Frosty the Window

My crazy week is coming to a close already and it's only Wednesday. All I can say is, "Thank Heavens". I had three exams in three days and now am suffering from test fatigue and information overload.

So instead of getting right back into the swing of studying new information, I'm allowing myself to take a little breather this afternoon. So far I've:

- started laundry and cleaned up the kitchen which has been on hold since last week,

- emptied out one of my pot of flowers because it's looking pathetic thanks to the squirrel gangs in the neighborhood,

- and now I'm sitting outside on this beautiful Fall day, blogging. One of my favorite things to do which does not mix well with nursing school.

 

I'll think about starting on my new chapters....later.

 

Until then, here's a quick little project appropriately titled, Operation Frosty the Window, Joe and I did a couple weekends ago.

 

Behold our bathroom window.

 

 

Now, in the summer, this window is all fine and dandy for us. We have plenty of leaves to shield the prying eyes of passersby and it's on the second level so no big deal right? Not so much. When those leaves fall, which unfortunately will be happening within the next month most likely, our neighbors behind us will have a pretty good view from what I can assume is their kitchen window.

 

And if you're standing out on the porch you have a nice view of someone doing their business...

 

 

I thought about getting some sort of shade, curtain, wood panel blind of some kind but figured the combination of steam from hot showers and dust wouldn't look to great. And the less I have to dust, the better. So I looked into "frosting" the glass. Once I convinced Joe that with a little elbow grease the "frosting" could come off, he gave me the okay and here how's we did it.

 

I suggest two hands for something like this. Our window isn't huge by any means but it just makes it easier. I picked up the window film supplies from Lowe's, ahhh I love Lowe's, and went to work. For those of you remotely interested, I picked GILA window film for around $20. First, you need to clean the window really good, especially if there's anything stuck to it or there's a lot of dust. You want to make sure you have a smooth surface.

 

 

 

I also picked up an Application Kit like the one here, simple because it came with all the tools I needed to complete the project from start to finish. It came with an application spray, a cutting edge tool, a cleaning cloth and an edging tool help push out all the bubbles and smooth it out. Take the application spray and spray the window like crazy. This is where two hands come in handy. While I was spraying the window, Joe was putting tape on the two sides of the film so we could easily peel them apart. There will be a clear side and a "frosty" side. Peel the clear side completely off and spray the heck out of the frosty side that will be applied to the window as well. By this point we had also cut the frosting panel to the size of our window with about an extra inch around the whole thing.

 

 

Once the window and frosty panel are coated in the application spray, apply it to the window and start working out the air bubbles.

 

 

The whole window took us about a half hour to complete. It still lets in great light during the day and now we don't have to worry about anyone seeing anyone in their birthday suit.

 

 

So there you have it... our old and improved bathroom window!

Frame it up!

I have been working on a couple projects lately around the house and although one is not 100% finished, I couldn't wait to share them with you! I've been wanting to put up a gallery of frames in our upstairs hallway for quite some time so I started working on it. I wanted to share pictures of our travels, art we either did or found...basically anything and everything that could be put in a frame that meant something to us.

A couple weekends ago I picked up eleven frames from IKEA for $50! Talk about cheap!! And you see those two dark frames in the back? Well, I had four of them that Joe let me do a little makeover on.

Here they are with a few other frames from around the house I found to use.

I picked up some primer/paint in one to work a little magic on these frames!

Drying!

Then I went to Goodwill to browse their frame selection. I picked up another eleven for $30 although I've only used a couple of them. I didn't like how some of them turned out and ended up not needed as many as I thought. Oh well...

I needed more spray paint so off to Menard's I went and I ended up picking up these. The primer/paint in one worked just fine but I though I'd try this as well.

I really need to wear gloves...my hands were white for days!

And off to work I went...

So, here's the hallway I wanted to make my gallery in. I took the Sunday paper and cut it up to the sizes of the frames I had. Then I used some painter's tape to put them on the walls to help me visually see where/how to place them without creating dozens of holes. Once I got all the frames up, the hallway seemed really small and tight. I should have taken a picture for you to see but I got to excited trying out another spot.

Welcome to above our couch in the living room. The frames and layout looked much better here...so out came the nails again and...

Wha-la! I love it! I love the layout, the look of it, everything about it! Now we just have to find pictures for our frames!

And I continued with the frames upstairs! Again, totally loving the look of it!

And I kept two of the big ones in the hallway.

Now for the second project that has been hanging over my head since the end of June. Joe and I FINALLY finished painting the stairs!

So glad to have our big painting project done!

Just in time for school to start a week from today. Boo.

Grow little ones, Grow!

Everyone! My herbs are sprouting!

