Val Says-- "Bring it Irene."

instagram photo

Maybe you haven't heard?  There's a hurricane coming to the NYC metro.  And OHMYGOSH IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD.  Well...according to the news around here, it is.  If you ask me..oh you didn't?  Well, I'll tell you anyway...everyone's (ok...fine...the people interviewed on the news) being a bit overdramatic.  I mean...I'm sure it will be dangerous.  But, come on now...it's not like hurricanes have NEVER hit the United States before.  Let's maybe calm down a bit and remember that OTHER people in OTHER parts of the country have been through and survived very destructive hurricanes/natural disasters. 

It'll be ok.  Just use your noggin' and be safe.  And maybe get some extra water and flashlights and whatnot...and maybe stay indoors.  

Val's ready...she already found higher ground.

Have a safe and hopefully hurricane free weekend!

Simple (for Simon) Table Makeover!

A while back, I got my sweetie to help me build my first project in the apartment (I wasn't quite sure how I would be able to maneuver all the tools & whatnot in the lil' apartment, so I made him show/help me before he flew south for the winter).  The project was a new table.  We were using our Florida patio table at the time.  As seen here:

I LOVE that table...for a patio.  It just didn't work in our apartment.  I feel like you're thinking--"WELL, Kelly, NO table would work in that gigantic mess...I'm calling the show Hoarders and they'll take care of all that for you."  I assure you...even when the mess was removed, the table didn't work.  It was too large and round and just didn't work.  So, I lurked around on the internet machine and found Ana White's site and these plans for a Square Modern Farmhouse Table and this is what Me & E ended up with:

Let's MacGyver a Drum Shade

I got a brand new drum shade...and broke it.

For awesome.  I decided I wanted to change the light fixture in the bedroom...so I picked up a non-excitiing plain white drum shade...and proceeded to break it.  I guess technically, I could have made up a story about how it was broken when I bought it, and taken it back to the store...but I was the one who broke it...so, you know.  Plus, I didn't feel like driving all the way back to the store.

Buuuuuut, I really wanted something other than those paper lanterns that were hanging above the bed.  Hmmmmm.  I thought maybe I could fix the broken shade, but that didn't work out.  Then I came up with the brilliant idea of MacGyvering something out of the parts and whatever else I could find.

What did I find, you ask? 

Fun Times in NJ



Summit Diner

Me & E went out to eat the other night (we had the best time...E was pickin' on me because my new i-phone is TOO smart for me).  It was kinda, sorta a date.  I say kinda, sorta, because we're not married...so any time we "go out," it's like we're on  at date.  Or, as E likes to tell me, "Our LIFE is a date."  I like to remind him that we only have about 6 months to go before we're Common Lawed Married (if that's even recognized anymore), but whatev...to each his own.

Anyway, we went out for supper at one of our FAVORITE spots in Summit...the Summit Diner.  It's an old train car.  And it's been run/owned by a Greek family FOREVER. 



Inside of the Summit Diner

It's kind of a dive (just my style), but don't let that fool you.  They have THE. MOST. GLORIOUS. HOMEMADE. FOOD.

some of our food

I heart the Summit Diner.  The food reminds me of Skelly (the old Truckstop in Ellendale my Grandparents used to take me every Sunday after church).  Skelly was kind of a dive too, but the food was so GOOD!  Luckily my sweetie worked as a short order cook across the freeway at Standard (the other old Truckstop...still in business, but as a convenience store) in high school and he is THE BEST COOK!!!!  But sometimes, it's kinda, sorta fun to go out.  So the Summit Diner is one of our favorite spots.  I mean, it's an OLD TRAIN CAR...who doesn't love that??

My Pallet is ( kinda, sorta ) Famous on the Internet--Update

I know, I know...I sound like a broken record, but I really, really, really, really, really, want to give a BIG THANK YOU to the people who have taken the time to feature my lil' pallet on thier sites.  Honestly, when I linked up to other sites, I didn't think anyone would notice my project (there are a million more FAR superior ideas out there).  However, these lovely sites did:

Michele at (Primp) was so kind to feature my pallet as one of her favorites (from her link up party)...I'm so flattered!  I'm pretty sure EVERY SINGLE ONE of her projects are on my to do list.  For example...
this one:

Oh...I am SO envious of this Fuax Grain Sack Chair!  Click on over to (Primp) to see all of her lovely work!

It turns out my pallet was the Fan Favorite for a Frugal Friday link party at The Shabby Nest.  Oh.Em.Gee.  That is kinda, sorta unvbelievable.  Wendy from The Shabby Nest has ALL KINDS of amazingness on her site...like this:

Her vintage bedroom is making my eyes green with jealousy.

Finally, I HAVE to give a big holler (my kinda shout out) to Jenna from SAS Interiors, she not only joined My Pal Al and became one of my followers, she linked my blog to her Facebook page!  I kinda, sorta think I'm having a heart attack.  Jenna has her own design firm...SAS Interiors and her blog offers all kinds of goodness...like her kitchen revamp:

Ooooooh. Ahhhhhhhh.

