What Are You Afraid Of?

How many times do you think “I really want to (paint woodwork or brick, change a faucet, change a light fixture, paint ugly laminate countertops, put up wainscoting, use a power saw, etc.) in my home, but I could never do it. I wish I was that brave. Maybe someday.” I can relate to this fear. Really, I can.

With each project I tackle, there’s always a little fear lingering in the room with me. Fear usually hangs out in the corner, smoking a stinky cigar and saying discouraging things to me like “You’re going to ruin your house, ya know.”, or “Your project is going to look (silly, awful, amateurish) and nobody will ever want to buy your house from you.” You know…sweet things like that.

Honestly though, Fear is wrong 99% of the time. And even when it turns out that Fear had a pretty good point and something does look a little stupid or “off”, I can always fix it, and learn valuable lessons along the way.

Can I tell you how many times I’ve painted a room and hated the color? I could do an hour long Power Point presentation on the modern history of paint colors in my home. Those who have been reading my blog a while know this to be true. For instance see where my bedroom started 2 years ago: It had its good points but it was waaay too dark…for me) and by continuing to experiment with ideas, it’s now someplace I LOVE.

 

And yes, spending hours painting a room only to end up hating the color is incredibly frustrating. The good thing? It is soooo easy to remedy. A $20 can of paint and an afternoon is all it takes to get closer to finding a color you’ll truly love. And isn’t that better than spending years with a color you despise…or at least really, really dislike?

Need another example? Remember when I changed my bathroom faucets and warned you to reconnect the hot and cold hoses to the right valves? Um yeah…turns out I failed to do that on one of the sinks. After shaking my fists in the air and letting out a big “Gaah!”, I spent 5 minutes with a wrench and fixed the problem – and now I have lovely faucets that make me smile each time I see them.

And my most recent example?: my beautifully framed bathroom mirror. I love the concept. I love how it looks in pictures (or from a distance), but my cuts on the small trim pieces were a little off and the wood grain on the frame was bothering me. So did I tell myself “I’m a huge DIY failure and I should never attempt another project”? No. I learned from my mistakes and spent a little time fixing them. I took of the small (poorly cut) trim pieces, and made better cuts on a new ($3) piece of trim. I also got out my handy palm sander, gave the mirror frame a good sanding, and then skimmed the surface with a layer of spackle…followed by another light sanding by hand.

Note: Reflection grayed out to hide top secret bathroom projects underway.

The result? A more “professional” finish, and the satisfaction of knowing I did a job well all by my little self. And if I ever frame out a mirror like that again, I know to buy a smoother wood and/or sand/patch before painting.

The point is, do NOT let your fear of making a mistake keep you from creating a home you love. Do your research, plan ahead, but be kind to yourself if the results are less than perfect. Just pull up those big girl pants (or big boy pants if you’re a boy who’s reading this) and keep trying until you have that room you’ve been dreaming of. With a little trial, error and persistence you will get there.

What project have you been procrastinating because you’re too nervous to try?

Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner? Take a Deep Breath

Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? Are you feeling a little frazzled and stressed out right about now? This little post will be my attempt at calming you down.

I've watched my dear, sweet, wonderful, angelic mother host holiday dinners year after year – and I swear the poor thing gains a grey hair or two every time she does it (although, you'd never know it from looking at her). My sweet little mama sets impossibly high standards for herself, stresses out beyond the max about how she’ll be able to reach those standards, and then feels guilty if she feels like she’s fallen short.

Does this sound familiar to any of you? Have a seat, grab a cup of cocoa and listen to me, okay?

Does it really matter if the pumpkin pie is from Costco instead of your Aunt Ruth’s recipe that requires 5 different spices imported from the Amazon and 10 hours of intensive labor? Yes, it’s a tradition. Yes, it kind of matters, but does it really matter?

Will anyone’s day be ruined because you didn’t hand carve a mini replica of the Mayflower out of yellow squash…and make matching name cards out of baby pumpkins?

Will the world come to a crashing halt if the food isn’t quite ready when everyone arrives, or if the turkey is a little dry? Will it…really?

I know we all want to please. I know we want to put our best faces forward when we entertain, but remember what people REALLY care about. They care about spending time with you. They care about catching up on what they’ve missed since they last saw you. They care about laughing about that one time, when they were 16 and they accidentally knocked over a trash can by the side of the road with their car because you were a brand new driver (that was my friend Betsy by the way).

Let people pitch in and help you cook. Let go of expecting everything to be perfect…it doesn’t have to be. Enjoy spending time with your guests. Enjoy your food…even if the gravy isn’t as "perfect" as the gravy your mom used to make.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the memories that are being made.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Please don't throw mashed potatoes at me. I'm just the messenger :-).

