I was finally invited to join Pinterest. It's something I've been trying to get into ever since I saw it on Young House Love. I'll do anything Sherry does.
Anyway, I'm a huge Google Reader user and I'm constantly sharing items and starring items. However, I'm often starring things I want to read later and then also starring recipes and ideas for the apartment. My Starred Items list has become so unwieldy that I don't even look at it anymore, even though I continue to save posts for myself. I've got more than a few hundred items in there.
This is where Pinterest comes in and saves the day! I created a board for recipes, for apartment ideas, for books I want to read, for shoes that I might never have the money to buy but may keep my eye out for knock offs. It's amazing. This frees up my Google Reader starred items for posts that I want to come back. That which was once overwhelming is now underwhelming.
And I'm wasting... er... spending... so much time going through my old starred items to kick off my boards. It's GREAT. Matt came home last night from work sweaty and smelly and I basically attacked him with a demonstration of Pinterest and a look at all of my boards.
My Boards:
Recipes
Art I Love
Our Apartment
Crafts
Books Worth Reading
Also important to note that most of the books featured on Books Worth Reading will also be featured on my Reading. Writing. Publishing. A Blog. under the Book Sleuth tag.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Falling Asleep with Curtains
This was my first weekend in the apartment. "Our" first weekend in the apartment since we moved in, though Matt had a recital he needed to do lights for Saturday night and training for his summer job Sunday. So really, this was my first weekend in the apartment.
Since I had hours to myself, I thought - I'm really tired of this one painted wall. Instead of waiting for Matt's schedule to free up just because I was scared of trying to edge in a straight line without using tape... I did it all myself. I mean, he helped a little Sunday morning by rolling the first coat on the majority of the bedroom. But I finished up. And everything look crisp and clean and PAINTED.
Matt got home at around 10:30 and we decided 10:30 was as good a time as any to put the curtain rod and curtains up. And I'm so happy we did. The curtains (which are teal just like our accent wall) really bring the whole room together. And even though all of the furniture is still pushed into the middle of the floor - including our bed - the curtains and the painted walls just made the apartment feel like home.
I think part of it is the fact that in my old place - I desperately wanted curtains. But I never felt brave enough to tackle the hardware that was the ugly vertical blinds the complex already had hanging. Getting those things down was going to be a pain. So, three years and ugly window treatments.
But now - we have curtains!
I bought this comforter set from Walmart:
Since I had hours to myself, I thought - I'm really tired of this one painted wall. Instead of waiting for Matt's schedule to free up just because I was scared of trying to edge in a straight line without using tape... I did it all myself. I mean, he helped a little Sunday morning by rolling the first coat on the majority of the bedroom. But I finished up. And everything look crisp and clean and PAINTED.
Matt got home at around 10:30 and we decided 10:30 was as good a time as any to put the curtain rod and curtains up. And I'm so happy we did. The curtains (which are teal just like our accent wall) really bring the whole room together. And even though all of the furniture is still pushed into the middle of the floor - including our bed - the curtains and the painted walls just made the apartment feel like home.
I think part of it is the fact that in my old place - I desperately wanted curtains. But I never felt brave enough to tackle the hardware that was the ugly vertical blinds the complex already had hanging. Getting those things down was going to be a pain. So, three years and ugly window treatments.
But now - we have curtains!
I bought this comforter set from Walmart:
I don't usually like to shop at Walmart. But I had a hard time finding comforter sets that I liked. I sent about 10 'maybes' to Matt and he picked this one and another that I wasn't so hot on. The price was right on this one. We'll see what the quality is like once it comes.
Pictures of the fully painted bedroom to come - once the furniture is pushed back to its rightful places.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Frustration
Because I wish things would SLOW DOWN. I feel like I've been non-stop moving since I got here and it's made building a home together a painfully slow process. There are still boxes in the library and unpainted walls in the bedroom. We haven't done our movie blog in WEEKS. We still don't have a couch. And there never seems to be any time to just ENJOY what we've got.
