Sander Review

Back in June I mentioned I purchased a factory reconditioned sander.  Since then I have put it to good use and I am happy to say I am very happy with my purchase.

I got to the

Factory-Reconditioned Ryobi ZRS652DK 1/4-Sheet Pad Sander

I opted to go for the reconditioned model over buying new, mainly because it saved me almost 45%.  Now, by all means, I am not an expert on power tools, but I fond this easy and comfortable to use.  And not having to by specialty sand paper is an extra bonus. I would by reconditioned again.

Our front porch

You have seen my new red front door, now it is time to show you my front porch.  

Our front porch has not received all the love and attention I wish for it, however, it is the place I spend a fair amount of time.

As soon as the weather warms up in the spring you will find me here reading decor magazines and books, enjoying my beverage of choice, and watching my kids play in the front yard.

It is a big part of my summer, thank you for letting me share it with you.

-Laurie

My front door, completed

Yes, we have all seen front door decals.

We all love front door decals, and how easy it is to spruce up an entry.  

Well, I finally got mine, and I think I will call it done.  However, done is a relative word with me.  So, I should say I am done worrying about my front door for now.  But, that is not exactly true either.  I should say, I am done worrying about my front door until I am able to replace the existing door with a new door with a larger window.  Okay, now that that is out of the way.

Enough of the words, here are the pictures...

In hind sight, I should have ordered the decal in white.  It is hard too see from the street and from behind the storm door.  Even though, I love it and it makes me smile.  

In the name of showing my journey, here is the before and after shoots...

The vinyl decals are so easy to use and inexpensive.  I ordered mine off of Etsy, in total, cost around $10.  

Do you have yours yet?

-Laurie

My linen closet

You probably read Design Blagh, and know she's talking about linen closets and fitted sheets.   It made me think.  

Yes, about closets and fitted sheets.

In general, I think I have a fairly organized linen closet.  And yes, I am willing to show you.  (Please note, I am in the process of painting...I was not planning on sharing this section of my house, yet)

This first pic is to show you that I have a very skinny linen closet (make note of the safety handle to keep the kids out, yes I am fancy).

I will open the door and show you the glory....

Not to bad, if I say so myself.  You will have to trust that there was no primping of the closet space.

I do have a system for folding my sheets.  I will try to share it with you.  I am not sure where I learned this, it may be from Martha, but it certainly was not from my mother (sorry mom).

Once your laundry is cleaned, take the fitted sheet and find the top corners.

You are going to place one corner inside the other corner (You will fit one into the other like a cup).  You do this with 2 corners and try and smooth down the sides.  It should look like this...

Since you have a rectangular-type shape, you can fold the fitted sheet into a smaller rectangle...

You can then fold you pillow cases and place them on top of the fitted sheet. (I am using a sham as a pillowcase.)

 Place this bundle on a semi-folded flat sheet...

Fold the flat sheet around the fitted sheet bundle...

Fold into thirds again...

And there is your final bundle. 

It may be a bit bulky, but all the messy stuff is tucked away and kept together.

How do you fold your sheets?  Do you have a system?  So you think you will try mine?

-Laurie

Loving Craigslist

It's no secret I have been saving for...

To replace this...

Last weekend I was able to score this, for $175...

 I still need to pick up the white slip cover, but until then I am one happy girl.  Especially since I had just sold our love seat the week before for $175.  I love how things work out some times.

The sofa is in really good condition.  I am thinking I can use the khaki slip cover in the winter.

**Happy Dance**

Can't see beyond the blue

When I brought home my oops paint, the other day,  I had no plans on actually painting the room.  I thought I would put up a swatch of paint and see how it would look.  After putting up a sample, it finally hit me why I had "decorator's block".

It was all that blue.  I was just not able to get beyond it.  It was everywhere, and it effected how I saw everything.

I knew, from reading my color guru's blog, Color me Happy, I needed to put my color next to white.  By putting it next to white you can get a better "read" on how the color will actually look, instead of comparing it to an existing color, (Check out Maria's blog where she explains it here).

As you can see, I painted my color samples right next to the white trim, to achieve this.

But, it still did not work.  That existing blue was so overwhelming.  I could not get a true reading.

So, I started by painting just one wall.  Just to see.  Next thing I knew, it I had painted all the walls.

I haven't cleaned off the bed (so no visitors yet..).  But, wow, what a difference a coat of paint can make.  It  really opens up the room.

 

I am still not sure that this color is the right color, but at least I can get past the blue.

What do you think?  Do you find it hard to see past some colors?

If you are not already familiar with Maria's blog - Color me Happy I suggest making a bee line to her site.  She is a wealth of knowledge.  She should be on your daily read list.  I love her. **gush-gush** 

Change your filters

Image by Rob Ireton via Flickr

Here is a friendly reminder to clean your filters after sanding.

As you may remember, I had been working on our living room floor (here).  I was sanding and sanding and then I was painting and moving furniture to get the room done.   But there was one thing I forgot to do.  And that was change the filter in the HVAC unit.  Oops.

