Is it still a "new" house if you've been in it for nine months? I'm still not done making it my own, but I finally got around to addressing one of the big empty walls in our living room.
I didn't want to do anything too busy because we've got a lot going on with the fireplace wall, but it was just . . . blah. And it needed to be BIG. I found some inspiration one day while window shopping in a furniture store when I saw some simple but beautiful framed quotes.
I wanted something more personal and just the right size, so I made my own. Each person in our family chose a quote. I made a jpeg of it in Photoshop and ordered them from Canvas Print Factory. They run sales pretty frequently. The best part is you can choose your canvas size. Each of our canvases is 20x48 inches.
My husband and I gave each other a trip for Christmas. It was a fast trip, but so nice to be alone for a few days. I grabbed this Las Vegas mug from the Starbucks You Are Here Series. I love sipping my coffee from these mugs and remembering the trips I've been on.
I got a stripper. That sounds bad, but it's a dog fur stripper. We've had a few dog fur things, but this beats them all hands down. After reading about different tools, I ordered this one from Amazon.
He refused to cooperate with a picture to show you how handsome he is. However, I have a really gross fur pile picture from the first time we used it, but I decided to not post it. Didn't want to freak out the non-pet people. You're welcome.
Since our trip was a leisurely one (read: sans kids and no bathroom sharing except for one low maintenance husband), I had time to use the vanity table in our hotel room to get ready at night. I LOVED having an area to sit down to get ready. After 20+ years of leaning over the counter, I was ready to move on to something more grown up.
Because I'm crazy once I get an idea in my head, I came home from Las Vegas and started rearranging my closet. That night. After an Ikea/Target/Bed Bath and Beyond run the next day, I was in business! I used the Micke desk from Ikea for the table. It was a steal at $50. The mirror was more expensive, but I'm knocking on 40's door, so I need to see what's going on there. I think this is the same one but the switch is a little different.
And finally, this break has given me a chance to relax big time. I've slept in, read four books with plans for more, spent time with my family, gone to the movies, and just done anything that will relax the mind and heart. Getting off warp speed for a little while has helped me realize how completely stressed I usually am. Part of that is just a busy life, but a good chunk of it is my own doing. I saw this message while scrolling through Pinterest, and it really spoke to me.
I'm hoping to be more mindful of this once we head back into the craziness of school and real life. I'm busy enough without adding more to my plate that I can't control.