define: weed

Having a big garden can mean lots of work. Like our house, the gardens* that we inherited had lots of potential, but had been taken for granted. (*Read: weed orchards)

I hope that some of the ground cover eventually helps to choke out the weeds, but alas, I know there will always be junk to pull out. Or shall I say, "monster weeds to painstakingly excavate."

This is one small area I decided to tackle this weekend:

I glared at this scene for quite some time before getting started.

Sometimes, the most overwhelming part for me is not the AMOUNT of weeds, but the proper identification of weeds. My friend Steph, (horticulturist-extraordinaire and owner of The Blue Daisy Floral Designs) has assured me that a weed is simply defined as: "any plant that the gardener decides is a nuisance."

Beautiful Rose of Sharon flowers!

For a very good example, I recently transplanted a few Rose of Sharon shrubs from around my house. I love them and I want them to be fruitful and multiply! Steph (among others) thought I was insane for allowing the Rose of Sharon to thrive. Yes, they can be invasive and hard to get rid of, but they'll never be a weed to me!

So for me, my weed death list includes: "anything that looks weedy or isn't blooming." Here you will see Exhibit A. Horrifyingly huge weeds taking over with thick, twisting roots. Some were about 4' high and deceivingly deep. Even the small ones were challenging to remove and may or may not have ended up with me on my butt.

The hulking weeds from hell.

I think their removal might have literally involved some blood, sweat and tears, but in the end, it's worth it. Now, I have this one little weed-free haven of my garden to enjoy.

Stay tuned for the nightmarish sequel featuring the other half of the weed orchard. Unless, that is, I decide to take advantage of the definition of a "weed" and just embrace all greenery. That's sounding good right about now! :)

breathing is important

I remember one of the first yoga classes I ever took. When the instructor babbled on about cultivating the "oojawee," I tuned him out. I didn't know what the heck that meant and anyway, I was too busy gasping for air to think about it. Years later, I did finally figure out what it meant and I'm still working on it. The ujjayi breath may come more naturally now, but the journey in finding strength and focus of the breath is never over.

Ujjayi (ooj-JA-yee) - Sanskrit term for a breathing technique used throughout a variety of yogic practices. The term translates literally to "victorious breath" and is sometimes referred to at the "oceanic breath" due to the sound it produces.

If you're not familiar with the ujjayi breathing method or are not sure you've fully grasped it, here are some helpful tips:

1 Sit tall in a comfortable position, placing one hand on the stomach and one on the chest. As you inhale through the nose, allow the belly to expand like a bellows and notice how your lower hand moves. Even as you inhale the air all the way up into your lungs, the hand on your chest does not move much. Contrary to popular belief, for the most fulfilling and complete breath, our chest only expands slightly from the diaphragm lifting. Chest-breathing is a shallow, incomplete type of breathing that we all have a tendency toward. Breaking that habit in daily life is a benefit of practicing ujjayi.

2 On the exhale, (also slowly through the nose) draw your navel up and back toward the spine, forcing out all the air.

3 Here's the part that might be challenging at first: when you exhale during ujjayi practice, you are meant to close off (or narrow) the glottis located in the back of the throat. This narrowing of that passage helps to lengthen and control the breath, while at the same time, creating an audible noise, as if in a deep sleep.  It's a little hard to grasp at first, but once you get it, you'll feel it.

Check out your glottis. This little space between the vocal cords makes the ujjayi breath possible.

Try it this way: Take an inhale through the nose, and just for this illustration, allow the air to come out through your mouth in a sigh. On the next breath, inhale through the nose once more, but this time, close the mouth completely and still try to force the air out of the mouth. If you don't allow the mouth open, you should feel the air pulling through the back of your throat and hear that audible "oceanic" sound. If you ended up hacking or blowing the air out through your mouth, that's okay. It just takes practice.

