Closet #1- Before
Closet #2 Before
Closet #2 After
Closet #3 - Before
Closet #3- After
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Closet Pics before and after
Here go the pics of the closet extravaganza from my previous Blog!
Closet #1- Before
Closet #1 In progress
Closet #1 After
Closet #1- Before
"General" Contractor
I am embarking on something new and scary, all at the same time. I am the general contractor for finishing part of my basement to include a guest room, bath and office. It started with a desire to have a space for our guests and now it has turned into a man cave, a mini kitchen and an office where my hubby can get away from it all.
I began hunting and pecking for sales at Lowes, Home Depot and Menard's about 2 months ago and I was thrilled when I found someone else's "custom order" mistake. I have since procured a full bath, built a kitchenette with my main man and I have mapped out what will be a beautiful oasis for our up north guests.
The sad part is that we have only just begun. I thought better to start blogging now before the weekend ends when we will likely be very tired. The goal is to have the walls and trim complete by Labor Day and ideally I would love to have started on the back breaking endeavor of putting down the floor before my young strapping men head off to school! As we speak I have 2 gentlemen hanging drywall and both my 12 and 15 year old boys are learning manual labor.
My husband will be here tomorrow and the weekend to do some of the heavy lifting and I will do what I do best - clean and cook!
I must admit it has been a good bit of fun having contractors show up early in the morning to plumb, do electrical and HVAC, and of course, there is Bert the master of all trades. Bert has been gracious to offer my family the opportunity to "learn as we go" and as he put it, "boys should learn how to use power tools". I must say that he has been a true "grandpa" to my boys in this process. He has helped them to learn how to make mistakes gracefully, he has shown them that work is meant to be fun and most of all he has Christ at the center and he demonstrates what it is like to be a man after God's heart.
Bert is Canadian by birth and I am reminded of the delicate balance between working to live and living to work. Bert like many other Canadians seems to have a great spirit about what matters. They know how to call it quits when the day is done and go home to their wives and play on the floor with their new puppy. I love that Bert sometimes takes time in his daily run to Menard's to go home for a quick potty break to take out his dog "Teddy" and I am sure he snatches a kiss from his lovely bride.
So off we go! Here are a few pics of the start.... I promised my friend Cat that I would be sure to take a picture with a saw but I am not sure if that will be "real" diva doing or not?? Time will tell!
Unleash Your Inner Diva
I began hunting and pecking for sales at Lowes, Home Depot and Menard's about 2 months ago and I was thrilled when I found someone else's "custom order" mistake. I have since procured a full bath, built a kitchenette with my main man and I have mapped out what will be a beautiful oasis for our up north guests.
The sad part is that we have only just begun. I thought better to start blogging now before the weekend ends when we will likely be very tired. The goal is to have the walls and trim complete by Labor Day and ideally I would love to have started on the back breaking endeavor of putting down the floor before my young strapping men head off to school! As we speak I have 2 gentlemen hanging drywall and both my 12 and 15 year old boys are learning manual labor.
My husband will be here tomorrow and the weekend to do some of the heavy lifting and I will do what I do best - clean and cook!
I must admit it has been a good bit of fun having contractors show up early in the morning to plumb, do electrical and HVAC, and of course, there is Bert the master of all trades. Bert has been gracious to offer my family the opportunity to "learn as we go" and as he put it, "boys should learn how to use power tools". I must say that he has been a true "grandpa" to my boys in this process. He has helped them to learn how to make mistakes gracefully, he has shown them that work is meant to be fun and most of all he has Christ at the center and he demonstrates what it is like to be a man after God's heart.
Bert is Canadian by birth and I am reminded of the delicate balance between working to live and living to work. Bert like many other Canadians seems to have a great spirit about what matters. They know how to call it quits when the day is done and go home to their wives and play on the floor with their new puppy. I love that Bert sometimes takes time in his daily run to Menard's to go home for a quick potty break to take out his dog "Teddy" and I am sure he snatches a kiss from his lovely bride.
So off we go! Here are a few pics of the start.... I promised my friend Cat that I would be sure to take a picture with a saw but I am not sure if that will be "real" diva doing or not?? Time will tell!
