Living room : Before & After

I know I've shown parts of our living room on here before, but I thought it was time to show the whole shebang....and the horrendous place it came from.  It was bad...REALLY bad. {You've been warned!}

Here is the before.  Our home was built in 1978 and really pretty much everything was original.  It had been built and decorated well...just 3 decades ago. :) {Sorry, all my pictures of it include my kids...the ones without them were too overexposed to even make anything out!}

Moving day!  Purdy blue carpet and paneled walls...ewww

It was a 70's Christmas that year....we should have dressed up in bell bottoms and plaid shirts and played it up completely.

Yeah, the red plaid couch pretty much made it worse...didn't think that was possible, did you?!

I'm not sure what that gun is pointing at...probably me since I was behind the camera....ANYWAY, are you repulsed yet?! I thought hanging that clock on the one nail in the wall was going to camouflage something.

Aaaand the brass fireplace to complete the look. 

So basically, blue carpet, paneled walls, and if it was cool in the 70's it was in this room.  The previous owners even left their flowing cream ruffled curtains....wasn't that generous?

The transformation has happened little by little, but it is finally about done...who am I kidding...I'm never going to be done. ; )

Here goes...

Love the dark floors...they can't stain, but they don't stay looking super clean for too long either. ; )  You can read more on the makeovers of the TV console, gallery wall and chairs.

This is the other side of the wall with the window. The rocker is an antique from the family.  The end table was thrifted and refinished.  The fireplace got a fresh coat of black hammered spray paint to mask the brass and a coat of white on the mantel.  I think the mantel if due for a change....little too much stuff up there for me right now but I do love all the map themed pieces.

Aren't these spider mums great?!  I also love these antique mason jars for vases.

The wall with the mirror is opposite the fireplace wall.  I used to have 3 collage frames...one got wounded in a family game of horse. ; )  I love the mirror and how it reflects light from the window...although it is a bit lonely.  Under it is a sewing machine {one of those built into the table}...not sure if it's staying there, that's why I haven't put much effort into accessorizing it.  The blanket on the white chair is also an antique...it has my mom's family's brand {like what they used on their cattle} on it.  I love the color and the meaning it has!  Oh yeah, and the basketball hoop...gets used all the stinkin' time...and it matches the blue and orange color sheme...ha!

We've turned the wet bar into toy and game storage.  It's decor changes almost daily. ; )  Next to that is Addison's play kitchen....that's one of those toys that if it didn't get played with SO much would be gone since there is no great place for it.

SO.....what do you think?  I'd still like to add some blue/orange floral or susani printed pillows.  I've got my eye on some....good pillows aren't cheap though. ;)   Overall, I love this room.  It had good bones....the built-ins, the molding, the beams in the ceiling {you can see part of one in the first pic}, and really a great size.  It's been fun to see it come so far.

I'm planning on trying to do this throughout the house...it was SO ugly when we moved in and since this is our first go round at home owning, it's been fun to go through the processes of updating everything!

Let me know if you have any questions!  Thanks for following this journey with me!

In the thick of it

Sorry, I've been a bit MIA around here lately...I've bee a little in over my head in projects around the house. 

 We've been spending more time at the pool and have even attempted a family game of kick ball {yeah, that was my idea...didn't last too long at 3 in the afternoon but it was fun to get out} and some bike rides....despite the fact that it is July in Texas and over 100 degrees every day.  Five years living here and I still haven't quite adjusted to the heat....although you won't find me complaining the other 3 seasons though. ; )  How cool is this pic that Maggie {my oldest} took at the pool...with my IPhone...and no photoshopping AT ALL! 

I think that girl may have a job in photography in her future. :)

Anyway...on to the ugly.  We were sitting on our ridiculously large deck last weekend {which happens about once a year} and decided to take it up...right then.  So, it is up and we are so excited to have some reclaimed yard space.  We had a townhouse before this house so any yard seemed big...till we put our kids in it and realized it was not.  Our next place WILL have a bigger yard! : )

Deck when we moved in 5 years ago...we had done some work on it since

The deck today....just need the poles and roof taken down and it will be ready for sod....and soccer games! : ) {our toys and table aren't normally in our yard, but the cement patio was full of the other stuff so it's there a while...lookin' a bit trashy...ha!}

This is our master bedroom white cover...just trying to give you an idea. :)

The girls' room makeover is under way...I've finished one bed {and I love the orange!} and now am on the lookout for another free to extremely cheap daybed to match it.  I also am on the look out for LOTS of white linens.  I'm thinking lots of pillows will help make this a space they LOVE to be in!  {and a TV....but they aren't getting that...ha!}

This also was one of those projects that was like the domino effect...I wanted to switch the furniture with the other kids' room and in switching I thought I might as well go through all their clothes and toys....for ALL stinkin' 4 kids.  What was I thinking??  Anyway, that has left me here....

Drowning in kids' clothes and toys....but I think I'm going to LOVE the end result ~ clean, not over-stuffed closets and drawers all ready for the school year!