Practicing the fundamentals of the ujjayi breath is beneficial whether it's your first time or your thousandth. It really is the most important part of yoga and will carry you through your practice, help you remain focused, lift and strengthen your diaphragm, and create a meditative, soothing sound for all to share. What more could you want from just breathing!?

Keep ujjaying, yogiis! :)

home sweet work

Have you ever thought of your workplace as cozy? Yes, I know, for some occupations, that might be a stretch. If you're on the road working from your car, working in retail or with food, you might not have as much of an opportunity to create a personalized and welcoming space for yourself.

But if you do work in an office or have some sort of station to call your own each day, the quality of this area can play a big role in your mood and productivity. While you may not be able to control some factors such as wall color, furniture or feng shui, you can usually control the amount of clutter, cleanliness, lighting and personal flair. All of which can either encourage or discourage productivity.

My own little diorama.

I'm blessed to work in a an office that was already pretty homey well before I came along. Each of us has our own little area that we lovingly refer to as our dioramas. Opening on one side to huge windows and high ceilings, our dioramas don't look or feel like cubicles.

View of 3 dioramas.

But regardless of your staring point, there might be something you can do to improve your space. Here are some simple ideas for making your office feel a little less officey:

• Keep it clean and functional. Whether your office is in your car, at a desk or from your home, buy some organizers if needed and make an effort to keep things where they should be.

Clean and clutter-free workspace. Don't forget to actually clean your desk, mouse and keyboard often with a disinfectant; otherwise, they can literally harbor more germs than a public restroom!

• Have a space for snacks. You might be mocked for having a snack locker, cupboard or drawer, but guess where co-workers come crying when they're in need? Who doesn't want tea or chocolate on a bad day? Knowing that I have a backup for a forgotten lunch or healthy snacks available throughout my busy day is comforting and helps keep me focused and on task.

My lovely snack locker at work.

• Add personal flair. Once you get settled in to your office, it's easy to overlook bringing in decorations or things from home. If you don't have anything other than the necessities, try adding a few photos, plants or nick-knacks that make you smile and boost your mood.

Little things from home like a favorite mug can make a huge difference in your mood.

• Dress comfortably. While staying within the requirements of your dress-code, consider more loose-fitting clothes, comfortable shoes and breathable fabrics. No one has to know if you're wearing luxurious fluffy socks, but you'll thank yourself later. I also like to keep a few backup things in my locker like a spare sweatshirt and an extra pair of socks for a soggy-footed rainy day.
• Bring an adorable dog with you. I know, I know. I'm spoiled and animals are definitely not possible for many offices. If you work in an environment where it might be a possibility every once in a while or if you've never asked, what are you waiting for?

If you can't bring a dog to work, consider a fish. They're cool too.

 Next time you're in your office, take a look around. If you absolutely cannot improve what you've got, maybe it's time to work on changing your mindset. Make the best of it because either way, you'll surely be spending a lot of time there! :P

fight your mind, fight your body

Working toward a new yoga posture is challenging, but it's much more than physically challenging. You may possess the physical ability to achieve a pose, but if you're not getting there, you could be your own worst enemy. 

Think of it this way: Say I am trying to reach around into a bind. I've done this 1,000 times before, but today, I'm just having trouble staying present in my practice. I've had a bad day at work, I'm hungry and distracted, my breath is weak and I'm getting irritated thinking, "Why can't I reach this?"  The more I try to force it, the farther I am from achieving anything, even if I make the stupid bind. If a pose isn't approached from a calm and centered frame- of-mind, it doesn't matter if you're physically able or not.

King Pigeon is a beautiful, deeply freeing pose if the practitioner is cautious and well-prepared.

If you do have a specific asana goal that you are struggling with, it might be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

Why am I working toward this next pose? Perhaps the most important question of all, analyze why this is important to you. Are your motives really pure? Don't allow ego to cloud your judgement as to what you're ready for. At the same time, never let your asana challenges define your self-worth.

