August Highlights & Happenings

August has been a whirlwind of activity in our house. Homeschool started the 19th, and although there have only been 8 actual school days, I'm already feeling tuckered out! Whew, gotta get back into the swing of things...I got soft over the summer. *wry grin* 

BIG News!
I've been working really hard the last couple months on a big project. Nope, it's not a building project... I'm moving my blog to Wordpress today!! I've had a vision for what I wanted the blog to be, but wasn't able to accomplish it on the limited Blogger platform... FINALLY I have been able to put together a design that best reflects who I am. I hope you love it as much as I do. I know there will be a period of adjustment, and please be patient with me if there are any broken links, I'll work hard to get everything perfect just for you. ;)

The new design contains the same functions you enjoyed before, but improved for better navigation! Now your rollover thumbnails are filterable! When you want to see only posts with "Wall Art", click on that button and those are the thumbnails you'll see. Or stay on "All" for everything. There are also a few new features on the house tour page, and organize page. 

Even BIGGER News!!
I made it as 1 of 3 finalists for Home + Garden Trendsetter of the Year! Pinch me, I must be dreaming! I will be flying to Orlando Florida in October to present before a panel of judges that will determine the winner. However they will take into account YOUR votes on short videos from each of the contestants. I'd appreciate all your support and votes on my Simple Lamp Update video here. Thank you SO much!

The Great Big Etsy Giveaway
Congratulations to all the winners of the Great Big Etsy Giveaway!! I know you will LOVE your prizes. Keep an eye on your inbox, I've sent you an email with further instructions to claim your prizes! And thank you to all 6 amazing Etsy shops who made the giveaway possible!

It has been a busy August, but I have a feeling September will be even crazier. AND I'm tackling my office space...which I will be sharing the month of September and October!
Have a lovely September!!

July's Highlights & Happenings

Ohhhhhh, I am so not ready for the summer break to end. I had all these grandiose plans for what projects I could accomplish over the summer, but now that barely dented list is mocking me. IT'S MOCKING ME I SAY! With 3 weeks left until school starts, I'm scrambling to tackle as much as possible on my to-do list. Please tell me I'm not the only one out there with time management issues and a summer let-down (misery loves company you know). *grin*

Anyhoo, in case you missed anything this month, here's the recap!

My Post On Remodelaholic
It has been a month, and I am loving being a contributor over at Remodelaholic. It is truly amazing being able to work with Cassity and all her talented contributors! 
Today I'm sharing how to make a faux storage tin over at Remodelaholic. I've drooled over the original tins for months, so this knock off is just what the decor doctor ordered! Click here for the entire tutorial.

Etsy Love Series
In case you missed it, July started an 8 week Etsy feature series. I'm sharing 7 shops I follow avidly on Etsy, and on week 8 ( Aug. 21st) I'm hosting a Great Big Etsy Giveaway!!! 
If you've missed any of these features, click on the picture link to read, and don't miss the sneak peek at the end of each post to see what that shop is contributing to the giveaway at the end of the series. 

Thank you for the Feature!
I want to give a great big thank you to Good Housekeeping for featuring my budget bathroom makeover online! That was a pleasant surprise! See more here...

Also to Cut Out + Keep for elevating little ole me to "superstar" status. I shared 7 projects at Cut Out + Keep, and a little bit about myself... you might learn something you didn't know before! Read more here...

Well, I hope your summer has been more productive than mine...or at the very least loads and loads of fun! 
I'm gearing up to start school with the kids on August 17th, so wish me luck! If I disappear off the face of social media for a little while, you'll know that I'm plunging headlong into homeschooling. Good thing, I have most of August and September lined up for you on the blog... ;)

June's Highlights and Happenings

Last week my camera and I enjoyed taking photos in nature rather than indoors for a change. My family and I went on a weekend away with our church for a camping trip! The hubby and girls spent most of the weekend playing with fire, and looked at me like I was the strange one for taking tons of pictures of flowers. We had a good time, and I now have a few new prints for my walls.

