Party Time!

Our little Stella turned 4 on Saturday. Considering Stella has been 2nd fiddle since her brother was born, we turned it up big time for her special day.


We started off the day right with a pancake breakfast.

 Oscar loves his sister!

After breakfast we all put our sneakers on and went on a long leash free hike.

 Stella is a spunky little Shitzu when she gets in the woods. That's right girl, go crazy, it's your Birthday!

Next stop...Petco. Stella sniffed around every aisle, got plenty of attention and made out with an assortment of treats from the Puppy Buffet.

After a long nap we ended the day with a pizza party! She doesn't get her own plate, promise, but she sure does get her fair share of pepperoni and crust.

Only 363 days until her next Birthday!


Wait, it's Halloween? I didn't even realize...

BOO!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Bedroom Wall Collage

The Master Bedroom is coming together quite nicely and it was time to put some holes back in the walls. One thing you should know about me by now is I am not afraid to put holes in the wall.

Although I dogged on these gold frames that were hanging in the bedroom pre blue paint, saying they belonged in a nursing home, it turns out I love them again. I love you-I love you not-I love you-I love you not-I LOVE YOU!

The two little round frames had a gold ornament hanging in the center that I wasn't wild about so I ripped them off. I have a couple of replacement ideas.

Sweet Dreams!

Closet Light...Ribbon Chandelier

The place I work is pretty relaxed about our attire. Thank goodness because up until a week ago I was getting dressed in the dark.

My closet came equipped with a light socket, but screw in a bulb and nothin'! So, every time I went into the closet I made some snarky comment like "I sure wish I could see which jeans still fit me." Like it? What do you get when you couple the lack of lighting issue with the post pregnancy weight issue? 

Oh, that Henry is so handy! 

Turns out we needed a new socket, so 3.00 later....Let there be light! It was that easy, right Henry?

Henry agreed to move fixing the closet light to the top of his priority list. However, he was not so agreeable when I mentioned I wanted to buy a chandelier for my closet. So, I made a ribbon chandelier. I am pretty agreeable myself and am able to recognize when I am being a little ridiculous, right Henry?

 Materials: Ribbon and Embroidery Hoop. Total Cost: 8.00

 Tape cut pieces of ribbon on the inside hoop.

We hung the final product to the screws that hold the socket together.

That's better. Now, I bet my coworkers are wondering why I am wearing my old prom dresses to work.


Check out...

Proud Mom Post

Oscar is 15 weeks old!

Here are a few things you might like to know about Oscar...
He loves loves loves to snuggle, day or night. 
His best buddy is his Cousin Caraline.

Oscar likes to read books.

Oscar loves Stella. He doesn't mind when she walks on him, wags her tail across his face or sharing his Dad's attention.

Pretty darn amazing for only being around for 15 weeks!

Happy Blogiversary Party!

The Lovely Residence is one year old today. Can you even believe it? It has been a great year.

Although we aren't doing a big party (unless there is a surprise party happening later...fingers crossed), we are excited about how much we have accomplished in the past year. I started this blog while actively searching for a house and y'all know the outcome of that. The arrival of our sweet boy, which is why we were house hunting in the first place and so so many projects..I will give you a brief run down in category form...
Paint: 3 rooms, 2 dressers, 2 chairs, a chair mat, and too many spray painted chachkis to count
Furniture Inherited/Gifts: 3 bed frames, crib, 2 dressers, rocking chair and kitchen table
Furniture Purchased (at bargain basement prices): couch, 2 chaises, church pew, two night stands, club chair, and 2 mattress sets
Furniture Found in the Trash: 2 kitchen chairs and a dresser
Plumbing: 3 new faucets and garbage disposal removed
Art: 12 frames for the living room, stairway gallery, free Internet art for the kitchen, homemade art for Oscar's room and master bedroom design coming soon!
Baking: 4 cupcake themes, a cake design, a granola bar recipe and s'mores in a jar!
Light Fixtures: 4 new fixtures and lots of swapping around
Decals: Numbers for stairway and artwork, birds and the kitchen back splash
Exterior: Light post, Apple Tree and the Water Feature!


Of course, there is more, but I don't want to brag:) 


Here are some quick blog fast facts, in bullet form...

