How's it Hangin?

Your keys I mean.  Member those old keys from Hobby Lobby that I took home for a song?  If not you can see them here.  I left you guessing as to what I was going to make with them.  I knew before I found the keys that I wanted to do something like this...

Wanna see?  Well... do you ya... punk?  Yep that definitely sounded better in my head lol.

Here is my new key hook holder!  I used to have one of those mail sorter ones with the slots and the hooks.  It was a light wood with gold cup hooks.  Not exactly my style anymore.  Hubby has been bugging me since we moved in to put something up to hang the keys on.  Even the old holder which I couldn't bring myself to do.

Want to see how I made it?  Oh it was so simple you'll want to run right out and make one!

Get a drawer face.  And with a chisel and hammer knock the back lip off so it can hang flat against the wall.

Now sand it until smooth, doesn't have to be perfect if you plan on distressing it, just smooth.  Then paint and distress.  I didn't take a picture of this part since I know my readers are capable =)  At least I hope so.

Then get some E-6000 glue and adhere your keys onto the front of the board in any pattern you choose.  This took me the longest.  Trying to figure out how I wanted them to lay.  Vertical, horizontal, slanted etc... The possibilities are endless and totally based on preference.

You can see above I also measured and drilled where I wanted my cup hooks to go.  The E-6000 glue takes a bit to set up so I would leave them overnight to set and then it will be like cement.

Next you will need some of this stuff.  Frame hanging brackets and cup hooks of your choice.

Measure for center unless you feel you need a bracket on both sides.  Then I would measure for the center of the bracket to be 2in in from each end of your wood.  Just a few smacks with the hammer will secure this piece on.

Now screw in your cup hooks and hang!  Voila, so simple and totally tres chic!

I've linked up to these parties

~Sommer

Curbside Treasure!

It was one of those freak moments in life that make you wonder if destiny is really a factor in how things play out...

I ran out of creamer for my coffee and knew this morning would be snowing and cold so I just had to go out and get some after dinner last night.  It also happens that I have three mailing addresses at the moment, don't ask.  So we packed up the fam bam and set out to check the mail and pick up my creamer. 

As many of you know we just moved in last weekend.  To my pleasant surprise the neighbors seemed to have left me a house warming gift on the curb!  Seriously it was no coincidence that trash day was today.  Both Mr Garden and I say in stereo... ooh look!  And decided it would be best to pick up on the way home.

My poor camera does not like to zoom very well, sorry for the blurry pic.

A cute little camel back love seat with horrible outdated fabric, just sitting there waiting for me =)  The more I thought about it though I decided I didn't want to reupholster an entire love seat and I just didn't have it in me to do another slip cover right now.  So I passed on the idea. 

Well wouldn't you know it... on the way home driving down our street they left yet another gift for me!  These neighbors must really like me.  And for having never met them before I'd say I make a damn good first impression! Ha!

This time... a beautiful clean burgundy wing back chair!  They forgot to leave a note on it with my name but I'll let that one go this time.  We quickly loaded it in to the back of the truck, this one I wasn't going to pass up.  It was meant to be.  I have the perfect space waiting for it in the new master bedroom.

Now it does look like they have a white short haired dog of some sort.  But all her lines are clean and she has great bones!  One I give her a proper douching she'll be great!

Everything is in tact perfectly.

This is the very back of the seat cushion.  The one and only spot I can see some wear.  But a new cover will be an easy fix!

NOW MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL...

Should I re-upholster the chair or make a slip cover?

I see some sort of french script fabric or grain sack slip cover.  Please help a girl out here.  I need your opinions!

I've linked up to these parties.

~Sommer

Keys

I've been looking all over for these.  I was at Hobby Lobby looking for a towel rack when I stumbled across them for 1/2 off.  The last set hanging there, waiting to find their forever home.  I got them for a song at $6.00. 

When I got them home I realized.... the metal loop was one solid piece.  And I needed the keys to come off!  So this was a perfect excuse oportunity to use the Dremel =)

I didn't have the right bit for cutting the metal so I used this.  It's a metal engraver tool.  Very neat!  I just carressed it until it broke through.

Once it was cut through I could pull it apart.

And now I have this...

But I am not going to tell you what I'm doing with them yet... Of course your welcome to guess, I love guessing games! lol.

I've linked up to these parties.

~Sommer

Electrical 101

How to re-wire your dryer in 10 easy steps...  So one of the first projects you may get into when moving into a new home could end up being more out of necessity than desire.  In this case, a new dryer connection.  We realized after moving in that the cord on our dryer was a 4 prong and the outlet was only a 3. 

Can you say round hole, square peg?  After a bit of research we understand that more modern appliances are 4 prong conductors.  Two hot wires, a neutral and a ground. This is safer because the current carrying neutral is not connected to the dryer case. But when you live in an older home you most likely will find that the wall receptacle will not have a ground slot.  Leaving you with only three slots instead of four.

So in this case we have to convert the four wire dryer to a three wire set up.  Don't worry, I only got electrocuted once.  Joking, joking... lol. 

1. Verify the electrical requirements of the dryer... typically in the US will be 240 volts.

2.  Make sure the receptacle in the wall has the same rating and note the number of slots, either 3 or 4.

3.  You'll need to buy a new cord to coincide with the wall receptacle.  If it has three slots you will need one with three prongs.

4.  To change your electric dryer power cord from a 4-wire to a 3-wire you first need to disconnect the old dryer cord. To do this make sure your dryer is unplugged and open the access panel cover on the back of the dryer.

