Keeping It Simple: My 2014 Christmas Decorations

Hey ya'll. So, this year I decided to do something a little different for Christmas. 
I decided to keep it simple.
After a year of renovating the upstairs, and then my questionable decision to immediately embark on the basement renovation, I decided that all I wanted was a quiet, peaceful, relaxing Christmas.
The basement reno is currently waging war on my mental health and looks to be completed in 2045.
So sorry guys.

How To Make A Christmas Ornament Wreath

Hey ya'll! So, each year around November, the emails start pouring in with all of the ornament wreaths you guys have made.
And seeing all of your creations always inspires me to make another one. 

So, welcome to my third annual Christmas ornament wreath tutorial. 
It's basically a tradition now.
Can't stop. Won't stop.

DIY Ikea Rast Makeover with Weathered Gray Wood Stain

Hey ya'll! 

So, I think I've pinned about 400 Ikea Rast Hacks, but I've never actually done one of my own. Mostly because there's no Ikea anywhere near Knoxville, but also because I love to repurpose thrift store finds (as opposed to tediously assembling furniture).

But, when it came time to furnish the guest bedroom, I decided to check out what this Rast business was all about. 

10 Secrets for Buying The Best Furniture on Craigslist

Over the past four years, I've spent a lot of time buying and selling our stuff on Craigslist. It's a great way to find stylish decor on a budget, and if you're anything like me (a crazy person who rearranges things once a month), Craigslist becomes a great way to keep your budget intact by selling off the old stuff you no longer want. 
So, today I thought I would share some of my Craigslist shopping tips with you guys.
Plus, it's just fun to look at Craigslist finds together.
Ulterior motive revealed. 

DIY No Sew Two Toned Curtains

Hey ya'll! So, I've finally found a solution to a little problem that I come across almost every time I buy curtains. You know how most stores sell curtains that are either 63'' or 84''? But when you hang your curtains near the ceiling like the internet tells you to, they end up being way too short? And then you look online, only to find that most 95'' curtains are $100 a panel?
And then you face palm and decide to go without curtains forever.

How To Easily Update Thrift Store Art

Hey ya'll! Well, we are still in the throes of laying tile in the basement. It's going along at a decent pace, so I'm hoping to have a few in-progress pics to show you eventually. They may not be pretty pics, but I'll show you anyways. 
Jesse has been doing most of the heavy lifting, so while he's been busy downstairs, I've been working non-stop trying to finish up the rest of the upstairs. 

It's a deal we struck.
He got the short end of the stick.

The Basement Renovation, Part One: The Demolition Begins!

Hey ya'll! So, after spending the first 10 months of the year working on the upstairs main level of the house, it's finally time for us to venture downstairs and start renovating the basement level. I know you guys have been so curious about this part of the house, and I'm so excited to finally be able to share it with you. 
By the end of today's post, you'll totally understand why I've never blogged about the basement before, but we're just going to be honest about things and enjoy the journey that is renovating an old 70's house.
I'm feeling excited, terrified, hopeful, and slightly nauseous. 

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 10: The Dining Room Reveal!

Hey ya'll!
So, the dining room is finally finished. It feels like it took a lifetime to piece together, but nonetheless, it's done. And I'm so excited to finally be able to share all of the little details with you. 
I was tempted to type out a little warning for you, telling you that this is a very long post filled with very weird pictures and very weird stories, but then I realized that my entire blog is that. 

And then I kinda felt like hiding.

But, anyways, enjoy!

DIY Gold and Silver Magnets

Hey ya'll!!
So, this is the easiest little project ever...DIY gold and silver alphabet magnets. 

They're quick, they're cheap, they're really cute, and if you're anything like me, they'll make you act like you just learned how to spell and you're really excited about it. 
For like a week. 
And I totally got this idea here. So, Michael deserves all the credit for these. I am but a mere magnet copier who just wants to share her joy with the people.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 9: The Office Makeover

Hey ya'll! If you've been following along lately, you know I've been spending most of my free time* finishing the office. And I finally feel like it's decent enough to share. Kinda.
*Free time = that one weekend in August when I wasn't traveling to visit family/friends or traveling with Jesse for his work. For those of you who've been curious, Jesse is part of a media startup and the more it's grown, the more frequently he travels. And I go with him because it's just a great opportunity to spend time together, travel, read books (a passion I totally forget I have unless I'm stranded in a car), stay in a comfy hotel room, and eat multiple breakfasts at Cracker Barrel. 
Plus, I just kinda hate being home alone, which I fully blame on Macauley Culkin, circa 1990.

How To Make Gold Leaf Art (Round Two)!

