Live in it.....Love it.

I believe if you are going to live in it, you should LOVE it. You should be excited to come home to it everyday and be proud to show it off. I want to inspire you to make your home what you have always dreamed of. It doesn't matter how big or small the space is, it is what you do with that space that makes all the difference. I'll show you how I make our home something that we live in....and love it and I will show you how I do that on a budget.

Monday, July 30, 2012

That Tween/Teen Thing...Bedrooms

I was looking through an organizing magazine over the weekend and I came across a great idea for tween/teen or even college students actually.  Of course it would be great even for your very small apartment as well.  So this post is pretty board.

Let's talk about storage & beds in a small bedroom.

So when I was looking through that magazine I loved a bed that had lots of storage.  I wanted to see the options that are out there with different price  points.  Let's take a look.


Let's check out Ikea first.  Check out this great headboard and bed with drawers.  $100 for the headboard {full/double} and bedframe for $229.  So for $329, plus a mattress you have a nice amount of storage.  You could store books or clothes in the headboard or even your alarm clock.  Then under the bed could be clothes, in general storage or if your in a dorm room/small apartment you could store your linens too.




Here is the same bed in an actual room so you can see what it can store.  I really think it's very versatile and probably holds a lot of storage.



Here is another storage bed/headboard combo to check out.  Could be for a girl or boy.  Again some great storage in the headboard and the drawers under the bed.  So for $229 for bedframe, $120 for headboard a total of $349 I think you have a pretty good deal and great storage.




Straight out of Ikea's catalog, this is what the above bed could look like in a bedroom.  Love it.  And some really great colors in this room as well.  ;)


Now let's talk about loft beds.  For $299 from Ikea this loft bed can really save you some space in your room.  You can add bookcases and a desk top underneath to make a similar, cheaper version of the Pottery Barn loft bed below.  This is the size if you are wondering - 79" wide x 58 1/4" deep.
Here is what Ikea came up with for a small looking apartment.  Great use of space.

Let's check out some ideas you could use for under this Ikea loft bed.  For $125.99 Ikea tabletop & legs you could have a great desk with storage underneath.  This is 59" wide, so it would fit under the Ikea loft bed on the short side and you could add another one of these on the other short side.




Then you could add one of these $39.99 Ikea Expedit bookcase {31 1/8" wide x 15 3/8 deep} on the long side of the bed and you would have great storage and great table top area for a desk and vanity.  So for a total of $590.97 for the loft bed and all the storage underneath, you are paying such a great price compared to the Pottery Barn versions below.  But you can get some really great ideas from the Pottery Barn versions.  Let's take a look at them now.

Check out all the function and storage from this vanity loft bed from Pottery Barn.  It is $1999.00, so you would save about $1,408.03 if you bought the Ikea version of this loft bed.  A bed, a vanity, a computer desk area and a bookcase.  Love this.  Check out the link and see all the other setups they put together.  Great ideas and colors.  I really do love this one, but not the price so much.  But seriously, look at everything you can fit into a small room and still have so much function, storage and style.  {70" wide x 81" long}

For $1799.00 from Pottery Barn also, this loft bed has even more bookshelf storage and a desk area.  Love the cork board.  I would have loved this as a kid.  I would have had so much more room to play and hang out if I had this instead.

They even have a boys version of the same bed.  I really love it in white and dark wood.  {$1799.00}

Let's check out what else they have a Pottery Barn.  $2495.00 {sale}

$2450.00


$2495.00 {sale}
PBTeen


$2999.00 {sale}
PBTeen

Here is some more eye candy of other rooms that I Googled around for, so there was even more inspiration for you.  I really love loft beds for those smaller bedrooms that just don't have the floor space.  I think about all the possibilities and all the awesome storage that is out there and you really could have one awesome room for your child and it doesn't have to cost a ton of money to have it.


What a great college dorm room this would be.  Maybe not these colors, but you really pack a lot of function into this space.
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Oh my gosh, I'm really drooling over the great ideas that are out there.  All of that storage, all of that function for one room is amazing to me.  I'm sure there are plenty of other options and more price ranges, but I just wanted to take a look at a few that were out there.


So does one of your children have a room like this?  Are you looking for some great storage options for your childs room?  I hope I have inspired you in some way.


Thanks for stopping by!!!  Have a great day everyone!!!  :)

Monday, July 16, 2012

It's Not Your Mothers Cleaning Products...It's Better

Unless of course your mother used Shaklee products.  ;)


Who wants better cleaning products?  Who doesn't want to smell those stinky chemicals that they clean with now?  Who wants a safer product for themselves, their kids and their pets?  Who wants to SAVE lots of MONEY too?

Who else is raising their hand?  Me, Me, Me and ME!!!


