laundry room makeover

before

while we don't spend a lot of time in our laundry room, we do pass through it every day getting to and from the garage.  so i decided it was time for a makeover and a little organization.

the first step in the process was to take everything off the shelves and then organize it. i put the cleaning stuff together, then the laundry supplies, the extra rags, etc. i then headed to target to get some cute bins to store everything.  i also picked up a large glass canister to store the dry laundry soap in. i also filled a mason jar full of clothes pins, just for an added touch.

the next step was a fresh coat of paint. we had some leftover paint from the living room so i thought it would be a brilliant idea to use that.  jared graciously offered to paint so after a couple of hours i decided to check on him.  well that's just say i hated it.  the color was way too dark for the little space and there was no way i could just "get use to it."  a quick trip to the lowe's and we had a new lighter grey shade that i ended up just loving.  also a shout out to my wonderful husband for painting it all over again with a smile on his face.

we then created wall art by spray painting a couple of clothes pins and gluing them onto a piece of burlap and throwing them into some frames i found at hobby lobby. 

the last piece of the makeover was a new light fixture.  i found a super cute one that matched perfectly at world market on sale for $17, what a steal.

now i have a brand new space that i just love!

after - the finished project

close up of the wall art we created

super easy cheap project

another angle of the finished project

house number makeover

while i love our house, from the inside out it is full of gold everything.  from the fixtures to the doorknobs to the house numbers.  so little by little i'm trying to get rid of it all. i searched for new house numbers and just couldn't find anything i loved so instead i got a can of spray paint for $4 or $5 and was thrilled with the results.

below is the step by step process i followed:

remove the house numbers

sand them all down

wash with soap and water

now you're ready to paint

spray paint away

here is the spray paint i used, in oil rubbed bronze of course

leave to dry

don't forget to paint the screws

the final product...they look brand new

project garden : update

my garden is doing okay considering the scorching temperatures outside. it has been fun watching everything grow. i'm even thinking about planting another round of veggies for a fall harvest.


i have been able to use all my herbs with the exception of the cilantro which bolted and is now toast. i have loved making homemade pesto and using fresh herbs in all my dishes.


my chives and thyme are going strong. i've been looking for recipes that include chives so i can put them on something other than a baked potato.


my jalapeno and red pepper plants are looking great.

i've been able to harvest a couple of onions, the rest are about ready to go as well.


here are a couple of baby romas. it is hard to beat a fresh tomato, i'm probably most excited for these guys to be harvested.

here are the carrots that are left, i'm sure it is just a matter of time before the rabbits get to them.


here is a picture of the whole garden, when this picture was taken i had just plucked out every single weed. we'll see how long that lasts.

here is a pic of the flowers on the side of the house.

container gardening failure

i was so excited to post a "how-to" on container gardening that is until i failed at it. so below are the steps on how i started and then at the end and you'll see how i messed it up. hopefully you can learn from my mistake.

i found this beautiful arrangement in a magazine so i went to the woodsmith store and asked for their assistance in picking out the flowers. the total for all four plants were around $40, i went home and got to work. the flowers i purchased were a yellow cape daisy, a couple dark pink geraniums, purple petunias and a white bacopa.

1. fill the container with plenty of potting soil. make sure to break up the roots of the plant before planting into the soil mix.



2. arrange all the plants giving them equal space.



3. when finished planting, top with mulch to help retain moisture. here is the finished product...beautiful!


4. and make sure to give it plenty of water.



here is where i messed up, apparently you need to drill holes in the bottom of your container to help with the drainage. this is what i ended up with, 3.5 of the flowers dead because it got way too much water.




complete failure.

project garden

the garden has been planted and all i have to say is it's a lot of work. i thought i would just plant the seeds, make sure it was watered and the rest would just happen. well it's not quite that easy.

i am looking forward to the delicious produce that it will supply us with all summer long but we have a long ways and a lot weeds to pull before we get there.

i received some gardening advice before i started, "start small and just plant a couple of things the first year out." well apparently i don't listen as you can tell by the list of what is planted below:

-red onions
-green onions
-green beans
-peas
-carrots
- spinach
-romaine lettuce
-green peppers
-red peppers
-jalapeno peppers
-garlic
-roma tomatoes
-early girl tomatoes
-big boy tomatoes
-thyme
-chives
-cilantro
-basil
-parsley