Fontaine de Bienvenu Home and Garden

Since its December . . .

2011-12-21T11:48:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd post pictures from July/August, 'cause that's how I roll. This summer, we were able to finish the landscaping on our yard. It's been so nice to have our yard for the kids, and its amazing how much cleaner the house stays when your yard isn't a dust bowl. Here's a few photos to show the finished product.

Well, almost finished . . . at least for now! (I know, its a sickness, but it makes me happy!)

Thinking Outside the Box

2011-06-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

My cute friend Mel suggested that I share what I've learned through this remodeling process, as well as things I'd do differently. I have a confession to make, I love change. Since I was a kid playing Barbie's, I've liked changing furniture around. I'm not that different now, only the scale of the furniture is much larger and more likely to cause back injuries. There have been many changes throughout this process, beginning with narrowing down the remodel plans, and more recently, rethinking the way I use my new space to function best for our family and the way we entertain.

The plan for my remodel changed from my original, ridiculous idea that was too huge and expensive. Narrowing down the plans forced me to think about how I wanted the spaces in my home to function. Instead of doing an addition off the back of my house, and enlarging the family room, I decided that I'd prefer a space off the front of my home. This decision was based on the fact that, one, I like my cozy family room and the size of the back yard, and two, my front yard was large and my house had no windows to the front. My original desire was to gain a cold storage space and exercise/bedroom below ground and a bigger, usable porch, and front office/library space.

The new addition houses a wall of bookshelves that I love, but I realized that the desk at the front of the house, was too far away from me when I was cooking. The kids ended up doing homework in the dining room next to the kitchen, but there was still the mess of the desk at the front of the house. I had my piano in my old living room and a sitting room next to our new, double-sided fire place. My dining room table was new and originally intended for the original remodel plan, where I'd move the dining room to my old living room. The table worked without the extension leafs, but as soon they were added for big family dinners, it was difficult to maneuver around the dining room.

A few months ago, I decided to think outside of the box and make my existing dining room into the office/study area. Its still a work in progress, but the space works much better for containing messy mail and homework, and keeps the front two rooms better organized. My old living room became the dining room with a sitting area near the fireplace and window seat. I used soft chairs and benches to make the room more comfortable and approachable, not just a dining space. The new addition now has the piano and a cozy seating area. Its great for quietly reading, piano practice or guitar playing. When we've had family party's, with the table extended (shown in the photo), we can play two separate games of "Ticket To Ride" and still visit with one another. Plus, people actually walk into the new space. It may be unconventional, but it works well for our family and the way we live.

New Dining Space in former Living Room

Former Dining Room, still a work in progress, but now functions as an office/study space with our computer desk, study/game table, and a second desk for craft projects, etc.

View from dining space into the new library/sitting room/music room area. The space is used more often with this arrangement.

Another view of the dining area from the entry way, with both extensions in the table. You can see how much more space we have to sit around the table for dining or game playing.

Progress At Last

2011-06-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

Our latest remodel project has been to fix the yard that we destroyed in our remodel last year. An obvious downside to building an addition, is that you destroy your yard in the process. We've saved bonuses this past year to redo the yard. Another thing we've learned is that everything is always more expensive than you anticipate. Plus, self-discovery, I have a tendency to want to "do it right." Doing it right entails figuring out the entire project so that we can do it in chunks that work with our budget and will prevent us from paying too much in the long run. Its not always seeing to figure out the best way to proceed when you have a budget, but big plans and can't do everything at once. Here are some of the photos of the back yard and side yard in progress. It is still a complete mess, but its coming together slowly. Hopefully, by Monday, we'll see more progress since the landscapers are coming to grade the yard and redo our sprinklers--yep, we destroyed those too. Here's a few photos to see the project as it nears completion. I really hope this turns out as well as the addition did. I didn't hire a landscape architect, but instead did the design myself. Knock on wood for me . . .

Project #1: Patios, both cement and stone.
We moved our shed to the back corner of our yard, where we had our contractor build a cement pad with a ramp for the lawn mower. We had to remove aspen trees, but opted to keep the big blue spruces.

This stage of the project also included a stamped, colored patio off the back of the house. We had a brick wall built to hide the A/C unit, although the sound is still obnoxious when the A/C is on. We also trimmed the window ledges with matching brick. The same brick was used on the front of the house and I hope to use it on an outdoor fireplace in the next couple of years. The next two photos show the progress of the patio.

Project #2: Trimming the Trees. Living in a desert has many advantages, but big, green trees is not one of them. Thankfully, we live in an area where we have big, older trees. Unfortunately, our trees were misshaped and filled with dead branches. We have 10 large blue spruces and a large ash tree that we had trimmed. Notice the damage all of the big trucks have done to the lawn. We will have to completely rip out all of the grass and start over with new sprinklers and sod.

In the back ground of this next picture, you can see the results of the tree trimming. This photo also shows our completed fence to the left, our rock wall surrounds the basement walk-out, and the few measly plants that my husband and I spent hours planting, due to the huge boulders that lie just under the surface of the dirt. We had struggled with the idea of spending so much for a landscaper, until it took us approximately 3 1/3+ hours to plant those few plants. When we realized we couldn't do it ourselves, it was easier to hand over the check.

This photo also shows our stone/brick patio that we build using left-over stone from the front of our house after the remodel. This may be one of my favorite aspects of our backyard, it definitely adds character and has a connection to our home's past. I love that the stone was reused in this way.

Thus, Project #3: The Fence. We chose to go with a 4 ft. fence along the drive-way of our neighbors, that becomes a 5 ft. fence in our backyards. Our fence has the look of rod iron, but its powder-coated steel. A great, sturdy fence but a fraction of the cost. This picture shows the workers building the fence.

Project #4: Destroying the RV Pad. This is one of those necessary projects that costs more now, but will save us money in the future. Our plan, eventually (hopefully next summer), is to tear out our old drive-way, lower it a foot, so that we can have 8 ft. garage doors. By pulling out the RV pad now, we can get the backyard elevation right, without having to tear out the drive-way. Plus, we can use the soil under the old RV pad to help raise the level of the lawn out back. I'll have to take a picture of the stack of cement out front . . . its impressive!

