Checking in on my goals for the year

OK, first off... I am way behind in my blogging, and my apologies!  As I sit here and ponder my unfinished fireplace... well, I feel behind, unaccomplished, slacker, you name it... haha... I feel like I have been super busy though with project after project, keeping up with my business, kids, house, etc.

Tonight I decided to read my goals for the year... which mainly were house things I had hoped to accomplish.  Here is my post

Only when I read it do I realize just how much I have gotten done, and even though my fireplace is not done...  I have completed my laundry room cabinets/hanging area aside from finishing my doors for the front of the cabinets (need to blog and take pics), I did build my farmhouse bench for my dining room!  Here it is!

 and in the past few weeks we have been slowly tackling converting the bonus room into a bedroom for my oldest son.   And I have also done some projects that were not on my list... yo know all those interest inspired things LOL.

So far here is what I have done:
      built him a desk
      made DIY hanging globe lamps for above the desk area (actually hubby and son did this for me :)
     decluttered tons of toys and slowly moved many of my son's belongings upstairs
     purchased a bedding set.  Which in itself was not an easy task.  Taking my boy who hates shopping
         to store after store and trying to find something that was not too expensive, good material for
         washing and durability... something that wasn't a "theme" per my sons request... oh that day
         was fun.  Walking by the bra section as there was giggling from my son... preteen hood...
         I am not sure if I am ready for you!

OK on with the list here!

     buillt a trophy shelf.... well actually 2 because my younger son wanted one too...
     Promise pictures are coming!
     Made a NFL Saints pillow for his couch, and a USM Eagle pillow too!
     built a room divider to section off my ribbon section from his room.  And since hubby said I was not
           aloud to slap up 2x4's and sheet rock for a real wall :-)   The room divider turned out awesome,
           with built in cubby's ,  hooks for hanging, chalk board, bulletin board, and magnetic
           board section.      Post is coming I promise!

The 2 main things I have left are to built a angled wall piece thing that will sit on a bookcase and serve as a wall to hide the remaining ribbon area visible. And the biggest, most scariest, overwhelming thing... will be building a queen size captains bed.  Complete with headboard, foot board, and 12 drawers... yes I am a little scared.  I know myself and once the project begins it will consume me.  I am not sure if my family will get a meal type of consume me :-)   I am going to purchase my wood this week!  Eeeek!  The drawers are daunting!  Once we have a bed though he can begin sleeping up there....

Here is the plan I am going to use  Ana White Fillman Storage Bed Plan

Oh and the crazy part I am trying to work into this crazy mess that drives my husband crazy?!  I am planning on taking my queen mattress upstairs for my son to have... and some how simultaneously built a king bed for my room and purchase a  king mattress set.  Yeah, not sure how this will all work out.  Thought about buying king mattresses and just setting them up on the floor temporarily.... but hubby vetoed that idea immediately...  building will take a few days, and staining with take a few more... and well throw in life and 3 kids I am thinking each bed will take 2 weeks or more.  Perhaps I can build the queen bed and use his twin mattress on it until I can get the other bed built....  hmmmm... we shall see

School goes back the beginning of August... and I will be on my own for the first time in 10 years!!!  Yes all 3 will be in school. Bittersweet, bittersweet!

Fireplace Redo ~in Progress

Well, it has been 1 week since we began framing the wall for the fireplace!   After the framing, we built a platform where the hidden cabinet for components will ultimately go.  Put a few new outlets.  One will being right at the base of the mantel shelf... Yay for easier decorating!  The other is in the cabinet area for the components to plug into.  Next we (I mean hubbby :) connected the gasline from the wall to the firebox itself... And then we cut, placed and screwed the sheetrock into place... (mostly hubby... that stuff is HEAVY!)

Here is the new wall!

Wow, I am amazed!

Here is where I takeover... Started mudding yesterday!  woo-hoo!  Now I was shooting to be done with this project by the end of January... But I am going to go ahead and say I think it will take a bit longer... we will see though.  The mudding, sanding etc may hold us up because it is a 24 hour dry time after mudding.  We hope to get some newpaint to match the existing this week and maybe start the mantel/woodwork soon. 

I still need to decide if I want to stain the wood or paint it white???  Maybe when some wood is in place that will help me decide.  I also still need to decide on some tile.  Originally I was going to do brick but it is going to be a very small 4" perimeter around the fireplace... I am thinking tile or maybe brick pavers?  Can I lay those myself... LOL

I am getting anxious to see the final result!  I ordered a new area rug that is supposed to arrive today!!!  I ordered it online (shopping with 3 kids is completely dreadful BTW!).  I am hoping the colors with brighten up the room and that the rug will "pop" from my dark floors, chocolate couch, darker curtains, etc.  My old couch was tan with ivory trim...  but we needed more seating and fell in love with this sectional... I do love it but as I get to looking around everything seemed dark! LOL  I think I will update some pillows for the spring in some lighter shades too.

Building the Fireplace!

Well, I am so very excited that we have officially started this project!  We had a gas line stubbed when we originally built our house with the intentions of one day adding a fireplace in the corner.  About a year ago we got rid of our armoire that used to sit in the corner where the wannabe fireplace was going to go.  DVD junk sat on 2 trunks for awhile :)

Determined to get this project going I researched a lot and finally went and bought a firebox last fall... The goal was to have it done by Christmas so I could hang my stockings.... Well that did not happen.  My husband had to have an unexpected surgery and so the whole thing was just put on hold.  Here are some pix so you can see the space.

