Lighting Dilemma Solved

A girlfriend asked me to help her and hubby solve their lighting dilemma. Why on Earth she asked me for help is beyond my comprehension... haha I must appear like I know what I'm talking about!! Haha, little does she know I'm just all talk!

They recently moved into a new home that was built in the 1970s. Older homes are cute, charming and have lots of character... but sadly they are missing some things... like ample lighting! Their living room has no ceiling light which can make it very dark and dreary! Not a fun place to hang out! So needless to say they were in desperate need of some lamps!!

This is what their place looks like now!

Super cute! Thank goodness for the giant window with all the natural light coming through... but I guess it doesn't do much for her when the sun goes down!

I had the perfect lamp in mind for her space!! I love this lamp sooooo much... mainly because I have it too... but also because I think it would be perfect in her space as well. This lamp is called the Curva Floor Lamp from Structube!

What I love about this lamp is that it is adjustable! It can be a stand up floor lamp or extended out completely and hover above your furniture!

I think this lamp will look great tucked in the corner and extended into the middle of the room to give the illusion of a ceiling light!! The base slides underneath furniture nicely and there are also 3 sizes and two colors!! The large one has 3 light bulbs which I think will light up her living room very nicely!! Next up I say she should part ways with the lovely bronze ceiling fan in the foyer! Good luck K&C, let me know how it goes!!

Do you have a design dilemma that you need help with? Holla at your girl and I'll see if I can help you!!



MIA Again!!

Yes, yes, I know... I've been missing in action and haven't blogged in a really long time! I suck!! Husband keeps nagging me and asking why I haven't blogged! I wonder if he realizes that he lives here too and pretty much knows the ins and outs of what goes on around here! Or he could just ask me instead of waiting to read about it on here!! Haha

It has been SNOW SNOW and more SNOW here!! Seriously, I really wonder why we live here sometimes! It's officially Spring and it looks like mother nature didn't get the memo! This is what it has been looking like here lately:

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It doesn't look too inspiring huh? Yules, Kalbs and I have been hibernating at home! Hopefully this is the last of the snow and Spring is on it's way!!

 

The weather was partially why I haven't blogged, but the REAL reason is...Candy Crush!!

 

This game is PURE EVIL... but sooooooooooo... GOOD!! I can't stop, it is super addicting! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, keep it that way!! If you play, well then you know exactly what I'm talking about!! I've lost track of all time and don't even know what day it is anymore... literally!! Pretty much when you run out of lives in the game, you have to wait a whole 30 mins for a new life, spam your facebook friends and ask for one or pay money! Thirty whole minutes for an addict jonesing to play again seems like an eternity!! Luckily (or probably unluckily) for me, the internet demons figured out that if you set your time/date ahead, then the game will think you went forward in time and magically grant you more lives!! So of course I have been changing the time and days on my phone to obtain more lives and now have no idea what time or day it really is!! I think my phone currently says it is April already!! Haha Serves me right for being a cheater... but I still can't stop!! I wonder if there has been a help group established for this...

Anyways, hopefully I'll find some inspiration in the coming days and blog about some super fabulous things for all of you soon!!

Yulli's Big Girl Weekend!

Little Monster had a very eventful weekend!

1.) Husband and I like to have a date night every Friday when he comes home. He eats out all week and craves a home cooked meal. I eat home food all week and just wanna go out! But I take care of the 2 monsters all week, so I win and we go out! Husband made reservations to a nice restaurant because we had an online deal voucher that I bought eons ago (actually the deal was expired almost a year ago but the original value was still valid). I was excited to finally get to use it! After I dug it up and dusted it off... we realized it was only good Monday thru Thursday!! FAIL!! We decided to eat there another time and just go somewhere close by! We ended up at Montanas!! It was really busy and the wait was super long! Who knew Montanas was such a happening place! We got tired of waiting for a table and decided to smuggle Yules into the Lounge where no minors are allowed!! We are awesome parents, I know!! So there you have it, my little Yulli is already sneaking into places... no fake ID needed!! Haha


2.)The weather was sunny and warm on Saturday, which meant it was a perfect day to be outdoors! Husband and Kalbs built Yules a tiny little snow bear! Can you tell which polar bear is Yulli?

 

Then I came along and thought it needed a face! Hmmm... how to add a face? I decided to use colored water in a squeezy bottle... which RUINED it!! Haha! It was a good idea in my head, it just needed better execution! If any of you need to entertain the kiddos: give them squeezy bottles or spray bottles filled with water and food coloring and then let them have at the snow outside! I swear they will love it! The kids at school loved spraying the snow rainbow colors! Anyways, we had a great time playing outside in the snow!

3.) We also decided that it was a great day for a stroll around the neighborhood! I always like to have a destination in mind when taking a walk, kinda like a prize at the end... or in our case a donut at Timmies! We ultimately ended up at Dairy Queen for a little treat! The walk was great, except for the darn people that don't shovel their sidewalks! The ice builds up and there are large groves and ruts! It seriously makes maneuvering with a stroller difficult! We have a pretty decent stroller, so I can't imagine someone trying to use a dinky little umbrella stroller! Shovel your sidewalks people!!!

4.) This weekend we finally gave up on the idea that our Yules is a tiny little baby! (Actually we kinda knew that a couple weeks ago when we went to visit a newborn baby and she looked like a GIANT!) She is seriously growing like a little weed! She is now 6 months old... can you believe it? What is she going to do now that she is a big little girl? Solids!!

Yum yum!! Makes you wanna have some rice cereal huh? Haha

Have a great week everyone!!!