Project #5: This has not been completed yet, but after our deck was put on last year, we were not sure what level the patios would be since we couldn't afford to put them in yet. So, we ended up with "drop-off" steps. I do love that we added stairs down from the second level deck. I think its a good fire escape option, plus it makes that deck so much more usable. Anyhow, here what the back of house looks like now. The patio tables are hand-me-downs from Janae and friends in Michigan, the chairs were on sale for $25 each at Target. I loved them because they're stackable. I figure that makes for easier winter storage. Maybe I'll buy a few more next month . . . we'll see what the budget allows!

Unexpected Project: When we tore down the old fence to put up the new one, we realized that our neighbors shed was using our old fence for support. There was a shed, rocks, a chain-link fence, all standing on an unsupported two feet of soil. Originally, Pete was going to do this project and the trampoline project, but as usual, they turned out to be more time consuming and difficult than we'd thought. Anyway, I think it turned out pretty nicely for a retaining wall. We plan to plant hostas under the pine trees for a more dense foliage look.

Project #6: Moving the Playground and Burying the Trampoline. Our trampoline was originally facing north, but it was taking up the space that I wanted for the trampoline. We had the playground turned and moved closer to the trees, then buried the tramp next to it. Our attempt to bury the tramp cheaply is still not a done deal. We are hoping our solution will work, after a few tweaks. Our contractor is going to backfill gravel up the sides of the tramp like a bowl, in hopes of keeping the circular frame in place. After a heavy rain, we did have the frame collapse. I think it'll work, we'll find out tomorrow. We need to trim the shrubs next to the tramp, that'll happen next week. Then, after the ground is leveled, we'll have special playground woodchips to surround the play area. I hope it works!

I'll try to post pictures as the project progresses still further. The hope is that our yard will be usable in the next few weeks. I'm hoping to do a lot of planting myself, but with all the rocks in the soil, I'm grateful to have landscapers prepare the beds. Happy Landscaping!

One day, hopefully soon, I will update this blog . . .

2011-05-27T14:09:00.001-07:00

I hope. It seems like a luxury to have that time. Here's a great recipe though, until then.

Warm Strawberry Cupcakes Baked in a Teacup
Submitted by Nicole Fisher from “Cupcakes” by Susanna Tee

Ingredients:
8 Tbsp. butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
4 Tbsp. Strawberry preserves
Generous ½ cup of superfine sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Generous ¾ cup self-rising white flour
1 lb. small whole strawberries
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease six heavy round teacups (or Ramekin) with butter. Spoon 1 to 2 tsp. of strawberry preserves in the bottom of each teacup.
2. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs, beating well, and then add vanilla extract. Sift in flour and, using a large metal spoon, fold it into the mixture. Spoon the batter into the teacups.
3. Stand teacups in a roasting pan, then pour in enough hot water to come one-third up the sides of the cups. Bake the cupcakes for 40 minutes, or until well-risen and golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the center, comes out clean. If over browning, cover the cupcakes with a sheet of foil. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully lift from the pan and place on saucers.
4. Place a few of the whole strawberries on each cake, then dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm with remaining strawberries.

Bon Appetite!

Thanksgiving Food and Decorating Ideas

2010-11-20T22:30:00.001-08:00

"Give Thanks" banner made with paper.
A kitchen hutch is a great place to display Thanksgiving decor and dishes.
The Thanksgiving Table prior to being set. I love the mix of rustic and refined.
An easy centerpiece using a wreath, pumpkin candles, and two overlapping table runners.
Grocery store bouquets and a mantel display in warm fall colors.
My Favorite Apple Pie Recipe from The Lion House cookbook
Ingredients for Apple Pie: Pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie (I use frozen Marie Calendar Crusts); 4 to 5 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced; 1/2 cup water; 3/4 to 1 cup sugar; 1 to 2 T. flour; 1 tsp. cinnamon; 1/8 tsp. salt; 1 T. lemon juice; and 2 T. butter. I use these Leaf Shaped Cutters from William Sonoma to dress up the pie crust.

My adorable helper, my daughter Madeline. She even does dishes.
Steam or simmer apples gently in water until they wilt and begin to become transparent. (This is a partial cooking only so that the apples will cook thoroughly in the pie.)
Combine the sugar and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread half over the pastry-lined pie pan. Lift apples from cooking liquid into crust using a slotted spoon. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Sprinkle pie filling with lemon juice and dot with butter. Cut leaf shapes using a cookie cutter or cutter like the ones shown from William Sonoma. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Bake on lower shelf of oven at 425 degrees F. for 30 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. (I cover the edges in foil for the first 25 minutes of baking so they won't burn.)

Note: Apple pie is only as good as the apples it is made with. Tart juicy apples are desirable, and some judgment is necessary as to amounts of sugar and thickening when sweeter, less juice apples are used. (I used half apples from my backyard tree and the other half tart, green apples.

A "Thankful Jar" is an idea I got from my friend Chantelle Brown. The idea is to leave the jar out for everyone to write down things they are thankful for on slips of paper. The jar is then passed around the table, where everyone draws out a slip to read at the table. I think it takes some of the pressure off from going around the table and saying what you are thankful for, but has the nice same thought behind it!I found these cute chalkboard jars for $10 at Pier 1 Imports. I thought I'd give mine to my mom after the dinner as a take home gift. I'll post more ideas tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving Baking!!

Slacking on the Home Remodel Pictures

2010-11-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

I have really been slacking on my updates. The house is just about complete . . . tiny details and lots of cleaning are all that's left, unless you count my yard that was destroyed during the remodeling process. That's a project for next summer.

There is no rhyme or reason to the organization of these pictures, but for now, that will have to do. These pictures were taken this summer, so I will put more recent pictures up as soon as I can take them. I will also include photos of the water main break on our street in front of our house--oh the joys of remodeling!!

