Sunday, March 30, 2008

Hot Towel Anyone?

I thought it would never be done. I mean way back when I moved in this house! But it is! The ugly wallpaper that was in the bathroom is gone and the paint is on the wall in it's place. Ahhh, amazing what paint does to a room. Sweet serenity. Tranquillity and a spa-like atmosphere to go along with it. All that is left in there is to replace the accessories and hang the towel racks and rings. I was hoping to reuse my current shower curtain but the tones of the paint aren't what I thought they would be so I'll also find a new shower curtain and rugs to match.
Here are the photos to show you. I have to say, when I was picking out the colors, the ones I chose actually looked more like blue shades on the sample card. It turned out to be more of a purple shade after getting it on the walls; almost periwinkle tones. But I do like it.


The accent color on the left

The main color on the left

It looks quite purple!

Both colors...main wall and accent wall showing in mirror.


Keep in mind that the colors vary depending on the light in the room. The last picture was taken without the lights on.

There you have it. One more project completed with the exception of getting new accessories. I think it's time to take a break from inside my house. Next will be the outdoors. I'll be getting a new deck real soon! Stay tuned!


Parent Locator #4

If you have been keeping up on the travels of Dad and Beverly, you will know from my last update on them that they have been in Mesa, AZ., for the last month or so.

They left Mesa on March 25TH and started heading northward. Due to some land slides in the northeast Phoenix area, the roads they wanted to take were closed. So they ended up taking AZ Highway 87 to Highway 101 around to the north side of Phoenix. From that road they connected to Interstate 40 via ( I think this is what Dad said?) Interstate 17. They drove eastward until they found a camp ground roughly 50 miles outside of Albuquerque, NM. I'm guessing as to the exact RV park they were at but based on what Dad told me, it could very well be this one, the Dancing Eagle Casino RV Park. He will have to correct me if I'm wrong. He never did tell me the name of it.
Friday morning they got up and were on the road again by 9 AM and headed through Albuquerque and took the exit for Interstate 25 North. This took them into Colorado Springs, CO Friday night around 6 PM. They are staying at an RV park about 10 blocks from my cousin John Gudvangen and his family. Here they will be for about a week. (I apologize Dad, if my info is a little off!)

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Update #3 on the Bathroom

I've been productive today. After sleeping in and having my coffee for the day, I got ready and drove to The Home Depot and bought my favorite Behr paint colors for the bathroom I've been working on getting updated. I also got some primer by Kilz. I had heard from others that Kilz is a good brand. I tried it and I have to agree. It goes on thick so unless your starting a room with the bare drywall, one coat works great.

I chose 2 colors; Diamond Light for the main color and an accent color of Magic Spell that I'll use on one of the walls. (If you click on Behr above and put in the names of the colors, you'll see just what they look like) They should compliment my existing shower curtain. I'll find some nice accessories later on. It may feel like a spa when I'm done! Or it will look like one.

Just getting the white primer on the walls made it look like an entirely new bathroom. I can't wait to see the new colors as well. That will be tomorrow. Stay tuned for color!





Friday, March 28, 2008

Bathroom Update

OK, let's get right to the point. If you recall my post about updating one of my bathrooms, you will remember that I was removing wallpaper and had plans to update the light fixture. Well, in the last two weeks, I've removed all but a small 2x3 section of the wallpaper which happens to be the portion of wall behind the toilet. That will be taken care of this weekend. However, I have changed the light fixture. It's so cool! It's brushed nickel and the globes are very heavy glass. It definitely changes the look in the bathroom. After I get the rest of the paper removed, I'll prime and paint. I purchased it at the Home Depot. It was hard to choose a design. I knew that I wanted the brushed nickel. It looks quite spiffy.
I've never dabbled in "electrical" home projects before. But after a briefing from a couple different people and reading the directions that came with the new light, it was quite easy. The hardest part was figuring out just which circuit breaker was for the bathroom! After making a few trips up and down the stairs and testing different circuits, I finally found the right one.
Picture this if you will: go downstairs to the circuit panel. shut off a switch. go back upstairs to the bathroom and test the lights.....they still work. Ok, go back downstairs, turn the switch that I just shut off back to the "on" position. shut off another switch. go back upstairs and test the lights. they still work. "Uffda!"
Once I had the right switch in the "off" position, I was then able to set about the task of taking down the old light; this is one you would find, perhaps, in a dressing room on a movie set for example. Large round lights all in a row. But they're gone now!
Tomorrow I'll move on to the priming and painting. It never ends......


Notice the absence of the ugly wallpaper


Thursday, March 27, 2008

Bedroom #2 Additional Decor

I've accomplished a few more little tasks in the last week or two. If you remember this post, you'll be able to see, from the photos below, a slight change on the walls. I put some stencils on the walls just to give it a little more of a tie-in with the rest of the decor in the room, which is the color Soft Iris and flowers. I applied them over the top of the bedroom door, over the top of the closet door, along both sides of the window, and over the top of the window. I'm still contemplating adding more in a few other places of the room. We'll see....




