new home design

My favorite new gadget

Hello all! How is your week going? It’s been a slow one for me…it feels like molasses or something. I’m continuing on Decrapification 2013 (yeah, I named it) and it’s going really well. Our whole front room is a pile of stuff and I’ve decided I may leave it all till I’m totally done, just to get the full effect of how much I’m purging. It feels goooood. Today I’m sharing a gadget that I LOVE. Let me introduce you to my little friend(s) – these things have changed my life!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEj2E6HEvhBS1pwQmL2O5NzJNrKYXFxQiq7bsA8n9kKbAGwRq4JeS43B55J9SNIwzUYpN5N0tC0X7Bc-CnqjEEyMe2aYqPm6241l7gPfPHCVXrAfq-ltoDKQE0ny7EtTHUFWzZeJ7ue8/s1600-h/IMG_5001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28dVsHcMw2VueMdSCPwCp74nhov_Qr9JZ2fb1qiWn3JAkXzn63q4jwT_3w4KlbyjSQGmuHKUZkx_mP4pvOv27SGJe2u0D00bAzZr9tmNJa8hLmY9oFz1Hn70Muux-MIaylLyrmS5NmjA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="400" /></a> OK, maybe that’s a bit of a strong statement, but they sure have made my life a lot easier. Throughout the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/search/label/basement">basement finishing</a> process I took on a bunch of the projects myself in order to save some money (like all the painting and installing baseboards), but I’m not always so good on the finishing touches, like caulking the trim. I have baseboards and crown in this house that I installed years ago that are still not caulked. I don’t know what my deal is, I just get that trim up and call it done. But the thing is, the caulk makes a much bigger difference than you think. It hides all the imperfections and gaps and stuff and makes it look pretty, clean and finished. I used a TON of it on the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/10/library-bookcases-done-boom.html">DIY built ins</a>: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGL1PTTmRl-QU-jy5prl6pUQ2y8pcWeoBHoD9cH8BJS3WVoP6QzX-404qtctMg_IEVjlPNBPIVqi21yGRyDkwjYnB77youavtxerVDPfSHPfPIOVZ9tR5mxZzQyd_hBBqv5MfwWghIFdE/s1600-h/IMG_3445_thumb%25255B5%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DIY built ins kitchen cabinets" border="0" height="676" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-ZnOTmFwd_R1gHxuuWZlhAMKtDL0c2vyEk4NGscJWeaN3LWJ8rnair0bmWj27nNRefsc8d_c9W2CWnyLxYMW1e6ZQPGgGDciduWxqyQ7Pf30TP54T_30mND6ZqwKOfs7CVEXIvaHjtI/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="DIY built ins kitchen cabinets" width="450" /></a> I found those little caulking tools above last year and tried them out on all the little gaps near and on the built ins. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised – that rubber wedge makes it SO much easier and less messy. I used it everywhere: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcozkBNz2tvi0npAgXdZXwqKEQZTvs7am410ihxg4JNTo8Nlr9ePzW4FMuRqQdXgruRGNN6afVybJ90Bo1Jhb0asxt245j5jp3m4Iq-A6_70-xKMc3w6Pn0rpzGvNHRB3v_-LQOuibCU/s1600-h/IMG_3414%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgVXqpLsC8Tg8bEfTLxS-Xfiq_LRdRGXSq180NrgTJBQXm5nBXqPup0X9PTD6E2KPNFrfwZ4TvZNO82JWkafkPqVWBvRslOeQaS4rON1KXITFbn22AcrKGzm8NKUCWYks8F3DlmZZQJM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="290" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFtg95CI5sU41HVaizOyaC1DUgi7FAvikPIbXBR8aLIVhKhlCNSxtlsOSqi_SGt1aBsdoK1mvMeoX1iJQHK5toAieKXTFD5RqEWPJWm_N3TIP6yHKw0AUzWXV3XJ_OtxsnQNzmsclBvw/s1600-h/IMG_3415%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5ituDMLGWjGkyfphTZpzC6VrCf9N1jh_AWEU8i0Uedw7rmwoouZKLiX3o7J_F73CtcFVVtDV7FDA2h-jnsoWnZMoPL7Tg_-GZcDw5Lt4J2ItXqQ23e102e3yvnj9sH3m6NRht107AG8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="290" /></a> I’ve shown you <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/06/caulk-and-spackle-my-bffs.html">how I caulk</a> before and how much I rely on caulk and spackle to finish up projects. They hide a multitude of sins, let me tell you. That little corner had gaps everywhere (every house will have not perfect walls, angles, etc.) and after the caulk you wouldn’t even know: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjUYusti4Di9WAlVJiTTHMvqD0QPwtQkyjTX8ZnXYhZPvoF5xkGQEogHpGaJg1NdTKIlMAfRPblwwRh7gYtiBnrKQIhBQXfqoSLsCMq2XVEkk9Gq7lGc0o5v7HCWwF4fJb2Ui8HeI_6E/s1600-h/IMG_3472_thumb%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZt2kO3ODotI9yv-fW2gfSbS5i84z-Syw-ASX9dkaDz1oEpLPOyzb9OTpH6MgPdougsunZOy6DsjREheDUeYDu3aELYJa4ySkMNsW7W1oT-s4DpngFB2t5iWQkZ2qjJyeuHlYvjyevWuU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="400" /></a> I was doing some laundry last night and noticed the awful gaps behind the baseboards down there. I grabbed my caulk and little blue tool (no idea what the call it) and it was done in no time flat. See how the base is snug on one part of the wall and has a bit of a gap (mind the gap!) at another part?: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8z7G5hzD2sKup7CE2_EKnL07fooZl236Xcw2V07nPmj-3QAoFgtm25SH0kHZJOsZypLKsaUkHP3E-ieV3SnFdukqxPC88bSbyaed3qvTPUa-gkvoBiXVaiIXiaTqT8IU5Y5yVItfZkw/s1600-h/IMG_4989%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_4989" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFQwrwggVKqyegyLXU-JbbRb7pASegtVfXOvC0w-JHQDS5vpgXAyR0qch5vk5PACE-NNj-vkZUroYmsesR2zkEJEGyZhW3zOF6lvRkXNhfJvj0jL-ajkP2rToUmuaBGK8ALkNrRRlaic/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_4989" width="450" /></a> Well, it’s annoying. I happens with crown occasionally too. And yes, I went from laundry to sitting on the floor caulking, that is how I roll. Oh look, a butterfly! Anyhoo, here’s the thing, always use paintable caulk. ALWAYS. Did I mention always? Always. You may think you won’t need to ever paint over it and then the day will come you want to and you’ll be screwed. I speak from experience (it’s not fun): <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsC9bzjheIW9VmWDUlrOVHtzmOe577yEDcQbLrRjFIa2WyyxqKFM3FPoiorD1sCOdXTvy96wYQV449OjKkOVHjBqryI4zbp5BZCDGozKK1Jn_P9u-ZxPvSeAeqiKUiNKlHpI-ne2aCOiM/s1600-h/IMG_4991%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWCcud4hI8KxPYHO1BAFsTGzNjgKu1GZ9gzIDg_6O57KyAWJ2RiteeoI44uzLY8BZvSf9DRl1bM5uNAbktuA5okR7BQQygEnRryn8tfoEhIO2jP5r5EdferE5OOLGJ5mxGM4L_VpCD-s/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="290" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRmaBJQxKETCYEEdRXlhtjs05uOrnSJxM6Qvgrrr4ySl5sQK-khzcHZzJA6GGCT1gIHzwUMoSXeOOx1zimvuttne3GkRHoyGEGTxvq6RSsf6it66oeOR5vpDaiNLLgBnfFkcta22BnZg/s1600-h/IMG_4992%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="caulking