box sale!

I read this post on Two Peas about a $45 box sale & I'm buying one right now. 


She posted some samples here. 


It supports a super great cause. & who doesn't like surprises?

new dining room rug.

B seems to like the new rug too.

We had to get a larger rug to cover the dining room floor. We polyurethaned the wood floors a few months ago, but Bentley still has left some scratches (which I believe are in the ureathane layer NOT the hardwood) & TJ is nearly having a stroke. 

I try to tell him a few scratches give it character. He doesn't want toenail scratched character. 

Anyway. We found a rug we agreed on at Menards of all places. It was $200, it's 96x120 inches, it covers almost the whole entire dining room floor now, & TJ is much happier. When TJ is happy, I'm happy.

how does your garden grow?

This post brought to you by Scotts®. All opinions are 100% mine.

I bought two trellises this weekend with the idea of planting some morning glory to vine up them. I think it will look really pretty once they grow up the trellis and along the fence. I’m thinking it will also provide us a little bit of privacy. We don’t get much of that living on our downtown intersection where cars are always stopped for the red light. Lucky morning glory are pretty hardy but to help them really take off, they could use the added benefits of Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro concentrated planting mix.

Miracle Gro Expand ‘n Gro concentrated planting mix grows up to three times the flowers & vegetables compared to native soil. With that, my trellis & fence will be covered with gorgeous flowers & vines in no time! It also feeds for up to six months so my flowers & vines will be set well into fall.  

The weather has been so great here already – 70s & 80s the last couple of weeks – that our flowers & plants we planted last year are already blooming! The neighbor’s tulips are beautiful. The great weather is what inspired me to get started already this year. It’s not too early for you to start either! & with Miracle Gro Expand ‘n Gro concentrated planting mix, your flowers & gardens will look beautiful in no time!

Another great thing about Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro is that you can use it in pots too - not just in the ground. We have two huge planters we put in front of TJ's office every spring filled with several different colors & kinds of flowers. The natural fibers in Expand 'n Gro hold up to 50% more water & it's water activated so it expands three times when water is added.

You can learn more about Expand 'n Gro here:

Expand ‘n Gro™

Socialpunk Blog Tour.

Author:
Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire (http://proseonfire.com) and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit (http://proseonfire.com/free-writer-toolkit).

Description:
Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Links to Purchase the Book:

Amazon: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkA
Barnes and Noble: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkB

mantle done!

mantle 3.23.12

Mom came over last week & helped me sand & paint my mantle. I bought it a few months ago & have been waiting for nicer weather to take it outside & fix it up.


Today mom & Rick came over to help install it. I am in love. They changed my mind from my original plan of placement in the living room & mounting the TV over it. Instead we put it on a side wall (under an ugly piece of artwork that's TJ's & I'm not allowed to get rid of). I actually think it looks ok with the ugly art. Almost makes the art tolerable. Anyway, still have to figure out how I'm going to decorate the top so for now I just grabbed some random things from around the home.

mantle 3.26.12

I cut Bentley off (what's on his nose?!) because I didn't want to show the bottom of the mantle. I have the baseboards taped off with painter's tape because I plan to paint all the trim this week. & I think we're going to install beadboard in the center of the mantle or... I'm not sure what we're doing in the center yet. I'm going to look on Pinterest for some ideas.

It's so pretty. The detail is great. It looked a little rough when I got it but I think I got it for like $110 & after a coat of flat black paint + satin black paint, it looks really great!

They also helped (& by "helped" I mean they entirely did it) me hang my mirror in the entryway. For a year I've been waiting to hang this mirror. The walls are stucco/brick like the outside of the building & I wasn't sure how to drill through it & what to use that would be strong enough to hang the mirror. It's antique & really heavy.

& it's not actually entryway. You come in to a little landing entryway but you walk up the stairs to this little landing entryway that's much cuter. Anyway, mom gave me the mirror & I think it looks SO good in this spot.

Friday/Saturday in Chicago

Navy Pier

Got a great deal on a hotel (king suite!) in Chicago via livingsocial with a free bottle of chardonnay, which was gross but we downed anyway. We drove up on Friday, hit the Lincoln Park zoo, had dinner at El Nuevo, went to Navy Pier & got some Garrett popcorn. Saturday we had pizza for lunch at Renaldo's that was so, so yummy, hit some consignment shops where I found a JCrew dress for $15 that's a size six, black, & fits amazingly & a pair of Express jeans for $12. Walked to the theater where John Dillinger was shot (did a lot of walking), got cupcakes (Ron Bennington, mixed berry, chocolate chip, & chocolate decadence) from Molly's Cupcakes that were delicious (& by delicious I mean we ate 3 in about 10 minutes), stopped at the Galway Pub & drank a pitcher of Miller Light for $10, drove back home & picked up B. He stayed with Mom & Rick & she said he was very good. He spent all Saturday outside & was exhausted. So glad they are able to keep him for us. He likes it there, likes Ally & Hunter, & it saves us big time on boarding. We brought them back some popcorn (cheese & caramel) & a cupcake (cookies & cream).