Since we moved in three weeks ago, I've spent 3 days in Pennsylvania, then my parents came, then we went to Canton for Matt's brother's graduation. Tomorrow, I fly out for a conference in Anaheim for three days, drive home to Long Island on Friday, am flying to LA next Thursday and then am in my friend's wedding the following weekend. No weekends, no weekdays - no time.
The ticket to LA delayed the purchasing of the couch. Though we may look into a financing deal. I REALLY hate the couch we have now. It was with me for three years in my studio - looking pretty, but I never bothered to sit on it, it was so uncomfortable. For a studio, it didn't really matter. I had the big armchair and my bed in the same room and so I didn't need to sit on the couch. But now, with a separate living room, a nice flat screen tv and a cuddle-able boyfriend, I'd like a comfortable couch.
I bought a slipcover last week to help ease the pain, also figuring if this works, we can move this couch back to the library when we're ready. But... it really sucks. It doesn't stay and doesn't stand the Matt test AT ALL. Adjust yourself twice and the thing is practically off. Matt adjusts himself 1000 times.
So I'm thinking a DIY project is in order, for whenever I find the time again. I thought I might go to JoAnn's and see if I can't find material that matches the slipcover to sew individual covers for each of the three cushions. Then, I thought, with the cushions off and some serious tucking, I could fit the slipcover over the base of the couch really nicely and stitch it in place in various tucked away corners so that it stops moving. This would require a lot of hand sewing as I don't have a sewing machine, but I'm not a terrible hand sewer and I think I could do it. Pillows are easy enough, right?
Since we moved in three weeks ago, I've spent 3 days in Pennsylvania, then my parents came, then we went to Canton for Matt's brother's graduation. Tomorrow, I fly out for a conference in Anaheim for three days, drive home to Long Island on Friday, am flying to LA next Thursday and then am in my friend's wedding the following weekend. No weekends, no weekdays - no time.
The ticket to LA delayed the purchasing of the couch. Though we may look into a financing deal. I REALLY hate the couch we have now. It was with me for three years in my studio - looking pretty, but I never bothered to sit on it, it was so uncomfortable. For a studio, it didn't really matter. I had the big armchair and my bed in the same room and so I didn't need to sit on the couch. But now, with a separate living room, a nice flat screen tv and a cuddle-able boyfriend, I'd like a comfortable couch.
I bought a slipcover last week to help ease the pain, also figuring if this works, we can move this couch back to the library when we're ready. But... it really sucks. It doesn't stay and doesn't stand the Matt test AT ALL. Adjust yourself twice and the thing is practically off. Matt adjusts himself 1000 times.
So I'm thinking a DIY project is in order, for whenever I find the time again. I thought I might go to JoAnn's and see if I can't find material that matches the slipcover to sew individual covers for each of the three cushions. Then, I thought, with the cushions off and some serious tucking, I could fit the slipcover over the base of the couch really nicely and stitch it in place in various tucked away corners so that it stops moving. This would require a lot of hand sewing as I don't have a sewing machine, but I'm not a terrible hand sewer and I think I could do it. Pillows are easy enough, right?
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Gone for Three Days, & then the Parents Come
We've the accent wall painted a wonderful teal. I went to Target and bought really fun, bright teal curtains. I had a hard time choosing between the bright ones and the not so bright ones. But, after only a tiny bit of hesitation, I opted for bright, bold and risky. I then took a trip to Lowes (which I found WITHOUT the GPS!) to match colors to my curtains and decide on a gray for the other walls. I found a color teal that matches exactly and a gray that is very suitable. Matt painted (quickly and professionally) the accent wall over the weekend. I travel to PA for work tomorrow afternoon and I'm not back again until late Friday. He promises to have the entire thing done by the time I get back. I certainly hope so because that Saturday, my parents and sister are up for a visit!
Things have been going well so far. Sunday evening we each taught the other how to do something. He taught me how to make coffee - so far that's been his job, to set it up the night before, etc - and I taught him how to run the dishwasher. I think we're getting on just fine.