Healthy motives behind asana goals might include a physical need for deeper muscle release, a recommendation by your teacher, or a new challenge for your meditative state. Remember, the specific translation of the word "asana" translates to "pose you can hold with ease."

In other words, you will never fight your way into a correct yoga posture. If you're fighting with your body, you're already fighting with your mind.

What poses should I master first? Know your stuff before attempting any new pose. Ask your yoga teacher or mentor what poses you can practice to work up to a goal. More harm than good can come from being ill-prepared for a new pose. 

What might be holding me back? Physical obstacles might be more obvious, especially if you're working with a teacher. But what about emotional obstacles? Could it be fear? Fear of failure or fear of a bloody nose in your first Crow? Whatever it is, you'll need to address it head-on before you can get any further (no pun intended). Yes, you might still feel some fear as you work on your Crow, but with a pillow in front of your face and confidence in your arm strength, you can succeed.

Am I being patient? Maybe one of the hardest questions to ask yourself: is it possible that you're rushing into an exciting new pose? Whether it's been 2 months or 2 years, being calm and present in each practice will go a long way in helping you to accept your progress and understand your body.

 

What if I really can't do it? Everyone is built differently. It's not a cop-out to acknowledge your limitations. Your skeleton, ligaments, muscles and joints are unique to you. Past injuries or predispositions may mean that certain poses may never come without modifications. And that's perfectly okay. Afterall, if you can breathe, you can practice yoga.

The freedom and energy that you feel when you achieve a new pose for the right reasons does not even compare to the muscular stretch you might get from just being in a pose.

Stay wise, yogiis!


Photo courtesy & copyright of Little Story Studio

all hail kale

Kale is all the rage lately. If you haven't tried it, don't tell your hip foodie friends...they'll be embarrassed for you. Lucky for me, my sister told me about kale chips a few months ago (tossing kale pieces in olive oil and garlic salt, baking at 400º until crispy). I love trying new things, so I was able to stay ahead of this fantastic food-fad. I was pleased with a bunch of different kale recipes and was very interested in learning about the many health benefits.

If you're apprehensive about trying something new or aren't sure if kale is really all that much better than your current greens...I've got news for you:

Impressive qualities of kale.

Sold on the facts, but still unsure what to do with kale? Try out this recipe for Potato Kale cakes from bonappetit.com. Great for introducing yourself or your family to kale, this gluten-free recipe is full of nutrition and flavor. It's also a very fast and basic recipe, so even the most pathetic cooks can handle it. (I can say this because I have much experience with being a pitiful cook) Anyway, it's one of my very favorite uses for kale and it really keeps me feeling full (which is a rare occasion for me).

Potato Kale cakes from bonappetit.com

So at least in our house, as far as food-trends go, I think kale might just be a keeper.

laundry love [sort of]

No, I do not love doing laundry, but I have very strong feelings toward this laundry room. Yes, it's just a laundry room, but it's a real laundry room, not a spider-infested 6' tall Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style cave with a festering stream flowing through it. Here, I can wash clothes without fearing for my life and I can even drop things on the floor without having to rewash them. (Clearly, this was a huge selling-point for me)

I also should be ashamed to say that I still consider it one of the best "before and after" transformations so far. I might be a terrible person for taking an awful photo from the previous owner's "moving-out-madness" and making it black and white. It just makes me feel like I did a really great job by not having crap everywhere. Meanwhile, all I really did was paint, put my stuff in, and add a cool vintage light fixture. (Yes, it's from Restore).

The happy-yellow laundry room "after" with $8 light globe from Restore.

The sad, salmon-colored laundry room "way before"

Fun fact: Before moving in, I was desperate to get a few things done, but we didn't have electricity. Knowing that we would need to use this room right away, painting was frantically finished via cell-phone light the night before moving day! Ahh, memories.