Unleash Your Inner Diva
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Closet Diva
This Diva has been in the closet far too long! The first time it started at 2 a.m. and lasted for a couple of hours. The second time it was much more reasonable as it happened on a Saturday morning. And the last time was just last week when I got caught up in the middle of the afternoon.
I have been on a closet craze and I have learned a few things in the making. So let's get down to brass tax before we see the evidence of the "flurry". First you have to have a good friend, a glass of wine, a comfy chair, some motivating music, and of course, the one things you can't do without - garbage bags!
If you can stop off at the dollar store first, purchase a few plastic shoe boxes, about 5 dozen white hangers and some pretty smelling room spray and a candle.
Get your girlfriend to come over for about 3 hours, hand her a glass of wine and insist that she sit in the comfy chair, leave the cell phone behind and let the diva process begin! First, go through the racks and pullout anything you don't like, don't wear, looks shabby or feels uncomfortable. Next, get 3 piles going- keep, donate and throw away. Move the items that you are not sure about into a separate pile and revisit them after you finish the rest of the sorting.
Step back and take a look at what makes the most sense regarding organization. Perhaps your pants have always been on the bottom and tops on top but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way. Hand your pal the white hangers and have her start putting on only the things that you "love" and want to keep.
Next you will want to organize according to color starting with white, then beige, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, brown, gray and finally, black.. This should be done for pants, skirts, tops, sweaters and yes, shoes and purses! This way when you go to pick the outfit it will all be "alphabetized" by color.
Take all of the belts, purses, scarves and any other accessories that you have and find a sweet spot where you can access them on a daily basis. This will help to make your wardrobe "sing" when your are deciding what to wear.
If you already have a closet system installed you can use one of the shelves to display sentimental items such as pictures etc. and you can use a favorite bowl to keep your most prized possessions that will be on the daily "wear" list like your wedding ring or favorite pair of earrings.
Remember that the closet is a place you should want to go not despise. Sometimes propping up your childhood stuffed animal or posting pictures from your kiddos could make or break the difference.
Once you have gone through and sorted, organized and smiled then take the donate and dispose items out to the garage and car immediately! There is nothing worse then a job half done and it will be way too tempting to reach back in and grab the old jeans that are too tight to sport!
Make sure you bask in the glow and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Next is heading over to you pals house, sit in the comfy chair and drink wine while she gets her "closet diva" on!
Unleash Your Inner Diva
I have been on a closet craze and I have learned a few things in the making. So let's get down to brass tax before we see the evidence of the "flurry". First you have to have a good friend, a glass of wine, a comfy chair, some motivating music, and of course, the one things you can't do without - garbage bags!
If you can stop off at the dollar store first, purchase a few plastic shoe boxes, about 5 dozen white hangers and some pretty smelling room spray and a candle.
Get your girlfriend to come over for about 3 hours, hand her a glass of wine and insist that she sit in the comfy chair, leave the cell phone behind and let the diva process begin! First, go through the racks and pullout anything you don't like, don't wear, looks shabby or feels uncomfortable. Next, get 3 piles going- keep, donate and throw away. Move the items that you are not sure about into a separate pile and revisit them after you finish the rest of the sorting.
Step back and take a look at what makes the most sense regarding organization. Perhaps your pants have always been on the bottom and tops on top but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way. Hand your pal the white hangers and have her start putting on only the things that you "love" and want to keep.
Next you will want to organize according to color starting with white, then beige, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, brown, gray and finally, black.. This should be done for pants, skirts, tops, sweaters and yes, shoes and purses! This way when you go to pick the outfit it will all be "alphabetized" by color.
Take all of the belts, purses, scarves and any other accessories that you have and find a sweet spot where you can access them on a daily basis. This will help to make your wardrobe "sing" when your are deciding what to wear.
If you already have a closet system installed you can use one of the shelves to display sentimental items such as pictures etc. and you can use a favorite bowl to keep your most prized possessions that will be on the daily "wear" list like your wedding ring or favorite pair of earrings.