Haven Bound
In less than two weeks I'll be on my way to my first ever blog conference!! Aaaaaahhhh, I can't wait! Sadly I can only stay the first two days, so any fellow bloggers planning to be at the Haven Conference in Atlanta, be sure to catch me on Thursday afternoon and Friday. I'm not sure how I'm going to cram in all the gab sessions, meet & greets, and wide eye'd star-struck drooling I'm planning on...but where there's a will there's a way! *grin* 
I'll try and fill ya'all in on my adventure when I get back. In the meantime, want a little hint at what my business cards look like? I've cooked up a little something-something besides your typical business card. Ok, just the teeniest of peeks... if you really want to see it, you'll have to wait until I get back (or hunt me down at Haven and get one of your own!). *wink*

In Case You Missed It...
This past month I finally updated my Laundry room! I've shared everything but what the insides of my cabinets look like...but no worries, that will come soon enough. In the meantime, here are all the laundry room related posts that occurred this month, just in case you missed it. 

PINSPIRED LAUNDRY ROOMS | HOW TO FIX A TORN WASHER BELLOW | LAUNDRY ROOM ART | ADVENTURES IN LAYING NEW FLOORING | NEW CABINET PULLS | HOW TO INSTALL A LIGHT FIXTURE | LAUNDRY ROOM REVEAL

Next Month's Makeover
The halls through one's home may not seem like a particularly important space...but it is the halls that connect our beautiful rooms, so why ignore them as spaces? This month I'll be sharing how I updated the hallways and part of the entry in my home.
I hate to leave you with this hideous picture, but at least now you'll know just how desperately these halls needed a makeover.

Upcoming Series
I'm introducing a new mini-series on the blog for the month of July and August. Etsy Love! Yes, I've been bitten by the Etsy bug, and I'm eager to share the beautiful finds I've stumbled upon! Every Thursday for the next 8 weeks I'll be featuring a shop that has captured my heart. And hoo boy have I got some great news for you... there will be a great big giveaway at the end of the series compliments of some of the featured shops! Be sure to follow along, you just might discover your new favorite home good. ;)

Have a lovely July! I hope it is filled with beauty, brightness, and lots of fireworks! ;) 

May's Highlights & Happenings

Wow, May really flew by... I guess that's what happens when you have too many things going on in a single month, plus all those DIY projects I've been dreaming up. Now that summer is FINALLY here, this homeschooling mama is on break! Can you hear the rejoicing and jubilation in my words? That means more time for projects, which is a good thing because (and I'm really excited about this and couldn't wait to share) I'm going to be a contributor at Remodelaholic!! Say what?!! 
It is very fitting don't you think? Seeing that I'm a non-recovering remodel-aholic myself... *wink* I painted my dining room last year, and I'm very ready to do it again. I've been forcing myself not to re-paint (or tear out walls) until I've enjoyed the previous work at least two years, but I can't say I'll win that battle.  See what I mean? A die-hard remodel-aholic! Look out for my first article for Remodelaholic at the end of the month. 

I've had the privilege of working with some pretty awesome peeps & sites, and my latest obsession is no exception.
I have joined up with Whimsey Box as an influencer, and I think you'll really like the new feature it adds to a few of my blog posts. Many of you want to know where to find the materials in my tutorials, well now you have the option to shop the materials from my post. I add a product link that leads you to the item via Whimsey Box or Amazon. So this is what you'll see every once in a while at the end of some posts...and if you like it, I'll do it more frequently.

This will hopefully makes it easier for you to find (or at least to look up the details of) the product before you make a run to your local store, and I also get a few cents when you purchase through my material links. So thank you in advance! *chuckle* I know my husband would appreciate me trying to supporting my chronic crafting & decorating addiction. Feel free to pop over to Whimsey Box, you'll be able to follow many fantastic projects, and don't forget to check out my profile page and follow along!

Besides surfing awesome websites, I have been working on my living room makeover, which I recently shared has been a bit of a challenge to complete (see the progress report here). 

I have another hundred projects to complete for my living room, but I thought it was time to take a little break from that space and cleanse my palette. So I'm going to pop over to my laundry room and do a few updates throughout the month of June.
Remember what it looked like before? Well it is time to revisit that space and make it sparkle! 

I hope your May was as beautiful and blooming with possibilities as mine... now on to summer!! 

April Highlights & Happenings

Spring weather in April has admittedly had it's ups and downs here in the Northeast. While we've had some warmer days, the snow has hung around and occasionally forced me and my projects back indoors. Forget April showers, more like April flakes. I guess it is too early to tackle the multi-day outdoor projects...but boy I'm rearing at the bit for some good work days! 
In the meantime it's time to finally start indoor seedlings! Remember last year's seed starter? I've learned a few new tricks, and I can't wait to share!