Fast forward a week or so and cue the heat wave that hit the east coast.  Slowly, our air conditioner, lost its capacity to cool.  I thought we were low on coolant.  Then, I noticed a wet spot on the basement floor.  I freaked out and quickly did a web search, hoping it was a quick and inexpensive fix.  And luckily it was.  A quick look at the filter confirmed it.  Our filter was clogged with wood filler wood dust, creating a sticky glue like gunk, yuck.

Yes, yes, I know, and we do change the filter on a regular basis.   My husband even has a reminder on his calendar.  But we completely forgot that the sanding would reek havoc on the filter.

Lesson learned.  Just passing on the reminder.  Change your filter after any large sanding project.

My Guest Room- Can we call it Decorators Block?

Sometimes, I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head, I wish I had more hours in the days and more rooms in my house to get all of it accomplished.  But for the life of me I am unable to get a handle on our guest room.

Sure it is small.  Sure it is the least used.  Sure I don't have a ton of money to throw at it. But that does not mean it doesn't deserve love.

In fact, I think it deserves more love, since it is the room I put up the important people in our lives.

Believe me, it is not for a lack of trying.  I have been pouring over color chips and painting sample colors on the wall.  Just take a look...

After spending the day plastering the room in large color samples in pale, pale colors, my husband sent me to the hardware store to pick up some air filters (always a bad idea to send me to the hardware store).

Of course, I stopped by the oops paint section.  And of course there was a gallon of a pale color just sitting there for the taking,  Soooo...

I took it home.  

Why not let someone else make the color decision?  I know it was a reject color, but I just can't get a handle on what I want. So maybe it is fate, right?

I came home and put some on the wall.  It is a pale peachy-pink.  And, I don't have any pinky colors anywhere else, so why not.  Pink makes everyone look good, right?  So I figure it is a good start.

Maybe.

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Dreaming of the Pacific Northwest

I can't believe it had been 7 year since I have been in the Pacific Northwest.  And as our trip gets closer, I get more nostalgic.

Growing up in Minnesota, I always knew I wanted to move out west.  I had dreamed of either Washington or Oregon.  I wanted to be near the mountains and away from the harsh winters.  And when I met my husband and he said yes, lets relocate, I was in heaven. And off to Washington we fled.

I fell in love immediately with Mt. Baker.

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and the trails.

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and the Bay and Islands.

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and the food and beer.

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And of course the coffee.

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In just a few more weeks, we will be loading a plane.  I am very excited to show my children the area.  There is just no other place like it. 

Floor painted, but no pictures yet...

Hey.  I am wanting to give everyone a heads up.  I have completed painting the living room floor and I am very excited about how it turned out, however, I am not ready to reveal at this time.

Why?   Well, simply, it looks naked.  I have removed the couch to the garage.  I am waiting for someone/anyone to come and buy it. That way I can by the sofa I want.  But, that looks like it won't be happening until we come home from vacation in mid August.

So, it looks like you're going to have to wait until mid to late August to see the reveal.

Trust me it is very hard for me to have to wait, but I have learned my lesson, that not everyone is able to see the full picture when it is only half done.  And believe me the new couch is essential to the full picture.

Sorry, to have to make you wait, But trust me it will be worth it in the end.

The story of the little blue chairs-100th post

Wow!  I can't believe I have already made it too 100. Thank you all who have joined me on my journey.

For this milestone post (OK maybe it is a milestone only for me) I would like to let you in on why I named my blog "Little Blue Chairs".

It all starts with my Grandmother, as all good stories do.

Every summer my Grandmother opened her little farm house to her 9 grandchildren for one week. And when I say little farm house, I mean a little farmhouse.  It couldn't have been more than 1000 square feet.  But she managed every year to get all her grandkids there and give them a place to eat and sleep.

 (That's me in the yellow shirt)

I can remember every summer looking forward to spending time at the farm.  I guess she figured she needed some extra seating and bought a pair of small childrens chairs to help out.

I grew up with these chairs at the farm.  But back then they were not blue.  Nope, they were what I can best describe as almond.  I am sure it was some lead based paint that was toxic.  But they were strudy and strong, and held up to a lot of abuse.  This is the only picture I have of them before I painted them.  (big apology for the quality)

After my grandmother moved to a nursing home, the chairs found their way into my fathers storage shed, where they waited for me.  And when we finally bought our first house and had our children, they made the journey from Minnesota to Georgia.

I brought them home and painted them black.  I actually think I painted them black, before I brought them home. I chose a glossy black.  I guess I thought it would be classy.  But really it just didn't expose the character of the chairs as I wanted.

But, whatever the color, these chairs found a new home and were loving used.

They just fit into our life, just like I always remember them as a kid.

And then another move.  This time to Maryland.  And in Maryland is where they acquired they color they now wear.  A pretty aqua blue, that brings out all the wonderful dings and scars these beauties have earned in their many years of service.

They have earned a spot of honor.  They sit here, by the big picture window.  

And are often employed in all manners of uses.  

As motorcycles.

 

A place to wait for the first day of school.

A place to just hang out with your sister or brother.

Even the cats can't resist a turn.

Most days they are just waiting, here

For the next memory to be made.

I know my grandmother would be proud.