tool" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyc52Z-dcmcVn3eOcPfT-J6kWvw6YQV6soqtBa90heMqsZTpsxMVo45HzrLYsFxpCUORElRePMG0KdbE89bkJAuZ_q6CvSG02MjQ4G_C_FDLi2Hv-ZY6QB4509aVuB3iwMOW-FhK1_fHM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="caulking tool" width="290" /></a> I just use regular tape to close up my caulk between uses, it works just fine. Just make sure it’s air tight. It’s hard to get a picture of using this tool (I guess I did above) but you just put a bead (or line) of caulk down the trim, then instead of your finger, you run the corner of this tool right down after it: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_w2q6HQ_hzqw___C37ygyiPGCgrgSHJIPYefZ9acvNk1PmxAU-TTzckJq_QXT0VlyW1v8d9ltj1wd33VGD6syoivjsjszR_4gKSOW8kYwiUhTpnB3upUEHZAPgu1LPN4ycTIJMEDFCM/s1600-h/IMG_4995%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="caulking tool" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8pdQ5vDPXOZHGEQ3HdUvwscPCFNFSQBLwmdLolNqnUPI46JEwaEAJ8Wn4WZuNmbioxgeEjLaI4cuWjtR_hg7zrAvBD7tVaX0TstaFqP9Imfi7sbkVOJEeK9dfajP4Sw-J0geBJENJKE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="caulking tool" width="450" /></a> It’s BRILLIANT!! I can’t tell you how much easier it makes this process. And cleaner, so much cleaner. I take a wet paper towel and do a quick swipe afterwards to pick up any leftover caulk, but that’s it. It takes half the time and look Ma, no gaps!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVppCwtPwn0B_7CqllzDysLDlBMVxKaOy7SdLgXpcNiBRUK3vpov6s-WpiLWxeDD1I3fuukdRSZWVtlOPAVHOPoCz-QPW5ut8LtVGhi2h1_KFffjCBh29KXR0qX-sj4DwHjvWXRqVcf1Y/s1600-h/IMG_4997%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ68ncodUdapc2FlaIjM8toKW7fg3E8_QMLqJq305Kz2QIgxJkiZTShFAQa6vQOXinnuBNU86JsekQJLpvSe8M1Bn3pRT0h26C4JDPrMh8df6ISCoVtk_P06gq46PZzyRJuVkyP1nMqg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="450" /></a> Here’s a good before and after shot for you: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLXXnpJZ8b7veSFclAxHeu0Dy4O2hkmTXNgoPNcjrGsnxvCkIEmW1P2bGk19ISIw084zqhYD0W7ud7_Z0KKYFz_3KVN-f4MKWMkUg4M3zjnl9XPGgUNUB7nUVgLd8lt4p286fu69jl7E/s1600-h/IMG_4990%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIL-lwml4m_NTa4W_pId6uSQB3g2cy9sAg4oyNJwZ_k27kKusMDd91c-y8xNRY_SDJWDkS2pSCWiy-C1tqKXoD5fNKfpOZbxQOFeDf4ieo9RTff7243KXIl3o1t8qd-7QV7OZxfercziU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="290" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7lVyGyfOeuyDmNkE95pRGyU6v3gSVINRO35QExmozHabnw2XcIS8MhXdrVTuz_NZx4Aob_3nqhaoKdF6RSym38ua9IF9dyicYdz87bPzud_8zjTmi28yzEl0zi3EQtKu-pxeOzqeoZA/s1600-h/IMG_4998%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMKL1azCijp2oeYu_TCKWlHj00KdyZewn4P6L8tNSjZtFwVrYlmUwz21yfGDbW1qvoxxgIvUCpL7GtWAYdPfmLeQVuoidPLQ4xEfCg-XLShyo_ZUlWuLgTWFDUtycL5GxnOIiTGPmGTA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="290" /></a> See what I mean about making it look so much more finished? It’s such a little thing but I think it makes a big difference. I still need to paint these, but one thing at a time… It’s a little easier and quicker on projects where the white caulk is going down on white trim. When we built the bookcases in the dining/library I was a little concerned about the caulk showing on the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/06/butcher-block-love.html">butcher block</a>, so I tried out this little trick I saw on a DIY show awhile back: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigi4N4gUJyuZ0nftHD17RPpDuoiFllbbg8OwTWrsL6O9_4ph3Av5vDAUWi-WT_Ob8kABM8uiSS6CSJgQrllRZ-h25shMxbjE2E5X0ys0ulwJVHDLUJXJ34iKuva4TCNF5Bcsun97u3fKk/s1600-h/IMG_3417%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctDuVwLQuC7B16V6ncRuAq4cGXz5ShWdxxj3HRS2W91G6numrRzAndcA8CZzWkVR6b5vuM3qOEaR8Cv5xZD_qAHhY21CGHk-Fy-DdJohCXWLYX-01es0a_vBZOmhjO2TKeO2RjEKUHK0/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="450" /></a> You just lay down some painters tape – I used my green FrogTape obviously. Then you put the bead of caulk down, then swipe it (I used my blue goodness): <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD4VFnyz0ge3RSPZRCUJW0gcQpa_yeTzsKub27npxBoU3DYVYd93IDbj_M66AMntcMAlM9TBy9-wKMjAQrvTT0RtmPyEQR6L5SOykQBsjpW_DtBAdiSxN9hcA2vMuv1gnYfGI_2z4ApY/s1600-h/IMG_3421%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rvOEY8Fkw38xr6JNjSrTXO73mVcKB7xHF5N8SyFwtwYW3P7s08LGYlXt68ymJrc9M-iicL3jCLHkixowAWu3OUV66jovYaTBNq2UKHgLo3xYbsc2cE2ZWVmwDbJJEWL98k4ATjKRU8Y/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="360" /></a> And when you’re done (I pulled it up when the caulk was still wet), you have a loverly clean, perfect line of caulk: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxeloZIdmwf1KFgtULm19-kalffgYOeWrqwVW9kkvUNj4rpuxzVyhcGI82yeLZXF5E3lOElwH37PAuC2iBsEZyl1OpGUb7929-hbV79nZ2Iutg7MbRMDSYRRPLoHrYpwImXVmsnorlxA/s1600-h/IMG_3427%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to caulk" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xZT4FBmi81xf-Ss53kiobj5Vm6EkvQ8mCwe7xgJ0Uq4rlHYng8eROR6PI1_MQwqYik8KYGBM-9HPUOByw5Ma8nkudl6uzVKsgWuhNYBNqdUN_-c5jCY-V1RhqNHLNCNDtBpz9p78KkQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to caulk" width="450" /></a> Ahhh, so nice! I used this method on every support on the bookcases and it worked great. It would be a bit of a mess to caulk on a darker surface like this without that tape laid down first. So much better! I love sharing new tools that actually work (I guess you could call this a tool?) – I got this from a hardware store and it came with four (or five?) of the blue jobbies. It was only a few bucks if I remember right. SO worth it in my opinion. Have you found a tool or gadget that makes life easier for you? Honestly, now that I have this one caulking isn’t that bad – dare I say almost enjoyable? It’s kind of a relaxing, therapeutic thing for me. And it’s instant gratification, which I love. :)

