My Softshell Jacket Lesson.

OK, so this will probably come as a shock to some of you, and for some, probably not so much, but here goes...I hate trends. Like you know, cutting edge, this seasons runway style, all the rage, kind of trends. That said, I wouldn't necessarily say I'm not trendy, but for the most part you will not see me sporting Lulu or Bench or whatever other brand name you can come up with. If a shirt or pant has a GIANT logo on the front, I generally do not buy it. 

I would say that 75% of my closet right now has come from a thirft store. No joke. And with my newest thrifty find, the MCC Thrift Store, its pretty rare I buy anything new these days. Lets tally up my current outfit for instance.

Shirt: $2.50 (MCC Thrift Shop)

Black tank: $0 (Old Navy)

Jeans: $0 (Old Navy)

And well, anything unmentionable, I can assure you is purchased new. And just to clarify, my Mom gave me a $100 Old Navy gift card earlier this year, hence why the tank and jeans were free. I stretched that bad boy like nobodies business. Although just to clarify, the black tank top cost me $2 (one of their Saturday morning door-crashers) and the Rockstar Jeans were originally $39.94, but I got them down to $19 with price adjustments.

But this softshell jacket phenomenon, I have been a fan since they started popping up on the sidewalks and in the malls. Of course, as trends emerge, I generally watch from the sidelines for quite awhile. I decide what I like, what I don't like, what works, what doesn't. When I finally get over my fear of being "trendy" I consider the purchase. 

I was at Costco earlier this week and stumbled upon the jacket pictured below, for $39.99. That's a pretty good deal. And let me clarify, Costco's clothing is great. Comparable to name brands, just as hip, lasts just as long. So I left it and figured I should think on it. By the next day I was convinced the time had come for me to enter the world of softshell jackets and went back to purchase it. It was literally exactly where I left it (mixed in with the mens softshells), which NEVER happens at Costco. It was jacket fate I'd say. But then I got it home and it just wasn't fitting right. Too much action on the midsection, a spot where no lady needs attention drawn to. Rob came home and wasn't giving it the two thumbs up. Not a good sign.

That same night I went over to the mall to check out the going out of business sale at SportMart. 30% off. Seems like it should be good right? I found another softshell, one that fit right, looked right, but the price wasn't right...30% off of $99.99. Um, lets be serious, I'm the lady who is wearing an outfit that cost $2.50! Not gonna happen.

To be honest, I loved it so much, I almost bought it right there, but decided to do my typical "think on it, before I buy it" test. I got home and was pondering the purchase when it occurred to me that I should just google the jacket name and see if anything cheaper comes up. Firefly Jain is the name. Well, it most certainly did! Turns out SportChek had the exact same jacket on for 50% off. Hello SportChek! So I phoned in, put the jacket on hold and picked it up the next day. I paid $45.53 (pre-tax). So that's $20 less than what SportMart was asking and only $6 more than the Costco schmeh jacket. AND the best part of all, I love it. Its a nice fit, its flattering and I feel like I got a good deal.

Of course this entire drama did require some serious gas mileage and returning and general nonsense, but in the end, I got a jacket I loved, for a price I could live with and I learned a very important lesson. When making a purchase of a bigger ticket item or major brand name item, do a quick google search to see if you can find it elsewhere or online for less.

Soft Shell Update...

So the story gets even better. This weekend the family was over at the mall checking out the SportMart Going Out of Business sale, looking for runners for the husband. Now my husband has had his current runners for probably 3-5 years. They have been well worn and certainly look it. And because they are "sooo comfortable," he insists on wearing them everywhere (much to my chagrin)! So we found a new pair, originally $69.99, which we paid $39! A great (and much-needed) bargain.

 The even better part about this shopping trip? Turns out my soft shell was sitting on the rack, still with that blasted $99.99 price tag. It finally occured to me to ask for a price check considering everything else in the store was on sale. Well, it turns out, it was on sale for $49.99, with an additional 40% off. This made the jacket $27.91! A whopping $17.62 less than what I paid over at SportChek!

Now, I get it, this seems like a lot of work considering I now need to return the other jacket, although the store is directly across the parking lot from my gym, and well, lets be serious, its $17.62! The most important part of the story, I snagged a really nice, originally $100 soft shell for under $30!

So the moral of all this, do your homework, price check, look at other stores (online is easiest, although sales may be different in store) and if it comes down to it, return something and buy it elsewhere if its cheaper. And for goodness sakes, get price adjustments when possible! Most stores offer them, 14 days afterward you can get the price adjusted, and stores like SportMart and SportChek offer 30 days for price adjustments. 

