A Sampling

December 18, 2011

in Budget Decor,DIY,Renovation

Handy Hubby is home! And not a moment too soon. I’ve been running around like a mad woman taking the boys to and from school/gymnastics, working {more than usual, ugh}, Christmas shopping, running from doctor appointment to doctor appointment {Everett developed an ear infection shortly after HH left on his business trip and I’ve had OB checkups} and gathering paint swatches from every paint supply store in town. I know I’m probably not any busier than any other mom out there. And I’m not complaining…only very grateful that HH is back to help lighten the load a little. Boy, did I miss him. Just having him here to take over a few nights of bath time and bedtime is like vacation to me.

So, yeah, did you catch that part about me gathering paint swatches? HH ordered a paint sprayer to prime and paint the Underdog’s interior. It arrived while he was away. He’s getting antsy to use it. Which means we’ve got to nail down trim and wall colors ASAP. Basically, I’ve been scouring the internet for color ideas then picking up swatches from all the different brands available around here: Valspar, Behr, Glidden, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, etc. Then I narrowed down a half dozen ‘maybes’, had some samples made at Home Depot in the Behr brand and painted out some foam board to test in the Underdog.

Here’s an unedited sampling of the sampling…

Mudroom/dining room – Thinking of DIYing white wainscoting with a darker color painted above. If you look closely, there’s a small tile sample on the floor. It’s a lighter travertine with lots of variation in it.

Family room/mantel – Definitely wanting to keep the walls light and airy in here. {Once again, that white stuff on the mantel is my attempt at naturally removing soot from the brick with baking powder + dish soap.} All this time I’ve been sold on painting the brick surround…but I’m having second thoughts.

Family room/ceiling – HH was kind enough to hold up a wall color possibility next to a white ceiling possibility. For a minute, we contemplated painting the ceiling something other than white – like a light neutral tone instead – but decided we really liked the idea of a white ceiling.

Kitchen – Trying to picture any of those with black lower cabinets, white upper cabinets and stainless steel appliances/hood. I think we’ve ousted the middle color. It’s a little too dark.

Great room – The final two??

Boys’ room – There’s a sample of the wood flooring lying in front of the white-ish foam board. I immediately decided I didn’t like the one on the far right. Looks like baby poop. I’m leaning towards the one second from the left but I like the blue-gray to the left also. Hmmm?

Master bedroom – This is the only ‘for sure’ that HH and I have right now. Our bedroom is on the north side of the house and doesn’t receive a lot of natural light so we wanted something light but warm. I think this is it. I think.

Master bathroom – This is the same blue-gray color from the boys’ room image. It looks nice in the master bath but we’d like the master bedroom and bathroom to be painted the same color for continuity. So now we’re stuck wondering ‘do we paint the bedroom blue-gray since the bath looks good in the color or do we stick with the light, warm neutral that we really like in the bedroom and paint the bath that color as well?’ Decision, decisions.

And we’re not even discussing the nursery yet. It’s such a small space – not even 10′ x10′ – that I shouldn’t have a problem painting it out with a roller {versus the sprayer} once we get moved in and I get into nesting the nursery. The hallway to the bedrooms and the guest/kids’ bath just off the great room will probably get painted whatever color we decide on for the great room walls…to keep things cohesive and flowing nicely in those small areas.

When it comes to selecting paint colors, there’s no magic wand for us. We always use samples on foam board and move them around from room to room, viewing them at different times of the day before we make any decisions.

The hardest thing for me right now is looking at all of my inspiration images and trying to bring them to life in the Underdog while staying true to our family’s lifestyle. I.e., most of the images in my inspiration folder are of rooms with white walls and as much as I love them, I’m not sure how well they’d carry over into everyday living. The kids would surely mark them up and I’m a little afraid I’d start to feel as if I was living in an insane asylum. Still, I get all googly-eyed over white rooms. Who knows where we’ll end up with our paint selections?

I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I do.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: bobvila, DIY, ideas, Paint, sample, selections

{ 33 comments }

We Bought a Sofa…or Couch…

December 14, 2011

in DIY,Kid-friendly

The oversized leather sectional that we had in our previous home was too large for the Underdog’s family room.

Technically, it would have fit but it would have taken up nearly all of the floor space in the downsized space and engulfed our future family room. So, we decided to sell it and put the money towards a more appropriately sized version for the Underdog.

Since Handy Hubby liked the previous sectional so much, he had a few stipulations for our next sofa.

