sweet bug's weekly photo

she's kinda freakin' me out here...maybe she thinks the camera's dinner? definitely on the prowl....

Here comes the sun (room)

Oh, my sweet escape, it pains me to see you like this. Your dark panelling, your orange and brown shag carpeting. You had no lights. No light switches. No outlets except that one dangling in the corner, suspended in air. A broken glass window into the bathroom. Small storm windows. Exposed brick that screamed "I was an afterthought." You poor, pitiful wasted space.

Until:

Whee!!! So light, so airy! I dare you to not like it!

Here's what we did:

1. Replaced all storm windows with more energy efficient ones and instead of 3 smaller at each end, chose 2 larger windows.

2. Replaced the louvered storm door with straight up glass.

3. Gave up painting the panelling and installed drywall. There were two reasons we did this-the red brick was still making it feel dark, and to run wires behind the drywall.

4. Added electrical outlets, wiring, lightswitches.

5. Bead boarded and stained the ceiling-Feels like a real retreat somehow because of this.

6. Added the skylight that OPENS. Love this.

7. Replaced the carpeting

8. Installed cable and speakers

9. Turned the bathroom window into a cute display area

10. Painted and decorated

Here's how we were thrifty:

1. Carpet is remnant from BIL

2. Paint was left over from dining room redo

3. Sofa was a trash find, SIL had the cushions

4. Pair of chairs a steal at town wide yard sale at shore

5. Little houses were a DIY project

6. Frames half off and came matted, artwork from Etsy

7. Of course we always do all the work ourselves.

Can you see what that plaque says? "Why suffer in silence, when i can moan, whimper, and complain." Hysterical.

Glare! Bah.


It's definitely not big out here at all, it's a long and narrow space. But it's literally where you'll find me the moment it gets nice. I open all the windows, the skylight, pipe the music in, and curl up with a book. This little one loves it too. She actually talks to the birds and squirrels, it's a strange sound. That white ribbon on the ground is a cat toy. Pretend you don't see it, mm kay? We even installed a cat door so she can have access when we aren't there.



There is one thing, and one thing only, that is a real thorn in my side about this room. I had a clear vision for everything else. Drapes. Blasted drapes or other window coverings. I am pretty sure i don't need them, especially now that my leaning words are anchoring the windows. I don't want to cover up the windows or the trimwork and i don't think i need to. What do you think?
Tell me you agree with me and say good job.

i'm linking on up to Remodelaholic, Inspired Room, Frugalicious Fridays, Met Monday, DIY showoff, ASPTL, Mustard Seed creations, Favorite Things Friday, Feature yourself Friday, tidy moms, motivate me mondays, room to inspire, women who do it all, show and share day, my backyard eden, blue cricket design, someday crafts, its so very cheri, shabby chic cottage, somewhat simple.

Bookends for a bookworm

I love to read. I mean i love love love love love to read. I love to read for free. I don't actually own many books, since i get them all from the library. I feel like I am getting away with something when i waltz out of there with piles of magazines, decor guides, vacation planning materials, and fiction books that i didn't pay for. I half expect the alarms to go off and doors to automatically lock to prevent my escape. I admit, it makes me giddy that i got something over on them, like it's illegal.

For the books deamed worthy of being in my collection, here are some lovelies to keep them snug.

Ok, these aren't even "me" but i had to include them for you guys. they'll fit right in once they're painted heirloom white! ha.

Now you're talkin....love the idea of combining for convenience! Can't you just see someone snuggled in a reading nook with a glass of vino?

Sigh. I am a sucker for fake books as decor. i don't actually have any, but i love them...i've seen tables and lamps that look like oversized books. well, wait, i do have my 25 cent find.

This is a fantabulous way to do it. love this. covet this.

Do you partake in the library? Do you have a huge book collection? Do you kindle or the like?

all images from justbookends.com except last one, from KleinReid

Dethatchification...yes, that's a word. possibly.

"It is important to remember that if you are NOT experienced in dethatching you may want to hire somebody who is. You don't want to destroy your lawn in the process of dethatching."

mm hmm, mm hmm....

"Dethatching is NOT a pretty process."

oh, i see...

Interesting, very interesting. These expert tidbits i find AFTER S decided to take it upon himself to use his newfound toy yesterday. Apparently the previous owners left an attachment that affixes to a lawn mower, and S gave it a whirl whilst consulting a fold up instruction manual. Official. Following the dethatching, he mowed to pick up whatever was riled up in the process. After that he poured on what he creepily referred to as his "magic elixer" of epsom salt, ammonia, listerine, and beer. The man wasted perfectly good Yuengling on a lawn of weeds!

oh goodness..."excessive thatch accumulation can result in increased insect and disease occurrence." Sometimes the internet is not a helpful place.

"Thatching frees new grass shoots to grow in thick and lush." Wait, that's promising. I am returning home with hope that my green, albeit weed ridden, lawn is not a brown, dead mess.

Does anyone have dethatching experience or advice? How did this turn out for you? What can i expect when i get home?

how much is that

kitty in the window?

let it grow, let it grow, let it grow

poor $1 ikea plant in his poor $1 pot. not really, they totally rock for a dollar! this baby has made it to the ripe old age of three unscathed and unmaimed by me. he's been ferried back and forth from sunroom to office each winter, goes many a week or two or three without being watered, and is clearly being tortured by pot constraint. it's time to reward him with an upgrade, i think.
S's repeated attempts to grow a pineapple by plopping the top in this green pot have resulted in two failures, so now green pot gets to house ikea plant.


look how much happier he is! here you see the size difference....i am clearly a bad plant mother for squishing his growth. i was able to reuse the little pot for a fake succulent that i got on clearance last year at kohls. 3 fake succulents and 3 white ikea pots make for a nice centerpiece on my outdoor dining table.

i was trying to come up with an idea for a plant stand instead of what i used last year, which was lumping them all together on a fold up tray table. took up too much room and wasn't that attractive, plus i wanted to put the plants around the room, not all together. i have really been trying to look past the color something is, or what the thing IS itself, and see it for what it could become. when i saw this piece in kohls clearance aisle for $7, i was reminded of YHL's planter turned end table on their porch. i loved it for its celery green hue and its honeycombed pattern and texture. i thought i could place a large white plate on top, but couldn't find the one i was looking for. i opted for this candle tray that was a gift, so no extra cost there. Unfortunately it wouldn't work on the larger end, so i had to turn it upside down. it kinda works. And that's how ikea plant came to live on a bathroom trashcan in the sunroom.

look who else came home with his trashcan brother....do you see it?



it's a $4 toothbrush holder! same celery color, same honeycomb textured goodness. i thought no one would be able to tell if i put it on the top shelf. $8 total spent with coupons. boo to the yah. booyah!

i'm linking up to lots of good parties like funky junk interiors, met monday, asptl, diy show off, persimmon perch, room to inspire, show and tell at blue cricket designs, frugalicious friday, fingerprints on the fridge, its so very creative, penny pinching wednesdays, motivate me mondays, making the world cuter mondays, the shabby nest, my backyard eden.

it's too late, baby, it's too late

So, One Kings Lane. Anybody ever buy anything? i look, i lurk. i generally don't buy b/c this stuff is expensive. Or its something i could probably find at tjmaxx and the like b/c i don't care, nor do i know, about "names." But yesterday.....

The second set, called Bark, woulda been snapped up in all their $19 glory without a moment's thought! Of course yesterday i was doing a presentation (the ONLY one scheduled ALL week) and i missed them. bah. However, the more i look at them i see crazy and gnarled witch fingers. That could be bitterness clouding my vision, but i can't be sure.