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Book Review: Apartment Therapy Complete and Happy Home

November 12, 2015hollycombs

I thoroughly enjoyed Apartment Therapy Complete and Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan & Janel Laban. I was actually surprised at how quickly I devoured such a thick book!

The photographs by Melanie Acevedo are stunning and the topics really applied to me, engaging me and pushing me to read just one more page before setting the book down. Once I could tear myself away, it was an easy book to come back to again and again. As I read through the ideas and tips and browsed the photographs, I was able to think about what I liked and what drew me in, what might work in my own home and how I could apply the suggestions with my own twist.

I loved pages sprinkled throughout that offered very practical advice on things like organizing as well as the more whimsical treasure trove of decorating ideas. I would recommend this book to anyone with a space to make a home — whether it’s an apartment, a small home like mine or a grand house. There’s something for everyone and it’s really all about making your house your home.

I received a complimentary copy of Apartment Therapy Complete and Happy Home from Blogging for Books, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts, and opinions are solely mine.

Pre-Baby Projects

September 15, 2015April 7, 2017hollycombs

I’m trying to enjoy this season of pregnancy (as much as I can with the incessant nausea still sticking around at 19 weeks…). But one way to view our wonderful January 22 due date is as a deadline of sorts.

There are the obvious pre-baby projects like setting up the nursery that need to happen, and there are those projects that I think will be helpful for our new rhythm and routine of life when it changes forever in 2016.

A few things on the list:

Pay off my truck
Purchase a second baby-friendly vehicle (this might not happen until after baby, but we can start looking once the truck is paid off)
~~Get a new roof (before hurricane season!)~~
Wood floors installed throughout the house
Remove sliding glass door in dining room, install french doors
Paint ~~sun room~~, ~~nursery closets~~, front porch, nursery closet doors
Paint shutters, front door, trim
Install shelves in the ~~pantry~~, ~~study~~ and garage to enable us to organize
Organize study, books and sewing/craft stuff, purge anything unnecessary, ~~cull 1/4 (roughly 300) books!~~
~~Organize clothes and purge (both Husband and me)~~
~~Organize pantry/laundry items~~, ~~store breakables on high shelves~~
~~Organize, purge, put away breakables in dining room~~
Start some new habits: ~~one full load of laundry from hamper to drawers each day~~, 15 minute cleanup at the end of each day
Set up and decorate the nursery, organize baby items
Turn the study into a study/guest room
Make some freezer meals!
Clean up/organize the barn before baby and winter
Install ~~dog door~~ and fenced area for Ginger
Prepare for winter: buy firewood, purchase/set up electric buckets/stock tank heaters, enclose barn entry, install sliding stall door, fix fireplace damper
Go on a REAL vacation!! (Our 5th anniversary is coming up and we’re combining that celebration with a final pre-baby trip, heading up to Vermont to view the fall foliage.)

The goal is to get all of these things done before November. Then November, December and January can be spent keeping up with work (the busiest time of year), enjoying the holidays with family, and resting at home before Baby arrives. I have visions of spending the fall/winter curled up on the couch with a good book, a roaring fire and a warm blanket. (Maybe not the reality of the last few months of pregnancy, but a girl can dream!)

{Moments of Inspiration}

March 27, 2015April 7, 2017hollycombs

“Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them;
for those experiences have left an indelible impression,
and we are ever and anon reminded of them.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

The farmhouse table came to nearly 10 feet long, made from old pine beams that were once rafters in a church built long ago here in Virginia. Now to find enough chairs to go around it…

One Year of Home Ownership

March 7, 2015April 7, 2017hollycombs

March 7 marks one year of home ownership for us. One year filled with a lot of ups and downs, fun and reality.

We just learned how to replace the pressure tank in our well system. Yay for learning, boo for the cost of parts. But I figure that after having replaced the hot water heater, submersible well pump, pressure tank, circuit breakers to the well pump and the inner workings of all toilets (along with disinfecting the well and other myriad water-related chores), we should be all set for water in this house for as long as we live in it. That’s a silver lining, right?

While the repairs might drive us crazy sometimes, and there are so many things we want to do with the house that we just can’t afford (after all, we NEED a new roof, and that’s going to take every penny we can scrounge), but at the same time I often remind myself to just take it all in. I sit down at the end of a long day and remember back to when we were aching to own our own space. And here it is. All ours. And it’s looking pretty nice — all painted, furniture mostly situated, most boxes unpacked.

It’s home. Cozy. Comfortable. Hygge.

There are complex feelings about it too though. This was a dream we’ve had for a long time, one we thought we would share the joy with Husband’s brother, who is no longer with us. So it’s sad, that we can’t share this abundant blessing with one we love so much. But it’s also a piece of our “new normal” as they call it — a place without constant reminders of the one we miss. A place he was never a part of. Both a blessing and a curse.

So on this day, I will rejoice in the blessings bestowed on us by a loving Father, and I will mourn the loss of the one we can’t share it with. But most of all, I will give thanks. For the Lord is good.

{Moments of Inspiration}

February 20, 2015April 7, 2017hollycombs

Typical siblings, Jane the Goat stealing Chappy’s grain and vice verse. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side…

And our first real snow in our own home!

Book Review: Petit Collage

January 25, 2015February 4, 2015hollycombs

The folks over at Petit Collage, a nursery decor boutique, recently released their first craft book: Petit Collage.

The hardcover book is very high quality, with plenty of full color illustrations, step-by-step instructions and special tips. The projects in this craft book aren’t for children to do themselves (most would be much too difficult), but they are perfect for crafty parents wanting to make something special for their littles.

There are plenty of options for nursery decor (not surprising, considering the source), but there are also creative projects for making toys, like a homemade drum or adorable animal masks. To get a good feel for their instructions, I decided to make the owl mask.