  • No loose back cushions. The leather sectional we’d owned before had attached back pillows and HH really liked not having to adjust them every time he sat down and got up. From a design standpoint, I liked this characteristic as well. Loose back cushions can start to look frumpy or lumpy over time. This meant we were on the hunt for either a couch with attached back cushions or a tight back.
  • No microfiber. HH doesn’t particularly like the feel or texture of microfiber. I was okay with this requirement too since microfiber tends to look differently if the fibers are pushed one way or the other. I.e., you get the famous butt print effect after someone gets up from sitting. Not that I haven’t seen some good microfiber pieces out there – I have – but if HH didn’t want it, then I was willing to toss it out of the search.
  • Kid-friendly. We have kids – two boys ages 6 and 3. And a baby on the way. The sofa will serve as main seating in the family room, so it has to hold up to bouncy, rowdy kids. And even though we don’t allow food or drinks {except for water and the occasional bowl of popcorn} outside the kitchen/dining area, upholstery fabric had to be durable and easy to clean. That meant we were looking at either leather {like we’d had before}, faux leather or slipcovered pieces. Microfiber would have fit the kid-friendly bill but, again, neither of us really wanted it.
  • Long-term investment. HH and I were both willing to spend a little more moolah on a quality piece that would stand the test of time as opposed to shelling out hundreds of dollars only to replace a couch of lesser quality in a few short years. This is not our stand on every piece of furniture. But for a sofa that would see regular daily use and be somewhat of a centerpiece for the great room, we felt this would be a good ‘splurge’ item. $2,000 was the max limit we felt comfortable spending. {Again, it helped that we were selling a bunch of the furniture from our previous home to invest in fewer, higher quality items for the Underdog.}
  • Comfortable. Not too soft that we’d sink while watching TV. Not too firm that we couldn’t lounge or nap. Not too shallow that we couldn’t curl up with a book and our kiddos. Not too deep that we’d have to install one of those lift mechanisms just to get up from a sitting position.

Our future couch had to meet a few requirements to say the least. Maybe one other requirement for me was that it have a good aesthetic. Naturally. I didn’t want an expensive, comfy, kid-friendly, non-microfiber sofa with a tight back that stood out like the black sheep of the Underdog! I wasn’t exactly sure what specific aesthetic I was looking for but I knew I wanted something with clean lines and not too high of a back since I planned on floating the sofa in the middle of the family room, facing the fireplace.

So, the search was on.

On a trip to IKEA over the summer {before we’d even sold our previous sectional}, we stumbled upon the Klippan four-seater sofa. It was comfy and slipcovered with straight lines and a low tight back. It wasn’t microfiber and while it would have been kid-friendly with its removable, washable slipcover, I started to wonder if the low, low price tag {less than $500} wasn’t an indication of its long-term durability. Still, I envisioned it with a linen-like custom slipcover and kept that idea on the back burner for a while.

I didn’t get a chance to try it out because once we sold our sectional, the Klippan four-seater had already been discontinued. Boo. I even called the nearest IKEA store to make sure they didn’t have any stragglers sitting in stock but they were completely out. The loveseat version was {and is} still available but it was smaller than what we were needing. I took it as a sign. A sign to move on.

What I moved onto was Crate & Barrel’s Aris sofa.

 

Again, it had nice lines, a non-microfiber slipcover, tight back and down cushions that screamed ‘comfy!’ The only things that had me questioning ‘Is it the one?’ were the slightly curved back and dry-clean only hemp slipcover. At $1,600, it wasn’t cheap and if I couldn’t throw the cover into the wash every time one of the kids accidentally marked it up then it didn’t sound perfect. So, I decided it wasn’t. Good thing, too. Because it turned up discontinued right when I decided it wasn’t for us.

I was slowly discovering that whatever ‘perfect’ sofa came along, I’d jump at buying it after watching the two above be discontinued. I was starting to think all the good ones were gone. I scoured Craigslist for vintage sofas with modern lines that could be reupholstered…to no avail. I hit up consignment stores and outlets all around the area…to no avail.

That’s when I discovered this bad boy.

He’s leather with straight lines and attached back cushions. He’s much like the sectional we had previously with three notably different qualities:

1) He’s not an oversized sectional. This 90″ long sofa is big enough to fit our entire family but modest enough to fit our downsized family room. I taped out his footprint onto the family room floor for good measure. Literally.

2) His back is lower. While the high back of our previous sectional was helpful in delineating the family room from the adjacent open dining area, it would have been too high for the Underdog’s much smaller space.

3) He’s not chocolate brown. This cognac-like sofa is a bit lighter on the eyes than our darker sectional. The color makes me think of saddles and boots.

I immediately showed him to HH who approved whole-heartedly and was a bit surprised by my masculine choice. As much as I adore slipcovered pieces {they’re so airy and cottage-y, aren’t they?}, I really did like how easy it was to keep our last leather sectional clean and how durable it was. Seriously, after 3.5 years of kids jumping on it, it looked exactly like it did the day we originally bought it. Not a tear or stain to be found. I knew this top grain sofa would stand the test of time as well.

I stalked him for a while until he popped up with a free shipping special. I called and talked to a salesperson and was able to get him for $1,800 flat – shipping and taxes included – which was about $200 off the listed price. Not exactly cheap by any means but he was within our budget and I was already picturing him in the Underdog, so I knew this was ‘the one.’

He was delivered to the Underdog last week. HH was away on business, so I had the delivery guys shove him {completely boxed and packaged} into the crowded garage. I haven’t even had a chance to open him up yet. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow. I hope he’s as sexy and rich as I imagine him to be. I’ve already named him Nate after Nate Berkus. Doesn’t he feel very ‘Nate’ to you?

The plan is to float him in the family room facing the fireplace. The two linen-like upholstered chairs I already showed you will sit opposite him to round out a nice, comfy casual seating area. At some point I need to hunt down a rug to ground the floating furniture arrangement and I’m playing around with the idea of using a console behind the sofa. But I think I’ll wait and see how the space feels once we’re moved in before I start scoping out consoles. I want to make sure things won’t feel cramped.

