First blog from the new house

I'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...

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!

Moving day (again)!

This 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!

Humble beginnings

So, one thing that I never added to my list, 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 Two Nuts in a Shell. 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.

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 here, or in the event you don't want to hunt down this post, they're up in the navigation bar too!

GURR INDUCING SIDE NOTE: 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. 

Yay for random accomplishments!

One decision made...for now

I 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 M#8, 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.

The reality is, once Jason gets orders, we will have about one month to move.

That's it.

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 now), 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 sucky. Thankfully, my mom offered us a middle ground. One that still has an opened ended outcome, but offers us a reprieve from the immediate terror stress I think Jason and I are both feeling.

Let's move now.

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).

So that's where we're at now. The house hunt has officially begun. 

A list of sorts

Alternate 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."


 My current unfinished project list looks a little something like this:

-Knock-off Pottery Barn shelves for downstairs (still need brackets)
-Moving the new bed in (and getting rid of the old one)
-Finishing the hutch my grandmother gave me
-Repainting wall sconces my dad gave me
-Organizing the bookcases
-Repainting my DIY end table
-Revamping the dresser in my mom's room (a.k.a. the guest room that she calls hers)
-Taking a crap load of stuff to Goodwill

And I'm pretty sure I'm just skimming the top of it...

The real stuff

You 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 dating!) and that would probably free up a chunk of space.




(Shopping for my wedding dress, 2006. Don't I look like a child?)
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!




(A rare peek at our house back east when we first dipped our toes into the DIY/decor pool.)
On the other hand, do I have to be so damn camera happy?? I'm shocked at some of the dumb 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!




(Christmas 2007. Um, ick? What was I thinking--black hair??!)
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).




(2007)



(2008)



(2010)



(2011)
In the meantime...I'm only up to 2007. This is going to be a long process.

Hello?

Hi. 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.

So...dare I say I'm back?

Ooh, since it's so close to post Halloween spookiness, let's do it Poltergeist style!

Weeeee're baaaaaaack...

Told you it was a busy month...

No blogging for almost 2 weeks? Yeah...that seems about right. I mentioned back here that although I wanted to try and get stuff done for my May 1/12, I knew it was going to be difficult because we had my cousin's birthday, my birthday, and my sister's college graduation to attend all in the same month. Here's just a little snap shot of those events that have kept me away...

For my cousin's birthday we went to a local drag queen dinner show and it was SO. MUCH. FUN! (Jason respectfully declined this event--he said he was still "a little too country for those types of city antics." And that's a direct quote!) Here's me and mom ready to go play "Bitch Bingo," the event of the night.


Me and the birthday girl all tarted up.


My birthday was spent in our favorite getaway (second to Las Vegas), Beverly Hills. May I reccomend The Farm for your dinning choice? Jason had an ahi salad three ways (ahi tuna prepared pepper crusted, tartar, and crepe wrapped) and I had a tortilla shrimp salad (with huge hunks of creamy avocado) and we split a bucket of the best garlic french fries ever.


Oh, and we also discovered Sprinkles Cupcakes, from which we brought Tessie home her very own delectable little treat.



We plan to visit a local Sprinkles to pick up some more of their to-die-for-can't-get-enough-of-them Salty Caramel cupcakes (the flavor of May).

And finally my little sister's graduation. This was a huge to-do as we joke that she graduated Magna Cum-Barely. You'd never believe she's five years younger than me based on our heights would you??




So that's what I've been up to the last two weeks--and I have about 3 half-way finished projects that I need to show you before the month is out! I'm hoping to finish the new head board this afternoon (although I'm not loving the color we chose...) and get pictures taken of that.

So nice to be back ;)

Local goodness

Do you ever read other blogs and think about how lucky people are to live where they do? They always seem to have events, antique shows, flea markets--all the stuff that you wish you had locally but no matter where the military moves you you live, there never seems to be anything good. ::palm, forehead:: Well today I am pickled tink (tickled pink, for anyone who's never messed those words up) because as I was perusing some new blogs one had this big ol' flier on her site.


I left it kind of big in case any other locals want to check it out. From what little time I've had to check out the site (been busy painting and chasing a puppy around the house today) it's a big craft fair with over 50 vendors.

If you're in the San Diego area, they're having it on Friday May 6 and Saturday May 7 in Del Mar at the Hilton. I'm hoping I can talk Mom into going with me (although craft fairs aren't really her thing...) but I'll load myself up in the car to go check it out with or without a travel buddy. Some of the photos they're showing of all the goodies are mega tempting! Isn't that "Keep Calm and Carry On" ring adorable?



I'm hoping I get to meet some other crafty bloggers and maybe learn about more shows and events in the area! And if not, at least I'll see a lot of eye candy! ;)

Hawthorn and Holly (and Tessie)

Meet the newest member of our little family: Tessie Coco Layne.


She's a little chocolate colored chiuaua that just stole our hearts. She's a rescue pup and we believe she's about 6 months old (we haven't gotten her papers yet, so we'll know more soon). She loves to cuddle.


So forgive my absence here and there--she's training us just as much as we're trainign her! ;)

A budding therapist

The other day I spent nearly an hour snipping, arranging, and playing with two bunches of flowers that I grabbed at Home Depot (I know, random, but they were $5 a bunch and I'm a sucker for daisies). When I got home, I started grabbing my traditional glass vases, and then reconsidered and gathered up some of my less informal containers.


My favorite white pitcher from Target, two of my Ball mason jars, a little bubble vase from my bridal shower, and two of my Pottery Barn galvanized buckets. I mixed up my plant food and water (in a pinch, sugar is a good substitute), filled up the sink, and went to town with my clippers.