Fantastic Finds & New Obsessions
Between the discount shelf at Lowes, and my newest obsession, a local Facebook buy-sell-trade group, I'm having a hard time keeping my dollars in my pocket with all the incredible finds. Thankfully, I've also been able to sell a few things in that Facebook group to help fund my fantastic finds.
Ok, let me warn you, these before's may not seem all that impressive right now, but you have to look past the ugly to the quality bones and possibilities! 

Fantastic Find #1: I spied these on a discount shelf at Lowes while having some paint mixed. Reduced from $7.98 each to $1.00 I immediately had visions of a wall of flowy white curtains and immediately snatched them up. Slowly the rest of the rooms design has been filling in from that initial vision, and I think I've just determined an entire room's decor from one tiny find. 

Fantastic Find #2: This little file-like drawer set cost me $5. Yep, I said $5. Remember, you have to look past the outdated exterior and see all the many many possibilities!!

Fantastic Find #3: I've saved the best for last... this find came from the FB buy-sell-trade group I'm a part of, and it was FREE. Yes, I just gained 4 pieces of furniture absolutely free. I am over the top delighted, and so grateful for people who move and are ready to upgrade to new furniture. Aren't these awesome? There is no way I would ever be able to afford such great (and sturdy) furniture. 

Oh the possibilities! I can't wait to show you what I have in mind for each of these pieces!

April Posts & Projects
All in all April has been a productive month for me... Lots of projects ( bothshared and to be shared). This past month we laughed over my first time in a Home Goods store, I shared how I store my CD's, showed off my new library book basket, and even asked your advice for a vacuuming dilemma! But the two most popular posts this month were hands-down the Pottery Barn inspired Easter hostess gift, and the piano lamp turned bookcase lamp tutorial! 

For My Fabulous Facebook Followers
It seems many of you who follow along via Facebook have been missing my many tutorials and posts. Argh, Facebook...why won't you show my posts?? Well, if you want to ensure you see the latest and greatest I recommend also following along via Bloglovin. But for those of you who prefer to see updates via Facebook, here are a few tips to make sure you get my posts in your feed:
1. Add Home Made by Carmona to your interest/friend list 
2.Take the time to "like" my Facebook updates, or comment...then you will begin to see my posts more regularly. Plus I just love getting comments from you!
3. Click on the the "like" button again and click to receive notifications. The check mark indicates that you'll see my posts!

You make all my work worth the effort! I truly appreciate you following along, and please feel free to share your own projects, tips, and thoughts with me...it really means a lot to me!

I am very excited for May! The end of May means a break from school (which is a big thing for homeschooling moms like me!), and garden starters!

Happy May all!

March Highlights & Happenings

The Northeast is FINALLY thawing out (insert overly dramatic swooning)!! To say that I'm relieved would be a gross understatement. I hadn't been able to tackle any projects that require outdoor ventilation for 3 months...that is a lifetime in DIY years. A lifetime.
That isn't even the worst part. All my paint froze, and by the time I realized that I needed to move them from the garage to the basement it was too late. That is 3 brand new gallons of paint, 12 leftovers for touch-ups, and 2 stains unsalvagably ruined. I'm not crying, I was just peeling onions...oh who am I kidding...

In spite of my longing for warmer weather, winter is very pretty out here. You've never seen the exterior of my home, so let me give you a brief winter tour.

Welcome to my home... 

The road I live on.

My backyard deck and picnic area.

One of these days I'll be able to show you what my home looks like under all that snow. Come on spring!

Living Room Progress & March Projects
I've finished three major pieces in this living room, two bookcase+base, and an update to my previously hideous TV console. 

I've also completed a myriad of little projects (lest you think I've accomplished nothing the past two months *grin*). I've promised the details of many more mini projects this coming month. 

GOLD SPRAYED JARS | DIY WIRE BASKET | PUZZLE STORAGE SYSTEM | DIY PAINTING

Creating With The Stars
Well, I entered my DIY Bookcase & Styling post in hopes of making into the Creating With The Stars competition. I was the 10th person to link up a project... a few hundred incredible bloggers later I knew I didn't have a dream of making it! *chuckle*  I submitted what I had, but there were some jaw droppingly awesome projects by fantastic bloggers! I am however following along to see what creative things are dreamed up, and linking along. 

