I'm ALIVE!!!

So... I just had to make a new password for google because it's been so long since I blogged. And I had to push a bunch of buttons at the top till I found the one for a photo. I feel like a big stupid hairy monkey named kronk. Oog.

I know you guys all probably thought I must have cut off all my typing fingers on the table saw but alas, that is not the case. I'm here in my rental house waiting patiently for a house we are buying to go through. Our original plan was to build but we found the perfect house for us so we decided to jump on it. I'm having a blast planning out every last detail for the new house before I even move in. If you follow me on pinterest, you are probably wondering what kind of crack I'm on because I'm on there at like 2 am.

Until we close, and because I don't want to jinx it, I am leaving you with an inspiration picture. One of the very first projects I'm tackling when we close is installing some beautiful wide plank flooring. I can't wait to be at it again. I've been going through some serious project withdrawals.

Found on pinterest but the original source is here.

So hopefully I'll have good news soon. And a place to renovate from here to hell. Stay tuned!

Chalk map of the US

I realize it's been a while and you're probably choking on a chip right now because you never thought I'd post again. It's not even because I don't have much to post about. In fact, I'm having a hard time posting because of the sheer amount of projects I HAVE done. I don't even know where to start.

So I'm not going to. If you want to know what I've been up to, you can find me on Instagram. No, the photos aren't nearly as beautiful as images from my canon but I update there a couple times a week. Because I can do it while I'm laying in bed in my chonies on my phone.

On to the map. I'm selling these beauties on etsy. If you take a looksie over to your right, you will see a link to my shop. You can buy it there. Otherwise, I'm doing a giveaway on instagram that ends tomorrow, There's more instructions over there.

The map part is permanent, the heart is drawn on with chalk. It's such a fun piece of art and super kid friendly. If they're armed with chalk and not scissors.

Thanks for still reading.

House for sale. Again.

It's been a month since I've posted last. Sorry. Turns out moving while your husbands deployed takes a lot out of you. Also, getting our house that we moved into ready to list took a while. Yes. You heard me. I'm selling our house and moving... again...

It's all part of the plan. My plan may be a little crazy but it should all work out in the end. Mwa ha ha ha.

Here are some updated pictures of the house and the mls link if you, or anyone you know is interested in purchasing.

Give my bomb Realtor a ring if you want to come look at it. It'll be open all weekend for viewings.

Memorial Day and a reclaimed wood headboard

If you read my blog regularly, you know that my husband has been in Panama for a 4 month deployment. He flies Blackhawk helicopters for the army and they're down there on a humanitarian aid project. He is supporting troops who are building schools and providing remote villages with medical treatment. He is the most selfless person I've ever met and he honestly loves this country. I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life near or far.

These pictures were taken by an incredibly talented pilot my husband flies with, Tyler Fricke. They were chasing each other around Panama in the first picture and in this next picture, they are sling loading a hummer. I know his job may look like every little boys dream but he still spends a ton of time away from us :)

I didn't think he'd be able to come home at all during the 4 months. But he called me a week ago and told me they were letting him come home for my brothers wedding. I was ECSTATIC. I hadn't seen him in three months. Three months is a long time when you have a husband as fantastically good looking as mine.

When he was home I took full advantage of him. Not like that you perves. Actually, yes, like that. But also helping me build and clean and pack (our house is supposed to close next week) and everything in between. But I wanted to show you the awesome headboard he helped me build before I fall off of the blogging planet from moving.

It cost about $75 to build. I had to buy a sheet of plywood,  two 2x3's, and the reclaimed beadboard from a friend. We busted it out in about 3 hours. We make a pretty good team if I say so myself.

I didn't do a single thing to the paint on the beadboard except wipe the chicken crap and dirt off it. It was already this beautiful white and turquoise color. It's even stained with age. Everyone keeps saying chevron is "sooooo last year" but I'm still totally digging it. 

I sprayed it with polyurethane to seal it and keep it from chipping more and called it a day. It is B-E-A-uuutiful. Thanks again for helping me lover, wherever you are. See you in a month. And happy memorial day. I miss your guts. 

Grain sack stripe inspired hutch

I picked up a hutch at the decordeals sale a while ago. I've had this vision of painting stripes onto the back of a hutch for a while and found the perfect one to try it out on there. If you follow me on instagram, you have already seen the before and after.

If not, you really should. I've been super lazy about blogging since my husband left and post fun stuff there now.

I bought the baskets from a the Big Heap up in Cave Creek. They fit inside these holes perfectly. It was almost one of those gates opening, angels singing moments. 

The color is called Gray Tabby and I sealed it with minwax's provincial stain. I measured and taped off the stripes onto the back with blue painters tape. Then after some heavy distressing, I applied a thick coat of stain. I'm in love.

And my all my white dishes look phenomenal on it. In fact, it inspired me to do a bit of painting in my rental before we list it again. B-E-A utiful. I really love this dark gray color.

