tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63101330225272357112024-03-08T11:43:48.715-08:00Hawthorn and HollyHawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-46895036756685426822012-05-03T16:45:00.002-07:002012-05-03T16:45:50.227-07:00First blog from the new house<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">I</span>'m typing a midst unpacked boxes, un-hung shelves, and totally bare and un-vignetted surfaces. The lack of organization and personal items is driving me crazy!! But this has been the first move that I've actually had an outside job, so getting settled is taking muuuuuuch longer than anticipated. Sadly, it seems we're already having issues with the house's owner and the management company that runs the property. It's not sitting well with us and we're holding our breath that things get better...<br />
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But, hopefully I'll have something fun to blog about (our ceiling fan was successfully hung, although we did have to get help). In the meantime I'm just hopping online to read some of my favorite blogs, look at pretty pictures on Pinterest, and hopefully find my motivation somewhere in all the pretty e-surroundings!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-57974137205077590482012-04-15T08:18:00.001-07:002012-04-15T08:25:29.410-07:00Coming soon to a computer screen near you...<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">W</span>e interrupt our regularly scheduled <strike>programming</strike> packing to bring you this news: we've made some very fun purchases for the new house already! I'm so anxious to get stuff up and show everything off, but our official (big truck) move doesn't happen until tomorrow, and it will still be a good week before our rooms start looking picture worthy. But in the meantime, I had to show you some sneak previews (are these movie-style monikers working for you)? ;)
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Our new house has air conditioning (we don't have it on base), but no ceiling fans. And our new city gets H-O-T hot! So we bought <b><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Fans-Ceiling-Fans-Indoor-Ceiling-Fans/Featured-Products-New-Ceiling-Fans/Hampton-Bay/h_d1/R-202435786/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&productId=202435786&storeId=10051" target="_blank">this ceiling fan</a></b> for our master bedroom (which currently has no overhead lighting) from Home Depot for $63 after military discount to help keep our electric bills down.<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/ottava-pendant-lamp__0093764_PE231357_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/ottava-pendant-lamp__0093764_PE231357_S4.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
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Right now the light in the dinning room is a yellow shell shaped blown glass pendant. I'm sure some people would love it, but it's definitely not our style. Instead, we picked up <b><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70148531/" target="_blank">this industrial little guy</a></b>. Stayed tuned, because both of our lighting projects should be interesting--we've never hung new lights before.<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/leirvik-bed-frame__0094212_PE231955_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/leirvik-bed-frame__0094212_PE231955_S4.jpg" /></a></div>
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After years of sleeping on just a metal frame, we finally bought a bed with side rails a foot board and everything! It took several trips to IKEA and the promise to repaint it, but we purchased the extremely budget friendly <b><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99849961/" target="_blank">Leirvik frame</a></b>. It's out in our garage right now drying (one of our friends came by and laughed that we were still doing DIY projects in the middle of packing). But since the bed is one of the first things we want to set up when we get to the house, it has to be done before it's loaded on the truck.<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/malin-blad-rug-low-pile__0137772_PE296498_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/malin-blad-rug-low-pile__0137772_PE296498_S4.jpg" /></a></div>
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After we struck out on our Pottery Barn rug for the living room, I had the idea to purchase a simple Ergeby rug and paint it like <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/04/rug-crazy.html" target="_blank">some of these I had seen</a></b>. But when we realized the rug I wanted to use has the feeling of a very rough jute, we nixed the idea without a second thought (see why we hate jute rugs <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/01/things-i-wish-someone-had-told-me-about.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>). Then we saw <b><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40225516/" target="_blank">this gorgeous thing</a></b> and nabbed it. Bonus? $40 cheaper than the same size Ergeby rug.<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/janette-pair-of-curtains__0143312_PE302827_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/janette-pair-of-curtains__0143312_PE302827_S4.jpg" /></a></div>
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And finally (for our bigger purchases), we decided to step outside our comfort zone a little by purchasing <b><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60221584/#/90221587" target="_blank">these funky curtains</a></b> for our new bedroom. The colors online look way more bright and crazy than they do in real life, but we've never had patterned curtains like these before. A pack of two was $25--more than we normally spend, but not a bad price (and to be fair, this is coming from a couple who's notorious for using $2 sheets as curtains). But our new master bedroom only has one (very large and gorgeous) window, so we figured we could splurge a little (the current room required us to buy curtains in sets of three, hence why $25 curtains were always a no-go for us tightwads). <br />
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There were a lot of little purchases too (I'll spare you the laughing-at I got from Jason as I walked out of the accessories section with four new faux-potted plants), but these items are going to be the key pieces that help bring together the new color scheme in this house. And <b><i>massive </i></b>renter's bonus? I'm not surrounded by white walls anymore!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/042-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/042-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The first peek at our new place (the living room)!</i></td></tr>
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Hello color! <br />
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<i>We now return you to your previously scheduled <strike>programming</strike> packing...</i></div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-40715221022907623402012-04-11T05:31:00.000-07:002012-04-11T05:31:22.378-07:00Moving day (again)!<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">T</span>his afternoon we're picking up our keys, signing our lease and starting our move-in! Yeah, we don't mess around. We got the call on Monday that our application was accepted by the property management company and the owner of the townhouse we found (and loved). Pictures will be coming soon, but over the course of a week we'll be moving stuff here and there. Can't believe how fast things are moving, but after an exhaustive search, massive let downs, and finally finding what we (hope) will be our home for another few years, I just can't wait to get it done!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-323414221048829772012-04-09T08:30:00.000-07:002012-04-09T08:30:01.109-07:00Humble beginnings<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">S</span>o, one thing that I never added to <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/list-of-sorts.html" target="_blank"><b>my list</b></a>, but something I always had in the back of my mind, was trying to link up the old blog with the new blog. Some of you remember (and followed me from!) the old homestead of <b><a href="http://twonutsinashell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Two Nuts in a Shell</a></b>. I miss the old blog that's for sure. But, when I moved I accidentally let the custom domain lapse and it reverted back to a free blog site. Therefore, all of my links stopped working since they linked up to a non-existent URL. <br />
