$20 payday pretty

The concept:
Take $20 (or so...) once a payday and get something just because it makes you feel pretty. 

The results:
Latest payday pretty haul from TJ Maxx:

 

 

 

 

The goods: 

 

Formula X: My favorite nail polish. $2.

It's regularly $10.50 at Sephora, so I grabbed it fast when I saw it. there was only two bottles. Its a metallic grey/purple. I may not have bought this color at the regular price, but  I like it and have already got compliments on it.

 

 

DW Home Candles:  Can you believe I am out of end of the year stockpile of bath and body work candles?! They are one of my favorites. but I also love the DW brand. But I find their candles are kind of hit and miss.... Got a birthday cake scent (flavor?) for $7.99 and a Vanilla Bean slightly smaller for $6.99. But, so far, the birthday cake is a miss.... not my favorite. Its a very faint scent.

 

Soap:  I always buy the scented soap from TJ Maxx. They have a nice selection and you don't see the same kind/scent all the time. I got a very large bath bar in shea butter for $3.99.



weekend projects

 

 

 

Where did the weekend go? Seriously? Between church services and crying all day for the Baton Rouge Police Officers, the only proof I have to show that I actually had a weekend is the memory of a Sunday nap and the accomplishment of cleaning this now empty room. Baton Rouge is all just walking numb and wounded.  I finally had to turn the news off and put my hands to something productive to do.

 

I really cant call it the office anymore, but its not quite the guest room yet... so I started calling it the upstairs room.

 

Baseboards, windows and door frames were scrubbed and the wood floor was mopped with my newest discovery of vinegar and water (I'm mopping all the floors with it. How does it clean so well?)  and then waxed. I love Orange Glow for the wood floors. I've been using it for about 10 years. Nothing perks me up like seeing shiny wood floors. Its very satisfying, in a weird sort of way.

 

 



 

 

I wish I had one more day to putter around in the space, but the work week has arrived, and I honestly don't know when I will get back to it. Every evening after work this week is full. 

 

Monday: Pampered Chef party

Tuesday: Candlelight Service for the Baton Rouge Police Officers

Wednesday: Youth at Church

Thursday: Exercise class

Friday: Church service

 

This is why its called "being a weekend warrior", I suppose.

 

I am actually surprised at how quick the transformation from neglected/abandoned/half-empty/sad office to guest room has been. Its ready for the fun part... organizing and arranging the guest room furniture waiting to be moved from the guest room... or rather the other room that is no longer the guest room, but doesn't yet have a name. 

 

When its empty, what is now the guest room, is going to get a little paint job, a little cleaning, and a little waxing of the wood floors, then become the new office.   

Weekend Projects

It feels like its been a long time since a project was completed in one weekend.

So long, that its kind of surprising to have this one done. It went faster than I thought it would. (I did have a little help...)























Part one of the plan to move the guest room is to empty then paint the office, but I wanted to do it quick and cheap. With the leftover paint in the garage, it made sense to make do instead of putting a whole new color up.

I'm so glad I did because I  had forgotten how much I loved this pale yellow color that I picked out 10 years ago. It had been sitting forgotten, and we were re-introduced. Hello old friend. I remember you now...

And I was happy it only took one coat to make the whole room look fresh again.

And I saved some money.

Except I didn't.

I still ended up spending some money on it for disposable paint trays, tape,  and new rollers but it was a lot cheaper than a gallon of good paint (the bathroom paint job was surprisingly expensive.)



 

 

 

I filled the nail holes with wood filler and sanded it down then one thick coat of paint, cleaned everything up and I am done!

 

Except I am not done....

 

Is anyone really ever done with projects?

 

Just like the bathroom, the fresh paint makes the baseboards look dingy, so before the rooms are swapped around, I now plan to paint them bright white.

 

It does not end.

 

 

I am linked here

 

 

 

 

I am linked here

 



 

 



Second Quarter Goals Update: The livingroom

Much like the one room challenge,   my goals this year are specific and small and focus on one thing at a time. I started with the  bathroom and it almost killed me was a success.

The second quarter is finished  (April-May-June) but the living room isn't.  I'm giving myself one more week before turning my attention to the upstairs office. I feel like I got a late start, which I did. Bronchitis in April put me out of the game for a while. 