That's all for now, have a beautiful sunshine-filled April!

January Highlights & Happenings

This has been by far the craziest strangest month! 
The frigid cold we have been experiencing around the Great Lakes has put a bit of a hamper on my projects. Without the ability to work in the outdoors (or at least allow for some ventilation), not a whole lot is getting done around here. Anything that requires sawing, painting, sanding, or building is pretty much out. Yep, I am definitely ready for a warm up! I think I'm experiencing project withdrawal.

Thank You For The Feature!
The bright side of being stuck indoors during this cold snap? Well, I've been spending more time on small (but necessary) projects to help streamline life. This month I did pieces for SheKnows, Buzzfeed, and One Kings Lane. Not only were they a lot of fun to do, but it allowed me to finally tackle some projects that have been on my mind for a while!
In case you missed it (but how could you miss it? I think I talked about it twice already)...another exciting feature that came out this month was my storage solution in Good Housekeeping magazine!! Can you believe it?? Someone pinch me! No wait don't do that, if I'm dreaming I don't want to wake up. *grin*

I also want to give a big thank you to AKA Designs, Mommy Page, and Apartment Therapy for the features this month! You guys make my heart go pitter-patter!

January, My Month For Love (and a great gift!)
Many of you are gearing up for Valentines day in February, but January is my month for love. My hubs and I just had our 10th anniversary last week! I've always hated that joke about men giving women appliances as being the worst thing they could do. We're both so cheap we try to make things last as long as possible, and we don't usually put money toward unnecessary items. So it turns out that the one thing I've wanted more than anything for the past few years is a new vacuum. After fixing, patching and MacGyver'ing this vacuum long past it's life expectancy it finally died....and it was a rather long, painfully drawn out death. *grimace* 

Happiness is when your husband says affectionately that you can buy a vacuum, and it turns out to be the BEST anniversary gift you could ever desire! No seriously, it hurt spending that $179, but once this puppy was in my house I ripped open that package like a kid on Christmas morning, eagerly assembling my new toy! I confess, I can be such a man sometimes...there were quite a few parts and I ran into a small hitch figuring out what went where, but could I take two minutes to look at the instructions or the diagram? Oh no...that would be too logical. *grin* Don't worry, I got it put together eventually.
Now I can't seem to stop vacuuming...which is ironic because I don't like to clean. It's like a new toy I can't put down, and it is a bit disgusting how much dirt I've gotten out of my carpet. I think maybe my vacuum stopped working long before we stopped using it. So far I love the way the Shark handles, waaaay better than the Hoover I had before, but we'll see how well it stands the test of time. *fingers crossed*

What To Expect In February
I'm doing it, I'm taking the leap and attempting to tackle the living areas in my house. I say "attempt" because as hard as one may try to bring a room together, without the proper key pieces (or any idea what to do with the space) it can be a slower process than anticipated. 
Let me show you what I mean. Here is the living room which opens to the sitting room, before the previous owners moved out: 

Well, the previous owners seem to have found a way to make this long dual space work for them. But what happens when you first move into a space and then try to make your pre-existing (hand-me-down) furniture work? Meh...that's what happens. It looks meh. 

This may take a couple few months. You know me, when there is a lot to do I'm dedicated to showing you the ups and downs, the how-to's, the organization, and making it happen with extreme frugality! 
Well, wish me luck...I'm going to need it. 

Highlights and Happenings: A Look Back At 2013

4, 3, 2, 1...Haaaaaappy New Year! 
The ball has dropped and it is officially 2014 here in Ohio! Wahooo! 
What exciting things do you have planned for 2014? Are you a resolution setter? Generally I am kind of a year-round resolution setter. I resolve, I try, I fail, I try again less emphatically, I get inspired and I resolve, and we do this dance over and over again. *lopsided grin*
It's called goals and aspirations, and it is definitely not a sprint to the finish! This month I'm going to share my resolutions and how to take two steps forward even though you might take one step back. *wink*

My Ongoing Resolutions (in no particular order):

• Save even more on my grocery bill and squeeze the most out my budget.
• Improve my guitar & piano skills and help my kids do the same
• Organize at least one thing per week, even if it is a little thing!
• Get fit, and eat less sweets.
• Make learning a great experience for my kids! 

