I just finished a little mini project so I thought I'd share.   I was keeping my cooking utensils in a plain white container,  but lately I've been trying to add blue and orange accents to my kitchen,  so I decided I'd paint a couple of large mason jars and use them to hold my cooking utensils.

Don't mind my photo bombing kitty.

Okay, so I haven't been updating this blog as much as I would have liked, but mostly that's because instead of working on one project (or room) at a time, I try to do a hundred things all at once! ;) So I don't have any finished projects to share, just a bunch of half started ones.

I have made some progress with my dining room though so I thought I'd share some pictures. I forgot to take a before photo, but originally I had an oblong table in it with no chairs, and the table was just a catchall covered in clutter. And completely bare walls!

Now I have a new (to me) round table with chairs (hooray!) and a spiffy rug underneath. I've added some wall art to my blank walls...a chalkboard and candle sconces, and some decorative mirrors I got from Ikea for only $2 each! I just wish I had gotten 2 more. I also got this cute little wine rack table for really cheap. I'm not sure if i'm going to keep that, because I can't really keep wine bottles in it with a toddler running about, and it's also a bit smaller than I'd like. So I'm still trying to decide on that...I might replace it with something a little bigger later, if I find something I like. Anyway, on to pictures!

Now the room still isn't finished...I've got to hang some drapes, and I'm planning on giving my barstools (not pictured) a makeover. The other half of the room isn't pictured because its...well, a mess. The pass-through window counter has become a catchall so that needs to be cleared...and my desk is also on the other side of the room. Yes, you read that right. My desk is in in the dining room...that's how small my house is! No other place to put it! But anyway, I thought I would share my progress so far!

Ariel,
After being obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the last year and a half or so, yesterday you have suddenly decided you would rather watch Bubble Guppies. I only had two episodes of it recorded, but you'd still rather watch those two episodes over and over rather than watch a new Mickey Mouse episode.  Not that I'm complaining, after all I have seen all of the Mickey Mouse episodes dozens of times now,  and its nice to get a little break. I think the Hot Dog song has been stuck in my head for a year straight now.

You also have a new Bubble Guppies doll that we got for you a few days ago (before you stopped watching Mickey), and it hasn't left your hands for more than a few minutes since you've gotten it.

I can't help wondering if perhaps you and Mickey had a fight that I missed.  When I mention his name, you shout "No!" and hide your face behind your hands.  But you don't seem to mind me talking about Minnie.  Whatever he did, I'm sure he didn't mean it and that he's very sorry.

I just thought it was funny how quickly you changed your mind about something you've loved for so long.   But...maybe tomorrow you'll want Mickey Mouse again. I kind of hope so.  You have way too many Mickey Mouse toys, clothing, and room decor to be giving him up completely.

Not to mention I've been dying to see your reaction to meeting your pal Mickey Mouse in person at Disney World!

Gave my laundry room a little pick-me-up.  There's still a lot more I can do with this room, but I thought I'd share this small bit of progress just so I have something to share!

First the before picture.

And after!



Amazing the difference a few baskets can make!  Most of the clutter is still up there, but out of sight now in the baskets. I got them at Michaels for 50% off.  And I added a rug from Walmart just to give a little more color to the room, it was so stark and cold before.    There's still plenty more I can do in this room.  I'm thinking maybe a wall mounted ironing board and maybe a card table for folding clothes   And there's wall space for more shelves, or maybe some art, if I can find the sort of wall art appropriate for a laundry room (trip to Hobby Lobby, anybody??) Wish I could think of a way to cover up where the washer hoses go into the wall, that's pretty ugly....but hey, it is just the laundry room. Not like anybody sees it but me!

If anyone has any more tips for sprucing up this small space let me know! :)

I'm not good with blogs. I've started a few in the past, and they always end up petering out. I just don't seem to keep up with them.  But here I am again...starting yet another!

What is this one about?  Well, its the new year. I don't really bother with making resolutions usually, nobody ever keeps them, but this year I really want to put my mind to making my home feel more like...well, home!  First I should probably mention that I'm a military wife, so no home ever ends up being home for too long.  We're new to Las Vegas now,  been here for about 6 months and honestly, I don't like it. It doesn't feel like it will ever feel like home here, but I realize that I'm stuck here and I may as well try to make the best of it!

I live on base.  I don't know if you've ever seen base housing before, but its pretty basic and boring.  White walls, ugly white tile floor that always looks dirty. And this one is tiny. Like, really tiny.  Two bedrooms and very small living space.   So despite having only been here for a few months, my house is a disaster because I have no place to put anything!

I was just letting the mess take over and being depressed about it...but then I started checking out pinterest and blogs and have gotten so many ideas for organizing and for diy projects. I've got so many ideas floating around in my head now that I want to try!  So I'm hoping I can spend this year working on all that. Hence the start of this blog, where I can share my progress (hopefully there will be some!) and projects with anyone who cares to see it.  You will get to see photos of the mess that is my house right now, and hopefully photos of it looking much better later!  Though...I do have a toddler (and a husband!) so I'm probably doomed to always have a messy home. But hopefully I can make my small space work a little better for me and make it feel more like home...until its time to move on again.

I may post other stuff too. About raising my wild toddler, or rants about military life.

Or maybe I won't post much of anything, as usually ends up being the case. We shall see. ;)

A photo of my family, taken by Canico Studios.