My Kinda Pinterest Challenge

*my request of E from time to time
**lyrics from Chuck Berry's You Never Can Tell
***best advice EVER--from 8 year-old Maura Stuard (found on Pinterest)

*all the towns me & E have lived (seperate & together)
**lyrics from Willie Nelson's Nothin' I Can Do About it Now



So, you may or may not know about the Pinterest Challenge...you can read all about it here at Bower Power, if you're curious.  Anyway, here's the jist--DIY one of the images you pinned on Pinterest for yourself...FUN!  Well, unless you're like me and can't decide which one you want to make.  Hmmmm.  What to do...what to do?

I know!

What's up in Those Frames on the Wall, K.Si?

You may remember from this post that I used to have a boring white wall above the chaise couch...no?  Well, I did.  And one day, when I was bored I remedied that.  However, not all the frames in the new "gallery wall" (really not much of a gallery) were filled up.  I remedied THAT problem by keeping some of the pictures I had in the frames, adding a few new pictures, and adding a few "word art" pieces I brewed up in the trusty paint.net program.

Side note: two of the smaller frames REFUSE to hang straight, but I'll show them...I've got industrial strength peel and stick velcro...TAKE THAT stubborn frames.

Anyway, to answer your burning question, "What's up in those frames on the wall, K.Si?", here's a closer look:

Guess Who Has a Birthday Today-My Pal Al!

Take a walk through the 90's down memory lane with me (aww...for special):
**You'll have to excuse the pictures...all of these pre-date digital cameras (fine...MY digital camera) and were taken with one of those disposable cameras...man I loved those.

Al & our pal (her cousin) Jodi on our Science Museum Field Trip back in '92

Al & Me at Homecoming

Al & Me & our pals Joy & Audra going to the town street dance a few years after high school

Me & Al at her wedding dance

If you're in the Midwest--

I HIGHLY recommend you take a trip to Owatonna, MN and visit the REAL Happiest Place on Earth...the Steele County Free Fair (it's a Gift from Heaven in 2011).  It's taking place August 16-21 this year and ohmygosh it's the world's greatest fair.  No lie.  I am DYING to be there right now...I think I shall have to start up another project to take my mind off not being there.

I've been trying to find some of my old fair pictures so I can provide photographic evidence (fine...I'm not looking very hard, but I'll find one...maybe) to prove just how wonderful the SCFF is.  My Sweetie thinks I'm FOREVER being over-dramatic when I talk about how AMAZINGLY AWESOME the SCFF is, but I would like to point out:

1. It's Free.
2. It's has Steely and Stella (the mascots)
3. It's one of NORTH AMERICA'S Top 200 Events

So there...EVERYONE thinks it's the greatest fair on earth...it's not just me.

My Pallet is ( kinda, sorta ) Famous on the Internet!

For unexplained reasons (unexplained because I get a tiny bit nervous thinking of someone other than My Sweetie and My Pal Al reading my lil' ol' blog--who knows why??), I decided to link my pallet project to some other lovely blogs:

• Funky Junk Interiors
• Handy Man, Crafty Woman
• (Primp)
• The Shabby Nest

Well...I kinda, sorta thought nobody would even notice my pallet project (if you've ever looked at those link up parties, you know there are oodles and oodles of the BEST ideas and projects), but a few people did AND they left nice comments. 

And one super nice gal, Lauren from West Furniture Revival even wanted to feature my pallet as one of the Monday Revivals on HER blog...that definately made my day.  So, if you're not busy, click on over to West Furniture Revival and take a peek.  While you're there, you should also take a peek at all her fantastic projects, like this one:

Photo from West Furniture Revival

or this one:

Photo from West Furniture Revival

There are tons more...just as lovely.

**UPDATE**

Heather from Inspire Me Heather  posted her pallet coffee table (I want one SO much), and included my pallet project in her link list.  Oh--I'm so flattered!  Here's Heather's coffee table that I'm coveting:

Photo from Inspire Me Heather

Oooh. La.

How Do Ya Feel About Me Makin' Some New Curtains Today, Val?

The other day, I had the day off, so me and the dog were sittin' around drinkin' coffee and watchin' Good Day New York.  I wasn't really paying attention to the news.  I was inexplicably staring this:

Now, I know I've mentioned I'm into neutrals, but this is a whole lot of taupe/beige/tan/blah (I feel like I may have gone a smidge overbaord on the neutrals in this instance).  The longer I looked at it, the more I felt like it was making everything drab and dreary.  So I did what anyone would do...

Where'd You Even FIND a Coffee Can?