Remember that the closet is a place you should want to go not despise. Sometimes propping up your childhood stuffed animal or posting pictures from your kiddos could make or break the difference.
Once you have gone through and sorted, organized and smiled then take the donate and dispose items out to the garage and car immediately! There is nothing worse then a job half done and it will be way too tempting to reach back in and grab the old jeans that are too tight to sport!
Make sure you bask in the glow and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Next is heading over to you pals house, sit in the comfy chair and drink wine while she gets her "closet diva" on!
Unleash Your Inner Diva
Friday, July 17, 2015
Pictures of work
Here are some pictures of a few of my decorating diva moments. I have tried to include a before and after as best as I could.
Living room- before
Office - before
Entrance - before
Entrance- after
Dining room - before
Dining room- after
Bedroom - before
Bedroom- after
Kitchen- before
Kitchen- after
Laundry room with kids art
Living room- before
Living room - after
Office - After
Master bedroom
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Making a Difference
The Divas were on a short hiatus and now we are back at it with our first customer by referral. This job has the potential of warming all of our hearts. It's a story of a couple in their 70's. The man is an accomplished professional who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He wants to give his wife the gift of time by hiring the Decorating Divas.
Their whole world has been turned upside down and I mean that literally. She, once an accomplished artist, is now trading paint brushes for transporting her husband by wheelchair to doctor's appointments. Their favorite rugs have been moved to the basement to create space for the wheelchair to have right access.
The glimmer in their eyes is still there but what once was an easy task has become labor. Our goal in this job will be to provide a respite for the lady to include a day bed and office. We will also create a space for guests by moving the art framing room to the main studio and re-purposing items from the home that bring joy and solitude, especially the beloved rock collection.
I realize that this work similar to counseling, will take on many new forms as we enter people's world. I will always remember the soft hands of the gentleman and the way that the lady wrapped her hands around her husbands shoulders. Or the smell of warm cookies wafting through the air from the helper that was brought in for light nursing and household duties.
The thought of having more joy when mentioned was easily received by the lady who was holding back her tears. She clearly is exhausted and while quite tidy in her own right you can tell that her world feels narrow and the chasm still large.
I don't take for granted that what we do matters and if we have the chance to give people time together then it is a job worth doing!
Their whole world has been turned upside down and I mean that literally. She, once an accomplished artist, is now trading paint brushes for transporting her husband by wheelchair to doctor's appointments. Their favorite rugs have been moved to the basement to create space for the wheelchair to have right access.
The glimmer in their eyes is still there but what once was an easy task has become labor. Our goal in this job will be to provide a respite for the lady to include a day bed and office. We will also create a space for guests by moving the art framing room to the main studio and re-purposing items from the home that bring joy and solitude, especially the beloved rock collection.
I realize that this work similar to counseling, will take on many new forms as we enter people's world. I will always remember the soft hands of the gentleman and the way that the lady wrapped her hands around her husbands shoulders. Or the smell of warm cookies wafting through the air from the helper that was brought in for light nursing and household duties.
The thought of having more joy when mentioned was easily received by the lady who was holding back her tears. She clearly is exhausted and while quite tidy in her own right you can tell that her world feels narrow and the chasm still large.
I don't take for granted that what we do matters and if we have the chance to give people time together then it is a job worth doing!
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Things That Go Bump in the Night
It seems once you get on the Diva trail it is hard to get off. Just yesterday Jen and I nearly completed the estate sale (after many days of prep and pricing) and I am now on to thinking about our next gig. The "bump in the night" woke me up at 3:30 a.m. and it needs a place to go!
One thing is clear - the Diva's need a business plan! I can see where momentum carries you through but then when the end of the year comes you look back and have a hodgepodge of stuff that still needs a home and rooms that still need finishing. I think there is a place for everything but first it merits determining the steps that you have to do to complete a project.
1) Feel - enter every room with a blank slate in mind. Identify what you love and what you can live without. Write down what you want to move, sell or donate.
2) Function- Determine the purpose of the room. What function do you need the room to have?
3) Form- Think about color and combinations of furniture, fabric, window treatments, bedding etc.
4) Fit - Get a plan in place for the when and how (young teenage boys make great heavy lifters!)