Hey ya'll! 
I just got back from Michigan on Tuesday (more on that later), and I was finally able to put the finishing touches on a little art project I've been working on.

This isn't my first attempt at gold leaf art (you might remember this one or this one), but I really wanted to make a larger piece with some hints of pink and purple for the office.

How To Paint Furniture the Easy Way!

Hey ya'll! So, I've been traveling around like a crazy person all summer long. I've been home about three out of eight weekends, and my projects have totally taken a backseat. I have a very obvious pattern that repeats itself each year: I see ALL the people and do ALL the things all summer long, and then every winter I hermit myself until the sun comes back out...leaving me plenty of time to do all the things I avoided all summer.
So, we're not freaking out about the summer slump. Lassie WILL come home. Eventually.

50 Budget Decorating Tips You Should Know!

Hey ya'll. So, this renovation that I've been snailing my way through is finally on the home stretch. I've been painting and installing trim and doors for nearly 6 weeks now, and I think I might actually be finished by this time next week. I'll be sharing all of the details about what I've been up to very soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to take a minute to recap some of the best budget decorating ideas that I've come up with in the past 2 years before we started the renovation.

Behind The Scenes: Petting Zoo.

Hey ya'll! 

I wasn't planning on posting this week since we have some family staying with us and a few activities planned for the holidays, but I was going through some pictures on my phone this morning and decided to share a few funny tidbits from the week with you.
Happy Fourth of July....here's an awkward post about two pudgy cats and a Rat Terrier. 
My gift to you.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 8: The Living Room Updates

Hey ya'll. 
I'm drawing a blank.
So, I'm going to fill up this little space next to the tiny picture with non-important words so that we can quickly get to the meat of the post and talk like normal people.

Because sometimes I have a million things to tell you, but my brain jams up when faced with an introductory paragraph.

New rule: Virginia is occasionally excused from introductory paragraphs and can instead just quote Lionel Richie lyrics or take a picture of her hand. I'll save those options for later.

How To Paint Furniture with Chalk Paint (and how to survive a DIY disaster).

Hey ya'll. So remember the $50 Craigslist dresser I found last month for my TV stand project? And remember how I said I was going to stain it? 
Well, my first attempt at staining a dresser was a total fail. I spent two weeks on this thing, stripping it, staining it, hating it, painting it three different colors, and ultimately saving the day with some new chalk paint.
Welcome to the latest episode of disaster blog.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 7: The Painted Door & Stair Rail

Hey ya'll! So, remember a month ago when I debuted the new stair rail? Well, I truly thought I would be able to get everything painted in a week or so. And then it basically took me a month to get it all finished. 
It's ridiculous, I know.

I've come to accept that this will never be a blog that makes things look quick and easy.
Welcome to the opposite blog. Take off your shoes. Stay awhile. Enjoy the disaster that unfolds in every post.

Thrifty Shopping Tips & Tricks: How to find the best stuff for less, Part One

Hey ya'll! So, I've decided to start a new series on the blog about all of the awesome stuff I come across when I'm out thrifting and such. And it won't just be limited to thrift stores. There are tons of amazing places to find discounted or second-hand home decor... yard sales, Craigslist, Ebay, auctions, estate sales, antique malls, vintage shops, consignment stores, salvage shops, and even a few retail places that I love. 

Let's not put a time stamp on the series, but just know that it's gonna be recurring. Unless you hate it and then we'll just pretend it never happened. Like a bad perm.

How To Paint a Room

Hey ya'll! Today we're talking about another one of your FAQS: How to paint a room. Painting a room seems really easy to me now, but I remember how daunting it can be if you've never done it before.
Let's not forget, four years ago I had never held a paintbrush, and I didn't even know where to find such a thing. 
What's this Depot of the Homes you speak of?
And who is this 'Lowe' fellow? You mean Rob?

How To Choose a Paint Color: 10 Tips To Help You Decide

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is about choosing a paint color. I'm no expert, but after painting our entire house 2+ times and experimenting with tons of different paint colors, I've definitely learned a thing or two. So, today I'm going to share some of our newly painted rooms, and share my 10 tips for choosing a color.
And then probably mix in some random nonsense. Because that's how we do.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 6: The Hardwood Stairs and Entryway Makeover

Hey ya'll! It's update day!
We've made a lot of progress on the stairs and entryway in the past couple weeks, and although I really wanted it to be finished before I showed you, it just isn't.

I know you guys still want to know what's going on though, so consider today a progress report.

I'm contemplating changing the name of my blog to LiveLoveSnail.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 5: My Biggest Flooring Mistake

Aaaaaand we're back.
So, if you've been paying attention, you may have realized that I just fell off the face of the Earth mid-renovation. 

