Bedroom furniture finished!!!

I absolutely love how it turned out! It's amazing what a little bit of paint, some sweat equity and some new hardware can do!! I swear our furniture looks 10 years younger!

So here's the breakdown. First I bought primer that didn't allow stain to seep through. It was a little more expensive, but saved me a ton of man hours in sanding these babies! So I did one coat of primer, 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of lacquer, and VIOLA!! We have new furniture.

I also did a couple of quick coats of spray paint on a nightstand that I purchased from Hobby Lobby circa 2004. It was wicker color and not my style, so I used 2 cans of spray paint and it's new again!

Before:

After:

Now on to the big items...I went to Menards on Sunday and purchased 34, yes 34 knobs! They were very inexpensive, the total coming to $54.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

So there is ladies and gentlemen!! Have a great weekend! I am off to shop till I drop!!!

Dress shopping 101

I am in need of a new dress. My brother in law gets married in September and nothing in my closet will do. So this weekend I am set out on a shopping expedition with my sister in law. I love that she lives in Minneapolis as Nordstrom and I are very good friends! So here's where I need your help, which ones do you like best? I think I am going to stick with black as I will be in family pictures and the wedding colors are silver and purple. Black is also slimming and I can use all the help I can get!!! So here are the choices.......

Dress #1

Dress #2

Dress #3

Dress #4

Dress #5

Or something else???

Sneak peek

I thought I would give my faithful readers a little sneak peek of what I've been up to lately. B and were gone this past weekend at a wedding so I couldn't do anything with the furniture, but I was able to get the nightstand done last week and everything else is soooo close, just needs some varnishing and it should be done!!

Some new paint and hardware and I have to say it looks 10 years younger!! Hopefully later this week I will have time to put our bedroom back together and take pictures and put them up!!!

Recylced glass jars

A few weeks before my birthday I was scoping out Crate and Barrel to see if there was anything there I just couldn't live without. Well low and behold I found some snazzy green glass jars. Even better they are made out of recycled glass!

Move ahead 2 weeks and I get one of those beloved white and black boxes at my back door. My dad and stepmom had given me two of these jars. I was in love the minute I laid eyes on them and they now have a home in our living room! I filled the large one with some river rocks and left the small one empty, and took the lids off.

Bedroom furniture

B and were generously given our bedroom furniture by my parents. It's been a few years since they gave it to us and to be honest it's in great shape, all wood and not to mention really heavy to move, but it's a honey color and not my style. So I have decided to refinish it and give it a face lift!

I am planning on replacing the honey color with black and switching out the wood hardware with some brushed nickel ones. Similar to these...

Here are some before pics...

Hopefully the after will look much better!!

I need your help

Lately my workout music just isn't doing it for me. So here is my challenge for my readers. Post a comment leaving your favorite workout songs! Seriously people, leave a comment my workouts need a pick-me-up or else I am in big trouble and the TV is calling my name!!! Thanks from the bottom of my chubby thighs!

A Thank You

“If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.

On the eve of my 27th birthday I want to post a thank you to my wonderful parents. Without them I would have never made it this far! You once told that you loved me before you knew me, and you loved just the thought of me. I don't know what I would do without such wonderful parents like you. You have shaped me into the person I am and I can not thank you enough for giving me the gift of life. Giving me two amazing step-parents and giving me the unconditional love you have for the past 27 years!

You were there for every bump and bruise, to dry every tear and celebrate every victory. I am eternally greatful for all you have done for me. I can never thank you enough....

“My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes.”

I love you with all my heart and can never repay you for the gifts you have given me. Thank you for being such amazing parents and raising me to be the person I am today!

Office decor

My office at work has a lot to be desired.... It really does! So as I am off this summer I am trying to find things that I could do to warm it up a bit! Now I will never get passed the light brick walls and dark carpet or ghetto desk, but I think I can spice it up a bit. My actual office is pretty dreary and has little to now windows, yet another obstacle!

So here's my plan....First I have a huge bulletin board that is directly behind my desk. I think I have decided to cover the bulletin board with some wallpaper. Not actually apply it to the bulletin board but to give the bulletin board a neutral palette. Then I am going to paint some frames and hang my favorite pictures to admire during my work days.

I even like the blue palette of the wall behind.
I'm thinking something similar to Holly's beautiful creation! Check out Holly's blog, it's FABULOUS!

Here are the images I am thinking of using. I think I will turn all of the black and white....

So what do you think....yah or nay!!!

Great summer salad

I just needed to share a delicious salad B and I have been enjoying this summer. It's super easy and not heavy, which is what we prefer in the summer!
It's a BLT salad and it's amazing! Here's what you need to make this...



1 bag lettuce
1 tomato
6 slices turkey bacon
blue cheese crumbles
Garlic croutons
crispy tortilla strips





Cook bacon in the microwave and crumble in the salad. Add all other items. The salad called for a mustand dressing, but I created my own dressing using extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle oil and vinegar over salad and toss.... Yummy if I may say so myself!

Enjoy!