the move!

The move is finally OVER!  The boxes are unpacked and I even spent a chunk of time on the couch yesterday.  On the couch!  Who does that??  Well, normal people do that, but life was not normal this summer. 

Our neighborhood sign - Norway Hill in Bothell is our new 'hood!

 First order of business was painting.  Purple and Blue! Oh my!  So much sister (and brother-in-law) help made this project WAY faster and more fun than it could have been. More (finished) pics of these rooms soon...

 

 

The neighborhood welcoming committee stopped by several times.  These guys are so much fun to watch, although I'm sure it won't be so much fun come spring when all the flowers are blooming.  Henry is now obsessed with looking out the window to see "Dee!"

 Grandma Mary was here to help wrangle Henry.  There was lots of book-reading, food-sharing, and following him around the yard, right Grandma?

 

 So happy to finally make this place ours!  Big thanks to all the aunties, uncles, Grandma, Grammy, Grandpa, cousins and friends that helped with the process!

sewing table makeover!

Remember how I said I learned how you should use a REALLY BIG drop cloth with spray painting? Well, I learned that in the process of giving my sewing table a face lift.

 Before : cute, but scuffed up / dirty

 During...

After!

 It's a shade brighter, but I like it.  Also, my right arm is a shade stronger - after scrubbing our brick patio for an hour and a half with a wire brush to remove the yellow spray paint over-spray.  I can laugh about it now. 

end of PSA.  Thank you Krud Kutter!

wrench bench makeover

Raise your hand if you have a collection of furniture made entirely out of old tools welded together.  Oh, hmmm, just me and my siblings?  Bet you are jealous now!  Yes, the Druffel kids are proud owners of several pieces of tool art, created by Mike Druffel.  Now a wrench bench might not be the most comfortable thing to sit on for a long period of time, but this thing's not giving out anytime soon.  Though neither rain, sleet, nor hail can destroy a wrench bench, they will cause it to rust like nobody's business.  It was high time for a wrench bench makeover! 

 Super Blahh!

 My dad always included hearts in his tool art.  This heart needs love.

I started with some good ol' scouring with a wire brush, to get the rust, dirt, and flakes of old paint off.  Then I wiped the whole thing down as best I could.

I learned all about the beauty of a spray paint handle!  These things are like $4 and so amazing!  Would also suggest using a GIANT drop cloth (or three) instead of just one small sheet.  Learned that one the hard way, but that's a different story.

A couple coats of "Royal Red" and this thing is as good as new!  Tip: don't sit on a wrench bench in shorts on a really hot day!  Unless you want a tool shape branded on your....ahem.

I made sure to hit my name-tag as well.  Love this so much! 

 So then I started looking around at all the other items in my yard....

 When I get over my new fear of spray paint I'll tackle one of these. 

wingin' it

This latest project would be an example of how winging it works out sometimes!  Remember my new table (now almost a year old)? Well, I finally got some new chairs so we could stop using our ugly folding chairs!  The chairs came from Ikea - basic white numbers that needed some color.  I also picked up some plain seat cushions from Ikea. Here's how the rest went:

1. Find cute fabric at Joann's with which to cover the cushions.
2. Say quick prayer that fabric matches blue wall.
3. Think about how best to cover the cushions.  Let it roll around the brain for a few days.   Best thinking time: laying in bed before getting up in the morning, while sitting in traffic, you know - prime wheel-turning time.
4. Consider scouring Pinterest for cushion-cover tutorial.
5. Veto that idea.
6. Take some quick measurements (actually, do what Dad always taught me: Measure Twice, Cut Once)
7. Cut, sew, rip seams as necessary, re-sew, remain calm...
8. Repeat with cushion #2!

 (Don't you love this fabric?!)

So, to summarize, sometimes the best things happen when you don't plan too much.  As I learned from "The Happiness Project" - "Don't Let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good."  Love that!

Henry's Room

 Baby Henry's room is ready for his arrival!  We were SO LUCKY to have lots of people give us almost every single we needed for this little child.

 Crib: Uncle Adam & Auntie Sarah (among tons of other things)

...yes, I know pillows will come out when baby goes in.

