the vanity sink is gone! and so is the linoleum! mike said it was a bit of a struggle removing the linoleum since there were THREE layers of it. i assume from the 6 previous owners... a few of them laid new linoleum on top of the old instead of removing it. ugh. here we are making things right!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
bathroom remodel #3
work, work, work! this past weekend, June 30 & July 1, Mike and Dave worked on ripping out the rest of the old bathroom. the vanity sink, toilet, and that hideous linoleum floor! we're down to the bare bones now. it's been real exciting to watch this process, as well as be a part of it... i suppose only other homeowners can relate to this. so far, we've spent roughly $300 on temporary dumpsters to remove all the debris and a couple new tools to help get the job done with ease. our budget is $2000 for the entire renovation.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
birchbox: june
my june birchbox arrived yesterday and there's some great goodies! apologies for the poor quality photos, they're from my iPhone.
anyhoos, i received a $25 off coupon for Artspace. i thought it was a waste when i first visited the website and saw pieces going for $1000! but after some browsing and filtering, i managed to find some great artwork & photography for under $200. not bad! i'm anxious to test out the Jouer tinted moisturizer since that's still on my list of things to find for myself. last month, i received Dr. Jart' s BB cream which is also a tinted moisturizer... left my skin feeling soft, but the tint was horrendous on my tan complexion... i looked like a geisha girl! this month's birchbox also came with its first men's product to promote their men's birchbox line... funny, the men's birchbox costs $20. i can't picture men paying that much for a bunch of sample products, especially when us females are only paying $10 for ours. anyway, you can never have too many band-aids available and i love the cute designs. i also tried the Balm cosmetics, staniac, but didn't see much of a difference when i applied to my lips. can't wait to try the rest of my goodies! 'til next month!
anyhoos, i received a $25 off coupon for Artspace. i thought it was a waste when i first visited the website and saw pieces going for $1000! but after some browsing and filtering, i managed to find some great artwork & photography for under $200. not bad! i'm anxious to test out the Jouer tinted moisturizer since that's still on my list of things to find for myself. last month, i received Dr. Jart' s BB cream which is also a tinted moisturizer... left my skin feeling soft, but the tint was horrendous on my tan complexion... i looked like a geisha girl! this month's birchbox also came with its first men's product to promote their men's birchbox line... funny, the men's birchbox costs $20. i can't picture men paying that much for a bunch of sample products, especially when us females are only paying $10 for ours. anyway, you can never have too many band-aids available and i love the cute designs. i also tried the Balm cosmetics, staniac, but didn't see much of a difference when i applied to my lips. can't wait to try the rest of my goodies! 'til next month!
Monday, June 11, 2012
not your ordinary gno
GNOs are so much fun... but what's twice as fun? when an ordinary GNO becomes a weekend of bachelorette debauchery!! your last weekend as a 'single girl' to rock out with your girls ... where that bachelorette tiara or sash becomes a magnet for men and complimentary drinks... the GNO weekend that'll go down in the books! i'm recovering from a funtastic weekend spent with some fabulous females! much love and congrats to van on the next chapter in life... marital bliss! our ohana is growing! thank you for including me in these great memories. you're going to make such a beautiful bride! can't wait til your wedding!!
bathroom remodel #2
mike's buddy, dave, had some free time yesterday to help remove the 300 lbs cast iron bathtub. dave... thank you, thank you, thank you! we're so grateful for all your help!
the guys took a sledgehammer to it breaking it in half. they broke down half of the tub and tossed it in the temporary dumpster. the other half is in our backyard until we get another temporary dumpster to toss it into since the one we're currently renting may be close to its max limit (500 lbs) with the debris from last week's bathroom demo.
the guys took a sledgehammer to it breaking it in half. they broke down half of the tub and tossed it in the temporary dumpster. the other half is in our backyard until we get another temporary dumpster to toss it into since the one we're currently renting may be close to its max limit (500 lbs) with the debris from last week's bathroom demo.
Monday, June 4, 2012
bathroom remodel #1
mike and i finally tackled demolishing the hallway bathroom. we started in march with taking a sledgehammer to the tile around the bathtub but plans came to a halt quickly due to real life. it's a great experience doing renovations yourself, but when you have a full-time job... and full-time life... projects must be done in small chunks at a time that fit with your schedule. thankfully, there is more than one bathroom in our home, so we haven't been in a rush to get this done.
here's what the bathroom looked like before...
here's what the bathroom looked like before...
