Laundry Room~Ready For Summer~

The photo below is not reality. This is SO staged & represents how I dream my laundry room would look this summer, for more than 5 hours.  A girl has to dream!

Here are three things I love about my laundry room:

• Laundry Chute
• Window with shade
• Door

Laundry Chute~love, love, love! As a kid we had one in our first house and I remember my Mom pining for one in our second house. Now I know why!

Window~love it when it is clean and that dang crazy bird is not attacking it. Shade is easy to pull when laundry piles up beyond window {oh yes, it does!}. Also, could not live without the laundry sorter, could actually use 2 more!:

Door~This is a view that you see when you come in from the garage. It NEVER looks this nice! But see that door handle to the right? I can close the door when company comes, so they don't see the huge disaster bookbags. {You will often hear my voice go an octave higher and something like"close the laundry room door!" And NO this room is not part of the house tour. But thank you for asking.}

Other Views of the "Never Before Seen" Laundry Room

The hooks & shoe organizers which my kids do not use are from Target (a few years ago)~very budget friendly.  4 hooks/kid & mounted at a height that my youngest could reach~may have to be adjusted higher in a few years.

One basket/kid, used in order of birth, left to right. Cabinet below is reorganized with paper products (I re-installed a shelf & battery organizer) and gift wrapping/bags/tissues. Shelf contains ribbon and hiding behind the folder is the always needed, when you have kids in school, pencil sharpener (messy!) and a basket of bandaids & first aid goodies that will soon be strewn about. The top cabinet holds infrequently used kitchen appliances.

This where muddy feet & hardworking hands get washed.

Both my washer & dryer need repaired. Little leak on the washer & a part on the dryer (has been making weird sounds). Did I mention that these aren't even 2 years old & cost a fortune? Repair man was here & will be back with parts. Still good to use until he arrives again. {Get the extended in-home repair warranty & make sure you write how long it is good for. Keep those papers organized!}

Notice the little piece of wood on the oh how i hate hunter green kid-friendly linoleum? 

A close-up (yes that is marbled hunter green linoleum~really was that ever in style? I don't think so!)This is a sample piece of flooring. What is the best color  & material for a mud room floor? Don't say tile because to is way too cold in the winter months:

Things I would change about this room:

• Flooring
• Cabinets
• New Faucet
• Counters
• Woodwork: paint trim & install crown molding. Yep, I would.  I have in several other rooms in my house, so this is an easy decision for me.

Through this process I did realize that I do have some big blank spaces on the walls in this room and could use help filling those in.  I think I need to call Suz. She is a friend from my post-college, pre-married years {what do you call those days? the fun years, the Lucky days? No silly that was the name of our fav dance spot!). She blogs for HomeGoods & has a staging business. She has a hubby & two precious young girls. You may enjoy her blog here and her staging business site here.  She has pics of her laundry room here and a tween updated bedroom here. I probably should have sent her my pics before I posted, so she could have given me some advice on how to stage this long, narrow laundry room/mud room!

I will say that my laundry room is last on the list behind the entry/foyer, kitchen and study/den. It may be a few years before anything changes in here. 

Now I have a confession to make: I am a big-time procrastinator. The ONLY reason that I finished this summer update, before school is out, is because I am participating in Anti-Procrastination Tuesday @ New Nostalgia. And dear Amy featured my office on her blog today! Thanks Amy!

Here is last week's list {5/18/10}& the Progress Report:

1. Finish last coat on picnic table & benches. Hoping for better weather! DONE
2. Test paint shutter DONE: Hubby & I decided that it was a lost cause to try to paint 40 shutters when the vinyl shutters had been painted already by the previous owners. {It seems they used automotive paint} We could not get a nice surface. A phone call will be placed today to order new shutters. Paint that was purchased will be used on trim to tie in the darker color of the new shutters. 
3. Clean out  8 baskets & ready mud room for summer with place for goggles, towels & flip flops! DONE, all baskets are organized, just have to clean the "war zone" of the kitchen where the fallout happened! 
4. Purchase stain for kids swingset (sweet talk hubby into pressure washing it for me!) DONE, hubby was "sweet talked" & the playset was pressure washed & is half way stained. I bought one gallon of Cabot stain. We have an area on the swingset that has barn siding and that really soaked up the stain. Went back for another gallon of the same & ended up with the wrong stain. Back to the blue store & finally got the 2nd gallon of needed product. Hopeful that the project will be done in a week. May need more sweet talking. (note to self)
5. Catch up on paperwork STILL ON LIST
6. Post about French inspired giveaway DONE, go here to enter
7. Plan teacher thank you gifts Have ideas, but STILL ON LIST

