It's my birthday! How much ice cream is too much??

Hello friends!

I'm tired. No I'm pooped!! The laundry room is full of sandy clothes and suitcases.  We left our bathroom under construction on Friday and headed for Cannon Beach, OR to celebrate my birthday (and escape the dust & noise!).  Have you ever been to Cannon Beach?  It's absolutely delightful!!!  It reminds me of the very tiny town that I grew up in.  And by tiny, I mean pop. 2300.  It's much larger now.... I think they've hit the 4500 mark.  But now I'm off on another subject.

Ahem.

Ok. Cannon Beach.  It's quaint, picturesque, filled with adorable shops and restaurants, and the best (BEST) ice cream parlor.  We went all three days that we were there.  Ok, well~ on day 2, we realized that we hadn't had any ice cream, but it was far past Betsy's bedtime... so once she went to sleep, I snuck out (Tom was still in our hotel suite.... no need to call CPS), and got us both double scoops.  Is that mean?  We ate our ice cream in bed watching 48 hours Mystery while Betsy slept.  It was after all, my birthday eve, and since I celebrate all month, I figured it was justified.

We also had a great time on the beach. The weather was perfect! A bit chilly and windy at first, but then, just GREAT.

We had to purchase the purple hat / mitten ensemble for our girl

Haystack Rock... quite a sight!

Plenty of sandcastles 

and long walks

and this gorgeous sunset, a view enjoyed from our balcony

We have just returned home.... to a bathroom STILL under construction.  But since it's my birthday, we had a bit more ice cream and it seemed to be the perfect ending to a perfect weekend away.

Have yourselves a wonderful week ahead!!

Bathroom photos coming soon!

Please meet my ugly bathroom

Hi Friends! I hope you are all having a great week out there.  What I'm about to show you is the source of our home's embarassment.  But since you're friends, and not here to judge...

I present to you..... (drumroll please)
our.
ugly.
bathroom.

This is the one room in our house that we were too afraid / too tired / too worn down to tackle when we renovated our home a few years ago.  Once we moved to Houston, it was a non-issue.  But now that we are home for the next few months, I just can't let her look and feel so dated.

This radiator is my first project.  Anyone ever painted a steam radiator out there?  I hear it's quite a fun process. And by fun, I mean messy & stinky.

Next up... a new bathtub and surround.  We're going completely classic and doing white glossy subway tiles.  The flooring will be 1" white & black hex tiles.  Let me tell you.....  finding 1" white AND black hex tiles has proved to be like finding the elusive Bigfoot.  But I've got 118 square feet on order, and I'm 100% thrilled.

This is a minimal makeover.  A mini-makeover if you will, because I promised my husband that we wouldn't get carried away.  So, no fancy chandelier, no taking the ceiling up to its original vaulted position, no new vanity.  This is a freshen up (ie: keep the budget-low) makeover.

I can't wait to show you the results!

We are home! Come on in!

Ahhhh. There is NOTHING better than leaving 102 degrees (with yucky humidity) in Houston for cooler days in Seattle.  When we landed on Saturday, it was a rainy 51 degrees and completely freezing (comparitively speaking of course).  So, after a quick trip to buy JACKETS, we came home and settled back in for two months of summer fun!  There are so many projects that I can't wait to tackle.  But here's a glimpse for now...

Circa 1908

I can't wait until it's warm enough to repaint the porch and freshen

everything up with flowers!!

Our living room... I've got big plans for this coffee table but for now, it's still doing the job. Oh, and the TV is tucked away when we are in Houston. It looks so much nicer hidden away behind those armoire doors!

When we bought this house it was a complete gut-job. But the fireplace was enough to make me want to stay.

Sofie the cat has claimed her spot on the sofa

another view

My favorite armoire, purchased for $200 at a San Francisco estate sale 8 years ago

I have a thing for vintage suitcases. 

They are particularly useful for storing Christmas ornaments!

Pocket doors mark the entrance to our dining room

We boxed in the radiators to keep little fingers away. 

The bonus is that kitty has extra lounging space!

An old shabby dresser works perfectly for wine & spirits when guests are here

I'm a huge fan of gallery walls for hanging photos. 

I love the uniformity!

Welcome to our kitchen~ 

we took it down to the studs a few years ago and here's the result

We opted for store bought cabinetry over custom and I love how it turned out!

another view

The breakfast area~ where we spend most of our time

Needs a tablecloth, don't ya think? Maria from Dreamy Whites is having a contest
right now to win a lovely tablecloth & napkin set from Cabbages & Roses...
check it out when you are done here!

Fresh peonies straight from our little garden

I found the phone hidden away in the garage when we moved in

Now let's head upstairs! 

I won this very cool canvas just last week from a giveaway offered by My Sweet Savannah. The artist Melissa, can be found at Momma Rhyne Designs. She did this custom canvas just for us, with our wedding date.

Here's Betsy's room. Another complete re-do! 

There are two giant closets so I removed the doors from one to create a special little hideaway just for her

An old measuring tape finds new life as a curtain tie-back

the reading nook

special treasures

Raggedy Anne & Andy from my husband's childhood home

We ordered this decal years ago from France, and it hangs above the second closet in her room

another shot of the secret hideaway. I painted the wall inside with chalkboard paint and then used white paint to create a "frame"

she loves it in here..

Every girl needs some sparkle!

and onto the master bedroom

Our garden shed, which is completely covered in white lights..

a perfect backdrop for evening get togethers!

our little backyard "green" space

That's it, that's all.

Thanks for visiting!