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But, I finally got my fingers in shape and update all of my old links! So now all of my old crafts are find-able again. You can either visit the old blog by clicking <b><a href="http://twonutsinashell.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-tos-diy-tutorials-furniture.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>, or in the event you don't want to hunt down this post, they're up in the navigation bar too!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">GURR INDUCING SIDE NOTE</span></b>: Links within posts may still not work as there's so many of them. If you can't find something, shoot me a comment and I'll do my best to correct the issue. </div>
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Yay for random accomplishments!</div>
<br /></div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-18972024171360225712012-04-05T07:54:00.002-07:002012-04-05T07:54:57.597-07:00Rug crazy<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">I</span> think I may have a bit of an obsession with rugs. As in the kind that go on your floor, not the bad kind guys wear. It started when we discovered IKEA carried adorable and perfectly proportion rugs for as cheap as $15! We've had two of theirs now (the first one we had to get rid of because it was around when we first brought Tessie home and she had a chewing habit we had to break her of) and we've loved them both. But the flexibility of being able to change the look of our living room for just a few bucks has really spoiled us (and yes I mean <b><i>us</i></b>).<br />
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So when we brought out the brown slipcovers for the spring (we'd purchased white ones for winter and went with a grey and white rug) we knew it was time to find another floor covering. I scouted (and pinned!) a bunch of different options ranging from Overstock.com to Crate & Barrel to Dash & Albert (sadly, nothing at IKEA caught my eye this time). I picked 6 and let Jason weigh in on his opinion too. Because you know, it's his house just as much as it is mine and I want him to like the way it looks too. These were the 6 I landed on..<br />
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Their prices ranged between $50 to just over $100. We decided that we could go with something a little more expensive since we wanted it to be a rug we kept around the house for more than just the winter season (especially since spring starts in January here).<br />
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After studying the materials (we hate jute, so most of these were either cotton, wool or polypropylene), the care (we like rugs we can either shake or hose off), and how the sizes compared to the prices we opted to go with the Bistro Stripe Cotton Mat from Pottery Barn.<br />
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While technically a "mat" and not a "rug" we liked the colors, the pattern and how light it was. After some additional discussion, we also decided to go whole hog and purchase the 5x8' size. With the rug pad, shipping, tax, and all the good stuff our new addition rang up at $171.32. Eesh. That was a hard pill to swallow. So I opted to wait before buying it...<br />
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...and they sold out! D'oh!! I must have revisited Pottery Barn over and over again in the vain hope that they would restock it, and when they did they no longer carried the 5x8' size. But they did carry an 8x10' for $170! <b><i>Ouch</i></b>.<br />
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Finding a new rug became the bane of my existence. And then I started seeing stuff like this (<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">HINT</span></b>: this rug was DIY'd)<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/117445502752625267/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache2.pinterest.com/upload/117445502752625267_8coHfuy7_c.jpg" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.theidearoom.net/2011/11/paint-a-rug.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">theidearoom.net</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pixiemcfee/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Amber</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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And that led me to Google "how to paint a rug"<br />
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Source: <a href="http://go.tipjunkie.com/dc/868/www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2011/04/chevron-painted-rug-from-ikea.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">go.tipjunkie.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pixiemcfee/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Amber</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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And now I'm thinking...<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/rugidea.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/rugidea.png" width="560" /></a></div>
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A basic rug from IKEA would make the perfect canvas to recreate the Pottery Barn rug I want. And at only $70 (for a 4x6'), the Egeby rug is exactly $100 less than its luxury counterpart. Of course I'm not taking into account <strike>my time, sweat, and tears </strike> the technical aspect of it, but if I'm going to attempt a painted rug, I don't think I can go wrong beginning with stripes...or totally copying that chevron pattern above...</div>
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Uh-oh...famous last words?<br />
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</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-51950618931375746752012-03-30T19:28:00.001-07:002012-04-05T07:40:19.033-07:00Table luvre<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">I</span>ssues I had (but cleverly hid in the <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/02/your-luck-will-change-if-you-arrange-to.html" target="_blank">original reveal photos</a></b>) with this table:
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<b>Screws that weren't counter sunk (or even level with the surface)</b><br />
I didn't use the right screws to begin with, so my drill wasn't able to drive them all the way flat to the wood. Most of them stuck out <i><b>quite</b></i> noticeably. I used the right screws on the rebuild and it's made a huge difference in the aesthetics.<br />
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<b>Lack of counter sinking = lack of hiding said screws</b><br />
Investing in a counter sink bit set was one of the smartest things I could have done (aside from investing in a Kreg Jig, which wasn't really around when I originally built this). It enabled me to (properly) wood putty over the screws and hide them. Result? A much more "professional finish."<br />
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<b>Paint job</b><br />
Really, the glazing. Over time my heirloom white paint + Ralph Lauren Smoke glaze = a color that was almost pink and fleshy! Ick. It was really creepy. And it also highlighted every. single. one. of my mistakes or flaws. Plus, it made the table constantly look dirty. Glaze is great, but this was not the right project for it.<br />
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<a href="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/glazeandpaint.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/glazeandpaint.png" width="456" /></a></div>
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<b>Bad decision to try and hide the wood seams</b><br />
I globbed on the wood putty thinking I could sand it down to a nice smooth finish. <b><i>Wrong</i></b>. I ended up <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-water-gin-co-inc.html" target="_blank">making a little sign</a></b> to place in front of the edge that I messed up on (and put that edge against a wall) just to hide it. This was by far the most labor intensive part of the rebuild. I sanded, chipped, and even used a small handsaw to cut away the layers of wood putty that I caked on. But the ability to have a clean and clear table without having to hide such an obvious boo-boo made it worth it a hundred times over!<br />