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
birchbox: may
i received this month's birchbox. it's a gossip girl theme. i've never watched an episode of gossip girl, so not sure how these items relate. *shrug*
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
first birchbox delivery
i signed up for birchbox about a week ago after reading several reviews and vlogs from women about their monthly sample goodies. it's a $10 a month subscription in which you get a few samples of beauty products... lotions, make up, perfumes, bath items, etc.
so, my first birchbox finally arrived today in this cute bright pink box...
so, my first birchbox finally arrived today in this cute bright pink box...
Thursday, April 12, 2012
what's your color personality?
during my usual morning routine of checking emails and skimming through google reader, i came across Centsational Girl's blog post about color personality. so, naturally, i had to take the test!
Friday, April 6, 2012
down with the garden
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
more money in my pockets!
i've been using Mr. Rebates for nearly 5 years now and i have to admit, it's paid off. before i shop online, i visit Mr. Rebates to see if the store i'm shopping at is an affiliate. if so, i'm able to earn a small % of my purchase in a cash back rebate for my purchase.
for instance... i just booked a vacation package on expedia.com. i visited Mr. Rebates first to navigate to expedia's website. i booked my vacation package for approx. $2500... with a 3% cash back rebate from Mr. Rebates... i'll earn approx. $75... that's an add'tl $75 i can put towards a nice dinner while i'm on vacation! w00t!
money you earn from cash back rebates can be deposited directly to your PayPal account free of charge... or you can request a check free of charge. it's real simple and doesn't take much to effort to visit a site first before the intended site you plan on shopping at.
they have several major dept stores such as Target, Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdale's, etc. other major brands like Sephora, Apple Store, Dell, Best Buy, Finishline, Diapers.com, etc. they have over 2000 stores to choose from.
anyway... i normally don't blog about stuff like this... but i'm always stoked about getting a good deal... and i think i've kept this website to myself for long enough. so sign up! start earning cash back on your online purchases! if you're primarily an online shopper, then this site is totally for you!
if you decide to join b'coz of my spiel, please thank me by putting me down as reference: shopping.girl79@gmail.com. thanks much! =)
for instance... i just booked a vacation package on expedia.com. i visited Mr. Rebates first to navigate to expedia's website. i booked my vacation package for approx. $2500... with a 3% cash back rebate from Mr. Rebates... i'll earn approx. $75... that's an add'tl $75 i can put towards a nice dinner while i'm on vacation! w00t!
money you earn from cash back rebates can be deposited directly to your PayPal account free of charge... or you can request a check free of charge. it's real simple and doesn't take much to effort to visit a site first before the intended site you plan on shopping at.
they have several major dept stores such as Target, Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdale's, etc. other major brands like Sephora, Apple Store, Dell, Best Buy, Finishline, Diapers.com, etc. they have over 2000 stores to choose from.
anyway... i normally don't blog about stuff like this... but i'm always stoked about getting a good deal... and i think i've kept this website to myself for long enough. so sign up! start earning cash back on your online purchases! if you're primarily an online shopper, then this site is totally for you!
if you decide to join b'coz of my spiel, please thank me by putting me down as reference: shopping.girl79@gmail.com. thanks much! =)
Monday, February 6, 2012
hardwood floors get a make over
wed 01.11.12: we began work on the hardwood floors in the office and kid's room. the beautiful, natural hardwood floors needed a little face lift. we rented a drum sander from our local home depot for $44 for 4 hours. we were fortunate enough to get away with using one belt per grit (80 and 220) for two rooms that were approximately 100 sq ft each. we sanded the corners and edges of the floors with the corner cat finish sander the mister has in his toolbox.
thu 01.12.12: we vacuumed the rooms of wood dust and applied mineral spirit, followed by TSP to assure the surface was clean and free of any dust and particles.
sat 01.14.12: i learned A LOT from the clerks in the paint dept about staining wood. did you know the same color stain can have a different affect on wood that is cut from the same tree, but in different areas of the tree (e.g. trunk and branch)?? it's like wine pairing! anyway, back to the house... the mister wasn't satisfied with our sanding work and redid all the edges and a few spots on the center floor with a lot of help from his buddy, D. re-sanded, re-clean, then filled in cracks, gaps, holes, etc with wood filler... now, it's time to stain! we decided on minwax oil-based stain in ebony. it takes about 4 hours in between coats, so after we applied the first coat, we wrapped up the day on this task.
