Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary // The Mudroom Reveal

It's here!  The big reveal day and I am just so excited to share it all with you.  So, hop on over to our latest installment of our Renovation Diary on Apartment Therapy and check out the finished project for yourself, but watch out - you might have to pick your jaw off the floor!

To really feel the full affects of this DIY renovation, check out where we started - dark wood paneled walls, closed off spaces and no real style to speak of.  To say that I'm happy with the change is a definite understatement!

Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary // It's A Wrap

We made it to the finish line and are sharing all the details at Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary!  The mudroom renovation project is a wrap - check it out.

Be sure to check back next week to see the big ol' reveal post!  I can't wait to share it with all of you.

Thanksgiving Decor // Turkey Tablescapes

We're taking it easy over here for the holidays - something about a new baby and a busy three year old that leaves me little to no time or energy to really get down to crafting/decorating.  I did manage to find a short little break to create this festive thanksgiving tablesetting for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store's Celebrate the Season campaign - a perfect setting for that turkey and all those delicious side dishes.

I kept it simple with a brown craft paper table "cloth" which is inexpensive, customizable and a breeze to clean up.  That homemade cranberry sauce sure is tough to get out of those linen tablecloths.  All I did was cut off two lengths from a roll of craft paper.  To get it to lay down along the sides, just run your finger along the edge of the table creating a sharp crease.  I also folded the corners so they'd drape nicely.

Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary // Moving the Finish Line

Our initial plan in the whole mudroom renovation project was to finish everything by the time Josh packed up and flew to Alaska to bring home the bacon halibut but we didn't quite make it.  Check out why our progress was delayed in our latest installment in Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary.

Only one more progress post left and then we'll finally be able to share the finished space.  I can't wait!

Budget Friendly DIY Kitchen Renovation // The Big Reveal

If you're keeping up with our Renovation Diary feature on Apartment Therapy - you know the posts are pretty far behind our actual progress.   Real far behind, actually, because we're completely finished (shh...don't tell those AT readers!)  I mean...we're not crazy enough to start a remodel project when our baby is due....or are we?

While I can't show you photos of the new mudroom and kitchen nook space since we're just getting started on that project (wink, wink...nudge, nudge) I can show you photos of our kitchen which includes new flooring, crown molding and our new Moen Woodmere faucet.  And if you remember WAY back in early 2012 we tackled the bulk of the work in this room which included:

• Removing the header, taking the walls down to the studs and installing new drywall 
• Mudding & sanding drywall
• Painting the cabinets white
• Priming/Painting the drywall
• Installing/Raising the cabinets
• Painting wallpaper
• Adding open shelving
• Adding wall storage
• Updating the kitchen lighting
• Adding open shelving above the refrigerator

What didn't we change?  The layout and the counters were left alone (even that awful stainless trim) which helped keep the cost down.  The kitchen renovation was probably somewhere around $1200 including the Forna black beach cork flooring from iCork Floor, plus $800 for the stainless steel appliances we scored on craigslist.  Is there a better layout for this kitchen...hell yes!  But it would involve opening up the wall into the living room, relocating the oven and fridge and creating one big ol' open space....and lots more money.  And that just ain't happenin'.  So this little budget-friendly DIY kitchen renovation was a "work with what ya got" project rather than a full-on gut remodel.

And without further ado...

Let's just take a quick look back at what the kitchen looked like when we moved in...wallpapered walls and soffit, oak cabinets, maple-ish laminated floors, white appliances, vinyl backsplash and boob lights galore.  Not the worst kitchen I've ever seen but I knew it could be better.  At the very least we could fill that huge gap where the bottom cabinets end on the far right.

Well, hello there...

Just wanted to drop in and share our news....our baby boy has arrived!  Callaghan Brent was born on October 25th and we are so excited!

Here's a little glimpse at our handsome little man.

As you can guess,  my two little men are going to be taking up a lot of my time and things are going to get a bit slower around here.  That's not to say I'll totally drop off the face of the blogosphere so stay tuned for more house projects and be sure to follow along at Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary to watch our mudroom project unfold.

Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary // The End Is In Sight

We're well on our way to a finished space.  Check out our latest installment in Apartment Therapy's Renovation Diary where we're throwing down flooring and throwing up drywall.

I love how drywall transforms a room from scary, bare bones to something you can live in.

Nesting // Big Brother Bag

Baby #2 has arrived - October 25th to be exact!  And big brother Luke is so excited about his baby brother, Callaghan.  To make the transition from a family of three to a family of four easier on our 3 year old son we did what any amazing parents would do....bribed him with gifts.  I created a Big Brother Bag for Luke from his baby brother using the good ol' wear, read, want, need method.

1 // Tote Bag - This DIY monogrammed tote bag is the perfect size for Luke to take to school and he was pretty stoked that it was personalized with HIS letter "L."

2 // T-Shirt - There's something about these "Big/Little Brother" t shirts that make me all warm and fuzzy.