• 42,408 page views
• Most Viewed: You're a Star, 7323 page views
• Most comments: Big Back Splash, 28 comments
• Entry most stumbled upon: Shrunken Light Head, people google 'Beetlejuice Shrunken Head' and they are sent to my blog. Funny, huh?
• Top 3 visiting countries outside the USA...England, Australia, Canada

There you have it, The Lovely Residence's year in review. 

Wait, don't forget your party favor. Yes, this Blogiversary Party has a Party Favor!! Whoop whoop!

Leave a comment with your email address, or just your email address in the comment section, and I will be in touch for your address to send you your very own...

You're a Star Crafting Kit! 

Stop by the party anytime before Sunday. I like to celebrate everything for at least a couple of days.

You can expect to receive:

6 pieces of double sided decorative paper

 Ribbon for Hanging Your Star

 Detailed Instructions

Tell your friends. The more the merrier!


I appreciate all the feedback, encouragement and positive energy! Cheers to a happy year!

Best Dressed

While I am gaga over my homemade curtains, the other window in our bedroom also wanted a little attention. Do you think it is weird that I give inanimate objects emotions? Don't answer that. Seriously.


I didn't want to make the same curtains for both windows because there is a radiator below the other window and I am not a fan of shorty curtains.

So, while sitting up in the middle of the night with Oscar, which is when I do my best mental decorating. I decided to tie the windows together with a navy and white painted board above the window.

I already had the board. In it's former life it was a shelf above the doorway in our condo. I spray painted it white and taped on a pattern with blue tape.

I scribbled in the sections I was planning on painting. Y'all know about my careless ways, I didn't want to accidentally paint the wrong section.


Here is the finished product, after I took a little sandpaper to it.

Love!


This free project is just what the window needed to keep up with the other window. Yep, our inanimate windows are competing for best dressed.

Pay no attention to the baby on the bed...Oscar's first words might be "just a minute buddy, momma needs to blog".

You may notice the accessories are different from pic to pic (hint: first the fan and now the bucket of lavender.) I do that to keep you visually engaged!?


Attention Please...Tomorrow is The Lovely Residence's 1st Birthday. Wahoo! Make sure you come visit 'cause you can bet there will be party favors! Invite your friends, the more the merrier. No gifts please (but if you need my address let me know;)

Dressing the Bedroom Windows, Part III

I did it, I took the time this weekend to make new bedroom curtains. You might remember the original attempt  in Dressing the Bedroom Windows, Part I, turning out to be something that belonged in an ice cream parlor. Here is a shot of our new panels that I whipped up.

When I say whipped up what I really mean is..I cut the strips of white and navy, seen here.

The tape measurer was just a prop, because I didn't measure very well and the original version of the curtains weren't long enough to touch the floor. Okay, I am still not being completely honest...part of the curtains touched the floor. Can you say "crooked"? So, when my mother in-law was in town last week I sent her to the fabric store to get another yard. Thank goodness for the support team! Well, yesterday I anxiously cut the new strips for the bottoms of the curtains...crap...I cut them the wrong way. Now, they would be long enough, but not wide enough. I suck at being careful. So, I spent time making the final product longer and narrower. Now, all is as it should be.

I ended up spending 30.00 on the fabric (such a bargain!) and lots of wasted hours. But, I love the big fat horizontal navy blue and white stripes! This is the look I was aiming for in the first place and they look great with the faux roman shades from Dressing the Bedroom Windows, Part II.


A little visual stroll down the Bedroom Window Lane...

Bedroom Curtains. Check!

Blog Header

I am not a computing expert by any stretch of the imagination, so I was pretty proud when I figured out how to start this blog. It was even a short time ago I called a student into my office to show me how to "confirm" a friend on Facebook. Students have also taught me how to PrtScn (print screen), Save a Google Doc, and set up my wireless mouse, pathetic right?


Well, today I figured out, all by myself, how to make a Blog Header. It may not be a gateway to a job with the Geek Squad, but you can bet I am sitting here patting myself on the back.


I followed very comprehensive instructions from Blissfully Domestic. 


I am outta control with my new photo skill set...
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At the expense of our sweet baby, Oscar...
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How did the ghost say goodbye to the vampire? See ya sucker!