$5 engineering print + $15 window frame = a whole lotta awesome

Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I'm a pinterest addict. I have a crap ton of stuff pinned, and have actually been getting things crossed off my pinterest to do list. Woot!

I know by now you've heard all the cool bloggers raving about how you can get an engineering print at Staples for under $5, right? It only prints in black and white, but I happen to think black and white pictures are classy. You can get up to a 3x4 picture printed, which is awesome, and they'll even trim it for you. 

I saw this picture on pinterest, and fell in love with the idea. I have a favorite wedding photo that I've been wanting to get printed and framed, and this looked like the perfect idea. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/144678206749363135/

So, first thing first, I had to find an antique window frame. Which is harder than you'd think. Ebay was a bust unless I wanted to spend a ton on shipping. The one store around me that had some wanted $40, no thank you. So I enlisted my friends on Facebook. My buddy Julie told me about some she saw on a local FB board, so I joined their group and called dibs on one of the frames. $15 and two days later, I picked one up. I tried to take into account the picture I wanted to use, so I wouldn't have a slat going across our faces. 

Hubby and I went to pick it up (it's 2x3 feet and heavy). There were a few old nails sticking out of it, but thanks to hubby and my dremel, he was able to cut all of those off. 

Then an hour, a razorblade and a spray from the hose later, I had it all cleaned up. Some of the larger chunks of paint came off when I was cleaning it up, so since my wood glue had all but dried up, I just hot glued them back on there. 

Hubby took photos of the next part, but a certain 22 month old figured out how to delete photos off of my iPhone, so we'll use our imagination here. I had the picture printed off, and I added an inch to my window pane measurements. I figure it'd let me move around if need be so the post in the middle wasn't in an important spot. Probably not an option if your photo is an extreme close up/crop, but I had some background to play around with in my photo.

So, I started with one side, lined up my photo, made marks of where to trim on the left, top and bottom side, and trimmed those off. I had to cut about an inch out of the middle of my photo, since it's two pieces of glass and not one, and I wanted my photo to lay flush against both panes of glass. Make sense? Then I just taped them down, and laid some cut out cardboard across the back so my picture would lay flat. And voila!

I chose to attach the picture on the outside of the glass. The inside had the some really cool hinges and hooks that I liked (you can kind of see them at the bottom of the frame under Jake's foot). Then had hubby attach some heavy picture hangers, and attach them to the wall into a stud. It's at the end of the entryway hallway.

Now, I will say that the print isn't 100% perfectly clear, but it's close. Also, there are watermarks on the paper that you can see if you're standing at an angle. However, it was much more noticeable on Jake's black suit than on the gray stone background of the ceremony location. The Staples employee was really cool and printed it for us a few times so we could get the watermark in the least noticeable spot.

For $20 bucks though, I'm super thrilled with how it turned out. 

Partying up in here...

What's up, gorgeous stenciled wall? How you doing?

So, I've hinted once or twice about how we painted our bedroom over Christmas break. I finally took crappy pics this morning. For some reason, I can't get a good pic of it to save my life. Either the pics turned out yellow, or grainy, I dunno. 

I used the large Rabat stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils. I won a giveaway over at Bella Before and After, and spent my prize credit on this stencil. 

The first step was to paint the wall white, so the negative space of the stencil would be white, and not ugly builders beige. It's not the best "before" pic, I forgot to take a true one, but you can see the white paint and the original paint color. I made sure to get flat paint for the base white color, the paint guy at Home Depot said that you always want the bottom color to be a flat paint. I didn't know that. But it was the cheapest sheen, so woot!

And then it was time to get started (after letting the paint dry for a day). Lover painted the rest of the room (ceiling included) and I tackled the wall. I started at the top, in about the center of the wall. The stencil was really easy to use, I used a lot of painters tape on the edges and between the openings, and just worked my way down the wall. I had to "cheat" every few movements down the wall, since it wouldn't line up exactly. But it said on the Cutting Edge site that it's totally fine to cheat it, just make sure your stencil is level. I also got the clip on stencil level, and truly highly recommend it. 

I'm pretty sure it's required to look like crap when you're doing home improvements. And a black bra under a white shirt makes you uber cool. And a little FYI, if you wear super baggy pants when you're climbing up and down a ladder, be prepared to step on them and accidentally moon your husband once. Or 4 times, whatever. 