One of my favorite tricks to prevent my flowers from flopping all over their vases--take a handful of Styrofoam packing peanuts and stick 'em in the vase (or bucket in this case).


(this trick is definitely better suited for non-see-through containers)
They kind of act as a floral foam, but they're much cheaper and reusable.


I was shocked at how many full arrangements I got out of the two bouquets. I absolutely love the mix of yellow and white. Kinda country feeling and very fun.








My little hour of flower arranging was so relaxing. And for only $10? That was a happy little investment that brought a little more spring time into our house!

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto...

Seriously? Just call me Dorothy. I cannot believe the wind that's going on outside right now. It's literally whistling like a tea kettle. Imagine my horror when I heard what sounded like a crack of something breaking in our backyard. I jumped up and ran outside to find our gazeebo lying over the fence in our neighbor's yard! I screamed for Jason (and our friends who just happened to be over) right as a gust blew the back door out of my hands. My plant was turned over, some of our smaller items were starting to take flight... It's fo' shizz out here peeps.


It's seriously like hurricane weather out here right now! We were able to pull the canvas "roofing" off the patio set and set some gym weights on the "columns" to keep it from ending up next door again. Everyone's retired to their own beds for the evening, but I can't bring myself to go upstairs yet. I keep peeking anxiously through our blinds. I'm waiting to see one of my neighbors go flying by on their bike...


See you in the morning. If we're not somewhere over the rainbow that is.

2011 resolutions

Normally I'm the first one to throw my hands in the air and proclaim, "I'm not making any because I never keep them!" But then I realized that just wasn't going to fly every New Year's Day and I'd love to get through at least one of my adult years having made a resolution (and kept it)! I will say this for my accomplishments in 2010, even though I didn't make resolutions:

1. I got most of our house in order. It didn't stay that way for long, but our house is almost completely furnished and looks cohesive.

2. I lost weight. Like, a lot of it. I started 2010 weighing in at 132-pounds¹ and creeping my way into a size 8 and 10² in my pants size. I ended 2010 weighing 112-pounds wearing (and fitting into) a size 2.



on the left is me in las vegas, february; on the right, all of us going out for my sister's birthday two weeks ago
3. I went to the gym consistently, cut out a lot a junk food, and managed to continue not biting my nails.

This year, I'm giving myself a 1/12 resolution: Make (and do) 1 resolution for each of the 12 months of 2011. I don't have to choose all 12 resolutions today--just as long as I have one by the beginning of each month.

So...without further ado, I introduce to you January's 1/12 Resolution: Get our budget, bill paying, and finances back in order.

More on Tuesday! :) But how about you, readers? What's on your list of resolutions this year? Or are you eschewing tradition and just celebrating 2011 for what it's worth?

---

^{1 & 2} I am in no way shape or form declaring that these sizes and/or this number on the scale are bad things. For me and my body size (and according to all that stuff the food pyramid, the BMI, and the rest of them say) it was bordering on unhealthy and "obese" for my height and body type.

Year in review

I've been trying to do a yearly recap of all my blog posts (last year was really the first year I could do it, since I started blogging in October[ish] 2008) but since Hawthorn & Holly is still in its infancy, I decided to go ahead and pull from the old blogstead as well. To visit any post, just click the title link. If there's one thing I can say for myself in 2010, it was the year of getting stuff done! ...now what the heck am I going to do in 2011??

January: The Office Reveal
It doesn't look like this anymore since it's all been shifted downstairs,
but this is how I like to remember it! ;)



February: A New Old Coffee Table
This has to be one of my favorite projects of last year. It was so quick, so simple, and the results were beautiful.



March: The Living Room Reveal
(also the month Jason left for Afghanistan)
March was a hard month. While I managed to finish the biggest room in our house, I also had to say goodbye to my boys for 7 months.





April: Nice Rack
One of my first "build-it-from-scratch" projects, I'm still very proud of this little thing.



May: The Guest Bedroom Reveal
Again, it no longer looks like this since Jason's been home, and he decided he wanted something a little more masculine ;) but it sure was pretty and frilly while it was up!



June: Just Another Minisode (a.k.a the guest bathroom)
I tackled a lot of these "mini-projects" when the big ones had me feeling overwhelmed.



July: There Was a Bit of An Accident...
You can't make it a whole year DIY-ing without at least one serious injury, can you?



August: U-G-L-Y but F-R-E-E!
This lamp is still sitting pretty in our master bedroom, but I'm looking forward to spring when I'm going to change out the coffee beans for something else...

August was also the month I started preparing for Jason's homecoming!



September: The Master Bedroom Reveal
If you're keeping track this is now 4 complete rooms I've done in 2010--not including the bathrooms and the out-door beer garden I finished too! Our master bedroom was a long time coming.



October: Off the Grid
Without a doubt, October belonged to the boys.



November: The Marine Corps Ball
One word: Disneyland.




As for December? Well, we'll call that one a mulligan ;) and shoot for a better December next year! Have a happy and safe holiday.

See you in 2011!

Well hello! Remember me?

Who's been a bad blogger? That would be me. Let's see...no Christmas craft tutorials, no pictures of trees, no updates whatsoever, and my header is still showing fall pictures? Yeah, I'd say that nominates me for worst blogger of the year award. I'm about to start getting ready for work, but I promise this evening (or tomorrow morning) to update this space and try to get back into the swing of things. It was a rough holiday season and to say my heart hasn't been into anything would be the understatement of the year. But it seems as though I've turned a corner, had the veil lifted, found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow--whatever you want to use as a euphemism--I'm clawing my way back into society one rung of the ladder at a time.

R.I.P. Papa

Today we'll be celebrating the life of my papa, Harold Gano.



December 26, 1917 - November 2, 2010

He had a long and wonderful life.