Whats the Deal

I am sure you have been wondering what the deal is with my sporadic posting. Well here are a few pictures to see if you can grasp the depth of the endeavor that the Mr. and I have undertaken..

The new House..

Entrance/ Foyer (view from 3rd Floor)

My Future Studio

Hallway Closet off Foyer/Entrance

1 of 2 Walk in closets.. That is a shelf cutting across the middle of the picture. It is about shoulder high.. I belive little people may have lived here or something because there is some serious wasted space going on in these..

Hallway infront of Master- Leading to Bonus Room/ Mancave

Yes those are plastic venitian floor to ceiling blinds, and yes that is Panelling in the back in all its warped uneven gloriousness.. Note the icky wall color it resembled skin...

Also see the door on the outside for some bizarre reason they were all painted the wall color.. but not the casings.. Your guess is as good as mine as to why that was done..

Please stop gagging.. It already took us a long time to see past it..

living room view from the 2nd floor foyer. Please note all of that Carpet..

The pups being nosy in the future dining room... more carpet.

I have other pictures from the previous owners,  that were on the real estate website.. As you can see we have plenty of work ahead of us (as there is yet no furniture when these were taken) but i think you will all like the outcome.. Atleast we do... I mean there was freaking carpet in the bathroom... ::gasp:: i know.. who does that?

While I've Been Gone

Well while I was gone from the blogging world for the last few weeks, This happened!!!!. Yup ! I'm engaged sooo happy. Plus, that he did such an awsome job designing the ring. He had it custom made and  this is the ring he saw in his mind's eye! I guess I'm not the only designer in this relationship.. hehe... But seriously it could have come from a gumball machine and I would have said yes.

Please excuse the cell phone pictures I will have some new ones up soon taken from my Dslr.

However to get a better idea of where I've been these last few weeks keep reading it gets interesting....

Leave it to me to cram waaayyyy more on to my plate than is feasibly possible.. yup you got it…. Lets see where to begin …

Oh I am still trying to sell my house, trying to buy a new house, I just got engaged so that includes making the rounds of both families and friends to celebrate. Then, plan a wedding, honeymoon, and baby shower (for my sister in law, for twins!!!); while simultaneously still working and going to school for accounting of all subjects, and trying to study for my insurance certifications. :: intake of breath:: And then there is the additional fact that we’ll be getting a new pup in November that will totally skip over the puppy stage and reach small giant of cosmic proportions instantly while still thinking he’s hookah sized!!!.. Yup you guessed it we’re getting a Mastiff…I think we are trying to compensate with a more masculine looking dog. I mean Hookah and Alfie aren’t really cutting it in the macho category. Though Hookah is fierce..  ::sighs::…

To make things ever more interesting I will still be posting regularly to the blog about house progress that will be a succession of DIY fixes like paint etc… Plus, and here’s the kicker, I will be making about 90 % of the stuff for the wedding that will be in another city, so we will have to make regular travels to that city as well…Are you jaws dropped yet… I have accepted the fact that Spontaneous combustion is immanent. But then if I didn’t toggle all of these things at once then it wouldn’t be me I mean there is no Michy without the accompanying Type A personality.

Barista in Training

This bad boy now sits nestled in the corner of my kitchen.. Yes I finally have a 15 bar pump espresso machine.. like every Cuban should!. The best thing I can make lattes, cappuccinos and a whole books worth of other things.. Yay! I have already attempted the making of cappuccinos and theyre amazing. Cafe, my lovely will pay herself off in 31 cups.. Talk about a bonus, yes I had to do the math in order to justify spending that much on a coffee machine. But when I fork over $4 on a daily basis for my Cap fix it's well worth it.

Added goodness.. I have to be authentic to get that fabulous store bought taste.. The mugs have not been broken in yet but they are the perfect serving size and you can't beat the style for  that price (Crate & Barrell- <$5)...seriously. I can now be a snobby hipster all in the quaintness of my home and for less.

Be Jealous!... I would be.

Happy Sipping!