In the beginning, I just worked in rows. But then I'd run into the problem of the paint being wet while I moved onto the next one. So eventually I just bounced around, making sure it was lined up and level each time.

And voila!

The color we used was "Silver Drop" by Behr. I didn't want a gray that was blueish or yellowish. This is just a pretty, medium gray. I was worried that an all gray room would feel cold or institutional, but it's lovely and inviting. 

Thanks Cutting Edge for making a super awesome product! I'd love to try out some of their other stencils, they make such a huge impact. 4 days worth of work for an eye catching accent wall? Score. 




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Dawn + Vinegar = Soap Scum KILLA

So, you might remember this post from a while back. And if you do, you'll remember that I cannot stand soap scum. Like, it actually bothers me. I hate that we have this gorgeous bathroom, and all I can see is the soap scum that threatens to take over. And God help me if hubby and I are in the shower together (hey, we're in a water shortage) and I accidentally touch the walls. Ugh, gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.

I've tried it all. Kaboom. 409. Every bottle that promises to get rid of the soap scum. And I'm left disappointed every. single. time. 

So when I saw this post on pinterest, I was a bit skeptical. Magic in a bottle? Yeah, okay. But I figure, what did I have to lose? So the next time I went to Walmart, I figure I could drop $3 on a bottle of Dawn and a spray bottle. We already had a huge bottle of white vinegar, thanks to Lover cleaning his stinky Vibrams (those weird 5 toe shoe things that make him look like he has swamp creature feet).

My oldest daughter asked me if I bought the Dawn just because it had a penguin on it (I collect penguins). 

So it's pretty simple. Heat up some vinegar (I used a cup of vinegar and nuked it for 2 minutes). Then pour it in your spray bottle, add an equal amount of blue Dawn (the website comments were pretty specific about getting the blue kind), shake gently, and voila! 

Again, that's a one to one ratio of white vinegar to blue Dawn. I measured out a cup of each originally, but only used about half of my bottle. So next time I'll just do a half cup of each. The whole point is that the white vinegar is heated up, and while I haven't used it with it being room temperature and don't know if it'd work just as well, I'd rather just make it fresh each time. Especially if it's going to give me super clean results.



Here is what we're dealing with. Gross, right? You can't tell me you'd want to touch that in the shower either. EWWWWW. 

Do you know how hard it is to take a pic of soap scum? I finally figured out that I had to place the camera on the door and face it down with the flash on. 

Isn't that gross? I know I already said that, but man. Ewww. 

So the website said that you can spray it on and leave it overnight for tough stains. But have you ever tried to spray on a cleaner on a vertical surface? What's the first thing that happens? It all slides down. BUT, with the vinegar Dawn spray, it's a bit thicker, almost like a watery gel, and it stayed on the glass where I sprayed it. Yeah, a few places dripped, but it was staying. Holy crap. 

I let it sit for 2 hours, came back in with a sponge and some warm water, and wiped it off. And holy crap. 

Yes, that is an unedited (except for the watermark, obviously) photo of the same area. And that isn't soap scum at the bottom, it's the reflection of the shower floor (you can see the drain). Isn't that crazy? Lover came in to see it when he got home from work, and he said "Holy crap, it looks freaking new!". It totally shocked me when I walked in the bathroom this morning when hubs was taking a shower. Usually it looks like he's standing behind a frosted glass door where all you can see is his head. But this morning, it was completely clear. Like brand spanking new.

So if your nemesis is soap scum, give it a shot. It'll cost ya under $5 even if you have to buy everything, which is cheaper than the other cleaners that aren't working. I will warn you that it stinks to high heaven and I'd recommend putting on the bathroom vent. But for results like these, it was worth it for me.

No, I'm not getting paid to post this. I wish I was! But ya know, Dawn making people, feel free to send a big ole check my way.

Update! I did have a nice reader send me this. Thanks Herb! "Today, I called P&G - NO ammonia or ammonia producing ingredients in Dawn Blue.  I also asked was there a difference between Original Blue Dawn, Dawn Original Scent & Dawn Ultra Original Scent.  The P&G person said Original Blue Dawn is referred to as Non Ultra (not concentrated) while Dawn Ultra (2X) Blue Original Scent is concentrated.  The non Ultra is hard to find so most of the folks in your blog comments that complain the mix is too soapy are probably using Ultra & need to halve the Dawn."

Sharing this here...

Soap scum? How I hate thee.