5) Fun - Get your Diva gear on, get your girls and go!
So, I am mentally playing in my mom's house right now and in the absence of pictures I am going to take a stab at writing out the plan - this one is for you mom!
1) Feel
The rest of the house has just been updated including a brand new kitchen, master bath, living room, dining room and half bath. Beautiful teal blues, cream and pale orange are the palette. The 3 bedrooms in the back of the house need updating and lack ideal function.
2) Function
Papa needs an office and mom aka Jannie needs her dining room back, especially because it is knock down gorgeous! The grandkids still need a bed to sleep on when visiting, however, they seem to be hanging in the basement when they do. The bedroom set in the guest room is currently too big for the room and the master bedroom furniture is tired.
3) Form
Jannie is drawn to the teal blues and she already has a cream and teal combo in the master and guest bedroom. The office (currently the boys room) has a masculine wallpaper and thematically has a nautical feel.
4) Fit
- The master bedroom dressers and headboard go to the garage (Oh, did I mention we are going to have a sale mid August?) The chair and table with lamp go to the office. The chair from the pub table room goes in the corner with a table and lamp (if it works with selected bedding)
- The guest room furniture moves to the master bedroom
- The office will have shelving in the closet, a long desk with filing cabinet drawers underneath for files and gadgets. A chair will sit in the corner with a floor lamp and possibly a small table next to it.
- The day bed that is currently in the boys room will be moved to the cove in the basement where there is a jerry rigged office currently setup. All of the "desks" which are countertops will be moved to the garage for staging.
- The "cove" will be used cross functionally as a daybed/couch with nice pillows as a backdrop. The small walnut desk with a computer on it can be placed on one wall and the beautiful 2 cushion "Florida room" couch could be placed on the other wall with the glass table lamp. The current desk behind the couch in the basement can be dismantled and used for staging. All printer equipment, fax and copy machine can be moved to the office or storage room, if wireless.
This shift in furniture not only lightens the load, it helps to have a use for every room which is much needed, since this is a home and office for both mom and papa. This separation of "church and state" will give Papa a place to go and when he is finished in the office his oasis will be awaiting him. This also gives mom the space that she desires and provides a place where she is not concerned about the volume of the TV when Papa is on the phone doing business. When Papa gets an office outside of the home it can still be used as a home office or swiftly be changed to a secret hideaway reading room.
Now once last thing. When you start moving a to b to c you are going to end up with "stuff" that doesn't have a place, plan or purpose. So it is important to schedule either a Purple Heart pickup, Salvation Army drop off or a sale if you want to make a few bucks.
In this case, a sale is in order. Many items from the previous home renovation are now strewn about downstairs and the storage areas and basement are not useable because of the "collectibles" are stashed here temporarily.
5) Fun
This is where we need the strapping young grandson and son in law to come in to do a bit of moving. This Saturday items above can be moved and placed while in for the birthday party.
My recommendation is that between now and mid August Papa unloads the garage and mom unloads the storage areas to the main part of the basement and they are sorted for sale or donation. A staging area of long tables (counter tops that were used as an office desk in the basement) should be setup in the garage and items that are not being used should be placed for the sale.
The Divas will swoop in and organize, price and sell the goods. A sale will be advertised in the local paper, Craig's list and several signs will be posted. One idea is to contact your HOA and suggest that they host a subdivision sale the same weekend!
Larger items such as dresser sets, desks and TV's can be sold in advance on Craig's list.
In this case we have re-purposed most rooms and there are likely only a few items that need to be purchased. Items recommended for purchase in this shabby chic expedition are as follows:
- A dresser and side table for the guest room
- A flat screen TV for the master bedroom
- A desk for the office
The estimated profit on the sale is likely $1,500 and the cost to purchase the above items is about the same.
Now that I have downloaded all of this from my mind it is time to go back to sleep! The bump in the night is a precipitous for change and may be just what Jannie and Papa need to complete their renovation in this wonderful 3 bedroom ranch home!
Unleash Your Inner Diva!