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The blue adds such a fun pop of color to our living room, and it ties in with <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/grandmas-cupboard.html" target="_blank">the hutch</a></b> from the dinning room, and even the <a href="http://twonutsinashell.blogspot.com/2010/01/add-some-flair-to-your-bookcases.html" target="_blank"><b>bookcases in the office</b></a>. I have a feeling this color (along with the apple/pea shoot green) is going to become a recurring theme in our house.<br />
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Oh, and for those of you wondering just how close Home Depot managed to color match to my Pottery Barn color swatch...<br />
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I'd say pretty damn close!<br />
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<b>TOTAL COST: $6 for paint rollers</b></div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-11717422677509790462012-03-25T19:30:00.001-07:002012-03-25T19:35:11.794-07:00One decision made...for now<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">I</span> suppose one decision is better than living life with a giant question mark above your head. And even though it's only been ten days since we announced <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/news.html" target="_blank">M#8</a></b>, it seems like it has taken 50 years just to get here. Truthfully, I think I have been in denial. This is all just a bad dream. If I don't think about it, it will just go away. If I cover my eyes, it's not really standing right in front of me. But unfortunately, this is not a situation in which I can bury my head in the sand and pretend there's nothing going on.<br />
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The reality is, once Jason gets orders, we will have about one month to move.<br />
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That's it.<br />
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In my mind, that meant four weeks to a.) decide if I'll stay or go, b.) pack, c.) inform work if I decide to leave, d.) find a place to live if I decide to stay (that's available like <i><b>now</b></i>), and e.) actually move. All the while Jason would still be in recruiting school and possibly preparing for his own move. Heavy. With a capital H. And that's exactly why my mind was spinning. Either decision seemed so final. Either decision seemed so <b><i>sucky</i></b>. Thankfully, my mom offered us a middle ground. One that still has an opened ended outcome, but offers us a reprieve from the immediate <strike>terror</strike> stress I think Jason and I are both feeling.<br />
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Let's move <b><i>now</i></b>.<br />
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Let's find a place that would be affordable even if Jason moved to Small Town, America and only received $1,000 a month for housing allowance (which would be used to pay my rent here--he'll have an additional stipend from the military to help cover a room-for-rent or studio apartment for him). Let's try to make it work so that in case we are rainbows-and-four-leaf-clovers-shooting-out-of-our-arses lucky enough that he gets stationed locally, it would work for the long term as well. If he leaves, we'll have X amount of months to test the situation. If suddenly I hate my job, or if our marriage starts having problems, or if the miles apart just become unbearable, once our lease is up I can pack up and move. If things are going fine, I can stay and once his duty is up, he can move back (y'know, if the military gifts us with California orders again).<br />
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So that's where we're at now. The house hunt has officially begun. </div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-77966361721994947822012-03-21T20:08:00.001-07:002012-03-21T20:08:25.696-07:00I have no clever title for this post...<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">S</span>eriously, I must have sat here for a good ten minutes trying to think of something quirky but cute to say about my latest list-crossing-off attempt. Writer's block! Anyhoo...progress is the name of the game! I'm throwing myself into projects to keep my mind off of <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/news.html" target="_blank"><b>M#8</b></a> (because truthfully, I think about it all. day. long.) and I'm crossing things off of <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/list-of-sorts.html" target="_blank">my list</a></b> with a Zorro-like fever. <i>Take that sconces! Feel my wrath hutch!</i> And currently, my hands are covered in Wedgewood Gray paint from the end table! Woot!<br />
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And I mean WOOT.<br />
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When I first took on this newest make-over, I thought it would be as simple as busting out a roller, maybe removing the legs, and it would be done in a day. HA! Shows how much I know! This was the post I put up on Facebook after my first day of working on it.<br />
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For shizz. I was D-O-N-E (and note, that was posted <i>Sunday</i>. It's now <i>Wednesday</i>. <i>Night</i>). I couldn't believe how anal I got about wanting to fix all of the mistakes I made on <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/02/your-luck-will-change-if-you-arrange-to.html" target="_blank">the first round of building</a></b>. In all fairness, it was the first thing I've ever built from scratch, so I guess some blunders here and there are bound to happen. The biggest pains (but most rewarding results) have been removing the old caulking and wood putty, and re-drilling the holes with a counter sink bit.<br />
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I don't own a Kreg Jig (yet) so after I originally built this piece, I realized how important it was to counter sink screws so they could be filled in properly with wood putty. Also, one of the skirt pieces had to be replaced <b><i>really bad</i></b> because I stripped the screw head, tried to remove it by less, um, "conventional means" (read: banging on it with a hammer), and realized salvaging it was hopeless. Luckily, I had a spare piece of matching wood and I'm able to cut a new piece. I'd like to replace the other two sides as well where I doubled up some thinner pieces (you can see them on the left and right sides of this picture), but I'm not too concerned with those at this point.<br />
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Okay, and I'm sorry with with all the <i>screws</i> and<i> woods</i> I've dropped in this post, I feel like it's mildly PG-13-ish. No? Just me being immature? Okay...moving on...<br />
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The photos above show only one coat of my Wedgewood Gray paint, and I've already added a second. I'm slowly becoming obsessed with this color! I still have to paint in between the planks, but I'm debating on whether or not I'll try to fill in seams this time around. Now that everything has been sanded and repainted it doesn't look as bad with the seams unfinished.<br />
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I'm hoping to have it completed by this weekend (or shoot, tomorrow even!). But in non-table make over news, I do have to show you some other artwork I've been working on.<br />
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Alright, normally I hate feet shots and my little wrinkly toes are nothing to write home about. But isn't this <b><a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P299606&categoryId=S10701&shouldPaginate=true" target="_blank">nail art from Sephora</a></b> cute?? It's my new favorite "accessory" and I've done a set on my fingers (since removed) and now this one on my toes. The manicure lasted a solid two weeks, and the only reason I removed it was because the grow out from my nails was starting to look less than classy. <b><span style="font-size: x-small;">BONUS</span></b>: I think it makes your nails stronger because I didn't have a single one break the entire time I wore them. Unheard of for me!<br />
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So that's the latest around here. Hopefully I'll have some after photos to share sooner rather than later. Sunday we're supposed to make a trip to IKEA for a few odds and ends (maybe finally get the brackets to complete my Pottery Barn knock-off shelves??) and possibly look at a bed frame for the master bedroom (since the bed is staying).<br />
