Warning: Declaration of Walker_post_notification::start_lvl(&$output, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker::start_lvl(&$output, $depth = 0, $args = Array) in /home/jeniq/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/post-notification/functions.php on line 267

Warning: Declaration of Walker_post_notification::end_lvl(&$output, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker::end_lvl(&$output, $depth = 0, $args = Array) in /home/jeniq/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/post-notification/functions.php on line 274

Warning: Declaration of Walker_post_notification::start_el(&$output, $category, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker::start_el(&$output, $data_object, $depth = 0, $args = Array, $current_object_id = 0) in /home/jeniq/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/post-notification/functions.php on line 283

Warning: Declaration of TarskiCommentWalker::start_lvl(&$output, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker_Comment::start_lvl(&$output, $depth = 0, $args = Array) in /home/jeniq/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/Tarski 2.4/library/classes/comment_walker.php on line 22

Warning: Declaration of TarskiCommentWalker::start_el(&$output, $comment, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker_Comment::start_el(&$output, $data_object, $depth = 0, $args = Array, $current_object_id = 0) in /home/jeniq/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/Tarski 2.4/library/classes/comment_walker.php on line 50
I [heart] Davids · Household

Household

Pantry, Washing Machine, Kitchen Habits, etc.

Working Dogs

November 9, 2007 in Decorating, Dogs by JeniQ | 5 comments

Yesterday, when I left for work, this fun license plate was parked at my house.
Working Dog

Andy, from Working Dog Construction, was there to install our long-awaited tile backsplash in the kitchen. I am delighted! Look how good it turned out.

Tile Backsplash Stove

Tile Backsplash Door

Tile Backsplash Sink

I love how industrial it looks. I’m hoping it will give us more cachet in the kitchen. 🙂 I especially love the way he brought the tile down to the floor alongside of both cabinets. Makes me want to tile the entire kitchen down to the floor!! but I’ll restrain myself.

I would highly recommend Andy for all your tile needs. He’s very easy to work with and loves cats and dogs. Check out his website, or get one of his cards from me.

Nursery painted

November 5, 2007 in Amy, Babies, Decorating by JeniQ | 5 comments

Sunday Amy and I finished the second coat on the nursery walls. Here’s us, proud of our work.
Painted nursery

And here’s a shot from this morning in bright sunlight. It’s not really this yellow. Honest.
Bright Yellow

Painting the Nursery

November 4, 2007 in Ali, Amy, Babies, Decorating by JeniQ | 4 comments

Our crew chief:
Ali Arty

With much patience on the part of Amy and Ali, we figured out an approach to decorating the nursery. Dave and I had already picked out the Magic Garden crib set from Litto Kids, so all the colors the girls and I choose are designed around it.

For the walls we went with a pale yellow with brown undertones that is kin to the yellow in the print. It looked like cake batter and we all had to remind ourselves it wasn’t so that we wouldn’t lick our fingers.

Cake Batter

I was so thankful they were here to help, and we got the first coat on the walls Saturday night!

Dave Paints

Amy Paints

Introducing the baby to the paint.
Baby meets paint

Project 1: Kitchen Redo

October 26, 2007 in Decorating, Household by JeniQ | 7 comments

There are two parts to our mini kitchen makeover. One is to tile the backsplash, and the other is to paint the walls. I’m contracting someone to do the tile work but we’re going to paint the walls ourselves. We’re only painting two of the walls. It’s a fairly small project so that’s why I’m calling it a mini-makeover.

Here are the kitchen walls at the beginning of the project.
Kitchen Project - Before Left

 Kitchen Project - Before Right

 And here are the color tests I painted last night. One is called Soul Chocolate and the other is Gardener’s Soil – I got them both in Satin finish. Because we haven’t seen the sun for the last three days, it’s impossible to photograph this with any natural light. I’ve had to rely on the light in the kitchen, and even with all the lights turned on, the flash is still going off. So the colors you see aren’t very true.
Kitchen Project: Paint Swatch Left

Kitchen Project: Paint Swatch Right

Kitchen Habits

October 18, 2007 in Household by JeniQ | 4 comments

Some time ago I realized that every woman (and man?) has a habit in the kitchen that’s a little quirky, typically based on a need or desire for frugality. Here are the ones in my family.

My great-grandmother used to wash out her paper towels, dry them, and re-use them. Granted, great-granma was around during the depression so she had no clue just how wasteful people could be. I imagine she’d be horrified by the amount of stuff the average person throws away. (If you ever feel similarly horrified, check out Freecycle.)

My grandmother used to wash out her ziploc bags and reuse them. Those things were expensive when they first came out, I think. Yay for granma for seeing the senselessness in throwing them away after just one use.

My mom would cut napkins in half. They are folded twice and she’d cut along the second fold to make two two-ply napkins rather than one four-ply napkin. If you’re not that messy, you don’t notice the difference and it doubles the life of a package of napkins.

I re-use my ziploc and fold-over sandwich baggies for the same items for several days in a row. If i take brownies to work in a baggie today, I’ll bring it home with me and refill it for the next day.

What about you? What little odd thrifty habit have you adopted in the kitchen? Enquiring minds want to know!
Frugal

My chair arrived!

June 20, 2007 in Decorating by JeniQ | 5 comments

My chair arrived yesterday! I think it looks fabulous and goes perfectly with the rug! The colors couldn’t be a better match. Dave thinks the rug is quite busy but is still withholding judgement. Can I get opinions from any of you about the rug? Or the rug with the chair, whatever. You’re opinionated people, I’m sure you won’t hold back. 🙂

Damn if I don’t match the chair, too!

New Stereo

June 16, 2007 in Decorating, Music by JeniQ | 3 comments

We hit Father and Son Antiques today and scored a vintage phonograph plus speakers. I’m so excited! This is just what I wanted for our front reading room.
Dave and Vince had to run to RadioShack to get the wiring to hook it up, and they got it up and running in no time. (The turntable has an onboard receiver and amplifier, so no other equipment necessary.)
It’s a KLH Model Twenty

The speakers are gorgeous – the photo doesn’t do them justice. The fabric has a gold thread woven through it and the grilles are so nicely made, too.

New Rug!

June 1, 2007 in Decorating by JeniQ | No comments

Our new rug arrived – it looks fabulous!!!

Memorial Day Plants

May 28, 2007 in Landscaping by JeniQ | 2 comments

We started our morning by dropping E&A off at the airport. So sad to see them go!

Then we pulled up all the pansies from the front beds and put them into boxes to give them to Krista, my new FreeCycle friend. It took about 45 minutes to pull them all up but I’m glad we didn’t just throw them away.

After that, we got into the planting. We planted mixed zinnias and mixed gazanias in the front beds to the right of the front porch. Along the walkway on the left side of the porch, we planted yellow, orange, and bronze marigolds. I have a killer sunburn on the small of my back. Stupid Jeni.We had a few gazanias left over, so I planted them in two pots that went on the back porch. Finally, flowers on our back porch! I got to use my Colombian pot, the handmade terracotta pot on the higher step. I carried this pot back in my lap when I came back from Colombia. I treasure it.

Farmer’s Market Flowers

May 28, 2007 in Farmer's Market, Landscaping by JeniQ | No comments

Sunday morning, after a big breakfast of pancakes, meat and eggs, we headed off to the Farmer’s Market. Dave and I were searching for flowers to install in our front beds. We’re pulling up the pansies on Monday and replacing them with Zinnias and Marigolds. They should look pretty. We’re looking forward to the new summer flowers.

« Older entries § Newer entries »