My favorite new gadget

Hello all! How is your week going? It’s been a slow one for me…it feels like molasses or something. I’m continuing on Decrapification 2013 (...

8:44 AM

My kind of plant

Hey all! How are ya? I feel like poo today, and the weather matches – cold, rainy, icy. Poo. Remember when I blogged about that fun <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/01/thrifting-heaven.html">vintage mart</a> here near Indy? Well, while there I found something I had been looking for forever – air plants. I’ve seen these cool little plants for a year or so now and they’ve always intrigued me. I’m a little plant crazy overall lately – since Christmas I think I’ve added quite a few new plants to our house, which I’ll share with you soon. They are all doing great, shockingly. Who knew I could keep them alive all the sudden? Not me. Anyhoo, I found a booth at that mart that had hundreds of these little air plants and I was SO stinkin’ exited. I grabbed up a couple of them to try out. A few weeks ago I shared them on <a href="http://instagram.com/thriftydecorchick">Instagram</a>: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUn2OLyIsbsonUtgCOCSCCEc6i4jmimKNdW5tUumboJg7xIY_ER9Imel4AxISapTuwkQfpBL1AcZrWTBjh9hNAjpnMhvsX5xIqXBUupDSJXJDpSpvBIesqnkPDrvLT1Wwg6MyUcVECMlg/s1600-h/photo6.png"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoq16XsMmIC3LP7KNjODAYnxCHkOs87mGEEtLNRCb0FyOiSN94-3sdh0KAAc2yvLH3JCK8c0CdrwngPGoySyi1fhqCW_wOBKj0Uv2G0odgdJppncHhhOVCTw3a_BWoQCcmtc8tXDP58j4/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="360" /></a> The guys at the booth told me to soak them in water a couple times a week and that’s all the care they really needed. Right up my alley baby! Although when I posted this on Instagram <a href="http://www.mykindaperfect.com">Andrea</a> mentioned that she only soaks hers every few weeks so I decided to try that out myself. Actually I just totally forgot to soak them again for a while, but at least her advice made me feel better about it. ;) Turns out she’s right – they are THRIVING and I’ve only soaked them a couple times in four weeks. These little plants are the coolest!! You can’t really tell how much they’ve grown from the photos, but it’s just crazy. The light wispy one started developing a little surprise a couple weeks ago: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqCrI7zSZ7VusRnoSmQl6-YSAynVLS84BNXkOGXIh-OzPlSxkge39J0uVZWx0-WMgpaob6r-aU72O2KQNpf3u2UAnxUelD1g7CyJq4PrGOwTpj75JuZImdje4pR1bisS0dw24HBgoAu8/s1600-h/IMG_49513.jpg"><img alt="flowering air plants" border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBYMoPk0Xuk3h3HcX2lheQf6_sFUnNQc2uIlcW_eS4ksg11FbBYLZER49FUslwAa1oCu5bPF8ON_lCVCcIKwPY4PU51ezhfAQ9auygPsgU0NaCDEoNj3sV7nqT39s6Tyo883eoKhxbSs/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="flowering air plants" width="320" /></a> Just beautiful! Isn’t that amazing? No soil, hardly any watering. It really boggles my mind. I’ve had them sitting on the window sill by the sink and they seem to love all the light. This one has grown a ton too, they sprout new plants at the base: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZNZ8VhTkT2k73tP2NO9uza38_T1LbC2eiN-pD1u5oLKOvutBOl0c7t4ABrWcdYrKcHXyC_8UTZeR4g-NU3ciU61aVJvWvPVhbi6bZKfZHtAScbKV3m5nxXZvwKsuuP0E5jWh_IIAQww/s1600-h/IMG_49545.jpg"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuKJDSK1pTKvvGp3q0e5zA3dLmFGzlfcg1TfyeK889D7ty7pIJ8_LRYepIBeeyY9pRKkfMhSMi9NrMpJCD0W7P9V_HC1Rae_KwWbMKJJaoPLoYsb0hXMZfYyOj3Vb-m7xJMuMdvDJktE/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="320" /></a> So I was at lunch near the fancy mall in town the other day and decided to stop in West Elm, and I walked out with these precious little bowls: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcqIulidBUNus_MfD7fcaedxb31WDsfJ2J_AHq5TTL3oYP_DWQk017wMvVFoeqFbJ93bEERZBNczoje1OQBa-O9RtPLVUVgxaCGJGpC5vDc5QSdOpRINWQK6tQzg3k55yzuddLxqLTt4/s1600-h/IMG_49603.jpg"><img alt="west elm bowls" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5WbPzaTuiqk_QaQiixDbFOR9spT_eg9rWRS94h6TV_rabNfdcG4K6NiVRspiA5n8FSVQabEhLX7ZAssF7Fccjcw2ddK2wI9wWGSQr2eWfw90W7D_2MH0o15hTJ9zTrFhX4vNZQZgqBs/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="west elm bowls" width="360" /></a> If you follow me on Facebook you may remember these. ;) I saw them a couple months ago and passed them up because I didn’t have a plan for them -- but now I did. So darn cute! I found air plants there too, so if you are looking for some check out West Elm. This one was cheaper than what I paid at the vintage mart: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA23ZbXBkFCDoT6UDbfez0619oOuUpcBqkPL3avco2DyYT88bi5D3mmmoSsEsvqpY2q5mJQHSQEL17VTRP_lo-zteLohHXCiusZSB1f4lNn6rIrPBHy6EM2428TpHKefx0dSKb_zWKa0/s1600-h/IMG_49564.jpg"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPx4BqZpj6hfuGRD3gLXXj_wl8eIryg45zTbtxnL3Ovh2ybSxicfELQAcB16yC-Xd71IBgaP7LBneiAW4FRYjpLkNusooi7w1TYerQvrlNu-b3eD5lAO0eNCfTtCiOw1ooGKWUdo1bohc/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="320" /></a> I pulled out some filler, which is actually shell stuff from the pet store I picked up a while back just because I thought it was pretty: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ewVsmJ9llUSwCXkTGNaHO6b_-O5H-CWtWBt-SVgfbIZIQg26ffuFijBuwOCpIirlPm9TDuNMDcvGVNOm-V2Ze9Vg0JCx8uJhwZar06eP5YIpuSCcqHGTUJhZEJVd4HFpsScR3L9xjsU/s1600-h/IMG_49613.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqjGo0Xq7de-Z1esW1J2fZLj6VDCaVDPQjKZ_rqVnXvVmctTl6GuwOvUUon46_zmf7J4zetrphDWLFSy4yZla86u_arY9Y0HJOauU5xPrt4GE18dSFbNxq-YmTGtWl4alG-z628M6IMs/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="320" /></a> I poured a little in each bowl, just enough to give the plants something to settle into, and then lined them up on the window sill above the kitchen sink: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgbHL9lOfP5yhJZnTCfa9y0Ql7M4gnDGByscQtF1ZNYMpcxHWpTz11dZzr_lW8lqVbsgHbugkhfRk-c8LISCRTO2NOo6oM6LFrdKgKECLpYjFXYeSbLfUCcnnth3usff_w5_bG2MQocs/s1600-h/IMG_49654.jpg"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZCNbGdxiUTitmeCtM-dZ5T1lfhfLVE88CPu9xkDg-RdJrbzsE8FcZkwxGXXa1lRDPEaqhUf13fNqqa5rJ7SMw7A55E-D1YzEXaua_A1QeW8hDWiJHPX3EiZqlmT7EgTNnT41nzf__NI/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="500" /></a> I just love them all! The flowering one is my favorite though – so delicate and pretty. I call this one my tiny dancer: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxGMCO4MLsmU82JroB6JdfpX5jKGsFxw9BNh0WigWG77DViGAl-xy6tKBbB7_zl630eDLbuKZ7mmoozPj_PQCEltNf8ttzU5LfX026a7XGZ8_eGFJwJ0-z0g9Hv6CL8rmXapQSJowUjk/s1600-h/IMG_49703.jpg"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIifUZh0rvnVwFmbo7d-7Au2SVXtc6KVH2GfoIBXjQ8o22Q9EncIS-NRCiWVv3ECrU5OMUwSG5iY-ir72QTXEuYZ5-NsB0ZNtyHV2qLVyS45g9Nw2z3qnpuwVsJYubb3H6gb4NAbTHHtg/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="360" /></a> I didn’t realize till I got the bowls home how well they work with the drapes on that window – the blue, green and yellow tie in perfectly!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegiLfLgdz7Q-idFvZfh0_91H2NvqoP3zUEt0wD6ddNLYqpqXSJof8Wkh6Bb9zRDdmKgxgaN89BrIPUeR5z_JirjkBYQTviDpXFt62E_Bz9_SWoTJb1Ptgsm-h5H9pJIAvHE40iN4cl-M/s1600-h/IMG_49795.jpg"><img alt="air plants" border="0" height="676" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqiuWqr12OZ8c8ynJvGXZhyphenhyphen6flPZSw5WKXEBGPmWfMqxQxuojykwRCHrFW1jUIv8wo0EvD5OiVKEMAEQjHcTQNm0fT9yrHoWi5QJ5hnM5S5hBTsfypRXMtuAnljod7tdI1cP5rujkKWg/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="air plants" width="450" /></a> They’ve done great in this spot so far, hopefully they’ll continue to flourish. They join the little fern that could by the sink and I love the life they bring to this spot: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p7ARot9Y314EiD3rzhIMc_KObjFSSbk3JDeWNAHwsI380TMw2XIpe-gXiRj7kbPMweebPB651KA5DUZwvbtdgUO9tJ6J0tSrmzYGWfzLk8UE6CsAoc5inDjH9zYC8s1oGPkU-nO6EG4/s1600-h/IMG_49764.jpg"><img alt="beadboard backsplash" border="0" height="609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKwEjuMMXGBHy7IEo0e9V9O4ByRYZpTAmoaYRTa88CVB3CnIN6Wu_UjYLKvjdHigpqU0yoCzjxZnXTJtTrnMF8eitxUyF8Qyt4XC6tAGUpBTCJ-4DxMkEg9S-1BIdhoalUWm9sj-w2xc/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="beadboard backsplash" width="400" /></a> Have you tried these little plants? Succeeded or no? The cool thing is you can place them just about anywhere – mine were just sitting out on the windowsill for weeks and did great. Like I said, they seem to love sun, but I think they’d do OK in less light as well. So fun! P.S. The technical term for air plants is Tillandsia – you may be able to find them under that name too. I’ve seen them sold on Etsy!

