Camouflaging An Eyesore In Our Backyard....

Hey There! 

How the heck are ya?! 

Did you have a good weekend?! I hope so!!

I wanted to take a minute today & rewind a bit....

Do you all remember the Back Deck Project we completed a month or so ago?! 

I wish I could tell you that we've been sitting out there every evening & enjoying our new space....

I wish I could tell you that we could have had a handful of cook-outs since I posted the big reveal....

But with temps in the 100's EVERY DAY, let's face it....it's just been TOO DARN HOT!! 

At this point, I'm looking forward to the Fall & hoping to take advantage of this space when the temps cool off a bit! Am I the only one dreaming of mums, pumpkins, falling leave, & hot apple cider?! Or are you all with me on that?!

Anyway....

There was one more project that I completed while transforming our backyard space that I forgot to tell you about! Let's call it....... Project  "Can We Please Hide That Ugly Electrical Box?!"

I realize that this might not bother some people...but for those of us who are Type A & just a little bit OCD, this eye sore needed to be addressed!

So what did I do?! 

I grabbed a brush, some primer & some white exterior paint & got to work!! 

Now you see it....

Now you don't! 

Doesn't it look so much better?! The other smaller box is our cable box....I went ahead & painted it too! :)

Here are a few more shots from the big reveal post.....

You can see the box on the other side of the table in this shot. Although I wasn't able to make it go away completely.....it's definitely blends in with the white siding now, making it a lot less noticeable! 

This was such a simple & easy fix! It literally only took me a couple of hours to complete and most of that time was spent waiting for the paint to dry in between coats! 

Now, all I need to do is figure out how I'm gonna camouflage the air conditioning unit! Don't think that I didn't think about painting it too!! :)

I think we are going to purchase or build something similar to this.....

 (Source)

I like the idea of this one although I would like something with solid panels versus the lattice! 

Maybe something more like this....

 (Source)

Anyone seen a DIY version of this in blogland?!  

I'd love a good tutorial!! :)

Am I the only crazy person who has painted her electrical box?!

Or are there more crazies out there like me?!

Anyone thinking about painting theirs after reading this post?!

Wishing You All A Fantastic Monday!!

Talk to you again soon!!

Linking up here....

Tutorials & Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots & Jello
Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table & Dreaming

Introducing Reflections On Canvas....Review & Giveaway

Happy Friday Friends!!

I hope you all have had a fabulous week!! 

I wanted to take the opportunity today to tell you about a WONDERFUL company I was introduced to a couple months back.....

Reflections On Canvas is a commissioned art service by the artists of the Hampstead Art House. They are a group of artists specializing in photography, digital graphic artistry and the traditional medium of paint on canvas. They collaborate and use each of their talents to transform your digital photo and preserve your special moment as a unique Reflection On Canvas.

Now that I am with the BlogHer Publishing Network, I can no longer host reviews & giveaways on this page (sorry for the inconvenience), SO.... to continue reading about Reflections on Canvas, enter to win a FREE 8x10 canvas of your own & learn about how you can receive a 20% discount code CLICK HERE.

What I'm Loving Wednesday....

Hey Friends!!!

How's your week going?! 

Are y'all ready for RANDOMNESS here on the blog?!  

Today, I wanted to share with you a few things I'm LOVING right now!!!

I'm loving these pins that I found on Pinterest last week....

Source: squidoo.com via Tonya @ Love of Family on Pinterest

Isn't this kitchen GORGEOUS?! I'm loving the mint color in this room and all of the subtle touches of pink! I'm loving the white cabinets, the open shelves & the way they are styled, the glass front cabinet doors, the beadboard island, those ADORABLE barstools, the chippy corbels under the countertop, and oh wait.....is that a farmhouse sink too?! Oh.My.Word!! When can I move in?!

I'm also loving this dining area....

Source: housetohome.co.uk via Tonya @ Love of Family on Pinterest

In the past, I've never been much of a yellow person, but I must admit.....it's really starting to grow on me! I absolutely love this room! The gray, yellow, & white combination is just bright & beautiful! I love the shelves on the far wall & how they have put fabric on the inside of select cubbies to bring interest to the otherwise plain shelving unit. The way each little cubicle is styled is just perfect and who doesn't love a white pitcher full of fresh flowers?! 

