I REALLY wanted these poufs.
Now there is another option.
Knitted Pouf from CB2 - $79.95!
And they match my color scheme! Yay! I just wish they came in two sizes...
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Cheap Chic
Remember this Design*Sponge Sneak Peek I liked so much?
I REALLY wanted these poufs.
But they are like $2,000. Crazy.
Now there is another option.
I REALLY wanted these poufs.
Now there is another option.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Birthday!
Today is my 27th birthday!!
My parents are taking Mister and I out for dinner at my favorite restaurant. Which we never go to cause we can't (actually, don't want to) afford it. Yay!
My parents are taking Mister and I out for dinner at my favorite restaurant. Which we never go to cause we can't (actually, don't want to) afford it. Yay!
Updating Our Thermostat
Our house was built in 1951 and never updated. We still have a propane fueled boiler heat system and radiators. Radiators are supposed to put off the best heat available. Unfortunately, ours is extremely outdated. We have a HVAC guy coming to check everything out on Monday, the 18th, but in the initial telephone consultation he told Mister that our boiler is probably running at 53% efficiency. What a waste of energy. Bah. We just had $700 worth of propane delivered to use on about the 20th of December and we will need more in about a week. Can you imagine? We had no idea. The heating bill is killing us. We have been keeping our house at 60 degrees. So. Freaking. Cold. Brrr.
Until we can afford to totally replace the system (hopefully in the next few months), we are attempting to update/retain heat where we can:
Mister put weather stripping around the basement door and the master bath window to stop the breeze that was coming through.
I finially finished the cafe curtains in the kitchen, which should help a teeny bit there.
We put plastic over the inside of the kitchen fan, because you could actually feel wind in the kitchen.
I threw some IKEA curtain panels up in the top story on the existing yucky curtain rods.
And we put another curtain panel over the doorway leading upstairs.
My lovely Crate and Barrel double curtain rod came in on Wednesday, so I hope to get that and some curtains up soon in the living room.
And finally, I bought us a new thermostat. A Honeywell RTH6400, to be exact. The model recommended by Young House Love. I know nothing about thermostat's so I figured it was as good as any, right? It allows you to program your 5-day workweek differently from your weekends.
Here is how our original thermostat looked.
3. Label wire with supplied tags.
(Here's where I ran into problems. I totally wanted to do this BY MYSELF, since besides painting and slow-going sewing, I am kinda useless. The directions say to label the wires with the included labels as you detach them from your previous thermostat. Okay. But the instructions show 4 wires and we only have 2 wires. Plus, they show the wires labeled on the old thermostat. Ours aren't. I have no idea what Y, G, R, and W stand for. So I had to consult Mister, since he's an electrician and all. Apparently, Y is yellow, G is green, R is red, and W is white. I felt a little silly, but how in the heck was I supposed to know that? So after he told me that I was back on track. )
4. Mount new wallplate.
6. Pop on thermostat.
Until we can afford to totally replace the system (hopefully in the next few months), we are attempting to update/retain heat where we can:
Mister put weather stripping around the basement door and the master bath window to stop the breeze that was coming through.
I finially finished the cafe curtains in the kitchen, which should help a teeny bit there.
We put plastic over the inside of the kitchen fan, because you could actually feel wind in the kitchen.
I threw some IKEA curtain panels up in the top story on the existing yucky curtain rods.
And we put another curtain panel over the doorway leading upstairs.
My lovely Crate and Barrel double curtain rod came in on Wednesday, so I hope to get that and some curtains up soon in the living room.
And finally, I bought us a new thermostat. A Honeywell RTH6400, to be exact. The model recommended by Young House Love. I know nothing about thermostat's so I figured it was as good as any, right? It allows you to program your 5-day workweek differently from your weekends.
Here is how our original thermostat looked.
Classy, right?
Here's what you'll need for the switch.
Large flathead screwdriver, teeny flathead screw driver, the instruction manual(obviously), and some needle nose pliers. I couldn't find my needlenose, so I used my "turn your crimp bead into a ball" pliers. Worked fine.
The directions for installation seem really simple:
1. Turn off power to heating/cooling system.
2. Remove Old Thermostat.
If your existing thermostat has mercury, call your local waste people and find out how to dispose of it. Do Not Throw It Away!