I started this with the goal of getting curtains up, the nail holes filled and everything painted a fresh white. The curtains are up and the nail holes are filled but everything is not yet painted. Somewhere along the way, I bought a new couch.

The old couch was never "me" and I couldn't stand to make do with it another minute. Combine my over-eagerness to get rid of it with a deep discounted Memorial day sale at Ashley Furniture and the bottom line is, I unexpectedly bought a new couch.  I sold the old one so that helped. And I LOVE the new couch, so that helps justify the purchase even more. I really feel like the house is becoming mine and reflecting me more and more.

I have not so distant plans to paint all trim and baseboards fresh white, to touch up the wall paint in a few spots, all things I already have and will cost nothing to accomplish.

I have very distant plans for a rug and coffee tables and probably a chair and throw pillows and all the little decorative things you think of when you re-do a room, but the bank account just laughs and says not any time soon.

The curtain rods were by far the hardest part of this little makeover, and surprisingly heavy and difficult to maneuver.  Not hard just not as easy as it would have been to just buy a long curtain rod, find it delivered by UPS at my door, and put it up.  But I didn't want to spend $135, and I couldn't get it from yard sales (how I've outfitted rooms before) so I DIY-ed it with help from  this blog.  

Two 10 foot pieces of electrical conduit: $5.90 each (I had to buy two 10 foot sections and cut one to add to the long one. So I still have an 8 foot piece in the garage which will probably be another curtain rod in a different room some day.)
Little thing to connect two poles together: $.68
3 cans of bronze metallic spray paint: $5.76 each (I would have never believed it would take 2 1/2 cans of spray paint for this but it totally did. I had to go back twice to get more.)
Curtains: Free from another room
Curtain hook: Free from another room
3 curtain brackets: Martha Stewart $8.97 each

I spent about $55.  The main point of having the curtains is privacy and security,  and the sheers are not doing the job in either of those things.  They are a placeholder until I find curtains I really want at a price I can really get them, probably from TJ Maxx. (something like this or this but both of these are not quite right.... the search continues).

And, in all truth, this still would not be done if I did have some help.

 

 

 

I am linked here

I am linked here

 

 

stitch fix

I'm linked here at Crazy Together blog

One of the happiest days is the day I get home and find my stitch fix box  sitting quietly at the front door.   Seriously!

This month was box #11 for me. I have slightly mixed feelings about it. On one hand.... its a little expensive.  But on the other hand, I like the surprise, the finding it at my doorstep, the brands I wouldn't have seen or picked out by myself, and there is something to be said about the service, of having cute clothes that fit you and match the other things you own come straight to your door.


















Its been working out that I usually keep one or two items from each box.  The two things I kept from my latest stitch fix box, a lightweight navy blue sweater that has elbow patches on the back of the arms in fuchsia (like this)  and the most comfortable, stylish and flattering pair of green crop pants (like this).

I love these green crops and they fit really well  but.... they were expensive.  I've told myself before I could find something similar cheaper but the truth is.... I cant.  Its not like a cute top, where I have the consignment store to run to every weekend.  Pants are hard to get right. I'm not going to spend the time and energy (and a precious Saturday) to go from store to store looking for something similar in my size that is cheaper.  In the end, considering everything, I have a really stylish pair of pants I love and think it is probably worth it to avoid the rest of the hassle.

Its the whole bird in the hand thing...  I find Stitch Fix works just like everyone said it would work. The longer you get the box the more they get to know you and start sending you things that are more your style and fit.  The things I returned this month......  the sleeveless blue and white denim shirt. It was super soft and comfy but too distressed for me. I honestly don't know where I'd wear it or what I would pair it with. I didn't have to think twice. It went back in the box immediately.

Im linked here

 

I debated heavily on this striped sweater, it was such a good fit and a light weight and perfect for the spring/summer. In the end though, I sent it back. It was not the right color for me and no matter how much I tried to make it work, the color was just not for me. (looking at it now, I still struggle... note to self in future... if your struggling with the decision this much, just keep it....)

The color on the coral top was perfect for me and I loved the open work at the top. I really struggled with whether or not to keep this top, however, I didn't like the billowy effect of the blouse.  It went back too. (no regrets on this one).

Scripture Sunday

Scripture Sunday