While I was little I always heard, "oh it smells so clean in here" after cleaning with bleach and other products.  We are so conditioned at a young age to believe certain things because we are told that is the way they should be.  Smelling bleach and ANY other kind of cleaning product or air fresher is just completely bad for us actually.  All of those chemicals that we breath in can make us or our children sick.  Asthma is becoming a real problem for children and adults.  I know that when I was using chemical cleaning products, I had a terrible time with certain products while I was cleaning with them.  I don't sneeze, cough or wheeze anymore when I clean.  And I really like it that way.  It's nice NOT smelling anything when I clean now, but I'm still cleaning my home.

Well then, you want to buy Shaklee products.  Shaklee has been around for over 50 years and they know what they are doing.  All of their products are natural and have no chemicals.  I love using these products now.  They clean everything in our house and I have no complaints at all.

Let's talk about saving money.  When you buy Basic H2.




Example:  1 bottle of Basic H2 equeals the cleaning uses of 5,824 bottles or 26 oz. Windex
{above information via House of Grace.  Thanks Bonnie}


Sorry this information is a little blurry.  If you can't read something, please let me know.  These numbers speak for themselves.  Look at all the money you could save.


Example:  Basic H {16oz - High Consentrated}  - $10.35 per bottle
vs.
Windex {26oz} - $3.49 per bottle


Now hear me out with the example above.  With Basic H, you will use 16oz of water and only 2 drops of Basic H formula to make your "Window Cleaner".  Yup you read that right, only 2 drops of Basic H to 16 oz. of water.  And it works awesome.  I would never go back to Windex or any other cleaner ever again.  Shaklee works great on windows, countertops, frig, oven, microwave, etc.  You can make a "window" cleaner, a "degreaser" cleaner & an "all purpose" cleaner.  So you can make three 16 oz. bottles for just pennies.  So if you would replace the following with Basic H, let's see the money you would save.


Windex = $3.49
Fantastik = $4.29
Formula 409 = $3.29
Total = $11.07


Shaklee Window cleaner = Less than 1 cent per 16 oz.
Shaklee All Purpose cleaner = $0.05 per 16 oz.
Shaklee Degreaser cleaner = $0.33 per 16 oz.
Total - $0.39


You just saved yourself $10.68 and you made 3 different cleaners that will last you about a month depending how often you used them.  WOW!!!  I love saving that much money.





So what did you think about all of that money you can save?  Pretty awesome right?


Let's check out the laundry products.  I buy the liquid detergent, but they also have a power detergent.  I love it and would never go back to the store products I was using.  This liquid detergent can be used as a pre-treater and a detergent for your laundry.  I get all the spots in our clothes.  Even if I miss one, it usually comes out.  I have even gotten out old stains by using it as a pre-treater and a detergent.  Plus I always put Nature Bright - Laundry Booster and Stain Remover in with my liquid detergent.  These products are highly concentrated, so you only need a little.  I actually use less then is recommended on all three of these products.  That is why it lasts me so long.  And yes it still gets our laundry cleaned every time.
$25.10 last me about 2 months  {2 people in our household} - 64 oz.

$8.80 last me about 2 months  {2 people in our household} - 32 oz.




$9.30 lasts me about 2 months  {2 people in our household} - 2 lbs.


Shaklee has so many more products to help you keep your home chemical free and even your body.  Check out all of Shaklee's products.

If you would like to order something you have seen here today, please click here to order now.  You can still join as a Member for free for the month of July.  You will save 15% on all future orders when you become a member.  ;)


You can check out these posts here, here and here for some of my Shaklee posts.  You can see what I have cleaned in my home with Shaklee products.


Thanks for stopping by everyone!!!  Have a great day!!!  :)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Summer Pinterest Challenge with Some Very Creative Bloggers


Anyone that is on Pinterest knows that we pin and pin and pin and most of the time we don't do any of the projects that we "wanted to do" when we pinned it...probably months ago.  So these lovely ladies have been putting together "Pinterest Challenges" for all of us.  Well I finally was able to join in on one of these challenges.

This was my inspiration.


PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THIS POST!!!

I have a bunch of these mason jars at home.  I found some at a Thrift Store last summer and then I bought a few more from Michael's because I wanted 6 of them.  So this project has been waiting around for almost a year now.  I'm glad I finally got it done.  Thanks to the Pinterest Challenge Girls!!!  ;)


Materials you will need:
  • Mason Jars of your choice or any jars that you might want to use
  • Acrylic paint for glass
  • Water or paint thinner {if you buy the thinner, buy the same brand that you bought the paint in}
  • Paint brush or rag
  • Waxpaper

So first I had to find a paint color that I loved.  I went to Michael's and bought FolkArt "Aqua" acrylic paint for glass & ceramics.

How to:
  • Put very small amount of the paint into a container so you can mix in the water or the thinner.  I used water and not thinner.  Not sure if that makes a difference or not.
  • Mix well and test on a test glass container first to make sure you like how the paint looks.  Find the look that you want.
  • Then when you find the right amount, take the containers you want to paint and in single strokes with your paint brush or rag apply your paint color in smooth even strokes.
  • Place upside down on wax paper
  • Let dry for 24 hours
  • Bake in oven at 325F for 40 minutes to set the paint
  • Let cool and decorate as you wish!!!
The right transparency of this color was the extremely hard part for me.  So my tip for this project is definitely have a test glass jar that you want to "test" out your color on.