 

Rocking Chair: Grandma Mary

Changing Table: Grandma Carolyn & Grandpa Tom

(my heart goes pitter-patter whenever I get to say "Grandpa Tom" because I had a Grandpa Tom!)

Dresser FULL of clothes: Jamie's work friends, all of our friends from FIVE showers

 

Bookshelf: The "Toots" - Jamie's parents' fabulous friends

A Million Books: Again, all of our amazing family and friends

 

 Family Portrait: Artwork by Oliver Truong and Charlie and Romy Howell

...and photos from all the important places Henry will get to know soon.

 (clockwise from left: Sunset at Neskowin, Seattle Home, Mommy & Daddy, Proposal Rock, Wheat Field, Home Home

 Got that, baby?  You can come anytime now! :)

my new table

Jamie got me a new table for making a breakfast nook near our kitchen. I use it all the time! It is this one from Ikea.

I didn't have patience to shop around thrift stores for a cool table, but I think I can hang with my ugly folding chairs until I find some awesome thrift store chairs. Help please? Anyone? Sisters/Cousins/Aunties . . . this means you.

Something like these, perhaps? :)

happiness is...

my little jade plant, keeping me company while I do hours and hours and hours of homework. I mean literally, about 15 hours in the last 2 weeks. Not that I'm counting or anything.

on getting up early...

I love my family, my crafting and my job, but let's be honest: here is the real reason I get up in the morning:Mmmm, sweet nectar of life...

craft room makeover

dining room: check.

living room: check.
craft room: . . . half-check.

I totally meant to paint the craft room. Here's what happens when I have five minutes of spare time: I create HUGE lists of Things I Must Do. That's how I spent the first five minutes of summer vacation. So when vacation started winding down, I started getting nervous because it was clear I wouldn't finish everything on my list of Things I Must Do. So the craft room didn't get painted. However, I did get a wonderful new cutting table from Ikea. Did you know such a plain table could make a gal so happy?I also got a new dresser at Ikea. So I put the old dresser under the new craft room table
I also got a new dresser at Idea. So I put the old dresser under the new craft room table for scrap storage. Perfect fit (thank goodness!). And in this corner we have the wonderful desk Em found for me - $15! Hopefully I'll get to the painting before next summer vacation!

living room

I painted the living room! This was part II of my summer home renovation series (part I was the dining room, seen here). I love how it turned out - the shade is "Salty Brine."

Sadly, I didn't get all of the painting projects finished this summer. In fact I got a little stressed about it. But I will need something to do next summer, right?

dining room : finished!

Do you love my new dining room? With hand-me-down furniture from Grandma Jeanne. Thank goodness Jamie digs the orange!

dining room makeover

Hey! Look at this boring, dreary dining room. Blah.

Who would allow such a room to exist in their home?
Blllah. I had Cousin Ann help me pick out some new colors to spruce up my white, white house. We picked "Live Wire" (C2 paints) for the dining room. I jumped in and got started today, finally!

First coat is done... Yowza, it's definitely brighter! I think I love it.



Doesn't the blue painter's tape make a lovely trim?

Next I'll paint one accent wall in the dining room: "Salty Brine." Wondering what color that might be? You'll have to wait to see the after pictures!

stuff in my house, part 3

speaking of stuff in my house and Christmas gifts, check out my new best friend!Jamie got me an espresso machine for Christmas! So far I have probably saved over $100 by foregoing my daily espresso shop trips. yikes! I'm working on perfecting my skills. YUM! coffee love.

stuff in my house, part 2

I got this ADORABLE tea set for Christmas from my fabulous sister-in-law. She got it here. Love, love, love! Good thing I have cabinets with glass doors so everyone can admire all the loveliness!

stuff in my house, part 1

um, can you believe the cuteness before your eyes? I am constantly blown away by the sheer awesomeness of my creative family. This little end table was handcrafted for me and Jamie by my auntie Carrie, scrabble aficionado, as a shower gift. She included all the words most important to us:
-Druffel (me)
-Wiecks (him)
-Washington State (me)
-Gonzaga (him)
-Colton (me)
-Portland (him)
-Cougs (me)
-Zags (him)

...it's just missing a few very important words...
-Sewing (me)
-Sandwiches (him)

love my crafty aunties!