6 Easy Ways to Like Your Home More Today

Photo Credit: My Home Ideas

6 EASY WAYS TO LIKE YOUR HOME MORE TODAY

1) CLEAN SOMETHING: You don’t have to clean the whole house, just pick one area (i.e. a shelf, the floors in the living room) and clean it. Or set the clock for 15 or 30 minutes and see how much you can get done before the timer goes off. You’ll instantly feel better.

2) FIX ONE THING: Is there a light bulb that’s been out for a while? A piece of trim that needs 30 seconds with a glue gun? A button that needs to be sewn on? Choose one thing and do it.

3) MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL GOOD: Open a window (unless it’s 30 degrees outside), light a scented candle, spray some Febreeze on the upholstery (…and in your teenage son’s bedroom), bake cookies (well…you know…those pre-made ones from the deli case…I’m not asking you to clean AND bake real cookies!)

4) SHAKE IT UP BY SHOPPING THE HOUSE: Could the throw pillows on the sofa look nice on your bed?…or vice versa? Would that vase on your dresser be the perfect solution for your mantel with a handful of branches in it? Take a few minutes and experiment.

5) FIND SOMETHING TO PAINT!: Can you breathe new life into that old frame?, those ugly candlesticks?, or those boring oak stools? Think about it, and remember that a quart of paint or a can of spray paint is CHEAP.

6) DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY: Listen to music while you cook, light a few candles and “dine” over mac n’ cheese, eat on the good plates (that doesn’t have to include your 3 year old). Doing something out of the ordinary instantly makes things feel special.

Live in Your Dream HOME Right Now

One of the things I try to do on this little blog is to give you hope that you can improve your surroundings and create a place that feels like home. Whether you live in a dated house or an apartment where you can't touch the walls (with paint...that would be weird if you could never actually touch the walls), you can step out of the box and create an environment that makes you happy.


I haven't always had a house of my own. Back when I was a young single mom with a toddler (as opposed to the ancient 33 year old I am now...joking) I dreamed, and begged, and prayed every day that someday my son and I would have our own home. That dream wouldn't be realized for years, but I made the most out of what I had - which for a while was 2 bedrooms in my parent's house (sorry...I hope that isn't an overshare...just keeping it real here).


Even with those two little bedrooms I made an effort to create a home for us. My son's bedroom had a little loveseat in it where we could read together, or watch movies and munch on popcorn on our Friday night "date night". I would dim the lights and we would pretend it was a movie theater. I chose cute curtains and bedding for both rooms, and I even put up a Christmas tree in my bedroom each year that my son and I would decorate...sometimes with "ornaments" made from pine cones we collected in the backyard.



My point in sharing this is, we all dream of granite countertops, farmhouse sinks, and shiny hardwood floors....but don't get so wrapped up in looking to the future that you neglect the home you have right here, right now.

Wonder Woman's Got Nothing on Us

Some of you may have seen a post I published yesterday evening in which I outlined a mountain of projects I was considering thinking of possibly trying to attempt over the weekend. Well..I deleted the post because I felt like I published it before really thinking it through fully.

I felt like it left the impression that I really am some sort of crazy Wonder Woman wannabe that repairs toilets, paints rooms, and hold garage sales (while juggling chainsaws…on fire) every weekend. That is soooo not the case, and I definitely don’t want anyone feeling like I’m a super go getter and they’re not “doing enough” because the chainsaws they juggle aren’t on fire.

In reality, I have a huge list I hope to accomplish every weekend…and then I usually get home after grocery shopping Saturday morning and say… “Whew I’m tuckered out. I think I’ll flop down on the couch and watch HGTV and Bravo. And maybe feed my son a PB&J sandwich….maybe.”

Wonder Woman was really cute, she had a great outfit (and figure) and she could jump really high (I always thought that was cool), but she didn’t have to deal with half of the responsibilities we have in real life….and I never once saw her juggle chainsaws while grocery shopping, cooking dinner, and creating a beautiful, loving home for her family :) .

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Par-tay at The Inspired Room!

Melissa at The Inspired Room is having a linky party today. Melissa was struggling with that little thing called motivation to tackle a few painting projects that had been hanging over her head (um...can anyone else relate to this?) and she challenged others to join in and cross a few of our own projects off our lists.

I managed to cross one item off my list. Oh yeah, hold back your applause..."She did one project everyone! Find the confetti ASAP!". In all honesty I would have tackled a couple more projects if we'd had more than 3 hours without rain in the past month...but you know, that's how the fortune cookie crumbles (or something like that).

So, here's what I did.

See this burgundy door that is just screaming "Hey there! I am a full fledged, 100% certified suburban door." I've hated it since I moved in. It's just so...generic...so tract home (no offense to anyone else that has a door like this...I'm just absurdly sensitive to silly things like door colors).