sun 01.15.12: the mister applied a second coat of stain to each room. roughly 4 hours later, we applied the first of many coats of polyurethane. my eyes were burning! this stuff is lethal! the caution label actually states this product can cause brain and nerve damage if exposed for long periods. it takes 8 hours to dry in between coats, so we called it a day, packed up and left.
mon 01.16.12: the mister applied another layer of polyurethane. it's recommended to apply at least 4-5 coats, more for high traffic areas. we'll probably have to return to the house each night this week, after work, to apply more coats.
sanding materials list:
drum sander
1 sandpaper belt in 80 grit
1 sandpaper belt in 220 grit
ryobi corner cat finish sander
1 packet of sandpaper for edger in 80 grit
1 packet of sandpaper for edger in 220 grit
approximate cost: $75
cleaning materials list:
mineral spirit
TSP
old t-shirts
approximate cost: $20
filling and staining materials list:
minwax high performance wood filler
2 quarts of minwax oil-based wood finish in ebony
old t-shirts
1 gallon of parks pro finisher in clear semigloss
2 10" lambskin pads w/block
approximate cost: $94
grand total: $189
thu 01.12.12: we vacuumed the rooms of wood dust and applied mineral spirit, followed by TSP to assure the surface was clean and free of any dust and particles.
sat 01.14.12: i learned A LOT from the clerks in the paint dept about staining wood. did you know the same color stain can have a different affect on wood that is cut from the same tree, but in different areas of the tree (e.g. trunk and branch)?? it's like wine pairing! anyway, back to the house... the mister wasn't satisfied with our sanding work and redid all the edges and a few spots on the center floor with a lot of help from his buddy, D. re-sanded, re-clean, then filled in cracks, gaps, holes, etc with wood filler... now, it's time to stain! we decided on minwax oil-based stain in ebony. it takes about 4 hours in between coats, so after we applied the first coat, we wrapped up the day on this task.
sun 01.15.12: the mister applied a second coat of stain to each room. roughly 4 hours later, we applied the first of many coats of polyurethane. my eyes were burning! this stuff is lethal! the caution label actually states this product can cause brain and nerve damage if exposed for long periods. it takes 8 hours to dry in between coats, so we called it a day, packed up and left.
mon 01.16.12: the mister applied another layer of polyurethane. it's recommended to apply at least 4-5 coats, more for high traffic areas. we'll probably have to return to the house each night this week, after work, to apply more coats.
sanding materials list:
drum sander
1 sandpaper belt in 80 grit
1 sandpaper belt in 220 grit
ryobi corner cat finish sander
1 packet of sandpaper for edger in 80 grit
1 packet of sandpaper for edger in 220 grit
approximate cost: $75
cleaning materials list:
mineral spirit
TSP
old t-shirts
approximate cost: $20
filling and staining materials list:
minwax high performance wood filler
2 quarts of minwax oil-based wood finish in ebony
old t-shirts
1 gallon of parks pro finisher in clear semigloss
2 10" lambskin pads w/block
approximate cost: $94
grand total: $189
garage clean up
the mister is serious about his garage... excuse my french, i mean... the man cave. he likes it to be easy to clean and as tidy as a work space can be. the garage wasn't in terrible condition when we received the keys to our new, old home. there was the usual wear and tear and collected dust over the years... several years. first thing the mister wanted done was coating the garage floors with epoxy... but before we could do that, we need to etch the surface... and before we can do that, we needed to scrub the floor clean.
we spent 3 days scrubbing the floor.. lots of comet, lots of water, lots of elbow grease. afterwards, we applied a generic version of CLR to remove rust stains, followed by simple green to de-grease and remove any soap resin. finally, b'coz the surface of the concrete floor was smooth, we applied UGL drylok etch to etch the surface so the epoxy would adhere to it... we basically acid washed the floor.
however, the etch didn't do the job we expected it to. boo! here comes the trial and error part... had we known, what we know now, then, we could have saved ourselves 3 days of cleaning and $40 of cleaning supplies by going straight to the diamond grinder.
we rented a diamond grinder from our local home depot for about $100 for 4 hours. the surface of the garage was finally at the state it needed to be in. imagine, microdermabrasion for concrete surfaces! the mister gave the area one final scrub down with water and simple green to remove the dust and let that dry overnight.
the mister and his buddy D, finally got to apply epoxy shield to the garage floor. unfortunately, the mister learned it's no longer legal in la or orange county to sell oil-based clear coat paint that's applied over epoxy. something about the VOC being too high. this type of clear coat is similar to the clear coat applied to wood flooring. it adds that shine and makes it incredibly easy to clean up messes.
