Monday, September 28, 2015

DAUGHTER'S ENTRYWAY OPEN NOOK

Good Morning Monday friends!

I hope you all had a terrific weekend. Hubby and I are flying back to Texas today after being at the Florida house for a few days. It was so nice to have a relaxing trip with no agenda and no projects to do!

Speaking of projects.....last week my Texas calendar become inundated with appointments for the next 4 weeks. The appointments include;  electric placement, whole house selections both inside and out, and pool quotes, which thankfully hubby will attend.

As I sit on this airplane putting this all into words a sudden flush of angst came over me.....my husband's voice was saying, "this is your budget, I know you can do it!" Oh the pressure!!

The home in Texas will be our 7th new build, with our last being ten years ago in Central Valley, NY. Since then homes have changed in many ways; formal living rooms seem to be obsolete, and family areas have expanded immensely to include the family room, and kitchens flowing together for more comfortable living. 

One fun and very useful little area I am seeing is something my daughter built into her entrance way from her garage to her home. It's a terrific way to stay organized. There are areas for hanging things and storage space on shelves and rattan baskets.She selected a few dragonfly hooks (she love's dragonflies) secured on a beadboard paneled backing. 

It's a great space saving design that I call the Entryway Open Nook. 


***Lucy just had to sit on the bench for my photo shoot!




Selecting fun hardware gives the nook area a more unique feel. It would be great fun for each child to be able to chose their own hook...really personalizing the space.



What do you think of this little nook for organizing in your home?


     Wishing you a wonderful Monday!




  Kathleen



Friday, September 25, 2015

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH DATES & WALNUTS

Welcome to Foodie Friday friends!

Since we've officially entered the Fall phase, pumpkin is always first and foremost
in my mind. I LOVE anything pumpkin. How about you?


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

DIY CREEPY MUMMY HEAD

Welcome to DIY Wednesday!

The stores are full of Halloween decorations and candy. I guess it's time for me to kick up the Halloween notch at TLB! How about something creepy, and fun?

I've got an easy DIY that even the kids can have fun with.....come take a peek!





Monday, September 21, 2015

HOUSE UPDATE


Welcome to Monday friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Sorry that I missed you on Friday. Unfortunately, last week I was battling a cold. I haven't been sick literally in years...this took me down for a few days, but I'm back feeling much better.

Hubby and I enjoyed our first TCU game (Texas Christian University) in Fort Worth, went to Grapevine, Texas for their Grape Festival and sampled local wines.


The best part of our weekend was signing a contract to build our new home. 
We've been struggling to find a home here in the suburbs of Dallas. The Headlines in the Dallas News read....TEXAS HOUSING MARKET STILL FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, DESPITE ENERGY SECTOR DECLINES
It means that North Texas housing is running 4% higher than in 2014, hitting a new record for both purchases and prices. 
***Source Dallas News June 2015

It's really not the best time for us to be buying a home here, but it's great for those that are selling. We bid on 2 homes with what we felt were very fair bids. Our realtor was shocked that we did not get either of them. We were outbid so much higher that our realtor actually questioned if they would appraise out.....but they both did! So after some defeat, but not to be defeated.....we switched gears and started looking at new builds.

We found a beautiful area with an island of 16 homes that extend out onto a golf course. Every home will enjoy a golf course view from their back yard. We were pretty excited! Below are a few photos..... 


With our contract signed we now proceed to the Design Center for several visits. That's my job......and I love it! I've been perusing magazines and Pinterest, and my old files from our previous home of things that we want to include in the new house. I can't wait to get started.

Here is an artist rendition of basically what our home will resemble. (it is actually a 3 car garage, sideload is not shown in the pic) This is not reflective of the color palette we will be using....but you can get an idea of what the final product will look like next May. 


Thanks so much for stopping by today. I'll be sharing our building milestones with you along the way, even my selections for each room. I'll also be continuing my DIY projects and Foodie Friday. 


                                                   Wishing you a wonderful day!

                                                        
                Kathleen

Remember to join us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!


















Wednesday, September 16, 2015

FALL HOME TOUR

Thanks for stopping by my home today......


No home is complete without a Fall greeting in the foyer.......warm, and welcoming.....



Monday, September 14, 2015

TLB IN THE PRESS


Good Morning Friends! 

It's a great morning to grab your coffee and start your day
with TLB & HGTV's October Magazine....come on over as I
share a snippet of press with all of you.....

Friday, September 11, 2015

UNIQUE BOW TIE PASTA SALAD

Welcome to Foodie Friday friends!

Have you ever been hungry for a good pasta salad? I don't usually make a lot of pasta salads anymore, but since this was the last picnic weekend, I thought it was appropriate to make one.  I love using citrus juices in my dressings. They aren't calorie laden and seem so fresh and delish. 

I found this recipe on Cooking Light. It caught my eye because of the unique combination of ingredients. Stop over to the blog today and check out how all of these incredible ingredients all come together.........


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

TLB VISITS HGTV'S CHIP & JOANNA'S-- MAGNOLIA MARKET!

We had a terrific holiday weekend! Hubby surprised me and planned a trip for us to visit Waco, TX. What's in Waco you ask?

Let's see......how about the Magnolia Market owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines hosts of the HGTV's show FIXER UPPER!  Stop over to the blog to check out who else was shopping with us.........





Monday, September 7, 2015

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Wishing you a wonderful Labor Day......


Don't forget to stop back
on Wednesday for our " big surprise"  on the blog! Hint, hint....
if you love HGTV.....you're not going to want to miss this blog!







Wednesday, September 2, 2015

FESTIVE FALL CENTERPIECE

Festive Fall with it's glorious colors.......is simply beautiful!

Touches of fall can easily be added to your home in just a few minutes. From natural elements like apples, pumpkins, gourds, branches and colorful leaves.... to the shimmers of gold and copper. Fall is my second favorite time of year to decorate.  In case you are just joining TLB.....Christmas is my all-time favorite!!