Pardon my slightly askew photos and lighting. My computer has NO photo editing software on it. In fact, I can barely write an e-mail right now before wanting to shoot a hole right through the screen with my 9mm. I'm not so patiently waiting for the hubby to return with my trusty laptop he took to Panama. He can have this windows 8 hunk of junk.

Over and out.

Ceiling tin shelves

I have a friend who makes and sells these amazing tin shelves. I got one and had so much fun styling it, I decided to do it for a girls, boys, and living room. It is seriously so versatile and would look phenomenal in any space.

She has 3 of this square style already made and ready to go for Mothers Day. She can order more tin and have a shelf ready in less than 2 weeks. She can also do light gray, cream, black, yellow, light pink and any other color with a small custom charge. It's 50" long by 8" tall by 7.25" deep and it's only $95!

This quatrefoil shelf is 50.5" long by 11.5" tall by 7.25" deep. She only has one of these available since it's made of actual antique ceiling tin. Here it is styled for a little girls room...

She is selling them via facebook at Decor Createur. If you aren't on facebook you can send her an e-mail at decorcreateur@gmail.com. She can also ship to anywhere in the US for an additional fee. Go check her out!

Open House

My Realtor is having an open house this Saturday from 9-12. If you're thinking of buying or would just like to see some inspiration for your own home, feel free to stop by.

Here's a listing for more information.

On a related note, if I get a contract on the house I will be having a MEGA sale on almost everything in my home. I'll post more details on that later!

Holy crap, we're doing it.

So my husband and I decided to list our house next week. I realize I just kind of got it to where I like it, but we are craving a little adventure. I've designed a home and we are going to build it over the next year so I'll be moving back to my tiny rental property in the meantime. So, if you know anyone in the area who is looking for a larger (3,009 sq feet) home, please pass on the word. We are scheduling showings for next weekend. If you want more information, please call my Realtor, Chris Wilson, at (480)440-1559. Anyways, here are some pictures.

Formal living/ dining room

Hallway to the great room

Guest bedroom to the left

Guest Bath

Kitchen/ Great room

Family room/ Dining/ Kitchen

Dining/ Great room

Family Room/ Great room

Kids room

Shared kids Bath

Kids Room

Laundry Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Master water closet

Back yard/ Chicken Coop/ Garden

Instagram

If any of you have missed my blogging and care to keep up with projects and the like, you're going to have to follow me on Instagram. The hubs took my computer on his deployment to panama and I've been having camera issues.

So, to save on psychiatric bills, I've decided to update and post projects via Instagram. My user name is nikki_grandy.

I promise it'll be lots of fun. I've already posted pictures of my new planked wall in my master, a winged headboard with nailhead trim, a little girls upholstered headboard, a buffet with ceiling tin and more. And that's just in the last two weeks since my lovers been gone!

When he gets home and my life is a little less crazy, ill be back to the blogging world. Until then, see you on Instagram!

Sale this Saturday

My friend Kalli is having a huge sale this weekend at her house in Mesa. If you live in the valley, you definitely need to check it out. She is also known as decordeals on instagram and always has the most amazing things for so cheap! If you remember, I featured her house back in November. Here's the link to that.

You can find all the info for her sale HERE. The address is 916 W 10th St in Mesa. Close to Alma School and University. I just bought some awesome stuff from her and will try my dangdist to get there on Saturday. Here's a pic of some of my loot.

I also bought a couple of chairs from her I'm planning on refinishing over spring break. 

Also, I don't know if I mentioned it, but I woke up one morning last week and hated all of my stuff. So I've been selling a ton of my junk on the east valley antique group on facebook. Are you on that group? If not, you should be. They have great stuff. Anyways, I decided to redecorate Paysen's room and am excited to show you what I've done. I'm waiting for a headboard to get here next weekend and once I refinish it, it should be all wrapped up! 

Moral of this post is though, get to Kalli's on Saturday.You'll love her stuff and her prices.

Limited time on etsy and a shelf

I recently purchased some cast iron brackets and salvaged wood to make a shelf. I wanted to change up my hallway to the great room so I installed a shelf made some new art.

It's one of my favorite quotes from Thomas S Monson. "Choose your Love, Love your Choice". I decided to make a limited number of them available to order on etsy. Each sign is hand painted and distressed by me. It takes quite a while but I love painting with "Veronica Mars" or "How I met Your Mother" on in the background.

I found inspiration from subway art at Restoration Hardware and went with it. Each sign is 24" long and 12" tall. Its framed in heavily distressed wood and is available in light brown, dark brown, or distressed black wood border.

I really like the shelf in the hallway. Its too small of a space to put any big furniture in so a shallow shelf is perfect. I'm in the process of making frames out of salvaged wood that will go on the right side instead of the clock but otherwise, it should stay this way for a while. Maybe. Probably. I give it a 1 in 10 chance it'll last through the month.

You can click on the button on the top right side of my blog to get to my etsy shop faster.