The instructions were super easy to follow, though I will admit the project was a little tedious. There were lots of little pieces to cut out, but the patterns and steps were easy to follow and the mask really wasn’t difficult to put together. All in all, I think it took me about 45 minutes to make the mask, and that included gathering supplies and selecting paper etc.

I like how mine turned out:

Though not a book for children, I would definitely recommend this one to any parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent with a desire to make something fun for a little one in their life. Their subtitle really says it all: 25 Easy Craft + Decor Projects For A Playful Home

Learn more about the book here!

I received a complimentary copy of Petit Collage from Blogging for Books, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts, and opinions are solely mine.

I, Houdini

December 22, 2014April 7, 2017hollycombs

Did you ever read that book as a child? It was one of my favorites.

I have a little Houdini on my hands these days. I got home from work (early, thank goodness) a few days ago to discover a wily little goat out of her pen and loose in the barn, with her head pushed into a bag of goat feed.

I know an Amishman who has a saying: Everyone should own a goat…so you know why you never want to own a goat.

I laughed at it. A goat sounded like a great idea to me.

It still does, but her little Houdini act sure was a scare.

Thankfully, gorging herself on grain doesn’t seem to have caused a problem. I’m guessing I found her not long after she got out (thank you Lord for early release from work!). We watched her for signs of sickness, bloating, listlessness, refusal to eat, etc.

Instead, my girl was bouncing off the walls (literally: jumping up against the barn siding and bouncing off) and she was demanding her grain just moments later. She’s been chowing down on hay ever since (which is good for her digestion) and hasn’t been interested in licking some baking soda (which she would be if she needed it). She’s doing great.

I, on the other hand, kind of freaked out. I hate that feeling of being helpless when things go wrong with my creatures. It’s my job to keep them safe and healthy, and when I can’t do that, I worry.

I checked on my girl once an hour all evening and woke up super early to make sure she was still in good health in the morning.

Thankfully, it was just a scare. Meanwhile, we’re trying to figure out just how our Houdini made her escape. The best we can come up with is that she used Chappy’s bucket to climb her way out of the stall. Either that or she climbed over the bottom rail and above the electric wires (but below the top rail and electric tape). Maybe she’s an acrobat.

Keeping a good eye on Jane these days and so grateful she didn’t end up getting sick or worse.

Six Month Progress: Sunroom

November 22, 2014April 7, 2017hollycombs

This room hasn’t changed much since we bought the house, but thought I’d share the current state of it anyway — I like to call this look “jungle.”

Before:

Current:

Next summer I’m going to paint in here, and hopefully make room for a little sitting area. But for now, this room is keeping Husband’s plants alive, and that’s what we want most. Also, we would LOVE to replace the sliding glass doors with pretty French doors…someday.

Other Six Month Progress reports:
Big “before” post
Master Bedroom
Guest Room
Guest Bath
Living Room
Dining Room
Linen Closet
Study
Kitchen/Pantry

Six Month Progress: Kitchen/Pantry

November 20, 2014April 7, 2017hollycombs

So the kitchen is where most of the work has gone over the past six months. Obviously we pulled down the wallpaper and painted the walls, trim, ceilings etc. We took out a wall, added a wall, replaced the sink, faucet and counter tops, painted the cabinets, added and moved cabinets. So, so much. It’s crazy to look at the before and afters. A huge thank you to the many friends and family who helped us do this on a tight budget!

Before:

And currently:

We still have some work to do, like sanding and sealing the counter tops and adding hardware to the cabinets. Someday we would love to replace the flooring with wood grain tile in a charcoal/gray color. We also would like to put in a built-in bench and better fitting table in that little eating nook.

And, just to keep it real, here’s the before and “current” of the pantry/laundry:

Yeah, that’s not pretty.

Kitchen Source List:
Wall Paint – Silver Gray by BM (definitely a blue tone)
Trim/Cabinet Paint – White Dove by BM
Table/Chairs – Garage Sale (OH)
Counter tops – Ikea
Stove – East Coast Appliances
Hood – Home Depot
Sink – Ikea
Fridge – Craigslist
Pendant Light – Home Depot

Other Six Month Progress reports:
Big “before” post
Master Bedroom
Guest Room
Guest Bath
Living Room
Dining Room
Linen Closet
Study

Six Month Progress: Study

November 3, 2014April 7, 2017hollycombs

The study has been one of the most “abused” rooms in the house. We throw things in there that have nowhere else to go, meanwhile, I’m trying to unpack my desk, books, and craft/sewing supplies, and it’s home to the Sugar Gliders.

Needless to say, it looks an absolute wreck right now!

Before:

Current catastrophe:

I will say that covering all that red paint was wonderful! I still have to paint the closet and louvered doors, and the ceiling is only painted along the edges, but everything else is painted.

Also on the to do list: replace the sports themed ceiling fan, install curtains, and install tons of wall shelving everywhere! I also want to paint the sewing desk and somehow refinish the roll-top desk. And, of course, replace the flooring eventually. This room will also end up being a guest room, so we’re going to have to fit a bed in here somewhere!

Study Source List:
Wall Paint – Revere Pewter by BM
Trim Paint – White Dove by BM
Roll-top Desk: Craigslist in IN, via my brother
File Cabinet: Antique store in OH
Sewing Desk: Thrift store in VA
Trunk: Rescued from trash pile in VA
Sugar Glider cage: Craigslist
Corner Shelf: Ikea
Desk Lamp: JC Penney

Other Six Month Progress reports:
Big “before” post
Master Bedroom
Guest Room
Guest Bath
Living Room
Dining Room
Linen Closet