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Feels good to be back up to my elbows in DIY. </div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-13665633725325974102012-03-19T08:21:00.000-07:002012-03-19T08:21:00.041-07:00A list (updated) & more on M#8<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">P</span>rogress. Somewhat.<br />
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-<a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/01/eat-your-heart-out-pottery-barn.html" target="_blank">Knock-off Pottery Barn shelves</a> for downstairs (still need brackets)<br />
<strike>-<a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-not-always-about-upgrades.html" target="_blank">Moving the new bed in</a> (and getting rid of the old one) </strike> <i><span style="color: #666666;">see why this one is being removed from the list below...</span></i><br />
<strike>-Finishing the hutch my grandmother gave me </strike> <i><span style="color: #666666;">check out the completed project <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/grandmas-cupboard.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></i><br />
<strike>-Repainting wall sconces my dad gave me </strike> <i><span style="color: #666666;">now I just have to decide where to hang them...</span></i><br />
-Organizing the bookcases<br />
-Repainting my <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/02/your-luck-will-change-if-you-arrange-to.html" target="_blank">DIY end table</a> <span style="color: #666666;">(<i>in progress</i>)</span><br />
-Revamping the dresser in my mom's room (a.k.a. the guest room that she calls hers)<br />
-Taking a crap load of stuff to Goodwill<br />
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So, since we announced <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/news.html" target="_blank">the impending move</a> later this year, we've been trying make decisions based on three different scenarios: Jason and I both moving out of state, Jason and I both moving locally, Jason moving out of state and me moving locally. The first two are fairly straight forward--everything moves with us. The third option has us (read: the military) moving Jason and then us moving the rest of our stuff in with me or into storage (or both). Since there's a possibility that Jason will need his own bed (since he won't be stationed at a base there's no barracks for him to live in, so he'll be renting a room somewhere) we decided to keep our queen (for me) and he'll take the full bed we have in storage with him.<br />
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Yay for being kind of lazy and never getting around to having the old bed hauled away! <br />
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I'll be so happy when we're not working off scenarios and can start making some <i><b>real </b></i>decisions. </div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-28254099582945122342012-03-17T11:42:00.001-07:002012-03-21T18:20:29.591-07:00Grandma's cupboard<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">Y</span>ay! Score one for me I marked something off <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/03/list-of-sorts.html" target="_blank">my list</a>! Earlier this year (::cough::January!::cough::) my grandma gifted me with this less than desirable cabinet which she was using to house some porcelain "days of the week" dolls.<br />
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<br /><i><span style="color: #666666;">Okay, let me just make this general disclaimer: the lighting in our house S-U-C-K-S!</span></i></center><br />
When they had new carpet put down in their home, they started getting rid of furniture so there would be less for them to move when the installation day came. Somewhere back in my childhood years I made the comment to my grandma that I wanted the cabinet of dolls and it was something she never forgot. I still haven't learned how to say no to my grandma (maybe that's why we've accumulated so much crap) so before I knew it, we were hauling it away--creepy dolls, bad paint job, and all!<br />
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The dolls I knew would be given away, but the longer I looked at my fugly new cabinet, the more I realized it had the potential to be the perfect sized hutch in our dinning room, whether or not I wanted to put actual dishes in it, or just start having a better place to display some of my favorite decor pieces.<br />
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This thing had more staples, screws, hinges, and junk holding it together than I even care to rehash! The paint job was the <b><i>worst</i> </b>I'd ever seen in my life (<i>vanilla speckled accented in gold? genius!</i>) and more than once I wondered if this was going to be a huge DIY disaster (would we even like it when I finished?). But once it was primed, I was feeling much better. I even opted <b><i>not</i> </b>to put the lower cabinet door back on, and instead decided to paint the bottom of the backer board with a shot of turquoise spray paint (Rust-Oleum, Lagoon).<br />
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I had every intention of putting the mirror back on, but as we were hammering the backer board into place, the mirror fell and shattered into a billion pieces. One of which ended up in my leg (insert horrified screaming here). I was so bummed I shelved the entire project for about 3 weeks.<br />
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Then I saw (and pinned!) this from The Lettered Cottage.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://theletteredcottage.net/annie-sloan-and-shaunna-west/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">theletteredcottage.net</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pixiemcfee/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Amber</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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I adored the way the blue looked peeking out of the hutch! Not to mention, it made the hutch look somewhat bigger than (I think) it actually is. I was worried with the shattering of the mirror that my hutch would instantly look squat and tiny painted all black. So I headed down to Home Depot armed with the fan deck we were gifted at my first ever <a href="http://twonutsinashell.blogspot.com/2010/01/project-living-room.html" target="_blank">Pottery Barn decorating class</a>. I had them color match "Wedgewood Gray" to their paint and primer in one formula (note: Wedgewood Gray is not currently offered in the Pottery Barn collection by Benjamin Moore). They did an <b><i>amazing</i></b> job! (FYI: the Pottery Barn/Benjamin Moore paint goes for about <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/accessories-decor/hardware/hardware-paint/" target="_blank">$66/gallon</a>. I spent $13 on my quart and have barely used even a quarter of it). Once it was all painted, we used a metric ton of Gorilla Glue to reattach the backer board, followed by two days of drying.<br />
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Here's the long-awaited after.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">Have I mentioned the lighting in our house sucks?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">Sorry for the flash but it was the only way to capture the turquoise on the back.</span></i></div>
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Top to bottom I decorated it with a few things that have been hiding in cupboards and on soffits. Top shelf: my favorite jewel red wine glasses from World Market. I bought them when Jason and I were first dating and have never found anything like them again (I actually have four, but three just looked better, and one has a tiny chip in it). I'd love to find two mercury glass votive to go in between these I think...<br />
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Middle shelf: my clover tea pot, purchased in Emerald Isle, North Carolina at their St. Patrick's Day Festival; little tea cups I purchased at a North Carolina flea market for a mere 10<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">¢</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> each (I have a fourth one as well, but the tower was getting a little rickety...); and a small creamer pitcher</span> I picked up at TJ Maxx sitting on top of a silver candle holder for some height. This is probably my favorite shelf (<i>but shhhh! don't tell the others!</i>).<br />
