Passing down the hat

The boys each wore this hat for their hospital newborn pictures.

I could have left it alone and let C wear it but I just couldn't do that. I just had to add one more thing to my to do nesting list.
So I decided to add some riboon. I wasn't sure how I wanted to add it. So I played, for longer than I care to admit, with a hat and some ribbon.
I ended up with a simple little flower.

And that just wasn't enough. So in that case I added one more thing to the Hobby Lobby list. Beads.
The hat is still quite simple and just girly enough. And I have one happy husband that his baby girl will also have herself a pirate hat!

And that my friends is how to refresh your boys hat!

A Nursery Sneak Peek

A sneak peak of the nursery for you! Some of you have been waiting patiently for details. And since it is not done yet, I really don't want to share much. You know I don't like a half done room. Although, it's coming together and will be done soon, I'm hoping these will hold you over?!

Curtains (made with love by grandma)

Closet Knobs

Some Artwork

Are you as ready as I am for the big reveal?!

Salvation Army score!

Yesterday I hit up the Salvation Army in search for some frames for baby girls gallery wall. Since I never have good luck finding what I'm searching for I keep a little list with me. However, yesterday I did find some great frames $2.99/ea(even a print for the kitchen .99!). Don't worry, I have plans for those golden beauties.

2 glass jars for flour and sugar. $2.99 each. More on these later, they for sure, needed some refreshing!

As well as one little bunny box (.99) and a bird "sculpture" ($2.99) that I thought would be cute for hanging hair bows. She's a girl, bows are inevitable! (This one was one of her first presents, a pink and green bow from Auntie JLA!) I have not decided if I will paint them or leave them so dark.

Which means it's time to get her walls painted. I just can't seem to find that perfect shade of pink. All colors are tough to pick, but pink is super hard for me. I want something light and not toooo pink. I thought I wanted something almost white that only looked pink in the corners or depending on the time of day. But when I put those samples on the wall they look almost irradescant? I'm thinking I might have to go a little more pink than white. I will admit, I really want pink. Why wouldn't I take this chance to get a pink room! I always wanted one! She can have blue, red, black another color when she is old enough to paint it herself!

I have a lot of inspiration for her room pinned on Pinterest. I will probably do a breakdown for you, like I did for the boys room. A little more detail and a few projects to complete!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some glass jars calling my name!

One Word Wednesday!

Pink?

OR
Pink?

Another link party!

I love reading what Beth has to say or post over at Home Stories A 2 Z. She has some great ideas of her own and commonly does a Tips & Tutorials link party. I've never participated, because of timing, but mostly because I feel we all have a lot of the same things to post.

However, I love the boys nautical flags that I wrote about hereso much that today I had to share them! So I linked up and shared with the world. For some reason this is kind of scary. Opening yourself up to all the comments. Of course, it is just decorating, what can one say...

Make sure you stop by and see some other great links!!

Dresser Redo

I have this dresser that I want to use in Bs room. It's a cheapy Target one that is perfect for two reasons. One, I have boys (who will probably climb, color, and somehow destroy)!

Two, it's perfect to paint. Believe it or not, I really do have a problem painting furniture wood furniture. That makes this a win win. It's cheap and not real wood. If the boys tire of it or the nautical theme it can be repainted or listed with Craig. It's not real wood, so I don't feel guilty if it doesn't work out or I want to change it in the future.

I searched Pinterest for some inspiration. It seems to be my first go to these days. However, it turned up very little. So I did Google images and voila. My favorite is this one (which I then pinned to Pinterest, so now it's out there):

Found here at House To Your Home
It's pretty identical to what I had in mind.

I Love the knobs she used. Anthropologie, go figure!! You know I am a sucker for their hardware. Again, pretty identical to what I had in mind, but I think it might be too much "nautical" with all the other items in the room.

I might spray them with some oil rubbed bronze and see how that goes. There is always white? If those fail, I can splurge on the knobs or make something similar.