I'm loving THIS BOOK that I started earlier in the week.....

It's REALLY GOOD!!! If you like the Hunger Games Trilogy, I think you will really enjoy this book as well! It is also part of a trilogy! The second book is called Insurgent, but the third book has yet to be released!

I'm loving our new Sonos Play: 3 Wireless HiFi Player

My father-in-law has to travel a lot with his job, so my hubby helps him out by mowing his grass several times throughout the course of the summer. As a thank you, he bought US my hubby this wireless speaker system. This thing is TOO COOL!! Basically, you can stream your entire music library ( like iTunes), music services/radio stations (like Pandora, iheartradio, etc.) from your smart phone to the speaker. Your phone basically works as your remote control! You just download the "Sonos" app (which is FREE), sync your phone to the speaker system, & you can listen to all of your favorite music! The speaker is portable & you can sync it to as many phones as you like!!

Speaking of Pandora, I'm loving THIS STATION....

 

I've mentioned it before, but seriously, the Adele Station on Pandora Rocks.My.World!!! It plays a lot of Adele music (duh), but also music from other easy listening type artists such as Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, John Mayer, etc. I listen to it DAILY....sometimes in the morning when I'm getting ready, sometimes while I'm blogging, & even when I clean house! I've been listening to it for months & I'm still not tired of it!! 

I'm loving that next week the hubby & I will be here....

 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA!!! 

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!

I've never been to Canada before, but my husband has a work conference there next week & I get the privilege of being able to accompany him! I'm excited to see the sights, including these gorgeous mountains....

The weather forecast is supposed to be beautiful the entire time we are there with temperatures in the 70's!! I can't wait!! I'm definitely taking my camera & hoping to get some beautiful scenic photos like these!! Wish me luck!! 

I'm loving THIS DRESS....

I bought it in BLACK (although I am contemplating buying this striped number as well) at Target yesterday for just $19.99. It is SO COMFY & fits SO CUTE!! I can see it being worn casually, or dressing it up with a pair of heels & some great jewelry!! I hoping to dress it up a bit & wear it to one of the dinners we have to attend while at my hubby's conference! I am planning on doing a "What I Wore Wednesday....Vancouver Style" when I get back, so maybe I can show you what it looks like on!! :)

I'm loving these "candy" bars....

They are called Skinny Cow Peanut Butter Crisps & they taste exactly like a Nutty Bar!!! They are low in calorie, delicious, and basically guilt free!! And who doesn't like chocolate & peanut butter?! Match made in Heaven!! Am I right?!

I'm loving Polyvore....

In case you missed it, I did an entire post & tutorial on Polyvore earlier this week! You can check it out & read about my latest obsession HERE.

Have you read the Divergent books?!

What is your favorite Pandora station?!

Have you been to Vancouver?! 
Got any recommendations on things to do or places to see?!

Linking up here....

How To Create A Fashion Mood Board Using Polyvore {Polyvore Tutorial}

Hey Friends!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!!!

Last Friday, we talked Summer Fashion here on the blog & I had a question from a reader that I thought I would answer today.....

I think this is a question that probably more than one of you may have! It was a question that even I didn't know the answer to a few months ago!!

First of all, the "groupings" (or mood boards) from last Friday's post were NOT ones that I put together myself! They were groupings I had found on Pinterest & had pinned to my style pinboard. However, they ARE easy to make, so I thought I would show you how to make your own today!!

Polyvore is an awesome online tool for creating fashion, as well as interior design mood boards! It is the web's largest fashion community, where you can create fashion boards & browse thru other people's creations as well! You can even follow your friends & they can follow you back! I will tell you, that I really didn't play around on the website too much until this weekend, but after experimenting a bit & creating a few boards....I think I may be addicted!!! Today, I am gonna show you how to create an Polyvore account & walk you through how to create your own "set" or outfit mood board.