My kind of plant

Hey all! How are ya? I feel like poo today, and the weather matches – cold, rainy, icy. Poo. Remember when I blogged about that fun vintag...

9:15 AM

Threshold in the foyer

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM7bKPeuch1CfR7hh-GgdYMUmLSNdpxFSNeaRrxgDKriZyT3V6xaalwPtguEyflynr8VSrYS8IF5yGcI57AoiPlTj8641biCWnWHBapLlBHJIWFn6TLmmV2WE3kbtRpbmvsGIQoHsnvE/s1600-h/header%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="threshold items target" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XsNbo26qUbGmAOQgZMWyYjS11jTcM4rAsspmoJKQW528GXILnU0mXzx-PEGayrEE6lHPG7wWxi7SYcmXX3S01w4tPEOi_1QDW5fHvuJkcszDBXuoqghQd79u5FIOAcRuBpaC3-1I13o/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="threshold items target" width="360" /></a> Well hello all! Hope your weekend was lovely!! I’m pleased to say the basement storage room is organized and CLEAN and there is no sign of <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-mouse-story.html">the mice</a>! WHOO HOO! It took forever, seriously. I’m sure I’ll share it’s organized bliss with you soon. Today I’m kicking off a fun little shindig I’ve got going…I’m pinching myself because I’m partnering up with Target over the next few months to show off some of their new items in the Threshold line. Have you seen it? Do you LOVE it?? Of course you do, it’s awesome. (And I’m not just saying that, I’ve been drooling over it for months.) Target calls this line of decor a “casual-traditional look” and when I read that I was like – bingo, that’s my style! That may explain why I like it so much. You’ve probably seen the brand popping up for the past few months, but it’s about to get even better! They challenged us to spruce up the foyer this month and I’m so stinkin’ happy with how it turned out! You may remember how I changed up the black buffet in our entryway to the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/01/aubusson-blue-in-foyer.html">beautiful aubusson blue</a> last month: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlgCqXqNkjOdCeHK6b1QYntrprA6pZpHN0AMEpTapqw0gTfJL2dfMMAAF_l9o-m0Muo_u4iTA9UrXUm5ZW3xMtiNUq0eYxz594q5wz7tDYOkmguXwsIKASKMcs2Wid17axB_kadKMSPg/s1600-h/IMG_4397_thumb%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="aubusson blue chalk paint" border="0" height="685" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijava2TUcPMGAf6gIGalNkbmAhwuiqHji3y5_SkRR7xkWMH3rNWaCxGj3EwSlmsxfH23lODg5S6SmCa4XEKUpo_fkCy-ZnhjisnvtHtrYfFfZxnzrkm3B77HeIGTup1k4SRtZtHnm-ynY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="aubusson blue chalk paint" width="450" /></a> I think that was one of the best decorating decisions I’ve ever made by the way – it makes SUCH a statement now. Well there’s an area off the the right of that buffet that I consider still part of our foyer, but it’s an odd little spot. It’s right by the stairs, kind of in the dining area, but it’s still part of the entry into the house. It’s one of those spots I’ve struggled with for years now. Over the past year or so I’ve had a settee and a wall of old vintage windows on the wall, but with the blue on the dresser the settee looked all wrong, so it got moved up to the <a href="http://http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/02/changes-in-master.html">master bedroom</a>. I had an idea to lighten up the spot and replace it, and I started with a trip to Target. Who doesn’t? :) I knew I wanted a little bench or stool, so I headed to this aisle: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1BMEu32EBkKc_e3Uim0p_RNNH-8-6rEaIVGc4qQ3QSd9ocIKKLBE1RcR10TN1mBTQi4fQNqYuTQUiQ0IjzxvEyrdW8hOgIZIxLsvE0TYWUjPrWcWY2zV4vUq-D4TIkvmZFF8Ij2BZFc/s1600-h/photo2%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="target benches" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuQHVzJSJPC6r7lMqKlFWJ3JoHvht1euqrX0WaRhs8AOICJsoOzNWHD-s6o9MJf5CDYcX1t4xupHkqgb2mFvn9JWtQOWNu8lQTG6BHFReoeKQnYVNpkFd5c_DpPuao1c_lMTKXWPAZv8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="target benches" width="320" /></a> I loved this dark brown one – it was uber sophisticated and had TONS of storage space inside: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1VOj9S2y_FDYI3LO3HOKsRez-W_qWbiyLjjAoksSwgTQ8uU55AHAawawadrRvA60c24JkAGM_76sLq9dr04FeWcY72Orv4SpcgVVwIpeAeFX49paheK6AorpOPU1Rar2JJ08TFAnLu4/s1600-h/photo%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfutTDjAw5mVT1tMkeSq6EByrJkomJGpUZLO6D_uv19UsV6bZkESO5dQR6qnCIaHgWmKVMbAYGLg_6GAvqT0upcRCPm6XWuZeMTTUgrVFZKmtdyEeRus3u4txhT_c7FQWi17OTnNxYVQM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="280" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_4cBHoACIGhVnZeSLTSrbp1YQfqVTWsApKdka-8ASIlvy_mKBNNGEHBXvhhY2aJskKSDQi7Qz1KmsFvDMu9wOJBTuwNR23-BManM1ySQq_UHdV2T0LcMZaKj_1KZXSsdgjHk8hdQDJE/s1600-h/photo3%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqV5nj-JxBoSAY7ZKGTgQ6vfBBqfcOVJTxj9jQvTZQMOn6pW9SXZU19ZPRgXTyt-di-L1J6G3KdRAmzkbEeUaR_Mby1r9yxxOsUtk6orlsjisGlwcYTAzoQX0oImPrCQOzsJeQfdIb8c/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="" width="280" /></a> But it was too big and a little too dark for what I was going for. I also loved this one, with the dark wood legs and the tufted top: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEj9W1eXDBotDQURaOMvqu6Voeuz45uzfczvhvrOCS4xgU5jZNZjXtRe2qjHM2xa5GUFrVTFXTJrhXYmIsuQk5-0GEWjeYWW6C8k3B2tkoibvqzi3Wnc9kibrMXtOpWvLbXWd6cWZnK1k/s1600-h/photo6%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupMkYNXOdy4_wKdqWEoLiBpI3yPAgYn6kiCFZsYJc4I2jgjiNztA_DA8d_1nVhpYxltEqlcMBnwlOIuQh21ViBI42OlvM6p8lBelxKBtkuCxKeN4IApp1ZubCzsPrqBwsphyphenhyphenz_7F7-qA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="320" /></a> It had storage too, that seat lifted up! But it was too modern for what I wanted. THEN. I found her. The