So, there you go. Our latest furniture purchase. I can’t wait to test him out. The petite sofa we have in our apartment {which I plan to use as a dining settee in the future} is soooo not for lounging. It has more of an upright seat and isn’t even long enough for my 5’3″ body to stretch out on completely.

What about you? What characteristics do/are you look/looking for in a sofa? Or maybe you call it a couch. I went back and forth in this post because sofa sounds better but I typically say couch due to my rural upbringing.

FYI – Good news for you! Just found the exact sofa for cheaper than I paid here if you’re interested. Looks like quantities are limited.

images: 1) IKEA  2) Crate & Barrel 3) Elements Fine Home Furnishings

Tagged as: buy, couch, idea, leather, masculine, modern, purchase, shopping, slipcover, sofa

{ 44 comments }

The Ceiling’s Up!

December 13, 2011

in DIY,Kid-friendly,Renovation

Handy Hubby has been on two business trips in the last two weeks and has yet another one coming up. {All three trips were last minute job requirements and have thrown quite the wrench into the renovation, figuratively speaking.} Needless to say, progress has been slow at the Underdog. My priority has been entertaining the kids in between working and growing a baby. Again, kudos to all the single moms out there. I’m doing it short-term and I can’t imagine how challenging it must be to do it day in and day out. Single moms in every form, you’re amazing.

HH did make it back for a two-day stint. Not that I saw him. He was busy working on the tongue and groove ceiling in the Underdog’s great room. With the help of some very selfless friends, he was able to finish up the other {kitchen} side of the vaulted ceiling.

HH cut 1″x8″ pine boards to line the skylight insets.

He still has to frame them out with a little trim.

We’re lovin’ the plank ceiling. And, yep, while the unfinished pine isn’t a bad look, we’re planning on priming and painting it white. We think the white will keep things bright and airy and not fight with the other wood finishes that will be in the great room {black and white cabinets, medium hued hardwoods, etc.}.

Looking up at the ceiling, it almost seems as if you’re looking at a pine floor…if it weren’t for the ridge beam breaking things up. In fact, installing the tongue and groove on the ceiling was much like installing it on a floor – except HH was doing a lot of looking up instead of looking down.

The room as a whole is starting to shape up. In fact, it’s looking more new than old, so that feels good even though progress is stagnant.

Don’t mind the white on the brick fireplace surround. That’s just my natural home remedy for removing soot from the brick before we prime and paint it. It’s a baking powder + dish soap paste {I’m trying to avoid chemicals if possible} and I think it’s been up for 3 weeks now because I haven’t had a kid-free moment to scrape and rinse it off. Oh, life.

Everett loves ‘working’ on the Underdog. Basically, that consists of him walking around with a toy hammer and pounding on random surfaces. He likes to wear his black winter gloves while he does it because they get all dusty…proof that he’s been ‘working.’ Five minutes later, he’s done.

Here’s the newest view looking from the mudroom/dining room into the great room. And to think that it used to look like this…

Slow and steady wins the race, right?

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: bobvila, ceiling, DIY, pine, plank, renovation, tongue and groove, underdog, vaulted

{ 38 comments }

Everyday Maternity: DIY Ruched Tee

December 9, 2011

in DIY,Giveaway,Inspiration

This is my final installment of Everyday Maternity and my hope is that I’ve given you some ideas for dressing affordably and stylishly during pregnancy.

As apprehensive as I was about plastering myself and my style all over the web, it’s been fun! Especially because you all are so kind with your compliments. Thank you! It looks like a few posts regarding my pregnancy fitness routine and hair styling will be coming to H*T in the near future…stay tuned.

Today’s non-maternity-turned-maternity apparel idea involves a little tweaking. This is House*Tweaking after all. I found this super soft, casual and comfy striped tee at Target a few weeks ago.

I tried it on in one size larger than I normally wear and found it to provide adequate baby bump coverage and I fell hard for the stripes. On clearance for less than $8, I decided to bring it home with me.

Once I got it home though I realized that something was off. The bottom of the non-maternity shirt needed some oompf.

See how the bottom hem is stretched away from my body? I immediately thought of ruching the side seams in hopes of bringing the bottom of the shirt in closer to my body. I googled around for ‘diy ruche’ and found this very simple, very easy-to-follow diy tutorial for side seam ruching. I guesstimated how high I wanted the ruching to come up on each side the shirt and went from there. It took me about 15-20 minutes to measure, set up my sewing machine and ruche the sides.

Of note: I do own a sewing machine and know how to use it but I’m far from a pro. You could easily diy this project by hand with a straight seam if you don’t own a sewing machine. It just might take a little longer.

This was my first time using any sort of ruching technique. It was quite easy and I love the results! It was just the extra detail my clearanced, non-maternity tee needed. Can you see how the side seam ruching brings the bottom of the shirt in around my body more?

I decided only to ruche up about 6″ on either side of the tee to allow my belly to expand more over the coming {third trimester} months. Post-pregnancy I could ruche further up the seams once my belly shrinks. {In fact, I think more ruching is in my future…pregnancy or not.} So this shirt will take me beyond my baby bump days!

The newly ruched striped tee looks great on its own or layered under a jacket as seen here. And it cost me less than $8!!! That’s a lot cheaper than all the ruched maternity shirts I’ve been seeing at specialty maternity shops.