3. Label wire with supplied tags.
(Here's where I ran into problems. I totally wanted to do this BY MYSELF, since besides painting and slow-going sewing, I am kinda useless. The directions say to label the wires with the included labels as you detach them from your previous thermostat. Okay. But the instructions show 4 wires and we only have 2 wires. Plus, they show the wires labeled on the old thermostat. Ours aren't. I have no idea what Y, G, R, and W stand for. So I had to consult Mister, since he's an electrician and all. Apparently, Y is yellow, G is green, R is red, and W is white. I felt a little silly, but how in the heck was I supposed to know that? So after he told me that I was back on track. )
4. Mount new wallplate.
5. Connect wires.
6. Pop on thermostat.
Done and done.
Of course, you have to program it, which I did first, so it would be ready to go when I plugged it in.
And I didn't even chip my new hideous nail polish!
Mature, isn't it?
BTW: That dent is not normally on my finger, it's from the installation process. Somehow.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Finally...
I have finished the cafe curtains for my kitchen.
I just realized that you cannot see ANY details in the pattern. It's dark as I'm writing this, but let me try to get a detail shot....
Ok, here...
And wouldn't you know, now that I am done with them, I am bored with them. I have been very inspired by all the linen and burlap fabrics that have been circulating around lately and now I want to do them again in burlap.
BTW: Making It Lovely is my inspiration for my living room. I love the way she combines mid-century, modern, and antiques. I even swiped her wall color! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
However, considering it took me 5 months to finish the first set, I think I will have to live with them for at least a few months. I think if I told Mister I wanted to start on a new set he might kill me. hehe.
I just realized that you cannot see ANY details in the pattern. It's dark as I'm writing this, but let me try to get a detail shot....
Ok, here...
And wouldn't you know, now that I am done with them, I am bored with them. I have been very inspired by all the linen and burlap fabrics that have been circulating around lately and now I want to do them again in burlap.
BTW: Making It Lovely is my inspiration for my living room. I love the way she combines mid-century, modern, and antiques. I even swiped her wall color! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
However, considering it took me 5 months to finish the first set, I think I will have to live with them for at least a few months. I think if I told Mister I wanted to start on a new set he might kill me. hehe.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Give a Little Bit...
I am sure you all have heard of Green Your Decor and the wonderful new site Green and Gorgeous, run by the lovely Jennae Petersen. She began her blogs for the simple reason to make the world a better, greener place. Now her world is in turmoil. Her adorable 4-year-old daughter, Ja'Naya has been diagnosed with leukemia. Her husband, John, recently lost his job and Jennae is self-employed. They have no health insurance.
Want to help them out? I did. Jenn, from Frugal Mom, started up a chip-in campaign. This is how I chose to pitch in, but there are other options; check out Ja'Naya's story and other ways to help out here.
Recipe
Easy, Peazy Pizza Pie
Mister LOVES pizza. Here is an easy, quick "homemade" 3 Meat pizza recipe.
1 whole wheat thin crust
1 Boboli pre-packaged Original Pizza Sauce
1 package Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican shredded cheese
3 slices turkey bacon (I like Louis Rich)
1 1/3lb. preformed frozen beef patty (I get mine in a 6 lb. package from Costco)
1/2 package Hormel pepperoni
Pile it all on, stick it in the oven, YUM!
If you want to see the nutrition stats for this go to www.myfitnesspal.com. It's labeled Oonafey Home Made- Three Meat Pizza. The nutrition is specific the brands I have in the recipe.
You would think with a whole wheat crust, reduced fat cheese, and turkey bacon that it would be borderline healthy... It's really not. But it's good, and it's satisfying, and it's still better for you than take-out.
Mister LOVES pizza. Here is an easy, quick "homemade" 3 Meat pizza recipe.
1 whole wheat thin crust
1 Boboli pre-packaged Original Pizza Sauce
1 package Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican shredded cheese
3 slices turkey bacon (I like Louis Rich)
1 1/3lb. preformed frozen beef patty (I get mine in a 6 lb. package from Costco)
1/2 package Hormel pepperoni
Pile it all on, stick it in the oven, YUM!
If you want to see the nutrition stats for this go to www.myfitnesspal.com. It's labeled Oonafey Home Made- Three Meat Pizza. The nutrition is specific the brands I have in the recipe.
You would think with a whole wheat crust, reduced fat cheese, and turkey bacon that it would be borderline healthy... It's really not. But it's good, and it's satisfying, and it's still better for you than take-out.
Monday, January 11, 2010
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