New list for week of 5/25:

1. Enjoy peonies & iris in the sunshine
2. Feed children
3. Get ready for long weekend: buy sunscreen & something to grill 
4. Clean some windows, if I feel like it!
5. Paperwork
6. Teacher gifts
7. Buy flower seeds
8. Take hubby Snapple tea, while he mows
9. Research last day of school "surprise" for kids
10. Enjoy friends

My French~inspired giveaway is still going on. To be eligible you should go to this post & comment, before Friday May 28th, 2:00 EST. Only eligible if you comment on F is for Free Fonts, Friday, a First, French Freebie & Flower Fotos.


Thanks for making it till the end of the loooonnnnnnggg post!
Hugs,

QUIZ: did you see something that was featured in a previous post in this room? Also, did you see something that didn't belong in this room, which is the dead giveaway that the room is staged? Did you see Waldo?

A Baby & Boating

This is what I was pondering today:  at what age are you no longer considered a baby? Is it 1 year? Is it 2 years old?  If it is your youngest child, then is it 3 years old? One thing is for sure, I am way past the baby years with my kiddos! At 12, 11, & 7, we are well on our way to the teen years!


This weekend we were lucky to share a few hours with some good friends. They were visiting from out of town, but squeezed us into their schedule. I had a few minutes alone with their baby, Miss Brown Eyes. She was teething and wasn't feeling well {fighting an ear infection} and she was "off her schedule". When my kiddos were young I was all about the schedule, so I know how traveling can affect the disposition of a baby. Miss Brown Eyes is 13 months old. Still a baby in my book. She was heavenly.




I love her flexibility of her left leg & the pointed toes on her right leg. I am pretty sure she will be a dancer, probably a ballerina. She loves to dance! And doesn't she look so adorable with her pink top & blankie? Ballerinas have to look good in pink. She has that down already.

She has the cutest toes:

And another pic because baby feet are the BEST feet in the whole world:

And yes, of course I kissed them! 


We lucked out this weekend because summer came early to Ohio. We were out boating & swimming at the lake. 


This girl is rocking on the wakeboard! She had quite an audience on the lake & she just started boarding late last summer. It made me cry to see how graceful & daring she is on the water. {Proud Mommy moment}:

This girl is my baby. I know she is getting all her big girl teeth. But she is still my baby & sometimes I still kiss her feet to make the boo boo better. She has big plans on the water this summer. I have no doubt that she will be a different girl by the end of the summer. 

This guy was uber happy. Uber happy. He was on top of the world. He was in heaven (on earth). I was right there with him. 

The best part of the weekend was listening to my kids encourage each other & support each other. It was really something how they cheered (rather loudly) as each attempted something new on the water. Summer is here.  We are all just giddy about it!


Now let's see how perceptive you are. Can you find hubby & me in the pics? It's like finding Waldo (my brother loved those books!) Can you find Cathy & Rich?


Don't forget about my French~inspired giveaway! All you have to do is leave a comment on my previous post which is HERE. You have until Friday @ 2:00 pm EST. 


Tomorrow,  I will post about my progress on my Anti-Procrastination list. Stop back. I better get going if I am to check anything off that list!  Moving forward with pleasant memories of the weekend. 
Hugs,

An yes my friends, my peonies are in bloom. ONE WEEK EARLY! I will share photos, soon!

F is for Free Fonts, Friday, a First, a French Freebie & Flowers Fotos

Free Fonts for Font Freaks (like me)
I am a font freak. I don't want to pay for them so I download them from this site: http://www.freepremiumfonts.com


Here are the directions for Mac users: 

• Open Font Book (usually located in your Applications folder). 
• Go to site
• Pick out font you like & clickdownload. 
• The font will be located put it in your font book & you can use it within your word processing  programs.

disclaimer: Be careful~this could lead to hours & hours of perusing free and fabulous fonts!!

Friday

I love following The Girl Creative at New Friend Friday. Just put in your link to your blog & you will meet some other great blogging friends. Easy & fun, just like a Friday should be!

A First
This week I was awarded my first blogging award(s) from Jen at Jen's Ink Pen & Kerri at The Pleasures of My Life. Thank you so much!

