Pumpkin Patch

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Fall's coming!!!! Well, actually, it's technically here already but in these parts - the dense tropical-like oasis of central Pennsylvania - it still feels like muggy summer :(  booooo.

But to brighten my spirits and ring in my FAVORITE season of the year, I've gotten out all the decorations from last year, and put out a few new ones too :)  I found this project on another blog a few weeks ago and HAD to replicate it. LOVE IT!  (except i still don't know if 'halloween' should be spelled going up the stairs or coming down - thoughts?)

 P.S. I know I really need to get myself a new camera, but good ones are pretty expensive. So for now, please accept these excuses for pictures from my cellular device.

And then I put these cutesies out:

There are many more fall decorations throughout casa de storm. I'm ready for it. I'm set. So Fall, come out come out wherever you are!!!!! :)



Should One Shutter?

The answer to that question, in our house's case, was a resounding YES! Take a look at our house before we even purchased it - it was the day we were having it inspected:

YIKES! Are those overgrown weeds or do we live in a jungle?! No, we don't live in a jungle (even though sticky humid Pennsylvania summers sometimes feel like we do). The previous owners of the house had up and moved outta state and neglected to care for the lawn and landscaping. You should see the backyard, but I'll spare you that monstrosity!


Anyway, here's our house now, well manicured, and dressed up with some purdy black shutters:

(sorry for the size difference - this photo was taken on my cell phone :/ )

Ain't she a beaute?! What a difference just that addition has made. Next up on our exterior to-do list: Tear the roof off this place...no seriously, we're getting a  new roof. Can I getta Amy Poehler "Oo-Ooo!" [any Baby Mama fans out there? :) ] Stay tuned for pictures of that project, coming soon to a local blog near you!

Have a great weekend!

~Amy

My first post! And a Bathroom Facelift

So welcome one and all - well, really it's just one (thanks Tiff) - to my very first blog post. It's a new world out here in blogland that I still need to discover so if anyone else decides to follow me, please be kind, patient, and forgiving as I make tweaks and work this thing into what I'm imagining it to be.

One of our first projects in our new home we bought in September, 2009 (it'll be a year in 2 weeks!) was to give our sad bathroom a facelift. It looked like this after we took down the three-paneled mirrored medicine cabinet:

Then we painted the walls a neutral beige tone and added some oil rubbed bronze to our hardware. I'm happy with the outcome and think it looks very crisp and simple:

Since these after photos were taken, the toilet paper holder has been finished, my husband helped me install an ORB light fixture above the mirror, the hubbs and my father-in-law installed an ORB faucet, and I hung a striped linen valence at the top of the window frame.

I'd still like to install a nicer flooring. The current flooring is a laminate tile and I'd like to do a wood floor look, even if it's not real wood - I'm ok with the new peel and stick laminate wood planks :)

Also, you can't see the linen closet, but it's a hot mess with 80's inspired heart cut-outs on the door and all. Sooooooo, that's gotta go. I'm thinking of doing an open shelving concept with pretty baskets hiding our essentials for a fresh, organized look. More to come on all that later, but right now it's on to other more important things, like enjoying the arrival of Fall and, oh yeah, PAINTING!! ;)

Bye for now!