Nailed It!

Do you know what I love best about House No. 3? 

Nails.

Yep. It's all mine, and I can pound nails into the walls without thinking twice about it. See, we were renters for five years, and even though some of my things hung on the walls, the walls were not my own. 

I'll admit that after all the hard work of painting the walls of House No. 3, it took me a while to work up the guts to stick a nail in the sheet rock. But I am long over it, which brings me to today's project.

We've been working on the basement, and in the middle of it, the bathroom got flooded by the washing machine up above. I know, right? Distractions, distractions. HOWEVER, today I decided not to let a silly little thing like a flooded bathroom get to me, and I refocused on one little corner of the basement, which I like to refer to as Down Under. I've mentioned before that it's being decorated in a travel theme, so Down Under seems a fitting name.

My mother-in-law gave me a big, round basket for Christmas. At first I thought it might look good on an ottoman or tabletop where it could catch stuff. But we don't have either of those things Down Under, so then I decided it would look great hanging on a wall! It seemed kind of lonely up there, so yesterday, I took a trip to our local thrift store to find it some friends to hang out with. And wouldn't you know, I found THREE baskets for 50 cents each! FIFTY CENTS!

Here's what I ended up with:

They were easy to hang, too. I just pounded those babies to the wall, using nothing but small wire nails.

The big basket took two nails, while the smaller baskets each took one nail.

Don't you love how they fit right in to a world traveling theme? The globes and the clock add to it, as well. I like the miniature spotlight, too. I found that at Lowes. When my kids have friends over for movie night, the rule is that one light must be on at all times. This was a good solution.

The best part is, this little project was SUPER cheap and I didn't have to go through TSA to complete it!

Make It Yours

My sister-in-law's last name is Swan. The very first time I ever went to her house, I noticed she had several cute little swan-related decorations, from ceramic knick-knacks to a beautiful painting. It was brilliant, I thought, that she could use her name to help her family feel connected to their home and surroundings.

And then I married her brother, and took on the last name of Stagg, and well, nobody gave us any antlered knick-knacks for our wedding.

Then, even before we ever moved into House No. 3, I decided the first things that had to go were these:

There were two of these babies on either side of the fireplace. And while I wanted my little family of Staggs to feel connected to our new home, this just wasn't the way to go. I mean, what is that creepy little claw-like antler thing coming out of the bottom of the fixture?

So the antler lights were replaced with non-Stagg fixtures, which left me on the hunt for something else to represent our name. I thought about something like this:

 

But I was afraid some psychopathic villain with bad hair might show up in a helicopter and burn my house down. So that was out. (However if a handsome British spy showed up in a vintage Aston Martin, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?)

Then one day, while perusing through the online garage sale for our community, a print caught my eye. I raced right over the the seller's house and gave her a whopping $4.00 for it. Then I raced over to Michael's and put it in a frame. And then I raced over to my friend's house, who helped me cut out a sign.

Here's the end result:

It fits right in with the rest of our stuff. My husband is especially proud to have it hanging there, and the kids love it, too. I firmly believe that a home should represent the people who live within its walls. Whether it's a collection of photographs on display or the kids' artwork on the refrigerator, people should feel connected to their surroundings. It's what makes a house a home and what makes a home a haven.
What have you done to make it YOURS?

2014 Toyota 4Runner

Happy Labor Day, everybody!
Have I mentioned that I like cars? Have I also mentioned that I sometimes get to write about cars? When you're taking care of house-related projects, you often find yourself in need of a reliable car to haul your project materials. Last week, I got to go to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to check out the new Toyota 4Runner. Here's my take:

2014 Toyota 4Runner Preview
The Can-Do SUV

    I can’t believe I’m typing this, but the mid-size SUV segment is shrinking. I’m talking about the solid, hard-core, high-riding, go-anywhere SUV. I mean, what happened? Wasn’t the mid-size SUV the bread and butter of the SUV world? Sure, they’re still out there, but in name only. Most of them have been transformed into unitized crossovers, great for getting to soccer practice, found in suburbanite garages all across America. But what about the rock climbers? The mud boggers? The mountain men (and women)? In other words, what’s left for the real adventurers?
    Though the segment may be shrinking, the new Toyota 4Runner is here to answer the call. I got a little taste test recently, during a whirl wind trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Set against the backdrop of the Grand Tetons, I was given a small peek at the can-do 2014 Runner.
    But first, a little history: the 4Runner first rolled off the assembly line in 1984. Since then, nearly two million units of this iconic SUV have been sold. Even more astounding, of those nearly two million, a whopping 75% of them are still on the road today. To say the 4Runner is the can-do SUV is just the tip of iceberg.
    I started out with an on-road test, driving a 4Runner Limited 4X2 in and around Grand Teton National Park. The first thing you notice when sitting behind the wheel is visibility. With a nearly vertical windshield and generously proportioned windows all around, the 4Runner offers that rare combination of ride height and nearly unobstructed views all around. The ride is solid and the cabin is quiet, with just the right amount of road feedback coming back at you through the easy-to-hold steering wheel. Handling feels good, though on gravel roads, the steering seems to loosen up somewhat. The 4.0-liter engine remains unchanged and offers plenty of get-up-go when you need/want it. The 4Runner does come equipped with a new trailer sway control, which used various sensors to detect and therefore suppress trailer sway -- which is a definite plus when towing high-profile trailers in windy conditions.
    Later, I was taken for a ride in a Trail edition 4X4 at the famous Diamond Cross Ranch. If the 4Runner is the can-do SUV, the Trail is the can-do SUV that takes names. We came in at angles steep enough to make your mother swoon -- especially with 2-3 wheels in the air. We pulled up muddy climbs. We rocked our way down jagged crags. Multi Terrain Select, a control knob located over the rearview mirror, allows the driver to input the type of terrain you are approaching. From slippery, muddy surfaces to rocks, dial the knob to select, and the 4Runner does the rest. There are also selectors for crawl control, vehicle skid control, and traction control. And should you decide you need to lock your rear differential, there’s a button for that, too. Needless to say, it would be mighty difficult to get this car stuck.
    4Runner’s new look is much more rugged, much more chiseled, with stronger, better defined lines. The 4Runner is offered in three design grades: SR5, Trail, and Limited. Within each grade is offered an array of options for both inside and out. Of note, my Limited 4X2 came equipped with automatic running boards, a feature to which I have always been partial.
    Inside, soft-touch materials abound, giving it a rugged, yet refined feel. Also new this year is the Entune entertainment system, featuring all the connectivity you could imagine, with apps like iHeartRadio and Pandora. However, I think the 4Runner itself provides plenty of entertainment without the electronic pomp.
    So yes, my first impression of the 2014 Toyota 4Runner is a good one. It’s the last body-on-frame design left in the segment. It looks tough, it’s strong, and it will go anywhere. It’s the can-do SUV.

For more information, visit www.car-data.com.

Introductions

Hello! I'm so glad you came by. When I was growing up with my four siblings, our house seemed like Grand Central Station at times. There were always people coming and going, friends popping in, dogs to walk, chickens to feed, and even an iguana or two. Amid all that hustle and bustle, my mom was always in the middle of it all, wallpapering the living room, crocheting edges on pillowcases, and adding to her collection of Delft Blue pieces. I must have inherited a bit of that from her, because my mind is ALWAYS racing with clever (and-not-so-clever) ideas for my own house!

After five years of renting, my husband and I finally bit the bullet and bought ourselves a house last month. There was a lot to love about this house (the third we've owned) but there was also a lot that needed some love. As my good friend, Jen, would say, "It has good bones."

Indeed!

So I hope you'll check back often for all of the clever (and not-so-clever) things we do along the way. Tell your friends, because this is going to be fun!