Hopefully it won't take as long as those curtains are..I'm hoping while grandma is here she is willing to work on those..Ma-ma can you heeeaaaar meee?! Just a small hint.

Here's the previous post on the boys room here and here and here

For the lazy painter!

Since I was trying to get the boys room done before all the stuff from stroage arrived, I needed new painting equipment.
I went to Lowes with the intention of buying something cheap and disposable. However, I noticed a teflon tray (ON SALE!). Dry, Peel, and Toss, so the label says. I was skeptical for sure. It's paint, how can it be that easy?!

It was that easy!! I let it dry, and peeled it right out!!

Thank you Shur-Line for making my DIY life so easy!! I'm ready for my next paint project...the nursery!

Pinterest Challenge

I did it. I participated in the Pinterest Challenge. Well, we'll see anyway. I tried to and Sherry at YHL made the directions sound super simple?! You know I love some Young House Love, I blogged about them here. Now we are practically neighbors..Well the same zip code anyway.

I didn't participate last time because, I wasn't ready to share any of the projects I'd already done and I hadn't blogged about them either, which made it a more than two step process to get it done....so it didn't.

I just checked...IT WORKED. I linked up! I'm number 338!

And since that was so easy I linked up over at Bower Power. I'm number 173!!! Love me some Katie Bower. I think she may have gotten that old window over the big fixed window because you don't really want blinds idea from me? No? Yeah me either, especially since I didn't blog about it!

So then I participated with Erin at House of Ernest. Number 133!! Erin was participating with YHL & Bower Power but her blog is a fave too!

But the kicker..I linked up over at Ana White. Number 90!! I may not be featured but Ana White is my idol. Not only is she creative, she builds things too! AFTER she makes & creates a plan for it!!

Sooooo, what did I link to these amazing bloggers my idols & fellow DIYers? Well my latest Weekend Wrap Up art project of course!

Weekend Wrap Up

EDIT!! Today (Wednesday) I linked up to the Pinterest Challenge with YHL, Bower Power, Erin at House of Ernest, AND Ana White!!
***************************************************************************************
In this post, I showed you some inspiration artwork for the boys room.
These cute prints both from A Vintage Poster and this one
too.

Even though we didn't get much else done in the room (we were a little busy with a visit from Aunt Kelly and Halloween and a head cold for me), we did get some nice and cheap artwork completed.

We started with these beauties from the goodwill.


I bought paper from Michaels using my three main colors (red, white, & blue). I found some images on line and picked my favorite two and printed them out (fit to paper) and printed.
This is where & why, I should insert step by step instructions and pictures:
I rubbed a pencil over the back of the images.
Taped them to the colored paper (the solid red sheet and the solid blue sheet). I traced the images (on the printout) which transfered the image to the solid paper.
I then retraced the image on the solid paper with a darker pen and covered with clear packing tape (so the paper was that much stronger) and then cut the image out with an exacto knife.
We painted the frames white.

And....

The lines aren't as crisp as a print and if I was really good at print/photoshop, I probably could have created my own print. But I like the texture of the paper and the mat effect of the layers.

Oh and I really like the price (not that the $28 for two prints was bad)...
Two frames from goodwill......$4
White spray paint.............had on hand (as well as packing tape and exacto knife
4 pcs of paper from Michaels..$1

I promise the curtains are coming!! You know the ones from the above post, that I thought we would get to with Aunt Kelly here. Opps!

Here's the progress on the boys room here and here

A sailing we will go

I found some inspiration on Pinterest (shocker!) which was originally from Apartment Therapy (a great & fun source!)


I wanted flags but I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. I did find them online at $20 each. I needed 6. ($120ish) It just seemed like a lot of money for some flags, that soon the boys would grow tired of?

So you know me, I set out to make my own. I found the boys initials on line yeah google, got some paint (3 colors for .50 each) & canvases from Michaels, with coups of course ($7/each). I still wasn't sure how to hang them. But then the light bulb went off and I went to Lowes to get rope that looked like sailing rope ($5ish) and cleats ($1.50/each).

