New Bedding

This particular project isn't on the big to-do list of '09, but if you know me, you know that I can't pass up a good opportunity for organizing, nor can I pass up a good bargain...and that's where this story starts.

I've been wanting to update the bedding in our bedroom for a while now, as I'm over the comforter thing. I like having a comforter, but I don't like having to wash it. Thankfully, it fits into our washing machine, but with each wash, it gets more awkwardly bunched. We've only had it for 5 years, but it's certainly starting to look worn. So, rather than buy a whole comforter set (that would look nice, but still have to be washed) I decided to look for a duvet or comforter cover. Well, apparently this novel idea has yet to catch on with the major retailers of our country (with the exception of IKEA...which, byt the way, is a Swedish company). I only found a few here and there, but REFUSED to pay $80 for a COVER when I could get an entire 8 piece bedding set for $79.99.

I decided that I'd make my own. I'd done it before and I could do it again! The cheapest way would be to find some flat sheets on sale, sew them together and add some buttons at the bottom. So, I started watching sales. Target had some sheets on sale last week, so I went to check it out. Thank you, Target circular for your lack of information...apparently the $5.98 sale only applied to twin sheets which were not going to work. But, before I left the store empty handed, I thought I'd check out the clearance items and it must have been my lucky day!! There on the endcap was a 7 PC. COMFORTER COVER SET!! And better than that, it was marked down from $80 to $40!!! AND, they had the color I wanted (chocolate brown)!!! AND, they had the size I needed!!! YIPPEE!!

Now, here's the issue with getting new bedding (especially in a set) for us. Our bed is a Queen, but our comforter is a King (we have a sleigh bed and the king falls closer to the floor and eliminates the need for a dust ruffle). So, getting a set means we have a comforter cover that fits, but no sheets that work. Well, thankfully I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine. I converted the king size pillow cases into shams and now have a bunch of brown sheet fabric to use for other projects.

My original plan was to use chocolate brown and a pale turqoise in our room. However, that plan changed yesterday when I put the new bedding on. I really like the chocolate brown and pale green combo and realized that I had several accents, including 2 pretty throw pillows in a damask pattern (thanks, Mom!) that would coordinate nicely. And since our bathroom is cranberry with that same green color, it would all tie together nicely. I think the new bedding is really simple, yet elegant and if we ever want to change the accent colors, it'll be a breeze!

So, without further ado...

The original bedding

And the new improved much prettier bedding :)

And so, now we have all this nice bedding on our bed, but what to do with the sheets and shams and accent pillows that are still in perfectly good shape...ah, the guest room. We've been using an old comforter set from my Mom's house for a while now, and while it certainly served its purpose, we've been wanting to change it up and make that room a little more inviting and cozy. (If you ever visited when we just had a double air matress in that room, you are SURE to appreciate the rest of this post!)

I must rewind a few months to show you the original state of this room, as it's been a work in progess for some time now. Before our yard sale, it was our "we don't want this stuff anymore so let's throw it in the guest room and shut the door" room. About an hour into the pricing and organzing and boxing up process, this is what the room looked like...YIKES!

I've painted an old headboard that will go nicely with this new bedding, but it still needs a coat of polyurethane. I used an old duvet that I had made to cover the comforter, and transfered the old sheets, shams and throw pillows from our room. All the yard sale stuff is gone. The room has been cleaned from top to bottom. There are still a few items that don't have another home as of now, but that's to be taken care of soon. I would have really liked to paint this room, but I only had a day to get all this switched over and barely made it. Painting wasn't really an option this time. The walls are a little boring, but I'll get there! It's still a work in progress, but MUCH more inviting! Here it is...

We're taking reservations, so come on over!

AI Update

Well, friends, I have to report that I am not the next American Idol (and really, I promise that I'm ok with that!). This week has been crazy and busy and tiring and exciting and really a lot of fun. This experience has taught me a lot about the American Idol process, but more importantly, a lot about myself. I'm in the process of writing a step by step account of how it all went down, but soooo much happened and it's taking a long time to write it all. I promise to post it as soon as it's all done.

As for now, I'm glad to be back home and able to get some rest. And breathe deeply for the first time in a week!

MIA & AI

Well, the posts have been few and far between, and maybe even a little non-existent over the past few weeks. It's really been a crazy whirlwind month so far! At the end of May, I looked at June in disbelief...how on earth did we manage to have an almost entirely free calendar for the month? Yeah, it probably wasn't such a smart idea to say those words out loud. So far, we've spent a weekend in Raleigh, kept our favorite 5 year old, Bella, for a week, had some company, and I've been to the dentist twice so far this month for the same reason (stupid teeth!).

Thankfully, today and tomorrow are relatively free (except for the random spontaneous trip we just made to Sylva to see Marty's cousin who is in town from Louisiana). Thankfully, we have these few days to really accomplish some things around the house and get some rest and spend some time together. Because next week could begin the process of altering the state of our lives as we know it.

