Moving toward Minimalism

I have been inspired by reading minimalist blogs lately.  Especially Lorilee Lippincott with her blog www.lovingsimpleliving.com.  I love that she shows us a minimal life and it isn't ultra modern decor.  Jump on over to her blog to see the inside of her place.  Link on the sidebar ------->

Anyway...remember all that cleaning my mom and I accomplished?  Well we really did haul out tons.  I wanted to post some pictures of the living room.  I don't know about the chair and footstool.  I want it gone I think.  Steve says we should keep it...I at least want it slipcovered maybe...but then I think fussing with a slipcover every day is not my idea of fun.  Anyway, I think I am sick of that chair.  Got it at the good will so it isn't like we spent a fortune for it.  Oh well....

Here is the pictures of the living room.

After living with it for a few weeks it doesn't look minimalist anymore.  Hmmm...I know I could get rid of a few more things.  LIKE THAT CHAIR!  :)

Curt's new room redo

We are moving kids around again.  Will I ever get it right?  Anyway...with age comes the wanting your own room.  Well I figured out how to make everyone happy..  That's what I am here for Happiness and Harmony. :)  

Painting over the gray.  Right here in this picture is almost everything you need to know about my first and last child.  Jacob picked gray when it was his room.  Curt's pick...I like to call it ELECTRIC GREEN!

Moved in.  

Look Space!  We Hauled out all the broken toys, things no longer wanted and general junk!

Book overhaul.  Going to give the "baby" books to someone younger.

Having a good time hanging out.


Well I will see how tonight goes.  I think Curtis is a bit unsure about having his own room.  He has always been with his brothers, or at least one brother.  Sometimes they all decide to sleep in the same room.  So I don't know how this will go.  I am sure it will be fine.  I think he just enjoys staying up and chatting.

Bedroom redecorating...just a little

I love trees for some reason.  So when I saw these branches I had to have them.  I wish I was more talented and could just draw them on the wall and/or paint them myself, but I don't dare try.  So I will stick to the decales.  I love the little birds sitting on the branches.

I needed some new artwork for my walls.  I love my kids and I love SIMPLE projects.  So I found some fabric and traced their hands.  Jacob's was so big I had to put it sideways in an 8x10 frame.  Geez!  I think they look simple and cute. 

That's all for now until I take more pictures of the rest of the house.  Maggie's room is redone...still need pictures of that.  I will get to it I promise.

It's time to celebrate Spring!

Fresh Flowers always make me happy.

Slipcovers in light colors lighten up the space.

I added a new chair to the mix so our whole family can sit in the living room at the same time. 

I love baskets too.

How do you decorate for Spring?  I am not usually a flower type person, but I think my likes are changing!

$3 Makeover

Here is some pictures of Maggie's room.  I found a pretty sheet at the goodwill and then found a duvet cover that matched.  The cover was $2 and the sheet was $1.  I  made valances and pillows with the sheet and just put the cover over her princess comforter that she didn't like so much anymore.  What do you think?  I am still going to make a dresser scarf with the valance fabric and we are going to make some accessories for her doll house...so everything matches. :)

Feeling Crafty

I felt like being crafty last night.  I made this for over the mantle. 

 Now I wish I could tell you that I felt so crafty that I made this.  I have been trying to learn to crochet.  Let's just say I am crochet challanged.  Everything I make or try to make comes out crooked and weird.  I am only trying very simple things.  I don't think crocheting is in my future. 

I found this lovely throw at a store in town for $3.99.  It is what I hoped a throw blanket would look like that I was trying to make.  Sooooooo.  I got it.   For $3.99 I have a lot less frustration and  I couldn't have bought all the yarn for that price.

This is better.  The project of the throw is now done, and my family can stop making fun of my crooked and miss stiched creations.

Warm and Cozy at Home

Tonight is a warm and cozy night.  Well not real "warm" because I refuse to turn on the heat...but warm in my heart.  I love when the kids settle in and relax...fighting is at a minimum and we are all getting along.  Today we had soccer games.  The kids did well, but it was cold.  I was chilled to the bone.  Got home took a hot shower and the kids cuddled up with blankets to watch movies.  It gave me some time to clean up and take some pictures of some goodwill finds from this week.  My camera is giving me fits.  I have always loved the way it took pictures but now the little setting wheel has gone berzerk...it keeps changing settings in the middle of picture taking...so sometimes it does weird things...like take video when I have it on candlelight setting.  Maybe santa will bring me a new camera...oh and a toaster oven, and a new food processor...if any of you know santa will you pass that along?

Well here is some of the pictures from around the  house. 

I love to burn the oil lamps in the evening.

My cute chickens that I got at the good will.

I just love signs.

Love to have lots of library books  to look at and curl up with at night.

New lampshades from my mom.  Love them!!!!

Reminders of good friends...love this little statue.

cozy and warm evenings.

The Girls are getting bigger...

Aren't they cuties?

Pictures of my new star for the front porch...so excited I got it for $7. 

Have a great night!

Painted kitchen

Here is the old color of the kitchen. 

Here the kitchen is after we painted it beige

I even organized some cupboards.  Yeah me.

New Bed

Steve made me a new bed frame out of old kitchen cupboard doors.  I think it looks nice.  We still have a bit of work to do on the  bottom doors,  but it came out really well.  I love to make old things into something new.  What do you think?