My friend Megan (like, real life friend, I've known her since I was 15) pinned this the other day, and I gave it a try today. 

"Remove obstinate soap buildup from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrubbing."

I'm actually surprised to say it works. It's not "just bought the house" super sparkling clean, but it did make a difference. Rubbing in circles worked a lot better than up and down.

Now, every now and then (probably not often enough if you asked my OCD clean freak husband), I'll decide that the soap scum is pissing me off, and I'll attack it with Kaboom and a scrub pad. But, it's still not as clear and clean like when we first moved in. 

Granted, we have more glass than a normal shower door. Plus, the shower door is right next to two bigger windows (hello neighbors!), so the sunlight really highlights the soap scum. Yuck. 

PLUS, we have really hard water, so I have hard water stains. Hmmmm. I wonder if I'm buying products to fight soap scum, when hard water stains are my problem. 

Before I go out and buy the entire cleaning aisle at Walmart, what works in your home for banishing soap scum/hard water stains?

Home Goals for 2011

I saw a post on Chic On A Shoestring called Home Goals, and it inspired me to do a post too. Maybe by writing it all down, it'll motivate me to get it done. Possibly. Hopefully.

Goal Numero Uno

I think my first goal is to get the girls/guest bathroom done. I've done absolutely nothing with that bathroom, besides hang up a shower curtain. It's pretty blah, and you'll usually find water and toothpaste all over the mirror no matter how often I clean it (I have no idea how a 5 and 7 year old can get water spots all the way to the top of the mirror.) I admit, I rarely go in there, so it fell off my home decorating radar.

My one futile attempt at decorating this bathroom

Isn't it great how children magically appear in pics when you're taking them?

So the goals in there. Paint the wall, obviously. Thinking like a light aqua beachy color. Or a very light gray. I saw a decal on Etsy that I fell in love with (the seller is on vacation so I can't post a link) but it's tree branches with bird silhouettes. I want to do the branches in a gray with the bird in a bright pink color. The branch will start just to the left of the shower/toilet room door, and will stop at the door trim piece, and then I'll continue it around the other side of the door. And this shower curtain. I found the bird cage candle holder at my favorite thrift store for $3, and I picked up a bird at Hobby Lobby that will go next to it. I don't have much counter space, so I think that'll be enough. I told hubsters that I wanted the decal, shower curtain, and the bathroom painted for my Valentine's Day present. Isn't that romantic? :)

Goal Number 2

Next up is my bedroom.

I LOVE these mirrors, but hubby doesn't care for them.

Yay for a mom who was a seamstress for 20+ years, she made all the drapes in our house.

First, I need to paint the nightstand that's been sitting in my living room for the past week. I found it on Craigslist for $25, which is more than I like to spend on CL finds, but it matched hubby's nightstand almost exactly, just a bit smaller. We didn't have room in our old apartment for two nightstands when we bought the bedroom set, so we just bought one. So for a while, I was using a jewelry armoire. Then I found the glass nightstand you see in the picture at a thrift store for $8. I bought it, even though I wasn't in love with it because it was the right height. Note to self, don't buy things you're not in love with, just because you're impatient. So that's first on my list. Next, I'm saving up my Swagbucks to buy this comforter on Amazon...

I love our comforter now, but we've had it for the past 3 years, and I'm ready for something new. I showed hubby the upholstered headboard with nailhead trim on Centsational Girl and he loved it too, so that's on our To-Do list. My mom made a headboard just like it a number of years ago, just without the nailhead trim. Our bedroom is a good size (13x17 with 12 foot ceilings) so I'm thinking a oversized headboard, to take up some room on the wall. And lastly, I want a light gray paint on the wall, instead of the normal neutral cream color. I have a hard time knowing what to do with the walls, since they are soooooo tall.

Goal Number Three

I hesitate to post these next pictures, since I fought every urge I had to stage this area before taking the pic. But, if you are to understand why an area irritates me so much, you might as well see it in all of it's glory.

So, this area is called the "planning area". This area connects the kitchen (where I'm standing) and hubby's office. The door to the right in the second pic is the laundry room door. In the first picture, the little arched window you see faces the entryway. This area usually catches anything that we need a flat surface to put it on. And you'll usually find dog food all over the floor (why a dog needs to pull out every stinkin' piece of food and place it on the floor is beyond me). The girls backpacks, Awana bags and vests, art supplies and random crap stuff all ends up in here. And as much as I try to keep this area clean, it just doesn't happen. A kid tornado will come through and destroy it again.