Favorite Thing #97: DIY Deodorant

I have been wanting to share my recipe for DIY deodorant for sometime, but the last batch I made lasted so darn long, I had to wait to post about it. And this is actually a good problem, having deodorant that lasts and lasts! 

So we have all heard about the evilness of store bought antiperspirants. Causes cancer and Alzheimer's who knows what other evils. Clogs your sweat glands. Then there's the antiperspirant vs. deodorant debate. And on and on it goes. This article on Good does a great job of explaining some of the concerning ingredients found in your typical antiperspirant. 

To be honest, I didn't give it much thought until about 2 years ago. It was around that time my doctor discovered a lump on the side of my breast. Long story short, turns out it was just a rogue lymph node, but it certainly got me thinking about what I was sticking on my underarms. I read about just rubbing on baking soda, which worked (surprisingly well), but I found my pits got irritated from the gritty texture, so I needed to find something a little gentler. I tried Toms for a few weeks, but found I sweated, a lot. Ick. What impressed me with the baking soda was how it not only neutralized the odor but it actually reduced my sweating to almost nil. So I was on the hunt for a recipe that utilized baking soda and ideally other ingredients I already had on hand. Thankfully, I stumbled upon this recipe by Dana Petersen Murphy on Suite 101.

I meant to make some yesterday, as my jar was bordering on empty, but Safeway's coconut oil just wasn't up to snuff (I mean who wants chunks in their coconut oil?). Yeah, me neither. So last night the husband stopped by Save On his way home from work and picked me up some coconut oil. Once he got home, I realized I was also fresh out of corn starch! Ack. That meant another trip to Safeway this morning. But once I had all the ingredients, it took me no more than 5 minutes to whip up a batch. Huzzah!

The recipe...

1/4 Cup of each of the following...

Corn Starch. Baking Soda. Coconut Oil.

Seriously. That's it.

You can also add some essential oil. I used Lavender. 3 drops.

Measure all three ingredients into a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are combined. 

 Next, pour the liquid into the container(s) of your choice. Allow the mixture to cool and solidify, either at room temperature or in the refridgerator.

I ended up with a 1/2 Cup of deodorant. So the whopping grand total to make what I estimate to be 6 months worth of deodorant? And lets just be clear, I did more math in the last 10 minutes than I've probably done in the last 10 years. Phew! My brain is a little tired...

1/4 C. Baking Soda: 33¢

1/4 C. Corn Starch: 18¢

1/4 C. Coconut Oil: $1.14

3 Drops Lavender Essential Oil: 9¢

Grand Total: $1.74

A few tips on using this DIY deodorant:

- Use your fingertip to apply to underarms. 

- It will need to be reapplied daily (if you don't shower every day, wash before you reapply)

- In hot temperatures, keep it in the fridge or in a cool place (it will melt)

- If it does melt, make sure to mix it up as the corn starch and baking soda will settle at the bottom

- Right after application, you will notice white marks, but like any antiperspirant/deodorant it will disappear within a few minutes 

*One caution is the possibility of staining from the coconut oil. I have only noticed this in the summer months, so I have come to the conclusion that the mixture is separating from the heat and you end up putting on more oil than corn starch and baking soda. As such, I would recommend a good mixing before application. 

There you have it. An affordable, effective and natural deodorant alternative!

 

Favorite Thing #23: This Woman

My blog has been silent recently. I know this. It seems like when life gets full, this is one of the first things to get pushed aside. Which is probably a good thing. I can't imagine it would be socially acceptable to stuff one of my children in a closet and deal with them later. Its the end of semester, there are class Christmas parties, there are work Christmas parties, Christmas shopping to be done, birthdays, birthday parties to be planned. Phew. 

And then in the midst of all that, my Grandma passed away. At that point I wanted everything to come to a grinding halt. I needed time to process, to cry, to come to the realization that this was in fact "real." To be honest, I am still struggling to do all of those things.

I have to say though, having children at times like these forces you to keep up with reality. The world does not stop. I got the call at 2:30pm, and had to leave to pick Abbi up from school 15 minutes later. There was just no time to break down. No real time to cry. And I honestly think, in some ways, that's a good thing. Not in the sense that you don't have to deal with it, but in that you can't just curl up and forget about life.

 So in recent days, I have been dreading this blog post honestly. Unsure of what to say, what words could honor all that my Grandma brought to my life. To be honest, there aren't enough words and there isn't enough time. There are so many wonderful memories. Both of my Grandparents really invested in my life. They set a pretty high Grandparent standard that many well-intentioned Grandparents would never be able to live up to. For that I am grateful.