My Pal Al called to chat the other day.  She filled me in on her exploits with Axel and the Trips (I sense a boy band in the making!!).  I returned the favor by telling her about how I made some "new" lights out of coffee cans while Val Stel gave me the stink eye.  I'm not sure I impressed her much, because the first thing she asked when I finished telling my riviting tale was, "Where'd you even FIND a coffee can?  Doesn't coffee come in plastic things now?" and I answered with, "Not if you get the generic America's Choice Brand from A&P."  I kinda, sorta think if she could have, she would have just stared at me (ala my sweetie), but whatev...I like 'em. 

Here's how I made 'em...

Before & After - Boring White Wall Update

The other day I was vacuuming up Val's Stel's dog hair...AGAIN, and I was confronted with this extreme wall of nothing:



And I thought to myself that something needed to be done to it.  It looked fine for a psychiatric hospital.  But we do NOT live at Bellevue (I'm sure it's lovely).  So, I decided to fix it up a bit.

Sunday Monday Funday

As previously mentioned, it was my half birthday on Sunday.  To celebrate the occasion, me and my sweetie picked up a pizza from Paulie's and some wine and fell asleep by 9pm.  Good Times.

On Monday, I requested that E call in sick so we could spend the day holding hands.  I guess he didn't think that would be as special as I did because he just laughed at me and went to work.  Whatev...I thought it would be fun (ok, fine...I didin't really).

Anyway, after my sweetie derailed my all day hand holding plans, I had to find something else to occupy my time.  So, I fired up i heart radio, started listening to K102 (out of the good ol' Twin Cities), found my hammer and drill, and got to work.  What did you get to work doing, you ask?

 
Oh, I threw some frames up on the wall and MacGyvered myself some new lights from junk.  My kind of Sunday Monday Funday.

Happy Half Birthday K.Si!

Photo Courtesy of Jill (from our joint actual birthday party)

Back in the 1800's my days at Ellendale Elementary we used to celebrate half birthdays for the kids with summer birthdays (my sweetie says I'm making this up in my own mind, because HE doesn't remember that and HE went to the same school...I say he was probably busy being naughty and didn't notice).  I must have been a little jealous of the kids with summer birthdays who got to celebrate TWICE a year, because somewhere along the line I decided to start celebrating my half birthday...and today's the day...so Happy Half Birthday to Me!

What's Your Pal Al Been Doin' KSi?

I've not actually spoken (I text her ALL THE TIME)to My Pal Al for quite a long time (probably since we traveled to Tonna Town and successfully convinced everyone we were life partners taking our family out for chicken wings), so I'm not exactly sure.  Best guess...she's paying Axel a quarter for every bottle of beer he brings her while she's watching reruns of Dateline NBC.  Ok, fine...that's what I would be doing. 

Ummmm...second best guess...

...she's busy with Axel and the Trips.  And being a wife.  And school.  And writing her blog.  And for the newspaper (that may or may not have started). And being a MAJOR celebrity in her neck of the woods.  And planning mass baptisms.  And getting random people to just hand her 100 dollar bills (I KNOW!)  And going to parades and celebrations.  And being my assistant.

Before & Updated Picture - Dining Area

So here's what the dining area really looks like as of 7:19 am EST (oh I miss you Central Standard Time...you ARE the best time zone...you just make the most sense).  Please ignore the legs of the chairs (that may or may not need a bit of a refresher) and the cords (they are like electrical snakes that lurk EVERYWHERE and I despise them).  And again, for fun a Pictorial Evolution:

What Ya Been Doin' KSi? - Lurking Edition

The other day my sweetie decided we were going to grill up some kebobs.  So, he invited over a couple of his pals, grabbed some beer and Val Stel, and fired up the grill. 

What did I do, you ask?  Ummmm...

...lurked on the fire escape.  Fun times.

I + My MacGyvered Binders

And that picture makes me even more in love with my burlap magazine holders...

Sorry, I'm easily distracted.  Anyway... you may or may not have noticed that I've got a link to I Heart Organizing over there in the I (heart) These list.  Why, you ask?  I'll tell you.  It's because Jen (the blog author) is an organizing GURU.  Sometimes I can hardly remember my own telephone number/address/name.  Jen, on the other hand, is so organized that she could probably tell you my phone number/address/name and she doesn't even know me.  For REAL.  So, I kinda, sorta, maybe stalk follow her blog to see what organizing ideas she comes up with.  Oh they are all genius, but one has been consuming my thoughts lately...

Picture from I Heart Organizing

 her fun binders!  Not gonna lie--I was SO envious of those things.  Why, you ask?  Well, because this is what I was workin' with:

Sexy, right?  Oh, ok...they're horrible, but whatev...they were free and I have one million ten of them.  And while I'm usually not opposed to just buying new pretty ones, I'm trying to be more of a miser and use what I have.  However, the horribleness of these was making it IMPOSSIBLE for me to actually use them to organize anything because I wanted to hide them under a pile of blankets and never look at them again.  After a while, the papers started piling up on my desk/chair/carpet and I decided it was time to take out my MacGyver Handbook (fine...I don't really have one, but I should) and start making them acceptable.