YIPPEE!!

For those of you who don't know, Joe picked me up a little something for our one year, even though he broke the rules and gave me a herb kit. And now my little seedlings are making their way into this world. Let's just hope they keep growing now.

You have to pull all but 6-8 plants so there is room to grow.

Here's the ones that got the axe. Poorl little guys.

I know you probably didn't want to hear about my herbs and want to hear about our trip to Chicago this past weekend. Hold your horses folks. I might not get around to it until Thursday (I've been working overnights this week) and tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I have lots of stories to share and of course, pictures. Stayed tuned!

Nice Cork Board!

Remember back in May I shared my hopes and dreams for the future? Okay, maybe it wasn't quite my hopes and dreams but my summer "to do" list. Unfortunately, it looks as if my list will not be completed seeing that today is August 1st and I start up second semester of nursing school on the 27th = I'll never see the light of day until next May. Ugh. I'm giving myself one more week before I start thinking about packing up my backpack again.

Anyway, I did knock off one of the tasks listed on it the other day between working overnights the past two nights and trying to catch up on my sleep during the day. I now present to you my cork board cupboard! I picked up these cork tiles from Target for less than $7 smackaroos.

Here's the lucky cupboard! And cheesy art!

The tiles were a little too big for the space I wanted to fit them in so out came the scissors and more cheesy art!

Then I did the dirty work...measuring and cutting.

The tiles came with their own sticky fasteners which are stil holding up!

Ta-da! I only put up two tiles since I'm barely tall enough as it is to reach the top of the one above.

Here's a look at the final product! Everytime we get something in the mail (like wedding save-the-dates and postcards) they end up under piles of papers in the office. Now, I can pin them up and enjoy them for a bit!

Oh remember when Joe broke the rules and gave me a little something for our one year? This was in the card... Gotta love the office.

Updated Summer To Do List

For the house:

* make curtains for the kitchen

* paint living room/hallway/bedroom

* picture collage in living room/upstairs hallway

* find new bedspread for our room

* build coffee table

* build bookshelf

* build shelf & bench for kitchen

* make curtains for living room

* finish Xmas tree skirt

* wash bottles from wedding

* corkboard cupboard

* blinds for bathroom

* frame both bathroom mirrors

* XL shower curtain

For the yard:

* plant wine barrel

* add plants/flowers behind garage - This pot of flowers count, right?

* build a deck

* keep growing grass & picking weeds

* border around front/side of house

Can't forget about food:

* can lots of different things - I'm counting my jelly making day here!

* prepare freezer meals

Yep, it's going to hard to finish this in 27 days. I'll save it for next summer!

Joe and I are headed to Chicago tomorrow through Sunday so happy early weekend to you!

On to the upstairs...

Last week I shared with you my painting progress on the downstairs living room and dining room. I knew those two rooms were just the beginning of the biggest painting project of the summer and the upstairs had been staring at me all week. So on Friday I battled the upstairs with a roller brush and paint in hand. And I won.

Before...

Stella even got in on the action...

After...

It's kind of hard to see the finished look because the lighting is not the greatest but again, we love it! Now I need to work on the hallway gallery of pictures we want to do:) The last part of this project, however, I'm going to need Joe's help because it involves the stairs. I'll be able to do the lower part no problem but getting up to the ceiling is going to be a challenge.

Especially this part = me dreading it!

Hopefully we can have this done in the next two weeks although we do have a couple busy weeks coming up. Either way...we're almost there!

Making Major Progress

On Friday I really had the itch to start knocking off one of the bigger projects on my summer to do list. And before I knew it, I started preparing for it that night...

"Paint living room/dining room/upstairs hallway"

Day One: First we had to fill in the holes that Joe made with the hammer (nails had started popping through the wall) or random ones that the walls have gotten throughout the years. 

All the walls in the living room and dining room looked a little something like this.

Day Two: Let the painting begin!!

Before

After!

I see a new color! We picked Moonshine by Benjamin Moore and had it color matched to Olympic's One Paint where the paint and primer are together at Lowe's. It's low VOC and in a satin finish and we picked up a five gallon bucket of pain because of the amount of square feet we're paiting. Total it was about $120 for the paint.

The room just looks lighter and not as heavy as before. You can see the difference in the picture below.

I had to document Joe painting because it's really not his thing. I sure loved it though. With his help we finished the living room in no time!

Day Three: What our downstairs looks like now!

We are absolutely in love with the color! I may be more than Joe though because I'll sit and start at the walls. I think it will be such a great backdrop for suttle splashes of color througout the room. I plan on making curtains for the windows next but first I'm making myself finish the upstairs. Eeek!! Loving the room!!! What do you think?