Changes Are A Comin'

Good Morning Everyone!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. It has been an interesting ride these last few months. I unintentionally took some time off to spend time with my family. I have realized that Brodie is growing up so fast, that I don't want to miss a moment. I also realized how much "mental" time I gave the blog. Always thinking about what to post next or constantly taking pictures in case I wanted to share them on the blog. I took a step back to enjoy the moments instead of just capture them on the camera and it has been wonderful.

On top of that, Greg has accepted a new job just East of Atlanta. This little mind of mine is now in hurricane season. He starts today. We have been frantically making plans and decisions on what to do. I will stay in Chattanooga until our house sells and he will come home on the weekends until then.

I have had a wonderful time in Chattanooga. This has been a great home. It is a bittersweet moment for me. Especially because that means selling our first home. The home that we made ours from the ground up, brought our little man home to, and started a real family life together. But I know that all the joy and love that it brought to us, it will bring to another family.

Without further ado, here is a link to our listing. If you know of anyone looking for a newer home that is move-in-ready, please pass our information along!

P.S. We have not officially put a sign in our yard yet. But any early birds are welcome to come 

 

www.86-Sawtooth.com

Powder Blues

A few weeks ago, a friend asked for help. Here is what she had and needed:

• She has a builder basic powder bathroom. Her floor tile, toilet, vanity, and sink are all in good shape. 
• She wants to add color and style in the room without going overboard.
• She has a budget of $500. 

Her biggest challenge was knowing what were the best things
 to change out to give her the most wow. 

Check my old post about fabulous powder rooms! 

Her Powder Bathroom:

Nothing wrong here, just boring. Needs a punch of color and style!

Challenge excepted! 

Tips for a In-Expensive Powder Bath Renovation

• Keep toilet and sink, if possible. Those tend to jump the price up if you are changing them. If you don't like the color of the vanity, paint it! 
• Unless the floor is damaged or hideous, don't change it! Most of the time, you can add a great rug that adds color and pattern to the room and will cover up most of the tile anyway!
• Go for punch! The wall that you see when you walk in the room should be where you put your focus for the redo! Make that wall be your statement!
• If you have brass fixtures, updating the faucet will completely transform and update the room. 

      S's Bath Budget

• Mirror         $ 125
• Rug            $ 100
• Paint          $  50   
• Art             $  50 
• Light          $ 100
• Accessories $   75

    Total               $500
 

Here's the design that I created for her to go by as she shops. 

Wall and Trim Color: 
$75 (extra because of the color- you need more coats 
of paint the darker the color.)
Emerald Green with A Soft Cream Ceiling Color.

Light Fixture: $75
This is a great light because it picks up the movement of the vanity, mirror, and rug while also picking up the straight lines of the sink bowl. 

 Mirror: $120
A mirror with some curves will match the vanity and 
add some movement to the square room.

4x6  Rug:$115

Art: CREATE YOUR OWN
Use children's artwork and frame like this. 

 

 Accessories:

Towel Ring: $34

Soap Dispenser $24

Waste Basket $36

Can't wait to see everything in place and for a grand total of:
$509. 
We went SLIGHTLY over budget because S added matting to her artwork- 
but it will be well worth it!



DIY TIPS

• Have a basic clipped mirror? For VERY Cheap (like less than $30) you can make a frame and paint it what ever color you want it!  Check out how Young House Love made theirs recently!

•  Have a basic cabinet? Two things to make it totally custom- 

1. Check out local granite shops. You can get remnants for very little money! They can cut the edges and sink hole for a small fee. You can even see what bowls they carry and get them to undermount the bowl for a completely up-to-date look. 
2. If you like the cabinet, but not the color you can paint or re-stain it. It's not as scary as it sounds. If you are unsure of your painting skills, check out youtube. There are plenty of videos on how to paint furniture (and walls for that matter!)

•  Art- I love personal things in a powder room. Have kids (or you can do it to) paint all over a piece of paper. Find your favorite view of the paper and cut it to size. Buy hanging picture frames and place your art in it. Hang it on the walls and you have a painting that is all about you and is completely custom (and cheap!)

•  Don't want to buy another vanity light? You can buy new globes for the lights at places like Home Depot and Lowes. For little money, you can get a new look and don't have to hire an electrician for it!

Thumped In the Forehead

This is not a design post. Sorry. This is something that has been 
weighing on me for a while and this past week I was given a revelation.
 I want to share with all the Moms out there. 
I know I'm not alone. 

Being a mom is the most wonderful thing that I have ever done. 