As for the globe light, love it or hate it, I think it adds character. (Especially since before, it was just a bulb in a socket.) We thought it was odd that much of our house had naked bulbs, but now we know why. The old fixtures are attached to the gas lines running through the ceilings that would have originally lit the house. What would normally be a 5-minute project is more like a full episode of MacGyver. 

While I can't elaborate on how to hang and rewire a normal light fixture, I can tell you that if your house was built in the 1920's, you will not find any helpful videos on YouTube and you will need an electrician, handyman, or awesome Dad to help you. For me, it was well-worth the hassle. :)

 

namaste, nemesis

Whether or not you've taken yoga before, you're probably familiar with the concept that "the exercises (or yoga asanas) that you struggle with the most, are in fact the ones you need the most." 

During yoga teacher training, we had a funny discussion about such poses. I happen to have a highly flexible back, allowing me to comfortably practice certain advanced poses that probably look challenging. (This certainly does not make me an advanced yogii, it's just the way my lower back is built.) When commiserating together about our most hated poses, everyone was shocked when I revealed that my nemesis is Pyramid pose. As a basic side stretch and forward bend, this pose is meant to be relaxing and even restorative. Well guess what? Pretzel has tight hamstrings.

My nemesis - Pyramid Pose.

This got me thinking about other aspects of yoga that might be frustrating for some, and in turn, how much more we need to embrace those challenges. The very things that might annoy us or feel inconvenient about our practice might be our bodies best way of indicating what we actually need.

For example: outside of a time commitment or emergency, some yoga students habitually leave before or during savasana (the resting period at the end of yoga class). Savasana is not only an important time of rest for the body (the spine stretches and relaxes horizontally after each practice, allowing muscle-memory to set in), but even more so, it is meant to be a time for a mental break, prayer, introspection, meditation or nothing at all. Yes, savasana is a challenge for many. Many people are uncomfortable with silence or self-reflection. But how much more does the central nervous system need that time of true relaxation if a mind is always wandering or a body always fidgeting?

Next time you're in savasana, maybe use that time to consider your practice. Not just the asanas, but the whole yoga experience. From the time you pack your mat into the car to head to the studio, to the moment you unfurl your spine into your savasana, what was your subconscious mind or body trying to tell you? Did you road-rage on the way to practice? Are you holding tension in your shoulders or hips? Was the grocery list running through your head during warm-up or were you distracted at your yoga neighbor's stuffy nose? Whatever physical or mental negativity or distraction you're feeling, consider the possibility of making room for improvement. By acknowledging our weaknesses, inflexibility or impatience, we might just learn to cope with their sources. (Even if it is just a stupid Pyramid).

Namaste, nemesis pose.

the blue bathroom that gave me the blues

Catching up on some "before & afters," this bathroom was one of my first priorities when we moved in. Although it took significantly longer than I'd planned, it was well worth the wait. Here's the before:

Before we moved in

Where do I begin?* Although the room was a nice size and had potential, I can't say I liked anything about it other than the sink and the radiator. From the mini blinds yellowed with age to the broken and sticky medicine cabinet, it was hard to even feel clean in here.

*I'll tell you where I began. During a shower, in a fit of rage, I tore down all of the stupid sea shell decals that were glued around the top of the shower. 


So here's what went down:
- I took down that stupid medicine cabinet. Not only was it just mounted on the wall and about 4" too deep so that you hit your face on it all the time, but the bathroom closet is roomy; No need for more storage space.
- I pitched that giant random cabinet. Again, it was falling apart and completely unnecessary.
- Instead of curtains or blinds, I went with another window film to allow in more light. You can read more about how awesome window films are here.
- I used a spray of 1:1 vinegar and water solution and a scraper to remove the seashell border. I found that if I sprayed a few feet ahead of myself, giving the solution time to work, it did come off easily. 
- I re-stained all the trim and wood work. Most of the trim was not original for whatever reason, and it didn't match the rest of the house well.
- I measured how high I wanted a chair rail and put marks all the way around the room. Then, I painted the ceiling white (it was dark blue and bumpy...I don't want to talk about how long that took, even with Behr paint/primer in one) and the top half of the wall.
- Then, I painted the bottom half of the wall up to the line, and my Dad helped me install the trim I had bought and stained to match. Although he made it look easy, I could have never done that part by myself.
-  I bought an extra long shower curtain liner, to allow room to install the shower curtain rod much higher. I originally did it because our shower head is unusually high on the wall, but I also love the way it looks...it makes the ceilings look higher.
- I hung the new vanity light and towel bar! (There was never an existing towel bar...?)