Tuesday, March 18, 2008

St. Patrick's Day, er, No...It's Almost Easter!

The following is taken from a children's web site that I found while looking for information on how the bunny became associated with Easter. I thought that it was very interesting and I'm not so sure that I've heard it all said before. So I thought I'd share it with you.
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Easter - That Crazy Rabbit, the Easter bunny is another story. He wasn't always the pink or white bunny that hides chocolate eggs in your house. Long ago, he was called the Easter Hare. Some say he was a large, handsome bird that belonged to Eostre, the Pagan Goddess of dawn, fertility and new beginnings. She changed him into a rabbit, which explains why the Easter bunny now builds a nest and fills it with colored eggs.

Easter - Around the world in some countries, like England and Germany, kids roll eggs down hills on Easter morning - a game that is kinda like the rolling of the rock away from Jesus Christ's tomb when He was resurrected. Even the President gets in on the Easter fun. At the White House in Washington, DC, kids under 12 get to roll hard-boiled eggs down the hilly lawn. Lots of families, around the world, have Easter egg hunts. And of course, there's always the big Easter dinner.
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Easter - Did U Know?
Did you know more than 118 million cards will be exchanged this year on Easter, making it the fourth largest card-sending event in the US?
The white lily is a symbol of Christ's resurrection, and that is why it is sometimes referred to as an Easter lily.
In 2002, more than 700 million Marshmallow Peeps were eaten in America!
The Cadbury Creme Egg made its debut in 1971, and since then over 300 million eggs are produced each year.
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What does the Easter bunny leave behind at your house? How do you spend Easter? Do you have family traditions that you always make sure to follow with your children?

It's a new one!

My dear readers, in case you haven't noticed, I've posted a new poll for your viewing pleasure. Please cast your vote!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Out With The Old...Etc, Etc.

My household projects continue. Recently I've started the process of removing some wall paper in one of my bathrooms. And as you can see below, it baffles me as to why the former owners picked it out in the first place! It's simply ugly! (Ask my sister, she's seen it!) Wouldn't you agree? Fortunately for me, only one bathroom has wallpaper. This has got to be one of the worst jobs I've ever tackled. That's right, I've never had to remove wallpaper before. To my rescue is DIF and the Paper Tiger. They really do aid in the removal.

Before the removal process
The nasty process has begun

These lights will be updated as well.

The bathroom also has "dressing room" light fixtures in it as well. Without question, I'll be finding some updated lights to replace the old ones. I've seen some nice ones at The Home Depot. And from what I understand, it's easy enough to do myself. So I'll give it a shot...why not? There's a first time for most things, right?

The next thing will be to find some new paint that will go on the walls once the paper is all gone. Eventually, I'll have someone lay some ceramic tile. That should spiff it up nicely. But for now, the walls getting de-wallpapered will be a dramatic change. Little by little I'm getting each room fixed up to my liking. The list is never-ending!


Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Parent Locator #3

Okay, once again, my Dad and Beverly have changed locations. Here is the last update that I had written on their travels. After being in Parker, AZ for over two months, they are now in Mesa, AZ. The park they are staying at is called Arizona Cowboy and RV Park. It is on the east side of the city of Phoenix. They have much better telephone reception there. So if you would like to call them, they would enjoy hearing from you.
Dad told me that they will be there for about a month. They will then slowly make their way north as Beverly has a Dr. appointment in Bismarck at the end of April. I hope that means that they will be showing up on my doorstep on the way home!!!
From what they tell me, they have been feeling better than when they first got to Arizona. If you recall, they had been dealing with colds, sinus infections, the flu, etc. Hopefully it's run the gamut with them.

They were hoping to connect with some old friends from North Dakota, namely Reiny and LaDonna Pfeiffer (sp?) whom we used to shop in their shoe store in Williston! And Dad mentioned visiting his aunt and uncle Burt and Bea Wilson. So I'm sure they will have plenty to keep them busy for a month or so.

I hope they have a safe trip whenever they decide to move on.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

See What I Did?....in Another Room?

It's already been almost two weeks since I did this project, but I managed to get another bedroom painted before my sister Cathy arrived for my birthday weekend. I painted it on Monday, February 18TH and she got here on the 22ND. She called me a freak because I got it done so quickly. But I think it looks alot better; plus she got to see it too! The only thing I haven't done in there is put the stencils, that I have for that room, on the wall. When that's done, I'll have more photos. Here are the pictures of during-the-painting and after-the-painting.

The color is called Soft Iris...by Behr paints. It gives the room a nice subtle hint of purple.





Most of the decor is in purple tones as well. Including the bed set.