Since moving to Alberta we saw my Grandma less, but every time we zipped through the lower mainland on our way to the ferry terminal, we always made a point to stop in and say hello. Sometimes it felt a bit rushed and hectic, but it was always worth it. On our last trip through this summer, we had the ferry to catch and we had been driving for 7 hours. But she really wanted us to stay for dinner. Rob and I exchanged looks and even though we had said we wouldn't stay (before we even arrived), there was just something there that we could not deny, we had to. I am so glad we did. That was the last time we saw her and she so thrilled to be able to bring her Albertan Grandkids and Great-Grandkids down to the dining room.

Now most of you don't know my Grandma, but in the picture below her face is filled with sheer joy. She was thrilled. So happy in fact, we could barely get her to look at the camera, she was so happy to see us. I will cherish this photo. Such a precious moment.

I love the picture below of Abbi and my Grandma. I love mischevious looks on their faces. They are probably the two sassiest girls in our family (other than me of course). My Grandma always spoke her mind. I grew up watching a woman who had an independent mind, always had an opinion and certainly wasn't afraid to voice it. She never beat around the bush and we all loved her for it.

One thing I have always loved about my Grandma is how well put together she was. As long as I knew her, she was a sight to behold. She was always fashionably dressed, put make-up on every morning, had her hair done weekly (and has always insisted its blonde...not gray) and was always adorned with beautiful jewels. One such necklace was a gold nugget on a long gold chain. As a child I remember sitting on her lap and twisting the nugget. Eventually of course, this would get right up to her neck and she'd jokingly cough and sputter and tell me to cut that out. Then I would let it loosen and do it all over again. So this picture below is incredibly precious to me. Seeing my daughter just as fascinated with GG's jewels.

 

 My Grandma always loved kids, and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She never got too old to play with them or talk to them or joke with them. One of her classic lines was "I hate kids that cry!" Seems harsh, but it certainly was motivation to stop my whining or my crying. So I used to test her, "Grandma, what if I fell off that mountain, could I cry then?" No! "Grandma, what if I got squashed by a truck, could I cry then?" No! Of course this was a silly game we played and in reality she was very loving, but she certainly had low tolerance for whiny kids (which funny enough, so do I). I am so grateful that my children knew her. 

 

  For as long as I can remember, my Grandparents owned dogs, dachshund's to be exact. The first was Sam (although I called him Ma'am for many years because I was so young). Then along came Maxi. Our family somehow stumbled across our own wiener dog somewhere in there, his name was Tim. So Tim and Maxi were the best of friends and the most spoiled of dachshunds. They slept in beds, they regularly got human food as a treat, went EVERYWHERE the humans went and were well-loved. I think my love of animals probably originates from these memories. 

As long as I can remember, my Grandparents had a motorhome and most of my summers were spent traveling around with them. We went all over. For many years they had a lot in a RV park in Sumas, Washington. We went to Disneyland one summer. One year we went to Lethbridge. Not long after we arrived in Lethbridge, my Dad had to return to the Island for work, so he was going to drive home, but I could have stayed on for the rest of the trip with my Grandparents who were heading to Regina. But in typical Grade 9 angst, I wanted to return home to see my boyfriend. I know that no one could have spoken sense into my stubborn 14 year old self, but how I wish I would have stayed. That would have meant two weeks of just me and them. Probably seemed terribly lame to me at the time, but what I would give now to have that time. 

My Grandparents were certainly creatures of habit. Every morning they drank their coffee and played a few games of cards. They always played for money and every time I visited their home I happily tallied up their money jars to see who had more money. It was almost always my Grandma. When they went to Reno she always walked out of the casino with more money that anyone else. She was lucky. I am lucky. My family says I must have gotten her luck. I was probably 9 or 10 when we were down in the US somewhere and they had a pull tab machine right on the side of the table (instead of condiments they had pull tabs...classic). I remember I pull-tabbed my way through an entire evening and my Grandparents were more than happy to keep filling the machine with all their American change.

I just finished up our family Christmas letter and got it in the mail this morning. Erasing my Grandma's name from our address book was probably the most difficult of adjustments for me. I'm not sure when this even started, but I wrote her little letters. Whenever I was in a thrift shop, I would keep my eye out for a few sheets of cute little stationary. Not much, but enough to say what was going on with our family and a quick hello. So I looked up her address sometimes monthly. She has always told me I have a knack for writing and would always make a point to tell me how much she loved my letters. For a long time I would get a little note from her in the mail a week or so later, but as she aged, her writing got harder and harder to read. Even though I could still read it, she seemed self conscious about this so I said I would keep writing but she didn't have to if she didn't want to. I honestly cannot remember when I wrote my last letter but I had been planning to send off some pictures of the kids and had just found some new stationary a few weeks ago. Costco's photo centres photo processing was delayed and I picked up the pictures maybe two days before she died (it took 11 days from the time I ordered). That was sad for me. Knowing that she would never seen the kids at their first fundraising run. Or that she never got to see our family photo this year. I know she would have loved all of these things and I would have gotten a phone call the very same day they arrived and she would tell me as such.