Things have been going well so far. Sunday evening we each taught the other how to do something. He taught me how to make coffee - so far that's been his job, to set it up the night before, etc - and I taught him how to run the dishwasher. I think we're getting on just fine.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Paint Swatches
These are horrible pictures of the colors I'm thinking for the bedroom. I taped them up last night while Matt was trying to sleep.
I think I like the last one, on the bottom, to the right. It's dark, but not too dark. Matt seems stuck on using very light, very subtle colors. I think he's afraid of running into trouble with the apartment. But, they said we could paint. Just, if we go too dark, we'll have to cover it with a coat of white first. And what I'd learned from my last apartment is that the light/dark rule doesn't necessarily apply to what will be easily covered by white. My orange kitchen needed only one coat to cover. My light blue bathroom needed two.
Then the alcove wall, both outside and in, will be a teal. I like the color smack in the middle, but Matt thinks an entire wall that color will come out looking very green. He likes the one in the bottom right hand corner. But I think it's too blue and too light. Maybe I need to visit Home Depot for more colors instead of just relying on Sherwin Williams.
Three walls (well, really six. Three outside the alcove and three inside the alcove) will be gray:
I think I like the last one, on the bottom, to the right. It's dark, but not too dark. Matt seems stuck on using very light, very subtle colors. I think he's afraid of running into trouble with the apartment. But, they said we could paint. Just, if we go too dark, we'll have to cover it with a coat of white first. And what I'd learned from my last apartment is that the light/dark rule doesn't necessarily apply to what will be easily covered by white. My orange kitchen needed only one coat to cover. My light blue bathroom needed two.Then the alcove wall, both outside and in, will be a teal. I like the color smack in the middle, but Matt thinks an entire wall that color will come out looking very green. He likes the one in the bottom right hand corner. But I think it's too blue and too light. Maybe I need to visit Home Depot for more colors instead of just relying on Sherwin Williams.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Misadventures
But first, the closet!
Isn't it just gorgeous? I love having such a large space to put my clothes. You'll notice that mine (the top rung) are in ROY G BIV order. The "non" colors are placed white, gray, black - you know, because white + black = gray? Whatever. As I was hanging my clothes I mentioned to Matt that my neurosis was never this apparent in a small closet.
So I joined a softball league here to have something to do that wasn't with Matt and so I could make new friends that also weren't just Matt. I don't know a single person on the team. I mean, I "know" one girl, as in, I met her all of ONCE and didn't talk to her at all beyond, "Nice to meet you" last Halloween. I really didn't even remember what she looked like - I mean, I remember she was dressed as Waldo. Or Walda. I don't know.
Anyway, I'm not used to driving in upstate New York. I'm used to my GPS telling me something's going to take me 15 minutes on Long Island and it actually taking 10. My GPS told me 15 minutes - no problem, right? WRONG. It took me 40 minutes to get there through the WORST parts of Albany, the school and the field was incredibly difficult to find, and I was extremely late for the game. Then, I'm made catcher. Fine. I used to be catcher when I played with Sterling. Except, I'm not great. And they made me wear a mask. I've never worn one before and couldn't see a gd thing. Well - the ump (who was this awful, awful old man) didn't like me at all. I let one ball tip my glove and it hit him in the arm. He cried for a while about it and asked the guys to not put me back there. Then I struck out. Then the awful old man called the game before he should have. So it took me 40 minutes to get there. I played for 45. Poorly. And I'm pretty sure this wasn't the greatest idea.
I stopped by the Discount Wine store on my way home. I had a meltdown just before I found the softball field so I thought I should feed that with some wine. I like it there. I have to tell you though, after all the misadventures and all the melting down - it felt really great to come home to OUR apartment and telling Matt all about it.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Moving In - The First Weekend
The place is huge. Somehow, with everything in it - it looks BIGGER than we anticipated!
