Thank you thank you.... :)

Once upon a time like two weeks ago, the hubby and I were

walking to our local coffee shop and happened upon

a lil treasure in the trash.

Thank you thank you person who threw away this door.

We replaced the old front door with it:)

I love how my hubby just couldn't stop there and had to 

cut it into a dutch door:)

and I love how my son vacuumed while the sanding was happening so 

my brand new clean floors stayed clean:)

I love how they painted it crisp white:)

And I love how they did all this and sent me pics so this blog post

could happen:)

Thank you thank you boys:)

 I got to head to AZ a few days ahead of them and 

spend time with my BFF Terry. 

This pic was taken after we spent the afternoon kayaking on

Saguaro Lake- shark free.

Thank you thank you Jesus:)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Project Beautify....Via Baja:)

I don't know if I've ever loaded so many pics for a blog post before!

There's just so much to see!!

Say hello to our latest completed Project Beautify home:)

This beauty is located at 157 Via Baja in Ventura, CA

 and was built in 1957.

 I'm just going to say like I said before,

we could feel the love in this house the moment we stepped inside:)

I want to sincerely thank the Pickarts family for allowing us the opportunity

to beautify the home they loved as a family for over 40 years.

We painted the outside body and trim Swiss Coffee by Sherwin Williams.

The doors on the outside and inside were painted Caviar by Sherwin Williams.

 The front door before-

We installed a clear glass door and windows, because you can see straight

through the front door all the way to the back yard and the view

is AMAZING!!!

The great room before-

I reeally wanted to try to keep those original black tile floors, but after

opening up the wall to the kitchen and other fixes it was impossible:(

The walls in the entire house are painted Simple White SW7021 by Sherwin Williams.

The ceilings and trim are painted Pure White SW7005 by Sherwin Williams.

My sweet hubby Roger (who is a creative genius) designed, built and installed those

gorgeous sliding glass doors.

I LOVED that fireplace wall from the minute I laid eyes on it:)

We took out the circular ceiling and added a little wall on each side, as

well as raised the ceiling by the front door to create a foyer.

This is the before kitchen-

We squared off the space behind the sink to make a larger kitchen, and

removed the wall separating the dining area.

You're looking at pretty much my dream kitchen right here:)

Soapstone counters and then there's that Miele range.... :) :)

I used this hand formed subway tile on the backsplash. I like the way it added

a pattern without a pattern:) make sense?

This is the hall bathroom before-

We kept the original layout, just removed a wall to the left of the vanity

that separated the toilet and really made the room feel closed in.

We used the schoolhouse lighting that was meant for the Trinity 

property but didn't come in in time. 

I searched high and low for plain black metal mirrors, and I just

couldn't find any in the sizes I needed sooo....

I asked our guy that does our glass shower surrounds to make them:)

Perfect!

This tile....!!!!!

Honestly the most beautiful stuff ever. When Rio and I went to pick out tile for this house

at Tile Co. in Ventura, I just couldn't find anything I liked. That is until I went 

into "that" room. You know, the one that has all the crazy expensive stuff that

you should never see because you'll sell your firstborn for it?? 

I COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF MY MIND PEOPLE.

Luckily my sweet hubby agreed that it was a must have..

 and we got to keep our firstborn:)

This loveliness is Elyse Edwards tile- the London Collection and the pattern 

is hilariously called- Don't get your knickers in a twist.

I love love love the original built ins in this lovely hallway leading

to the bedrooms:)

This is the only space I staged. I went to the thrift store and bought all the

black spined books they had and just tore off the paper covers:)

I was dying with that book called I wish I had a porch!! So 

fitting for my life:)

A huge thank you to Pam and crew from Ventura Home Staging 

who staged the entire house.

Thank you for putting up with my calls and texts and hovering over

making sure everything is perfect:)

I would drive me crazy too.

The master before-

This is where we added square footage. Where the original bedroom was is now

some of the new Master bedroom and most of one of the Master closets.

The back of the house before-

And the after:)

We're all kinda sad that this one is finished:( 

This is one special house that will always have a piece of our hearts.

This home hit the market on Friday and we

can't WAIT to see who gets to call her their forever home:)

More info and a bunch more pics HERE:)

The Spanish Pueblo.... :)

You know what's not super fun?

A plumbing leak that's what. Especially one that's been leaking and

creating mold under the house:(

This was our sad state of affairs for what seemed like forever

last week, but really was just four days.

My whole kitchen was in the tiny front room and it was...

not awesome.

In an effort to stay sane, I went and checked out our newest little cutie.