DIY Chalkboard

I'm sure most of you have noticed that chalkboards are all the rage lately! Now that most schools have gotten rid of them... it seems that they are back in style! It's been a while since I've seen a chalkboard inside a classroom. They have all been replaced by whiteboards and fancy smartboards. Chalkboards are being used as a design element in different rooms ranging from tiny little chalkboard labels to a whole giant wall! This is one of those trends where less is more in my opinion! A giant chalkboard wall sounds like a cute and darling idea...IN THEORY!! If you've ever used chalk, then you know that it is MESSY!! 

This is what you imagine a beautiful chalkboard wall in a room looking like:

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This is what it really looks like:

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Ummm not quite the same look in my honest opinion. Some people actually like the smudgy look and think it gives a room character... but it's not really for me! 

Anyways, I've been on the hunt for a small chalkboard to use as a prop in photos of Kalbs and Yules! The internet is plastered with adorable photo ideas using a chalkboard!

 etsy.com

 etsy.com

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These chalkboards from etsy cost over $13 +shipping!! OMG the cheapness in me is cringing! There is no way I'm paying that for a tiny little chalkboard. For an item that is so simple and popular, they are quite difficult to find. I've searched high and low for one but with no luck. Since I couldn't find one, I knew I would have to go the DIY route. I initially planned to buy some chalkboard paint but then I accidently stumbled upon this:

I was at Superstore and saw this... it's a chalkboard wall decal! It was also on sale for about 2 bucks! SCORE! Combine this with a picture frame and ta-da you got yourself a chalkboard. I simply took the glass from the picture frame and traced, cut and slapped on the decal. Seriously the easiest project ever!

 



Not too shabby huh? I'm quite pleased with it and can't wait to use it in photos! Husband thought it looked good but the ampersand looked kinda weird. I thought so too... and NOW I am just realizing it's because I drew the ampersand (&) backwards!! Haha!

 

How will you incorporate the chalkboard trend?

Yulli's Play Nook

Today I wanted to share with you guys one of my favourite rooms in our house!

During our house building process, I wanted to make sure we utilized all the space in our home well. One of the areas that I often find wasted in a home is the space under the stairs, especially in the basement. It is usually left unfinished and a place were the contractors stash the left over building supplies. Is this what the space under your stairs looks like?

Pinterest and Houzz were exploding with amazing images and so many ideas. I was super inspired!! I could make a sweet little space for Kalbs!

 

Or maybe a cozy little reading nook! 

Or lots and lots of smart, organized storage!

 

 Perhaps a mini little wine cellar.

 

Or even a work space!

 

Seriously so so many fantastic ideas, but deep in my heart I already knew what I wanted to do with the space! It was going to be a designated play area for me ahem I mean Yules. I was inspired by this picture!

It looked like such a sweet little space tucked nicely away. I knew Yules would have so much fun under there! What child wouldn't?  I'm sure I sounded like a crazy person planning and designing a space for my unborn child... but I'm a planner (kinda) and I wanted us to be able to grow into this home. Plus we know lots of kiddos that would have a great time playing under there when they came over for a visit! 

Yules is too little for princess tea parties under there with her Papa but she sure loves it when I take her there. I think she knows that it is a special little place different from the rest of the house. The space is intended for dramatic play and is currently set up as a "house". I can't wait to see where Yules' imagination takes it in the future. Maybe it will turn into a school, or restaurant, or hospital or a Starbucks!! For now it is a little house from my imagination! Husband says I am re-living my childhood... and he's probably right!! Anyways, here it is! Enjoy!

Where on Earth is Kalbs and Yules?

Don't worry, we're still alive! You can call off the search party! If you're wondering what we've been up to... the answer is... absolutely NOTHING!! Husband has been outta town each week for work so that means I am a single mother during the week! Kalbs and Yules has been keeping out of trouble and I have been sooooooooooo bored!!

1.) I've been meaning to post the rest of our trip pictures... but I'm super lazy! Hopefully I'll get around to it... or not!! It seems like it was ages ago when we were lounging around, eating every 3 hours with no real life stresses! As nice as it is to be home, I am totally going through vacation withdrawl!! *sigh* Where should we go on our next trip? Suggestions?

2.) If any of you moms (or dads... or anyone) likes freebies.... here is one for you! I love me some deals and freebies, but don't like to post them here because most of them are time sensitive. (and as you can clearly see I am super on top of posting regularly) This one is from P&G for a free baby proofing kit! You can get it here! This is what we received in the mail.

 

3.) We watched a foodie show on tv a couple weeks ago and they were talking about donuts... it made me crave donuts big time! Gourmet donuts are apparently the new foodie trend this year... cupcakes are out! I not so casually mentioned that it would be nice to wake up to some donuts! This is what I saw when I woke up!

Ummm super sweet but not quite the super sweet donuts that I was majorly craving! Luckily I was able to sneak over to Timmies and pick up a Canadian Maple donut!! It totally hit the spot!!

 

4.) Last week we went to Olive Garden for lunch and they offered me a complimentary sample of wine! It was super sweet and tasted like juice! I again not so casually mentioned that it would be nice if Husband bought me some of that! This is what I saw in the fridge when I woke up Monday morning!

If you like super sweet juice like wine, I would recommend a Moscato! I don't think Husband realized that I would be watching his precious children while guzzling the stuff! I know, I know I am so mother of the year!! Hehe

 

So this week, I was super excited to see what Husband would leave for me.

 

Do you see it? Look carefully! Yup that's right, it is a picture of NOTHING!! Husband left me nothing this week! So much for these love notes being a trend!! Haha

 

Have a great week everyone!!!