Good Times, Good Finds

What a crazy few days, sadly it seems to feel like a struggle to pull together a few minutes to sit at the computer and type out all the blog posts flying around in my head! So I apologize for being a tad sporatic over the last few days, and probably over the next few days as well. Every day seems to bring new adventures, challenges, fun, and usual life stuff. Looking for another property to start work on is taking a lot of energy, along with all the work at ParkView. And Saturday I brought home a yet-to-be-named baby, a new car. Well, an SUV to be exact. Wren calls it the earring car (?????), but I think I want something cuter for a name. Please tell me I'm not the only person who likes to name their vehicles!!

New car means tightening up the purse strings, but I'm a shopper so I'm gonna have to take being a bargain-ista to a whole new level. Here are a few of my current bargain finds.

{ love is all you need }

I am all about hearts right now. They just add a positive vibe to my day, but really who doesn't love a little love? This is my absolute favorite buy in recent memory, a set of 5 dainty, colorful little rings. The whole set was a cool $4.80 at Forever21!!! Alone, stacked, layered, they are my new 'must wear' accessory.

Yet another Forever21 find, my happy shirt! I am a huge WildFox Couture fan, their clothes are so snappy and fun, not to mention beyond comfy. I'll admit to buying their beach sweatshirts (with a giant glitter heart on it, of course), but momma can't afford to buy the real thing for $117 when there are EXACT replicas for a measly $5.50 at F21. 

I am soooo happy I tried the new Dove dry shampoo! I was a firm Batiste user for last few years but when I saw these on sale for $2.88 about a month ago I gave it a shot. The best part is that Dove has a coupon for $2 off any purchase of 2 items right now so I got two giant cans for less than $4!!! If you are a brunette and live by dry shampoo like me you will love this stuff because it doesn't leave a white residue after brushing.

 

I am sorry this might not be a deal for everyone, but if you are near a SuperStore run over and check out their Essie display!! Quite a few colors were on sale for $4 so I stocked up on some shades I might otherwise have never given a go, like this awesome grey Yogaga color and Tart Deco, a fun pinky-peach.

Have you been finding any good deals lately?? I need to update my Fall wardrobe a little and have to keep it budget friendly!

Happy Wednesday Friends

September Candle of the Month

I know it still isn't officially here for a couple days, but I am in full Fall mode. I was on the hunt for a good Fall candle, preferably something new instead of the usual apple/pumpkin scents I gravitate to this time of year. I had no idea what I wanted, but as soon as I smelt this candle I KNEW this was my new favorite smell!

You know how they always tell you that your perfume/cologne lasts longer during the day if you layer it with the body wash and lotion too? I did the home version of that at Lexington, using candles all the same scent throughout the house and adding two wallflowers of the same scent and honestly, the house smelt heavenly. So for Fall I am doing the same here.

The easiest way to get the layered effect is just go somewhere that offers a variety of products in the same smells (obviously! hehe). There are a lot of nice, expensive lines that I adore (think Jo Malone or Diptyque) that have fragrance and candle combinations, but the most recognized and affordable is Bath and Body Works. And that is where I loaded up on my new staple: Mahogany Teakwood.  This smell will appeal to shopaholics because it  smells EXACTLY like Abercrombie and Fitch. You know the smell! It is a musky, cologne like scent.

{ off }

{ on }

Right now the big 3 wick candles are 'buy one, get one free', so basically $10 each. I get a lot of life out of these candles so that is a steal!

Is your house smelling like Fall already too, or are you enjoying the last few moments of Summer?

Parkview Kitchen

Hard to believe it is already Humpday!! This week, the whole month actually are both flying past me. We have been busy over at Parkview, just nothing super exciting: quotes, quotes, permits and more quotes. And LOTS of throwing around of ideas. 

But it is starting to get rolling and it was exciting to see all new windows go in over the past week, along with a few walls coming down and some detailed plans for the new kitchen and ensuite getting finalized. I have been through 2 kitchen renos in the past year... this will be the third and it never gets old to see it all come to life. It is especially thrilling when the befores are this bad! Of course we have a ways to go before the kitchen comes in but I needed to finalize everything pretty early on so our electricians and plumbers can move everything accordingly. That is definitely one of the biggest perks of starting in such shambles, we have a lot of freedom in those areas!