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Third shelf: a goblet with my family crest on it filled with vintage silverware; my little brass bell from an estate sale; two of my favorite tiny books (a book of love poems and my Irish O'merican book).<br />
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">I love the way the brass bell picks up on the gold foil writing on the poetry book.</span></i> </div>
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Bottom shelf--originally I had planned to stack some heirloom dishes in here that my mom has in storage, but for now this little arrangement works: a little chef plate I picked up from BB&B years ago; two "vintage" coke bottles (definitely not antique, but I love them anyways); one of my jute wrapped pears for a little texture.<br />
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I'm extremely pleased with how it turned out, considering how it started! I may still decide to switch out the paint color of Lagoon (on the bottom part of the backer board) for an apple green later on down the road (like <a href="http://twonutsinashell.blogspot.com/2010/01/add-some-flair-to-your-bookcases.html" target="_blank">my favorite Martha Stewart wrapping paper</a>). <span style="font-style: italic;">Why yes I did just link to my old blog twice in one post.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-style: italic;"> </span>I still have more work to do, mostly touch ups. I'm supper unimpressed with my 3M Blue Painter's Tape (so. much. bleeding.), I'd like to change out the hinges for an oil rubbed bronze (or maybe a silver to contrast the black), and I think I'm going to carry the Wedgewood Gray paint out onto the ledge around the display case. I'd also like to find a new drop pull for the door. Currently I'm loving <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-hardware/073183.jsp" target="_blank">this one from Anthropologie</a>.<br />
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But for right now it's done, I can put dishes in it, and I love it!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>COST BREAKDOWN:</b></span><br />
Rust-Oleum gray primer (2 cans) - $8<br />
Rust-Oleum Smooth Protective Enamel in satin black (2 cans) - $10<br />
Rust-Oleum Lagoon - $0 (already owned)<br />
Wedgewood Gray paint - $13<br />
Rub n' Buff Silver Leaf (for drop pull) - $0 (already owned)<br />
Decor - $0 (already owned)<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">TOTAL:</span></b> $31<br />
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Thanks Grandma!♥ <br />
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I'm linking up to:<br />
<a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/03/thrifty-thursday-52.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20ThriftyDecorating%20(Thrifty%20Decorating)" target="_blank"><b>Thrifty Thursday #52</b></a> at Thrifty Decorating</div>
</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-2099338588896211952012-03-15T20:07:00.000-07:002012-03-15T20:07:43.802-07:00News<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">N</span>ow that our immediate family knows, it's safe to put up on the blog. We just found out we're moving. <b><i>Again</i></b>. If you've kept count, this makes eight moves in seven years. Let me do that in actual numbers. 8 moves. 7 years. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>SIDE NOTE</b></span>: seriously, with all that moving how do we amass so much <b><i>crap</i></b>?!) When will we be moving? We have no idea. Where to? We have no idea. Don't you love the military??<br />
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Jason was chosen for a special duty assignment, which means he gets to be a recruiter for the next three years. He reports to school in September and some time during the class he'll get his orders. Right now a lot is up in the air, the biggest issue being whether or not I'll be moving with him. I'm truly blessed with an amazing job that I'm not only good at, but I love going to every. single. day. The benefits/pay/perks are great; the company is fabulous (they currently pay for one of our vehicles) and there's a ton of room for growth; plus my superiors actually appreciate me. It's basically the dream job I never thought I'd find (or really knew I was looking for). Aside from my job there are other mitigating factors that I won't go into right now (because let's face it, I have seven long months to obsess and write about all of this) but it seems like it's 80% sure Jason will become a geographical bachelor (the military's term, not mine). But that 20% is totally open to be a wild card.<br />
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Economically and financially speaking, we know the logical thing to do is for me to stay. But emotionally we're both torn at the thought of living apart. Yes, we'd be flying back and forth to see each other but it's not the same as living together. And three years sounds like a <b><i>really</i></b> long time (I mean, it <b><i>is</i></b> a really long time but somehow when you say it, it sounds <b><i>reeeaaaallllllly</i></b> long).<br />
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Granted, we could get ridiculously lucky (like rainbows-and-four-leaf-clovers-shooting-out-of-our-arses lucky) and he could get stationed here in San Diego. But we'll still have to move since he won't technically be stationed at Camp Pendleton anymore (the recruiting office he works out of will be his new duty station), which means no more military housing. While it seems like a huge loss (rent-free, utility-free living? divine!) the chance to move closer to my work would be nice (no more leaving an hour before), and it might be nice to be able to paint rooms again (depending on our landlords). Those have been the only two positives about the actual moving part I've found so far. I'm working on finding more.<br />
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So right now, my mind (and I'm sure his too) is in a million places, and all of them are dotted with question marks. I'll definitely keep the blog up to date on what we decide and while neither of us is looking forward to move #8, I think the anticipation of a new chapter has both of us optimistic. For now.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/16861404" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">weheartit.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/kirnieman/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Kirsten Nieman</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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<br /></div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-84520729905309444842012-03-13T10:58:00.000-07:002012-03-13T19:02:50.627-07:00A list of sorts<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">A</span>lternate titles of this post: "Things I Haven't Done" and "I'm So Lazy That I'd Rather Not Get Up And Eat Because My Bed Is So Comfortable."<br />
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<br />
My current unfinished project list looks a little something like this:<br />
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-<a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/01/eat-your-heart-out-pottery-barn.html" target="_blank">Knock-off Pottery Barn shelves</a> for downstairs (still need brackets)<br />
-<a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-not-always-about-upgrades.html" target="_blank">Moving the new bed in</a> (and getting rid of the old one)<br />
-Finishing the hutch my grandmother gave me<br />
-Repainting wall sconces my dad gave me<br />
-Organizing the bookcases<br />
-Repainting my <a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/02/your-luck-will-change-if-you-arrange-to.html" target="_blank">DIY end table</a><br />
-Revamping the dresser in my mom's room (a.k.a. the guest room that she calls hers)<br />
-Taking a crap load of stuff to Goodwill<br />
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And I'm pretty sure I'm just skimming the top of it...</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-70259112882037906622012-03-11T10:38:00.000-07:002012-03-11T18:05:35.423-07:00Spring cleaning<div align="justify">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px;">M</span>ouse.
