Pier 1 - Literally - In The House . . .

Ok, so I imagine by now, you might be sick of me talking and blogging about Pier 1 but sorry folks, that's what's on my mind these days (I know, sad!). So I ran with my little coupons (I had the on-line one for 25% off all dinnerware and a 20% off 1 single item) to my local Pier 1 yesterday and could have had a field day! Here's what I got SO FAR . . . 

This is the pillow I really like and think I will keep
and get a couple more.

This is the pillow my oldest likes and wants me to keep.

This is both pillows together and I think the colors work
together, but not the pillows.
Thinking I could get 2 of each and put on separate chairs
in separate areas of the patio and still look great.
Thoughts?

This is going to be the chaise lounge pillow.
I agree with my oldest that I don't love the
purple in the stripes but I can live with it.
Kudos Pier 1, this outdoor pillow is crazy soft!
Usually the outdoor fabric is rough and not cozy.

My little stash.

In the spirit of using only cash and trying to be good, I bought 4 dinner plates and bowls and a set of the stackable wine glasses, in addition to the 3 pillows. My plan is to buy a few more every time I get a coupon or they go on sale.

I so wish I could use all my goodies this weekend and chill by the pool but I have got big plans instead. I am taking 14 girls and 6 adults to Savannah, Georgia, for Girl Scouts so I will share with you all our fun, but that is for another post!

It's Totally a Sign from the Shopping Gods!

Ok, so looky what I just got from Pier 1!!

I "Liked" them on Facebook and bingo-shazam! I get a coupon for the dinnerware I coveted.  Remember me droning on and on how I want new stuff for my backyard? Now I did read the small print (barely with my aging eyes) and am not 100% sure this is for the melamine stuff but yes, you got it right, I am hauling myself there after picking up my oldest from stupid early release (that just really messes up my schedule and I am glad it is going away next year!). I also have a coupon for 20% off one regular price item so I just might start on my pillow collection and see if I really do like it in the backyard. Happy shopping for me and I will let you know, but that will be for another post!

Pier One Love . . .

Ok, so normally, Pier 1 is not my go to store. I like it, and have shopped there, but it's not in my Top 5, if Top 10.  However, I was wandering through the other day, killing time during soccer practice, and I saw that they have outdoor cushions and I started paying more attention.

Hello, I have been looking for some fun cushions for my bar stools to add a pop, or lots of pops, of color to my downstairs patio area, by the pool.

Just as a reminder, this is what our deck looks like.

Now also bear in mind, I was going to go for a classy look but with my husband's outdoor "man cave" looking like this . . .

beer signs and beat up license plates and  . . .
(ignore the paint job on the front of the bar, that is going to be fixed!)

a Hogbreath's sign and a "Beware of Pickpockets and Loose Woman",
classy was never going to happen down here.
Let's go for fun and festive!

What do you think?
I think this may be a winner. I love all the colors, it blends
beautifully with the decking and pulls the blue from the pool tiles.
Is this a winner?

Now, remember my "more is more" mantra, I could NEVER in a million years, have non-matching pillows. In fact, as of right now, all I have left are faded Restoration Hardware (yes, RH, your fancy-dancy outdoor pillows fade - major FAIL!) pillows with a pale green coloring. SO, let's get some new ones to match my "really want" new bar stool cushions!

The have fun matching pillows -
(I really need want 2 of these for around the fire pit)

- basic stripes -
(I really need want 2 of these for the other chairs by the firepit)

- really fun stripes -
(I really need want 2 of these for the chairs by the bar/overhang)

 - must have lumbar support -

(I really need want 2 of these for the chaise lounges)

With all that being said dreamed, I decided to dream even bigger! Why not replace E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.?

Aren't these adorable melamine plates?
Lust.

Plates are important but wine goblets are THE. MOST. IMPORTANT!
Did I mention these are stackable?

These sippers are fun for the little kids or the big kids with frozen drinks.

I really wish there was a way to register as an old-married-couple and be able to get new things. Did I tell you that I added all this up, plus some matching serving platters (mine have faded or been stained from meals of years ago, honestly though, I have had this stuff for the past 9 years!!) and the total was over $750!?! Not gonna happen! Anyone have a coupon I can have? In the past, when I order large ticket items at Pottery Barn, I have bought coupons off of eBay but right now, the best I can find for Pier 1 is 20% off total, which is good but that is still too much to spend. Mama needs a BIG sale!

P.S. I did eliminate a bunch of stuff and got the total to $371 before 20% off coupon (which I totally would buy). Did I mention I would qualify for free S&H???? Did I also mention that they have two pieces of furniture that I think might work great in my foyer?

This is one of them. I like the gold accents and studs.
Heera Cabinet
The other cabinet is a bit more primitive looking
and for some reason they don't have it on-line.
Guess I need to run by Pier 1 and take a photo.

You are killing me Pier 1! Well, enough dreaming for now. I am off to pack for our Girl Scout trip this weekend but that is for another post!

Father's Day Flashback . . .

Ok, so I went to pull up the blog post I wrote about our Father's Day project/gift last year and apparently I never blogged about it - maybe, just maybe, that was because we JUST finished it this weekend. Yes, I know that is sad and pathetic but alas, it is done.

My hubby has always wanted a sign that has arrows that point every which way to some of our favorite destinations so I figured we could make that for him easily. My Go-To-Guy (GTG) had rough cut a bunch of different size and shape arrows (exactly what we wanted) using leftover wood we had from previous projects. This is something I could have done but he was already at the house working on another project so he said he would do it.

The girls painted the arrows solid colors on both sides to start. 

