hung

It’s been a veritable picture-hanging spree around here, lately! With every piece that goes up on a wall, I feel a bit more moved-in 🙂

This baby was moved from the laundry room to the pantry, where we both think it looks much better:

This Roycroft mirror was a birthday gift from the Layers last year, and we just never got around to figuring out the best spot for it until recently. It’s in the little hallway that leads to the 4th bedroom, and I like that you can see it as soon as you round the corner at the top of the stairs.

Check out the details! And I love that you can see the Penn State photos in its’ reflection.

This is that craft project I made with a friend a week or so ago:

We attached chicken wire to empty frames, then spray-painted them and decoupaged little clothespins. It’s hanging in the downstairs half-bath.

Finished look with cards:

I even found another white-framed cork board for my upstairs office nook:

Since I’ve been in school, I’ve resorted to creating scotch-taped ‘clusters’ of papers on the walls near my desk. First, it was the kitchen in our hotel room at the Staybridge, then the paneled room in the rental house, and then (what is now the 4th bedroom) here before I created this nook. High time to get another cork board, huh?! It’s currently displaying the cycling and aerobics class schedules for the YMCA, my hand-written workout schedule and some directions to log into the new co-op blog website. And my periodic table of elements–it’s more sentimental than necessary now, but it still makes me smile.

Most of those items were finished in one evening; why can’t all the other projects we do be so brief yet bring so much relief?!

I decorated

I had no intention to decorate for call this year–I’m busy, man! I’ve definitely reached that point in the semester at which I lose my mind. So no, I wasn’t about to decorate if I can’t even manage to vacuum.

Until I went to Emily’s last weekend.

Her house is like heaven, seriously. She meets you at the door with a veggie tray and wine, there is soft music playing in the background and there is NO ANIMAL HAIR anywhere. So, it’s my happy place.

Anyway, I got totally inspired by all her fall decor and with our friend, Brett, visiting this weekend, I decided to reward myself with some decorating after my last final on Wednesday.

In two nights, I broke down a ton of ransom cardboard boxes, painted the tops of a desk and matching shelf, cleaned like mad and went in a crazy mission to find a glass pumpkin-shaped candy dish. (BTW, way harder to find than I thought it would be.)

So, between Andrew and myself, our house is (in his words) ‘cleaner than it’s ever been.’ A.K.A. ‘When Holly is happiest.’

Here it is, in all it’s fall glory:

garage project has begun!

Andrew arranged to start the garage ‘raising’ project today.

In order to get our cars inside, we have to adjust the height and put in a new door. Surprisingly, jacking up a garage isn’t that difficult, according to Andrew’s contractor friend. (Said contractor friend is here on-site, which makes me feel a whole heck of a lot better.)

For weeks, our stuff has been sitting outside (and in the basement) since we had to empty out the garage.

Of course, Andrew advertised that there would be breakfast. Of course, I could have bought bagels, but you know me; I had to take this as an opportunity to try out new recipes!

The spread:

Pioneer Woman’s Breakfast Pizza:

King Arthur Flour’s Lemon (but I used lime) Coffeecake:

Fruit salad:

And of course, beverages:

I am so excited this is starting, and thankful Andrew has so much help. Say some prayers for an injury-free day; I already sliced a finger on my mandoline last night while prepping dinner. Ouch.