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There's the word you never want to hear your husband say (well I'm sure there are worse ones, like <b><i>divorce</i></b> or <b><i>creditcardbill</i></b>...). But that's exactly what my husband uttered about a week ago, and it's seemed like an eternity since then. The constant cleaning of droppings (gag!), frantically and hysterically calling the housing department when you realize the little effers have chewed through the wall that was just plugged up to keep them out, over worrying about your precious little fur-baby and what she'll do if she sees one (for the love of blog <b><i>donoteatit</i></b>!!!).<br />
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My husband has the patience of a saint. And there are some days I think he gets a reality check on the prissy little thing he's married to. But he still loves me thank goodness.<br />
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The upside to all of this? The de-crapifying mission has been steaming along! Our garage looks fantastic because we've gone through to make sure there are no mice nesting anywhere out there (knock on wood, there's not). The walk-in linen closet, which had become a dumping ground for extra furniture, has been almost entirely gutted (and washed in boiling hot water) because unfortunately, there was at least one mouse in there. Even the kitchen has received a skeptical eye on what stays and what goes. Imagine my chagrin when my mother opened up a drawer and discovered an entire set of Crate & Barrel dishware that I had never used and completely forgot that I even owned.<br />
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Yay for silver linings that help with getting the house clean and organized! But boo and hiss that it came on the heels of mice.</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-67583518426106971252012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:002012-01-27T07:00:06.465-08:00You've got mail<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">I</span> don't know about you, but we <strike>have</strike> used to have a mail issue at our house. <br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/013.jpg" /></center><br />
It went everywhere--the dinning table, the book cases, the end tables, the kitchen counters. The circulars didn't get recycled, the ads didn't get torn up, and credit card offers didn't get shredded. Pain. In. The. Ass.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/015.jpg" /></center><br />
So I grabbed some craft baskets that were collecting dust (where else but <i>on the book cases</i>?) and hung them up on some hooks that were originally put up for Christmas stockings (we don't have a mantle and I'm a sucker for hooks so I wasn't in a hurry to take them down). <br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/014.jpg" /></center><br />
I debated on making tags out of remnants and chalkboard fabric, but I had a feeling that would make them look a little more country than I wanted. So instead I attached some lable holders (originally from my Kassett storage boxes from IKEA) using hot glue. <br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/017.jpg" /></center><br />
Boom. Mailboxes. Total cost? Free! Bonus: the extra hooks are great for hanging my purse or Jason's jacket when we walk through the door.</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-49341220540999466322012-01-22T09:24:00.000-08:002012-01-22T12:18:48.457-08:00It's not always about the UPgrades<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">B</span>elieve it or not we're actually thinking about downsizing our bed. This may not be any great shocker to some people (how many of us have gone from Cal Kings to Kings, or Kings to Queens?) but we're about to go down to--gulp--a full. [insert horrified screaming here] I know, it seems crazy. But hear me out.<br />
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We've wanted a new bed for sometime now, because while our mattresses-on-a-metal-frame-thing-from-WalMart isn't horrible, the bed squeaks and shakes like something from a bad motel (and I mean just doing the basics--not to get <i>too</i> adult here). When one of us is sick with a cough, you better believe that thing convulses right along with us. Rolling out of bed in the morning is unpleasant as well; think of an old attic door slowly being opened (BTW, our wake up times can be anywhere between 4:00 and 7:00--major sleep interruption). If Jason is having a restless night I feel every toss and turn because the whole bed sways. Have I made my point as to <i>why</i> we need some sort of a new bed? <br />
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As far as the whole size thing? We have an extra bed frame in storage. A <i>real</i> bed frame with side rails, headboard, foot board and all--it just happens to be a Full sized bed. We could have easily gone out to purchase a Queen, but it felt like a massive waste of money. Oh, and we also have mattresses for it too courtesy of my mom's old guest room. So how can we pass up a free bed just because we would lose three inches from either side and two and a half inches from the top and bottom?<br />
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So we're looking for some fresh ideas, trying to figure out how we're going to move stuff around (right now we'll probably have to rent a truck since we all drive 4-door sedans), and taking our time making sure that we don't end up keeping more junk (the upholstered headboard will probably be CraigsListed or put on our base website). In the meantime, here's one of the first photos that's caught my eye (from Pinterest).<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/59954238758904352_mejHekT1_c.jpg" /></center><br />
Doesn't this make you miss summer??</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-67298591191624530732012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:002012-01-12T05:04:33.363-08:00Eat your heart out Pottery Barn<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">A</span> few months ago I started looking around a our master bedroom. I was feeling very underwhelmed. Black dressers. Black night stands. Black shelves...everything was feeling kind of heavy in there. We have plans to do a little make-over in there sometime soon (details to come later) but one thing I knew had to happen <i>now</i> was to bring in a little more warmth. I have a few ideas (maybe repainting the nightstands to a color and getting rid of all our silver accessories) but when I ran across this photo in a Pottery Barn magazine, I knew it was the perfect way to break up all that black.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/img3l.jpg" /></center><br />
But at about $75 a pop for the 3-foot sizes (and about $54 for the smaller ones), clearly this was a DIY job. <br />
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We picked up some brackets from IKEA to the tune of $3 a piece, and a 1"x6"x12' piece of pine wood from Home Depot for about $14. The lumber guys cut it into 4 pieces of 3-feet each (thus also making it transportable in our little 4-door vehicle). I also grabbed a medium sized can of Provincial stain ($8) so I could use it in future projects. <br />
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The wood was "distressed" by me taking a hammer, some nails, and a few other odds and ends and banging away like crazy. It got one coat of the Provincial stain (which looked <i>way</i> more honey colored on the samples at the store) and the IKEA brackets got a couple coats of grey primer and 2-3 coats of black spray paint.<br />
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One they were assembled, this is what we had:<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/001-2.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/005-2.jpg" /></center><br />
You're only seeing one of them because apparently, I can't take a straight picture to save my life. But there are <i>two</i> shelves in our room. Here's what they looked liked before:<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/60610_162213033795880_100000215525481_578509_5208509_n.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/59437_162213047129212_100000215525481_578510_4341664_n.jpg" /><br />
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(We've since replaced this ancient looking television, BTW)</center><br />
The new shelves are slightly bigger, which I was surprised with at first, but now I like. And the decor? Much more de-crapifying friendly (you should see how much room the bookcases are developing)! Oh, and did I mention these babies set us back just $11.50 a piece?? Yep--we made 4 shelves for a total of $46. A little over half of what it would have cost for just one of them from Pottery Barn. And I think they're almost identical.<br />