In more apparel news, Susan is the lucky winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway! She’s dying for a pair of UGGS but maybe the Andes skirt will hold her over. ;)

Even though you may not have won the giveaway, don’t forget that Shabby Apple is offering a special 10% off discount to all House*Tweaking readers for the next 3 weeks. Just use the coupon code HOUSETWEAKING10OFF at checkout.

So, there, you’re all winners. Have a great weekend!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning Target or Shabby Apple. I just love sharing great places to shop!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: affordable, DIY, easy, idea, maternity, ruche, sew, side seam, simple, tee

{ 11 comments }

Everyday Maternity: Flirty Shirts

December 8, 2011

in DIY,Inspiration

I’m back with another easy maternity look to try: flirty shirts. Flirty as in a little girly. Not as in midriff baring or bra strap showing. Those would be bad maternity wardrobe choices. Bad, bad. Very bad.

Instead, I prefer flowing tops with high waists {much like these comfy dresses} and/or ribbon ties above the belly. The key here is to make sure that the top hits you at crotch level – for lack of a better description – or lower. {Yes, I realize everyone is looking at my crotch now. Oy.} Anything shorter will result in what I like to call the ‘umbrella’ effect where the shirt will poof out from the most prominent part of your belly…like all the old maternity shirts did back in the day when there weren’t as many options.

Of note: The red door in the background is our apartment door. I like the color. I’m thinking it wouldn’t look half bad on the Underdog’s front door with the red brick exterior and gray metal roof. What do you think?

To keep things balanced and to avoid looking frumpy, I pair these types of shirts with fitted bottoms.  Leggings, jeggings, fitted jeans…you get the idea. I’ll be honest. I’m going to have to invest in a pair of maternity leggings or skinny jeans soon. There is some squirming and deep lunges involved in getting these babies on at this time. Once they’re on they’re fine but I don’t think that’s going to last much longer.

THE OUTFIT:

  • button-up cotton shirt: FREE {a Wet Seal gift from my sister a few years ago}
  • jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
  • leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

All pieces from this outfit I’ve had on hand for years. That’s why I’m going to need some maternity skinny jeans soon!

This is my favorite non-maternity maternity outfit to date. It’s comfy, easy to wear and I can’t get enough of the deep navy silk. The kimono-esque top has a ribbon tie just above the belly. It was meant to be tied in the back but I thought the bow looked cute tied off to one side of my bump. This was another happy accident I found at a local shopping mall on Black Friday while Handy Hubby was spending some gift cards.

I like the contrast of the deep navy against the bright white jeans. The cognac leather boots {which aren’t shown very well here} pick up on the caramel tones of the floral print. I love this color scheme for an interior as well. Hmmm…maybe in the Underdog?

THE OUTFIT:

  • navy silk blouse: $7!!!! {Rue 21 – I couldn’t say no to $7}
  • white jeans: $15 {Walmart}
  • leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

I wore this outfit to HH’s 15-year high school reunion a few weeks ago. I was the only prego there. Good times.

Try hunting down flowing flirty non-maternity tops to dress your bump. They’ll transition easily into your post-pregnancy wardrobe and beyond!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the items above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: affordable, budget, DIY, easy, flirty, idea, inexpensive, maternity, outfit, shirt, top, wardrobe

{ 14 comments }

Everyday Maternity: Layered Jackets & Cardigans

December 7, 2011

in DIY,Inspiration

First, let me say that you all sure know how to make a regular girl feel special about her prego-ness and inability to duplicate model hands. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

I already showed you how I use high-waisted dresses to my advantage when dressing the baby bump. Today I’m moving onto jackets and cardigans. These pieces can be left wide open in the front {with a shirt underneath of course} to let my belly breathe and, once again, they are totally adaptable post-baby. I’m into the hot flash stage of pregnancy now that I’m well into my second trimester, so I’ll layer a jacket or cardigan over a light cotton shirt or sleeveless blouse to keep from overheating.

Of note: I ventured out onto our apartment’s balcony to capture this set of photos. The lighting is better but I apologize for the parking lot in the background. It was barely above freezing and had just stopped flurrying so I couldn’t talk myself into dragging my ear-infected three-year-old out to a local park just for better scenery.

Who says pregos can’t wear horizontal stripes? Not me. It helps when you sport narrower stripes and let them play peekaboo under a sweater or jacket.

With my first two pregnancies, I thought I had to buy maternity jeans just because I was pregnant. This time around I’m happily discovering that many of the stretchy skinny jeans I already have are lasting further into my pregnancy because the waistlines are so low and sit well below my bump. Skinny jeans weren’t as prevalent during my past pregnancies or I would have tried ‘em then too.

I do have one of those elastic belly bands on loan from a formerly pregnant friend for when I’m not able to button my pants anymore. I’ve also purchased one pair of below-the-belly elastic waist jeans that I wear when I know I’ll be sitting for a long period of time {i.e. watching my kids’ gymnastics classes} because the buttoned skinny jeans can start to dig in after a while. Otherwise, the skinny jeans are fine as-is for running errands, working around the house and chasing the kids.

Normally I don’t wear open toes in snowy weather. Brrrr. But I really wanted to show them to you. They’re flexible and comfy and I love the little pop of color they add. I’ve had them for at least 5 years and they still look like new.