Is it hard? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. 

I remember my mom telling me that once you have a child, you are constantly thinking about them. I didn't understand that until now. I catch myself thinking about his little smile, 
his little prankster moves, the way he loves his books-- 
I could go on and on forever. 

I am also constantly thinking "Is he eating the healthiest foods, has he eaten enough/too much?", "Does he have enough diapers/wipes" "Is his runny nose a cold or just a product of daycare" "Does he get enough parent time"...you get the picture. 

I worry. 

I have never been a worrier before. This is a new characteristic 

brought on by motherhood. It keeps my mind spinning at night 

and going 5 directions at once during the day. 

My biggest worry for some time basically sums it all up:

"Am I being the Best Mama that I can Be? What Can I Do Better?"

This week at Bible study was one of those times where the Bible verses jumped off the page and dug deep into my heart. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. The discussion that followed thumped me on my forehead. While all of my worries are important, there is something much more pressing than that. 

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


Deuteronomy 4:9 
⁹ “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children— 

In God's Eyes, what makes a great mom? 

 To teach our Children to love him as we do.

How do you do that?

1. Lead By Example. If you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength, then his love will radiate from you. For example, on a person's wedding day- they are so happy and giddy that they glow. How great would it be to be so in love with God that we were always happy and giddy and glowing? 

2. Make it personal. Kids love superheroes. They love excitement. Let them know how God has been YOUR superhero and how he has worked in your life. 

3. Be open. Once your children see how much God is apart of your life, they will want to know more and more and more. They will begin to seek him as a friend and you can help guide them through their journey to Christ. Be open to questions and learning moments, they might come at the most unpredictable times but use them to teach the Glory of God to your children. 

 This was a great night for me. I feel so empowered with these ideas and am excited about sharing God with Brodie and our future children so that they can love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and strength.

Do you have any great verses that help you stay strong as a Mom? I would love for you to share them!

Have a design question?

Lately, I have had several friends ask for design advice.

 I will be posting a few of these questions in the coming weeks.

If you have any design questions, please email me at WBrockInteriors@gmail.com 
or Find me on Facebook at 
https://www.facebook.com/WBrockInteriors

and I will feature your question on an upcoming blog!

Drifting Away

Man at the rain! 

All this rain and flooding has me thinking about buying a boat and sailing away. I think I could survive on one of these gorgeous yachts. 

 

Could you?

A Horse of a Confession

Since we moved in our house, I admit that I have had art phobia. I don't know why. 

This past Christmas, we got a beautiful dining room table and chairs. This room is starting to come together and I love where it is going. I have an idea of what I want to do for art in there, but I can't find it.

I have the Goldilocks syndrome. This one is too SMALL. This one is too BIG. 

I haven't found the "JUST RIGHT" one yet. 

What am I looking for? 

HORSES!

I have decided that I want to commission someone to paint a horse similar to these photographs above. 

Here's What I Want:

-40 x 40 or so image- canvas or paper

-High contrast with little introduction of color. 

-Strong, masculine horse with beautiful mane.

If you know of anyone that could help me with this project, please let me know!

Have a great weekend!

And Moving Forward

This time of year always makes me a little sad. Taking down the Christmas decorations means the end of the year has come and gone. I begin to reminisce of the past year and what all has happened. This year has been a journey for me: emotionally, spiritually, professionally, etc... I feel like this year I have turned into a "grown-up" although I have been married and "old" for over 3 years now. 

One thing that helps me not get so down about the ending of a great year is to plan my goals for next year.

 I had planned to do a professional goals as well, but just haven't had that heart to heart with myself about where I want to go in 2013. 

I would love to hear your goals for 2013!

Looking Back...

As you know, I don't like to do New Years Resolutions, but goals for the year. I did not make too many goals for myself this year, but was able to check off alot of them.

2012 Goals

1. Apply, Study, and Pass the NCIDQ.

 I AM PROUD THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THIS IN ONE TRY!! SO BLESSED!!

2. Go On a Family Vacation

We were able to spend a glorious week at the beach with my family this summer.

3. Enjoy Being a Family. 

It was important to me to spend a lot of quality time with my two men and enjoy being a young family.

4. Complete At Least One Room in the House.

Although we made several improvements, not one room is "done". I  guess technically the laundry room and powder room are complete. But I am close to being finished with several other rooms and hope to accomplish that this year. 

5. Finish our Backyard.

 

We did get the yard sodded, but we are still needing to landscape. We put in a gravel patio that we are using for a fire pit area and I can't wait to get some nice chairs down there to enjoy by the fire!