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The pile of decorap (that's my new contraction for decorating crap) is growing slowly but surely. Although now I'm faced with a bit of a conundrum--do I try to sell stuff? Or do I just donate to Goodwill? Hmm...<br />
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I'm linking up to:<br />
<b><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/01/thrifty-thursday-42.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThriftyDecorating+%28Thrifty+Decorating%29">Thrifty Thursday</a></b> @ Thrifting Decorating</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-82005671180954645612012-01-06T07:03:00.000-08:002012-01-06T07:03:00.568-08:00De-crapifying attempt #1: hello bookworms<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">I</span> hate to admit how much I love that word <i>de-crapifying</i>. It's so unlady-like. Come to think of it, maybe that's why I like it so much...I digress. I don't know if I've ever explained just how many books Jason and I own. Take for example this bookcase that we purchased last Christmas at IKEA. <br />
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<center><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/cowboybutts_drivemenuts/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/008-1-1-1.jpg" /><br />
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(<i>Ooh, ahh, so pretty and staged...</i>)</center><br />
Yeah it didn't look like that for long since it need to actually hold up its end of the job (namely, housing books). That puppy was filled up faster than I could say <i>getridofsomedamnbooksalready</i>! Oh, and did I mention we actually own <b><i>two</i></b> of those bookcase? And they're <i><b>both</b></i> <strike>filled</strike> overflowing? I didn't? Well they are!! <br />
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So in an attempt to start filling in some bare nooks and crannies of our house, I started thinking <i>why not use what I clearly have plenty of</i>? BOOKS! Rather than buying trivial (but pretty) items from places like Pottery Barn or Michaels, I started digging through the bookcases. Jason and I love our books with a ridiculous passion. We hyperventilate at the thought of letting anyone borrow one (what if it doesn't get returned?) and the thought of getting rid of anything that isn't falling apart at the spine makes us want to cry. Yeah...we have problems...we know. <br />
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Thus I give you my first meaningful vignette of the year--and the first step towards making more room in our bookcases and weeding out the junk. (Sorry in advance for the bad photos. Our landing has no windows which means purely artificial--and therefore bad!--lighting)<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/040.jpg" /><br />
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(<i>Before</i>)<br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/035.jpg" /><br />
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(<i>After</i>)</center><br />
Maybe others would have left this ledge alone, but I hated coming to the top of our stairs and seeing nothing. I've tried using vases, picture frames, and a lot of other little things to make it look more homey. But really it just looked cluttered. The books seem deliberate. Chunky. Filling. (Campbell's soup anyone?) Plus, I love love <i><b>love</b></i> my not-so-subtle tribute to our military heritage by using red white and blue books (which is a display I lost in the bookcases when I needed to fill them). Also? This little "bookend..."<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/036.jpg" /></center><br />
...is my solution to the fact that we don't technically own bookends. (I know, WTF?) This porcelain rose was a gift from my ma (the yellow rose is the symbol of the Marine wife) and by stacking it on top of red, white, and blue books I feel like it's the perfect little display. <br />
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Books as decor = <span style="color: #cc0000;">♥</span></div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-16919366898628236872012-01-03T18:51:00.000-08:002012-01-03T18:52:14.549-08:00Resolutions, 2012 edition<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">S</span>o...I've felt super awkward since every other post I see on my Facebook feed is "YAY!! 2012!! OMG my resolutions are [insert mile long list here]!!! 2012 is going to be the best year EVER!!!!!!!!!!" Um...ok. Yay enthusiasm? But now picture me with the cartoon-like ? above my head. Since <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011-resolutions.html">last year's resolution</a></b> kind of fizzled somewhere around June or July, we can clearly see I'm not the best for keeping resolutions year round. But, I figured I'd give it the old college try and (dare I say it?) make a resolution for 2012. It's both a big one, and a little one, and one I know a million other people are doing.<br />
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<center><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">DE-CLUTTER OUR HOUSE.</span></b></center><br />
I know. Super original right? (And wow, that looks kinda scary all in red and giant letters!) But after many (failed) attempts at trying to keep this place organized, I'm starting to realize we just have too much crap and too many broken systems. Mail is strewn everywhere but the basket I bought for it (maybe because the basket sits on our book shelf in our office tucked away in the downstairs corner of our house?). Shoes are lined up in the foyer (::cough:: Jason's! ::cough::) or along the stairway (::cough:: mine! ::cough::) instead of in closets. <br />
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Useless knick-knacks purchased for the sole purpose of creating vignettes? Check! Random un-matching picture frames stored in linen closets because I don't know how to say no? Check! 8 sets of duvets/comforters, 12 sets of sheets, and 16 pillows in a house with only 2 beds?? Check check!! <br />
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Bring it on 2012--let the de-crapifying begin!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-90027326328222830982011-11-29T06:59:00.000-08:002011-11-29T06:59:00.322-08:00The real stuff<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">Y</span>ou know what's really unglamorous and unfun to blog about? Moving pictures off your hard drive. When my husband pointed out that we barely had over 9GB left on our 222GB drive, we started looking for ways to free up some space. I realized that we have pictures dating back to 2005 (read: when we first started <i>dating</i>!) and that would probably free up a chunk of space. <br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/2323232327Ffp3583Enu3D32573E3A3B43E6723EWSNRCG3D32333B6843C7499nu0mrj.jpg" /><br />
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(<i>Shopping for my wedding dress, 2006. Don't I look like a child?</i>)</center><br />
It's taking forever because the discs are smaller than I anticipated--or rather the folders of pictures are larger than I realized. I guess in a way that's kind of a good thing. I mean, look at how many pictures we've taken over the 7 years we've been together!<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/CameraClear198.jpg" /><br />
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(A rare peek at our house back east when we first dipped our toes into the DIY/decor pool.)</center><br />
On the other hand, do I have to be so damn camera happy?? I'm shocked at some of the <i>dumb</i> stuff I've taken pictures of over the years! A vase full of faux flowers and sand? That's a memory maker for sure! Our sofa bed pulled out into a guest bed? Genius!<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/Pictures003.jpg" /><br />
<br />
(Christmas 2007. Um, ick? What was I thinking--black hair??!)</center><br />
Although seeing how we've both "grown up" over the years has been pretty hysterical too. Fashion faux-pas, clothing trends, even just how our faces have changed. Of course, my favorite indicators of how the years have passed are our Marine Corps ball pictures. We're missing a few from years that either didn't have a ball (thanks to deployments), or we didn't go (thanks to venue sizes). <br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/Pictures3014_2.jpg" /><br />
<br />
(<i>2007</i>)<br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/USMCBall2008001.jpg" /><br />
<br />
(<i>2008</i>)<br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/066.jpg" /><br />