Since we didn't replace anything major like the floor or the sink, this project was relatively cheap. We already had a ton of white paint for the ceiling, so all we needed was paint for the bottom portion of the wall and the wood trim. There are still a few things that could be improved. I'm keeping my eyes peeled at Restore for a larger old mirror and I'd like to purchase this faucet to match everything else, but it's hard to stay focused when I've got a whole house ahead of me!

Hope this inspired someone to keep on DIYing!

The corner with the awesome fern that died exceptionally fast.

Light fixture close-up (Allen+Roth)

my shovel is calling

We are blessed to have a large yard to play in, work on, and enjoy. When we moved in, everything was overgrown and under appreciated. After much sweat, lopping, digging and cutting later, this is where we are now. I was too disgusted to take a REAL before before photo, so trust me when I say this has already come a long way. 

The current middle, lower back yard view.

I'm no pro-gardener, but I know what I like. I don't mind a garden that looks a little wild. I'm in favor of natural-looking shrubs as opposed to little spheres of perfection and I typically only bother with shrubs or plants that flower in some way. Right now, this garden looks pretty empty to me. I don't like all the naked space and most of the shrubs around the house look like little fros.

That being said, I'm not about to destroy any perfectly healthy plants that were here before me, so as long as they're not killing other plants or just plain ugly, I will make the best of them all. Although I'm tempted to plant excessive amounts of wildflowers and call it a day, I do have some plans for making this garden a little cozier.

Please disregard the lazy Photoshopping...I should be ashamed, but I was just so excited to get my ideas out!

A few things to note here:
- I'm not much for annuals because I'm looking for a long-term plan. It's nice to have things bloom all summer, but I have enough gardening to do without investing time and money into things that will knowingly die. I do like to buy a few packets of seeds each year though, and plant big luscious flowers like ranunculus or zinnias. (See ranunculus up in the yard under the magnolia)
- I am all about propagating existing plants that I (or my friends and family) have. Not only is it a great money saver, but older, established plants benefit from being trimmed back or separated anyway. I plan to separate much of the Autumn Joy Sedum I have around, as well as more of the Rock Garden Iris. I'm also hoping to try propagating hydrangeas with these directions from Southern Living.
- In case you can't see it on your monitor, hanging from the right of the plant hook is an awesome hummingbird feeder I plan to find soon. We already have a regular bird feeder that we enjoy watching from the sunroom and we've seen a few hummingbirds.
- I realize that this area would never look like this because these things will never all bloom at the same time. :)

I definitely have my work cut out for me here (and this is only one area of many!) But luckily, I can't wait. Let me know if you have any planning ideas or tips of your own!

take your yoga with you

Ever thought about practicing some yoga during your commute? (No, I'm not talking about popping into a handstand on the subway.) I mean have you ever made your commute a consciously relaxing and comfortable experience? (Without involving large muffins or iced coffee...mmm). It might not be as difficult as you think to work on your yoga, even if your commute is public. :)

Breath: Start with your breath. If you regularly practice yoga, you will know to cultivate your ujjayi breath. If you've never taken any yoga before, that's okay! You can start by simply breathing in and out through the nose, slowly. Begin to lengthen each inhale and exhale, making them nice and full...pulling the air up from the pit of the belly, filling up the diaphragm, and then with each exhale, tuck the navel up and back in toward the spine. This complete breath helps to expel out all the stale air that tends to settle in our lower lungs, all while strengthening the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles.