Soooo, I finally did what I've been dying to do for a year and painted the darn thing a nice black in a subtle satin finish.


You'll notice that I ended up painting the plastic window frame thing too because, really, classic doors don't have white plastic window thingies....as far as I've observed.

I love it. I'm so happy with the change. And the best part? It took maybe 2 hours (excluding dry time) and $12 worth of paint. C'mon...you can't beat that.


I still want to paint some oh so fancy and charming numbers on the door, like these from It's the Little Things that Make a House a Home, but that's still on my list. I like to tell myself I'd be bored if I didn't constantly have more items on my to do list.

I also really, really need to spray my patio chairs black. This is one unfinished project that kind of eats at me and I know it will be a HUGE relief when it's finished and we can finally relax on the patio in style. Again, I need dry weather to get this done, though. But that's ok...I'll be patient...no stress...no stress :-).

My advice? Pick ONE project and make a plan to tackle it. Don't let yourself become overwhelmed by your whole list, just focus on one item and get it done. And when that's finished focus on one more. It's no fun being overwhelmed by a mountain of projects hanging over you....and if it's not fun, what's the point?

IDHTBPTBB - An Ode to The Nester

Head on over to the Nesting Place today and you can sign up to receive both a (somewhat) regular newsletter and the Nester's own ebook.



I try not to talk about the Nester too much because I don't want to seem like a crazy stalker or (even worse) a wannabe...I am my own person after all. But I have to tell you how much I love her and her philosophy of It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful (also known as IDHTBPTBB...you know, for funzies).

Until I discovered the Nester I didn't realize how much I stressed out about making things look "perfect"...and then kicking myself because I couldn't make my house look as fab as the latest spread in Cottage Living or the Pottery Barn catalogue. The Nester opened my eyes and freed me from that crazy, irrational stress, and she allowed me to embrace my slightly imperfect home.

I really wish I'd had found this enlightenment years ago. For instance, here's the fireplace in the house I used to live in.

I hated it. It's dark rusty brick loomed over me and gave me a stomach ache every time I walked in the living room (and we won't even talk about the fact that this room was totally devoid of my personality...nope won't even go there).

I played with the idea of painting it and building a cool mantle about 20 billion times, but I never did it because I was afraid. I was afraid of what people would think; I was afraid of how it would affect resale; I was just plain afraid. The thing was, the lady that ended up buying the house loved everything else I had done, including painting my kitchen cabinets. In reality, she probably would have been grateful not to have to look at that overwhelming rusty wall o'brick.

The point of all this? Follow your instincts...honor your instincts. Take a risk. If you don't like the outcome you can always try again. There's no shame in painting a room several times until you find that color that makes you smile every time you walk in.

Your home should be a reflection of you and your family. It should make you happy, and at peace. That doesn't take money...that takes a change in your mindset and a willingness to take chances.

Have a great Monday!
~AnNicole

Big Thanks!

The wonderful Julia at Hooked on Houses featured my kitchen makeover today, and while I should be all full of myself about it, I'm actually pretty darn humbled. "My little kitchen...aww, you shouldn't have." Thanks Julia!

You can read more details about the makeover here and here.

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And I wanted to give a big thanks to those of you out there that have multiple decorating personalities like I do. It feels so much better knowing you're not alone.

Here are a couple of my favorite comments from yesterday:

I have the same problem. In fact, my twins argue according to season.
I just can't resist all white ktichens with little splashes of color in the
spring time. But around Fall and winter, I crave me some heavy bold colors and beautiful black distressed cabinets. - Katie

I'm not a Gemini but I suffer from the same split decorating personality.There are always at least two different directions I want to go with any decor project. I think of it as the Plague of Overinspiration. - Rebekah

And finally....the one that sums it all up.

I am a Gemini and am currently in the process of painting all of my
previously-painted white furniture black. :) - flowerpatchfarmgirl

THANK YOU! It's so good to know I'm not alone. And neither are you apparently :-).

I CAN BE A LITTLE IMPATIENT

First of all, go check out Thrift Store Thursday at Holly's great blog Homebody. She's having a linky party so there should be lots of great stuff to see.

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And in other news..., am I the only one out there that's ridiculously impatient? Granted, this can be a good thing in some ways because it keeps my butt in gear and helps me to accomplish a lot. For example, in the first weekend after moving into my old house I had stripped all of the wallpaper in the kitchen and entry, replaced the knobs on the kitchen cabinets, and started painting the dining room! But, um, can any human really keep up that pace?

Although, good ol' Mr. Armstrong may qualify...

Layla over at The Lettered Cottage did a great post the other day called her "Ta-Dah" list (if you haven't read it you should totally head over there) and she also did a great guest post over at Nesting Place yesterday (...seriously, that girl is having a rock star week). She's in the midst of redoing a complete fixer upper, so she knows a thing or two about being overwhelmed by house projects. I really admire her philosophy of:

A) Acknowledging what you HAVE accomplished, and

B) Pacing yourself by doing a little bit on the house each week, but not so much that you want to keel over....Um, is that a lightbulb moment for anyone besides me?