There is so much more I could write, but I must stop. Her death is still very emotional for me, and perhaps it should be since it was only two weeks ago today that she died. Ultimately, I am grateful that she knew just how much I loved her. I am grateful that I wrote her letters. And I am just so grateful that I made the effort to stop in and see her. It was never forced or done out of duty, but out of sheer love and devotion to a woman I so admired. 

My Grandma. Always in my heart.

Favorite Thing #99: Labradoodles.

About two years ago now, if not more, Rob and I were on a date and we went to the Century Park Starbucks here in Edmonton. There used to be a uber hip and trendy yoga clothing store beside it. Like cool before lulu was cool kind of thing. As we walked up, so did the owner of the store and this GORGEOUS dog. I had never seen such a lovely looking dog in my life. So Rob and I walked over and asked her about her dog. 

It was a chocolate Labradoodle with green eyes. I was officially in love. And I offcially wanted one of my own.

 

Photo Credit: Wikipedia.

Prior to this fated meeting, I really hadn't heard of, or seen a Labradoodle. I would say their rise to dog fame has really occurred in the last 5 years or so. Prior to this they were generally unknown or at least not in such high demand. 

A few things I love about Labradoodles...

#1 (And perhaps the biggest selling feature in my opinion) They are generally non-shedding and hypoallergenic. Meaning no dog hair all over my house, no major doggy odor and my friends with allergies wouldn't have to disown me for getting a dog. Seriously genius.

#2. That shaggy, curly coat. Obviously you can have them groomed whichever way you like, but I love the shaggy curly look.

#3. They are smart dogs. Mix a lab and a poodle and you get one smart dog. I like smart dogs.

#4. They are generally family-friendly dogs. 

They come in a variety of colors, ranging from chocolate to apricot to red to chalk (and many more). Adorable non?

  Photo Credit: Wikipedia.

The major downside to these dogs? The price. Most Labradoodles from a breeder range from $1500 to $2500. Gack! For a dog! Hence why I have not owned a Labradoodle. How could I justify spending that amount on a dog when that amount could equate to a decent work car for Rob, or two months of mortgage payments?  

But... the most miraculous of things happened last Thursday. Since we have returned from the Island we have been discussing adding a dog to life at Nepper's Landing. It has something we have been tossing around for awhile and recently decided it was time. I was looking around at shelters and online. I wasn't prepared to spend a lot, and ideally I wanted to find a good dog that needed a home for whatever reason.

So on Thursday morning, I dropped Gabe off at preschool and headed off to my local Starbucks (actually, where all of this began funny enough). I sat down to enjoy my Sumatra and Pumpkin Scone and decided to scroll through kijiji. And voila, there it was, an ad that read, "Golden Labradoodle to a good home." I nearly spat out of my coffee, I couldn't believe it! I checked the ad views and it was only at 2 people (this is a good way to tell how old the ad is). So I typed out my reply as fast as my little fingers could go. And within 20 minutes I received a phone call from the owners offering to drop her off at our house within hours!

At this point I started freaking out. Oh right, and I had to tell my husband we would be dog owners within a matter of hours (good thing he was on board prior to all of this anyway). It was something we had talked about for so long, but it was actually happening. I waited to tell the kids only because you just never know with kijiji sometimes. So they literally didn't find out until she was at our door. And what a surprise that was!

So here she is, my very own,  super cute and super friendly Labradoodle!

 

 I am in love. So is she apparently. She's quite attached to me, already. Like we're pretty much Siamese twins at this point. Understandably so I suppose, considering her family of 5 years just dropped her off on our doorstep and drove away (they were moving out of Province and could not bring her along). Hopefully with time and training this improves, but so far she loses it when I leave the house. Sorry neighbors!

She is a sweet girl. She is great with the kids. They are having a hoot having a dog around. Even though she's 5, there is still a lot of puppy love. She walks around with her tongue hanging out (the side usually), wagging her tail, and follows us everywhere. She has a lovely personality. We've taken her out a few times with a frisbee or a ball to a local ice rink (obviuosly with no ice yet). Its the perfect off-leash park. She will need plenty of exercise, which is great because I need a running/walking buddy. 