5.  Once the cover is off you will see a terminal block with three wires. Black on one side (HOT), white in the middle (NEUTRAL) and red on the other side (HOT).  The green is your GROUND wire so you don't get electrocuted!  Use a 3/8″ nut driver to remove the nuts or a phillips screwdriver to remove the bolts (depending on your dryer) and remove each dryer cord wire from the terminal block. When you remove the nuts or bolts, be careful not to drop them down into your dryer!

6.  Now this is going to get interesting so bear with me... Since the new three wire connection has no ground wire your neutral conductor will have to serve as neutral and ground.  This means you'll have to create a jumper conductor from the neutral terminal to the dryer’s framer.  Also known as a ground strap.  The bonding jumper is either a metallic strap or a green wire that is connected between your dryer’s neutral (white wire) terminal and the green ground screw connected to your dryer’s frame.

New 3 wire cord (no ground wire)

Installing this bonding jumper is an extremely important step when changing from a 4-wire to a 3-wire power cord to prevent electrical shocks when touching anything metallic on your dryer.



Bonding strap




















If you don't have the original bonding strap, you can make one. You need a short piece of green 10 AWG wire, 2 ring terminals, a pair of wire strippers and a pair of crimpers. Strip both ends of the green 10 AWG wire and crimp one ring terminal onto each end of the wire. Now connect one end of the wire to the neutral (center) terminal and the other end to the dryer’s frame; where your ground is connected now.


Tools to make your own bonding jumper with green wire.  This can be used from the old 4 wire cord.

























New wiring.  The green jumper shares the spot with the neutral
conductor and also mounts to the unit itself.





















7.  Now you will insert the new 3 prong cord through the connector and secure but don't over tighten. 

8.  Hook up the new 3 wire cord  and connect each wire to the dryers terminal block.  Remember the two outer wires are HOT and the center wire is NEUTRAL.

9.  Replace the terminal panel cover.

10. Plug in and have a margarita to celebrate a job well done while the laundry is drying!

I've linked up to these parties.

~Sommer

Please Vote For Me!!

I'd really love to win a room makeover for my new living space!  Please vote for my living room.  Voting ends 3/16/2011.  The more votes the better my chances.  Only four winners!

I know I can count on you =)  Cause that's how great you all are!

World Market Spruce Up Your Space Contest  My photo is labeled 'Sommer G Highlands Ranch'.

~Sommer

Shopping For A Vision

Now let me just preface this by saying… you didn’t really think I could wait to shop for the new house until we moved in did you?

From the moment I walked through our new house I had a vision.  I know what it’s going look like when I’m finished with it.  So as I pack and wrap and seal boxes I am picturing where these things will go in the new house.  And as I window shop online I see the rooms and the potential they have. 

So I have bought a few items already with the rooms in mind that they will exist in.  Not knowing where their final placement will rest or if the measurements even fit.  But I have a vision and you can’t stop a girl with a vision! 

I am going to once again open myself up to you all and show you my ugly side.  I am a Valentines day hater.  I know I know, boooo!  Whatever.  I feel like Valentines is a capitalistic ploy to empty our wallets on a holiday that doesn’t celebrate any special person or event.  So I choose not to celebrate it.  However… it’s a great excuse to get something I want, this doesn’t include chocolates or candy.  Here is what my valentine brought me this year =)

It came with all these nifty little accessories and it’s going to be my best friend in the new house!

Then I went to World Market and couldn’t resist these for the kitchen…  I realize that I probably could have knocked these off myself but not for the price I got them on sale. 

And this beauty for the mud room.  I also could have made this myself but these little letters cost on average $2-3 a piece and that is just for letters.  I got this for $15 on sale.

So there you have it.  A little glimpse into my vision that is the new house!  Oh friends just wait… in the coming weeks we’re gonna have some serious fun!!

 

~Sommer

VIP Party #5

Welcome to this weeks UN-V.I.P. party. I knew this was coming long before it happened.  I saw other sites start charging and I knew eventually they would all follow suit.  Unfortunately with packing and so many other areas of my life being in chaos at the moment I am having to put the VIP party on hold.  It's only a couple/few weeks.  Once we get settled and the office is put back together in the new house I will get the subscription and set it all back up again. 

See you soon!

~Sommer

The Nitty Gritty

We went back to the new place last night for measurements and pictures!  I didn’t want to leave.  I woke up this morning chanting “Fifteen more days, Fifteen more days!”. lol.  It looks like everything is going to fit.  EXCEPT… the mirror I had on my mantel, waaaaah!  Actually I can turn it long ways and it will fit but none of the other decor will.  I’m still trying to play with it my head and figure it out.  Otherwise I’ll be on the hunt for a new mirror. 

The couches will not fit in the loft so were keeping the futon and selling the couches because I don’t want them anywhere else in the house lol. 

Sorry about the pictures it was night time and I had no natural light.

 

Pictures anyone??

Here is the formal living.  It sits to the left of the front door.

This is the kitchen looking in from the butlers door in the formal dining.

Looking from the kitchen into the breakfast nook.

Looking into the family room from the breakfast nook.

Looking from the entry hall into the family room.  The false window at the back of the room is the breakfast nook.

This is a hallway from the entry way where the guest bath, closet and office are.

Looking up from the entry way to the loft.

On the landing of the stairs looking at the second floor.

The view of the loft from the top of the stairs.

Master bedroom from the door.  This room is too big to get all angles.

From the master bedroom looking into the master bath.  Dual vanities =)

Looking up from inside the bathroom.  We are framing this hole in and dry walling it.  I can’t stand the thought of how bright this room will be with sky lights in the bathroom and this huge open wall!

His and hers closet.  The door was in the way of “his” side lol.

Looking out of the bathroom into the master.

Little Miss K’s room.

The girls bathroom with double vanity.

Collins bedroom with private bath.

Collins bath.

Collins tub and toilet area.

 

Collins walk in closet.  Spoiled boy =)