This is how it's been for several months

All of the wiring goes thru the wall in the corner.  The hope is to build the fireplace with a hidden compartment to house the DVD player, etc.

Another View of the living room

the sectional stays of course... would love for the recliner to go...

more views

living room opens to breakfast area/bar/kitchen

Ready to remove this plastic wrap!

Yes, very ready!

TV wall... this will stay just as is

from the back of the room

TADA!!!  We have begun!

I will blog as we go along!  We are hoping to finish it within a few weeks....  I have been looking at fireplaces that I like for months!  I rarely saw a corner fireplace that I liked!  I am still undecided on whether I want the woodwork stained or painted white...  Ya'll share your ideas with me!!!  The front door is a gorgeous stain.  I am thinking to do a neutral mosaic tile around the fireplace and I am not set on a hearth or any tile on the floor.. I think I like it flush and simple.

As we began the project we are realizing we will "need" a new surround sound system.  Right now our has a big subwoofer that used to sit concealed in the corner.  However we can't have it sit there and then we questioned where we would put the speaker that mounts to the ceiling... I think we are going to upgrade to a wireless surround system to simplify everything and keep the clean look that we like.

Another thing to consider is the paint.  We built 6 years ago and are smack out of the paint that goes thru most of my house.  (the tan color).  I really don't want any other color, so I am hoping we can get it matched pretty close... If I have to end up repainting the living room walls... well so be it.  I just hope to get the color to match close enough so I don't have to repaint the kitchen & breakfast areas too... The walls all flow together so there really is no good stopping point to switch colors.
 

New Things for a New Year!

I am going to start doing some before and after pictures to document some of my home projects.  I personally love to "see" things thru pictures, to be inspired and hopefully it will inspire others too!  I am not one for making New Year's resolutions so much.... In fact for about 25 years +/- I had the same resolution.... To stop biting my nails!  I finally set my mind to it... yeah I know after 25 years LOL but I finally did do it so that counts for something right!?!  This time lasy year I was stumped cause I had no "resolution" to make.  Instead I decided to make my motto for the year... "TO SIMPLIFY"...  Simple as that!

Through the entire year my focus was to refine my home to really work the way I wanted it to.  Keep things simple.  This included getting rid of clutter, and things that I didn't want, or simply things that I did not want to spend my precious time "maintaining".   I really was impacted by an Oprah show that aired about 2 years ago.  It focused on how people lived in other countries, and showed their homes, etc.  Focusing on women of course :)  Here is a link Inside the Lives of Women Around the World

You can also view the video specifically of the home in Denmark that impacted me so much here

Simplicty!  I remember my husband coming home from work that day and doing what he typically would do when he came home.... SWEEP THE FLOORS!!!  We have stained concrete floors which we love!  They are a burnt amber color... but with children, pets and a typical day the kitchen area would be... well in need of a sweep!  This just so happens to be one of my husband's pet peeves too, and back then with 3 young children I would just let him come home and sweep!  I told him on that day.... Think of all the time we spend CLEANING and MAINTAINING things!  Never, ever do I want a larger house!  I want to be content with what I have, get rid of the excess space takers... Reduce what I need to buy... Really think about what I "NEED" in my life.

This was a game changer for me indeed... In fact that year I skipped the trip to the pumpkin patch that I was having trouble fitting into our schedule!  I know GASP!!!  My poor children, right?  Well, no... Finances were tight, gas prices were sky rocketing and the pumpkin patch was about 30 miles each way... plus $8 per person (x 5 of us)...  This included 1 pumpkin per person.  This got me thinking.... Do I REALLY need to spend all of this money, have the stress or fitting it into our cramped schedule, & have 5 pumpkins to sit on my front porch to quickly decay in the South Mississippi heat?  "Simplify"  yes, I need this!  That year I purchased 1 good size pumkin for $4 at the local Walmart... We carved it together as a family (which has become a new tradition too... 1 "family" pumpkin).

Anyway, all of my rambling... we are onto a new year now.... 2012!  I am fully inspired to continue my journey of simplifying my life.  My head is swimming with many ideas and I plan to blog about the projects as I do them this year.  Among the big projects I hope to get to this year are:

• Building our corner fireplace complete with mantel so my stockings are not duct taped to the plastic wrap of the firebox next year :).....  We do have the firebox already purchase sitting in place! 
• Building a laundry cabinet system for my laundry room to organize dirty clothes, have a folding area, and hanging area.... 
• Building a bench for my dining room table.... 
• Deciding on cabinetry for the dining room and wall shelves
• Building a butcher block station for my bread machine on casters
• Building a trundle for under my daughter's bed....   for storage now, and a future matress
• Converting the bonus room into a room for my oldest son.  Right now my 2 boys share a room (ages 4 & 9) and the bonus room is my bow making area, sewing area, scrapbook stash area as well as family room/play room... Hopefully I will be able to figure out a system to move most all of my things out of the bonus room and redo the room for my oldest son.  My youngest will turn 5 and start Kindergarten in August so that is when I intend to do this redo.  Possibly building a Full or Double size bed for my oldest at this time too... One day we have plans to build a shop and have a studio above for my work area and guest sleeping/bathroom....  Yes one day!

Okay so I those are off the top of my head.  I know I am a dreamer!  But hopefully I will be able to accomplish these things and some others as I feel inspired :)  Pix to come!

I fully think the way my home feels and functions effects my day to day happiness!  Do you have new year's resolutions?  or are you like me and make goals?  Love to hear!