Couch Swap

Out with the Old

In with the New

Well moving couches this past weekend was an expierience to say the least. There was the fiasco of the Uhaul truck rental that was sooo not the advertised $19.99  it ended up costing around $80 to move a couch that I was donating to Restore.. Yup all for a good cause, and I won't lie the tax right off will help...

I can live with overpaying for a truck, and having to move the couch myself but.. the kicker was that as we pull in to the donation center, I see my cousin and aunt loading up an armoire onto her trailer.

I had no clue that someone in my family had a trailer that was just as long as the couch that I was dropping off.. Yup, there you have it ladies & gents I of all people was at a loss for words.

Luckily, we were able to borrow the trailer and hitch to be able to move the new couch  (that took 5 people to get it in through my front door) . My parents decided to upgrade and subsequently I got to upgrade too. My parents were going to sell this & I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. Sorry all you Craig's Listers in the area this ones all mine.. I was able to pick this up as well as an oversized arm chair and ottoman for the new place for a low $500, for all 3 pieces in high quality leather.. This will make my new home fabulous for years to come.

Budget Friendly Holiday Ideas

Work with What You've Got

Tablescape

This bowls contents tends to get changed up seasonally. I was going to leave the fall scavenged pinecones in it just adding a bit of fake snow, but I couldn't just leave these red beauties in their box again this year. So I swapped out the pinecones with some red ornaments I had and added some holiday cheer to my table. I also added in these silver wire christmas trees that my mom picked up for me and even though they don't match with the "peacock" colorscheme the green runner I picked up on sale at IKEA for all of $.99. Cost me just $1 to set up. The vintage sugar bowl  will get a helping of walnuts whenever I make my way to the grocery store.

Splatter-Free Sparkle

The wooden fruitbowl that resides on my kitchen counter, got a nice pick me up of extra ornaments to add some  cheer to the kitchen. I just made sure there was a good mix of colors and that was that. They are all plastic so if they get an unlikely splatter of something thats being cooked I can just pop them in the dishwasher to get clean.

 My mom gifted (as per the majority of holiday items) me these sparkly Christmas trees. They are from Crate&Barrel, but the budget part is that though they were free for me she bought them on the 75% off day after christmas sale so they were super cheap for her.. And the kicker is you can whip up some DIY ones at home on the cheap...

Materials:

• What you need is come cardboard cones,
• Modgepodge,
• Glitter in colors you intend to use.
• Colored beads if you would like a more textured look
• Foam Brush

(Hint: do this out side on a non-windy day, Trust me you'll thank me later)

Lay out some newspaper or a craft blanket and get a big enough plastic container to fit the largest cone in verically (this works the best because you are less likely to waste glitter it also maked for the easiest cleanup) or you can use paper plates.

Fill the plastic container with the mixed Glitter of choice.

Sift the Glitter so that it coats the entire length of the tree.

Use the foam brush to coat the entire outside of the cone in a thick layer of modge podge.

Then, Holding the top of the cone and the inner (nonglued) part on the bottom and commence to "dip" & roll the cone until it is completely covered in glitter and beads..

Set aside on news paper to dry and repeat with other.

Bonus:

If you have excess glitter/bead mix you can just tip the remaining contents into a plastic baggy or small container for later use. So no glitter is gone to waste

Deck the Halls..'er Bookcase

There aren't really any halls to deck in this home.. maybe Ill get lucky next year and be in a new place equipped with a hall to deck?!? right ... well a girl can dream. In the meantime I have thrown up some garland with more misfits around the living room book case.. And hung it around the top from some old Target stocking holders.. hence the big red stars ..

The misfits always find a home.. these all came from decorations my mom places on my gifts every year... her moto is "every present needs an ornament".. (most of which just may escape the wrath of her glue gun)..

Feel free to share if your bookcases get some holiday lovin' or if you have a clever way to showcase misfits...

'Tis the season

The Peacock Tree.