So the lesson of the day? Great things begin at Starbucks! 

(And Labradoodles are super fantastic. Especially free ones).

Favorite Thing #86: All Things Pumpkin.

I am always amazed at how the change of seasons inspires things that I barely have to think about. They just seem to come naturally. As if they were innate. 

I begin to look for cozy sweaters.

I notice that my kettle is boiling more throughout the day (I usually have a cup of tea in the afternoon and one in the evening. Peppermint is my current fave). 

My scarf collection is unearthed from its bin.  As are my toques. And mittens.

I notice I bake more with my kids. Something about Fall makes me want to bake. 

I make soups and stews, A LOT. 

And all of a sudden, I find I am again drawn to one of my favorite things. Pumpkins!

This of course starts with Starbucks releasing their Pumpkin Spice Latte. For Starbucks lovers this is an important day of the year. Probably up there with Victoria Day or President's Day in the US. Apparently there is a shortage of the pumpkin spice syrup this year in Canada. I have personally not experienced this, but it seems every year, more and more people get on the PSL train. My new PSL revelation? Ask for it stirred. The syrup is so thick, the typical espresso shot swirl isn't enough to fully mix the syrup in. So ask for it stirred. Seriously. 

 This little cartoon was all over facebook this year. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who uses Starbucks drinks to determine the time of year.

Source: http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi1kZDAyMzU5OTE2ZDlkZjNk

So if you'll remember, last year I roasted up Archie (almost to the day actually!) and froze a bunch of pumpkin puree. I still have about 3 ziplocs left. Which I'd say is just about perfect considering the price of pumpkins is plummeting. Soon enough I will purchase Archie 2 and have enough pumpkiny goodness to last me another year. 

One of my first pumpkin recipes of the Fall was a roaring success. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I got it over at My Blessed Life. Beyond delicious.

Before you start, make sure to brew yourself a piping hot cup of coffee! Yum. 

 

 You may also want to consider recruiting a cute overall-clad helper. This boy loves to bake with his Mama! (Preferably recruit your own child. Picking up a random child off the road may ruin the experience, you know, jail time and all). 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes: 3 dozen cookies.

Prep Time: 15 minutes.

Oven: 350°

Ingredients:

2 C. Flour

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

3/4 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1/2 C. Butter, softened

1 Egg, beaten

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1/2 C. Canned Pumpkin

1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine first four ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin; beat well.

 3. Gradually mix in flour mixture on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips.

 4. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.

5. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on wire racks and stire in an airtight container.

 *Hollys Tips. Yes, there are always some...

I am trying to be more conscious about my sugar intake. Some woudl argue chocolate chip cookies is not the place to do this. I disagree. No way does anyone need 1.5 cups of sugar. So I used half of that. Tasted perfectly fine to me (and my kdis, and my husband, and my neighbors).

I now only use unsalted butter. I'm also trying to reduce salt intake.

Instead of canned pumpkin, you guessed it, I used my own pumpkin puree. Probably not as rich of a taste or color as canned, but still just enough to add a hint of pumpkin (plus it cost considerably less than canned pumpkin). 

 Next time, I would consider making up my own pumpkin spice to add to this recipe.

I made my cookies a bit smaller than the recommended tablespoons so that they would strech further.   

Once they are baked, find a quiet corner, or a noisy one, depending on your preference, and enjoy these cookies with your piping hot cup of coffee. Fall afternoon bliss.

It all started with...(Part II)

Alright, I assume if you've made it to Part II, you suffered your way through Part I. I salute you. Its no easy task spending a day in my head. Let alone 30 years! One friend said she had vertigo after reading my last post. Come now, is it really that bad? OK, I realize I am a bit neurotic, I don't deny that, but at least I'm neurotic in my decently organized home. One of my most favoritest things in the world is finding a functional home for something. Almost better than Chocolate Chip Mint ice cream...almost.

So if you will remember, we left off with the IKEA GORM shelving unit. These are great (and cheap), but they are only useful for big oversized items. Hm, what excess of big, oversized items do we have in our basement? Tools of course! My husband has a spectacular assortment of tools. I know, I know, he's a carpenter, but seriously, it boggles the mind how one could need so many different tools. That said, those tools have finished my basement, built closet organizers, swapped the tires on our vehciles, etc, etc. So I try not to complain about the tools (too much), but I also need them to be stored in an orderly manner.