First, you will need to go to www.polyvore.com and set up an account or you can log-in using your Facebook or Twitter account.

 I opted to sign in using my Facebook account, but you can register or sign-in however you would like...

Once you have created an account, you are ready to starting making your fashion mood boards!! Just click on "CREATE" to get started!

You will be taken to a new screen at that point, then you will need to select a category to browse or you can search for something specific by using the search box & typing in what you are looking for!

For this tutorial, I am gonna use a board that I created this morning. I started by typing "striped dress" into the search box. A selection of dresses came up, once I found one that I liked, I just clicked on it & dragged it into the empty collage space...

If you are interested in where you can buy the item you've selected, or how much it costs, when you click on it, Polyvore will give you all of that information. You can even purchase it through their website!!  

Cool, right?!

Once I had my dress, I then started looking for ways to accessorize it. You can click on the "accessories" or "jewelry" categories, or if you are looking for something more specific, then again, just type it into the search box. I clicked on "jewelry" & then typed in "J Crew bubble necklace." These necklaces have been super popular this summer.....why I have yet to purchase one I have no idea!! You can purchase the knock-offs thru ebay for around $15.00 a piece!!

Anyway....I found one that I liked & added it to my board....

Then I found shoes & a handbag to go with my ensemble....

I talked in my post last Friday about denim jackets and how much I liked incorporating them into my wardrobe, so I thought "why not throw a denim jacket into the mix?"

I also found a bracelet to coordinate with the necklace & bring out more of the teal color in the outfit. Then I decided that I needed some coordinating earrings as well....

When you add an item to the collage, they will appear on your board just as they appear in the results box on the right (see above). If you want to change the way it appears on your board, you will have to click on the it inside the collage & then click "CUSTOM". I did this for the earrings, because I did not want a sideview of the earring.

You have to use your mouse pad to draw a path around the part of the item you want to use. For this example, I again, didn't want the sideview of the earring showing, so I just selected the earring on the left, drew a path around it, & clicked "ok." Then I just added to my collage twice, so that I would have two earrings or a pair in my collage....does that make sense?!

Once the earring situation was taken care of, I decided just to added a pair of sunglasses & a cute fedora hat to the board to finish off my outfit....

When your board is finished, click on "PUBLISH" in the upper left hand corner of the screen to publish your board for others to see!

After clicking "PUBLISH", you will be asked to give your board a Title, a Description, & a Category. This just makes it easier for others when they are searching for different boards on the polyvore site to find you & your creations....

If you logged in using your Facebook page, then your Polyvore account will be synced with your Facebook account allowing you to share your creations with your Facebook friends. It will do so automatically unless you "unclick" the box shown in the picture above. When you have finished filling in all of the blanks, again click "PUBLISH."

It will then take you back to your profile page where you can see your most recently published board, as well those previously published. If you want to make any changes to the board or share via social media, you can also do so on this page. 

Here are a few other boards I made this weekend....

Addicting I Tell Ya!!!

I haven't experimented with any interior design on Polyvore yet, but I intend to do so soon!! 

There is a lot more that you can do on the site, that I didn't discuss in this post. I wanted to just share the basics today, but I would encourage you to create an account & play around on the site as soon as you get some free time!! I think you'll enjoy it!!!

I hope you found this post helpful!! 

Are you on Polyvore?!

Have some awesome boards that I need to check out?! 

Leave your username in the comments & I'll be sure to check them out!!

Linking up here....
Tutorials & Tips Linky Party at Home Stories A to Z

Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots & Jello

Let's Talk Fashion....20 Outfits For Summer

Happy Friday Friends!

Last night, I was on the computer trying to decide what I was going to talk about today on the blog. I was kinda at a loss, so I went to my Facebook Fanpage & decided to ask all of you for some input! I was curious as to what YOU GUYS WANTED to read about!! Many people wanted to know what project I am working on that the current time, but the truth is.....I'm not working on anything at the moment! Life has been crazy & I just haven't had time....not to mention, with temps in the 100's, this summer heat has me feeling BLAH, unmotivated, & tired!! Please tell me I'm not alone!!

