What I've Been Up to...

 I just returned from a 7-day vacation in Colorado -- hiking, skiing, shopping and visiting with my good friend and ex-college roommate. We had a blast. Sharing some of the beauty... morning hike:

 Prairie dogs!!! They were everywhere...

 Summit of Mt. Sanitas...a big climb we did on the second day.

Finally, skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek and Arapahoe Basin (My fav):

Like my Vanna White pose? They were trying to eliminate the chance of avalanche while we were skiing so we heard a lot of snow cannons and rumbling going on...they shoot the missiles into the area where a cornice of snow is forming; this causes an avalanche and they shut down the road while it is cleared by a snowplow. Very wild.

Ahhh, Spring and a Fresh Look

 I recently had 50 people for dinner and I cooked! Pulled chicken and homemade wedding soup. I made everything ahead of time and froze it, so it wasn't that hard. What was hard was cleaning and sprucing up everything. My house is a lot lighter and brighter now...nothing like company to get you moving! We repainted the basement and it looks so clean...wish I could show it to you, but the pictures turned out terrible because there's no natural light (except two itty, bitty windows). Here's my family room instead:

As far as 40 bags in 40 days goes...I have successfully filled 20 bags of clothes (4 bags) , household goods and magazines (10 bags/boxes), toys (2 bags) and trash/recycling (4 bags) and I really seem to be in a bind to find more things to purge! I guess that's good because I must have done a great job last year! I did manage to get rid of an old toy box and a chandelier that should surely count for two bags, right? My bags went to charity, friends, relatives and the trash. I won't be blogging for a bit. Heading out west to ski with my ex-college roommate (my Christmas present from my hubby and kids)!

Powder Room Reveal: Don Your Sunglasses

So, this room is bright. I'm getting used to it and stenciling has toned it down somewhat. I used a maple leaf stencil that a friend of mine designed about 17 years ago. The old stencil was in bad shape so I traced it onto a new stencil film. Since I dislike math, I just eyeballed the placement. It worked out well.
I love this stencil.
I also added dots to make it a little fun. Anyway, I told you my maple leafs make me happy, so here they are in all their glory against a bright lime background...whoa!

 Took these with my cellphone and the lighting isn't perfect, but you get the picture (no pun intended).

I spray painted the bottom part of a birdcage to hold magazines.

 I'm still working on accessories such as my wastebasket. Why are they so darn expensive? Seriously, you throw trash in them. I just spray painted this one and paint lime dots on it in the meantime.

A friend told me to purchase some daylight lightbulbs and she was right, they do make it look better...especially at night. I might just get used to this lime.

I'll Have a Lime With That, Please

So, after becoming best friends with the sales clerk at Sherwin Williams -- I spent almost every morning there last week, I decided on a color for my powder room. What I really wanted was a beautiful soft lavender. Then, I tried periwinkle, then a light green. I ended up with this: Sherwin William's Gleeful #SW6709.

My bathroom is glowing. Not sure if I will get used to it, but for now, it stays. My husband and kids love it.
What I learned about color: In this small room with no natural light, pale colors didn't work. Believe me, I tried, and I am so thankful that Sherwin William's provides paint samples that allow you to cover large areas. Pale colors tend to look gray or dirty in this bathroom. I tried warmer pales; I tried many things. So, I am gleeful that I choose Gleeful. My bathroom reveal will be next week when I am completely done stenciling and accessorizing it. Yes, I plan to stencil it with maple leaves again. That stencil made me happy every time I looked it.

Feeling French

For some reason i was in the middle of cleaning and I felt like creating (I guess it's called procrastinating), so I whipped up two creations. One is a remote control keeper for my family room. I painted it with chalk paint and stamped it. It's a great little way to keep the remotes handy (holds four), but out of sight. I have one more box like it so I may create another to sell in my shop sometime, but this one is mine!

I also made another switch plate that's for sale in my shop (found a wooden plate while I was cleaning) and since I had the paint out...

Meanwhile, my 40 bags in 40 days spree is still going strong...I've added another 4 bags! (Actually, 5 if you count the trash.) Purple Heart is coming tomorrow to take away my latest haul.
Sharing this at:
French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday
and
Common Ground Be Inspired Friday
and the Vintage Farmhouse

The Painters are Coming! The Painters are Coming!

I normally do the painting in my house. There are exceptions, though. I don't do exteriors, I don't do ceilings  (well, I've done them, but not anymore) and I don't do things that I have to have done in less than two weeks. The painters are coming because the basement (which is rather large) is in desperate need of a paint job and we are having my son's college lacrosse team over for dinner. We have to hold the dinner in the basement because that's where I can fit a large number of tables (after we move the pool table). Anyway, we painted it over 11 years ago and with three boys -- need I say more? My husband asked me to pick paint colors and well, I don't want to. Say what?  I love my paint colors in the basement. I mean, they have served us well and I don't want to change them...does that make me crazy? I spent weeks picking out the right color tan and it works! The navy on the bottom also works to hide the dirt the boys generate when playing mini-hockey, etc. And both colors work well with the carpet and furniture. SO, I'm not changing the colors. Why do I feel so guilty?

Just to appease myself, I am, however, going to paint our hall bathroom. I love the blue and the stencil design I created 17 years ago (that's right), but I really need a change in that room. I used a cheap paint and it sucks. I am going with a high quality paint for that room and changing it up a bit. Right now I'm looking in the lime/citrus green color spectrum. Here's what it looks like now...

Not quite sure what I'll end up with. It's a small windowless room and I need something bright with no gray undertones (got enough gray going on in the hall, kitchen and living room).
So, while the guys are painting downstairs, I'll be in my little room working diligently to bring some NEW color into my life. I think I'll redo the maple leaves, what do you think?

40 Bags: Befores and Afters

I have boys. They have shoes. Lots of shoes.Trying to keep them from stacking their shoes in front of the door has been an ongoing problem ... my husband is and continues to be the worst offender. I tried the shelf. This is what it usually looks like:

I decided to purge shoes that no one ever wears (even if they INSIST they'll wear them). If they haven't  worn them in 6 months (unless they're flip-flops), they're not going to wear them. I do ask them before I donate or toss. Got rid of one bag and moved the sports equipment to the garage (where it belongs).
After:

I was on a roll, so next I conquered the mudroom. Got rid of three bags (one trash) in this room. It didn't take me as long as last year (maybe because it was a bit more organized even though it doesn't look like it in the before photo).
Before:

After:

I'm pretty bad when it comes to hoarding saving magazines. I decided to go through them and ended up getting rid of and recycling at least 35! As an editor, magazines are my business and I do use them to garner ideas for stories and layout, however, I think I have enough...what do you think? (Um, this is after I got rid of 35 and I'm not showing the other bookshelf that is stacked full.)  Maybe I need to "edit" my collection a bit more.

So, it's been 4 days since I started by 40 bags in 40 days and I'm up to 7 bags and 1 box. All is good.