Exterior House Color: Benjamin Moore's Copley Gray

Simple Halloween Party Foods

2010-10-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Today I tried making two more of Wendy Paul's cupcake recipes from "101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes." I like her recipes because they are simple and use ready made cake mixes. I am finding that some of the recipes fall a little flat, so its really important to only fill the cupcakes 3/4 full. I am also including my all time favorite Halloween kid food--Mummy Hot Dogs, from "Coming Home With Gooseberry Patch" cookbook. I will include a photo of the Mummy dogs tomorrow. Here are the recipes.

Tyler showing the cookbook's version of Mummy Dogs (I never took photos of mine, they got eaten too quickly!)

***Mummy Hot Dogs

Ingredients: 11-oz. tube refrigerated breadstick dough; 12 hot dogs; 1 egg; 1 T. water; Garnish: mustard.

Separate dough into strips. Wrap one strip of dough around each hot dog, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered for face. Arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet. Whisk together egg and water; brush over dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden. Dot mustard on hot dogs with toothpick to form eyes. Makes 12 servings.

Ginger Bread Cupcakes prior to frosting. Be sure not to overfill the cups or you'll have the same problem I did of sticking and falling cupcakes!

***Gingerbread Cookie Cupcakes

Ingredients: 1 box spice cake mix; 3 eggs; 1/3 cup molasses; 1/3 cup oil; 1/2 cup milk.

Mix together cake mix, eggs, molasses, oil, and milk. Pour into paper liners and fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Frost with Cream Cheese frosting (I used Vanilla Buttercream because I had extra!)

***Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and light. Stop mixer and add sugar and vanilla. Start mixer on low and gradually increase the speed until frosting is fluffy. Frost and refrigerate.

***Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients: 1 box spice cake mix; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup milk; 1 cup chocolate chips; 1 cup butterscotch chips.

Mix together all ingredients. Pour batter into paper liners and fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until cakes are light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost with Cream Cheese frosting (recipe above) or Vanilla Buttercream

***Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients: 8 T. (1 stick) butter, room temperature; 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 3-4 T. milk or cream; 2 tsp. vanilla extract.

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop beating before adding sugar to avoid a large mess. Add sugar, 3 T. milk or cream, and vanilla extract. Beat frosting starting on low, increasing your speed until frosting is nice and creamy. Add up to 1 T. more milk or cream if frosting is too thick.

Fun and Easy Summer Treats

2010-06-21T14:28:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd take a break from blogging about my home remodel and share a few fun summer recipe ideas. The cupcakes are from Wendy Paul's "101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 minutes," a local cookbook author, while the pie filling recipe is from the Lion House Cookbook. Happy Baking!

#1: Root Beer Float Cupcakes with Root Beer Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients for cupcakes: 1 white cake mix and 1 cup of your favorite root beer
MIX together root beer and cake mix. Pour into paper liners and fill 3/4 full.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Ingredients for Root Beer Buttercream Frosting: 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter, room temperature; 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 3-4 Tbsp. milk or cream (I used 1% milk); and 1 tsp. root beer flavoring.
PLACE butter in large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer before adding sugar to avoid a large mess.
ADD sugar, 3 tablespoons milk or cream, and root beer flavoring. Beat frosting, starting on slow and increasing your speed until frosting is nice and creamy. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of milk or cream if frosting is too thick.
FROST cooled cupcakes. You can cut the long end of a bendable straw to place in the middle of the cupcakes for decoration.

#2 Cookies and Cream Dream Cupcakes with Oreo/Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients for cupcakes: 1 box chocolate cake mix; 1 cup sour cream; 3 eggs; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 18-24 whole oreo cookies; 12 oreo cookies crumbled (I used a plastic bag and rolling pin, the crumbled cookies are for the frosting); and 1 recipe vanilla buttercream frosting.
MIX together cake mix, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Place a spoonful of batter on the bottom of each paper liner. Place a whole oreo cookie on the bottom lying flat. Cover with remaining batter until 3/4 full.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool on a rack completely.

Ingredients for Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter, room temperature; 3 3/4 cups powered sugar, sifted; 3-4 Tbsp. milk or cream; 2 tsp. vanilla extract plus crumbled oreos.
PLACE butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop beating before adding sugar to avoid a large mess.
ADD sugar 3 tablespoons milk or cream, and vanilla extract. Beat frosting starting on slow, increasing your speed until frosting is nice and creamy. Add up to 1 more tablespoon milk or cream if frosting is too thick. Add crumbled Oreos to buttercream frosting. Be generous and frost cupcakes nice and high.

This last dessert is Rhubarb Pie. I picked rhubarb from my garden that was a bit bitter, so be sure to choose ripe rhubarb. The pie crust is my "easy" version. I buy a Marie Calendars frozen pie crust. I set one pie tin upside down, and let the crust dethaw so that I can use decorative cookie cutters for the top crust. Hopefully the pictures will help you achieve the same look.

Ingredients for Rhubarb Pie: 1 1/2 cups sugar; 2 tablespoons flour, 1 egg; 3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, cut in 1-inch pieces; 3 drops of red food coloring; and 2 9-inch Marie Calendar pie crusts.

Combine sugar and flour. Beat egg and blend with flour mixture. Add rhubarb and red food coloring. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Using the dethawed crust and a cookie cutter, cut shapes to cover the top of the pie. Brush the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until nicely browned. (I usually wrap a piece of foil around the edge of the pie, so that the edges won't burn, then take it off for the last 10 minutes of baking.

(Be sure to bake the pie on a cookie sheet incase the fruit filling spills over like mine did!)

The Rootbeer Float Cupcakes were such a hit, I didn't have any left to photograph!

Photos by Request

2010-06-12T13:18:00.001-07:00

The remodel is progressing fabulously! Aside from my laundry room fiasco, all is going along at a smooth pace. We now have siding, stone work, a front door, dry wall and tons of dry wall dust. Here are a few pictures. The siding and stucco still need to be painted, so keep that in mind.