So here is what we've come up with for our future kitchen plans. The windows in the corner are where we are moving the kitchen, with this center wall coming down. It is hard to see but there is a nice wide opening into the other room off the kitchen to the right which will be our new dining room. When I have pdf copies of the full layout I will put them up because it is a very cool old house with a lot of interesting rooms and spaces!

From virtually the same location what our new kitchen will look like.

 

I have loved my own framed in fridge so much that I decided to replicate it in here as well. The computer program didn't allow some aspects I'm including, but the island will have overhang for stools and there will be  open shelving over the sink (a prerequisite in any kitchen in my book!).

 

I am going with Ikea cabinetry again after really appreciating the cost effective yet stylish results I had at Lexington. Have no fear, I will go into painstaking detail with the door style and hardware options, but for now here is the look we're after.

Only the finished product seems much glitzy-er in my head, and I'm hoping will materialize that way as well.

Old Radio Cabinet transformations

Wow, what a week!! Wrennie started her first week of preschool which has been an adjustment. I am so happy that she adjusted really well and surprisingly didn't have any issues with us leaving her (I was anticipating LOTS of tears!). She has definitely proven how much of a big girl she is. We have also been busy little bees at Parkview so stay tuned for lots of updates next week!!

I have had this post in my draft folder for ages, not sure why it never managed to get finished... but I have had a few emails lately about the old cabinet in the living room so I thought it was time to finish up the post.

If you hit up estate sales, auctions or thrift stores the one piece of furniture that is always priced to sell are old radio cabinets. They can usually be scooped up for less than $20 or $10, and even more often I see them on sites like Kijiji for free! The truth is that nobody has a use for them, even if they are a beautiful piece of furniture.

But with a little elbow grease you can take these outdated pieces and use them as functional furniture!

This cabinet has two fabric panels (of course I forgot to take picture of them in place with the old fabric), the 'drawers' are for looks only and the top of the dresser lifts up on hinges like a chest. So while you can't use these pieces in the same way you would a dresser, they make a great spot to put rarely used china (plus little hands can't get into it!!!), heirloom blankets, anything you don't use daily but need a safe storage spot for.

The hardest work is removing the electrical. It usually comes out with the removal of a couple screws, but if you don't have use for it there isn't a big need to be gentle or careful with it all. I would recommend doing this before refinishing your cabinet so any potential scratches/scuffs will be covered by the new paint. 

Once your electrical is out you can get your fabric panels out. In the few cabinets I've done they are always screwed in place and easy to remove.

All you need is a fabric you like, some upholstery nails and an upholstery hammer. I didn't bother to remove the old fabric for 2 reasons:

1. it isn't necessary since we are covering it anyways

2. the fabric is usually so old it just disintegrates, gets everywhere and generally makes a disgusting mess.

Trace your fabric and cut it to size.

Nail your fabric in place. stay as close to the edges as possible to keep your nails hidden once the panel is back in place. You may wonder why I didn't nail to the back side, and that would be because this particular cabinet makes you slide the panels in place before screwing them and with a few extra millimeters of fabric my panels wouldn't fit on the track or slide. But your cabinet may allow it so just check before nailing it in place and realizing you can't get it back in place!

You don't need a lot of nails, just enough to keep it in place.

Do the same with the other side.

Put your panels back in place and Voila, you are done! If you are more adventurous you can get really creative with the fabric you choose. I haven't had time to get to it, but I actually bought some chrome 'nailhead' studs that I am going to nail in a pattern to pull together some of my other nail head details in the dining room for that extra little sparkle.

Happy Adventures this weekend everyone!

Country Wedding

We had so much fun this past weekend. As I mentioned, My cousin Jocelyne got married and it was such a sweet, wonderful wedding. It was all very heartfelt with lots of attention to details, making it a very special day for the couple and their guests. Lots of barn boards, cowboy hats and good ole fashion family fun!

{ barn board heart at the dance }

The ceremony was held at my aunt and uncles ranch, complete with animals and pets taking part in the ceremony. Wren made some pretty fabulous friends with all the pups.

