Sunday, November 19, 2017

Sunroom Makeover: Part 2!

   Well, with life’s chaos this second part of the makeover took a touch longer than planned! :) Since our third little ones arrival we have found our new normal and it makes me smile. My oldest little guy helped me with this final project and all of the kids just love the end results!!! It’s a wonderful extension of our house that kids enjoy no matter what the weather outside. It’s just perfect for them!!!
   The initial project started with pieces of rug remnants on the floor and those great plastic curtain things that rolled down over the windows, you know the ones I referenced loving so much in my first post! Not actually... Anyway, part one removed all of the window coverings and I put curtains on roping around the entire room. The rope just has a really neat look I think and it’s very cost efficient. Rods can become so expensive and I’m also limited in actual sturdy space to mount something to in the portion of the wall I was working with so this concept was best for my space limitations as well. Anyway, moving on, part two gets rid of all of the ugly carpet remnants!!!!! Yes!!!!!
   The new floor is an excellent option for the kiddos right now and it looks great as well! It actually insulates the room a bit more too! I can pull up a piece if it gets messed up and it’s a cushioned space so it’s safe for my sweet babies and their heads if they take a tumble! Also, easy cleanup as I can just sweep or wipe down the floor!!!! Can you tell I love it?! Before and after a below. It only took a few hours total to pull up the old carpet and cut the mats to fit the space!

NOW, the final product!!! Whew! Much better!





The less than attractive before photo of the flooring! :)




So excited about this room now! The flooring is also amazing because it makes for easy clean up when the kids and I are planting things! :)

I hope you enjoyed being a part of this makeover and that this space inspired you as well!

~~ Momma Mia :)

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Hindsight is Always 20/20

So many times in my life have i stopped and looked at all that lies before me with total overwhelming emotion weither it be joy, peace, stress, sadness, or an unknown emotion where I am just stricken still in my steps and without knowledge of my next step to take. It is amazing in each instance how moments, hours, days, months, or years pass and all of the sudden you flash back to the moment you stood still. Suddenly you realize how if you had never stood in that one place you would never have walked so far as you have now and what a blessing those steps have been. These reflections just constantly remind me when I doubt how I should instead trust, when I cry how I should instead pray, and when I lose control how I should know there is a bigger picture I do not know controlled by a higher power I know so well that holds us in His arms and surrounds us with His angels.
One moment I recall as a standing still in tears moment is now something that basically smacks me in the face because of how beautifully it all turned out. I wanted to share and hope it encourages someone that needs it today.
Five years ago I ended a phone call that was so important to me and started to bawl. I had built up so much anxiety about it, planned the conversation so extensively, made notes, and prayed, but the call did not go as I planned and hoped for. I had just given birth to our first little one. He was all I wanted to focus on. I asked if I could work at least part of the time from my home office. Understandibly, the response was no to keep things fair among co-workers, but i knew then for me I had to make a change. Five years later I am a full time at home mom working part time from my home office. Homeschooling my sweet five year old and feeling so blessed beyond words. I did not know God's plan, but i can say His plan was more perfect than I ever dreamed in my mind when I made my own plans.

I pray that your hearts desires are answered and you hear His voice when He directs you in His path. He always has His arms around us and knows more perfectly than us what is best. I thank Him for that beyond any words I can say that do it justice.

Sweet dreams and blessings to you and your families.

~Momma Mia

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Backyard Whimsy ~ Outdoor Lighting and Decor for Parties or Every Day ~ 30th Birthday Celebration!

   Have you ever watched one of those great make you happy movies where they are in a garden or some outdoor space and all of the sudden the entire landscape starts to sparkle with glittering lights? I always see those scenes and have wanted to achieve that look in some outdoor space I can enjoy in person!

   Glittering string lights among so many other things can just be so simple, but add so much to a special moment or make a simple normal space for every day use so much more special for all of your moments spent in it. Well, we finally set this special space up for my sister's 30th birthday! She has a wonderful space behind her home with trees, a pergola, and some other lovely outdoor elements that we were really able to highlight with glittering outdoor solar lights!

   Below you can see columns wrapped in glitter lights and lights wrapped around many of her trees. It was lovely because the party started during daylight and as the evening went on everything lit up with glittering lights all around.

  I included a picture of the twine wrapped number 30 with little flowers on it that was mounted at the top of the pergola. Canning jars were wrapped with twine and hung in various places with a votive in them and they were also added to the tables. It was just a nice transition from day to evening light with all of the lovely various glowing pieces around!! :)






   We so enjoyed the party! She is a special part of our lives and it was so much to put something together to celebrate her being a blessing in so many ways to all of us! Love my sister! :)

Thanks so much for stopping in to read my post. Please stay tuned for more!

~~Momma Mia~~

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Sunroom Makeover Part 1 !!

   So it has been awhile since my last blog and I have missed this!!!!! There has been so much going on that time has run short. Our oldest is now almost five, our littlest guy is now a year and a half, and we have a little girl on the way! We bought our first home and have taken on several projects since moving in about nine months ago at this point. We have felt so blessed with so many wonderful new and precious gifts in our lives!

   I wanted to note many of the projects as we go along to share ideas and cost efficient makeovers for new homeowners that we have come across.

   One project I was very eager to do was our sunroom. I want to redo the flooring and window covers, along with changing general décor and layout. For now my first projects are the windows!!!

   There were roll up vinyl shades varying in colors of cream and tan when we moved in. They were difficult and aged. Apparently they were a little brittle from excess heat and sun exposure as well. Anyway, I didn't love them at all and wanted to make a change.

Instead of spending a fortune on curtain rods, curtains, and patterns I wanted to find another way. The exciting second option is a basic flat sheet, rope, and some metal hooks. Just select the least expensive flat sheet in the color you prefer and there you have it. I wanted a no-sew option as well so I just picked up curtain clips with rings and attached to my sheets. The sheet length was longer than the window length so I just folded the excess over on the front top of the sheet and made that a bit of a ruffle for extra detail. I got a solid piece of rope that exceeded the length I needed for all three walls to keep a continuous run of rope with no cutting or potential fraying that way. I also selected open hooks that were substantial enough to support the weight times three for each wall (so 9 total in my case). Select the distance between hooks that you feel good about to keep the curtains straight but with a slight sag is fine. Pre-drill your holes with a bit slightly smaller then the hook you chose and then screw in your hooks. In my case a 5/32 drill bit was perfect to create the pilot hole for my hook. To insert the hooks, if you can get a wing nut bit to attach to your drill it makes putting these hooks in so much easier. If your hook exceeds the size wing nut you can find then a short metal rod or bar of some sort used to turn the hook manually adds a lot of leverage and makes the task much faster.
 
   My new flooring is next, but here is a picture just after changing the curtains!!!

I feel like it's much cozier. I'll be changing the layout of my plant tables that my sweet kiddos and I plant succulents and other various favorites on as well, but this is the update so far. I'm excited to get this project complete!!!

Thank you for stopping by and stay tuned for more on this and many other projects!!!!
Happy Spring Project Time!
Momma Mia