The interior photo is of my daughter in our new study/library. As of yesterday, the walls were also taped and plastered. The laundry room was retiled while we were away on vacation. I've order a new sink--the Gilford farmhouse sink by Kohler--and have a cabinet man coming on Wednesday, so that should be underway and completed in a few months. Here are a few photos of my new checkerboard floor.

The best part of the remodel was LEAVING it behind while we spent a few days in St. George and Zions. Here are a few photos of my cute kids enjoying the peace and quiet of remodel free time.

Internet is up . . .

2010-06-03T22:29:00.000-07:00

I will try to have pictures soon! Lots has happened since my last post . . . roof, windows, doors, insulation . . . brick deliveries, siding delivery, paint swatches all over the place! In the process, my washing machine hose broke, leaking for the length of an entire day before I discovered it. It leaked from the second floor laundry room through the ceiling onto the main floor. Now I'm remodeling my laundry room too since they cut out a huge portion of dry-wall and had to rip out the damaged flooring and cabinet in my laundry room. I'll post pictures of that too!

Rain Protection at Last!

2010-05-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, its the start of a new week, and though I don't have pictures, I thought I'd report on the progress of our remodel. Today I have roofers and electricians here working, and they should be here for the next few days. The heating vents and gas lines are in place, and the fireplace box is awaiting dry-wall and mantels. I feel like the decisions I make now are really important, because they're the visible items that can't be changed once my decisions are made. Don't they know that decision making is not more strength? I like to move furniture around, so can't we have 2 potential places to put all of the desk wiring? Apparently NOT! Anyway, I am most pleased with the roofers since the weather has been wet and unpredictable. I won't have such sleepless nights over water damage now that the roofers are here. Shannon, my builder, told me today that we have about 10 more days of slower progress, then it will be amazing how quickly we are through with the project! Happy Remodeling to me, to me!!

Latest Developments

2010-05-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize that it had been so long since I posted pictures. There as been a lot of progress in the past few weeks despite uncooperative weather. We've had lots of rain and snow, so many hours have gone into tacking up plastic to protect the work that's been done. Today finally cooperated, and the living room was opened and exposed to build the bay window. Its interesting to look at new construction, but its strange to look into my existing living room with my painting of Wheeler Farm and my piano covered in blankets and plastic exposed to the outside world. In the past few weeks, I've gained a porch, a study, and a new bay window for my existing living room. The fireplace surround is in place and the insert will be delivered and fitted on Thursday. We salvaged a set of windows that are installed on the study facing the porch, but I think we are a week off from having doors and the rest of the windows delivered.

Here are a bunch of pictures, including storm clouds the builders had to race to protect the house from leaks. Its been a crazy few weeks, my schedule being so busy that I haven't had much time to think about the remodel let alone post pictures. Its been to see it come together so well. I think the neighbors are feeling less nervous as the design becomes clearer.

A Roof on Monday

2010-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today's pictures show the beginnings of a roof and the interior views of what will be the study. Plywood covers what will be windows, but you can begin to see the room take shape. So exciting!

Front view of the new porch and the roof begun. In the next few days they will begin to build the new roof for the porch.

View of the addition from the back and side yard.

Interior view of the study. The corner window will be recycled into the north wall of the study.

The 3 squares at the top of the south wall will be a bookshelf wall with three high square to windows.

This view is looking west where there will eventually be french doors to the front yard.

Catching up on the Progress

2010-04-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! Spring sports have begun, we went on vacation and the builders have made a lot of progress on our remodel. The problem is that I'm finding little time to blog with my busy schedule. Before Easter, cement cutters cut three openings through our basement: a walk-out basement door, a door to the new exercise room, and a door to the cold storage. We left for southern Utah and Las Vegas a few days before Easter. It was snowy and cold, so I was pleased to return home to a porch and flooring for the study. Since then, the exercise room and study have been framed, windows and doors ordered, and the walk-out patio area completed. Only glitch was that the builder had planned to stick frame the vaulted ceiling in the study, but the engineers plan showed it with manufactured tresses. To appease building inspectors, we waited for two days to get a revision letter from the engineers. My hopes are that this week, the roof will be completed over the study. Only negative to that is that the builder's will soon have to break through existing walls on the main floor of my house. A little more inconvenient for me, but nice to be moving along. Here are several pictures to show the progress.

The thing that makes me the happiest is that I can now open my front door without falling to my death. The back still has "death drops" but I'm not longer worried for the neighbors and their pets safety.

Monday, March 29, 2010

2010-03-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

(Cement forms for foundation walls.)
(cement forms are removed after the foundation walls are poured.)
(View of the project with walls poured.)

(waterproofing and back filling).
(This is a house with the brick we're going to use: Summer Mesa Tumbled.)

The past week has seen a lot of progress in our remodeling project. The foundation has been poured and the dirt has been backfilled. Tomorrow they will start on the walk-out and patio to the south side of our home, so that on Wednesday, they can begin the cement cutting into the new basement rooms. Here are a bunch of pictures to show the progress. They begin with the cement forms, cement pouring, and then the continual progress as the walls dried and were back filled. I also have a picture of a house with the brick I want to use. Yesterday, I chose the doors and windows so that they can be ordered. Now we're getting to the fun part.

(The cement walls are painted with waterproofing. Tyler wanted in on the photo).

(South side of the house where the walk-out will be.)
(Storage room after today's work.)

(The mountain of dirt in front of our house is slowly decreasing. Initially the pile was one-story high.)

Tomorrow . . .

2010-03-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

they will begin to pour the cement walls for the basement foundation. Yeah! There is a lot of work in putting up aluminum walls to form the cement walls. As a matter of fact, the builders spent all day Friday, Saturday and today putting up the forms to pour cement tomorrow. Then, when the cement dries, they'll take the forms down again. I will post pictures tomorrow. We are out of AA batteries so no pictures until I replace them. The good news is that soon the story high pile of dirt will be returned to the ground and the death drop will be no longer. The bad news is that in a few weeks, the mess moves inside as they cut into the cement in the basement and cut through walls in living room to connect the addition. Its good that we're getting closer to finished, but that means that we have to adjust our schedules and activities to the work the builders do inside. At least it means we're getting that much closer to completion. I don't want to get to ahead of myself though. They said we'd be done in July and a friend today said "so expect them to be done in September." I hope she's wrong!