OK, maybe I'm being a little over-dramatic :) However, next week is going to be busy and big and well, yeah...potentially life changing. People, I'm FINALLY auditioning for American Idol! They're holding auditions in Atlanta, so I'm gonna do this thing! Sadly, Marty will be at a conference all week long in CA, so he won't be able to go with me. However, Brooke is going to tag along for what I'm sure will be the experience of a lifetime. There will be HOURS of time on a sidewalk in the sun or rain while waiting to register. Then MORE HOURS of time on a sidewalk in the sun or rain while waiting to enter the auditions. Then MORE HOURS of being cramped in the GA Dome with 60,000 other people. Sounds like loads of fun, huh? And there there's the getting up at 4am to catch the Marta. And being crazy nervous and crazy excited all at the same time. And seeing a crazy bunch of people. And maybe catching a glimpse of Ryan Seacrest. And, oh yeah, there's the whole singing thing.

Oh the singing...what to sing? I literally sat with my iPod the other day and scrolled through every single one of the 7,000+ songs on there to compile a list of possibilities. And after singing and scratching things of the list and changing the keys and forcing Marty (well, maybe not forcing :) ) to listen to and critique me on those options, I've FINALLY come up with my top 5 choices for songs:
*Summertime (From Porgy & Bess)
*Can't Take My Eyes Off You (By Lady Antebellum)
*Over the Rainbow (By lots of different people)
*Love Me Tender (Elvis)
*Empty Me (Chris Sligh)
My first choice is probably "Summertime", but I decided to have severeal songs ready that fit different parts of my voice (who knows if I'll be tired or hoarse or whatever on audition day). Plus, these songs have a few different styles as well. And then there's the outfit...all I know is that I'm taking the biggest suitcase I have and Brooke is going to get one heck of a fashion show on Wednesday!

I realize that this could one of the most bizarre and random and exciting adventures of my life. How fun will it be to tell my kids one day that I actually tried out for a reality show?!?! I also realize that AI is just that...a reality show. Not a singing competition...a reality show. Which means that my chances of actually making it to Hollywood are SUPER SLIM. But I'm ok with that. I'm taking this thing one step at a time and that means for now, I'll focus on registration and the first round of auditions (which are not with Randy, Simon, Paula and Kara, but rather in the GA Dome in front of some producers). There's no plan past that. And for me, that's a HUGE deal. I need a plan and a schedule and bulleted, highlighted list. But for once in my life, I'm just gonna go and see what happens...maybe the OCD list will come later. And who knows...maybe I'll make it to the 2nd round auditions. Maybe I'll make it to Hollywood. Maybe I'll even make it to the top 36 or 24 or 12. Or maybe I just go spend some time in Hotlanta and have the time of my life...and no matter what happens, I'll be ok :)

Have no fear, blogger friends...I'll be posting updates on Twitter and Facebook throughout the process (and on here when I get a chance to write more than a sentence)!!

On the ball? I don't think so.

Well, friends, here we are starting the 6th month of this year and with about 150 days behind us now, I have realized that I need to get with the program. It's funny how new year's resolutions usually only last until the first month of the new year is gone...and then we often forget about those things until months down the road. They're probably floating around in the back of our minds and jumping into our thoughts when we'd rather not think about them.

And then one day, like today, one might wake up and realize that half the year is gone and those resolutions (I like to call them goals) are nowhere near completion and time is running out. So, in light of my recent realization, I thought I'd give a little update on how these "goals" are coming along...or not.

*Well, I'm glad to say that the great purge of 2009 is nearing the end. I did a yard sale a few weekends ago with my mom and think that the nearly $200 we made was worth the time and effort. Hopefully the next yard sale will free me of all the rest of this unwanted stuff...and if it doesn't, that's where Goodwill comes in. Every box and drawer and closet and binder and container has been sifted through and the junk is gone. Bring on a complete house re-organization!!!

*The wedding photo project: Still in an envelope. Still not printed. Still not finished. My lofty goals for this are dwindling from fancy scrapbook to photo album.

*The great photo project: Still not caught up on the photos from 2008. Doing something with the 2009 photos is a far off thought.

*The last 20 lbs.: Has now turned into the last 25 lbs. Obviously, I'm excelling in this area...just in the wrong direction.

*Home Improvement Projects: The Hallway Project can't really happen until the photo project is somewhat underway. And here's the progress we've made on redecorating the guest bathroom: Stack of paint chips made it from Lowe's to our house.

Clearly, I'm behind. If it weren't for the never ending laundry and cleaning and cooking and doing 100 things a week for other people, I'd have more than enough time to devote to these projects. Excuses, excuses. Here's to the next half of the year!