And it’s up!

Yesterday, ALL BY MYSELF, I drug the remaining top-bunk box down from the attic, and started getting the bed set up. Andy had to pick up an extra bolt (one of the included ones was stripped or something) on his way to work, but we were able to finish last night. The kids were so excited they barely paid attention to their bedtime story.

(That photo doesn’t show the depth well, but it’s really a full on the bottom and a regular-sized twin on top.)

Arianna slept in there, too, in the crib. She woke up once (at 2 a.m.), nursed, and then slept the rest of the night.

(And there was much rejoicing.)

So, remember the bathroom?

We went from this:

To this:

TO THIS:

(I usually have white yarn bath mats but they get dirty-looking so easily. I finally got some darker ones at BB&B.)

The new tub:

The crumbled wall I showed you at the top of this post (looks a little different now):

That’s right! I finally got my lazy rear into gear and painted the trim in the bathroom. It’s not a perfect paint job (still some problem areas from the silicone caulk) but hey, it’s DONE.

Clothing Upcycle

I had this top I found at Tar-jay a few years ago, and although cute, the square neckline was always too awkward with straps (ahem). And wearing a tank under it just looked awkward.

I nearly tossed it onto my giveaway pile but then realized I could make a cute top out of if for my girls. It fits both Madeline and Adelaide and probably would fit the baby as a dress.

I basically cut off the bodice, sewed a casing (with a ruffle!) and fed elastic through it, and then tacked in some ribbons. It probably took a half an hour. Now I’m finding myself looking around for other things to upcycle!

What I’ve been up to (don’t look so bored)

[I'm gonna try not to be all mopey-ho-hum-I'm-not-feeling-good.  Never easy, but I'm gonna try. (Name that movie.)]

The past few days are a little bit of a blur.  I do remember meeting friends for kids’ night at CFA last night and that was a sanity saver.  Sometimes you just got to leave the house, you know?

Also, Andy finished half the new flooring in the attic last weekend and doubled the space up there.  I got cranky about the storage tubs being crammed in Drew’s room (brought down to create room for the project) and carried all of them back up to the attic myself.  (Well, all except my sisters’ monster tubs that only Hercules could lift.)

And surprise surprise, I hurt my back.  (I can hear my mom dialing my phone right about now.)  It’s much better today.  Yes, I should have known.  But even so, I would have done it again.

It’s sooooo nice having all that extra storage space.  He also fixed the ladder.  It’s great being able to just toss stuff up there that feels in my way.  (Like the huge stuffed Tigger and Eyeore, for instance.)  Storage really is key in a too-small house.

Along that vein, I obviously don’t have space for a craft or sewing room here.  I usually haul my sewing machine to the dining room table to work.  Which is fine for when I’m actually sitting there bending over something, but annoying if it’s mealtime and there’s nowhere to put either the machine or the fabric or anything else. Except for maybe on the floor or in a corner somewhere. Still annoying.

So, I bought myself a cabinet with sliding doors and it’s the perfect size.  And the kids know it’s OFF LIMITS.  Meet my new “sewing room”:

It looks a little like a fun-house picture, I know. It’s at the end of the hallway and I was crammed right next to it trying to take a photo. If the baby wasn’t asleep in my room, I could have gotten a more true-to-life pic by standing in my room with the lights on. So you’ll just have to use your imagination. (The bottom shelf fits my machine easily, even though it looks really short in the photo.)

Welp, my computer time is up and I have a sink-full o’ dishes. I’ll catch y’all in the morning.

A ruffle or twenty

I spent naptime yesterday making some ruffle pants to go with a shirt I bought for Adelaide months and months ago.

I hadn’t made anything in a while and it was so fun to bust out the machine again.

The fact that it’s Spring is purely coincedental

Wednesday was not a great day. I pretty much spun my wheels, so to speak, up until we left the house for supper at church. After that I was good to go. (Maybe I should leave the house sooner, hm?)

But yesterday we finally got around to hauling several things up to the attic and while I was at it, I cleaned out some stuff. It created a LOT more space. (Yay!) Andy’s parents had brought us a twin mattress for the top bunk of the girls’ bed (to be used later on) and I needed to make room for it. Which got the attic project rolling. (Don’t you love how these things begin?)

Let me just say, it is SO NICE to clean a bunch of junk out of an attic. It was getting to the point where we’d have to crawl awkwardly around everything congregating at the top of the ladder, which is just not helpful when you can’t see around a huge, usually heavyish box.)

I also hauled a broken little white armoire down to the street to create more space in the hall nook. I’m finding myself craving more open space lately, probably because our house is tiny and full of people who like to spread their clutter.

So I think I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as the big house projects go.

Just in time for Spring!

I don’t have time to think up a title

I thought my sling was in the van and it wasn’t. I met some girlfriends last night for a friend’s birthday dinner and Arianna screamed half the time. I tried several things, she just wouldn’t calm down.