THE OUTFIT:

  • jacket: FREE on loan from a friend {Motherhood Maternity but you could easily substitute a regular jacket}
  • black and white striped long sleeve tee: $8 {on clearance at Target}
  • jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
  • red flats: $60 {MIA Bridget from Zappos.com}
  • patterned canvas tote: $15 {local shop in Daytona, FL}

The only item I’ve purchased for this outfit during my pregnancy is the striped tee. All other items I already had minus the black jacket which a girlfriend has kindly loaned to me while I’m pregnant.

Another easy maternity option is a cardigan or button-up sweater. They can be purchased in the regular women’s section of nearly any clothing store.

I layered mine over a sleeveless champagne silk blouse I already had in my closet. Either piece will be wearable after baby is born.

I added a wooden bead necklace, taupe flats and a teal leather purse to the ensemble.

Now these flats…I would absolutely wear them in wintry weather…well, flurries…maybe not a foot of snow. I bought them a few months ago while on the hunt for dressy yet comfortable work shoes. An average work day requires me to stand in the same 2′x2′ square area for 10-12 hours at a time. I have crazy high arches that make cheap, flat flats unbearable at work. My work shoes must be supportive and comfortable. These shoes fit the bill with no ‘wear in’ period necessary. They’re Naturalizers and I felt old buying them just because up until now I’ve always associated Naturalizer with orthopedic shoes and nylon stockings. But the brand has younger, hipper styles available and they’re the most comfortable flats I’ve ever owned. I might be a convert. I highly recommend them.

THE OUTFIT:

  • white sweater cardigan: $17 {Target}
  • silk blouse: $14 {Target}
  • jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
  • taupe flats: $40 {Naturalizer at DSW}
  • teal purse: FREE {gift from my mom years ago}
  • wood bead necklace: $2 {estate sale}

The sweater is the one item I’ve purchased since finding out I was pregnant.

There you have it. More ideas for making non-maternity items work during and after pregnancy: jackets and cardigans.

How did I do with my hands this time? I contemplated spirit fingers and/or jazz hands. ;) I was a little less sweaty this time. The snow and freezing temps helped.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning the above items. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: affordable, budget, cardigan, clothing, DIY, fashion, flats, ideas, inexpensive, jacket, maternity, outfit, sweater, wardrobe

{ 27 comments }

Everyday Maternity: Comfy Dresses

December 6, 2011

in DIY,Inspiration

I gave away all of my maternity clothing. ALL of it. I had thought we were finished having babies. Not so. I had lots of good stuff too. My maternity wardrobe had been purchased nearly 8 years ago on a D.I.N.K. budget which means I probably had more than I needed and spent more than I should have.

I’m starting from scratch this time around and working on a much tighter budget. In general, I find that maternity clothing is overpriced. Maybe it’s the extra belly fabric? Maybe it’s the fact that pregnant women don’t really have time on their side when shopping for clothing? I mean, it’s not like we can wait a few months until stuff goes on sale. Typically, we’re at the store looking for something because our pre-pregnancy wardrobe is starting to cut off circulation to essential body parts. Whatever the reason, buying for the sole purpose of dressing a growing bump can get pricey. If you let it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week I’m sharing how I’ve created a practical, versatile and comfy maternity wardrobe without breaking the bank…and without sacrificing style.

Of note: I had hoped to take higher quality photos outdoors but the midwest December weather isn’t cooperating this week. Oh. And my iron is in storage…we’re living with only the necessities you know. Not that I would have ironed anything anyway.

I’ve found a few great ‘maternity’ pieces in the regular ol’ women’s section. One of them being casual dresses with a high or empire waistline. Since the baby bump tends to lift the front of non-maternity dresses a tad, I like to pair them with cotton tights for more coverage. Here I’ll show you three different women’s dresses that I’ve been able to fit into my maternity wardrobe.

This olive dress with charcoal tights is super comfy.

I layered a striped non-maternity tank underneath and accessorized with a colorful necklace and leather boots.

I wore this outfit to Thanksgiving dinner just a few weeks ago. I’m pleased to say it passed the eat-as-much-food-as-you-can-with-a-baby-bump test. Hopefully, that means I’ll get a few more months out of it.

THE OUTFIT:

  • olive dress – $14 {on clearance at Target}
  • charcoal cotton tights – $6 {Macy’s last winter}
  • gray and white striped tank – $4 {on clearance at Target}
  • wood bead necklace – $3 {on clearance at Kohl’s years ago}
  • leather boots – $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

This next high-waisted dress was a recent non-maternity purchase too.

The dress is showing much darker in the image than in real life. In reality, it’s a medium navy color.

The studded belt detail is attached and the dress ties in the back.

I chose patterned tights along with the same boots from the first outfit. I accidentally came across this dress on Black Friday when Handy Hubby and I stopped at a local shopping mall on our way out to Pennsylvania for his 15-year high school reunion. It was a steal!

THE OUTFIT:

  • navy belted dress: $9 {Rue 21}
  • patterned tights: FREE {a past Christmas gift from my mom}
  • leather boots: $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

Finally, I have another dress that was a purchase over the summer when I had no plans of wearing it with a baby bump in tow. In fact, I wore it to a friend’s wedding reception just a couple of weeks before I found out I was expecting. It was never meant to be a maternity dress but I’ve found its elastic chest band, high waist and layers of ruffles to be very forgiving.