One thing is clear - the Diva's need a business plan! I can see where momentum carries you through but then when the end of the year comes you look back and have a hodgepodge of stuff that still needs a home and rooms that still need finishing. I think there is a place for everything but first it merits determining the steps that you have to do to complete a project.
1) Feel - enter every room with a blank slate in mind. Identify what you love and what you can live without. Write down what you want to move, sell or donate.
2) Function- Determine the purpose of the room. What function do you need the room to have?
3) Form- Think about color and combinations of furniture, fabric, window treatments, bedding etc.
4) Fit - Get a plan in place for the when and how (young teenage boys make great heavy lifters!)
5) Fun - Get your Diva gear on, get your girls and go!
So, I am mentally playing in my mom's house right now and in the absence of pictures I am going to take a stab at writing out the plan - this one is for you mom!
1) Feel
The rest of the house has just been updated including a brand new kitchen, master bath, living room, dining room and half bath. Beautiful teal blues, cream and pale orange are the palette. The 3 bedrooms in the back of the house need updating and lack ideal function.
2) Function
Papa needs an office and mom aka Jannie needs her dining room back, especially because it is knock down gorgeous! The grandkids still need a bed to sleep on when visiting, however, they seem to be hanging in the basement when they do. The bedroom set in the guest room is currently too big for the room and the master bedroom furniture is tired.
3) Form
Jannie is drawn to the teal blues and she already has a cream and teal combo in the master and guest bedroom. The office (currently the boys room) has a masculine wallpaper and thematically has a nautical feel.
4) Fit
- The master bedroom dressers and headboard go to the garage (Oh, did I mention we are going to have a sale mid August?) The chair and table with lamp go to the office. The chair from the pub table room goes in the corner with a table and lamp (if it works with selected bedding)
- The guest room furniture moves to the master bedroom
- The office will have shelving in the closet, a long desk with filing cabinet drawers underneath for files and gadgets. A chair will sit in the corner with a floor lamp and possibly a small table next to it.
- The day bed that is currently in the boys room will be moved to the cove in the basement where there is a jerry rigged office currently setup. All of the "desks" which are countertops will be moved to the garage for staging.
- The "cove" will be used cross functionally as a daybed/couch with nice pillows as a backdrop. The small walnut desk with a computer on it can be placed on one wall and the beautiful 2 cushion "Florida room" couch could be placed on the other wall with the glass table lamp. The current desk behind the couch in the basement can be dismantled and used for staging. All printer equipment, fax and copy machine can be moved to the office or storage room, if wireless.
This shift in furniture not only lightens the load, it helps to have a use for every room which is much needed, since this is a home and office for both mom and papa. This separation of "church and state" will give Papa a place to go and when he is finished in the office his oasis will be awaiting him. This also gives mom the space that she desires and provides a place where she is not concerned about the volume of the TV when Papa is on the phone doing business. When Papa gets an office outside of the home it can still be used as a home office or swiftly be changed to a secret hideaway reading room.
Now once last thing. When you start moving a to b to c you are going to end up with "stuff" that doesn't have a place, plan or purpose. So it is important to schedule either a Purple Heart pickup, Salvation Army drop off or a sale if you want to make a few bucks.
In this case, a sale is in order. Many items from the previous home renovation are now strewn about downstairs and the storage areas and basement are not useable because of the "collectibles" are stashed here temporarily.
5) Fun
This is where we need the strapping young grandson and son in law to come in to do a bit of moving. This Saturday items above can be moved and placed while in for the birthday party.
My recommendation is that between now and mid August Papa unloads the garage and mom unloads the storage areas to the main part of the basement and they are sorted for sale or donation. A staging area of long tables (counter tops that were used as an office desk in the basement) should be setup in the garage and items that are not being used should be placed for the sale.
The Divas will swoop in and organize, price and sell the goods. A sale will be advertised in the local paper, Craig's list and several signs will be posted. One idea is to contact your HOA and suggest that they host a subdivision sale the same weekend!
Larger items such as dresser sets, desks and TV's can be sold in advance on Craig's list.