materials:
comet w/bleach
[generic version of] CLR
[generic version of] simple green
UGL drylock etch
stiff brushes
diamond grinder - $100 for 4 hours at home depot
epoxy - $112 for a kit
paint roller extension rod
9" paint rollers (the cheap stuff)
approximate cost: $280
we spent 3 days scrubbing the floor.. lots of comet, lots of water, lots of elbow grease. afterwards, we applied a generic version of CLR to remove rust stains, followed by simple green to de-grease and remove any soap resin. finally, b'coz the surface of the concrete floor was smooth, we applied UGL drylok etch to etch the surface so the epoxy would adhere to it... we basically acid washed the floor.
however, the etch didn't do the job we expected it to. boo! here comes the trial and error part... had we known, what we know now, then, we could have saved ourselves 3 days of cleaning and $40 of cleaning supplies by going straight to the diamond grinder.
we rented a diamond grinder from our local home depot for about $100 for 4 hours. the surface of the garage was finally at the state it needed to be in. imagine, microdermabrasion for concrete surfaces! the mister gave the area one final scrub down with water and simple green to remove the dust and let that dry overnight.
the mister and his buddy D, finally got to apply epoxy shield to the garage floor. unfortunately, the mister learned it's no longer legal in la or orange county to sell oil-based clear coat paint that's applied over epoxy. something about the VOC being too high. this type of clear coat is similar to the clear coat applied to wood flooring. it adds that shine and makes it incredibly easy to clean up messes.
materials:
comet w/bleach
[generic version of] CLR
[generic version of] simple green
UGL drylock etch
stiff brushes
diamond grinder - $100 for 4 hours at home depot
epoxy - $112 for a kit
paint roller extension rod
9" paint rollers (the cheap stuff)
approximate cost: $280
gray is the new neutral
i've heard gray is the new neutral and had entertained the idea of adding it to our office. after looking at many behr paint samples in various shades of gray... i fell in love. i started thinking, "this color would look great in the family room... in the kitchen... in the..." i ended up choosing three shades of gray with a hint of blue. i would have chosen a different color for each room, including accent walls... but the mister brought me back down to reality and convinced me it would be easier and quicker to paint a couple a rooms at a time with the same color. given our time constraints and over 2300 sq ft of walls to paint, i quickly agreed. i figure we can add accent walls once our furniture is in and we have a better idea of how it all meshes together.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
the immortal
the mister and i had our first date night of the new year! we had purchased tickets to cirque de soleil's new show, Michael Jackson The Immortal, ohhh... about 14 months ago! it was worth the wait! being a mj fan, the show was great... but being a cirque du soleil fan, it was a bit lackluster. there was this amazing dancer with one leg on crutches who completely stole the show. he alone was just incredibly phenomenal. there weren't many acrobatic acts, but the acts they did have weren't too shabby. they could have added more... i wish they added more. anyway... the show was entertaining... and if you're an mj fan, then i think you'll enjoy the show!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
new ducks
soooo... i threw my ducks out and got new ones...
after venting my concerns in my last blog entry, the mister and i decided to push back our move in date one last time. he was working throughout the weekend on a big project for his company and the last thing he needed was one more thing to worry about... where he wouldn't have any control over or ability to oversee any issues or progress.
{huge siiiiiiiigh} =)
rescheduling our moving day freed up my entire weekend! i was able to pamper myself with a mani+ped {haven't had one in over 2 months and my nails were wretched from all the cleaning and painting!}, run errands, and do a lil window shopping for new furniture ideas. i was also able to attend my godson's 2nd birthday... yippee!! ohana time with my closest friends is exactly what the doctor ordered!
we also finally agreed on a design for the bathroom! i put together our "idea" on pinterest. we found everything while perusing through Lowe's one night after work. all the items were available and just all came together... aaaaaanndddd... it creates this beachy coastal theme that i've been trying to achieve but had given up b'coz i couldn't see it in all the items i had originally chose... but now i do! i love how everything just comes together once you stop fretting over it. *happy dance*
so... this is the week! sunday, to be exact... the day i go from being a south bay beach girl to an oc beach girl! *another happy dance* eventually, i'd like to live on the beach... but we'll save that goal for retirement perhaps? in the meantime, i can't wait to move this weekend. i can't wait to meet the rest of our neighbors. i can't wait to finally be on a regular routine... to sleep in our bed in our new bedroom... watch tv in our new family room... have dinner in our new dining room... hang out in our new backyard!
we haven't even moved yet and we've got a laundry list of things to do, places to go, and memories to make! {motivated}
after venting my concerns in my last blog entry, the mister and i decided to push back our move in date one last time. he was working throughout the weekend on a big project for his company and the last thing he needed was one more thing to worry about... where he wouldn't have any control over or ability to oversee any issues or progress.