I ended up leaving and she fell asleep in the van, in my arms. I cautiously carried her back in and sat down, and was at least able to finish my dinner (even though it was awkward). I was kicking myself the whole time that if I just had my sling! Life, you roll with it.

Of course when I put her in the car to go home, she looked up at me with this huge grin. HUGE. I had to laugh. (And call her a stinker.)

Changed into my pj’s when I got home and painted the first coat on several of my kitchen cabinet doors. I want to find a black valance for over the window (I promise, that makes sense!) and then I’ll post some photos. I peeked around the interweb last night and didn’t find anything — so I might be making one myself. Hobby Lobby run later today?

So I’m off to enjoy coffee with my in-laws before they drive home. Ciao!

A Two-Second Post

I’ve been flying around this week feeling like a headless chicken, if I’m honest. I pulled all the outgrown clothes and baby items down from the attic this afternoon and have an absolute mess in my living room. Hopefully pricing and tagging won’t take too long and I can get this stuff to the consignment drop-off SOON.

I just wanted to say (and remind myself) that I KNOW I still haven’t made all the return visits from the delurker day, and I WILL get to it eventually. In-laws are coming next week for the final stage of the kitchen renovation (countertops came in this week!) and with this kids’ sale and some other things going on, it’s just a little bit crazy right now. Bear with me!

I mean really

This is why I have a blog. So I can show you what I stay up half the night making!

Like this dress… which will actually be paired with a long-sleeved tee and black leggings (and not, you know, jammies):

It occurred to me only very recently to dress my girls differently ON PURPOSE. Their personalities are so different, so why not dress them to fit each girl’s personality? (Madeline’s hand-me-downs haven’t really worked for Adelaide, anyway.)

And since Adelaide is quite the quirky kid (more on that in a later post; it’s still simmering), I’ve had a lot of fun making her a bunch of unique dresses. I loved the 1950’s dresses on this fabric. (Sidenote to Brite, this one I lined.)

***

Drew’s at school and Andy has the girls helping him do yard work outside this morning, so I actually have time to sit here and blog! He (meaning Drew) got his first G.I. Joe yesterday. He calls it his “big boy toy.”

It dawned on me last week that he still mostly just has his toddler toys and was very obviously getting bored (and therefore naughty). Any other “big boy toy” recommendations you have for me?

(You know, that don’t have small pieces that I would inevitably step on in the middle of the night…)

A sneak peek

The facelift continues

Andy and I had an appointment this morning for the new countertops! We picked everything out (including sink and faucet), and purchased paint and knobs. I am SO excited. We also decided to install the countertops ourselves. (Should be interesting. But the price difference was significant and we’re cheap.)

I finished the dining room paint last night. We had several cracks repaired and there was also some, um, artwork that needed to be painted over. It’s rainy and gray here today, a perfect opportunity to finally paint my kitchen.

But I need to don my jammies first…

Phase 2, Complete

(Tap, tap, tap.  Is this thing on?)

The drywaller finished up on Saturday morning, and the kitchen is all primed and ready for paint! I haven’t pulled it down from the attic yet; still crossing my fingers it hasn’t dried out. (I’m using leftover paint from when my mom and I stripped the wallpaper in the dining room four-ish years ago.) But still, getting closer!!!

I ran some errands with the kids in the freezing cold on Saturday and then Sarah had us over for supper and playtime after naps. It sort of felt like a daycare, what with the eight (EIGHT!) kids between the two of us. It was a busy and fun day but our house is still trashed, and here it is Monday.

I also made two dresses for Adelaide this weekend (SO CUTE!), and a skirt for Madeline with the extras. I still need a few things for finishing touches and then I’ll post some photos.

On a totally un-related note (except for the fact that she’ll wear one of the dresses to the Valentine’s Tea we’re invited to on Saturday), what are some fun things you like to do with your kids for Valentine’s Day?

Three Months!

Arianna is three months old today, can you believe it?!

A couple of quick updates… our bathroom is about 95% finished. I just have to paint the trim (it’s primed) and touch up the walls in a few spots. I’m thinking about painting the ceiling though, while I’m at it. (It could really use a fresh coat, especially since they fixed a crack and it’s an obvious color difference.) I also have to re-hang the curtain.

This morning we had the drywall man come and look at the kitchen and they’ll be here this afternoon! It should only take a couple of days since it’s really not that much. He’s going to have the cracks in our dining room filled in also. (Which means I’ll be swimming in paint next week.)

I’ve also been doing a lot of sewing and just generally trying to keep up with my kids and the laundry. Andy’s going to the church men’s retreat tonight so my sister is coming over and we’re going to have us a little sleepover. The kids are EXCITED. Should be fun.

Have a great weekend!

It rained. I sewed.

