more this:

Until 3:25, anyway.

Macy’s first day was actually yesterday, but she hated me and had puffy crying eyes (something about no shoes to go with her outfit). We chose not to document that. So, here’s Keller’s first day of first grade and Macy’s second day of fourth grade.

The decision to put hard wood floors on our main level has got me obsessed with rugs. Especially this little beauty from Anthropologie.

Why must the sizes I’m interested in not be available ’til late September and mid December???

BC took the 3 oldest kids to my parents’ house at Bear Lake on Sunday. That

left me and Bennett and a HUGE list of projects to get done without “helpers”. Since Sunday I…

Decoupaged a letter C

Got completely caught up on laundry, even got it all put away
Had the floors measured for hard woods

Went to Ikea without anyone fighting and bought a blanket chest

Sewed straps on a swimsuit for a neighbor

Cleaned Macy’s room

Cleaned the boys’ room

Sanded the piano

Had breakfast with a friend

Assembled the blanket chest

Cleaned out and organized the linen closet (with baskets!)

Painted the bathroom

Removed all out of season/wrong sized clothing from all 3 boys’ closets

Cleaned the grout in my kitchen dining area (thanks for your help, Nat!)

Cleaned Bennett’s room

Took 3 garbage bags full of crap to D.I.

Went to Back to School night

Had dinner with friends

Cleaned my room

Changed out the light fixture in the powder room

Cleaned and polished about half my kitchen cabinets (so close!)

Cleaned the playroom

Cleaned my sewing room

and

finally

just this afternoon

Painted the piano.

Don’t look too closely. It still needs major touching up, but I FREAKING LOVE it.

Got an ugly bath bar light fixture like this?

Yours might actually have all the bulbs in working order, but mine doesn’t. Just keepin’ it real, folks.

My neighbor was over the other day looking at paint swatches with me and she suggested I paint the one in my Seuss-y bathroom. I figured it couldn’t hurt and even if this project was an epic fail I’d only be out the cost of a can of spray paint.

So I went for it.

I took the fixture down and gave it a couple coats of glossy red. (I know, I know! I swore I’d never do that again. But I did. And I liked it.)

Then I made a template for the flat part on the top. I used wax paper because that’s what was in the drawer behind me. Plus, I liked that I could see through it.

I used the template to cut a piece of fabric (leftovers from the towel project). Then I carefully glued the fabric to the light fixture, working from the center out. Make sure not to stretch the fabric and to only apply the glue to the flat part. I used Mod Podge.

Once that was dry I flipped the light fixture over and cut each circle into eighths, like an asterisk. I folded those sections to the back and glued them down.

Then I did a final thin coat of Mod Podge on top of the fabric only.

Final result?

I’m painting my piano.

Leaning towards the color on the left. “Watery”. The one on the right is “Halcyon Green”.

Did you know Sherwin Williams sells sample quarts for $5? You do now.

I saw this and this and this and decided to go for it.

Just throw in a hand (or pocket) full of WintOgreen Lifesavers.

Someone at my house did.

A title like that’s got you waiting with baited breath, right?

Behold the new towel hangers for my kids’ bathroom!

Each kid is getting a towel with his or her initial or name or something on it. They’ll go here when not in use.

Want to make your own? Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s or whatever and head on over to plumbing. Find a spigot. I chose some that started out looking like this (minus the water droplet hanging mid air):

Now finded a threaded pipe flange (that’s the real name…I asked BC) the same size. Screw the spigot in, just to make sure it actually fits. Your flange is galvanized and doesn’t match your spigot? No big deal!

Head on over to paint and pick up a can of Rustoleum. I used this in Matte Nickel.

I gave the spigots and flanges (still giggling at both of those words) a couple of coats of spray paint and then mounted them directly to the wall. I hit a stud on the center one and used drywall anchors like these for the other two.

Now, does anybody have any suggestions as to what color I should paint the rest of the room?

Why in their right mind would anyone put turquoise polka dots on a red towel?

Because they have this rug and shower curtain, that’s why!

I cut 3″ strips of the polka dots and then turned under 1/4″ along all the edges. I positioned the strips about 3″ from the bottom of the towel and pinned them in place like crazy. Then I sewed all the way around the strips. I used a zig zag stitch with invisible thread on top and red (to match the towels) in the bobbin.

If you want something a little less Seuss-y, check out this tutorial.

See that flushable wipes container on the tank? I covered it with stickers from the dollar section at Target and then did a couple coats of Mod Podge. I don’t LOVE it, but I think the idea has some potential.

Stay tuned for more from the bathroom…