Saturday: Matt had to do Volunteer Day with the school and came home around noon covered in mud. I guess they pulled logs and other garbage out of the creek? And he hadn't packed a thing yet, so we didn't get out of his parent's house until around 1:30, maybe. So I guess we started unloading around 2 and finished at 6:30ish. He and his dad ran back and forth to Tyler's to get my things out of storage and his mother and I moved boxes to their designated rooms (I had an insane numbering system that actually wasn't so insane because it really made life extremely easy!) and started getting the dishes cleaned and away in their cupboards. I took everyone for dinner to thank his mom and dad for letting me live with them for a month and to doubly thank Matt's dad and Matt for doing all the heavy lifting. AKA not grumbling TOO much over how many books I own. Matt and I had grand dreams of getting most of the unpacking done that night. Instead, we put the frame for the mattress together, got the bed all made and promptly went to sleep!
Sunday: We woke up rather late - which was kind of wonderful. I was so sore and had a lovely crick in my neck. Apparently my uber comfortable mattress was just too comfortable after having slept on Matt's hard and springy mattress for a month? But, once I got the dining room table put back together and Matt got Dunkin coffee and breakfast - we were ready to rock and roll. I got the kitchen entirely unpacked, even though it's still a mess. And we worked on getting all of our clothes unpacked. The walk in looks AMAZING! We spent the rest of the day shopping - bought our groceries, a new set of towels and other things from Target (my light blue towels are NOT going to pass the Matt test...) and we got a 40" flat screen from Best Buy! Internet and cable come Tuesday. Very, VERY excited!
We invited Tyler over for dinner to thank him for letting me keep my stuff in his garage and also letting us borrow his truck while he was gone over the weekend. I just made pasta and sauce - nothing too fancy. Although we did enjoy a bottle of Prosecco with the dinner to celebrate the apartment!
Dilemma: We have a big empty space in the bedroom and have no clue what to put there. I wanted to put my armchair there, but it doesn't fit through the door. We tried to brainstorm last night, but the truth of the matter is - filling that space is extremely LOW priority right now.
Saturday: Matt had to do Volunteer Day with the school and came home around noon covered in mud. I guess they pulled logs and other garbage out of the creek? And he hadn't packed a thing yet, so we didn't get out of his parent's house until around 1:30, maybe. So I guess we started unloading around 2 and finished at 6:30ish. He and his dad ran back and forth to Tyler's to get my things out of storage and his mother and I moved boxes to their designated rooms (I had an insane numbering system that actually wasn't so insane because it really made life extremely easy!) and started getting the dishes cleaned and away in their cupboards. I took everyone for dinner to thank his mom and dad for letting me live with them for a month and to doubly thank Matt's dad and Matt for doing all the heavy lifting. AKA not grumbling TOO much over how many books I own. Matt and I had grand dreams of getting most of the unpacking done that night. Instead, we put the frame for the mattress together, got the bed all made and promptly went to sleep!
Sunday: We woke up rather late - which was kind of wonderful. I was so sore and had a lovely crick in my neck. Apparently my uber comfortable mattress was just too comfortable after having slept on Matt's hard and springy mattress for a month? But, once I got the dining room table put back together and Matt got Dunkin coffee and breakfast - we were ready to rock and roll. I got the kitchen entirely unpacked, even though it's still a mess. And we worked on getting all of our clothes unpacked. The walk in looks AMAZING! We spent the rest of the day shopping - bought our groceries, a new set of towels and other things from Target (my light blue towels are NOT going to pass the Matt test...) and we got a 40" flat screen from Best Buy! Internet and cable come Tuesday. Very, VERY excited!
We invited Tyler over for dinner to thank him for letting me keep my stuff in his garage and also letting us borrow his truck while he was gone over the weekend. I just made pasta and sauce - nothing too fancy. Although we did enjoy a bottle of Prosecco with the dinner to celebrate the apartment!
Dilemma: We have a big empty space in the bedroom and have no clue what to put there. I wanted to put my armchair there, but it doesn't fit through the door. We tried to brainstorm last night, but the truth of the matter is - filling that space is extremely LOW priority right now.
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