(E). So with this newly emptied GORM unit I was able to get all of his tools off of the floor. This is exciting news. While I was away on the Island, he sold his big red tool box and replaced it with a Fat Max rolling tool box (easier to take to jobs) and two Rubbermaids. I actually think they are perfect tool-room storage. But there was still the issue of wasted space (height-wise). So with some ingenious swapping, moving and plenty of grunting (on my part, those suckers are heavy), I got everything in its place and it looks much better. 

 

If you'll notice that storage unit to the left, it is vintage IKEA. My cousin gave it to us probably about a year ago now. She said she bought it 20 years ago. First of all, I love that in big cities like Edmotnon, IKEA even existed 20 years ago (I probably only heard of it in the last decade), that it is an still incredibly well-built piece that is functional and intuitive, AND that she's kept it in such good condition! Oh...and that she gave it to me. I say who needs friends with benefits when you've got family with storage units. OK, so I don't really say that, but anything storage related makes me pretty happy. 

 

So this beloved cousin of mine is moving out West in a few months and needed to do more purging and in the process gifted me with 3 more IKEA storage units! And yes, she's at the top of the favorite cousin list right now.

(F). So these new-to-me IKEA storage units meant that my side of the craft room could finally get some organizational love. And yes, the room is most definitely divided into his and hers. We're cool like that. No blurring the gender lines around here. 

 

I recognize its not the prettiest craft room with its concrete walls and plastic insulated walls. Martha Stewart won't be popping by anytime soon. BUT, it is organized, and that makes me happy enough for now. Although "finish the craft/tool" room is on the to-do list. My to-do list anyway. 

So I look the three cabinets and stacked them on top of each other. This makes the best use of the height and our msucles (that sucker is HEAVY!). The white cabinet was part of the bedroom set that I bought for Abbi a few years ago (a whopping $20 for a MALM bed,two dressers and this cabinet). Also old IKEA. Also in fantastic condition. Score.

- White cabinet. Now holds all of my fabric. Meaning I have an empty Rubbermaid bin, and I can now actually see all of my pretty fabric in one glance. Fabric love. 

- Our painting supples were previously stored like this. Ugly x10.

 

- Bottom Cabinet. Now holds pretty much all of our painting supplies. One might say I have A LOT of paint (eg. my husband), but I like to say that I have a lot of options. The middle cabinet holds any extra painting supplies and I think we will move the husband's drywalling tools into the empty side. You just never know when you might need to patch a hole, move a painting, or a curtain rod. Life is just too uncertain to not have drywall tools easily accessible.

Next we move to the large storage unit. This isn't as pretty as I would like, but it is currently housing A LOT of stuff. 

- Because I was able to move all of the paint into the cabinet, the paint bin was now empty so I decided to use it for some of my kijiji items. You should know, I sell A LOT of stuff on kijiji. Like I probably have, on average, 20 items for sale at any given time. Its a little crazy, I know, but its such an easy way to make a little extra cash. So the bottom two shelves are devoted to kijiji items. This gives them a place to go and ensures that my sewing table doesn't have to look like this anymore...

Now I have my happy little kijiji shelves. 

 

 - I love that this shelving unit has two drawers. Genius. This meant that my 4 junk drawers in my overflowing rolling storage unit could now be condensed. And did I mention that I love having all my lightbulbs in a drawer? I know, I am a bit neurotic, but did you know that all of the CFL bulbs have a warranty and if they burn out before that time, you just mail in a copy of your receipt and the UPC and they send you a new bulb? Its genuis. Since our initial lightbulb purchase back in 2008, I haven't had to buy a single light bulb. But I digress...

- Next is my scrapbooking shelf. I don't really scrapbook. I have scrapbooks. I have paper. I have pictures. But have I ever actually done it? No. I get invites, a lot, to parties, but it has yet to peak my interest. So in the meantime, I have all my supplies on a pretty little shelf. The day will come, I just know it. 

- Next is my sewing/beading shelf. It now houses my sewing machine and all my sewing goodies. Of course some cute baskets were required, so I had to do some rearranging to make this happen. 

- Next shelf, also required cute baskets. I had scored these at Zellers a few years ago now. They housed my tea towels upstairs (which are now in the 9-drawer dresser), so this empty basket came downstairs. The other one is still housing kids bike helmets and skates, although I want some hooks in the recycling closet for these items, as this is where the kids bikes will go for the winter. 

The other basket houses all the gifts I have squirreled away over the course of the year. Some for birthday parties. Some for Christmas. And some just because. When I see a good deal, I generally make a point to stock up, especially for kids birthday parties. If you'll note, this is near the top shelf to keep it away from little Nepper children's eyes. Gabe spotted a Lightning McQueen Christmas ornament (meant for him), and hasn't stopped talking about it for like 2 days. Sigh. 