It’s a strapless dress, so on colder days I add a plum button-up sweater. The sweater also hides the shoulder straps of a much needed supportive bra. My boobs are a little ridiculous {HH would say awesome} right now. One of the true ‘perks’ of pregnancy!

I didn’t get a shot of my shoes but I wore lavender flats. My center of gravity is off-kilter nowadays and I have a history of losing my balance during pregnancy, so I steer clear of heels.

THE OUTFIT:

  • strapless dress: $25 {Old Navy}
  • sweater: $15 {Target a while back}
  • leather flats: $20 {Target}

The best part about all of these outfits is that I can see myself wearing each piece post-pregnancy. Like all things home decor, I’m a sucker for clothing that does double duty. And while I showed the price of each item, the only pieces I’ve purchased since becoming pregnant are the olive dress {$14}, the stripe tank {$4} and the navy belted dress {$9}. That’s $27 spent on three maternity outfits. Not too shabby. {Btw, have you entered to win the Shabby Apple giveaway yet?}

Have I mentioned that taking pictures of myself to put on the internet is weird? And strange? And it makes me nervous sweaty? And I can’t figure out what to do with my hands? If I didn’t know any better, I would say that the last image looks like my water just broke and I’m holding myself staring into the puddle. I guess I’ll keep trying though…I still have more everyday maternity ideas to share.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention any item shown above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: affordable, boots, budget, clothing, DIY, dress, fashion, inexpensive, maternity, outfit, tights, wardrobe

{ 35 comments }

Those Chairs

December 4, 2011

in Budget Decor

You guys don’t miss a thing. Last week’s post about our apartment’s holiday decor quickly stirred up interest in two new side chairs.

They’re the Baylor club chairs from Grandin Road. They retail for $499 each.

I came across two of them at the Grandin Road Outlet in West Chester, Ohio. {If you’re ever in the area you should totally check out the outlet. Ballard Designs and Frontgate outlet stores are in the same building, so you’re sure to come across something.}

They were exactly what I had been looking for: upholstered, compact and simple. I knew right when I saw them that I wanted them. But there was a young couple scoping them out first. They were walking around them like they were herding them. Then they proceeded to sit in them and talk about where they would put them in their house. Oh no! In my head I was talking to the couple saying, “Don’t buy them. Don’t buy them. Don’t buy them.” I was patient. Eventually, they moved on and I moved in for the kill.

The chairs were marked down to $249 each – 50% off the retail price. After sitting in them and looking them over, I found nothing to be wrong – no tears, no stains, no missing parts, etc. {I’m guessing they were returned to the company by a customer who didn’t like the color or size.} I quickly emailed Handy Hubby a few pics along with the price tag. I staked my claim while I awaited HH’s response. I plopped myself down in one chair and put my purse in the other.  HH liked ‘em and he said he trusted whatever decision I made.

That was it. They were mine. $500 for two club chairs is no killer deal but I didn’t feel bad using some of the money we had earned from selling off a lot of our previous furniture when we downsized for something that I knew would be perfect for the Underdog’s living room. These handsome chairs are just one good example of what can happen when you choose quality over quantity. They will be one of the main seating options in our future living room and will get a lot of use.

Without pillows you can better see the tufting detail on the back.

I love that detail. It kicks up the plush factor just a notch. The upholstery looks like linen but is actually a heavier, slightly nubbier fabric that should hold up well for our family.

Other than the tufting and linen lookalike fabric, I love the straight lines of the chairs. The footprint is modest. The arm design is non-froo-froo. And have I mentioned that these new guys are crazy comfortable? They are. They’re like sitting in a snug – not too tight, not too loose – hug. Every time HH sits in one he says, “I really like these chairs.” They have HH’s manly seal of approval.

Finally, the last little characteristic about these chairs that makes them even more perfect for us is their mobility. The two front legs on each chair are decked out in casters. Which means you can pick the chair up at the back and easily swivel it around when necessary. Why is this good for us? Well, my plan is to place them opposite a sofa {which we don’t have just yet…more on that to come} with their backs facing the fireplace, flanking the hearth and angled in towards the living room. The sofa will face the fireplace and TV that will be mounted above the mantel. On the rare occasion that we need more seating to face the TV {we don’t watch a lot of TV…especially when company is over}, we can spin the chairs around to face the fireplace/TV. Easy as that.

The only con that I can come up with for these chairs is that the seat cushion is not removable…i.e. you can’t flip it over should it get stained or damaged. A reversible seat cushion would have been nice but it wasn’t a necessity. We enforce a ‘no food/no drink {except for water} in the living room policy’ in our house to avoid spills and stains.

Hopefully, that answers the big “Where did those chairs come from?” question.  I’ll keep you posted on other furniture purchases as well. In fact, a main piece is set to be delivered later this week!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

 

Tagged as: baylor club chair, buy, furniture, grandin road, outlet, purchase, side, tufted, upholstered

{ 22 comments }

Free-For-All: Shabby Apple

December 2, 2011

in Giveaway

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

So, you all know I’m prego, right? Yeah, that’s old news. What’s new though are all the recent comments and emails I get from readers asking me to address certain elements of my fashion style: shoes, bags, clothing, etc. Who knew?! House*Tweaking certainly isn’t the first place you come to for fashion advice nor should it be. But with all the questions regarding my wardrobe and such, I thought it would be fun to put together some posts dedicated to fashion…more specifically maternity fashion…since that’s where I’m at in my life right now.