MY FAVE FIVE

Have you heard? Barking Mad has gone....well, barking mad! She's giving away one $250 Target gift card. That's groceries, clothes, bedding, weed killer...you get the idea. Click here for more details.

Even though I never win anything (except for that time when I was 13 and won New Order concert tickets over the radio...and my friend and I were too young to go alone so my dear sweet dad had to take us....and then he made us leave early because the crowd was "wierd", which to his credit it probably was) I'm still going to throw my hat in the ring.

To enter you need to list 5-10 of your favorite posts. Regardless of whether or not I win, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share my home creating philosophy with you. I'm so sorry that many of you may have already seen these posts.

MY PHILOSOPHY:
I believe that with enough elbow grease and creativity anyone can have a home they love without breaking the bank.

Like creating a kitchen that makes you giddy to cook in:
A New Kitchen for Around $100

Or not being frightened of your bathroom anymore (it really was scary):
Inexpensive Bathroom Redo


Or the satisfaction of updating a powder bath using (almost) only what you have on hand:
$28 Powder Bath Makeover

I also think we're waaay too hard on ourselves, myself included, and get too wrapped up in trying to make things perfect. That's what I talk about in these two posts:

The Wicked Witch of Domesticity

An Imperfectly Perfect Christmas

Thanks for your patience today. Have a good one!

THE WICKED WITCH OF DOMESTICITY

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Wicked Witch of the West and her sister (I think it was) the Wicked Witch of the East, but have you heard of the Wicked Witch of Domesticity? Her name is Perfection, and she’s one evil witch. She doesn’t try to make you slumber in a field of poppies, she tries to torment you daily with lists of unfinished projects, and “I wish I had’s” and “If only this were different’s”. She tries to rob you of peace, contentment, and pride for your many accomplishments.

Flickr - Dolls and Fashion (it's amazing what you can find on Flickr)

She was hanging out at my house this morning…with her green face, her smart little outfit, and her glistening manicure…ok, let’s just say she has a manicure. First, we overslept. Then I got the carpool schedule wrong and made everyone late to school. Then I obsessed and obsessed about my bathroom redo, thinking “If I could have any bathroom in the world, what would it look like?”, and then I turned myself inside and out to try to figure out how to make it into that room. Like seriously, is it remotely healthy to consider transforming my bathroom into the Taj Majal? Let’s get real.

You mess up carpool?...the kids still get to school and will likely grow up to be well functioning adults despite your faux paux. You cooked mac n’ cheese out of the box last night?....you still fed your children and they know that you love them. You can’t afford to create the room of your dreams?....your efforts create a home of love, self control, and beauty.

The Good Witch of Let's-Get-RealFlickr - Dolls and Fashion

Let each of us make a pact to banish the Wicked Witch of Domesticity from our homes, call on the Good Witch of Let’s-Get-Real (pictured above) from time to time, and always remember:

Flickr - idg

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
(Oh, you had to know it was coming…)

AN IMPERFECTLY PERFECT CHRISTMAS

Wouldn't it be nice to be one of those women? No...not Pamela Anderson...I'm talking about those women that have a clean house all the time, make gourmet meals for their family every night, and have breathtaking Christmas decorations up the day after Thanksgiving. Yeah, I'm not one of those women. I'm the other kind of mom. The kind that (gasp!) buys frozen meals that my son can pop in the microwave when I'm stuck at work late; The kind that has (again....gasp!!) dust bunnies hiding in the corners (in my opinion, a major drawback of hardwood floors...I hope you're still reading this post...I am getting to a point). And you know what?...I'm ok with being that kind of mom. My son knows I love him, and...really...does all the fluff and sparkle matter that much?

That being said, I decided it would be better to put up imperfect Christmas decorations this year (in the spare hour I had to decorate) than to do nothing at all.

For example, our beautifully sparse Christmas tree. I think it's pretty darn tranquil (if a tree can be tranquil).

Here's a close up. I just love those beaded and glass snowflakes from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware (although, they failed me this year by not carrying them).



My itty bitty garland and stockings (including a wee sock for our little pooch).



And a few ornaments on the kitchen chandelier. NOTE: I've since seen a million photos of gorgeous decorated chandeliers. I've filed those photos away for next year's decorating.



I am pretty proud of one of my creations, my voluptuous wreath that's now proudly displayed on the front door. Yep...I made her...for about $15. You can love her, hate her, feel indifferent towards her, but I'm pretty full of myself over this little creation.





I hope you all relax and enjoy this wonderful holiday season!