- The top shelf has a baby bassinet. A kijiji item. Seriously people. These things cost $59 brand new and I am asking $15. No bites. No idea why. Because I am an opportunist, I saw this at a garage sale for $3 (also a shockingly low price), so even if I sell it for $10, I made a fairly rockin' profit. 

On the other side are two bins. One houses all of my gift bags. I have an impressive collection, ranging from baby showers, to weddings, to birthdays, to you forgot this at my house and I want to give it back to you in a pretty bag. You just never know what you might need a bag for.

The other bin houses all of my tissue, gift wrap and bubble wrap. Also on the top shelf as it seems my children are magnetically drawn to bubble wrap. No matter how many times I try to explain that the popping renders it useless, I still catch them pop pop popping it.   

- So I am left with this sad little corner. Two basically empty storage units and my gift wrap container. So I'm not sure how to break it to the husband yet, but I'm thinking the white cabinet will actually go here and we will hang two shelves that he picked up from a worksite a few years ago. They can house ribbons and other sorts of cuteness. I may keep one storage unit, but they honestly don't hold much other than phone books and large mailing envelopes. Oh, plus all those momentos that I plan to scrapbook one day...

(G). So this leads me to my last and final major project. A new couch. This probably has nothing to do with the $5 chair upstairs, but it all just seemed to domino from that point. I have been looking for a hide-a-bed sectional for our basement since we finished it, back in 2010. I wanted seating, but also something that could double as a guest bed. These go on sale for $1099, but I picked this up for $500 off of kijiji. Plus, Rob and his (way-too-kind) friend helped move it in, so delivery was free (minus the nachos and beer I paid them with).

The stars finally aligned and I got my sofabed sectional...

I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

They are in excellent condition. They are brown microseude. And they are most definitely man cave couches. They have two Lazy Boys. Two of the chairs massage you while you watch TV. The armrests lift up to reveal cup holders and TV remote storage. And finally, if that wasn't enough...you can actually connect your phone line to the centre chair's armrest and answer your phone. Um...seriously? The only thing missing is a beer fridge (but don't mention that part to my husband, he doesn't need any more ideas).

- So we had to move our TV, which looks a bit awkward and may mean we eventually have to get a new stand, but it works for now. That wall still needs to be finished, but heck...I have a relatively finsihed basement. Yippee!

- This also meant that the futon can go (still waiting for someone to pick that sucker up off of kijiji) and that our green couch had to be cut in half to get it out. But who really cares? I have a nice sofabed sectional AND...a fairly organized house. 

- I do need to come up with something for the walls for this room, which has remained artless until we had the couch that we were sticking with. You get a bit sensitive about putting holes in walls when it was you who helped put them up and mudded and sanded, and mudded, and sanded. 

- This organization spree has also led to a major reorganization in our bedroom but that one won't be done for awhile yet. Pretty sure that one will have to wait awhile unil the husband recovers.

Rough estimate of the cost of this ridiculously, time-consuming, yet surprisingly satisfying, overhauul of my home...

$593.49

Phew. I'm exhausted. Anyone else?

 

It all started with...(Part I)

A chair. This chair to be exact. This $5 dollar chair, to be even more exact.

Yes, this chair cost me $5. It is my best find. Ever. There are a few things you need to know about this chair.  First thing...it matches the brown pleather couches that are already in our living room.

Second thing...its actually in better condition than any of our brown pleather. And the third thing...seriously people, it was $5.

 So what did a  $5 chair start you ask? What follows is a little glimpse into the mind of Miss Nepper herself. Prepare yourself. After the shocking tale that is about to follow, you should do two things:

Thing #1. Say a prayer for my poor husband.

Thing #2. Know that I am by no means done. It never, ever ends.

So the last two weeks at Nepper's Landing have gone a little something like this...

(A). This new $5 chair led to a major living room reorganization. It took us an entire weekend to figure out an arrangement we could both agree on. We finally got it. Which led to...

- My previous centred wall art no longer works due to the off-centered arrangement of the furniture, meaning I need something new. In the last few weeks, I have found a total of 3 burlap sacks which I am thinking I will frame and centre on the wall. Now I need to find three similar sized frames to use for this.

 - This also meant we no longer need our side tables. A. Because they do not fit. B. Because I never really liked them in this room anyway. So I put them up on kijiji and sold them both for $25. Cha-ching.