My Favorite Projects & Posts
I. Can't. Choose! I guess if I had to choose, a few of my favorite projects would be my menu planner, my chore system, the pin & magnet board + dresser update, and my DIY rugs. The first two made a big impact in the function of our home and in simplifying our lives, and the last two...well the last two were just loads of fun and pretty to look at!

I guess these must have been reader favorites as well, because these projects seemed to be featured most across the blogosphere, for which I say a great big thank you! You guys make me feel special!
I'd also like to give a big thanks to IHeart Organizing, Apartment Therapy, Buzzfeed, Roadkill Rescue, and Knock Off Decor for featuring other projects I did this year! 

2014 Awaits! 
So many neat things are going on in 2014! Just to drop a hint or two, there are magazine features (I can't WAIT to share!!), podcasts, interviews, and contributor articles in the near future! 
I will be contributing at SheKnows! I'm very excited to share my "expertise" (do I have any of that?...well I suppose trial and error have taught me waaaay more than I'd like!).

January 12th - 17th I have the privilege of joining with some fantastic bloggers, a few who are as new as I am to the blogging world, but have made a big splash! We will be sharing our confessions of what it means to be a blogger. We'll also be hosting a Blogging Resources link party on the 17th, and a live chat from 3-5pm via Facebook & Twitter!
Mark your calendar, you won't want to miss this! You'll laugh your socks off at some of these confessions, and hopefully we won't shock you too much!

Have a lovely New Year!! 

November Highlights & Happenings

Happy Thanksgiving!!
(Well, to those of you who are in America...to those of you who are not...happy end of November!!!! *grin*)
Are you sprawled out in front of a fire, a glass of eggnog (or if you're me, soynog) in hand while reading this? *contented sigh* Aaaahhh the vacation season! (To those of you not in the U.S., a cold weekend counts as a good enough reason to drink eggnog and put your feet up by a fire). *wink*
Of all the holidays, I appreciate what Thanksgiving can be...well, when I'm willing to trade in gluttony for expressions of thankfulness! *grin* 
I have much to be thankful for, but I am most thankful for my darling little family! 
I've never posted a picture of my family on the blog before. I figured no one would care much since I'm blogging about home DIY...I am surprised at how many emails I get asking why I haven't posted a family picture! The most you've probably seen is the corner of a little person here or there, but never an entire photo of my family. So I thought I'd introduce you to them! Family, these are my readers, readers, this is my family!

Hmmm, because this family pic is about 9 months old, and because a picture is suppose to be worth a thousand words...here is a recent pic that depicts us a bit more "true to form". The hubs took it, so this one is just of all his girls. 

BOOO!

Scared you right? *giggle*

Last Month's Completed Projects

Enough about my personal life. Lets get back to my personal home decorating. *grin*
If you missed it, this month was filled with bathroom reno projects, because I figure my holiday guests will appreciate pretty and functional bathroom spaces. See the entire reveal and a detailed $83 makeover budget breakdown here.

LULU & GEORGIA INSPIRED RUGS
click here to read more

How to make these inspired rugs for $9!

ART ON A $10 BUDGET
click here to read more

Learn clever ways to create an art grouping on a slim budget.

DIY HAIRCLIP HOLDER
click here to read more

Store fancy clips in an art grouping!

In case you didn't see it, my DIY Rug Tutorial was featured over at Knock Off Decor this month! Such a fantastic site dedicated to all kinds of creative knock off tutorials. Who say's you have to pay through the nose for lovely things? Thanks for the shoutout!

I was also thrilled to be able to feature a tutorial and Q & A from a blogger I who knows how to take DIY to the next level, Kelly from View Along the Way. Check out this first of many "Take It From The Pros" projects. This ongoing series lets me re-create some of our favorite blogger projects, and get one step closer to my dream house! If you missed it, you can read the post here.

What's Next?

Well, I almost forgot to share the downstairs bathroom reveal...in my defense I was sick for a week (chills and everything). Thankfully I realized it a couple days ago, and added it to the December lineup!
As for projects, well I know I said I'd tackle a space a month, but hey, let me catch my breath a moment! I'm prepping for the holidays and I have quite a bit to do. No worries though, I'll be sharing all my guest prep and holiday what-not's...after all, you have quite a bit of planning too right? I CAN'T WAIT!!

Happy Holidays!