Tuesday, November 24, 2015

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!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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:)

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

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:(

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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 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.