tagged for life.

liv’s newness today are these fabulous fabric tags.

(say that five times fast.)

as you can see, I am still incredibly in love with the woodoodled papers too..

(click on the layout for full list of credits.)

I am still just so in love with this pic!!

I did touch it up, just a smidge.  like removing the speakers that were in the background..  I am a little anal that way.  it was a spontaneous shot, I didn’t want it to be too posed or orchestrated, so those things that end up bugging me when all is said and done need to be dealt with afterwards.

it’s the way I am.

I have this relationship with photoshop that I thought I would never have.  I was SO AFRIAD of it!!  but I can tell you, that getting my feet wet with photo editing was what got me comfortable and excited.

I think we all know that I got that start at jessicasprague.com.

(and if you didn’t know that, well, welcome to my blog!!)

jess is doing her yearly free class, to help us all learn, for the experienced ones, it helps us to get excited, for the newbies, it helps show them that this is possible!!

I have signed up, you should too!!

among other things going on here..

I am up to my neck in soccer stuff.  I am the newest (insert title here that has to do with age group coordinating) with our region AYSO board.  my two youngest love soccer!!  it takes involved parents to make it happen.  seriously, in EVERY SINGLE AREA.  if you have kiddos who love something, get involved.  it makes their experience so much better.

we finished our last day of little laker cheer in prep for the parade tomorrow. 

yesterday, peyton wasn’t really much about the whole “participation” thing, aside from clapping. 

today I might have bribed her with a slurpee if she would just raise her hands!!!

she did.

lynn was selected to be the filer for their little stunting group.  she loves it.  all she has been doing for the past 24 hours now is cheering.

she is sad that today is the last day.

we’ve also had a couple of days of dam fun.

and the bathroom re-do has begun.

it is such a wonderful sight to look up, and have WHITE ceilings!!

that’s right, there is an “s” on the end of ceiling..  I decided that while I was at it, I might as well tackle the ceiling in our master bathroom too.  I mean, I did do our bedroom last summer.  it might be about time..

I only wish I dared (i.e. had the energy) to paint ALL of the ceilings white…  6 down, 6 more to go?

so we are saying farewell to “botany beige” (we won’t “miss” it, since it is ALL OVER THE REST OF THE FREAKING HOUSE.  (someday…)  and hello to “turquoise mist”.

we are having so much fun this summer!!  I am so happy with how slowly it is going.  I just love having the girls all home, having non-stop fun, and little drama.

we are making the most of it, and wearing ourselves out  most days..

(if this post seems a little dejavu-ish to you, well, that’s probably because you saw all of this already on instagram, and I would apologize, but hey, now you have the story to go with it, right?)

(you’re welcome.)

More painting..

I said I loved it didn’t I?

I had some projects planned for the girls rooms, and switching the girls around, just pushed those along.

I had planned, after getting the big IKEA shelf for what used to be Lynn & Ashley’s room, to paint the little white bookshelf “Peyton green” (aka: American Accents Green Apple). 

More pictures to come on how cute this turned out..

I Love Spray Paint!

I seriously cannot count the number of things that have been spray painted in my house..

Even in recent history, that would make a long list.

I love the stuff.

I finally finished my desk area in the loft…

I am quite excited with how it turned out…

The desk was the desk left with the house, the desk that I was practically praying they would leave!!

The chair was one of my thrift store finds.

Both were loved  a little more, and look a lot better because of it.

I used a latex bonding primer on the desk (thanks Brooke!) and spray painted it, yes, spray paint.

The chair was also primed and spray painted.

New hardware and a seat cushion finished it off for me!

I wanted organization to be prime in this space, so I went to get a magnet board.  Roberts has my favorite kind..  but they were out. 

For weeks.

Being the kind of gal I am, I made my own.  It’s not perfect, I chose the knottiest wood I could find, and I sincerely love all the knots and cracks..

I also made a fabric bulletin board, for those smaller items that I don’t want taking up space on the magnet board.

This goodie was a re-purposed item from the craft room.  Wall space isn’t prime in there, and it got put away until I could think of a use for it..

I used the Storybook cartridge and the Cricut, and now I have a nifty new place for incoming and outgoing mail and notes.

I had to have a recycle bin here, this is where I sort through mail and newspapers, ads, coupons.. 

I found this basket at Michaels, used one of those coupons I LOVE..

Another item, from another room, that got a facelift was this bookshelf that I have had since I was 15.  I love the thing!

It was built by the same man who built my cedar chest.  Both have proved the test of time and my love for re-arranging furniture. 

It was in the nursery, and was white then.  It got the same treatment as everything else, and was painted black.

The metal storage containers are from IKEA.

(I love IKEA just about as much as I love spray paint..)