Then, one of my readers (Julie), commented and said that she would like to see a fashion post on dressing for the summer heat! Now, that I can do!! I have loads of pins on my style pinboard via Pinterest that I would love to share to share with all of you....besides, what girl doesn't like looking at cute outfits & talking fashion! Am I right?!

I love everything about this first outfit! Although, the shorts are a little too short for me, I love the top and the shoes! I also love the pop of color the accessories bring to the ensemble! 

Source: iknowhair.com via Tonya @ Love of Family on Pinterest

DIY Scoreboard Tutorial...{Baseball Birthday}

Hey Friends!!

Today, I thought I would take a little break from posting about my sister's house & share with you a little tutorial that I meant to share weeks ago!! 

Do you all remember Parker's Baseball Birthday Party?!

See that scoreboard up there?! 

Going White....White Walled Rooms That Inspire

Happy Monday Ya'll!!

I hope you had a great weekend! 

If you've been reading along in the last couple of weeks, you know that my sister & her boyfriend bought a house, and that we've been busy with renovations!  I showed you pictures of her living room last Friday, & told you that her boyfriend had requested that the living room be painted "white."

When my mom told me the news I was like.....

"Really?! White walls?! How boring!"

Then, the other day I was on Pinterest looking at a few of my boards & I realized that the majority of the living rooms I've pinned HAVE WHITE WALLS!!! 

Say what?! 
I know, right?!

 

I mean....I know that I LOVE a "bright & airy" space....

That I LOVE cottage style....

I know cottage style usually means incorporating a lot of white into the decor....

But white walls?! Would I really paint my walls white?! 

If you would have asked me last week, my answer would have probably been "No."

But, after looking at my living room board more closely, I realized that I the rooms I'm drawn to the most, are rooms that look like this....

Source: houseofturquoise.com via Tonya @ Love of Family on Pinterest

My Sister's House...Original Hardwood Floors & Beautiful Old Doors

Hey Everyone!

If you have been keeping up with the blog, you know that I have been talking about & sharing pictures of my sister's new home!  In my last post, I shared pictures of how we spruced up her entryway, creating a cute & cozy little nook & board/batten wall. In case you missed that post, you can check it out HERE.  Today, I thought I would share some pictures of her living room and the improvements we made there!

Again, because I arrived a day later than everyone else, the work had already began in this room....

My Sister's New House & A Coat Closet Turned Entry Nook...{Entry Makeover}

Hey Ya'll!! 

I feel like it's been forever since we've chatted last!! 

I told you in my last post, that we were leaving to go out of town for a few days because my little sister had bought a house & we were going up north for a few days to help her move in & work on a few projects to get her settled! Well we finally got home last night & let me just tell you....THIS.GIRL.IS.POOPED!! The amount of stuff we got accomplished in just four days is kinda crazy!! We had lots of additional help with my mom & dad and aunt & uncle, who also made the trip north!  All & all, it was a fun & productive weekend with family....

This is the fixer upper that her & her boyfriend bought....

 It's an older home, built in 1955, but has loads of character & TONS of potential!! It's going to make a perfect starter home for the two of them & will be ADORABLE inside & out by the time we are done with it! They live about 5 1/2 hours north of us, so we won't get up to visit real frequently, but I'm hoping to make a few more trips there before the end of the year to help them out with home improvement projects! I told them as long as they provide me with blog posts, they can count on me for free labor! :)

Here is another view of the front yard....

I LOVE that little covered porch.....but I think it's missing a porch swing! Wouldn't you agree?! I also adore the little screened-in porch on the side of the house! I would make the perfect spot to drink a cup of coffee & eat breakfast in the morning....that is when it cools off a little bit!! Notice the brown grass?! That's pretty much because we haven't had any rain in a million years!! And it's been hot.....like 100 DEGREES HOT!!

I'll be sharing all the improvements we made over the course of the weekend (room by room) on the blog, but the first I wanted to share with you the little makeover we gave to the entryway!

 Didn't it turn out so cute?! 

To fully appreciate how great it looks, you MUST see all the before pics....