So my plans for the planning area? I want to paint the walls a light tan color, like the color in my living room. And I want to do beadboard and a chair rail, with hooks for the girls bags. And enforce the "if you get it out, put it away" rule. And have a talk with the dog about not being a weirdo when he eats his food. Think he'll listen?

What are your home goals for 2011?

My Five Favorite Things About My House

I'm 78.6% sure that I read a blog somewhere that had a "5 favorite things about my house" post, back before I was a blogger, and just a lowly blog stalker. I did a search for it, and couldn't find it. I did find blogs about "My Favorite Movies" and "My Favorite Posts Of The Year." But 5 things about my house? Nope. So I either imagined it, or it disappeared somewhere in the depths of Blogland.


I wouldn't have been able to do this post a year ago, when we lived in our apartment. I hated that place with a PASSION. We lived on the third floor, and each step had a metal trim piece on the edge, making it SUPER slick if it would rain. So I was always terrified that me or one of the girls would slip on the stairs and tumble to our death. And you had to love our neighbors would had a daughter who would come up on our back porch and steal borrow my daughter's toys/chalk/bubbles. But you had to give that mom credit for being able to act surprised and say "Oh, I didn't know where she got those at?" every time I would go bang  knock politely on her door and tell her that her daughter took my daughters toys AGAIN. But living there just makes me appreciate my house so much more.

One of my FAVORITE things about my house is my bedroom closet. I couldn't get the whole closet in the picture, but it measures 7 feet wide and 16.5 feet long. We always joke that it's like it's own bedroom. My side is on the left, and thank goodness my husband doesn't complain that I also took over half of his side too. And that I took over his DVD rack and made it into my shoe rack. Thanks Baby.

Another thing I love about our house are the granite countertops. It's called santa cecelia, and apparently it's very popular. I just did a google search and there are a ton of pictures of it. This was one of the upgrades we did on the house, since the standard choices were all blah. I love granite because of the dark and light spots, the veins, the random patterns. The standard choices were just the same pattern, repeated over and over.

a close up

This pic is from December, while we were still in the building process.

So, I don't have a good picture that shows how high the ceilings are, but these pics from when we were still building show the height pretty well. The ceilings in the living room and our bedroom are 12 feet high, and the entryway ceiling is 16 feet high. We do have that weird angle thing that you can see in the first pic above Jake's head, and it's in the living room, our bedroom, and all three kids rooms. So you can't just paint the walls, because then, you're stuck with do you paint that angle thing, or not? Then, if you're going paint that, you might as well paint the ceiling too. And with the ceiling height, even with our huge ladder, it does take a lot of convincing to get my hubby to agree to painting.

Living room

Entryway (babe's office is to the right, I <3 his doorway arch)

Our bathroom was the second room we painted after we moved in (the living room was the first). I always envisioned a cool, relaxing bathroom. We use Ralph Lauren's "Beach Water" on the walls, and use RL Candlelight on the top. We bought those at (I think) Home Depot, and they were discontinuing/not carrying the RL line anymore, so everything RL was half off. So the Candlelight paint that was normally $50 a gallon was half off. Yay!  The candlelight topcoat looks a lot like watered down school glue, and you do have to get the candlelight special roller (okay, maybe you don't have to, but we did. For half off). The roller was just like a very bumpy roller. You want to make sure you do a very random pattern, or you'll be able to see streaks as it dries (we have a couple of streaks, but what can you do). It's hard to take a picture of, I had to take 14 pictures just to get these two halfway decent ones.

Yup, we have that weird angle thing in the bathroom too.

I'm not a bath person, but I love the garden tub. My mom made the valences, the fabric matches the master bedroom drapes.

The last thing I love about our house is the fireplace. We upgraded from brick to stone, and we had them extend it from about 5 feet tall to ceiling height (which just accentuated the height of the ceiling). You can see it when you walk in the front door, so it's definitely a focal point. And you'll see it in the background of most of our posed pics. I did a grouping of "D"s on the mantle (for our last name). The picture on the right was a wedding gift from hubby's work. The fireplace insert was a housewarming gift from my good friend M. I would love to put a huge starburst mirror above the mantle, but hubsters doesn't want to cover up the stone, so I let it go. For now.

So those are the top 5 things I love about my house. What about your house would be in your top 5?