Master Bathroom Light Fixture

Hail the conquering Heeeroooo!! Nahhh nah nahhhh na na nahhhhhhhhh!!

*takes a bow*

Yes, its true. The dastardly electrical box may have won the first battle but by golly I won the WAR!! BWAHAHAHAH!  *ahem*

Neways so I forgot to take a true "Before" pic b/c thats just the way we like to fail at life around here. So here's the I-already-took-the-funky-glass-and-copper-shade-circa-1970-off and unscrewed all the little mini round clear bulbs shot I took when I realized my mistake:

So the adventure really began when I got the cover off this baby and got a look at my wall. Yeah my junction box cover (little round circle sticking out of the sheet rock that was oh so expertly cut RIGHT UP to the edge of the circle (hahahah NOT ANYMORE!!). Leaving visible ONLY the 2 HORIZONTAL screw spots (yes thats a technical term. Shut up).

Wellllll, this was a problem, b/c my new fixture has VERTICAL screw spots (you can't see what I'm talking about in pictures b/c I didn't take any during b/c it was night, I was tired, and I *thought* it was gonna be a generic boring install job and theres LOTS of those on the web *dies laughing*. Which is why it was a special growth experience. ) SOOOO I had to figure out how to get the circle to change orientation to the vertical.

So we took a time out. Failed at google (takes talent I tell you). Called Daddy (mercifully he was still awake). Figured out what we were doing after staring at a bunch of pictures of junction boxes and covers on home depot (okay so odds are my screws are going to be.... there annnnnnd THERE).

Then we shoved our fingers in the hole in the wall (always kinda nerve wracking if you ask me) and felt around until I discovered I had one screw in the lower left corner and one in the upper right. So then I used my hammer and flat head screw driver to chisel through the sheet rock (definitely the intended purpose of the tool) to find said screws. And I tried very hard not to take any more sheet rock than I absolutely had to b/c I was greatly afeared that my new, much smaller base plate wouldn't cover the holes I was making. But I told myself some minor sheet rock repair (which I totally know how to do) was nothing to be able to install my gorgeous $4 (no thats not a typo I really paid 4 bucks for this fixture at a local thrift store) light fixture.

AND it worked. I found my screws, undid them, chiseled out some more wall to buy myself room to turn the plate to the vertical, screwed it down in its new position and 5 whole minutes later my wiring was all done and my new fixture was attached to the wall!!

So after we stopped w/ the victory dance and the yells of "Whose Da WOMAN??! I'm DA WOMAN!!" I took a few more pictures. Please excuse the horribly yellow cast of the walls. My sister was demanding pics and didn't want to wait for day light. And I swear that the fixture is level even tho it doesn't look like it in this pic. Thats just my mad camera skills winning at life for ya. And I know my middle bulb is different than the outer 2. That will be fixed when I hit up Wallymart tomorrow.

And with out further disclaimers: Here we go!

Yes I look EXTREMELY attractive in these pictures. Please remember this was late at night, w/ an experimental (and FAILED) hair do thrown back in a pony tail. Also the fixture will look even better once the wall gets painted. The master bath is on the renovation list but the wrecking crew hasn't made it there yet. This was the first of many baby steps.

Caleb Steals a Hat

More specifically he stole his Grandpa's hat last Sunday when we were over at my inlaws house to celebrate my father in laws birthday. Bill (my father in law) snagged these super cute pictures and was kind enough to send them my way. :)

The Living Room BEFORE and AFTER

Before I show you the "Before" pictures I must add this disclaimer: This is my idea of survival and function with a toddler, NOT my idea of Decor.

Ahem:

Here's what we did: Painted the ceiling a soft flat white, the walls are Martha Stewart Living "Artesian Well" color matched to Behr Premium Plus Ultra paint which is the paint/primer combo stuff you can scrub. I figured since I was going w/ a flat color in a room with a toddler scrubbable was a good thing. All the trim got at least 2 coats of semi gloss white paint.

 I love this little shelf/ledge under the picture on the right. I'm still hunting the pretty things that are going to go on it. I think I'm gonna DIY me some art... Also we decided to see if Caleb would leave the computer alone if we took down the fence and so far so good! :D

Isn't that just SO much more open? I need to get stuff hung on the walls on this half of the room but I want to redo what I had there so it will take some time and doing. But no big I'm just going to do it one little bit at a time. :) We also ditched our huge coffee table in favor of this cute little chocolate brown faux suede storage ottoman. It holds all the throws and blankets and is the perfect height for Caleb to color at when he's sitting in his little chair. Also works good as an ottoman too. :)

 My next project is this hall way. I've even got the paint for it already. Just need a couple days to whip the rest of the house back in shape (it got scary while my back was turned). And this is Vi, its probably the only time most of you will ever see that cat.

I WON!!!

I just wanted to say, "Thank you SO very much" to everybody who voted for my piece on the Vintaj Monthly Design Challenge. Its SUCH an honor to win, particularly given how amazing some of the competition was. 

I am SO frickin' excited I've been doin' a happy dance ALL morning!! 

Thank you again!

http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=12700

Vote for ME!!

Hi Folks!!

So for the first time ever I've entered one of my pieces in a jewelry contest! Vintaj Natural Brass is one of my FAVORITE suppliers and they have a monthly  Design Challenge! Voting is open until Friday so if you would pretty, pretty please go vote for me I would REALLY appreciate it!! And feel free to tell all your friends to go vote too! My piece is #1. 

http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=12564

Thank you so much!

Also if you haven't seen our Etsy shop its rockin' if I do say so myself: 

www.beadsjustforyou.etsy.com

Annnnnd we're back!