Since ujjayi breathing is practiced throughout an entire yoga session, it's perfectly acceptable to work on this technique all the way to and from wherever you're going. Imagine how much stronger your diaphragm could be after working on this consciously for a few weeks!

Bandhas: The term bandha is Sanskrit for "energy lock" and there are 3 basic locks. The Mula Bandha (pelvic floor lock), Uddiyana Bandha (abdomen lock) and Jalandhara Bandha (chin lock). We'll focus on the Mula and Uddiyana Bandhas. (Jalandhara bandha involves "locking" the chin down toward the chest, which is not a desirable posture for driving.)

While practicing your deep ujjayi breathing, retain a deep inhale and contract the pelvic floor muscle, Mula Bandha. This lock can be challenging for some, but the benefits are great as you learn to strengthen these delicate muscles and use this technique during your asana (physical yoga pose) practice.

Try the same with the Uddiyana Bandha, only after an exhale. Contract the abdomen, tucking it deeply in and up under the rib cage. This encourages proper breathing and is also beneficial throughout yoga practice.

Spinal Alignment: Our spine is something that we should all be thinking about every day. It's so easy to fall into poor posture habits, especially in a car or at a desk. Be sure to adjust your seat, making sure that the base of your spine makes contact with the back of the seat and the knees are slightly lower than the hips. Also, many people make the mistake of tilting the back of the seat the whole way to 90º, thinking that sitting up pin straight is good. In reality, you should allow your spine to relax backward just slightly, taking pressure off of your lower spine. Shoulders (down and away from the ears) should relax back against the seat, and your whole body should be about arms length away from the steering wheel. This distance from the steering wheel can feel much too far if you're not used to it, but not only is it better for your posture, it is also much safer. (Heaven forbid your air bags should ever go off if you're 6" from your steering column.)

Throughout your day, wherever you go, take your yoga with you. Think about what your spine is doing and understand that years worth of spinal imbalances and muscle memory will enable much of your poor posture to be subconscious. Whether you're walking or sitting, imagine that someone is gently lifting the crown of your head upward. Leave notes or set phone reminders to: Uncross legs, Lift the spine, Sit up tall, Relax shoulders...etc.

Most of all, have patience with your posture progress. All of these changes can feel very awkward at first, but after a few weeks of dedication, your body with thank you!

banana cantaloupe smoothie

I was famished this morning (as usual). I didn't have time to make a big breakfast, but I really wanted to be filled up. That translates to: "dump a bunch of stuff in the blender and drink it." I've been getting much better at smoothies if I do say so myself, and this one ended up exceptional!

Here's the "recipe:"

- 2 slices of frozen cantaloupe (I usually make some fruit salad or something, then freeze some left over fruit for stuff like this)

- 1/2 frozen banana

- 1 unfrozen banana

- 1 cup Stoneyfield Farms Whole Milk yogurt

- 1 cup raw oatmeal

- 1 handful fresh, raw spinach

- 1 cup milk (or more depending how you like the texture)

Blend until smooth and let me know what you think!

I also added some ground flax for omega 3s. You really can't taste it at all, and it's safe for gluten-free diets. This general recipe is usually good for whatever frozen fruit I have on hand and if it REALLY ends up bad, you can always add a bunch of honey or agave. :)

find your inner...cat

I walked in on this scene shortly after my new yoga room had been established. It was clear that she was enjoying herself as she didn't move a muscle even after being woken up, pet, photographed and laughed at.

Pure bliss.

