Exterior Before and After

It has been almost one full year since we began renovating our home. We started in the Spring of 2013 with new windows and exterior paint. Our painters are here today, working on the master bedroom. We didn't do anything major in the master, just added new doors, a chunky crown moulding and larger base moulding. Since they have to paint the trim and doors, I figured it's a good time to change the wall color as well. But I digress...

While cleaning out my closet, so it could also get a fresh coat of paint, I came across a photo of our home's exterior taken about a year after we moved in. I thought it would be fun to show you what a difference paint makes. Granted, we also have since added the new windows, updated some exterior moulding, added a circular drive and landscaped the property since moving in. That being said, you can see that just focusing on the paint change alone, made a huge difference! Below are photos of our house from 2001, 2012 and 2013.

just a few shrubs, no shutters and fairly bland

white paint, black shutters, circular drive and new landscaping goes a long way

new shutter color (Benjamin Moore- Wedgwood Gray), new windows (notice no half circle above second story window!)

I'll post photos of our bathrooms when they're 100% finished. I still have some minor details needing my attention. The same goes for my kitchen. We have just a few little things left to finish, then I'll post before and after shots!

Side note: Today is day 8 of NaBloPoMo and I'm feeling pretty good about it! Eight straight days of blogging... piece of cake!

Red, White and Blue

I was recently invited to pin onto The Daily Basics' Pinterest board "The Glorious Fourth" and I remembered I'd posted a quick and colorful dessert onto the blog The Whimsical Fig. Seems like a good idea to share that here as well! Though the 4th of July is over a month away, it's still fun to start planning the celebration!

First, the dessert (because that's how every day should start, right?).

• Sliced Poundcake
• Fresh Strawberries
• Homemade Whipped Cream (extra vanilla added, please!)
• Blue Sugar Crystals

That's really all you need for this fun, colorful and delicious dessert. I like to put my whipped cream into a pastry bag or regular plastic bag with the corner snipped so I can pipe the cream onto each plated dessert. You might just want to use a dollop of cream if you choose.

Inspired by the fabulous color combination of Red, White and Blue, I've also designed a set of festive paper placemats for your holiday gathering! They're perfect for adding a touch of the red, white and blue to your BBQ.

Last year I created free printables to top off your 4th of July dessert table. They're still available, so be sure to print up a set for your dessert table. They're great for Memorial Day as well.

Let me know in the comments if you're planning your own 4th of July celebration. Be sure to check out The Daily Basics site for great ideas on entertaining and home.

xoxo
Patti

Halloween 2010

Our halloween party was a huge success! We hosted 70+ people and it appeared fun was had by all. Our dear friend, Shannon Calvert of Hire Imagination was among the guests and he was gracious enough to take photos of the night! Please take a moment to visit his site.