I know that topic is waaaay off base from where H*T usually sits but Handy Hubby is in and out of town over the next several weeks on business, so progress at the Underdog will be minimal. That leaves me with a window of opportunity to discuss non-decor related topics that I get questioned about frequently.

Next week will be chock full of affordable and easy ideas for dressing a baby bump. If you aren’t prego nor have any desire to be prego {read: ‘if you’re a man’ cough, cough}, feel free to tune out and spread the H*T maternity fashion week word onto your fellow female family and friends. If you are prego, will become prego, know someone who is prego or just think prego bellies are cute then you may just find next week’s info entertaining. If anything, you’ll get to see up-to-date pics of my ever expanding baby bump and lady lumps…maybe with a post or two of Underdog updates thrown in for good measure.

To kick things off, Shabby Apple has graciously offered to sponsor a fashion-related giveaway! And you don’t even have to be preggers to enter or win.

If you haven’t heard by now, Shabby Apple is an online boutique that sells women’s dresses, girls’ dresses, maternity dresses and many other women’s apparel and accessories.

I can’t get enough of the vintage-gone-modern look! If I had a few extra bucks, I would totally rock this Mama Apple maternity dress…

Are you famished for fashion yet? Good. It’s not just me and my voracious eating-for-two appetite. Here’s how you can enter to win the Andes patterned high waist skirt - which I think would look fabulous on any body type dressed up or dressed down.

  • PRIZE:  one Shabby Apple Andes skirt valued at $44. Sorry, the model’s body and cascading waves are NOT included with the skirt. Bummer, I know. No returns or exchanges will be given for the winning skirt so please order according to the sizing chart! But wait…there’s more! Even if you don’t win, you can still score 10% off your next Shabby Apple purchase by using the coupon code HOUSETWEAKING10OFF.
  • RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old and have a U.S. shipping address to enter. One entry per email address. Yes, guys, you can enter to win this great skirt for the woman in your life…and just in time for Christmas!!
  • HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “NOT TOO SHABBY!”
  • DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, December 8th at 9:00 p.m. EST. One lucky winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on Friday, December 9th.
  • WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  What item of clothing, fashion accessory, footwear or piece of jewelry are you presently hunting for or lusting over? I’ll go first. I’m on the hunt for a comfy yet stylish pair of everyday casual sneakers. Nothing expensive. Nothing too loud. Nothing with a thick, bulky rubber sole. Nothing white. Nothing uncomfortable. Nothing orthopedic. Really, is that too much to ask?

Don’t forget to ‘like’ Shabby Apple on Facebook to receive special promotions and discounts!

images:  1) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  2) Shabby Apple  3&4) collages by Dana Miller using Shabby Apple images  5&6) Shabby Apple

Tagged as: code, coupon, discount, dress, fashion, free, Giveaway, maternity, shabby apple, skirt, style, vintage, win

{ 292 comments }

Our Apartment Holiday Decor

December 1, 2011

in Budget Decor,DIY,Organization

I’m working with Apartment Guide to dress up and organize our apartment for the holidays. It’s part of the Holiday Home Organization Blogger Challenge that they’re sponsoring.

I’ve been sprucing things up over the last few days and today I’m sharing my holiday decor with you. That means you also get a mini tour of our apartment. Let the festivities begin…

SPACE SAVING CHRISTMAS TREE

Square footage is precious in our ~900 sq ft apartment, so I picked up a live tabletop tree but chose to use it on the floor flanked by two side chairs.

I placed the petite tree in front of the patio sliders so it can be enjoyed from the inside and outside. A larger tree would have jutted out into the room too much and blocked much needed natural light from the sliders.

Our Christmas decorations are in storage but I did manage to coax Handy Hubby to hunt down one Christmas tote {mainly for the Elf on a Shelf for the kids} and was able to reuse some of our past tree dressings: lights, ribbon, bead strands. The rest of the items I picked up at various craft stores.

As much as I like natural light photos, there’s just something about a glowing Christmas tree at night that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

The tree came with a small stand and watering bowl. I propped the stand up on a box inside of a metal bucket that I already had on hand. {It was previously corralling rolls of toilet paper in a closet.} I disguised the base with our traditional tree skirt from storage.

There aren’t any ornaments on the tree. Instead, I bought 10 of the glittery ornamental wands from JoAnn’s {crazy cheap!} and stuck them throughout the tree for some more shimmer.

The topper consists of a few glitter wands zip-tied together with a trio of peacock feathers. {I have plans for gift wrap that will pull the dark teal color from the peacock feathers.}

I fell in love with the feathers at the craft store. When HH saw them, the first thing he sarcastically said was, “Peacock feathers just scream Christmas.” I could have kicked him. I didn’t.

I like the way the feathers resemble the plume of tall ornamental grasses used in landscaping. Maybe it’s just me. Layne and Everett told me feathers don’t belong on a tree.