My youngest after breathing too many paint fumes!

Getting a little silly!

The girls painted them with paints I already had -
yes, you read that right.
I like color and I am not afraid to say it!

Presenting to daddy on Father's Day morning.

With all the beautifully painted signs.

TAAAAA-DAAAAA. Finally the finished product.
We had a major debate if we wanted to be accurate and
have the arrows point in the right direction (before we painted).
We decided NO, too much thinking and honestly,
almost all the destinations are south or east.
(NOTE: the mileage amounts are correct according to my kids.)

I bought a fence post at Home Depot and a pretty finial and just stained them. We did polyurethane the arrows before mounting them to help with weathering. We found it easier to nail the arrows in while the post was up. We had extra arrows cut so we can easily add any new and exciting destinations. This was a super inexpensive project and we think it adds great color to our backyard, as well as, reminding of us great memories.

Wonder what we will do for Father's Day this year? That will be for another post (probably in November!).

Getting My Spray Paint On . . .

Ok, so my day started with car lines (early ones today) and then came home to this -

12 cans of spray paint!
The current cramps in my hand are reminding me of all this!

Lots of touch-up needed.

This is the first coat.
Definitely a little splotchy so added a second coat to blend a little better.
No judgement on my lack of green grass.
The weeds should fill in nicely and make everything
green again!

Getting there.

Going to make this over instead of throwing it away
(unless the makeover looks horrible and then it's being recycled!).

I painted a couple tables.
I am so over green, that is so 1990s!

So I am sitting here with all the above painted and just realized that I didn't take after pictures! Oh vey! What was I thinking?? I guess it is because I am not used to taking after photos, usually just befores!! I will take them tomorrow when the sun is back out because this tired rear end is on the couch! So photos to come, but that is for another post!

Backyard Progress?

Ok, so I have shared with you all the fun I have had painting the pool deck, remember that?? Well I am so sad to report that is all that has been done in the backyard, no new improvements *sigh* but I do have projects being planned out.

The first being, me touching up repainting all the patio furniture. Now I thought I could just touch it up but the touch up paint containers you get with your furniture, have all withered up and died. I tried a couple different types/colors of paint and decided this one worked the best.

I only had one can of this paint as I was testing them out and was bummed to know it only covered about three chairs. Yawza! We picked up 12 more and I will be painting furniture next week. Hopefully it goes fast well!!

Missing paint and just a little but enough to annoy me.

I am also on the hunt for new cushions for the bar stools. You can see they are just a beige here. Last year, we splurged and bought new deep seat cushions for all the chairs and left the barstools alone. We went with a basic beige and figured we could spice it up with some fun pillows and accents.  Here are a couple choices I am thinking about - you like?

These are the front runners but no love here yet. I have orange and off-white striped outdoor curtains I am going to hang so something to go with them but afraid I am going too monochromatic. I like the green and it would definitely add some great color but then I would need to find a green, orange and burnt red fabric for pillows and that would tie everything together?? I am super lucky this is my major concern today!!

I also had the lawn guy come give me a quote for all new mulch, some additional sod and trimming of the trees. All quotes were super reasonable so just waiting for the tax man to send us back some money! Fingers crossed! And yes, we have lawn guys. I fired the last one (my hubby!). 

So, my daughter is planning a backyard birthday party in the middle of April so I guess I better get my act together and finish it up, but that is for another post!

Coming Clean and "Un" Done . . .

Ok, so you have heard me whine and complain that I have started many minor home improvement projects/room renewals, without actually 100% completing them!! I decided to lay it all on the line and share all the rest of my started-with-the-best-intentions projects. No other explanation needed, here goes:

Upstairs outside porch and our go-to room this time of year . . .

Great space, colorless and sad!

You might remember me sharing bitching about this project -

Painted, but nothing else done!

My pantry before . . .

My playroom-turned-craftroom (again, almost!) . . .

Definitely some promise and maybe a light at the end of this tunnel??

Who can forget my family room?

Close, but not quite a cigar!

The entryway to our home . . . 

Sorry for the dark photo but this is BORING!

And the front hallway closet . . . .

Yes, it's all our photos I plan on putting on DVD . . .  someday (said wistfully in my head). 

The garage . . .  need I say more?

I have organized this space at least four times since living in this house.
The next time will be the last time!

Our sad little stairwell hallway (but love the portraits of the girls done in Paris) . . .

And the master bedroom retreat (it's clean but I am sick of this look!) . . . 

The wasted-space-we-now-turned-into-an-office . . . 

 And my sweet Olivia's room  . . . 

Started with removing the popcorn on the ceiling before repainting and decorating.

A small sitting area on the third floor . . .

 And lastly, the laundry room . . .

Ok, to be fair (and make myself feel a little better), I am showing you these rooms on their worst days. They don't all look like this on an on-going basis and many of them, I have already started their changes (and they have been cleaned up but yucky photos always make for a more dramatic reveal!). 

Therefore, I am sitting here on a Saturday night, fighting to stay awake at 8:08 p.m. (in my defense, I am at the end of a pretty nasty 3 day cold and spent the better portion of the day selling Girl Scouts cookies), so I can pick my oldest daughter up from a birthday party and I was just reading my blog and getting depressed reading in almost all the posts about my Befores and no Afters!

So, from here on out, no more projects started without completion (until I at least make some headway!)!! I promise it to you, and more importantly, to myself! Since the weather has been so nice lately, I am going to tackle the upstairs outside porch and backyard first. I mean really, who wants to wait until Florida summer kicks in. My hair frizzes in the humidity. Hand to my heart, I promise you, an AFTER coming soon, but that is for another post!