one: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU19r7LUa9ZXp932EBm4sXgJvxFBYbOeFPIFCJm1niEerE_QBjICZmhBUNdOm-eYWnWoF6YHixtfnF0U_IQiaaF_C4V4byUD_5PGB7pbD8Kfg-z-Ralz15TftvZsZiknuBzHX4u3Hk5KY/s1600-h/photo7%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAhcdtESKL5O-mrIzI9AdjIAEQAe_i4JVFe9TdYTyuBsD_jnoukBP1WL2AVX_EOK-2TOGESGUk8nFGTgfmg1sw8fyhISe4DJ68frG17PJ4iwOL69bPo35OzFCx7JKf7nBKHQFZzabeVg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> She’s a she cause of her pretty little (short) legs and tufted top and of course…nail head trim. Add in plenty of storage inside and I was in luuurve. I brought her home with me and then started a little redo to finish off the spot. I grabbed a chair I bought at Goodwill eons ago that has been sitting in our closet: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRHCeEK_rgWvJ1OsLlE4i9KEzPZJzXKBUJmpjeu-OdkEtzvy5JhLYPKdt6tUmVycu9T2fjdbs9c0mHhE9cx32nlz-bXi2gdRH1ctWJ71oOlIfbhMUO4cgQtleAjcvEqf3tAuPAdwREe8/s1600-h/IMG_4883%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to recover a chair seat" border="0" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWURkPeXndD5a3Zatq9cuA7OoQmzvLrTTNqHwklJyCVCMJwGNsMe5hN-s-02z_DOzLhizrTgWubcWlQ1UorEUrkRYfYzha7hVlRx6l3btOSiRdSGlRzRbV4-lnq4liPzcK8YY57VzB-y8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to recover a chair seat" width="320" /></a> I painted it and recovered the seat forever ago and my plan was that it would be a nice little spot to sit to put on shoes or socks in our closet. Instead it became a spot to pile purses and clothes on three feet high sooooo…it came out. It’s SO easy to recover a seat like this! If you haven’t attempted it I promise you can do it! Just cut your fabric down so it’s big enough to wrap around the edges and then start stapling: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPDp1f3RlcUOVyV3toXkU1GhQ5ga6eQPcnIacZ0qcUT82AVwp2xWPjy0TG21MFXUYzlY_gu4wpJ28jA47i6ijKcFQ_1f4_eVHYFXsrT01dSu5HguWerw2f0yDMGWGW-UZwFGh6IPhWxk/s1600-h/IMG_4884%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to recover a chair" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zB6J9bTYeHlUHFeyiATUjZdqvBR0PJOVkkDdOAO86l8LX-RY3WFuBfhhwT7l4kFQ0zKk6mOonLZc0OE4mH1ePp09u1ls8KAzG5PNb8r7XZGYjBeJP9ccxnTCg6inCVnkMTZDlGwOT48/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to recover a chair" width="450" /></a> I usually start on one side, staple, go to the other side, staple, and work my way around, pulling the fabric tight as I go. The corners get a ton of staples – start with one: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8mGD7JZK4Ul6ASjHkSFJTTs6p8mDvXRojC3h79fkmAM7Sz8EStv-PFuKvyFwdU8nTE5QJPRL_ew6aCss8ntipQyUQHQLzoOUqA2U0qAlS1219CF8ryPG2L-2-XMZlb8ZTrJUSEdluGM/s1600-h/IMG_4887%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to recover a chair" border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUltU727GTmolcCl17d2QcCUnEWs3hum6lB6GoOwktYbrIbnZm4WlPgeTr36O66XJ1etCWfPSYaNFTJz71J5fCH2fiCAsnpigLOm4uYb7tUsZx6OLG8dLaZU_R2q28lP4Vpug9dYUKkMg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to recover a chair" width="425" /></a> And then staple the heck out of it to get a nice little corner: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijccSMDnTvXeWyGnfq3dYYYrDJ8al9ltTz8NalnOgaUQJOiXcln6q4RttKwDZZ2eEh4FwtbyNKDfjzroFRaF9E8BIJVje0mG4LGh4ctRrNoS2dHdgai6jJSKPs_e-8mXVRA9Z3rIQM_ww/s1600-h/IMG_4888%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to recover a chair" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqKO1A5qcpu1B994sNACs7MbJGZBAAD92jVVNNYj29QZDuWoIpLTL6d8_nB86hmqfM5Gc0yNC4dQl1i29jKEpmnTMqarKzgDeLlkTVUStQtGhDLM6QxKfUUyk3CyVHwa6d9eYJwXU-2Q/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to recover a chair" width="450" /></a> Remember, NO ONE will see it. I promise. Unless they’re a freakity freak who looks under your chairs. But then do you really want them in your house anyway? Staple away. I used the fabric to trim out the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/trimming-out-drapes.html">drapes in our living room</a> near this spot, so pulling it over to this area worked out perfectly! I added one of my placemat pillows that used to sit on the settee, and I LOVE how it came together: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-pjuJvwhumKTBCVWKyaM4Vwnp2lTeEqOlwln2jL6DACqJDOGPjHsn4v34D79XTBzhc__Ll2fDmTCQCvXSEBbIezV-JLyklzp5up5cRbHBFOarFZfZyvSyngebQLzP8cDn0E9FfrfZAg/s1600-h/IMG_4900%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to recover a chair" border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7QJJcdCEPD0AFRv5ttY6FWpiDa3V-aW5hsbU0-5NopRz9JLO82tOgmI2_in3CyALNNFyGFREm-D1lJp2RpIiDEM_-5qG78sxnLup_oH3DvxPm7Fdwo1azIS1zQXbsLcJ3S5CeCz-ETg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="how to recover a chair" width="400" /></a> Yes, that was a placemat – I filled it up and then sewed a button in the middle to give it a little tuft. :) I had been eyeing this Threshold mirrored tray like mad every time I went in to Target, so I finally picked it up for this spot: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuf_n6ZZi1Hw5TvkUn4HodXvhU1dK03-ukdeYf11S4HXYMa4bC-PkpRQALxneSc-gJCRDE4HPUu0GDwA_h1muHaoXFEimwhscWyIiiflYy7KqT6jDfaVjR82aLcJihOpr1rULHUqVAkc/s1600-h/photo5%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="round mirror tray target" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXKmy5jSxnMgHLXranCOo_8GyN9ReHZ9DaBkEdR7HPiZYnDgufzfro-EPcsCYhyRGVtl8G6drZcQo471GCrryK_a46vPi60zv8ipN_LgVS7EcxCIFy5oXeOlv9eXhoZ5oQ2HkPYDdN7A/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="round mirror tray target" width="320" /></a> Love it! I’m not big into the decorating with bugs trend – like the vintage prints I see for example. I think they are beautiful but also think it would freak me out to have them in my house. This little votive holder I couldn't resist