House Makeover

Although the house isn't finished, and probably never will be.....

Here are some 'completed' photos!

100. This is a picture of the back bedroom. We took the door out with the two windows  on the sides and put in 5 windows. We also took the deck off (it wasn't safe anyways!) 

028. the pendant lights we put going up the new steps we put in

085. the new tile we laid when you enter the front door

117. the new kitchen island

123. kitchen

130. looking into the back bedroom upstairs

154. kitchen with backsplash

376. Matt hanging a light fixture in the dining room

445. New Front Door

491. Bar between kitchen/dining/living rooms

523. the cedar we used in the entire upstairs

 530. the cedar and the opening to the 'attic' above the bedroom.

Please keep in mind, most of these photos are from the fall and a lot of these projects have been finished up since then, I just haven't taken new photos!!

~Amanda

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained..... Right?

******* This post was written and apparently did not publish in February******* I have since traded the POS XTerra in for a beautiful new Subaru Impreza.*******



I'm on a quest.... I want my vehicle paid off in the next 4 months so I can save up to buy a new one!! (Unless I convince Matt to let me get a new one beforehand!!)

I have 10 months left on my loan, I think anyways. I'm not really sure how I'm going to make/save extra money to make this happen, but, I'm going to try!! (This is going to be especially hard with it always breaking!!!)

First up, I just started my own online jewelry boutique! Check it out!!
Www.qutequirky.kitsylane.com
I LOVE jewelry and there in something for everyone in my shop!! The jewelry is all by up and coming designers.... So get the bargains before they get too pricey!! I have a sale that starts every Wednesday!!
So next time you buy a piece of jewelry for yourself or someone else, keep me in mind!!

I've also been selling on EBay! When you buy a smaller house you have to downsize--- big time!! I've been slightly successful! Now I just need some big ticket items!!

I'm also planning on a yard sale this spring, I know they are a lot of work, but it's a little extra cash I didn't have prior- right??

Any other ideas on how to make a little extra money??? I will probably cave and end up looking for another part time job, but I'm trying to be creative in my approach.....

So here goes, I'm saying by July 3 ( I'm picking the 3rd because that was my Great-Grandmas Birthday and She ALWAYS supported/believed in/brought me good luck!!!), I want the X Terra paid off!!! (Unless of course Grumpy Pants Matt lets me get rid of it first !!)

WISH ME LUCK!!!

Baby Booties

My cousins wife is due to give birth any day now and I thought I would try to crochet a pair of baby booties for the newborn.

I've never attempted booties before so I figured this would be quite the adventure. In not very good at reading patterns, but thankfully I found a patterns that had a you tube video to go with it!!

Through Pinterest I found the link to 'Crochet Hooks You' the tutorial I used can be found at.....
http://www.crochethooksyou.com/posh-crochet-baby-booties-pattern/

I used a 2 ply white baby yarn that I had from my great grandmothers stash.

I must say they turned out better than expected. The second one I screwed up a bit but not enough to notice!!

I used the following chart to check my sizes- to make sure I was in the ballpark!
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html

I decided to add a pink flower, using Bernat Softee Baby Yarn!

Look how cute they turned out!!

10 Ways to Craft with Old Sweaters + 5 New Ideas | FaveCrafts.com

Sooooo........I stumbled upon these craft ideas for old sweaters (which I happen to have a million of) and really like some of the ideas!

Anyone want to have a craft night?!?!?

10 Ways to Craft with Old Sweaters + 5 New Ideas | FaveCrafts.com

Wow... It's been awhile

Hard to believe I didn't write at all in December, and January 2013 is over already!

So much has happened, and yet nothing seems different!!

Lets start with an overview of the holidays!
Christmas was good. We celebrated with my moms side of the family on Christmas Eve. My dads parents also came along. It was a low key evening for all. After my brother took my niece back to her mother I had to go play Santa's helper and wrap Christmas Gifts. After we finished that Matt and I headed to Church before heading home.
Christmas morning was more like Christmas at lunchtime! I think we slept until 11am. Matt did not want to get up, but he eventually did! We exchanged gifts, and then got ready to go visit the Criado family! His Aunt Cindy and Uncle Bruce always have Christmas Day, so we headed there for a couple of hours. When we left the Criado's we headed to Stahlstown to stop at Grandma and Pappy Monticue's to round out our Christmas visiting!!
Matt was able to get some work done around the house while on break from school! He finally got the cooktop installed and running in the kitchen!! We can cook now!!!!

Also in the month of December Alex moved his business down inside Laurel Valley Hardware! What an experience that was. Everything looks great now, but getting there was quite a challenge!!

We rang in the New Year with the Dumnich family playing Wii games and Hunter singing us his rock star songs!!

January started much better than last year, and lets hope 2013 stays that way!!

Matt started back to school, he will graduate in December 2013 FINALLY!!!!!! This semester he finally got around to taking all of his elective classes. His choices are, naturally, all over the board. He has Astronomy, Archeology, and the Bible as Literature, in addition to one engineering class.

Matt should only have to take two classes in the summer and two in the fall then before he GRADUATES!! I really didn't think he would ever to get to the point of earning his bachelors, but it is so close!!

January was a calm month full of snow and work!! My anxiety about driving in the snow is easing although I'm still not used to it!! But living on the top of the Mountain we get hammered and they never clear the roads!!! Blah!!

February is in full swing and moving right along......

I "heart" Cyber Monday Sales

I'm pretty sure I got the deal of the century on my curtains for my house yesterday during Cyber Monday! I ordered curtains from KMart/Sears and went online to search out coupon codes. I found one for $10 off a $50 home purchase. I had in my cart:
2 Brown Panels @ $19.99 each
4 Cream Panels @ $19.99 each
6 White Panels  @ $ 9.99 each
AND I added two skirts and a possible Dress for my Cousins Wedding:
Black Skirt        @ $   9.80
Silver Skirt         @ $  7.00
Black Dress        @ $ 11.20

Now, my TOTAL for shipping (FREE over $50), Tax (6% on curtain panels), and Purchases was ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... $88.74!!!


What???? Apparently the $10 off of $50 took $10 off of EACH panel of curtains! (BONUS) This means the 6 White Panels were FREE!!! There was no charge on them at all! And the Brown and Cream Panels were $9.99 each! I'm not sure HOW or WHY this happened but I was so excited I hurried up and ordered my cart before the glitch was found!! Matt told me I should have ordered more curtains! So we can interchange them as we feel!

UPDATE to the Washer and Dryer

I called Sears over the weekend, and of course the department I needed was not open, so I had to wait and call back yesterday, Monday. The first girl I talked to was connecting me to her supervisor because she was unable to help me, but while doing so someone along the lines disconnected my phone call (UGH) so I had to call back!! The second girl I spoke with said she would get me connected to another department who could handle my 'crisis'! The girl she connected me to was fantastic! I told her I needed a washer by Wednesday and although she said she couldn't do Wednesday she did schedule me Thursday!! She also said the technicians can request over night parts and have them the very next day (as long as it is early enough in the day)!!!! So I have calmed down, and I'm ready to get some laundry done, only two more days!! Well maybe three or four until Matt can stack the dryer and get it hooked up! But still Saturday is SO much better than Tuesday!!!