Weekend 12 & 13 ~ Landscaping,OSB, & Lighting. 8.4.07
* Rehab Weekend 14 & 15 ~ Drywall,Flooring,& Walls. 8.18.07
* Rehab Weekend 16 ~ Drywall & Painting. 9.1.07
* Moved in to the House ~ 9.24.07
* Rehab Weekends Early October ~ Bedroom Drywall. 10.16.07
* Rehab Weekends End October ~ Drywall Mud. 10.24.07
* Rehab Weekend October end ~ Bedroom Flooring. 10.29.07
* Rehab Weekends Early November ~ Bedroom Painted. 11.6.07
* Master Bathroom Shower Drama ~ Master Bathroom. 11.11.07
* Trim,Stress,& Being Tired ~ Putting up our Trim. 11.21.07

80's Flashback!

Collecting. Most everybody collects something, or LOTS of somethings. ;) What started as one Smurf Figurine, then a Carebear, turned into ALOT. I am posting about this because my husband and I have been talking about finishing our basement. Its going to be awhile before we have the funds, or time to do it. Here is some photos of SOME of my stuff.

Carebear Figurines

Get-Along-Gang & Glow worms

Trolls

My Little Pony

Strawberry Shortcake

Alot of different stuff. I collect just about anything.

Here is a BIG part of my stuffed animal collection I have. Along with a green vinyl couch I used to own. I deeply regret selling it now.

My Smurf's are the BIGGEST part of my collection. Mushroom Houses & almost 200 figurines.

Since I am blessed with a new IKEA store in the spring of 2008, I will be able to purchase display furniture/pieces when I need them!!! woohoo! Here is one of my favorite pieces that IKEA sells.

DETOLF Display Cabinet for only $59.99 (link)


This RED cabinet is another great buy!

BIBY Cabinet $79.99 (link)


Last but NOT least, I will have to have these....

EXPEDIT Bookcase $149.00 (link)
I think we can ALL find the expedit shelves from IKEA helpful and easy to fit into any decor. I want to display my stuffed animals on the shelves.

Oh how I dream up decorating and designing our basement. Finally a room for my collection. We are also planning on making it a media room, along with a card table. For now though, its a dream and a goal.

My Tree - December 2007

I just wanted to show my favorite photos I took of my tree this year. Putting my tree up this year really helped my husband and I to let go of our stress and make us have more Christmas spirit. Sadly we are still broke because of our house stress, but oh well. lol It didn't cost any money to put the tree up. We only spent around $10.00 on some more ornaments.



I think all Christmas trees are pretty. What matters is that it's your own and your families. Next year I hope to get the 7ft skinny tree my heart desires. :) Then I will just put up the white one in another room. Happy Holidays, and Happy Decorating.

*My Living Room*

Thank You Mr. Roy Lichtenstein for the inspiration! Wanna see my inspiration board for the decor of my living room? (Click here.)
My Living Room done.....well kinda. ;)


I realized that I spent all summer posting about rehab weekends and working on my house. I never posted my living room decorated. I had entered the CB2 COLOR contest, so my pictures were posted on there. I also uploaded them on my Flickr account, but never on my blog. So, if you haven't seen it, here it is.






In the last photo over in the corner where the teal chairs are, I want to hang some Roy Lichtenstein prints. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. We also plan on moving the TV to the basement eventually. The TV is in front of the fireplace at the moment. We just didn't have the energy to deal with the cleaning the fireplace up yet. We hope to work on the basement this winter or spring. I can't wait! MORE SPACE, and a place to display my 1980's toys!