My French doors

This Saturday I officially bought my doors from Craig's list.I didn't even have to pick them up!!!!The previous owner was driving near our town so he dropped them off.The doors are even prettier in person.I have to be patient because we will not be able to install them until March.We are going on a little vacation in Feb. so there won't be any money for "projects".Thank god we are actually busy for this time of year.My husband and I are both hair stylists and we are fortunate to have regular clients.This is usually a slow season in our industry . I have to stop looking on Craig's list ,it has become addicting!!!!!

Making a home your own!!

I have come to the conclusion that we are going to be here a while.I always wanted a huge 3 story Victorian house. Instead I have a smallish 1898 farmhouse style with Victorian features.This house does not have pocket doors or hidden fireplaces but we have installed a soapstone wood burning stove and about to add one in the kitchen.This house also did not have my other "favorite" a tin ceiling."Luckily" there was a large hole in a bedroom ceiling so my husband said that would be a good place to put my tin ceiling!!!!!We are also adding French doors in the kitchen to the dining room.The last detail I have been dreaming about is a pantry.We have a large kitchen but limited cabinets.I had been putting our canned food in a metal cabinet that I painted pink.Since I am trying to clear the wall that the pink cabinet is on (for the French doors)I decided to make my own "pantry".We have a small hall way next to the kitchen leading down into the basement.There is a built in cabinet there as well.I moved my pink cabinet next to the built in and now I have my "pantry"!!!

Vintage Bathtub

This is the claw foot tub that we picked up a few weeks ago.It was traveling to and from my husbands job in the back of our minivan until last night.I thought my fingers were going to fall off from frost bite when we carried it in.It didn't seem as heavy loading it but seemed extremely heavy unloading.I am going to paint the outside .Not sure what color maybe black? Two of the feet are brass plated so I need to paint it a color that will make them stand out.The reason we picked this tub from Craigs list was that it came with brass fixtures and all the extras(water lines,drain ,overflow etc.)I hadn't noticed until I took the pictures that it has the "hot" "cold" written on the handles!!!!! The person we bought it from had bought the tub and the fixtures 20 years ago intending to put it in his house but never did.This tub is going to go in my dressing room and if you have read my blog you would know that room (and my kitchen sink) was the reason I wanted this house!!! So it is a little sad that we are converting to a master bathroom but with 4 kids and one bathroom I'll get over it.I LOVE clawfoot bath tubs so I know in the end I will fall in love with the room when we are done!!!

Love Craigslist!!!!!!

I am buying French doors to put in the kitchen going into the dining room.I have been searching French doors for a while on Craig's list.I found a few before but they were too expensive and then they were gone!!!!! I am excited I know putting in the doors will make the house feel bigger.My kitchen is a large room for an old house but the living room and dining room are just average size.We will be opening up a wall and I know that is going to be another huge mess!!!! Here are the doors that I am getting Sat.This is a picture from craig's list.

Bombay company store closing

My husband mentioned last night that a client of his told him the Bombay Company store was closing and having a sale .We live near an outlet Bombay store so I convinced him to go with me.Today was the last day so everything was pretty much gone.I was looking for a new bed and they only had a few left but the wrong size.As I was looking around I noticed that there was a sign on some store fixtures that I thought were really cute .Originally they were priced at $250.00 but now they were $50 each.My husband thought that is a really good price so we proceeded to try and purchase them.One man had purchased two of the fixtures already so he was taking items off his shelves and we had claimed two shelves so we started to take items off of our shelves.One employee gave us an allen wrench to take the shelves apart and start wrapping up the glass shelves.Well, this women employee starts yelling "I don't know what is going on" ,"these items are off the shelves".My husband and I are like we already talked to a salesperson about buying them and then this other manager(the Fixture manager) starts yelling at me who did you talk to ? I basically pointed to the sales person who was helping me wrap the shelves.So finally I pay for the shelves and my husband has to stand near these things because everyone else is trying to buy them even after my husband is like these are ours!!!!While my husband is pulling the car around I have to stand and guard them!!!! i felt like I was in Fileene's basement on a wedding dress sale day!!!!!! We loaded our items and had to go through the back of the store(store's policy) and then I over heard the "b----- salesperson" say to another one,You better stay in the back I don't know what's going on people are going in and out of here loading things in their car.I wanted to whipp out my receipt but I was already so stressed out .I actually felt like I was having a minor panic attack.Very weird experience,but when we got home we built the shelves and we really love them!!!!

Bundled up!!!!