Basement Walls

2010-03-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

I am really feeling sorry for the builders! The weather does not want to cooperate! Wednesday, before the permit came through, was a beautiful sunny day. Thursday was rainy and snowy. Friday, rainy, snowy and even colder than yesterday! Oh well. Since the permit became official, the progress seems to be much better. Yesterday cement footings. Today, we even have some walls coming up in the basement area. The builders are coming back tomorrow to finish up. I am impressed. Here are a few photos to document today.

When people come by, they say, "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said a big project," and "you must really love your house to do this." I do love my house, our ward, the schools, our neighbors and neighborhood. Plus, this has been something I've been thinking about and through for the last four years. Do I move or make this house my dream house? My family wanted to stay put, and financially, this makes the most sense for us. To move, we would take a loss on the work we've already done. I designed and remodeled my dream kitchen. I can't find that without building myself, and lots in this area cost about what we paid for our entire house. Therefore, the best decision for us was to stay and add those things we wished we had, rather than start over or sacrifice our great lot size. All things to think about before you undertake a big remodel like this.

The Foundation

2010-03-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Bright and early this morning, a patriotic cement truck began to pour the cement footings into the "death drop." Now we have rebarb projecting from the cement, so the death drop has become even more dangerous! I am told that we are about 1 more week of danger, then the porch cap will be laid and the study will have a wood flooring. I can handle one more week of danger. I'm just happy that our permit is officially approved and we can move on with the project! I told Pete to give up on reviving our lawn. Its been covered in hundreds of tons of dirt and rocks for the last week and half. We need to let it go!! I'm okay with that. I've begun drawing up landscape ideas for after this project is completed. Did I mention I have home improvement ADHD?

Another Quiet Day Today

2010-03-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

Nothing happening today, but the good news is that tomorrow they will begin to lay the cement foundation. Our permit was approved on Tuesday, but they couldn't get someone out from the county to inspect our home until tomorrow morning. Without the county's involvement, I would have had a foundation a week and a half ago! That's okay--as long as they can start that this week, I'll be happy. The builder said that the foundation should take about two weeks before they can begin building the upper level. I'll update more tomorrow.

Week 3 and 4-The "Death Drop"

2010-03-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

You know you are an official construction zone when you have a porta-potty in your front yard and trucks parked in your yard.

During week 3 of the renovation, I was in Vancouver with my 3 nephews and my niece having a fabulous time. I came home to what we now jokingly refer to as the "death drop" out our front door. Since it looks like a swimming pool, I've contemplated just making it one--throw some floating stairs across the pool to the front door. It would definitely be original. Though who wants to skinny dip in their front yard and isn't that the biggest benefit of a private pool? Oops! I really wrote that.

I'll get back to the remodel. Here are the pictures from the third week of remodeling. The footings for the new deck and front addition are in place and the water line has been moved. The progress was slowed a bit with permit delays. They better sign-off the last few items for the permit soon because our front yard has become a pretty dangerous zone.

As for this week, we are hoping to have the permit signed off tomorrow so they can begin to lay the foundation on Wednesday morning. That means a quiet morning tomorrow. Yeah!!

Out of town and out of the loop!

2010-03-07T11:17:00.001-08:00

So, I am in Vancouver, Washington with my niece and nephews while my sister and her husband go to Cancun. I brought Tyler along so it'll be a fun week. I will, however, be unable to update the progress of the remodel. I've asked Pete, my husband, to take pictures each morning and night, so I should have pictures to show next week when I get home. We are anticipating that the permit will have come through on Monday so that the basement excavation can begin. Despite the mess, this part of the plan is really not so bad, since our living has not been inhibited in any way. I think when the headaches will begin is when they tear through the living room wall to connect the office space with the existing house and the cement cutting in the basement. Our kids have been troupers though. They just shrug and go on with life. My oldest son asked if he could invite some friends over on Thursday, and I said, do you think our house is the best house to play at right now? He looked around and said, "Yeah, I'll see if I can play at someone else's house."

The issue that I still question is the finish on the house. Do I incorporate shake shingle or stick with a more European/French style with stone, stucco and brick? I don't want the house to be too busy, but I don't want it to be boring either. I know, I know . . . I have plenty of time to make those kinds of decisions. My dad asked me what brought about all of these changes and I said, "I guess just because I wanted to." Yes we gain storage space and a main floor office, but the truth is, none of it is necessary . . . just nice and satisfies my need to design and change things up. The one necessity is that our porch was a previously a slab that had sunken with time, causing the roof of the porch to swagger a big. This addition will give us a nice porch with cold storage beneath--something that needed to be replaced eventually. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel lucky, in a time of a hard economy, to have the opportunity to do this remodel. I put a lot of time and effort into deciding whether to buy an already existing home, or stay where we are and take advantage of our great lot. I feel like we made the best decision for us, so I hope all goes well! I will update the blog on Thursday or Friday when I get home.

And then it snowed . . .

2010-03-06T08:41:00.001-08:00

The past two days have been very productive. All of our patios are heaps of cement piled in the snowy front yard. We officially have one way to enter our home--every other door has a "death drop." Pictures tell a thousand words, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Week 2, Day 3--A surprisingly quiet day.

2010-03-03T15:45:00.000-08:00

I left the house at 8:30 am this morning, expecting another day of loud construction, came home at noon to quiet. No work today--I'm sure that made Tyler happy. The noise is already starting to bother him, so I suppose we really ought to get out of the house tomorrow when they plan to jack-hammer away the cement on our porch and back patio. I'm taking down pictures and some of my decorations in fear that the vibration will cause things to fall. I'll be sure to post pictures tomorrow evening. On Friday, I look forward to the gas line being changed, so that on Monday of next week, they can begin digging the new foundation for the library/office and new cold storage. My house looks like its been hit by a tornado, but I don't mind! Its exciting to see the changes. I'm writing that down now, as I anticipate that as the project goes on, I may have my days of frustration! Its always good to write down the good days, to help you remember on the not so good ones! Happy remodeling!