The inspiration from this look came from the feathered peacock ornaments that are all over the tree..something about going non traditional and venturning in to the Teal, Lime and (non-tacky) gold side of the tree always puts a silly girlish grin on my face.. I also can't hate on this being a fake tree that already comes lit up... It saved me soo much time this year in decorating.

 

 

The Mini Tree

This little ditty sits atop my indoor fire heater that is made to look like a wood burning stove.. It helps ward off the chill on those blustery nights and saves big on the gas bill.

 

Of course Hookah had to maker her cameo, that is her claimed spot to warm her little furry tush.. Last year I was petrified that she would catch fire being as tiny as she is and being the perfect size to fit right up under the grating of the heater.. As I am sure females everywhere know hair is extremely flammable... so I now have to double check that shes not under it before I turn it on.. This is nothing new in this household as I had to check that Giggles the ferret (I fostered) wasn't under the dishwasher when I turned that on.

 

                               

We all Love the Misfits

I have been aqcuiring misfit Christmas decorations over the years and here are a few. They are usually gifted via my mom, and I don't have the heart to leave them in the box so they go scattered about the house in small clusters like the one listed here.

 

I am the definition of Cuteness!

Alfie got spot in the limelight so i couldn't leave Hookah out.. I am an equal opportunity owner after all...

I mean how can one resist that tiny little face! It gets me everytime in to giving her more treats. I have this pic of her and ever time I see it I squeal at the cuteness.

Give Thanks & Be Merry

I have many things to give Thanks for this year. Mostly for the people who have come into my life and the gifts I have been given.. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and loved ones...

Everyone can use a little naked Turkery!!!!

Birthday Festivities

Ok so I spent the big 25 doing a number of different things..

On Friday I recieved a Cookie Cake at work from my department.

I had a giany bouquet of flowers delivered from my most loving bf and we headed to OG for dinner because I had the worst craving for their salad and breadsticks.
Saturday rolled around I had to take a test first thing in the AM which knocked off my schedule to get may facial at the spa... Which I now need to reschedule.
However that did give me some freetime to do some crafts.
My Parents then took and Ed out for lunch to eat Cuban food that was no where near hometown quality but not bad for NC.
The party began.. We went to Mez a local nightclub that plays an assortment of music that leans more into electronic mixing with top hits.
Sunday we were supposed to go to the MeltingPot for dinner but thats being postponed until this weekend where we will be going to the one in Myrtle Beach instead...

And now I Give you the birthday horde... all my lovely presents from family and freinds...

Theres the giant bouquet I mentioned earlier... Ed also gave me the dooney and bourke purse in blue leather just like I wanted but had talked myself out of spending that much on a purse. He also got me a pocketsized notebook with attached pen, because I always have a notepad and this way this one will fit in the new purse.
My mother gifted me a hand dyed shirt with some vintage books, and a wicked themed notebook, also a cinnamon candle plater thing from Pier 1 (it smells wonderful but fell apart in the bag). There was some handmade pottery from a local shoppe along with the spa facial and a handmade one of a kind wooden bracelet from another local boutique.
My grams gifted a B&N giftcard which with me never goes to waste.
My aunt gave me a Camelbak insulated water bottle, because she knows I have a thing with sippy cups(i know its weird) and that I've been stink eyeing hers for months.
A freind gave me a Starbucks GC which as well will so not go to waste... I can taste the vanilla lattes now with the cooling weather...

Puppy Love

Well whoever said that pets aren't part of the family did not happen to know my two little ones... because they sure think otherwise...

Alfie is a 4 Year Old Carin Terrier

He love carrots, cuddling under the covers in chilly weather and doesn't seem to know when he's on empty, but he keeps lifting his leg like he had the bladder of a mastiff.

Hookah aka Hookah Bear is a 1 year old Teacup Yorkie

As you can see she loves to pose and always has to be the center of attention (especially if it involves her brother)... She is my alarm clock in the morning showering me with kisses all over my face (not like i have a choice in the matter) Gross I know.

House Tour

As mentioned I am trying to sell my tiny little townhouse. Here are some picture of  what I have done to make it slightly homier.