success!!

hi guys,

as promised, just letting you know that after my post about being a Black Thumb Gardener, ALL MY PLANTS ARE STILL ALIVE! and actually, they're doing quite well :)

perhaps it IS possible to rehab a black thumb...

More on Monday!

cheers,
SB

Next Post: Your Choice!

Hi guys,

So I've been blogging for a few months now, and I must say its been a learning experience and tons of fun. I'm starting to figure things out, and am getting pretty good feedback so far.

But this morning I got to thinking --- what are you guys interested in hearing about or learning right now???

I can tell you that at the moment I'm obsessed with the power of a couple good coats of paint in a stunning color, creating defined but comfortable spaces in my home, and finding affordable ways to really make it "mine."

But what do you want to know? How to install a new outlet or light switch? Which colors are the latest and greatest? How to re-grout a shower? Or maybe where to go to get whatever it is you're looking for to spruce up your home? Perhaps a few tricks & tips on merging "his" stuff with "her" stuff? Or just more photos???

Tell me, and I shall deliver :) E-mail: havedogwilltravel@gmail.com

In the meantime, I'll keep blogging away.....

Shanti

Two (Fairly) Quick Ways to Update, Style & Change the Feel of a Room

Good morning Painters and Paintettes!

The Seattle rain, a welcome change from the scorching heat we had last week, has given us the opportunity (solicited or not) to focus on the interior fixes that have been on "Winter To-Do List" such as painting and lighting.

And as you may have read in one of my recent posts, the master bathroom was in DIRE need of some TLC, particularly in the paint department. So far, we've got one coat of primer (TOTALLY necesarry) on and the ceiling painted -- and I have to say it already looks a thousand times better and WAY bigger. Its former Mountain Dew color (ceiling included) made it feel rigid and cheap; with just a few hours of work, it already feels brighter and cleaner.

Here are some pix of our progress so far:



















Hopefully we can finish the primer coat and get the walls painted by the end of the week. I would LOVE to move in and actually use this bathroom by the weekend!! Stay tuned for final styling pix :)

Total cost so far:
$100 for materials + 3 Hours (prep, painting, and clean up)
No more Mountain Dew color: PRICELESS

The second thing we've been having fun with lately is lighting. Our house came with a few good lighting set-ups, but mostly they were the cheap, dim ones that never give out enough light and always burn through bulbs more quickly.

Here are the three we recently installed:

The top light is in our office/travel room, the one in the middle is the bedroom light we finally decided on (we went for about a month with no light.....!). The last is one of my favorites -- ignore the wall color and the need to patch the ceiling, that will come soon -- it is the inspiration for my future walk-in closet renovation.

In short, if you're looking to spend minimal cash and time updating, styling, or refreshing a room start with a couple coats of paint or a new light fixture -- it can change the whole feel of your space.

Enjoy!
Shanti

My Kind of Treat Tray

.....I also wanted to share a cute idea I snapped while we shopped around P-town's Nob Hill:

And my friend (a fellow dog-lover) made a good point: this is a great way to get people to feed your pooch dog-friendly treats rather from their plates.

:)

Shanti

Coming Up Roses

Hello Housies!

I just got back from a fantastic weekend in Vacouver/Portland (thanks Kim!!), including a trip to the Rose Garden. These pictures, which I had to take on my phone, don't do them justice -- but I wanted to share a few of my favorites. And following my "Black Thumb Gardner" post, I may just have to plant a few of these sweet-smelling bushes myself.....

And of course there was some shopping done this weekend :), including a few fun things for the house. Following my Backyard Dreaming post, I found some great, affordable lanterns to hang in the plum tree, and will share pictures as soon as I have time to unpack.

Ciao for now!

Shanti

Merry Christmas to Me, perhaps?

Dear Santa Claus,

Please take my old skis and make me one of these:
Or if you think I've been EXTRA good this year, please also send me a ski chalet with one or two of these in the living room:

Thank you and Merry (early) Christmas,

Shanti

A Few Great Finds!

Hey there mortgage mavens!

If you're like me and paying a mortgage (or saving for one) makes you more of a deal-seeker than ever before, you'll appreciate a couple of my most recent finds.

Here is the MINI COUCH I recently scored at a yard sale for $20. We really needed a small, sturdy, basic loveseat to fit into this space in our office, and this one is perfect. It's only a few years old and actually came from a real estate agent's office, so it's barely used and in pretty perfect condition. PLUS the cost went to the local Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF)!!! And Jack seems to really like it:

A few days earlier, I was browsing through Cost Plus Imports, which I've found is a goldmine for affordable, stylish glassware and kitchen items. I'm also coveting the majority of their Moroccan-style tables and chairs....but that's a seperate post and to-do list item.... What I did buy was this bamboo wind chime for $6 (sorry, the photo isn't the greatest).

When Ian (my husband) and I were in Maui for a friend's wedding, just weeks before we ourselves got hitched in 2007, we went on a phenomenal hike through a bamboo forest. My camera batteries had run out just as we hit the trail that afternoon, but I will never forget the calming, ruthmic sound of the bamboo knocking together as we wound our way up the mountain. This chime makes a similar sound when the breeze comes throug our bedroom window at night, and I love waking up to it.

In general, most of the things in our house that I love are like this -- either hand-me-downs, family relics, yard sale finds, or super cheap scores that remind me of a great moment in my life. And that's how I want my home to feel -- ecclectic, warm, comfy, and full of reminders of the great moments I've been lucky enough to experience in my life so far. :) :) :)

That's it for now, but as I mentioned in the last post I'm headed to Vancouver & Portland this weekend, so I'll let you know if I come home with any great finds from Nob Hill or beyond.....

Shanti