My Christmas Mantel - Re-do

I really stressed over my mantel this year, it was the last thing to be decorated.  I just had no idea what it needed this year.   I knew that I wanted to use the long needle pine garland and the NOEL letters so I just set them both up there to get inspired and they haven't moved since.  I have just added on around it.  It's definitely growing on me.

Update: I knew I didn't like the previous arrangement on the left so I had to go and change it today and now I have that warm cozy feeling that says "I'm done". 


Previous pictures

And now the Re-Do

Thanks for visiting!  Can't wait to see all of the other Mantels out there. I have linked up to Layla's Christmas Mantel Linky party, check it out!

Kelly

Fun with fresh greenery

Today for the first time ever I purchased real greenery to decorate for Christmas. Why haven't I ever bought fresh before this?  What is wrong with me?  How did I not know how great it is, the smell, the look, the feel...mmmm.. love it! I combined what I purchased with some spruce clippings from my yard to create arrangements for my front porch urns and a little something to go behind my kitchen sink.  I've even added some to my mantel but you'll have to wait to see that.  I have had a lot of fun this weekend decorating for the Christmas holidays.  We have some hosting to do over the next few weeks so I wanted to make sure I get it all complete.  Here is a little sneek peek.

The wreath is also fresh and I'm loving it.  What I am not loving is the white dust all over my door mat from the drywallers going in and out. 

 Love this little burlap bag that I picked up today too, it was at a local garden supply store, I picked up a little tiny one too but don't have any plans for it yet.

I am so excited to see the tours of everyone's homes soon.

Kelly

Basement Remodel Update #2 - Framing and Drywall

We're moving along nicely but the downside is that my house is constantly covered with an inch of dust and the plastering has not begun.  The framing is complete and all of the drywall is up.  Next up is the plaster finish over the drywall which should happen tomorrow.  I'm learning very quickly that these tradesmen are not very reliable.  They pretty much show up whenever they feel like it.  Here are some pictures of the progress.

Stairway before it was opened up at the bottom

Stairway after it was opened up

 Finished area with closet before walls were taken out and opened up

After the walls were taken down

Before

After (bathroom with storage closet on left)

Finished area before wall on left was opened up

After wall was opened up

Future wet bar area

 Water heaters were removed

 A different view of future wet bar area

Wet bar area after wall was removed to the finished area

 Bathroom before

Bathroom after (On outside wall there is a storage closet above and access to ejector pit sump below)

 Old Tool area

New play area(this area will have a drop ceiling because of all of the plumbing access)

Alcove for TV area

Alcove after (notice the big furnace is gone!) 

 Storage area before

Storage area closed in

 Inside bathroom (45 inch vanity planned against back wall...toilet to the left)



Here is a picture of the vanity that we've purchased for the bathroom

and here is a picture of the cabinet style and color we purchased for the wetbar.



Hope you enjoyed, I'm off to look at paint colors and select flooring this week.

Kelly

I'm baaaack...

Is anyone out there??  I wouldn't blame you if you ran for the hills, afterall it has been a loooooong time since I've posted anything and I do sincerely apologize.  It was a crazy summer and the kids have taken all of my time.  They still do :), but now my girls are in kindergarten all day so I am finding myself with a more me time now in the form of the little guys naptime.

When we bought this house 3 years ago the basement had one small finished room and a closet.  The rest of the basement was unfinished.  With 3 small children we were in desperate need of more finished space, both to entertain and a more dedicated place for them to play so that I could reclaim my beautiful sunroom which is now serving as the play room.  There were a couple of major things that were standing in our way before we started this remodel.  One was the oversized (read as...GIANT) furnace smack in the center of the basement, second, were the two 40 gallon water heaters, and a water softener also right in prime real estate territory. 

So far we have done the following
1.  Knocked down the walls of the finished area to open them up to the unfinished area.
2.  We have removed the old furnace and replaced it with a smaller more effecient unit and had it zoned for all three floors. it was also relocated to the back where it will be inside of our storage area.
3. We removed the old water heaters and installed a tankless water heater also back in the storage area.
4. Relocated the water softener.
5. Had plumbing moved around and rough plumbed for bathroom vanity and wet bar
6. Framed walls and ceiling

Another problem with our basement...well not so much with our basement but more to do with "us" is that we have too much "stuff"!  This remodel has forced us to rid ourselves of unnecessary things.  We had a large garage sale this summer which helped tremendously We are still a work in progress but hope to have everything neatly tucked away into a reorganized storage area when we are done.


The "BEFORE" pictures

Stairway

Stairway

Future bathroom

Future TV viewing area and closet around the ejector pit

Old tool area

water heaters and storage area to become wet bar

Storage area will remain a storage area (also includes the sump pump, central vac and now

includes the tankless water heater, water softener, and furnace).  We're going to adjust the shelves to be able to stack totes more efficiently.

Unfinished area...door to finished area to the side of the stairs

Finished area

Finished area and closet

....coming up next will be a few progress pictures I'm getting excited to get the electrician out here so we can button up the walls and ceiling and get on to fun finishing work. 

I'm really happy to be back!!!