Day 2 and 3 of Remodel

2010-02-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

After a 3 day start on our remodel, we are less a deck, the southside of the house has been torn apart and rocks delivered for the new patio/walk-out basement, 2 large trees are gone and the stone is stripped from the front pillars. At this stage of the project, I've realized how much destruction has to occur before the project will be done. The sprinkling system will be completely destroyed in our yard and since we've opted to do this project in phases, I need to think through how we want to do the yard. Should we replace as we go or begin work on the landscape layout to save money in the long run? We'll see how that goes.

The timeline so far, the next two weeks will be demolition while we wait for the permit. Our water line and gas line need to be moved, so there are definitely items to think about as we go. Once we can start the actual construction project, the builder thinks we'll be about 3 1/2 to 4 months to finish this part of the project.

Here are some photos of what's taken place in the last 2 days (the trees coming down where the first day).

Day 2: The deck comes down

Day 2/3: South side of House is going to be a walk-out to the yard. The stone stairs were delivered and the rock removed to make a larger patio area.

Day 3: The stone from the front pillars is removed and put on pallets to be reused for chimney's, wainscot and possibly patios.

Let the Remodel Begin!

2010-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

Day 1

Today begins the actual physical part of our home remodel. We have been working on plans with an architect since last April. I've gone from extremely elaborate, to finally scaling it down to a reasonable remodel without sacrificing the space I desired. Our permits were submitted last week, and should take another couple of weeks to be approved. In the meantime, the builders are going to change a gas line and waterlines, dig out a walk-out basement area, and tore down our giant pine tree in front of our house. Although I love the tree, it blocked light and access to our house, so it had to go. Anyway, here are the first photos of the trees coming down and the before pictures of the front of the house.

In this first phase we are adding an office space with a fireplace, a walkout basement door, and a basement exercise room and cold storage. Phase two will give us a new, two level deck off the back of our house and french doors from the dining room to the back yard.

I am so excited. Here's to happy remodeling!!

Thanksgiving Day Pie Recipes

2009-11-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Real Estate Infidelity!

2009-11-08T15:52:00.001-08:00

I've decided there is a name for my illness of house looking . . . its called "real estate infidelity." Here I am, with a perfectly good, affordable home, happy, but not content. My eye tends to wander. Sure this house is good enough, but what if . . . What would it be like to live somewhere else, with a different floor plan and community? What are the possibilities at a different address? Is there something out there that I'd like better? I'm not sure this illness would be considered a sin, since I haven't officially acted on it, but the temptation has definitely been there. I have almost traded in this house on 2 different occasions, only I got cold feet at the last minute. Blessing in disguise or would a move cure me of future real estate infidelity? Do we owe loyalty to our homes? I'm not so sure, but I do know that the most important part of a home are the people who live there. Loyalty to the people we love is an absolute must. So, the problem is the lack of desire to move on the part of the other inhabitants of the said home. If they too desired to mix things up a bit, change the landscape, explore the possibilities, moving would be a good choice.

That doesn't seem to be the case in my circumstance. Do mother's know best in all cases? I didn't move as a kid, but I always wanted to. My kids have moved several times and really like where they are. I like where we are as well, I just wouldn't mind living closer to Peter's work. I'm not sure if this longing is legit or merely signifies a lack of something somewhere else in my life. Maybe I should get a job. I don't know. The other possibility is that the idea of putting all of the money and changes into this house has lost some of its appeal after a bad experience working with a builder this past summer. I had been really excited about the plans we came up with, I still think they're fabulous ideas, but its a huge hassle finding a builder you can trust and its very expensive. I also have this crazy desire to live in Holladay. I know, its dumb, but I can't seem to shake it. I know, I know . . . how would it be to have such silly problems? I think I'll sleep on it and continue my thoughts on this matter at a later date.

To move or not to move . . .

2009-10-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

That is the question! I'm beginning to wonder if wanting to move is a kind of illness. A house I've liked since I was a kid and dreamed of buying when we lived in Michigan, is up for rent, though the owner says he would consider selling for the right price. I love the neighborhood and the house, although in some ways, I like my current house better. Mostly because of the changes we've made that are so very me! Pete hates moving . . . my fault since I've encouraged moving 11 times in our 14 1/2 years of marriage. So I thought I'd write out my pro's and con's list.

My house: great schools, great house, kids and husband are happy, great ward, great plans in the works with architects. The downside: I feel a necessity to add onto this house, and frankly, had a very negative experiences with a builder this summer that makes me hesitate in moving forward with our plans.

That house: great house, swimming pool, great location for Pete's work, structurally it doesn't need any additions or changes. The downside is expense and its older and quirky in some respects, although quirkiness can be charming in my mind. I also love that its in a neighborhood, opposed to my one lane (that's great, don't me wrong), but that's accessed from a busy road. Its also in the neighborhood Pete grew up in, so he's not sure he'd want to move back.

I suppose I should be thankful that these are the types of decisions I have to make versus looking for a job or dealing with a terrible illness. I know, I know . . . its just a house, but is it so bad to want to move? Maybe change is a good thing, you know, mix it up a bit! Problem is, I think my husband likes life just how it is! I'm jealous . . . how would it be to be content?

Well, there it is in a nutshell!

Diary of a Home Remodel #2: The Kitchen

2009-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Remodeling a kitchen is probably the most expensive, inconvenient project out there. It takes a lot of planning and forethought to get it right. Two situations made my remodel a little less expensive and less of a headache. First, my existing kitchen layout worked. Though the cabinetry was outdated, I had plenty of space to work with and the major appliances didn't need to be moved significantly. The only appliance I moved was the refrigerator a few feet to the left so that it wasn't the first thing you saw when you walked in my front door. The second factor was that I found a steal on cabinets by purchasing a "model kitchen" from a business that was remodeling. The kitchen included cabinetry, hardware, the sink and faucet and granite countertops. My space was larger than the model, so before I purchased the cabinetry, I called the kitchen designer and asked if she could match the finish and add to the model. She thought she could, though if I'd bought a wood finish, it would have been a more difficult match than that with a paint finish. Buying my cabinets (also eco-friendly since its reuse of materials) in this manner probably saved me $15,000 to $20,000 dollars. I was unable to use the countertops, but now I have granite to use in a bathroom remodel at a later date.