I taped out the canvases with painters tape (after measuring, of course!)and then Q painted them. I then drilled holes on two sides of each canvas, strung the rope through, tied some knots, cut the rope, burned the edges and hung them up. I wish it was that easy. I didn't have a bit the size of the rope so it took a wee bit longer than I had anticipated or hoped. But I was anxious and didn't feel like heading back out for a bit. And, I am sure B was sleeping.

The boys room is far from finished, but we have a helper special visitor coming this weekend who I am sure is going to want to help finish it up?!

So without further a do....
BPP

CQP

I have to admit, I'm pretty impressed with my cleat idea, it's my favorite so far!

The (not so finished) wall

$120ish vs $54 (and some change) (Thanks to painters tape on hand. However, if you weren't letting your 4 year old paint them, you wouldn't need the tape, just a ruler and a pencil!)

Next up, more art work, curtains (and their very cool rods)a new bed for the little guy (that needs to be purchased), and a dresser (that needs some painting). Yup, we are a little busy over here!

You can find more boy's room deets in this post

And now you can see I linked up with Beth over at A 2 Zbecause I couldn't resist not sharing this easy, fun & colorful project!

One Word Wednesday!

MOVIN'

One Word Wednesday!

Buh

Bye

Brass

Fall =Caramel

It's fall and I love all things fall. The colors, the cooler weather, college football, and caramel.

So it's no surprise that the name of our new counter tops is Crema Caramel. Well, it is totally a coincidence. It was the lightest Home Depot had. It was also the cheapest level. ME LIKEY!!

Chad and I did the demo ourselves. Well, mostly Chad. I did a lot of watching and giving out my opinion. I know, shocking! I did avoid taking pictures while he was carrying a gigantic piece of heavy formica! I needed to pretend I was helping.

Here is a picture before

Here is an inspiration picture

You can see more of this beautiful kitchen here. We have great white cabinets that didn't need to be replaced and the floor is pretty new too. We contemplated stainless appliances since we needed to buy a fridge. However, the dishwasher and stove were new. The kitchen is pretty small and white keeps the flow going in a small kitchen.

First we started with taking off the back splash. I know that brick is beautiful, but it needed to go. Scoring all that caulking freed the formica back splash.

(No, we didn't get VA Tech stuff, this was while the house was on the market)


While we were removing the beautiful brick we found beautiful wallpaper behind it.

Then the water & power had to be turned off so Chad could dismantle the disposal and sink. The sink was an absolute beast (it's a great new double sink, not a scratch, so we are hoping to sell it on craigslist). It was giant. Lastly, it needed was the screws to come out and someone big and strong to remove it and move it.

Here she is afterward. We added ten inches of counter top space for counter top eating, sitting, playing. I'm loving that ten inches!


There is still a lot of work to be done to finish her up, just a quick trip (yeahrightwhoamikidding) to Lowes for supplies and I already have the paint! Also gotta search Craigslist for some stools!
Now, I'm off to enjoy some caramel...with an apple!

Seeing Red

One of the few projects we have started here at Chez Phillips' is the boys room. Q wanted a red room. We compromised on a red wall. Or maybe I just decided we weren't going to have a red room, that I would compromise on a wall. He's too young and I am sure his taste will change fiercely over the years. However, I do feel like red can grow with him.

I wasn't sure what to do with red. They have a cowboy room at their grandparents. If I had been better at blogging all summer you would have seen it. So this time we, (coughcough) I, went nautical. Why wouldn't I? I am from the beach. I could have done sports, but there is plenty of time for sports & team themes. Plus this red will work GREAT when it's time for a Red Sox room!

Here are our red test spots

There are only two colors to choose from and it's only going on this wall, but still wanted it in a few spots to see how light would hit it.

The bottom one is the choosen one. Valspars Radiant Red from Lowes. Red. Definately red. Went on nice and smooth and thick. The quart size already has primer in it! Woot Woot! The red above it is from Home Depot and went on great but is really thin. EXTREMELY thin. Would take several coats. The Valspar will need two coats, but I find most do. That could just be me, being paranoid about empty spots!

