Some Curtains, Some Crown.... and way too many other things going on

So I've been working on {too many} projects. And just like me, I'm doing it all at once, so I don't have much to show that is finished... I did break a mirror the other day... but that's another story. 

Here's the whole transition of the window (from trim & curtains). And you might notice the {not quite yet finished} crown molding... that's right we did our own crown molding. Anyways here it is:

Before:                                                  After:

I Might Be {Completely} In Love With This Kitchen

So I LOVE this kitchen from Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Do you think Chris would let me put that yellow flower wall paper in our kitchen... I think he'd choose death first. But I can dream.

See how I incorporated this beautiful yellow into my own kitchen without killing anyone, Here.

Fan {Window} Shopping

So our ceiling fan... yeah let's talk about that one. It blows, literally. It works great, but it is ugly. Something like the one below:

So I've been on the lookout for a {fantabulous} fan, for hopefully not a fortune. I actually bought a fan {on a whim from Home Depot} for $70. It was seriously good looking. I thought it was great. But I was nervous about why it was so cheap. So when I got home I looked up some reviews and it seemed like the fan's motor consistently broke down right out of warranty. Bummer, so I took the gorgeous {waste of $70} back. I learned that the cost of a fan isn't necessarily determined by its looks {which is usually a large contributing factor to what I shop for} but the price could indicate the quality of the motor inside.

I don't want to spend a fortune on a fan, but I want one that lasts. So I started looking elsewhere. Ebay. Manufacturers use Ebay to sell their "refurbished" fans. Refurbished could send lots of people looking elsewhere... but who better to refurbish a broken fan than the manufacturer who built it in the first place? Plus they sell the fans with a warranty. I found a fan I loved {should have gotten it, I know} for $125 that sold for over $400 retail. I'm still looking around... but eventually I'm going to take the dive, I'll for sure let you know how it goes. {oh, and p.s. almost all of the refurbed fans have free shipping}

Home Depot Price: $189
Ebay Price: $100

Home Depot Price: $159
Ebay Refurbished Price: $100

Ah Ha! {Got You!}

So remember my dilemma with the kitchen lights? I couldn't find a picture of the "before". Well here it is! {Not exactly}. But you can see the old light back there, chillin all ugly-like up on the ceiling. 

So here you go {thanks to a wonderful husband who found the picture}: A true Before & After.

A {Somewhat} Good Find

I found this beauty at D.I. yesterday. $25 is usually a little steep for what I go for. But I figured {since it is in great shape} I didn't have to work on this guy, so save the time and money in materials, and I don't feel too bad. I don't know if this is his final home... but it is for now.

Target sells the same mirror for $85 new. Good find? What do you think?

Keeping out the COLD {Freezing Cold}

So while I was working on the trim of the window {see here} I found ice creeping into the inside of our house through the window! Can you believe it?!! ICE!!! On the inside of our window!!! So my handy husband took the one side of the window out and we discovered there was no weather stripping between the two parts of the window {two parts being the side that slides and the side that doesn't}.

So we got enough weather stripping to do all the windows at our place {cost about $7}. It is super quick and super easy.

We now can stand next to the window, with the blinds up, and we don't feel an awful {deathly cold} draft! What a guy huh?

Board and Batten {Finally Finished}

Cassity from Remodelaholic is featuring me today, heck yeah thats right! She's got the greatest website, if you haven't been over there it's a must. Go take a look.

If you've missed the evolution of the board and batten see here and here. It really gives our room a finished look {It is not all the way finished yet though, can you believe it?!}. But the board and batten has finally received all of its touch ups and I am ready to show before & afters. Yay! 

{I wish I could have taken the pictures in the daylight, for colors sake, but alas I am out of town for the next few days and night time lighting was the best I could get}

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Thanks for looking! There will be pictures in those frames {hopefully soon!} I've been trying to decide which pictures to put in there. {See here}

The board and batten was very easy to do, and makes such a huge difference! Thanks to CL I only spent about $20 on all the molding {including to trim out the window}, and then about $24 on the paint {which I plan on using other places, I have tons left over}. The caulk probably ate up $12 as well.

So total cost? $56 {with leftovers to use on other projects}

Not too shabby eh?

Bringin' in Some Color

With the new board and batten in our bedroom {almost done, I'll have pictures up tomorrow!} we have A LOT of green in our room. I went to the Bomb-Diggitiest fabric place in town and got me some brown and gold.

Both my mother and my mother-in-law are superb seamstresses. I'm learning, but I don't think I can be considered anywhere close while I'm still using a tape measurer... {I won't even tell you how I don't use pins, rarely iron, or eyeball almost everything...}

The Curtains turned out great. I still am planning on working some magic on the blinds. But I'm lovin' the dark brown, and the subtle pattern of the fabric.

Okay, on to the Anthropologie inspired pillows. I'm not showing a whole ton of "step-by-step" because honestly... I made it up as I went. But I got my ideas from Kojo Designs. I made 2 euro shams & 1 small round pillow.

Fabric for Pillows: $3.00 / yard

Total cost for 3 pillows: $9

Fabric for Curtains: $3.50 / yard

Total cost for 2 panels: $20