DIY

Who loves do it yourself projects? Over the last 16 years I have painted parts of three different homes that we have lived in. I enjoy painting, the best part is when you are done and you can sit back with a satisfied feeling of a job well done. But I do have to admit that I said I would NEVER paint the house we are living in now. Why? Well one of the main reasons is that its larger than our previous homes with very high ceilings. I just thought it was too huge of a task to tackle on my own. But the color of the walls is a boring beige and I just couldn’t take it anymore. So I have been taking it one room at a time. I started with our long, long hallway. Then moved onto the media room. Just this last weekend I knocked out another room, our kitchen nook.  I thought I would share my process and a few before & after pictures with you.

Paint! You have to pick the color, which was easy; it’s the same color I used for other parts of the house. Benjamin Moore Bennington Gray, Check! Brushes & roller: I picked up a new cutting in brush; I really like the 2 1/2 inch Wooster brush. Gloves, rags & ladder: I like to wear gloves to paint. It makes clean up a little easier. I have to have a rag too for those little mistakes I make. 😉 Drop clothes/plastic sheeting & tape: I used plastic sheeting this time rather than a drop clothe, I like both & I really like to use Frog Tape for taping down and if I need a fine edge. Okay so those are the main items I use to paint. After removing the furniture and taping down the plastic, I am ready to work!

FYI, I am not a professional painter, one of my closest friends showed me the ropes on my first house and I may do things a little differently than someone who is. But I enjoy the process and I love the after! Oh and the final picture below has my new chandelier from Restoration Hardware (on sale now). I have had this on my wish list for so long and finally I have it! We now have light to eat by too! 🙂

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Painting the Hall
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Painting the Media Room
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Painting the Media Room
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Kitchen Nook
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Getting everything ready to paint
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Painting the Kitchen Nook
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Painting the Kitchen Nook
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Painting the Kitchen Nook
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Painting the Kitchen Nook
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Kitchen Nook After!

If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Oregon Football Fashion

As women we typically talk about fashion in the sense of what we love to wear, what is trending and what’s on the runway. But I thought I would talk about fashion in a different area, the Football arena!

I have to admit that I love the Oregon Duck Football uniforms, Nike has really outdone themselves. Being that my husband JJ Birden played football for the Ducks and I spent my college years there, we are partial to the Oregon Ducks.

 Tonights game uniform is especially close to our hearts with the Ducks supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month. Here is a glimpse of the fabulous uniform they will be wearing tonight! I have also included some of the other really cool uniforms the team have worn throughout the football seasons.

We love our Ducks! Who is your favorite college football team?

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“What is a more visible way to turn up the heat and create personality, than through the football uniforms? -Famous Nike Designer Tinker Hatfield

“Push style to the extreme, and it becomes substance.” – UCLA Professor Richard Lanham