Now for my recently discovered tips..

First off, prime, PRIME, PRIME!!!

Latex based bonding primers are available at most paint counters.  They can even tint them to help in the painting process for the following coats. 

My sister-in-law Brooke, bought a gallon to use on her project, and she loaned me some of it.

Thanks Brooke!!

It is awesome stuff.

For my thrift store find chairs, I used Kilz which is not only a primer, but a blocker for stains and odors.  It comes in a spray can which makes the process of painting all of those spindles a breeze!

As for the paint..

My new favorite is this type of Rustoleum.

(I am not paid to say this..)

I have used a lot, and if the color I want is available in this brand, and even more importantly, this type of can, I get it.  There are obviously some colors that aren’t available in this type of can, but I love this kind..

American Accents (also pictured) is another favorite.

Gloves…  may I suggest, strongly, that you wear some?

I bought two boxes just like this at Sam’s club.  I bought them to wear while making salsa for cutting and de-seeding the peppers.

(It also helped me look like a paranoid lady, because when I bought them, it was the same week that Swine Flu became the freak out that it once was.)

Turns out they have another purpose in my house.

Wearing gloves prevents the spray from getting on your skin and/or nails.  They are also fantastic for when (or if) the nozzle on your can starts to clog, and a nice stream of paint trickles down the side of the can to your unsuspecting hand.

They are also a good thing if you are painting outside, and the breeze (or sudden strong gust of wind) blows it right back at you.  Thinking of this, wear a jacket that you don’t care about..

(Isn’t this a nice, humorous image of me?)

If you do get paint on your skin, this stuff is awesome..

A girlfriend brought some to me on Halloween.  It was by far the best trick-or-treat visit I ever had (especially considering the clown that came later that same night…)

I smells like butter cream icing and makes me hungry whenever I use it..

It is awesome stuff!

She got gum off of her little boy’s skin using this and a washcloth (with minimal scrubbing).

So that ONE time I neglected to put on my gloves, and got some on my hands, I remembered her telling me about the gum..

Paint came off.

No big deal.

Then, at the end of the day, when your project is all finished, take a hot bath or shower using it.

I promise, it’s awesome!

My headache is going away..

Not so bad with the blue gone now, is it? :)


Now if SOMEBODY can guess what color is going over this most awesome primer, I will give you some sort of prize...
Guess my accent colors, and, well, you can get a prize too. :)

Another look..

Here's another peek..


Still not finished..
This will be another part of the room.


You'll have to be patient with the after.. consider it my contribution to "Thrifty Thursday". :)
Can't wait to get some more digi scrappin' done!!

Zwei..

I am super-smelly after a jam-packed day that ended with a softball game that we played quite decently..
What does that mean anyway? I, personally don't "pack" jam.. I spoon it into my jars...
Anywhoo.. onto the reason I am posting..
Could it be that Peyton is just SO excited, she just can't find sleep?
She's up, right now, honking my nose.
Poking at a zit that is trying to heal.
Darn hormones..
Can you read my tiredness?
I am rambling..
Zwei is German for two.
I am finished with my second paint color..


On to number three!

A peek..

Here's your sneak peek at what's been going on around here...
ONE of the paint colors going up..


I am trying Home Deaf-o's new Behr with the primer in it.. I'll let ya know how that goes. So far I am up to four coats, but I think the pink stripes have something to do with that digit.
A bridal shower that we are planning for Merrill's little brother's soon to be bride..


Our aim for this shower is to make people say, "Really? All this for a shower?!"
Because that's what we do best. :)
I knew I had to post a pic of the invite when Merrill said he "happened to see one laying around at the hotel" and he thought "they were amazing!".. that speaks volumes. :)
And a little boy has learned the art of going potty.


So it's "Potty Time!" instead of "Party Time"..
A cake was in order for the grand celebration.


The blue and brown theme just kinda came together.. I dreamed up the toilet paper trail one night during one of my insomnia bouts. I am thinking of adding a mangled and molded tootsie roll to it. I am fearful if that would lead to only me eating the cake..


I am still trying to decide if that is a bad idea. ;)

Decorating...

Last week, we got the girls bunk beds.. that involved changing the orientation of the furniture, and moving things on the walls which led to patching and re-painting.. that took a day, the day we were getting the beds, and putting them together.
I painted their room two years ago, and it has by far been my favorite room I have done yet! So fun!!
This is the view of the bunk beds that sold the girls on them.. "so fancy"!
This has been in Lynn's room since she was two.
My favorite pictures of the girls.. had to move this shelf.
The doll house.. so much more room to play!!
The canvases..
Love this flower night light from IKEA.. Ashley is afraid of it.. the weirdo.
The girls love this magnet board.. and our stash of books.