Obviously, something went awry.
Let's not beat around the bush.

I temporarily messed up my floors. 
And, rather than divulge my mishaps as they were happening (Get. Real.) I instead spent a few weeks crying into Cheese's fur, planning my escape to Paraguay, and wiping pizza grease on my sweatpants uniform. 

How To Make DIY Gold Leaf Abstract Art

Hey ya'll! 
I'm taking a break from renovation updates for a week or two. I have so much to tell you. I can barely stand the wait, but I think it's best to let everything get finished and then share everything.

In the meantime....

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 4: Behind the Scenes

Hey ya'll. I don't have any house pictures for you today. I know you probably want to smoosh me. But, this is real life, and real life is messy and rarely goes as planned. However, I can officially confirm that the floor stain is in the building!!! 
We have lift off. 
I might have pictures for you next week, or I might just have another picture of a breakfast sandwich. 
I'm learning to stop predicting things.
Watch me do it 5 times in this post.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 3: Progress Report

Hey ya'll! 

Our renovation is about to go into week five, but you won't be hearing any complaints from this girl. I've been waiting for this all to happen for four years now and I'll survive five tiny little weeks of dust.
But just between you and me (we're whispering right now), I could really use a brain massage, a ballpark hotdog, a fully put-back-together house, and a weeklong nap in Jamaica. 
End whisper.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part Two: Knocking Down Walls

Hey ya'll! I'm back! I've kinda been a hot mess lately, crammed in a bedroom with two cats who think they're mini-buffaloes, living off Papa John's, and struggling to form a coherent thought amidst the dust and noise. So, thank you for bearing with me during this weird-house-limbo-time. Despite the dust, I'm so excited, and we're finally making progress. So, I've got some fun things to share with you today.
Cats + pepperoni pizza + dust = life.

Our 1970's House Makeover: The Real Story Behind a Renovation, Part One

So, it's time I let you in on a little secret. Remember last week's bedroom post? Well, we'll be living in that room for the next month, as the rest of our house is a total disaster. Last week, we began the demolition that will ultimately result in us having hardwood floors throughout our house. And somehow, the floor project sent me straight down the wormhole of renovations, and now there are 45 projects simultaneously underway in my house.

DIY Decorating Ideas for Your Bedroom

Hey ya'll! So, today I'm finally sharing all of the little changes I've been making to the master bedroom over the past month or so. 

First things first, let's address the elephant in the room: 
This room is on its 11th look. 
And I realize it's ridiculous. 
However, decorating is so hard for me, and it might take me 14 times to get it right. Plus, I think I've spent about $3 in 3 years on this room, give or take. 

Can we just hug the elephant and call it a day?

How To Make DIY Ampersand Art Using Thumbtacks

Hey ya'll! I have an awesome art idea for you today. I was browsing Pinterest the other day and came across this brilliant idea on Angela's beautiful blog. 

The minute I saw it, I knew I had to make my own, so I flung into action and several hours later, my ampersand art was born.
And I could just leave it at that, but you know I'm incapable of such brevity. 
It's a blessing and a curse.

10 Things You Should Know About Spray Paint

One of my favorite parts of blogging is the emails/comments ya'll send me. For two reasons. #1: Although I'm usually pretty outgoing, I'm a big introvert at heart, and sometimes wearing XXL sweatpants and hiding under my bed sounds like a fine way to spend the day. But, then I read your emails, and I'm reminded of how much I love blogging and why I can't just live under my bed in sweatpants. 
Basically, your emails prevent me from becoming Gollum. 

10 Thrift Store Shopping Secrets You Should Know

So, today we're going to talk about my favorite thing: thrift stores. As you know, I consider myself a true patron of the thrift, a master of the bargain bin. I didn't really set out to become such a person, but when I realized that it was going to cost me thousands of dollars to decorate my house, and then realized that I had about fourteen dollars, well, I decided just to make the best of the situation. So, I began thrifting. 

How To Paint Furniture

Hey ya'll! So, before we left for Christmas break a few weeks ago, I started making some changes to our master bedroom. 

This will be the 11th set of changes to this room, 10 of which were fully documented in this unexpectedly popular post.
Also known as 'that one time I had Jesse photoshop my face on a turtle's body and hundreds of thousands of people saw it.' 

If You've Been Wondering Where I Went...

Hey ya'll! Happy New Year! How was your Christmas?! How was your new year?! Are you ready for 2014? I took a couple weeks off from the blog to recharge my batteries, travel, watch 48 episodes of New Girl, spend time with family, and nap. 

And oh, how I've missed you.