Home Values Article

2009-08-12T14:05:00.001-07:00

I read this article today and thought it was an interesting one to share.

4 Signs Your Home Is About to Lose Value
by AnnaMaria Andriotis
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
provided by

Despite signs that the real estate market is bottoming out, millions of homeowners are likely to find themselves in worse shape within the next two years.

Nearly half of the nation's 52 million mortgage borrowers will have negative equity by the end of the first quarter of 2011, up from the 14 million at the end of this year's first quarter, according to estimates in an Aug. 5 report by Deutsche Bank. With so many borrowers underwater – or owing more on their home than it's worth – the risk is high that they'll default and their homes will go into foreclosure, says Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. (Moody's Economy.com estimates that 17.5 million mortgage borrowers will be underwater by early 2010.)

Individuals who are staying put for at least the next five to seven years will likely recoup the lost value of their home, says Amy Bohutinsky, a Zillow.com spokeswoman. In addition, homeowners should refrain from borrowing against their mortgage, she says.

Those who find themselves underwater can turn to the federal Making Home Affordable plan, which can help you refinance or do a loan modification.

Whether you're at risk for falling behind may have more to do with the economy and your neighborhood than your job, your credit or your income. Here are four warning signs that you're heading underwater.

1. Foreclosures in Your Neighborhood

The quickest way to end up underwater is to live in a neighborhood that's plagued by foreclosures.

When one home on your block goes into foreclosure, your home's value drops by 1%, Zandi says. But that isn't a one-to-one relationship. If two homes on a block go into foreclosure, your home's value will drop by more than 2%.
As homes go into foreclosure, they create a domino effect, lowering home values throughout a neighborhood in a cascade beyond homeowners' control.

2. Homes Lingering on the Market

When "For Sale" signs linger in a neighborhood for three or more months, that may mean buyers and sellers can't agree on a price. In that environment, homes are unlikely to sell unless the seller lowers their asking price.

"The time on the market is always a good barometer of demand for homes and for the price homes are transacting at," Zandi says. "The longer it appears that neighbors are taking to sell their home the more likely it is they're not getting the price they want and that prices are falling."

Compare the time it took for homes to sell in your neighborhood three years ago vs. today; if it's taking weeks or months longer to sell, the prices homes can fetch are dropping, Zandi says.

3. Increasing Unemployment

In most cases, the cities where homes have lost the most value during the past year also possess the highest unemployment rates.

Homes in Merced, Calif., have lost 40.2% of their value year-over-year, the biggest loss of home values in the nation, according to Zillow.com. The city's unemployment rate is the fifth-worst among 372 metropolitan areas at 17.6%, according to June data from the Labor Department. El Centro, Calif., where home values plunged 37.6% year-over-year (the second-biggest drop in the country), has the worst unemployment rate at 27.5%.

Individuals living in areas battered by high unemployment are likely to see their home values drop further, especially if they live in areas dependent on dwindling industries – like Central Valley, Calif., and the mortgage lending business or Detroit and the auto industry, Zandi says.

4. Homes in Disrepair

Dented siding, peeling paint and broken porches could be signs that neighbors are having trouble making ends meet and can no longer pay to take care of their home, Zandi says. Or they may have gotten an appraisal and discovered their homes have dropped in value and are no longer worth the cost of repairs. Inevitably, as the condition of homes in your neighborhood worsens, home values are likely to drop.

"The mere fact that they're not investing in their homes will affect you too," Zandi says.

What Underwater Borrowers Have in Common

Risky Mortgages

Some 77% of option-ARM borrowers and 50% of subprime mortgage borrowers were estimated to be underwater as of the first quarter of 2009, according to the Deutsche Bank report. With option-ARMs, borrowers could make minimum monthly payments that didn't even cover the loan's interest. As the market declined, these balances grew over time. With subprime mortgages, borrowers often had poor credit scores and little documentation of their financial situation. In both cases, borrowers often ended up with a large mortgage relative to the house's price.

Date of Purchase

Individuals who bought their home between 2003 and 2008 are at risk of being underwater because they bought while prices were rising, Zandi says. The risk is greater for those who bought between 2005 and 2006, as the market approached its peak.

Excessive Borrowing

Many individuals borrowed against their home when it appreciated in value during the bubble by taking out a second mortgage or tapping into a home equity line of credit or home equity loan. This borrowing left their home with less equity to weather the drop in home values.

Home's Location

The areas that have been hit the hardest by plunging home values include the "sand states" of Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada because they brought the most speculation, easy credit and overbuilding during the bubble, Zandi says. Also hurt: the states where unemployment is especially high and manufacturing jobs have been eliminated like Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, Zandi says.

Copyrighted, SmartMoney.com. All Rights Reserved.

The Wonder of a Garden

2009-08-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight, watering my plants after a summer of neglect in my garden, reminded me of why gardens can be so alluring. As we drove up to our home, a flower was in bloom that I forgot I had planted.

The butterfly plant, that is so unattractive without blooms that I've almost pulled it the last two summers, redeems itself when in flower.

I watered my hanging geraniums and found a neglected bird's nest.

Despite a weedy garden, I have the first buds of tomatoes growing. You can especially see the large tomato on the right, though the one on the left has several tomatoes growing.

Gardening, though not the easiest of pursuits, is very rewarding, not unlike the pride you have in watching your children grow and develop. The surprise and wonder at realizing I have a rhubarb plant or two apple trees, wondering how much they'll produce in a season.

The concern over the late blooming of roses, that suddenly burst into bloom. These plants are starting their second round of blooms.

