Take-Aways

It was fun to spy the homes included in the 2012 Salt Lake Parade of Homes - who doesn't love a sneak peek into a new home for fresh ideas and inspiration!  I couldn't help but noticing a few details, and recurring themes happening in several of the homes.  Here are some notes:

Floods - not just for pants...

Form Decor follows function - nothing says "I must be in the kitchen" like giant utensils (or giant pencils for children's playrooms)...

Staging 101 - Neutralize - give the appearance that everything is clean and fresh...

Or why not add a touch of whimsy instead with miss-matched colors and sizes.

The odd numbers must be the trick here.

Staging 101 - Depersonalize - don't distract buyers with personal pictures and belongings...

One might start to wonder why there are two different mothers sharing this room.

Staging 101 - Define the space - don't leave the buyer guessing what to do with each area...  

So this is where my food goes.

Closets must equal storage space...

or shopping...

It's called a hanger, you'll need a few more of them.

Best use of space.

The bathrobe says it all - "Spa included."

Laundry baskets - are we in the laundry room or the closet?

Detergent - must be a laundry room!

I'm stumped...

Takeaway tips, or simply takeaways to leave out?

Local Artist

I gave you a sneak peek of the model home I've been creating art for here.  Here's a closer look at some of the art, and a look behind the scenes (unedited / in no particular order).  

As much as I love to create art (or have in the past), I am usually paralyzed in indecision now that I am in my permanent home.  This opportunity was perfect for forcing me to create with a deadline, without the stress of pleasing a particular person (other than Andrea and myself).

Now I can say that I've fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming an artist, thanks to Andrea for this most generous offer and for putting her trust in me full-heartedly.

Wall Hangings Raised to the Nth Degree

Andy and I decided to display our achievements up on the wall for two reasons - they weren't doing any good packed away in a filing cabinet, and so that our children could recognize what we've done and learn to value the hard work which is required for such accomplishments. I suppose another reason is simply for Andy and me to take pride in our efforts.

Besides, it makes the view from the front door a little more interesting.

Something Old for Something New

Put this together using vintage jello molds...

When I saw this idea with a vintage muffin tin...

• Vintage jello molds: owned
• Votives: owned
• Dishes: owned
• Package of doilies: $1
• Project Total: $1

Miles of Piles

In an effort to "organize/purge (live with less, be realistic)," Andy and I started going through our files. These piles represent the file drawer of the desk plus the four drawer filing cabinet in the basement. It was about time we went through to purge and reorganize. Between the two different filing systems, we had duplicate file folders (financial, medical, manuals, etc.) representing our whole married lives basically (six and a half years worth) that desperately needed to be combined and reorganized.

But although we had accumulated quite the mass, we can't take credit for every scrap saved. Two of the filing cabinet drawers were full of Andy's Mom Judy's belongings just waiting to be sorted through. I'd say about half of it was various clip art that I will keep to use for kid projects, and most of the other half was reference material (mostly religious) sorted by topic. Of course we were able to save a generous file of Judy's handwritten talks, notes, and thoughts, which was the reason for saving the stash in the first place. It will help us (and our children) understand and remember her better since she is gone.

The three nearest piles on the edge are either for recycling or shred. One box simply holds empty folders, dividers, page protectors, etc. Another box is organized clip art and activity ideas from Judy. There is one box of files still to be better organized, but it is now all together. So there is still work to be done, but the purge pile has kept me motivated during the process.

One more check for goal #2.

Loaded

Use What You've Got

How this...

turned this...

into this...

Check one for goal #2.