On the left is my first attempt with the transparency of the color.  Yeah, it wasn't good at all.  The jar on the right was my second attempt.  Dear lord, help me through this, because this project really tested my patience to say the least.  There might have been some screaming and yelling and maybe some cursing.  Then I took a deep breath and continued to add water to the paint.  Then I washed off the paint and started over again.  A little soap and water and the paint came right off.

Here is what they looked like when I was done with all 6 of them.  I really don't think these came out that good and I don't think baking them is going to help any at all, but we will see what happens after they are baked.





OK the baking is done now!!!

"Before"


"After"


I GOOFED this project up big time.  So now I'm here to show you how I think I goofed up this project and what you should NOT do to get this project done.  I have to buy new paint and new mason jars.  I will take these old ones that are messed up and paint them a solid color instead.  Not what I wanted, but I don't want to just throw these out and since I already baked them in the oven, I can't get the paint off now.  BOO!!!  :(


So the pictures you see above, well that is what they still look like after they came out of the oven.  I know it's sad, but I was stupid and I guess I just goofed.  Maybe I shouldn't have used the water to thin out the paint, but I didn't think it was wrong.  It is a water based paint, so I thought that would work.  Maybe I didn't water it down enough, I really don't know.  Anyone know where I went wrong?  I would love to know actually.  But seriously, I wanted to share my goof with you guys still.  I still tried to do something that I had pinned on Pinterest awhile ago and that I'm proud of.  Just not proud of the way they turned out.  Actually I'm really mad with the way they turned out, but what can you do.  We should all share our failed attempts so we can learn from them.


So here is what you will really need to get this project done:
  • Mason jars or any jars of your choice
  • Glass paint {I will use Vitrea 160 Lacquer Blue and the Vitrea 160 dilutant-thinner}.  Vitrea 160 is a transparent paint for glass. Don't get Vitrea 150, that is NOT transparent.  That is where I went wrong I believe with the paint I bought, even though it is meant for glass.
  • Paint brush, rag or sponge to apply your paint.  I'm going to use lint free stain pads like Jenn from Clean & Scentsible did, since hers came out so nice.
So there you have it, my failed attempt at my "pinned" Pinterest project.


You can also check out other "Pinned" Mason Jar Ideas I have on my Pinterest board.


Thanks for stopping by everyone!!!  Have a great day!!!  :)

Monday, July 2, 2012

Inspirational Eye Candy - Outdoor Spaces with Sunbrella

Oh Sunbrella, how I love thee.  You have to check out all the great stuff that Sunbrella pins on Pinterest.  I hope that when we redo our Sunroom that we can have some Sunbrella fabrics so that I don't have to worry about anything getting wet.  ;)

Let's take a look at some of what Sunbrella has to offer.

Hello color!  Such an inviting area to sit.  Love all the pops of color.
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I love that this furniture has Sunbrella slip covers over it to protect it from the elements.  And I really love turquoise & white together.
Lee Industries furniture with Sunbrella fabrics


White Sunbrella fabric was used even indoors.  What more could you ask for from a white fabric.  Waterproof and you can just wipe it off.  Nice!!!
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Sunbrella Drapery.  So classy looking.  I might have to save my pennies for some of these draperies.
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I love that you can use Sunbrella fabric indoors too.  Long lasting fabric even in the home.
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Black & White shade system made with Sunbrella fabric.  What a gorgeous outdoor space.
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Love these Nautical ideas that Sunbrella pinned on Pinterest.  They might not have their fabric in these pictures, but I love the nautical inspiration.


Buoys are so awesome with all of their colors.  So vibrant.  A nice collection of these would look awesome on the side of a shed in your yard.  Whether that shed was near water or not, it would still look awesome.  ;)


Now that is what I call a cooler.  Wouldn't that be awesome for a huge BBQ in your yard or at a private beach.


Sitting poolside!!!  Looks so relaxing.
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I need this house.  Oh My Gosh!!!  I would never leave that outdoor area.  {sigh}
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Who wouldn't love to do this at the beach?  So cool!!!
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Charming outdoor dining.  So cute.
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Let's check out some of the fabrics that Sunbrella has to offer, because there are some really gorgeous patterns.  You can check out all of their fabrics here.


Here is some of their fabrics that I love.  What awesome colors they have.  Can you tell I love blues and greens?  haha.  They have many colors to choose from, these were just the ones that I loved.
 


  

  

 

I had to add this one.  It is made by an Etsy vendor out of Sunbrella material.  How cool is that?  Love this color as well.  Color is Rust.  This bag is waterproof.  Love the ruffles.



Thanks Sunbrella for giving us such awesome inspiration on your Pinterest boards.


Thanks for stopping by everyone.  Have a great day!!!  :)


*Note:  I was not perked in anyway by Sunbrella for this review.  Just love what I see and I would love to use their fabrics one day.

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