Den: The Rug

This post is really long overdue since I found this rug back in March!  I actually thought I posted about it a while back but clearly I didn't.

And here it is with the new rug...

And a close-up...

It's such a bright and sunny room, it could definitely handle the darker rug (found here).  I also wanted something that would be able to stand up to art projects and whatever else my family can dish up. It's an indoor/outdoor rug with no pile so it's relatively easy to slide a chair on it.  Also the price was definitely right since I got it on sale for $135 with shipping.  These pictures were taken a few weeks ago and the wrinkles have smoothed out considerably since then.

Still hard to believe that this is the same room where my kids slept for the past 5 years!

And now...

I really need to paint that cabinet door this weekend!  Have you done any rug shopping lately?  Find a great deal?

A Birthday Present for HOUSEography!

As a birthday present to my dear blog, I got it a mega makeover!  She was sorely in need of some changes so here they are...

Lighter, brighter and overall more my style.

[update!! Thanks Casey!] Here's a screen shot of my old blog.

I'm hoping the new blog will be a little easier to navigate and generally easier to read.  Thanks to Casey at Sugar Studios for the wonderful work at a great price!

What do you think?  Like the new design?

On the porch front, the painters are scheduled to come today to paint!! I'm so excited. Woohoo!

Porch Progress: The last leg (hopefully)

I am really hoping we are down to the last leg of our screen porch renovation journey.  Ideally, we'll be done this week but the weather will have to hold for that to happen.

Here's the view from the back of the house.  The area without a railing is the doorway. There's a frame there now but it has been raining here most of the weekend and I didn't get an updated picture.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the railing detail.  Loooooove it.

From the front...

I finally made a decision on the porch ceiling.  Took a week to make that decision but only about 2 minutes to choose a color for the floor! I'll keep you in suspense for a couple more days.  Hopefully I'll be showing final pictures early next week!

Next up will be fixing the landscaping around the porch a bit and get about 20 bags of mulch to fill in what is washed away.  The work area is really clean though so I don't think it will take much to make it all nice again... I hope.  Our front yard is also in major need of some grass seed and water. Our sprinklers have been turned off throughout the porch renovation so I am itching to get them turned back on and get our grass back in shape.

And then there's furniture... I have my eye on a table which I may fill you in on next week.

Feels good to be in the last few days of this project... I'm ready to eat dinner out there again!

Master Bedroom: More Mirrors

This is my 500th blog post... hard to believe!  I have a blog-iversary gift to my blog (and readers) planned next week. Eye candy!!  Can you guess what it is?  Now, on with the show...

For a while the pictures over our bed have been bugging me.  I really like this original artwork (purchased at a yard sale by my mom many years ago), but it seems a little wasted over the bed where you can't see it. They seem a little too small for the spot and just don't have the impact I wanted.

A few months ago I found a great Crate & Barrel mirror at Goodwill for $20.  I didn't know where I was going to use it but I think I may have finally realized that if I see something I really like - no, actually LOVE - for a great price (under $50) then I should buy it because I will likely end up regretting not buying it and inevitably think of a million places to use said thing about an hour after leaving it behind.  So, home it came with me...

So, I popped it over the bed to see if I liked it.  Result - I do like it. Not sure I love it but it's a departure from the starburst mirror that is over nearly every blogger's bed right now.  Raise your hand if you have one?  Don't get me wrong, I love the look but just wanted to try something different.

 

Here's the before -

And now...

I like that the mirror is a little less traditional and stuffy than the pictures were.  It also shows off the ceiling height in here. 

I have already found homes for two of the pictures. One is in the corner with my grandmother's chair.  I love the colors together and it grabs more attention. I'm debating adding one of the others over the top of this one for more height.  

The other is over Jim's dresser but it was too messy to photograph in good conscience!

There's a quick change-up for a Tuesday morning.  Have you done any quick changes in your bedroom to lighten it up.  

Angel Food Cake Cheating

I needed an easy cake for Elizabeth's 6th Birthday party.  As I have said before, I am not a baker. I don't have the patience or the ability to measure accurately. I often leave out ingredients but I still like to "make" my kids' cakes.  So, I am always looking for an easy dessert that seems homemade (like it's on my own plate) but really it took 5 minutes.  So, an adapted angel food seemed perfect. Also, it's light and works with fruit so it was perfect for little girls who were already stuffed with pancakes and candy.

This is beyond easy. All you need is a store-bought angel food cake, fruit of your choice (I used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and kiwis.  And Cool Whip (or whipped cream if you prefer but I love Cool Whip and so does my daughter!

First, slice the cake in half horizontally. Set the top aside.

Next layer on the Cool Whip and then a layer of fruit. I filled the center with Cool Whip as well. Maybe overkill!

Layer more Cool Whip on top of that.

Finally, replace the top and cover the entire thing with Cool Whip as if it were icing. Decorate with fruit of your choice.

Elizabeth loved it and thought it was perfect for her - my berry and kiwi loving girl!