{huge siiiiiiiigh} =)
rescheduling our moving day freed up my entire weekend! i was able to pamper myself with a mani+ped {haven't had one in over 2 months and my nails were wretched from all the cleaning and painting!}, run errands, and do a lil window shopping for new furniture ideas. i was also able to attend my godson's 2nd birthday... yippee!! ohana time with my closest friends is exactly what the doctor ordered!
we also finally agreed on a design for the bathroom! i put together our "idea" on pinterest. we found everything while perusing through Lowe's one night after work. all the items were available and just all came together... aaaaaanndddd... it creates this beachy coastal theme that i've been trying to achieve but had given up b'coz i couldn't see it in all the items i had originally chose... but now i do! i love how everything just comes together once you stop fretting over it. *happy dance*
so... this is the week! sunday, to be exact... the day i go from being a south bay beach girl to an oc beach girl! *another happy dance* eventually, i'd like to live on the beach... but we'll save that goal for retirement perhaps? in the meantime, i can't wait to move this weekend. i can't wait to meet the rest of our neighbors. i can't wait to finally be on a regular routine... to sleep in our bed in our new bedroom... watch tv in our new family room... have dinner in our new dining room... hang out in our new backyard!
we haven't even moved yet and we've got a laundry list of things to do, places to go, and memories to make! {motivated}
Thursday, January 19, 2012
ducks are running a muck!
lately, i haven't been able to get my thoughts in order. we're moving this weekend and i'm excited but anxious... most of our belongings are packed and ready to go, but we still need to disassemble furniture... clear off the gorilla racks in the garage that hold a lot of little boxes... and box up the frequently use items. our house is flooded with boxes but i feel like we still have so much crap lying around! on top that, the Mister is working this weekend so that leaves me alone to deal with the move. i'm praying that all goes smoothly... maybe i should use colored post-its to organize the move...
another something that's been racking my brain is the hallway bathroom renovation project. i have so many ideas in mind but can't focus on one. we've already ordered the bamboo flooring, so i at least have a foundation to work with. thanks to pinterest, i've pinned all my ideas so i can look over them again and again. ever see something you thought you just had to have, but when you look at it later, you have no idea what you were thinking fawning over that... yeah, i do that a lot. thank you pinterest... i now get to pin to my heart's content and sift out the bad choices later. back to the bathroom... i can't decide on one idea. i can't decide if i want to go casual beach theme or classy and elegant. i can't decide on one tile pattern or color... or a color vanity... whether i want wainscoting or not. i really need photoshop help right now, but my desktop computer is packed away.
my stress over deciding on the bathroom is slowly branching out to the other rooms in the house... the office, family room, bedrooms. i'm starting to second guess all my ideas now. i tend to find myself jumping from one room idea to the next before finishing one complete thought! oye. i need to rally my ducks and line them up... single-file please!
another something that's been racking my brain is the hallway bathroom renovation project. i have so many ideas in mind but can't focus on one. we've already ordered the bamboo flooring, so i at least have a foundation to work with. thanks to pinterest, i've pinned all my ideas so i can look over them again and again. ever see something you thought you just had to have, but when you look at it later, you have no idea what you were thinking fawning over that... yeah, i do that a lot. thank you pinterest... i now get to pin to my heart's content and sift out the bad choices later. back to the bathroom... i can't decide on one idea. i can't decide if i want to go casual beach theme or classy and elegant. i can't decide on one tile pattern or color... or a color vanity... whether i want wainscoting or not. i really need photoshop help right now, but my desktop computer is packed away.
my stress over deciding on the bathroom is slowly branching out to the other rooms in the house... the office, family room, bedrooms. i'm starting to second guess all my ideas now. i tend to find myself jumping from one room idea to the next before finishing one complete thought! oye. i need to rally my ducks and line them up... single-file please!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
blood isn't that thick
"family isn't always blood. it's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what"
Monday, January 16, 2012
2012 WOTY: MOTIVATED
what a phenomenal idea. choose a word for the year... a word to help you define your goals... to help pave the way for the kind of you year you would like to have... to help you stay clear and focused. thanks to layla at the lettered cottage, i too decided to join the ranks of people striving for a successful and memorable 2012 and chose my word for the year...
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