Today it feels really cold out and I am bundled up waiting for my wood burning stove to kick in.Now if my small gas (wood burning like) stove was hooked up ,I wouldn't have to be all bundled up!We have to find some direct vent pipe for the stove.We bought some at Menard's but it did not fit the piping it came with.Maybe I can convince my husband to go with me to a different store to find the piping.We haven't been to inspired lately.We have had car issues and that has us stressed out.We are down to one car again and that means I am stuck at home with the kids.Thank god we home school so I don't have to stress about asking our neighbor for a ride(Her kids went to a different school than mine so I felt bad when we needed a ride last year) Also we are going out of town next month so we are trying to save the extra money for the trip.It sucks being on a budget!!!!!! Actually I am very grateful that ONE of our cars work and that I am able to stay at home with the kids(and that we have wood for the wood burning stove!!!!!)

new craigslist find

We picked up a claw foot bathtub for another project in our house.It was such a great price on craig's list.The tub came with brass fixtures and two of the feet are brass plated.We need to paint the outside but not sure what color yet.Maybe black so the feet pop.We are going to convert my dressing room that is attached to our bedroom into a master bathroom.The dressing room was the reason I really wanted to buy the house(also the kitchen sink sealed the deal!!!)but with only one bathroom and six of us living here ,it makes sense to add another bathroom.We are currently adding one in the basement as well.Three bathrooms should be enough!!The basement bathroom will have a claw foot tub as well.My husband bought me the tub for my birthday two years ago and on mothers day(last year) started piping in the bathroom,that is where he left off.I have started to nag him to please finish the basement bathroom .I love that tub as well.I painted it pink with silver feet.I will post photos later.The brass footed tub is in the minivan and we have been driving around with it for two weeks!!!!

Brothers

Here are my youngest two boys,Trent(10)and Julian(5).They are not only brothers but best friends.It is so sweet how they look out for each other.These pictures are from the wrestling tournament on Sunday.

wrestling

Today we went to my daughter Paloma's first wrestling tournament.She is a junior in high school and has not wrestled since 3rd grade.My husband is from a family of wrestlers.I think he started at like 7 or 8 yrs old.My oldest son wrestled as well.It has been about 3 years since we have been to a tournament.It brought back memories fast!!!! We had to leave our house at 6am for weigh ins. It was really fun to see how athletic all these girls are.(some look tougher than the boys!!!!)My daughter was really nervous ,she didn't win any matches but did a great job!!!!!!!

New inspiration for a store

I found these photos on flikr .I always wanted a store to own and when my life becomes less hectic I will open it.I make aromatherapy products and soy candles so I definitely want a showcase for them.I would love it set up artsy and slightly girlie looking.These photos are a great inspiration.

Kitchen views

Here are some photos of my kitchen.The new table is really great.I love the benches it makes the room look less cluttered .When not in use you can tuck them underneath the table.The little kids love sitting on them .I also bought new "toile curtains".It really is making my kitchen look vintage French country.I really love anything French!!!

xmas present

For xmas I picked out a new kitchen table and I have a new to me hearthstone gas wood burning stove.My husband and his two helpers,Trent and Julian built the table and two benches.I am still waiting for the gas woodburner to be installed.We need some direct vent pipe and so far we can't find it at the home improvement store.That is "almost" one of the last things we need to do in the kitchen.

New bookcase

Here are a few photos of our new bookcase.It is in our dining room where we do our school work.It looks so much better than before!!!!!!

New Years Eve

We had a fun New Year's Eve.We built a new bookshelf for all our school supplies.What a difference that makes for organizing the 'clutter'.Then after that was cleaned up ,we had a small party!!!!It was only Trent, myself and the kids but it was fun.We rocked out with "Guitar Hero" for the WII system ,We had snacks and the adults had wine.The little kids had sparkling grape juice.I was falling asleep around 11:oo pm (it was the wine) I made it until 12:00 am to see the new year,then I got a second wind and was up watching movies.This morning I had to drive my daughter to work and now I am tired again.It is sooooo cold here in Wisconsin ,I plan on staying in and curling up to the wood burning stove and look at all my favorite magazines.I already have a list of new projects .Some are being carried over from last year.Here is the list: install my new gas wood burning stove in the kitchen,finish the started basement bathroom,tile behind our existing wood burner in the dining room,paint the bathroom and finish painting my boys room,we also have talked about converting my dressing room into a master bathroom,we definitely have to start replacing the wooden fence around our house.That's all I can think of at the moment!!!! oh wait ,I also want to add some type of wainscoting or decorative molding to our dining room.Thats about it!!!!!!!! Happy New Year!!!!!!