Condo Blues

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

30 DIY Goals for 2012

I learned early on that it’s better in the Spousal Management department if I give Husband a head’s up on a major DIY project. For some crazy reason, the man doesn’t like to come home to surprises that look like this:

Surprise! I’m painting the kitchen! Doesn't it look GREAT?!

The Nester is holding a Home Goals party. In the interest of holding myself accountable for actually doing a planned project instead of plunking my tush in front of DIY Network and only dreaming about it, I made a list of DIY project goals for the year.

Husband, consider this list your head’s up for 2012.

Garage

Yeah, I know I said 2011 was going to be the Year of the Garage Workshop. It accidently turned into the Summer of the Remodeled Garden and Porch which had yummier results than accidentally ingesting sawdust. Although I reserve the right to ingest sawdust at any time in the future because who couldn't use a little more fiber in their diet? 

This looks largely the same except I painted the wall blue.

Monday, January 9, 2012

How Do You Pick Paint Colors?

When we first bought our condo, I can’t tell you how excited I was at the prospect of painting the walls! After years and years of renting white walled apartments, finally, FINALLY I got to paint my rooms any color I want!

Condo Blues and Lazy Budget Chef World Headquarters and Thunderdome

I skipped down to the store and basked in the glow of the rainbow of paint chips before me in the paint department. 

Then I got overwhelmed. 

It’s one thing to say that you want to paint a room green because it’s your favorite color and certainly another when 100 shades of green paint chips are staring you in the face at the store. Not to mention, coordinating the colors of the trim work, curtains, floor, ceiling, and furniture with the wall so it doesn’t look like a hodge podge of stuff I like but doesn’t go together at all.

ACK!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Princess’s Tequila Snowman

I like to decorate with snowmen because they are happy little guys you can leave out after Christmas as a winter decoration. Well, that is, unless you are our Queen of No Property Manager who argued that the snowman I hung  on my door was a Christmas decoration and should be taken down last February (during a blizzard I might add when the real thing dotted lawns all over the neighborhood.)

Of course, I shot back it wasn’t right she assumed I even celebrate Christmas (although we do) because we live in a multicultural neighborhood (which I love!) and I don’t remember anything about a snowman crossing the dessert to visit the baby Jesus in the stable – who was really born in March, not December.

I left the snowman on my door until the Spring Solstice -which is in March for spite. Heh.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

I Sorta Got Insulation for Christmas

Last year I asked Husband for garage insulation for Christmas  because I really want to get my garage workshop project moving after painting the walls Smurf Village blue. He thought I was being way too practical (again) and went in another direction.

I’ve been whimpering, or loudly whining and complaining if you want to believe (and you shouldn’t) the other member of my household, that I can’t spend quality time with my compound miter saw (last year’s Christmas gift) once the weather and garage grew cold.   

Lisa really likes this Pink Panther guy
Husband and I decided to bump this project up in priority on our (my) punch list. 

I did a bit of insulation research at the trifecta of home improvement stores (Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards) that are all so close to my house that I may never move for that fact alone. *happy sigh*

Here’s the wall insulation low down:


Friday, December 23, 2011

Make a Chainsaw Reindeer

Here’s a great idea if you have a bunch of tree branches and limbs cluttering your yard from a necessary trimming or a wicked storm – make a tree branch reindeer!  

 I like the little one best.