though: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjX7zbccNtpDYBTze6B9BfEERhvH8_vtXqJ0-8rqBlOpkEolzQm1zjb_E1im9wEnT-fXSjPHjDrIUU1F-z4R5A0GBUCiuxHVs4O96-ydoSgR-s1UZgvZE3NxBDxkwxfZ5DutYXk5vISo/s1600-h/IMG_4912%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="bug votive" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY1NGBcYI62PmNvAeO8pFAufVC5O4FAkEZ2X7KTb7wjfqs7eOq0XNv6mAgtFpdCgqOy0NHIFkqPWyhM7eWH2SGDxVpozJAdcslPP9eWSug4YlK8txZJAQP3CFEqYfDYk0RmJh6DjBR6I/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="bug votive" width="360" /></a> You only see really see the image when there’s a candle inside, I just thought it was cool and I loved the bright yellow. (I used an LED votive in mine.) I like using things differently from their intended purpose, so I used a blue votive holder and a green glass as vases: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofy6wXkdHA6JqBgqbmwULl8DRftYc3iwfvs7lyo4etzxAbvP_bT0nTIvkI5wktsCWhO5s1hjKx5gK00rtxHxSZGlsKC1Vfo_ORXZvl6pus439nKDkKw1aGMP5rpF5z6YFH815KbmWjfE/s1600-h/IMG_4924%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="entry decorating ideas" border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBG03f9cNjlf7H45usLGe1Ja8cHz10ykvPTOJpA5sRiicBgsWwCUb-9VkjTaYWR5ne2SLUkcSdhyphenhyphenGFTRZHCnqiguCgHEID9gV2FkpWLsB2c7XSLrHp5BihThjbj5CNsos8VemFkWMBlAo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="entry decorating ideas" width="400" /></a> It was all coming together beautifully, I was SO happy. But those vintage windows hanging above were just feeling so heavy. That wall has always stumped me because it’s big but I couldn’t do a mirror (there’s one above the buffet), I couldn’t do a gallery wall (one on the staircase right next to it). So what the heck do you put there that’s big but not heavy feeling? I looked over above the sofa at my <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/07/diy-art-reusing-old-canvas.html">DIY painting</a> and knew it would be PERFECT!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiVb9dXY1QUkMkpSOupGz1ezBgSz3D2FQGKgSImfEC0O3EVkrbfkyOjP1ocnYSZQ58FZRW8NzM3N1tAXIQOa3O6HranvlluUUN0Zo16fLtfsBBV407Qpa5A0mXfSpU_w4lrLugLDzOz4/s1600-h/IMG_4932%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="entry decorating ideas" border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9YZZPkNYwrRnlHGYzC5RTKGOfbfA1s5g6KWU27A3J0obNvOHmCvg8bdlYZZphM5mtbLrE2rzNS1HJvCrhng3-T90FnXZLyP5VTftaG-b2tPtshgJZfJm2ncxfq792N7hvYafWygflEc/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="entry decorating ideas" width="400" /></a> It was too small for above the sofa anyway, so this works out even better. (And now the wall above the sofa is now completely empty, but I’m OK with it. For a while.) I LOVE how it pulls in the color of the buffet – it was like it was meant to be!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-dyKj5bAy2TaGeqJwfTk7kEPMDRVqTgz1TZE5-qjaBHPUGI-Xb-31JPFiVAfrb4eDKRTeZOB2UW1pI9yrAHO1Onh1GObslZTB3XAZTeihiJdYj9-kCZPjhHZqZk2wLpDuCEctC0LKT0/s1600-h/IMG_4940%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="foyer decorating ideas" border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOV-1N9wKkTenXcqVKb0Kk-7oIDA5AIufClDRMdEE39-aRhXrLEx1uhpZkwAW1c6mDEWXNPy04KMdDLXgfM7NZw4y3LP8cNGL-YBT_tRdGXLbji_V-Tz3pBHh4GryihgDAIAyEH1x5dnk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="foyer decorating ideas" width="500" /></a> Crazy. I don’t move furniture around much in this house but the accessories and art get moved around constantly. Now it’s so much calmer in this spot – it works well with the area to the left and with the stairs…I felt like it was all fighting before: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQUTYcupG20of_UrxHjFBZh2eEv3aYQf1uPzR28qC2kqH_5BYjE5hBwbwLkJXi1cXJbTfYS9sf9HoUBOvj3bsithnM6ShGLOelLeoMuqIjBzZpWtR9cHHFSD1bJ6euley_bPMcDuI8b0/s1600-h/IMG_4931%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="entry decorating ideas" border="0" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLhe7O3ADzxvHP1uRlSTy30_uGFaL6XF2CczMruI9OiMIPYyBbl6HDln-yhj_yiraSlIehK0QOWfaqcMuEDA6V06DJql2U-NuD838ASua7Hl_Q5LFyXFRLcb_czY29QFWXbQ0RjYZdqY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="entry decorating ideas" width="450" /></a> We’ve moved most of the Bub’s toys to the basement, but I did keep some of them up in this bench. Things like foam swords that him and his buddies need quickly when they’re playing outside. You don’t how how often I hear “MOMMA, I need my swords!!” It happened just the other day because we’ve had some days that feel like spring is here…they are brief but they get me excited. I love how bright this spot is now, and that there is so much color! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpRiNnxSWD2c8aM-gQjIJqDIZI9B8CK3ozNn1T_srhVBiP47QcnGT2tqPmeRb_svdQHOxuPUG01PHyrVLSLvf11oiJyy4U5KberkPznQ58zKMX4Pxgna5nLaeX_ZypqJz6DJdqPUFMvA/s1600-h/IMG_4942%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="entry decorating ideas" border="0" height="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZubOL-5RvIJ8OUH-aBJJ7o-cF_tjLhwpmT88BPAZ-elIHRdpY4Wo4FiuRXB7Crh8mXKbqNYjDw0HJ538VTYBU6pg9H1FhSygfrZ-SLaR5Snv2AP1QPyvuSVmsBdu2htgbhkGCXTQsoY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="entry decorating ideas" width="450" /></a> Funny how our tastes change. Six years ago this would all have been red and black. Five years from now it may be all white. But for now I’m a big fan of color in our home, it makes me happy. Especially this time of year! So are you getting the spring bug yet? Do you decorate differently when the temps start to warm up? Are you obsessed with the Threshold line at Target too? Here’s a little tidbit – the full line isn’t even out yet! It will all be released in March and I cannot wait to see what else they have in store! (In store…get it? Har.) So do you like my Threshold items in my threshold? OK, I’m done. :)