In this case we have re-purposed most rooms and there are likely only a few items that need to be purchased. Items recommended for purchase in this shabby chic expedition are as follows:
- A dresser and side table for the guest room
- A flat screen TV for the master bedroom
- A desk for the office
The estimated profit on the sale is likely $1,500 and the cost to purchase the above items is about the same.
Now that I have downloaded all of this from my mind it is time to go back to sleep! The bump in the night is a precipitous for change and may be just what Jannie and Papa need to complete their renovation in this wonderful 3 bedroom ranch home!
Unleash Your Inner Diva!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Getting Dirty
Getting dirty requires a certain amount of grit and I am not talking about dirt. I am talking about being willing to do the "less than glamorous" diva work which almost always includes the garage and basement.
That is what the Diva's are up to this week- getting dirty! Yesterday was a day of sorting, sweeping, throwing, stacking, moving and grooving! Jen clocked in 18,000 steps on her Fitbit- way to go girl!
The mission is to get as much stuff out of her "new home" take it to her "old home" and sell it. This weekend we are having an estate sale to unload some of her most beloved items that she has decided to part with.
An estate sale draws a different crowd then a garage sale and it requires more planning. The hawks arrive early and they are generally looking for antique items that the seller under values. That's where Georgie comes in!
Enter in Diva #3- Jen's mom Georgi - she owned an estate sale business back in the day. Georgi will join us for pricing and will make known what items are to be left in the family arsenal.
My role in this excursion is not only to sort, discard and make it all look pretty but it is also to build in accountability on whether or not an item is truly worth keeping. We all have dishes or a rocker from our grandmother but if it stays in a box then is it really worth keeping?
This is a delicate role to play when you are talking about people's lives merging together. Just yesterday when we were sorting the "man cave" areas (aka garage and basement) it became very clear that men and women value different things.
The choice and chore was to see if form followed function or function followed form. I would say for most men - function rules! The problem with omitting form is that things don't usually end up matching. Women on the other hand typically value form which means that it might look good but it may not "work". I think God brought men and women together to strike a balance internally and externally.
The real challenge is trying to check in with your inner self to see what you value. If keeping high school trophies is important because you gave your life to that activity growing up, then display them. I believe we all have things that represent our inner souls and whether it is books or figurines, tools or chairs - it doesn't matter as much as "knowing" what lies within.
After all of the sorting and selling is done it is important to sit and reminisce about the things that matter in life- people, time together, hard work and being present.
Unleash Your Inner Diva
That is what the Diva's are up to this week- getting dirty! Yesterday was a day of sorting, sweeping, throwing, stacking, moving and grooving! Jen clocked in 18,000 steps on her Fitbit- way to go girl!
The mission is to get as much stuff out of her "new home" take it to her "old home" and sell it. This weekend we are having an estate sale to unload some of her most beloved items that she has decided to part with.
An estate sale draws a different crowd then a garage sale and it requires more planning. The hawks arrive early and they are generally looking for antique items that the seller under values. That's where Georgie comes in!
Enter in Diva #3- Jen's mom Georgi - she owned an estate sale business back in the day. Georgi will join us for pricing and will make known what items are to be left in the family arsenal.
My role in this excursion is not only to sort, discard and make it all look pretty but it is also to build in accountability on whether or not an item is truly worth keeping. We all have dishes or a rocker from our grandmother but if it stays in a box then is it really worth keeping?
This is a delicate role to play when you are talking about people's lives merging together. Just yesterday when we were sorting the "man cave" areas (aka garage and basement) it became very clear that men and women value different things.
The choice and chore was to see if form followed function or function followed form. I would say for most men - function rules! The problem with omitting form is that things don't usually end up matching. Women on the other hand typically value form which means that it might look good but it may not "work". I think God brought men and women together to strike a balance internally and externally.
The real challenge is trying to check in with your inner self to see what you value. If keeping high school trophies is important because you gave your life to that activity growing up, then display them. I believe we all have things that represent our inner souls and whether it is books or figurines, tools or chairs - it doesn't matter as much as "knowing" what lies within.
After all of the sorting and selling is done it is important to sit and reminisce about the things that matter in life- people, time together, hard work and being present.
Unleash Your Inner Diva
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)