I am passing the honor on to these 10 bloggers. Go check out their blogs, you will be hooked just like I am! In no particular order:

Mandi at Tidbits from the Tremaynes

Dana at Bungalow '56

Amy at Pemberley Style

Julie at It's the Little Things

Amy at Lucky Number 13

Sabby at Sabby in Suburbia

Pam at Be Colorful

Karla at Classy & Fabulous

Suzanne at beachhouse etc.

Amy @ New Nostalgia

French Freebie
I love French~inspired things. My decorating style is somewhat eclectic but I think I mostly fall into the  French Country category. The freebie I am giving away is a fleur de lys pendant that was made by my talented sis-in-law. The bale is large enough that it will fit over most chains & clasps. The pendant is a bit smaller than the size of a quarter. I get a ton of compliments on mine!


Just leave me a comment on this post & I will enter you to win. That's it~simple & easy. I know you are busy getting ready for summer! You have until Friday May 28th @ 2:00 pm Eastern time to leave a comment!

I am making progress on my list & will share more details with you next week.

Flower Fotos of what is blooming at my place today (pictures taken between rain drops):

These were from a neighbor, who has since moved & boy was she a great gardener!

These typically bloom twice. Aren't they gorgeous? German Irises from my former neighbor. {can you see the peonies that are right behind them?}:

This is clematis that my hubby is taking care of at the mailbox. He is coaxing it up & over the mailbox, what a beauty!

I hope that your weekend is Filled with Fantastic Fun! 
Hugs,

The Anti-Procrastination Tuesday List, 3rd Tuesday in May

33 soccer games in 41 days~I survived! We have a brief reprieve before school lets out & swim & dive practices & meets begin.

Here is last week's list & noted progress:

1. Clean office (lots of rain in forecast, so this will be happening!)~will post pics, if I am brave enough! Done. This was a major undertaking! I was motivated because I wanted to donate items to a rummage sale where the proceeds would go toward literacy. See pics below.
2. Organize receipts Done
3. Purchase shutters  I am going to "test paint" a pair & see if I like the results. I didn't like the cost of replacing them! I may end up replacing them if the sanding, priming & painting of 2 final coats don't go as expected. Will definitely post about this as I make progress. 
4. Research purchase of Wagner Paint Sprayer & also a Power Washer~need both but don't want to spend my money unless I am getting a good return! After reading your comments & talking with a few people I decided I didn't actually need a paint sprayer for my remaining projects. I did find that I could borrow one from a friend. Decided to borrow the pressure washer from a sweet neighbor. I will probably buy one in the future, but will do a bit of research first. 
5. Finish last coat on picnic table & benches. Still on list as weather did NOT cooperate~maybe this week?
6. Finalize decision on kitchen chairs Done & ordered! Will post pics at a later date.
7. Catch up with 3 friends either via lunch, girls day or phone Everyone is so "busy" but I did have a quick lunch with a friend, spent the morning with another & unexpectedly had dinner with some friends! I do have a lunch date & coffee date scheduled with 2 other friends. I am looking forward to the girl time!

Office After:

Artwork has been hung (thanks hubby!):

My inspiration for my note cards was Mary Woodin's Painted Garden. My folios of notecards sit next to Mary's book:

Now don't be scared, but here is the horrible before:

This is a hardworking office as it also doubles as a warehouse for my botanical note cards for my business, White Linen Goods, www.whitelinengoods.com There are approximately 25,000 cards, 25,000 envelopes & 4,000 folios (that is how they are packaged) stored here. Also, the office encompasses the sample books for my retail stationery business. Lastly, my personal paperwork is handled here. And once in awhile you will find one of the kids in here printing off reports or school info. 

New List for week of 5/18

1. Finish last coat on picnic table & benches. Hoping for better weather!
2. Test paint shutter
3. Clean out  8 baskets & ready mud room for summer with place for goggles, towels & flip flops!
4. Purchase stain for kids swingset (sweet talk hubby into pressure washing it for me!)
5. Catch up on paperwork
6. Post about French inspired giveaway
7. Plan teacher thank you gifts

I put some indoor & outdoor projects on my list for this week because there is still rain in the forecast. bummer...


I am linking up with Amy @ New Nostalgia for Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays. 


I will leave you with a few of my recent favorite flower shots!


This one is an inspiration photo for Pam:

Here is hoping that there is plenty of sunshine in your future! xoxo,