Office Evolution, Part 1

Back in the day, I was on the recently-divorced, broke as a joke, single-mother budget.  Classy, I know.  For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of living on that particular financial diet, it's not really very exciting.  At the time, I think I was making about $10.00 an hour, decorating was not my priority.  Survival, and diapers, quickly became more important than Pottery Barn, which was a fairly painful realization.  Years later, I am still in the same house, still a single mom, but have managed to find creative ways to decorate that don't always involve laying out the big dollars at the pricey decor stores. I have lost count as to how many gallons of paint I have utilized trying to change the aesthetic of every room in my crib.  In fact, if I were to have the house surveyed, I suspect there may be less square footage from the layers of latex that I've brushed and rolled throughout the years.  I'm going to go ahead and blame that old TLC show, Trading Spaces, for my painting problems.  For years, that poorly-produced show got me through some lonely Saturday.  Although most of the designers were usually fairly sloppy with their work, which annoyed me to no end, I typically ended up in a home improvement store buying paint the next morning.  Thanks Vern and Genevieve!

Personal Failures and Gnarly Swimming Pools

Talk about tragic!  It's as though March never even happened.  Flu, work, sinus infection, flu again, basic life drama....no blogging.  I hang my head in shame.  Thank you to all of those who nudged me to post, but I bombed.  March is my FAVE crafting month because it is all about my favorite color....GREEN.  I didn't even bother to do my standard holiday sock wreath and Eighteen 25 subway art, and those two items probably take no more than fifteen minutes total.  I'm a disgrace to the blogosphere.  Art was printed, too lazy to stick it in the frame, socks were purchased, too lazy to cut.  I throw myself on your mercy. I promise I had good intentions, see?

Quick Candle Holder Makeover

One day prior to Christmas, I was perusing Home Goods and saw a huge selection of GAWD AWFUL HIDEOUS candle holders. I had to have some!  They sat in my office for weeks while I figured out what to do with them.  These bad boys were a funky flashback to my 1970's childhood, had they been a color that even partially fit in with my decor, I might have kept them as is.  I love the shape, and they are sturdy, could totally be used as weaponry if necessary.

UGH! My UGG Boots Got Ugly!

More than five years ago, someone gave me a pair of sheepskin UGG Boots for my birthday.  I live in a warm climate, so I don't abuse them too badly with snow or water, but they were starting to show some wear and I made a specific trip to Macy's with every intention of purchasing a new pair.  Every pair of new UGGs that I admired was over $200.00.  I was okay with the price until I saw a display of the UGG Sheepskin Care Kits.  I read the back of the box, seemed easy enough, especially for a DIY fiend like myself.  $20.00 was not a big deal when I had nearly forked out $250.00 for the pair I liked, which in all reality, was almost exactly what I had back at home.  Care Kit in hand, I headed home to try out my unexpected do-it-yourself project.

Pimping Out Your Tree

I'm behind on Christmas decorating this year, I usually like to have it done by the day after Thanksgiving, but out of town visitors, the flu, another round of the flu, things just didn't get done.  So, this year I'm scrambling.  After my two week long fight with my pre-lit tree, you can read about that here,  I have finally completed the decorating, just in time to enjoy it for five seconds before I have to take it down.  UGH.  That's why I like to have everything done early, it's such a shame to work so hard to put a tree together, and then turn around and take it down.

CPR for Failing Artificial Christmas Tree

One particular artificial tree usually finds a home in my front room this time of year.  I love this tree because it has branches that continue all the way down to the floor, and since we don't place gifts under said tree, I think the down-swept branches look nicer than a big exposed piece of dark green PVC pipe.  The above image is from 2009, happier times for this tree and I.  When I unpacked this pre-lit bad boy this year, I was bummed to see that eight of the ten light strands were not working.  OYE.

Behind the Green Doors

After completing my fun Lima Bean Wreath project, I went outside to see what color ribbon might look nice……uhm, not good.  My front doors have not had an ounce of attention in the life of the house, I’m ashamed of myself.  I’m tragic, my doors even more tragic.  Cracked, paint chipped, dirty, a big shameful hot mess.  The brass handles looked brown, and I hadn’t noticed it, EVER!  GROSS!