Here are some inspiration shots that you can expect to see in the room.
This was my starting point. I LOVE the navy & white comforters. But the charts. Oh those charts. If they weren't so expensive and would come down easily. I did search and search for the comforters or covers, only to find them for $180. Don't think so. Even thought about making them, until I found something just as good at Target.

VIA

These curtains (with navy bottoms instead of red)

VIA

On these curtain rods (that we will be making when Aunt Kelly comes)

VIA

And two pieces of artwork to fancy up those walls!


Both prints from HERE But you know, I'm going to try and do them somehow myself. Which means you also probably won't be surprised when I tell you, I bought the paper to recreate them today.

The rest of the details will have to be a surprise!

The list

Here is the 5 page list of refreshing that needs to be done at our house. I should clarify that this list is my list, not the hubs list. I'm sure his list is much smaller and extremely different. And it might include getting (the new & free) footsball table here. Oh, who am I kidding. He doesn't have a list. His idea of things that need to be done is much shorter than mine! But you can guarantee one thing, if he had a list it would definatley include that footsball table!



Some of this list has been started in various areas of the house.

I don't like having projects started and not completed in different rooms. I want to make a plan, work it, and be done. However, being pregnant doesn't always allow for that to happen. So I'll do what I can, when & where I can. Chad will pick up my slack and try his best to keep me sane!

Key Art

We were pretty sentimental leaving our old house. Our very first house. The house we brought our babies home to. The house we painted every square inch of. After we tore off wallpaper on every square inch of the walls. We ripped up carpet and added flooring and made it completely ours. It took five years but it was ours and it was home. Not only did we leave our house we left our city as well.

We wanted some way to keep our house in our new home. Besides the fact that we have chosen to use two of the same paint colors in our new house. Hey, we liked them, what can I say?!

We still had a set of keys. (The first thing you are supposed to do when you move into a new house is get new locks or re-key them, hopefully the new owners did?!) I collected all our paint chips from my house notebook and headed out to Lowes and Home Depot. I wasn't sure what I was going to do or how big so I grabbed a few:

I got a shadowbox from Michaels and viola:

Cheap art with a lot of meaning!

No Smokin'

We will have no smoking in the new house. Not that we ever smoked in our old house either. That's probably because we don't smoke. However, our kitchen smoke alarm liked to go off. For fun. It was a good way of testing it, to make sure it was still working!

When we inspected the new house we were told, NONE of them worked! How can you live in a house with no smoke alarms?! I mean if the house were built today there would be one in every room! In Pittsburgh, homes have to have sprinkler systems installed!

I didn't think it would be a huge decision. I was wrong. (I know, it's rare) Ahem, There were several brands, several price points and several things to consider.

However, I am terrified of fire. Among other things. We ended up going with the Kidde Wireless. They explain all the perks here for you. Chad and I picked them because we like that in our three story house when one goes off in the basement (where the electrical panel is) the one in our bedroom will also go off. You don't have to wait for the smoke to reach your room before you wake up! Hello GENIUS!!

Packing

Packing sucks.
Moving day is tomorrow.
The apartment is in shambles.
It's time to get motivated.
Ugggghhhhhh

Gonna take time....

All I can think of is George Michael, I got my mind set on you.
Refresh & Repurpose has a new home. And it's gonna take time. A whole lot of precious time. And it's gonna take money. A whole lot of spending money.
But we're gonna do it right child.

We've moved citites and are excited about exploring our local antique and second hand stores! I am of course looking forward to repurposing some things from our old house and finding new things to repurpose.

The house was built in 1968 and we bought it from the family that built it. And although they did a good job of updating to sell, it needs some love and definatly a refresh.

Join us for our journey as we update and transform this now quiet house back to it's hay day, filled with children, laughter and family! It's sure to be quite the journey. Our last house took us 5 years to get all the wall paper off most of our to do list done!