6. Have Friends Over More

 

This one I feel that I didn't get to this year. Between studying for four months and having a young son, I just couldn't get it together in this category. This one is getting tagged for 2013!

7. Slow Down and Enjoy Life

Although I didn't slow down much this year, I do feel that I am finally getting the hang of being a working mom and still getting to enjoy family life. Now that we have a few big things under our belt, I hope to do this next year. 

8. Join a Sunday School Class

We have been going to a class since the Spring. We are really enjoying the fellowship and getting to know everyone in the class. We look forward to growing closer with everyone. (And maybe even work on #6)

9. Join a Bible Study

I hate to admit it, but I have not been in a Bible study in about 10 years and I knew it was time to get back into that! I joined a Women's Bible study at my church and really enjoyed it. 

10. Volunteer

I have always had a heart for service and volunteering, but have been so busy and mentally stretched thin, that I just couldn't make myself volunteer. Now that I feel that I am getting back on track and not so stressed all of the time, I look forward to having the opportunity to give back to the community.  

What goals did you make for yourself this past year that you achieved?

Laundry Room Update

On my To Do list, I initally wanted to paint the laundry room to give it some color.

Before

The past month, we have done a little work in there to make it more user-friendly and I have now decided that I like the crisp white walls.

DIY Pedestal

Great Storage for Shoes and Bottles Underneath Washer/Dryer

We Added Hanging Storage To The Other Side Of The Laundry Rooom

The washer/dryer, pedestals, countertops, and shelf are all white. If we were to do any type of color on the wall, it would be WAY to choppy for my tastes.

Although not what I had in mind, we have updated our laundry and I love how it works for us!

LAUNDRY ROOM TO DO
-Paint Walls (no longer doing)
-Add Rug
-Washer and Dryer Pedestals
-More storage

FINISHED!!!!

A Late Thanksgiving!

I have had this post written for a while now and just haven't gotten around to posting. After the happenings on Friday, I realize that all the little problems don't matter and the house will get clean when it gets clean. I would rather spend fun time with family and friends and enjoy the good things in life. 

Praying for all of those affected by this horrible act. Praying for Peace and Healing this Christmas Season.

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Hey All!

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving a few weeks ago. I was able to spend it at my family's farm with my whole family and it was great! I do miss them and hate only seeing them a few times a year (we live 5.5 hours from them).

Here's our little photo op of Brodie:

I didn't partake in the 25 days of Thankfulness although I have SO MUCH to be thankful for! Check out what I was thankful for last year, here.

Although a little late, here are a few things that I am thankful for:

1. A Merciful God who has watched over and protected us this past year. There are so many things that could have really brought me down, but knowing that He was there for me helped me get through the tough times!

2. My loving family that is supportive and generous. I hope to teach Brodie to have those same values.

3. My wonderful husband- I have put him through alot this year and he still manages to stick around,

hehe!

4. My adorable son! I don't know what I did without him. He melts my heart everyday and I didn't know that this kind of love existed!

5. Our amazing friends and neighbors- we are so lucky to have yall in our life!

6. My job- I love what I do and all that I work with!

7. My home that I get to come home to everyday.

8. Laughter- nothing is better than hearing that deep laugh of Brodie's when he is REALLY tickled about something!

9. My health- although it's been less than ideal this year, things are moving in the right direction and ready to get back on track!

10. Prayer. So many things this past year have been trying for us and many other people. Prayer is a wonderful thing- it is comforting, peaceful, and it works!

11. I am thankful for everyone that helped me as I studied for 4 months for the NCIDQ- between financially helping, babysitting on Saturdays so that I could study, a few days off of work to study, and the people who helped me study-- I am so thankful for the love, support, and understanding as I pushed through and took all three sections of the exam. Because of you, I got this in the mail today:

WAAA HOO! I passed! I am now a NCIDQ certified Interior Designer!!

Washer/Dryer Platform

We have had some busy elves in our house this week. (And lots of advil and baths for the short one)

If you remember in my TO DO list, I wanted a few upgrades in our laundry room: Washer and Dryer Pedestals.

Before:

Pedestals:

PROS

-Don't have to lean over to do laundry

-Storage drawer beneath

-Looks Nice

CONS

-EXPENSIVE (about $500 for the pair)

-What do you put in that drawer?

-Loose workspace on washer dryer tops

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So Greg and I decided to make a platform. 

Well, this really was Greg's project, but I gave him the inspiration. :)

Here's the process in pictures:

 

  

We love it! And for about $150, well worth the project!