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(<i>2010</i>)<br />
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<img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/0132.jpg" /><br />
<br />
(<i>2011</i>)</center><br />
In the meantime...I'm only up to 2007. This is going to be a long process.</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-49070917729239527812011-11-27T10:50:00.000-08:002011-11-27T10:50:34.741-08:00Face (re)lift<div align="justify"><span style="float:left;color: #000;background:#fff;line-height:60px; padding-:1px 5px 0 0; font-family:times; font-size:70px;">D</span>ig it. The third and hopefully final rehash of my old wash basin. It's been orange (a.k.a. oak)...<br />
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<center><img src=http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/00112.jpg></center><br />
It's been cottage white (a.k.a. a bad paint job up close)...<br />
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<center><img src=http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/030-1.jpg></center><br />
And now, it's just awesome (a.k.a. black!) <br />
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<center><img src=http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/006.jpg></center><br />
I primed everything with grey Rust-Oleum primer (using my <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/11/6-will-make-you-holla.html">new fave painting tool</a></b>), and then repainted it with Rust-Oleum satin black spray paint. I gave it plenty of curing and drying time because I wanted this face lift to be <i>perfect</i>! <br />
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I'm freaking estatic with the new look. I have a feeling this is the end of my love of white furniture...<br />
</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-24235451974912190562011-11-19T12:07:00.000-08:002011-11-19T12:07:05.387-08:00Cheaply unique<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">I</span>'m itching to start decorating for Christmas this year! And in anticipation of it, I bought my first new ornaments of the year.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/030.jpg" /></center><br />
I love the intricate cut-out design and the sparkle the glitter gives these red hot mamas. But the best part? A set of 6 cost me all of $4 from Big Lots!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-91070290049129105492011-11-18T06:57:00.000-08:002011-11-18T06:57:00.341-08:00Give thanks<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">D</span>uring Halloween, I had this little quartet of cheerful pumpkins topping our TV/wall unit.<br />
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<center><img src=http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/008.jpg></center><br />
I knew I didn't want to leave them up for Thanksgiving (even though my <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-halloween.html">homemade tombstones</a></b> are <b><i>still</i></b> resting in the front yard...) so I grabbed some scrap wood from my pile in the garage and set to work with some hierloom white paint, a magic marker, some dark brown craft paint, and random faux leaf (I used the same process to create my <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/04/heres-to-you-nc.html">groc & grill sign</a></b>).<br />
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<center><img src=http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/009.jpg></center><br />
Bonus? Come Christmastime I plan to flip it around and paint some more holiday words on it in red!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-56860788009263026342011-11-15T17:23:00.000-08:002011-11-15T17:23:43.425-08:00$6 will make you holla!<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">Y</span>eah okay that was a lame blog title. But I just had to take a moment to gush about the $6 miracle the paint guy at my local Home Depot suggested. <br />
<br />
After seeing me hanging around the paint cages so often, the folks at HD were starting to recognize me as the little shorty who always said, "Yes I know what I want," when they opened the cage, only to have me immediately ask, "Where's [insert color here]?" One of them finally asked if I had thought of buying a paint trigger.<br />
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Thinking he meant one of those big air compressors, I said "Pffft! No way--do you know how many pairs of shoes I could buy for the price of one of those?!" After he stopped laughing, he handed me a Rust-Oleum brand package with a little tool that looked like this.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/ambermacfie/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/011.jpg" /></center><br />
I. LUVRE. IT!! My fingers don't get all cramped or covered in spray paint, and I feel like it somehow makes the paint coverage better too (but that's probably just me). And since right now I'm working on two rather large pieces (can't wait to show them to you!) this little things has been a life (and finger) saver!</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-60956866120849108522011-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:002011-11-08T14:05:07.203-08:00An old favorite<div align="justify"><span style="float:left;color: #000;background:#fff;line-height:60px; padding-:1px 5px 0 0; font-family:times; font-size:70px;">S</span>o, while it's not techinically new news, I did have to reshare this recipe from March of earlier this year (we used it for <b><a href="http://hawthornandholly.blogspot.com/2011/03/st-patricks-day-recap.html">St. Patrick's Day dinner</a></b>). Mainly because the weather here is finally turning fall and winter-ish and that means I'm cooking up a family favorite: Irish stew!<br />
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The great thing about this stew is that you can kinda throw in whatever you have on hand. Tonight I'm going to toss in some broccoli and green beans since I happen to have a couple frozen packs of each. And I have to add that any sort of hot bread with this makes the dish even more delish!<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://imarriedanomnivore.com/"><b>I Married An Ominivore</b></a> for this vegetarian version of a classic! <br />
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1 – pkg favorite brand of “crumbles,” or your favorite meat substitute, up to two pounds.<br />
2 cups onion, chopped<br />
2 cups potatos, chopped<br />
2 cups celery, chopped<br />
2 cups carrots, chopped<br />
1 cup sliced mushrooms<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp pepper<br />
1 tsp sugar<br />
3 cups tomato juice/sauce<br />
1 cup water<br />
2 cups canned or frozen peas<br />
Cut up all the veggies (except for the peas) into 2-inch chunks and add to crock pot. Open “crumbles” package and pour on top of veggies in slow cooker. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and tomato sauce. Cook on low for 6-9 hours (I let it go for the full 9 hours because I usually cook this while I’m at work). About 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, add the peas into the slow cooker and let cook for those last 15-30 minutes. Although I always make this in my crock pot, it also can be cooked it in a 250 degree oven for 6 hours.<br />
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<center><img src=http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g132/cowboybutts_drivemenuts/Hawthorn%20and%20Holly/017-2.jpg></img></center><br />
</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310133022527235711.post-63922196260311773352011-11-04T17:10:00.000-07:002011-11-04T17:10:40.076-07:00Hello?<div align="justify"><span style="background: #fff; color: black; float: left; font-family: times; font-size: 70px; line-height: 60px; padding-: 1px 5px 0 0;">H</span>i. I'm hoping this is the first of many of my return posts. What happened? Life, crap, wonderful things, horrible things, crazy things. Somehow documenting it all seemed so difficult. But, with the chill in the air (what? 55-degrees in California is fah-reezing!) and the holidays fast approaching I find that I miss being on the blogosphere. The DIY itch hits now and then and when I feel fabulously creative, I'm always sad that I no longer have (or rather didn't take advantage of) my outlet. <br />
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So...dare I say I'm back?<br />
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Ooh, since it's so close to post Halloween spookiness, let's do it Poltergeist style!<br />
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Weeeee're baaaaaaack...</div>Hawthorn and Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207882144429176865noreply@blogger.com1