Girls room update & more FOR SALE items

I originally talked about how I was ready to give my girls' room a major facelift a few months ago in this post.  I have basically done nothing since then...you know, life happens. ; )  Anyway, a friend of mine a couple weeks ago told me she knew of someone wanting to get rid of a day bed and that has started the ball rolling again.  I've gotten some input from my girls and I think we finally have a plan of action!  Here is an idea of the direction we'd like to head....

Althought I loved the look of the upholstered headboard, we have taken a different direction with the day bed.  The existing bed it a cream with gold accents and pink /blue flowers...ew.  I'm thinking the bed itself is going to be getting a fresh coat of paint like this color...

gloss real orange

For a look similar to this....

via Kiki's List...she has amazing style!

I'm thinking LOTS of white bedding and orange and pink accents all over the room to tie it all in.  So excited to get started on this!  I was hoping to be able to not have to paint the walls again, and with this plan, the light pink walls will be the perfect canvas to base the rest of the room on.  I've pinned some of my other ideas for this room if you want to check them out here.  {You can message me if you need an invitation to Pinterest.}

In other news, I've put up a set of tables for sale on the 23 Design Co. Facebook page...

These were originally bedside tables but we have only used them as end tables.  They have been painted a light grey/blue and have been distressed.  I'm asking $75 for the set!  If you are local let me know, if you are interested!  Email me @ 23designco@gmail.com.

THANKS!

Back from camp and a t-shirt upcycle

I made it back from camp in one piece....and I had a blast!  It was exhausting {I got home and felt like I'd been hit by a Mack truck for the first day or so} but what's not to love about not cooking or doing laundry & hanging out with your kids and some really great people?!  Ok...it wasn't quite as easy as that, but still, it was great and I hope to be able to go again next year!  Some of my fave pics....

saying goodbye...man, my husband looked extra-good looking that day... : )

Saylor and her bestie from school who came with us

Maggie and her bff getting ready to zipline

more ziplining

my girlies

now us moms had to show them how to really zipline. ;)

me and my girls

canoe time {we went with the kids, but they were already out on the lake}

Maggie entered the fishing contest...so proud of her in the midst of all those boys : )

went with 1 best friend...came home with a room full. :)

Before I left I made each of the girls in our cabin a bracelet in our BLUE team color. I got the idea from Pinterest...saw headbands made the same way on there, but I just made them smaller....take a peek! {sorry about the iphone pics...my camera was once again MIA}

Cut t-shirt into 1-2 inch wide strips. stack 5 of them and then hot glue or sew them at one end.

Pull on the strips until they are not flat anymore and curl up.  Start braiding but braiding the 3 on the left side like you normally would, only doing one "interval" of it.

Do the same on the right side, always starting with the outside strip.  Then go back to the left.

Tighten as you go...it should look like this.

Still going after a week at camp. :) 

I took this idea and carried it a step further...and made a scarf out of a shirt I never wore.  I've been wanting a coral/orange scarf for quite awhile now & I just never got around to buying one.  

My post-childbearing body doesn't do drapey a-line well....

I cut off strips in different sizes...some I left the seam on and other I cut so I could braid and then I just tied back up.

This may still need a little tweaking, but I LOVE how it turned out...just the color I was needing too! {Notice the iced coffee...still going strong on that one : ) }  I may regret posting a pic with no make-up on...hopefully y'all love me enough to see past it...ha! ; )

Well, after not posting for over a week, I think this may be my longest post EVER!  Hopefully it gives you some good ideas to use with those old tshirts sitting around. :)

It's great to be back and I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things around here!

See ya in a week....

I'm headed to camp with these two girls till next weekend.

Hope y'all enjoy your week as much as I know I am going to! : )

Tip Tuesday

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but today's tip is about making your own laundry detergent.  To be honest, I've thought about doing this for a long, long time.   So many recipes looked like a huge pain and I just thought I probably wouldn't stick with it, but this one {haven't exactly had time to stick with since I'm still on my first batch} is easier than getting in the car and driving to Wal-Mart to pick some up.

TIP : homemade laundry detergent

Recipe :
1 bar of soap {I used Fels-Naptha, a laundry soap, but you can use Ivory or any soap on hand}
1/2 Borax
1 c. Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

Grate the soap {I used my food processor to grate and mix so it was very fine} and mix all ingredients.  Add 1 Tablespoon for a regular load and 2 Tablespoons for a heavily soiled load.

Because, this is formula does not sud up much, this is also perfect for those of you who have HE front-load washers.

Hope y'all enjoy this as much as I have....and the extra cash in your pocket can't hurt right? ; )

Party in the USA

Hope your 4th is fun and festive so far!  I'm looking forward to enjoying these with the rest of our family and friends today....

white chocolate covered strawberries

twix trifle

I took this video awhile back {still soccer season as you can probable tell from the uniforms}, but I thought it was pretty appropriate for today.

Wasn't planning on sharing it or I probably would have tried to do a better video job.  Hope you enjoyed my very white kids trying to dance. : )

Happy 4th, y'all!

Sunday

Psalm 37:5

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. {ESV}

Shared this verse with a friend who was going through a hard time this week...I needed it just as much. : )

Happy Sunday!