Threshold in the foyer

Well hello all! Hope your weekend was lovely!! I’m pleased to say the basement storage room is organized and CLEAN and there is no sign of...

7:54 AM

Start small

Well THANK YOU for all the comments on my <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-mouse-story.html">mouse post</a>. :) I’m serious, it helps that I’m not the only one who has dealt with it. I mean, I knew we weren’t the only ones, but it helps to hear that I’m not the only person who was completely overwhelmed with the situation and the messes they left behind. I’m about a third of the way through the storage room clean up so far but I’m at least through the worst of it (I think), so that’s encouraging. So speaking of conquering messes, you know how you look around some days and all the sudden it feels like NOTHING is organized, everything is out of it’s place, things are overflowing everywhere? OK, maybe it’s just my house. ;) Well it feels like that around here lately, and without fail it happens when life is crazy – we’ve had so much going on over the past few weeks that I feel like I’m playing catch up in the house. I mentioned last month I’m determined to get the house better organized this year, one little project at a time. The thing is, I feel like we’re thisclose to truly having a place for everything (OK, well that’s just crazy – most everything) in this house. The new <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/02/basement-built-in-cubbies.html">basement cubbies</a> are a HUGE step in that direction. But I have storage projects to finish up in the basement bathroom, the laundry room, the dining/library – and of course the storage room. It’s like I can’t get one spot just right until I get another one just right, you know? So it gets overwhelming – I’m only one person and can only tackle so many projects and decrapify so much in one day. :) The other day I walked by a spot in our family room for the 50th time that week and decided I just needed to start somewhere. It was just a little mess but at least it was something! I told you about my slight magazine/catalog obsession <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-think-i-have-problem.html">here</a> – and I’ve been much better about them since! MUCH. Well, you may not think so after this photo, but really, I have: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xw4lux149SU/USZHmdOw81I/AAAAAAAAbAs/77ELMtg5NfM/s1600-h/IMG_4774%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ugh" border="0" height="511" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WEp5MSyvRnE/USZHnNw4PBI/AAAAAAAAbA0/qoUy16yTWhs/IMG_4774_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="ugh" width="340" /></a> We have a little Target basket on the subwoofer in the family room (an effort to hide it a bit) for magazines. Well, we started adding more than magazines – like school papers, books, random mail and of course, a treasure box. Why not? So I went after it. I tackle big messes the same way every time. Sit on the floor and make piles. <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/06/are-you-piler-too.html">I’m a piler</a>, but sometimes that’s a good thing. ;) I started sorting them out – there was a TON of stuff in there (and spilling out the sides), but keep in mind it had built up for the past six months or so: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wr5ZrtnkgzM/USZHnqwZJxI/AAAAAAAAbA8/FWO7ojxJ85U/s1600-h/IMG_4775%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="organizing the clutter" border="0" height="299" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xs2zbCQjti8/USZHoOmkyeI/AAAAAAAAbBE/76-TiDnC2Q0/IMG_4775_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="organizing the clutter" width="450" /></a> Lego books went to the basement, the Bub’s books and workbooks went upstairs, the trash went to recycling, shred stuff to the shredder, and my small “keep” pile too. Believe it or not, I hadn’t read some of the magazines in there. ;) And of course, there’s that I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-you pile. I hate that pile. But I always make one just so I can get through it all quick. I address that one after the rest is put away. What’s funny is it took no time at all – maybe 30 minutes or so? Now the only things in the magazine basket are -- get ready for this…magazines!: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-t8Ncq_8fBgU/USZHpBbVosI/AAAAAAAAbBM/xB_McVgNalE/s1600-h/IMG_4882%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="magazine basket " border="0" height="476" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Et7Fv8A9cA4/USZHphkvRMI/AAAAAAAAbBU/L7iNJPzeiVE/IMG_4882_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="magazine basket " width="360" /></a> OK, and catalogs. I can’t quit them. Isn’t that a beautiful sight? So clean and decluttered and you can almost see the bottom! It was just a little spot, but getting it in order cleared up my mind a LOT: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XE22ZOXpX7A/USZHqAR-ASI/AAAAAAAAbBc/Q-tHxxfPBco/s1600-h/IMG_4881%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="magazine basket " border="0" height="529" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xRtZgpmHwSo/USZHqieHy2I/AAAAAAAAbBk/sTk7eQ30ql0/IMG_4881_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="magazine basket " width="360" /></a> Paper and magazines and mail and booklets and manuals continue to be my biggest clutter issue. I’m making progress, slow but sure. What’s your’s? Now, you’ll find me in the basement for the next few hours. I power on!!

Start small

Well THANK YOU for all the comments on my mouse post . :) I’m serious, it helps that I’m not the only one who has dealt with it. I mean, I k...