{ sweet pup, Puppet, and my sweet girl }

 

{ wild flowers and mason jars down the aisle }

All the guests sat on home made benches during the ceremony, which made it feel really open and easy to see all the action.

 

Dogs under some of the benches during the ceremony made for a couple giggles.

{ the bride, her Dad and her horse, Ben getting ready to head down the aisle }

 

 

 

{ new friend, Blueberry }

The reception was a blast, and basically a big family reunion! My favorite part was the cute barn board photo booth they had along with props for guests to take pictures in.

{ my grandma and grandpa }

Wren was not digging the props at first but I took her in mid-cupcake. It garnered a few laughs and she was all about the photo booth after that!

{ family }

My mom and dad

 

We literally danced the whole night and had ourselves a grand old time. Definitely a night to remember.

Congratulations Jocelyn and Kyle!!

SaSea Pillow Winner and My Pillows Featured

I want to thank Katie and SaSea Decor once again for the gracious pillow cover giveaway!!! I am thrilled to announce that random.org says our winner is Tracey (comment #22).

Please drop me an email at inthefunlane@gmail.com so Katie can send your pillows along. And be sure to head over SaSea Decor to take a look at all the spooky and neat designs Katie just uploaded for Fall/Halloween!!!

And while we're on the topic of pillows, I want to send a belated Thank You to Nicole and the Stylist team over at The Huffington Post for featuring my Ombre pillows recently. Click here to head over to their site, or check out my full tutorial here in case you missed it earlier this Summer. 

Things That Make Me Happy

{ homegrown snacks }

My Mom bought Wren a tomato plant at the start of the Summer and for the last few months Wren has been a wonderful little gardener. I am sad I can't enjoy the fruits of her labor with her (tomato allergy), but cherry tomatoes have become her go-to snack the past 3 weeks. 

{ a little good luck }

they say it takes 90% hard work and 10% good luck to be successful. If that's true than it doesn't hurt to have a horse shoe hanging around! Wren and I made this one as part of our wedding gift to my cousin Jocelyne and her new husband Kyle who got married this past weekend. It was especially fitting since the Bride came riding down the aisle on her horse, Ben!

 

{ the dollar store }

I hadn't been in a dollar store in years until just this past year when Wren developed an insatiable appetite for balloons. But they have some pretty amazing finds in there! Our next batch of cupcakes will be extra cute with these dollar store cupcake liners.

{ pencil crayons }

I am so happy to be transitioning out of crayons in our house!!! No more broken crayons, little shreds of paper from taking the wrappers off, etc. 

 

{ salt bowls }

These tiny little plates are so dainty and cute! I found the stack of them for a couple quarters and they make perfect little jewellery dishes. I haven't put much thought into other possible uses, but I have no doubt they will be spotted around the house in different ways.

These are just a few of the things making me smile today.

What is making you happy?

Up up and away

Wren has always been enthralled with things in the sky. When she was only barely a year old she would point out the moon and smile. As she's gotten old her love of the moon has grown significantly. There are days we are driving around and she screams at the top of her lungs from the back seat "MOOOOON!". I nearly swerve, losing focus and wondering what could cause such a loud, frantic scream from the girl behind me when she will point out the moon hiding behind a cloud a 3pm on a Wednesday. If the moon is out, my girl won't miss it. She has since become interested in airplanes and can hear or see one no matter how far away. She is a sky watcher.

So we went and got her some kites this Summer. We had one last year that lasted exactly 1.5 flights, but even that half flight was fun in her eyes. So I loaded up, anticipated many crashes. 

Getting ready for flight.

I guess I didn't really need to load up because this girl's got skills with a kite. Not one crash! 

I think her kite is on autopilot here.

 

We live a short walk away from an open grass field so it is nice to march over with our gear mid afternoon on a rare slow day.

 

 

Enjoying the sun, wind and watching the kids at school get out for lunch.

 

Always the character, she usually turns our standard kite expedition into a yoga/dance/kiting hybrid.

Her trusty princess kite, my Brobee kite which lasted only 4 minutes before a strong gust of wind tore the string from it. 

It is not surprising that she finds so much joy and peace in something like flying a kite... she is a bird after all.

Have a safe and happy weekend!