It got me thinking about being present and truly relaxed. (My pets can teach me a lot about this!) How easily are we distracted from enjoying life? How often do we worry so much about the future or what others are thinking that we lose track of our peace? Being still might be a little easier during meditation, prayer or yoga practice. In a warm, dimly lit room among others of the same mind set all stretching and breathing slowly and deeply, true peace may come a bit more naturally. But what about when we're sitting in traffic? Or having a truly hectic day at the office? How can we carry peace throughout daily life?

Whether you practice yoga or not, I think it's important to occasionally (without stressing about it) analyze your reactions to stress. How do you handle tension physically and emotionally? Do you buckle down and suck it up? Do you address it head-on (ie. prayer, meditation, counsel)?  From a pesky hole in your sock to being laid off from a job, stress will always be part of life. But how we address it (or don't address it) will eventually have consequences whether we realize it or not.

You can only avoid so much stress. Eventually, stress will find you. But if you work at being well-equipped with a healthy soul, it will show. And maybe it will look something like this cat.

Namaste!

get creative with craigslist

I LOVE Craigslist. We've sold Christmas decorations, bought a microwave & a juicer, discovered neat community events and found things like this great little rocking chair. I love that there are sections for free stuff, bartering and small business ads. If you're patient, you can almost always find what you're looking for, even on a tight budget. 

When I was on the hunt for a new piece of furniture, money was tight. We had just moved in, were both paying for school, bought a truck, a snow blower, a leaf blower and countless "little things" for the house that ended up being one monstrous credit card bill. Dave is very good about not trying to stifle my creativity when the mood strikes me, but with all that debt looming over us, I knew that I needed to be mature about house decor vs. groceries. 

I started to poke around on Craiglist, armed with determination to not settle for anything less that a good bargain. How about an antique $20 rocking chair in good shape with carved details?

$20 Craigslist steal.

I already got some flak for painting this, but I just didn't like the color of wood. All of our trim, floors and woodwork is a dark reddish brown. I felt like it would have been significantly more work to stain than it would be to paint, and I was looking for something bright and cheery.

So I sanded it all down with a light grit sandpaper, "just to get the gloss off" as my Dad always reminds me. It wasn't too bad. Then I wiped all the dust off with a damp rag, and got to work with one of these:

Confused? Yes, it's a candle. Just any old ordinary candle you might have laying around, works WONDERS to create a natural-looking distressed piece. All I did was lightly rub it over the edges and corners of the chair, just enough to deposit some of the wax. I focused more on spots where the chair would naturally chip, such as the edges of the arms and legs. Then, without further ado, I painted right over it with Behr (primer and paint in one). Once it dried, I just went back with a small chisel/fingernails and scraped off the edges and areas where I had put the wax. I also used a tiny screwdriver to scrape the paint out of some of the carvings to make it pop. It was super easy and came out looking perfectly shabby-chic! It's still one of my favorite furniture makeovers.

After light wax distressing and paint.

diy windows for dummies

Let me preface by saying I'm not calling anyone dumb. But I know that anything involving windows can be intimidating when it comes to "doing it yourself." Never fear! Window film is here!

A lot of people have asked me about these "stained glass" windows in our upstairs bathroom. I've even had people touch them, shocked to find the totally smooth surface. Unless you are right in front of them, you really can't tell at all that they're not real, especially in those old wooden frames.

These window films can be found lots of places nowadays and they come in all sorts of great patterns and styles. You can make a bold statement like this, or just do a simple frosted pattern for privacy. It only takes a few minutes to apply:

- Measure (or eyeball) the window and cut the paper, adding about 1/4" (don't forget to do that because the paper shrinks up a little bit)

- Using a spray bottle with water and a few drops of liquid detergent, spray the window surface. Detergent helps it adhere a bit better.

- Peel off the backing and place on window. You'll be able to slide it around to position it. 

- Using a credit card or squeegee, smooth the film from the middle outward to the edges.

- Last, just take an x-acto blade and trim the excess to the edge of the window frame.