The "Walmart special" impatiens I planted, that bloomed when I left them without care for a week.

The petunias I planted last summer that decided to bloom again this summer. Definitely a pleasant surprise.

I love the mystery of plants--its definitely not a science to me yet, as you can see by the number of weeds in my garden, but I refuse to give up. The possibilities are endless, and there's always next year if this year's garden didn't work out quite the way I planned!

Diary of a Home Remodel #1: The Family Room

2009-07-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

Since I bought my house with the intentions of remodeling it over time, I thought I'd share my experiences, both positive and negative of living through a remodel. Like many of you, expense is a big hindrance to home remodeling. We chose to do our family room, living room and dining room first because it was a less expensive start than to do the kitchen at the same time. In this post, I'll focus on the family room. In future posts, I'll document those projects I've finished and those I'm working on for the near future.

Family Room Before

Family Room After

The Problem: Our home was built in 1987, a typical stucco and stone structure, that had been finished in a contemporary style, with gray berber carpets and mauve and gray wallpaper, formica kitchen cabinets, and yellow oak flooring. A previous owner had tried to update with beige carpet and lemon yellow paint, on the walls and ceilings. I bought the house knowing I would remodel. I liked the floor plan and the kitchen had great space to work with for a future remodel, but I wanted to add more traditional country touches that I felt better accented the divided light windows, bay and dormer windows. The fireplace was a solid wall of rock, with no room for storage or for a home entertainment system. Plus, the look was dated.

My Wish List: I love the charm and homey feel of older homes. I wanted to give my family room the same cozy feeling by adding built-ins next to the fireplace and hardwood floors.

My Solutions: The first thing we did, before moving in was to paint. Paint makes a big difference in the look and feel of a room. I love color, so I knew I wanted to add color, but since I'd bought my house over the internet and only seen it twice (we were still living in Michigan), I wasn't even sure where walls stopped and started. Thankfully, I hired a good painter, who recommended painting all of my ceilings and trim pure white to accent the colors. For the family room, I chose Midas Gold by ACE Hardware paint, and Stone Hearth by Benjamin Moore.

I knew that I wanted walnut hardwood floors throughout the first floor of my home. We would have to rip the kitchen out to redo the yellow oak floors, which I could not afford when we started this project. Plus, I didn't want to do the floors, and then destroy them when we tore out the rock fireplace. That necessitated doing the fireplace project first, and then replacing the carpet with hardwood flooring. I chose knotty cherry with a natural finish and a black glaze for the cabinetry and mantel. My one mistake, since the cabinets where custom, was not accurately measuring my cable box. If I could do it again, I would make the bottom cabinets 3 or 4 inches deeper. I chose a faux stone for its price and ease of use. I had outlets put in both cabinets and on the mantel for home entertainment equipment and Christmas decorating. I also had the cabinet makers use a grooved back panel for the bookshelves to add texture and mimic the look of beadboard. I chose a firebox with a light switch, so that I could turn the fireplace on and off easily.

Yellow Oak Cabinetry Before

We removed a yellow oak wet bar and wine rack (I called it the water balloon sink) because we don't drink and it was never used. I figured it would be a great spot for a desk.

This picture looks to the kitchen from the fireplace. I made an office corner where the wet bar once stood. You can also see the division between the new walnut and old yellow oak flooring in the kitchen. It may have looked funny for awhile, but it made the most economic sense. Be sure to find contractors who will work with you and your budget constraints.

Since these photos, I have added other details in another remodeling project which I'll post at a later date. The total time for this project was about 3 weeks. The biggest hassle was moving all of our furniture to the garage and dealing with the dust from dry walling and sanding floors. My favorite things are the "flip of a switch" fire and all of the storage provided by the cabinets. Plus I have a mantel to hang my stockings by, that makes it all worth it!

Inexpensive Updates with Paint

2009-07-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Paint, whether latex or spray paint, is a great, inexpensive way to update your home. I have self-diagnosed myself with decorators ADHD, symptoms including the sporadic need to rearrange furniture and the uncontrollable desire to change pretty much anything I can physically move myself (or plot to change in the future with the help of professionals). That's why I've become a fan of "paint decorating." Paint projects are DIY and give the instant gratifications others like me crave. Here are a few examples of ways to update your home using paint.
Try painting your front door a fun color like red, blue or sage green. It will add lots of charm for very little expense. (I used left over paint from another project and would use gloss or semi-gloss in the future.)
Stripes, whether horizontal or vertical, can add style to a room lacking in architectural detail. *Helpful Hint: Use clear caulk after taping to prevent paint from running.
Try painting your walls a neutral color and adding a splash of color on the mantel. I chose this blue for a soothing effect, but I've also seen a rustic black finish that I loved! That may be my next project!
This chandelier was originally an 1980's brass that I spray painted antique white. *Helpful hint: Find somewhere to hang the chandelier, I slung mine over the garage door rail, to more easily paint the underside. Before painting, be sure to remove all light bulbs and place cottonballs in the openings to prevent paint from ruining the lighting.
This project was done by professionals, but was well worth the extra cost for the expertise. The original tile was in great condition, but an outdated brown. The tub, floor and wall tiles were all refinished in white. The finish can chip, so I wouldn't recommend doing the floors (I found out the hard way), but it was a less expensive fix than having the entire bathroom retiled.
Paint a focal wall a vibrant color. I also used a "fake" mantel to give this non-descript living room a focal point. *When using red paint, it may take more coats of paint to get the look you are after. I had one friend who painted 8 coats of red before she got the depth of color she had invisioned. This project has 2 coats, but after one coat, I had serious doubts. The second coat made a big difference.
I used acrylic craft paints and a stencil to create flowers over the corners of the doors (I wish I had a better picture, but you get the idea. Click on the photo to see larger image). This was a really simple project, aside from sore arms holding up the stencil, that added a fun touch to a plain, small girl's bedroom.

I have also painted furniture, such as outdated yellow pine barstools and a table and chairs, for a fun change. Be sure to prime before painting--the result is worth the extra time and expense. Happy Painting!