Paint Paint and More Paint

I feel like I've been in a whirlwind of life since I got married and I'm just now getting to the point where I'm looking around the house from the perspective of what I'd like to do with it all. Its pretty fun experimenting in my mind, but now its time to take some action. I've had an extra room for almost a year that has only served as a dumpsite. I have continued to call it my "creative space"...in reality, its been more like "I will do something creative in this space someday, but until its just the way I want it, I will do nothing."

As you can see from my to-do list (---->) I'm going to be a busy busy girl. I have given myself lots of painting tasks. Some I've had for quite a while and haven't done anything about them. I got a desk yesterday and I'll be getting some shelving tonight....so additional furniture to redo on the way.

Chloe's pretty excited about it. haha

My craigslist desk that's loaded up with everything that will be on the shelving units that will arrive this evening. Funny thing about that - I unknowingly responded to my friend's ad. We both had a good laugh about it. So I drove down the street and picked it up last night. ha!

The dresser from my childhood bedroom. I have literally wanted to paint/redo it for years. Katelyn and I had planned on doing it. Then we didn't. Then I gave the dresser to Carlos when he had his own place. We were going to redo it together. Then we didn't. Then when he moved in with his parents before we got married, we managed to take off the knobs and sand down the top and front (obviously not the drawers). Then we didn't do anything else. Now its in our room in its ugliness, continuing to be ugly until I do something about it. Part of me wants to get rid of it, and the other part knows that I need to finish the job. Carlos thinks that its followed me around this whole time because God knows that I will feel really good when its finally pretty.

This piece is in our living room...and I'm kind of visualizing red in its future.

Same with this one, in our living room and if I do the other one red, I'll probably do this one in the same color.

Inspiration Board

Do you have one? Have you ever made one?

I think I need one.

I know what I like, but I need to start taking pictures of what I like and letting the pictures hang out together in a place that I see often. See I have this creative opportunity called an extra room that I am determined to turn into a wonderful space. My space for work, for creative, for anything, but above all else, I want it to represent ME.

Right now the only pieces of furniture that represent me and isn't just furniture that Carlos had when he lived on his own or furniture that we've inherited (thank God otherwise we'd have a VERY empty house) are the dresser that I have had since I was 8, one half of the pair of burnt orange-y/brown rocking chairs that have been in my mom's house (and then afterwards in the garage) since I was born and the coffee table that I scouted out on craigslist and purchased shortly before we were married. So really, I only count the coffee table because its the only piece that represents my taste, right now.

So as much as I look around and see "us", as I should, seeing as how we're married (ha!) - I also look around and think, what can I do to make this look like me, something I would have put together because I liked it and not just the conglomeration of our furniture hanging out together because they have no other choice but to do so.

Does anyone feel me? Newlyweds? haha

I never lived on my own before I was married, so this is the first time really, that I've had the creative license to make a change and create something that is completely and totally me. Its pretty exciting! So exciting that I wasn't able to sleep for a while last night as I lay in bed imagining the possibilities and I had to play UNO on my phone to distract my brain.

Things to consider:

1. Paint colors for the walls

2. Paint colors for the furniture (i do have a couple of smallish dressers to fix up)

3. What all I want the room to be...creative space/guest room (meaning at least a twin sized bed or fold out futon) or just a creative space/office space

4. Theme!

5. What kind of surface I need/want considering it will be an office space for when I'm doing AdvoCare and MasterWerks work from home, but also a craft space for when I'm hopefully beginning the Etsy side of things. Desk? Large Table? Smaller table that transforms into larger table when necessary?

What I will need:

1. Desk/Table

2. Shelving for AdvoCare products that are currently hanging out in boxes and aren't very organized.

3. Rearrange furniture so that there's room for everything without making me feel claustrophobic!

If you have any tips for one who's revamping a room, that's currently a blank canvas with the exception of the piles of stuff that are residing there just because they can - I'd love input!

Off to scour craigslist for garage sales and inexpensive furniture to help me on my way!

Plans

Aren't they funny? Big or small, we as people continue to make them and they continue to be blown out of the water every time (for the most part).

Take today, for example. Carlos went to work, I stayed home. The plan was to clean the entire house, from dishes to vacuuming to dusting, to putting away laundry, to clear off the kitchen table and file/sort/organize every bill and document that has arrived in the mail for the past month that I've "planned" on putting away, and after having done so.... *DEEP BREATH* .......wash Chloe and possibly shower myself (if time permitted after everything else was spotless).

Then amongst those things that I needed to get done, are those things that I just wanted to catch up on.....blogs (mine and others), browsing craigslist for cool stuff for cheap, etsy, dreaming of how I'll eventually have an office/craft space once I figure out how to make our extra room into such a space instead of a dump site.

Instead, I got up at 8:30am when Carlos left, took Chloe for a walk, called Steph and decided we should get out of our homes and take a walk today since we live two streets apart and I'm rarely home during the day for such things. That was about 30 minutes away so I worked some facebook networking and posting for MasterWerks. By the way, check out our vimeo channel because we've posted all of our recent films. Steph and I went for a walk with Chloe, came back to the house, ate some lunch and watched about 6 episodes (What!? I had to get her caught up!) of Parenthood - the best show on the planet if I haven't already stated that in this blog.

Now, as I look around my messy living room, take a peek at the dirty dishes in the kitchen, waiting for Carlos to get home and survey the lack of cleanliness....(including me and Chloe), I'm okay with the fact that the day turned out the way it did. I don't hang out with Steph enough - it was due time for a lazy day hangout. And it was my duty to fill her in on the awesomeness of Parenthood season one.

So on the list of things I've accomplished today I've:

1. Taken Chloe for a walk twice.

2. Spent time with my best friend.

3. Eaten healthy food and took AdvoCare supplements at the correct times =)

4. Watched hours of Parenthood.

5. Is writing a blog entry - something I haven't done in almost 2 months!

6. Will have some yummy salmon for dinner.

....and I'll probably make a checklist tonight so I can be better prepared for tomorrow's to-do's!

But if something comes up, and I only complete half the list, it'll be okay. =) There's always tomorrow, and speaking as a perfectionist/procrastinator (see this entry regarding the phenomenon) - I KNOW that if I can't get everything done, a part of me won't be able to fully commit to beginning it. I'm going to fight the urge tomorrow!