on being a power drill weenie

So my man has been gone for a month. (Not deployed. Just in training.)

In Army life, that isn't too big of a deal. But still. It's a deal. 'Specially when you're cooking a small human inside your tummy and you have two other small humans outside your tummy to look after.

After a month by my onesie, I am so happy to tell you that 1) he's coming home, and 2) I ain't afraid of no stinking power drill no more. I decided that it was time to quit being such a weenie about drills, hammers, anchors, nails, screws, and other previously intimidating-to-me "manly" objects. and really? It's empowering to wield a power drill with a big mean bit on it with a big ole pregnant belly, to boot. 'Specially when I'm out with my belly in front of my house on a ladder drilling holes into the front of my house. Makes people drive by reeeeal slow.

Anyway, my point is, I drilled holes in a bunch of crap this month. Like my walls. Which is really not all that exciting. 

Except that it is.

My first attempt using anchors. I'm dumbfounded that it's still on the wall. Like, securely.

Ta-da! music box with wheels.

I found the most awesome vintage hook to use as a curtain holdback. Print from Graphic Anthology.

Sexy glasses, eh? This is a funny picture because my man is not short. He's 5'9. His commander is just ha-yuge.

Welcome home, love. I missed you. You can have your drill back now.

yes to yellow

I always admire furniture makeovers on other blogs, but rarely work up the chutzpah to do any of my own. But then last weekend, I found this little pretty at a garage sale and immediately thought -- yellow!

Because I have to tell you the truth -- my decorating skills -- they stink. 

And whenever I get an idea as revolutionary as a yellow chair, well, just you watch out.

 I put on a couple of coats (BHG Dandy Lion, eggshell finish) and was just going to leave it at that, but then I remembered this spraypaint + lace tutorial from A Beautiful Mess a few weeks back. I love the extra little sass it gives the seat. If you try it, make sure your lace is ironed flat and taped to the furniture as snugly as possible. See those blurry spots in the pattern? That's where the lace wasn't snuggly enough with the chair.

Oh well! I love it anyway.

Any other fantastic furniture makeover ideas out there we need to hear about?

{ps. I changed my header again. I want to eat it.}

{pps. today I am doing GI Jane day where all us wives pretend we're infantrymen. hmm.}

buffalo plaid dress refashion

Well, goodness! I might have to ask R to stick a pin in my head tonight -- thanks for all the sweet comments and great suggestions! I decided to take the path of least resistance: I chopped out the middle of the dress and used the existing hemline to make a minidress, moving the gathered waistline up to the natural waist.



I almost shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length, but it's still really cold here (in case you missed the memo), so I kept them long for now. They might get whacked once it gets warmer. I did take them in by several inches so that they are now maybe a hair too small, but eh, it still fits.



I didn't plan this, but I love how it looks peeking out from underneath my pea coat (I've worn that sucker every winter for the past 13 years -- it's a winner). I wore it out on errands today with a chunky knit cream-colored scarf and black boots. I originally wanted to wear it with a wide black belt, but they didn't have my size at Wal-Mart (tangent: I am reading The World is Flat, which helps a little in justifying such practices as shopping at Wal-Mart, but I am not sure how I feel about that, but that is neither here nor there) and besides, the skinny belt I got is reversible. Like you can twist the buckle around and suddenly it's a tan belt. Awesomeness.



This last picture is for my dad, who, when I was talking about this dress with my mom on the phone, hollered in the background (with reference to the previous post), "Why isn't she smiling??"

Plaid is rad, yo!