house love/hate

I have to tell you, yesterday was a pretty horrible day.  I know, I know there are children starving all over the world so its silly for me to feel sorry for myself.  Plus, nothing totally catastrophic happened, it's just that nothing- and I mean NOTHING went right.  Even the 2 fail safe activities I started because, "this can't go wrong", did.  But no one likes a complainer and I'm really hoping today is much better- IT HAS TO BE.

I did sooth myself last night with THREE mini Baby Ruths and some serious blog reading- mostly of home improvement/ DIY sites.

We have a lot we want to do at our house, which I believe is 54 years old- the original owners never really did any updating- which is a blessing and a curse.  Speaking of, I've cursed them many times over the last three years for things like, concealing termite damage, never trimming anything growing in the "yard" (jungle would be more appropriate), wallpapering with out preping the drywall and making the house smell like old people, just to name a few.

See the wall paper can not be removed with out peeling off the drywall paper (meaning lots and lots of repair/prep work before painting).  Although it looks like a section might have been properly preped pre wallpaper- see the light band were I didn't ruin the walls?  I suspect they started with that and then thought- aww, screw it, no one in their right mind would ever want to take of this awesome barn wall paper.

Anyway, since we've moved in I've been plotting my improvements- which are of course hindered by money and time and money.   The good news is the world has opened up quite a bit now that I've been introduced to the world of DIY blogs over the last few weeks and I feel the urgent need to improve something- especially the kitchen.

I'm hoping my improvements go something like this...

BEFORE

AFTER

This kitchen is a Young House Love DIY renovation, gorgeous right?  In the last few days I've become mildly obsessed with the Young House Love blog, mainly because I'm convinced I can also perform these miracles on my house.  I am very handy, incase you weren't aware and my husband is super handy so between the two of us...

Whether you own or rent your house YHL has some great ideas for big and small projects and they are very frugal. I hate it when blogs are like- (and I'm saying this to you in a stupid rich person's voice) "look how fabulous my clothes are and my travels and my house renovations", um it's pretty easy to be super fabulous and have nice things when you're rich- congrats you know how to spend your money! Sorry a little bitterness coming through.

But YHL is creative and patient with their projects, they do them the right way, they reuse as much as they can and they do it with out spending a lot of money and things look fabulous.  Just look...

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

HALLWAY

OFFICE

So cute, right?

Well now you have to go check out their blog and get some ideas of your own.  And unfortunately after getting myself all psyched up on home improvements I have to go work.:(  But rest assured there will be more DIY posts coming soon.

Have a great day! (I'm trying to!)