8:13 AM

The mouse story

Hello all! Well things are starting to calm down around here a little bit, I’m done with the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/02/taking-care-of-business.html">TV segments</a> I told you about next week and the house is quiet for the first time in almost two weeks – no one working here but me today. Ahhh…so nice. :) Awhile ago I promised a follow up on our issues with some tiny little <strike>friends</strike> foes…the mice problem we had last fall. Honestly? It’s taken me this long to be up to the task of writing about the whole fiasco. So here’s the thing – we got some clues as to what was going on in our ceilings (ewwww) but I ignored them, just not realizing. We had never had mice before, so this was new to me. Well, we had one little guy who used to live in our garage, and I swear it was just him. We only saw him a couple times and knew where he was living in there (because he destroyed ALL of my garden gloves making a bed). We removed the storage container he was living in and never saw him again. That was years ago – fast forward to late summer of last year. I’m getting my oil changed and the guys come in with my air filter and I am all ready to say, sure, yeah, I know, I don’t want a new one….you know how that goes. ;) But this guy has a funny look on his face and he tells me that a mouse has been living in my air filter. In my CAR. He showed me the filter, with a perfect little imprint for the mouse’s bed, and the little fluffs of stuff he had brought in there to make it even more comfy. (I would think the filter was comfy enough, but this is a mouse…I now realize how resourceful they are.) He also showed me all the bird food in the container he had stored up to eat. IN MY CAR. Under my hood. I couldn’t believe it. I went home and it was then that I realized a HUGE bag of bird seed we had in the garage has been busted open and was spilling out everywhere – courtesy of the mouse (mice): <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71VmBBv2YJFATZQ0cJt3BkPxNIa47dyegs_4mb7GA20eJZyydWIHaXnUUeyNcybjrqTX2n-BJuBzh7GDHyrOwRu34-uV701JYhpF3rqKriWqNtO-MBqYITwB8XO9ceHA2JAFacz7hnDQ/s1600-h/bird%252520food%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="what attracks mice" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIffEjtb7N0bWofHzChQypgs9EBMoS6jhJMcVzUGwD_7A1W_tZp5GsFQaYJXdb_-rTLx7PR8G5TDnEyQOfN5pMb7JXFSBZW55bMhRZS-RybV2lglJKlutfflGmsWJo36BNoU5w_JU0RI/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="what attracks mice" width="360" /></a> Even after that, I still didn’t think much of it. I figured the mouse’s bed was replaced, so he would take off to a new house. Car? Fast forward a month or so, and late one night I’m laying in bed and I hear this tiny little sound up in the ceiling. It went on for a few seconds, and I thought it was odd for sure. I wondered if we had a squirrel or something and made a mental note to investigate more. Well, it was fall (busiest time of year around here) and my sis was getting married, so it just slipped my mind because I didn’t hear it again. A few weeks later, I’m in the bathroom and I hear it again, this time louder and longer. And then I was starting to freak. Something LIVE was in our ceiling. I still wasn’t thinking mice though. And then one day just after that sound, while I was in the storage room in our basement, a mouse ran right past my face on one of the shelves. I did what any self respecting woman would do – I screamed, jumped up and down wringing my hands and ran to my husband. He was all…uhhh, it’s just a mouse. JUST A MOUSE. He said that. The next day we picked up some traps (the kind that keep them alive) and put them in the room, and the bugger (I’m still thinking it’s ONE mouse – stop laughing at me) tripped two of them and finally got caught in one. We took him outside and let him go and kind of laughed about it -- oh, wasn’t that funny how you freaked out Sarah, we had a little mouse. So funny. I was a mouse virgin people – those of you who have had them are laughing at me right now cause you know. Next night…kid you NOT, I walk in the room again, and a mouse runs right by my face AGAIN. This time, the freak out was a little more dramatic because I’m thinking we have a super sonic smart mouse who refuses to leave our house. I was so naive. Turns out we had TONS OF THEM. And yes, they are super sonic smart. We found out a day or two later when the professionals came out how bad it was. I’m not sure how many we had, but they had been living in our attic for who knows how long. They had burrowed tunnels in insulation and pooed everywhere and traveled through walls and between floors. I was starting to get smart now (it only took a few months) and realized how I had been practically inviting them into our home. First with the bird seed spilling out in the garage, and then I took a closer look at the storage room to try to determine why they liked it so much. I found the culprit: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJklXZKCa_DN04ujKC2zYGEG8cfPb4lHvNllwOkrxKOE4cEEsufautTVaTINgT3AxSBocqhznk7mps0TiziVXO5QtTZuBq1wGi_xSPzdcEcMFhUg5S1pmmwIHHYyH3XDj4468RARLA04/s1600-h/decorative%252520sticks%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="decorative sticks" border="0" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9qESVwlBADAq-8AJp6v2VqJpJ7UjK_k1zAo_iQ43tnTTzYbdIVg-xCakfcx2isSiIut1BSPBI5F6rfh3rQ5uIvsstJlIgE_dsZsTxNg0kJrCBgMy5kDfn0fXqznhMTNQQQZBd_-bxVk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="decorative sticks" width="360" /></a> Decorative sticks. They had practically worn a path on one of the shelves to get to them. You can see in that picture that the little pods were missing on most of the sticks. I had been feeding the mice in more ways than one. I found other decorative items they had been nibbling on too. Then one day I went to grab something from the junk drawer in our island and realized they had been helping themselves to candy, gum and random plastic objects in there. Talk about freaking out. They were coming up through the floor, through a small electrical hole in the bottom of the island, and eating absolutely everything in their path. It was disgusting. This whole experience was probably the most disgusting I’ve ever dealt with. Mice are highly destructive and will eat anything. They ate half of a plastic iPod case we had in that junk drawer. By now the pest control had set out the stuff to get rid of them (yes, we had to resort to that, no I didn’t want to, yes, it was the only option) but it was going to take two weeks. In that two weeks I tried starting to clean up the storage room but gave up – I could tell they were still coming back, even though I had removed the food. The mess they left behind was…well, let’s just say overwhelming. And expensive. I threw away so much stuff it made me sick. Baskets, decorative items, paper goods…and it wasn’t that I was upset about losing the stuff, it was “money” I was putting into those trash bags. Finally I gave up and had to just stop trying to get the storage room back in order. I honestly couldn’t handle it anymore. Just this week I’ve started to tackle it again – three months later. It’s overwhelming because they must have been everywhere in there – I have to take each item off the shelves and clean/sanitize or toss each one. And I have a LOT of stuff in there. This is when the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-new-favorite-room.html">storage room</a> was nice and organized and clean…when the mice hit it wasn’t, which makes clean up even harder: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9d8ict-y_cRzWpoVRVmt_aGILeC_XrgopL6L1MmiQwj4iBL4rFfySsg2PQnnarENpGS1lNiPyzQZcMOZrKM5fyXCkh_jHE91E363p7fpPpBqT0DqB_cWIVPY4jbisueAoAQddrnjFog/s1600-h/IMG_0184_thumb%25255B2%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0184_thumb[2]" border="0" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71N3mS9RN_0QFI9PC6RtQXzXztWhutMHJ594bvvoKsWcKGsHl_ylFqx7V_F5DqUr9jiunJ0Eur60ydNLhg-Lmk0z3x3Fqph1H2BZGJd5J_2E8ZN49mxxUQa0vBcro_rb7WMY07YhM5Cc/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0184_thumb[2]" width="360" /></a> The stuff in bins or baskets is the hardest. I wiped down a basket full of light bulbs last night – it’s at that point that you wonder if you should really clean each item or just toss it all? I’ll spare you the details, but I find all kinds of surprises as I’m going through it all. Like I said, it is overwhelming and not something I would wish on anyone. I know in the scheme of life it’s just a blip and it’s not that big of a deal, but I’ll be cleaning up the messes they left for at least another few weeks. So here’s what I’ve learned – first of all, if you see one, there’s usually more. Most of the time there’s more. You just won’t hear or see them until there are so many they start coming into your living areas (a few weeks after this happened a friend texted me needing the number of the guy we used because they just found a mouse climbing their drapes!!). They are stealth little creatures – they can climb almost anything, right up the side of your house on brick or vinyl. They fit into the tiniest of holes – every house will have holes they can get into. It just depends on if you invite them in like I did. (Doh.) The guy we used said at one time he tried to start up a business where he promised to make houses “mouse proof” – he gave up on the business a few months in because he said it’s nearly impossible. Perfectly well built houses have tiny spots they can get in – in both the roof area and at the foundation. Mice can swim, climb, jump – we heard a story how someone caught a mouse, took it past a creek on their property and let it go. The man watched the mouse hop into the creek, swim across and head right back for their house. Who knows if it’s true but after experiencing them I don’t have a doubt in my mind! So we’ve learned a lot through the whole deal – I’m buying a large plastic (OK, I guess metal – good point!) container for all the bird seed. We had the ceiling of the storage room drywalled and anything decorative that could be edible at all (think the decorative balls/sticks so many of us use) is sealed up in bags or containers. And no, the fact that I put <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/10/theyre-baaaack.html">mice on my stairs</a> every year at Halloween is not lost on me: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2_PDDf1FIoiKAntmyUCERrET_AjrkQQ01bIXvuBsqrRCwZJe1A2vH1HWul7cG6iqOEJz4gT4q72mkgdJkG8RYILqY7RGC3XZoRftNpSEhd5HfUU4TUuenhBfefeDOboaBf5F5wBAptY/s1600-h/mice%252520on%252520stairs%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="cut out mice on stairs" border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL7cSu2a8tmORoNE3gK_4MiHXt_MkGl5IGcADR_oMWS3K5wyLQTWrRkLwVP_ICe4UKIRbSAV3y4jGq1KlUATsSww57XKQUjUjXOWJZfdYOOfZtq0WzvDfmR6H1GNIhQFtMDqswKQ3R6g/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="cut out mice on stairs" width="400" /></a> We did put them up last fall, before all this hit. I had to take them down – but they will be back next year…I think. ;)

The mouse story

Hello all! Well things are starting to calm down around here a little bit, I’m done with the TV segments I told you about next week and the...

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