Say hello to our next Project Beautify property.

She's an adorable 1926 Spanish Revival? Spanish Mission? Spanish Colonial?

Spanish Pueblo? Me no speaky Spanish? 

Not sure exactly what style she is, but what I do know is

she's perfect and I want to squeeze her:)

We had some left over sod from Via Baja, so we put it down and man! that

made her happy:)

These original windows....!!!

Let's step inside:)

 You can't tell from these pics, but the ceilings round down:)

and that fireplace.... !! serious heart eyes for that one.

I love the little niche.

And here's another one in the hallway:)

sooo stinkin cute.

And what's not to love about that original medicine cabinet.

I love, love, love when they're still in these old houses and

I can just imagine the many faces that looked at themselves

in that mirror....

You guys have no idea the many patterns of totally groovy carpeting

were in this house!

And can we just take a second and look at how perfect that guys

outfit goes with that random flag out there??

hahahahaaaaa!!!

I don't even know how or why that flag is there??

 Classic.

You guuuuyyyyyzzzzzz!!!

Just have a looky at what was under ALL THAT CARPET!!

I didn't win the Lottery last week (yes, I actually played)

but I'd say I hit the Jackpot here right???!!! 

The wood floors run through the entire house. Well almost. There's (of course) some

super lame laminate yuck in the kitchen, but we're crossing all our

fingers and toes that there's wood under there too.

That would just be way too perfect huh?

Oh! and after a huge round table discussion, we have come to the conclusion

that this house might just be... maybe, just maybe... a Spanish Pueblo???

I'll be showing you before and after pics of Via Baja house next week!

Oh boy! she's turning out to be a beaut!

I want to keep her:(

I wanna talk about me...part 2 :)

Totally kidding. It's just that I've been staring blankly at my

computer and....nuthin. So I thought I'd just share a few

silly things that make up this gal that writes this

lil ole blog:)

... you can read part 1 here if you wanna.

I have a serious love affair with my one and only cup of morning coffee.

For reals.

I usually drink it after the boys have left for work,

the kitchen is clean, Little Bully has had 

his walk and the house is quiet. 

On the occasion that I happen to have to drink

it before all that, I feel like I've just robbed us

of our special alone time together and it just 

doesn't taste the same!!

Call me crazy.

I'm a list maker. Like old school pen and paper list maker.

My hubby says I should write it in notes on my phone.

Not gonna happen.

There's just something so satisfying about checking off as I 

go and seeing everything crossed off by the end of the day,

and then crumpling up that piece of paper and throwing it in the trash.

I swear Sesame Street scarred me for life.

Do any of you remember when Big Bird 

was the only one that could see Snuffleupagus?

I remember vividly freaking out over it. I couldn't deal

with how the adults didn't believe him!! I mean what the??

Thank the heavens that by the time Rio was born Big Bird was finally

validated and all was right in the world, because I was NOT

going to relive that stress!!

Oh and while we're talking Sesame Street scarring,

here's another one that always left me reeling.

One, two, two little dolls...

One, two, two little chairs...

Two little dolls, two little chairs, two little girls , and a little dollhouse.

I LOVED everything about it. The dolls, and the 

DOLLHOUSE!! It was perfection. I was mesmerized. 

That is until... the stupid CATS!!

I could never understand why the girls would

giggle when the cats destroyed the place!!!

IT WASN'T FUNNY!!!

 Man I'm getting all worked up again.

Moving on..

I get distracted easily. Like right in the middle of writing this, I looked

over and thought hmmm.... Little Bully sure looks like he could use 

a heated dog bed. So I found this one and I ordered it. 

Oh, and I looked up that cute green coffee

cup in the first pic. It's Jonathan Adler for those inquiring minds.

I am hands down the worst egg turner over in the land. It's a 

miracle if I turn them over without breaking them.

I truly believe that one day I will master

this skill, but sadly my hands do not share my beliefs and 

continue to betray me.

One day, someday.. I wanna learn to play the banjo. 

I mean honestly, there's just no way to be sad when you hear a banjo

right? I dream of sitting on my front porch and playing a little jig,

and before I know it my neighbors show up with their fiddles

...and we jam:)

Speaking of dreams..

I have got to see these swimming pigs someday.

How adorable right????

Right.

Who doesn't want to swim in the crystal clear waters

of the Bahamas surrounded by pigs?!?!

Probably the same people who don't like banjos.

And we can't be friends.

Well that's about all I got for now.

Stay tuned for part 3! 

I kid. I kid.