I don’t typically shop for dresses while I’m nursing because, well, they just don’t (usually) work. I’ve been wearing a lot of pants to church, with the occasional skirt thrown in for good measure. (But mostly pants.)

Which makes me a little sad because I LURVE a good dress.

So I was thrilled to find this dress from Target because it is a button-down “shirt dress.”  (Great minds think alike, my fellow-nursing friend Sarah also bought one!)

(We don’t go to the same church, otherwise we might have to plan out a wearing schedule.)

Anyway, I ordered it from Target’s website and held my breath that it would fit.  It came two days ago and fit great except the length.  It was that weird in-between knee and tea-length that does nothing for me.  So I spent all afternoon yesterday hemming it to the knee.

Unfortunately as I was finishing up tacking down the lining, a fold of the dress fabric got caught up under the needle of my sewing machine and when I ripped that mistake out, there was a tiny (but gaping) hole.

(Congratulations, you just cost yourself two more hours!)

(And yeah, I lost my waistline with Arianna. Sniff.)

(I know you love the jeans.)

The other thing I did was add some elastic to the sleeves, so they are gathered and a little capped, instead of sticking out a little bit like they were:

(Yes my mirror is dirty.)

The best part is, as Sarah mentioned, the dress will go right through spring and summer. AND it was less than $40.

Sigh.

I love a good dress.

Phase 1, Complete

I had a post all ready to go yesterday and then realized I couldn’t publish it because I was going to review a product that’s over $40. (BlogHer ads contract; can’t review anything over $40 on a page where the ads are shown.) So I didn’t post it. I may try to figure something else out for the review, we’ll see.

And then I spent yesterday pulling wallpaper down, taking my kids to Kids Night at Chick-Fil-A, running a few errands, picking up a Starbucks for me, pulling more wallpaper down, and going to bed. (Late.)

I was right back up on my ladder after the kids’ morning Bible-time and breakfast today and I JUST NOW FINISHED!

THERE IS NO MORE WALLPAPER IN MY KITCHEN!!!!!!

Oh, happy day.

Further Evidence

I mentioned in my last post that wallpaper in an old house is most surely hiding SOMEthing… look what I uncovered on Saturday:

When you tap on that hideous floral I-don’t-even-know-what-to-call-it, it moves. Which means there is a hole in the wall behind it. Same with the CARDBOARD AND TAPE.

Last time I checked, CARDBOARD AND TAPE were TEMPORARY solutions for problems like, I don’t know, holes in walls… and yet it was covered up with wallpaper. Which tends to be a little more, um, permanent. I was a little surprised.

(Okay, not that surprised.)

But really, it just confirms for me that I need to have the drywallers back. There are a lot of patches that need to be fixed under the cabinets and the walls really don’t have corners, per se. (A wall ends and another wall just sort of begins.) It’s more than I can do in any decent time frame.

So I’ll have them come back after I finish clearing the walls of fruity wallpaper. And THEN I’ll break out the paint.

Farewell, fruit

(Why do I do these things to myself?)

As you can see, I ripped out over half of one wall of wallpaper once the kids were in bed last night. Thankfully it’s the kind that comes off very easily when wet.

I’m not sure why most of it was olive green and then there’s that patch of mint above the sink. I should have known that wallpaper in an old house is most surely hiding SOMEthing.

********

My sweet sister-in-law gave us a new membership to the children’s museum that she got from work (they don’t have kids yet). We met my friend Sarah and her kids there yesterday morning. Andy came along for crowd control – between the two of us we have eight kids, six and under.

He was even kind enough to paint their faces:

Maybe “paint” is too generous a term. ;)

It’s the little things.

A couple of years ago I bought a laundry sorter and it has served me well. I’m a stickler when it comes to separating and washing whites, colors, and darks (even pickier than my mother) and I’ve always appreciated having a load ready to go without having to wade through all the laundry to figure out what I have.

It’s been driving me crazy though, more recently, since the mesh separators have all ripped and the sides were also seeing their last days:

(Sidenote: the tearing was more likely from children climbing into the unit. I do not have particularly heavy laundry.)

Not to mention it’s made of this coated fabric stuff (read: non-breathable) that had molded in some spots on the bottom. Ew, I know.  Oh, and the separators didn’t even go all the way to the bottom so things like bitty baby socks would roll into the wrong section.  (Which the Type A in me found irritating.)

So, all that to say, I’ve been wanting to change it for a while. I went to the fabric store and bought a few yards of white denim and then finally figured out a plan of action. It took me two days to finish but I am THRILLED with the end result.

(And yeah, with the cost of fabric and supplies, I could have bought a new one. But I would have been in the same predicament two years from now and frankly, my version is a million times better.  And it holds a lot more volume.)  (Which the lazy Type B in me loves.)

Back in its home in the laundry room, (and filling up fast):

Like I said, it’s the little things.