By the time you would purchase curtains and hardware, window films end up being cheaper and also allow for privacy and light. Perfect for a bathroom! Not only that, but they're only applied with water to stay put, so they could be easily removed if you change your mind.

I won't be removing these anytime soon though. Check out how naked the windows looked without them! Anyone else tried the films? What did you think of them?

The "before" windows

out with the new, in with the old

Accumulating furniture to fill a big empty house takes patience. And money. I can't say I have an abundance of either of these things, but I do have a local Habitat for Humanity Restore. If you haven't heard of it or don't have one near you, the basic concept is that they receive donations (building materials, appliances, furniture) from houses that are being torn down, remodeled or cleaned out. The inventory varies every week, but usually includes a lot of awesome vintage stuff. Sometimes they also receive brand new items from Lowes or Home Depot, but when they have too much of anything, the whole store goes 50% off. I usually poke around on the weekends and there is almost always a sign posted announcing, "BIG SALE TODAY!" And they mean it.

I am usually in some state of excitement. It might be a sunny day, a good lunch, a picnic next month or maybe I'm just brewing with dreams, but I generally have something to be enthused about. A good project to work on can quickly push me right over the edge. I see the end product in my head. The potential of a piece of furniture, a garden or a room practically screams at me to get moving! I'm easily obsessed when there's something exciting to putz on and this project was no different.

The "before" $35 china cupboard. Found at Habitat for Humanity Restore.

It was my very first trip to the Restore. I was only going to browse. (The same way I've "browsed" for every animal I've ever owned). I spotted it across the crowded room right when I walked in. It was love at first sight.  

I made a b-line for the price tag, but was sure there was some mistake. "Thirty five dollars?" I asked. "For the whole thing?"
"Yup!" replied the smiling clerk. I'm sure they get these dumb questions all the time. "We have too much furniture right now, so it's gotta go. If you want it, take the price tag off."
I ran back to it to claw at the tag, just as another couple was drooling over it. "Oh, sorry. This one's not for sale." Suckers.


Other than the silly, modern and polished knobs, the cheapy spray-paint frosted glass and the busted leg, I loved everything about it. I wasn't planning to change much else, that is until my husband suggested that it looked "too imposing" as black. Once he said it, it was immediately creepy, overbearing and possibly haunted. I couldn't get the thought out of my head. A total remodel was in order.

After only one coat of Kilz primer.

So here's what I did:
- Wiped off all the cobwebs and removed all the stinking stink bugs from their hiding places
- Removed the glass door and knobs
- Scraped, chiseled and scratched off the cheapy glass frosting
- Reattached some loose panels in the back
- Painted the whole thing, inside and out, with Kilz primer. Highly recommend it. 
- Went over the whole thing, inside and out, with 1-2 coats of white spray paint
- Poured over all the knob options at Anthropologie.com. [swoon]
- Applied Martha Stewart Metallic Silver Glazing to carved detail areas with a damp rag. Hate Martha, but love this.
- Received $35 knobs (yes, I realize that is the same price as the cupboard) and attached them along with the glass

The "after" linen closet.

So here it is! The "after" linen closet. It is currently residing in our rather ridiculously large upstairs bathroom. It is taking up space, making it look homey, and storing a vase, old curtains, a picnic blanket, white rags, and toilet paper. Nothing in the drawer yet, but I'm sure it will be filled with crap within the next few years.


The best part? (Besides the price and the end-product) I didn't sand a darn thing. :)

So as I continue on my journey of making our big old house cozy, I will continue to search for old things with character. I will check local places like Restore. I will continue to reject big-box stores in favor of reusing and recycling old pieces and giving them a new life. And I will continue (hopefully) to post about it. :)

welcome me to blogging

This is not my first attempt at a blog. The trouble is, I can't seem to settle on one solid topic to blog about. I've recently decided that's okay. So bear with me as I possibly blog about home renovation, DIY projects, food, yoga, design, gardening and anything else that may be on my mind...wholeheartedly.