- This new piece of furniture also inspires me to have more pillows (I love pillows), which means I need to make new cushion covers. I got two of these covers for 25¢ each. I love, love, love the fabric. Now I just need to make them smaller for the two pillows I have.  

 

(B). Next, while at my new MCC thrift store two weeks ago, I stumbled across this 9-drawer dresser. Something I have been wanting for my living room for since forever. And, because I had a 50% off coupon, this piece cost me $17.50. Sure, its rough around the edges, a bit bumped up and missing a lot of hardware, but it has fantastic lines. And until I find the time in my life to treat it to a new paint job, it shall be considered shabby chic. So this new dresser led to...

 

- The removal of a a mini-bookcase from our living room (which housed all the kids craftt items). This mini bookcase is now located in Gabe's closet. This meant that all the kid's craft items were moved into the dresser. There are drawers for coloring, coloring books, puzzles and PlayDoh/painting items. Of course one can't just simply these items in a drawer, they need to be in cute little bins. Thus, a trip to IKEA was required.

- This also meant that all my washcloths and tea towels can fit in the centre drawers, so that emptied the basket that was in the cupboard under my china cabinet. Now I had an empty cupboard as well as an empty basket. 

- This empty cupboard meant that our additional kitchen gadgets could move out of the basement pantry and come upstairs (eg. Crock Pot and food processor). This also made me realize we have two juicers, and I only use one, so I will sell the gray one on kijiji for $20.

 

- The drawer space in the 9-drawer dresser for PlayDoh meant that I could now remove the fabric bin from the top of my fridge, which previously housed PlayDoh. Which means more room for cereal boxes and less clutter on top of my fridge and an empty fabric bin.

 

- The top of the 9-drawer dresser was able to house a lot of my decor items that have been stuck in a bin in our under-stair storage for years. 

- The removal of extra drywall pieces that were sitting on the wall where the 9-drawer dresser now sits (see below). The husband jokingly called it abstract art. Hilarious. Not. 

(C). Over a month ago now, I got two IKEA Billy bookcases through a friend of a friend. $25 each. Half of the price that you would pay to get them new at IKEA. They had been sitting in an unfortunate state. No design. Just a jumble of junk on shelves. So when I opened up my decor items bin for the top of the dresser (see above), I was inspired to actually make these bookcases presentable. This led to...

- The genuis idea that we should move the books from our bedroom bookcase to the bookcases downstairs. Beyond housing books, its main job was to collect dust. Our book collection was rarely noticed, let alone perused. So in a three-story townhouse this led to a lot of trips up and down the stairs. And I'd like to think a lot of calories burned! This also led to a great book purge.

- Next I was able to empty the home decor items bin as everything pretty much fit on the shelves, so that means I now have an empty Rubbermaid bin. I decided to alternate books and pretty. I am too utilitarian to devote an entire bookcase to decor, but I figure if I did half and half it would be easier on the eyes. Which it is. See picture below.

 

- I now had an empty bookcase (from our bedroom).

(D). While our pantry was somewhat functional in that it held extra or oversized food items, it wasn't the most efficient storage. We had a big IKEA GORM shelving unit in there which wasn't the best use of space for small items like cans and jars. Plus, thanks to the newfound space in my china cabinet upstairs, I had an empty  shelf on my IKEA shelving unit (because the Crock Pot and food processor went upstairs). This led to...

- The realization that this now-empty bookcase would be far more suitable for smaller items like cans and jars and would fit quite nicely in our pantry. See picture below.

- This meant the drywall that had been sitting on the wall where the 9-drawer dresser now sits had a place to go. So the husband hung up the extra drywall pieces in the pantry. It isn't finished, but heck, it has walls.

- These makeshift walls now mean that we can finally hang the 6 shelves that I picked up at a garage sale two years ago for any additional food items. 

- That we finally had to move the boxspring that had been hiding behind the IKEA shelf in our pantry for years. This was put on Abbi's bed to add support and make it a little higher off the ground. (Note Abbi's new IKEA duvet cover. I love it and think its so fun for a little girl's room. $12.99 at Value Village).

- The pantry now having walls made the room feel a bit smaller and we no longer had the IKEA unit to store the paper recycling bin, so that got moved to the closet beside, which now makes so much more sense. Now we have bottles and paper recycling side by side. Eco friendly heaven. Though I am thinking we need a small shelving unit here so we could have two recycle bins.

- This empty GORM unit led to...

OK, OK, I will stop there for the day. If you are not a multi-tasker, I'm sure your brain is fried just from reading this. Reading it all out now, well, I think I may just be half-crazy, but well, in some small way, it does demonstrate that there is a method to my madness.

Part II to come...