So we just took an awesome and otherwise fantastic trip home to Sugar Land to see my folks (and my sissy and her fam). It was SO much fun. That was the longest trip I think I've taken yet (12 full days!). And just to make it even more full of the awesome - my sweet hubby Adam was able to join us for the 2nd half of the trip (rock on!).

And just to add a LITTLE more awesome - it was the first 4th of July I've had with my fam in several years, which was flat out rockin' awesome because for once instead of drooling over pictures of BBQ on facebook (and shedding the occasional jealous tears) that my Daddy made I was THERE to actually enjoy the feast with everybody else! SO awesome!

But because I am full of the FAIL I neglected to take like ANY pictures so I'll see what I can steal from my Dad and sister and get them to you sooner rather than later.

Also to update you on the yard - the grass now looks like over grown jungle since we got back (rock on the grass is HEALTHY!!) so I'm thinking we might have to buy a real lawn mower instead of trying to make this little old rotary mower handle that beast. I just don't wanna shell out for it. But I also really don't enjoy trying to mow with the weed eater either (definitely NOT intended for whole yard usage). So we might have to break down.

AND if you wanna see what I'm plotting for my redecoration of the dining room/kitchen hop on over to http://ilikesparklyobjects.blogspot.com/ to see pictures and hear all the gushie details.

Brace Yourselves Folks

Because I'm gonna get political. 

I read an article today that ticked me the heck off. And I've just got it running through my head and I can't sleep so you guys get to hear about it. 

Did you know that the US government received a letter from the people who regulate such things (I don't look up, I just remember content) threatening to slash our credit rating if we don't get the deficit under control? 

Did you know that to try to balance the budget they're talking about slashing student loans? 

Did you also know that we give away billions (possibly trillions but that would require me to look it up and I'm lazy) in foreign aid? 

One of the very first things I learned in my water safety class at the Red Cross when I was a Girl Scout is that if you're trying to save a drowning man do not jump in the water with him. If you do, he will pull you under trying to save himself and you will both drown. You have to be on solid ground and reach out to lift them up. 

We as a country are drowning. We have children starving in our own streets. If our credit rating is slashed the effects will be devastating both nationally and internationally. 

If we as a country do not get ourselves on solid ground then we are all going to drown. 

I am not saying we shouldn't send help and aid to countries who have suffered a major disaster or to assist in establishing democracy and protect human rights through out the world. But we cannot and should not do it to the extent that we jeopardize ourselves. 

Additionally we need to carefully evaluate how we help other countries. A dole does nothing good long term. Its the whole "give a man a fish" vs "teach a man to fish" thing. The money should not be permanent. The aid should be given when needed, for a specific cause that will aid in future self sufficiency, with transparency and accountability and a schedule in place from the start as to how and when the aid will end. 

And it royally ticks me off that slashing student loans even got on the table. As far as I'm concerned our children are our national security. Education is an investment, not an expense. If we fail to provide for the future of our country the effects will be devastating. 

I know that the American public is currently up in the air about the true value of a college degree, particularly in this economy. But if you look at the employment stats the value becomes truly obvious. Those who only have a high school education are significantly (I *think* the article said 4 times) more likely to be out of work than those with a degree. And a middle class life style is becoming almost impossible to obtain with out some level of upper level education.

I know the collapse of manufacturing jobs in the US has been devastating for many people. I know there are many who long for the return of manufacturing jobs to the US. However, the reality is that I do not see that happening. Our economy is based on capitalism. If you can get the job done cheaper over seas, then thats what companies (who are in business to make money) are going to do. 

Yes it sucks, but its reality. In order for us to compete on a global scale we have to be willing to grow, change and adapt. In another article I saw recently, one of the countries in Europe (I *think* it was Holland) is having the same problem. All of their manufacturing jobs went over seas and they had tons of people out of work. Instead of giving them unemployment benefits forever, they accepted that the jobs ain't coming back and instead instituted a program to reeducate the workers in another field with a benefit program that will help support them through their reeducation and then taper off to encourage them to get new jobs and support themselves. 

Wow! What a great idea. Its empowering. Its supporting people through a rough patch, which I think we as fellow human beings should do, but it gives them the tools they need to be self sufficient long term. It shows confidence and the expectation that they can and will do better and we will not enable their wallowing in self pity. 

I have never had a desire to go into politics. But I'm starting to get angry. I'm talking march in the streets angry. I know the system is huge and complex and bigger than I can comprehend and I'm running off of information I can glean from the media. I know there isn't an easy fix. But I'm starting to think I need to get involved. 

My biggest problem is: I don't know who to get involved WITH. I do NOT like either party at the moment. Both parties are so incredibly polarized I can't say I agree by a long shot with either platform. There are things I like about both, and things that make me wanna smack them both. 

I think we need a new party. I have no idea what to call it. Maybe the "Common Sense" party. Or the "Rational and Empirical Thinkers Party". Maybe just "The Moderate Party". 

I'll have to think for a bit on what all I'd want on the platform. I know we need to reform the education system. Big time. I know we need to massively reform the tax structure. We need to get the debt under control. I think the Constitution is an inspired guide to the spirit of how we should run our country, but I also believe that our forefathers allowed amendments to the Constitution for a reason. They recognized that as the country grew and changed that we would need for Constitution to grow and change with it. But I also think with modern technology there may need to carefully evaluate balance of power and responsibilities between the fed and the states. I'm all for the use of technology to enable transparency and accountability. 

And thats all I've got for now. But I think I may be on to something here. Anybody else feel a grass roots movement coming on?