The budget {assume anything not included was available on hand}:

  • tree & stand – $15 {Lowe’s}
  • peacock feathers – $3 {Hobby Lobby}
  • 10 glitter ornament wands – $4 {JoAnn’s}
  • pack of 100 zip ties – $4 {Home Depot}

TOTAL: $26

I had big plans to create some sort of hanging tree out of wire, fabric and lights to hang from the blinds’ rod above the patio sliders. But once I realized that the wire I bought wasn’t sturdy enough to support my creation without being all lopsided and my boys frowned at me saying, “It doesn’t even look like a Christmas tree”, I returned everything and resorted to the petite live tree. Sometimes my ideas stay that way…as ideas…for a reason.

LIGHTED BREAKFAST BAR SKIRT

Previously, the breakfast bar in the apartment was just one big mess of chaos. I brought two counter stools from our old house to put at the bar but they were far too low to use for eating at the bar. In the last 3 months, we used them once. More often than not they became a dumping ground for coats, backpacks and bags, and they took up precious traffic flow space. I don’t plan on using them at the Underdog, so I donated them to Goodwill {made sure to get a tax receipt!} and got to work redefining the area.

I placed a wing chair and side table in the nook as a place to sit and put on/take off shoes. I put the kids’ school stuff on the chair the nights before school days to make mornings run a little more smoothly.

I sewed a custom skirt/tablecloth for the bar and attached it to the kitchen side of the bar with removable velcro. It serves as a dressy holiday backdrop for the seating area.

For added ambiance, I hung a string of white icicle lights behind the skirt.

I simply tapped a few nails into the underside of the breakfast countertop {making sure not to tap them in too deep to the other side!} and attached the lights with zip ties. The white lights look like little stars at night and give off a warm glow.

But the skirt is not only decorative, it’s useful too. The shorter side of the breakfast bar looks unassuming enough…

…but pull back the fabric to reveal storage.

I relocated this shoe rack from the coat closet to free up closet space for hidden holiday gifts and any guests that may come visit over the holidays. Originally, I had wanted to create a wrapping station here but I came up with a no paper/no tape gift wrap idea that I plan on using for Christmas this year instead. Hence, no glamorous wrapping station is necessary. Still, this space behind the skirt has so many possibilities: wrapping station with hanging wire baskets, boot tray, hanging storage with Command hooks, mail collecting station with hanging organizers, etc. I added a removable hook behind the wing chair and skirt to store gifts until they are wrapped. No peeking!

The budget: {assume anything not included was available on hand}

  • striped fabric – $14 {JoAnn’s}
  • paisley fabric – $18 {JoAnn’s with coupon}
  • gold ribbon – $3 {JoAnn’s}
  • velcro – $2 {JoAnn’s with coupon}
  • icicle lights – $9 {Home Depot}
  • trio of 3M Command hooks – $6 {Home Depot}

TOTAL: $52

My favorite part about this project is that we actually use the space but it looks less cluttered now. The kids love the glowing lights at night.

GLITTER WREATHS

Nothing says ‘Happy Holidays’ like a wreath. I found two of these gold glitter wreaths at a local craft store on sale. I suspended one wreath by green ribbon in front of canvas artwork.

The sparkle is a shimmery contrast to the matte painting. At night it looks warmer…

I hung the second wreath from a standing shelf in the living room.

I like the circular shape of the wreath against all the straight lines of the bookshelf and bins.

I suspended the wreath by a green ribbon tied directly to the top shelf of the bookcase.

It’s just the hint of Christmas cheer that the corner of the room needed. It glitters at night beneath artificial light.

The budget: {assume anything not included was available on hand}

  • gold glitter wreaths – $18 each {Michael’s on sale}

TOTAL: $36

My wreaths are store bought but you could easily DIY something similar with a plain stick wreath and gold spray paint.

HOOP PENDANT SHADE

Remember the gold chandelier that hung too close to the ceiling? I hated it. Wanting a cozier, more intimate and warmer feel for the holidays, I finally did something about that chandy.

I DIYed a 24″ high fabric shade and hung it over the existing chandelier.

The new shade diffuses the light from the chandelier in a lovely way.

The oversize scale of the pendant helps connect the once too-high chandy to the dining table.

I can’t keep the light off at nighttime now.

Due to lack of time and energy, I didn’t add fabric to the bottom side of the shade.

I hung the shade from the existing chandelier’s chain with fishing line…it’s strong but virtually invisible.

The budget: {assume anything not included was available on hand}

  • large embroidery hoop – $6 {Hobby Lobby}
  • fishing line – $6 {Target}

TOTAL: $12

Could it be that my favorite holiday decor project is the one the cost the least? Yes! I plan to post the DIY specifics in a future post.

Keep in mind that all of these projects are completely temporary and easily removable – great for our temporary living situation. Thanks to Apartment Guide for sponsoring my holiday projects. I probably wouldn’t have put too much effort or thought into our apartment’s holiday decor otherwise. But now that it’s all done, I’m feeling pretty good about our warm and cozy interim housing. It was definitely worth all the time and effort put into it. My hope is that someone is inspired to make their home {whether permanent or temporary} an organized and inviting place for the holidays.

FYI – Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “Holiday Home Organization” Blogger Challenge.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the “Holiday Home Organization” Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Don’t forget to like Apartment Guide of Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

images:  1) Apartment Guide  all the rest) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Tagged as: apartment, budget, cheap, Christmas, Christmas tree, decor, decorations, DIY, fabric, friendly, holiday, hoop, inexpensive, Organization, pendant, sew, skirt, tablecloth, warm, wreath

{ 37 comments }

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