It was our one year anniversary celebration. It went by quickly - one night is not enough for Chicago! The weather was cool & rainy. We got soaked at the zoo. But overall we ate a TON of good food & we had a good time.

high five for Friday.

1) Mom came over on Monday & helped me paint my mantle.

more to come on this.

2) The weather has been in the high 70s - low 80s all week. We grilled out Monday night. Bentley has been going on lots of walks. It's great.

3) Miss Lita Pita went to a more permanent foster home on Wednesday evening. There's a family coming to meet her on Sunday so she could be adopted! It would be great. I'm so glad I was able to rescue her & hope she gets to go to a great home. She's such a sweet girl.

4) I finished the fourth book in the Stephanie Plum series & requested the fifth one from the library. Hopefully they get it in soon!

5) We are off to stay the night here... Gotta go get packed!

new (old) coat rack.

We were using a hall tree on our landing area for hanging our coats & the dog's leash. There's not much space to begin with because we have the baby gate (ie pet gate so Bentley doesn't escape down the stairs & out to the street). Mom made this new coat rack for me & I just installed it myself using the new cordless power drill dad got us for Christmas.

It's definitely cuter than the old hall tree we were using &it gives us a little more foot room too. Of course, temps have been in the high 70s - 80s for the past couple of weeks so I think we may be packing away our winter coats!

Pacers vs Knicks.

We went to the Pacers/Knicks game on St Patty's day with my brother & my dad. (I was the only one who wore green!) An usher told us on the Saturday night games everyone can go down to the court & shoot a free throw. I thought this sounded like fun... everyone else didn't want to wait in the line. So I settled for a group photo courtside.

life's adventures card.

I used this kit (Unity March 2010 KOM) for the Chick Challenges #22.

This was the sketch.

meet Lita.

I picked up Lita from a shelter in New Castle last night. Her time was up & luckily I was able to go get her after work, otherwise today... she would no longer be here. We're fostering her for a week & then she'll move on to another more permanent foster home. We can only do temporary fostering now with Bentley because he's enough of a handful himself.

The shelter information says she's a Lab mix, about 30 pounds, & about 10 months old.

She's not listed on the Love of Labs website yet because she's brand new but she will be soon. If you're interested in meeting her & adopting her, visit here.

spotlight artist!

I was chosen for a spotlight artist at City Crafter for challenge #99 with my "do all things" card! Cool! :)

Choco.

Just found this layout I never shared about our sweet foster boy, Choco. I did this in January, shortly after he was adopted. Hope he's doing well.

what I'm loving Wednesday.

I'm linking up :
+ I'm back on my double shift on Tuesdays for the rest of the month & it makes me happy. Not only does it mean an extra day off work a week (because if you're gonna be there for 8 hours, you may as well stay for 16!), it means I get the whole bed to myself to sleep on Wednesdays. Having the whole bed to myself makes me a happy girl :)

+ This weather! Spring has arrived. I checked the forecast & this week + next week = 70s & sunny! Holy cow I'm happy. B & I went for a run out on the trail before work yesterday. We are so out of shape.


+ What else makes me happy? Well, I ended up winning this challenge! How cool :) I never win anything!

+ I am re-reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I read them several years ago, up until I was caught up & waiting for her next release. I think I was on like number 14 or something. Anyway, I lost interest while waiting for the next release & never continued the series. It is hilarious. Laugh out loud funny. I giggle constantly & TJ looks at me like I'm crazy. With the movie One for the Money out (which I haven't seen yet but am dying to!), I was inspired to start re-reading the series. Oh, how I've missed it. Freaking hilarious. If you haven't read these books, you must!

 

+ Saturday is St P's day. I had to work last year. This year TJ & I are going to a Pacer game with my dad & my brother. Pacers vs Knicks.

new dining room lighting.

I mentioned a few months back that I found an awesome light at our local Treasure Mart for a steal at $20. They have many similar at Shades of Light, which I love, but are way too expensive. I absolutely LOVE just about everything in the Shades of Light catalog. But I can't afford it. Here's one I found that's really similar to mine:

star lantern $299

Anyway, I found this steal of an awesomely pretty light for $20, spray painted it ORB & Rick hung it for me this weekend:

newest Ikea purchase.

new purchase

Found on Craigslist for $200. We picked it up Saturday afternoon. It's in almost perfect condition, it fits *perfectly* into that space, & I love the Hemnes collection so I just adore this. We have like 1400 sq ft but it's a bad layout & basically no closet space. In the second bedroom, the closet is home to the furnace & electrical box. We did hang a small clothes bar in there for some coats but mostly my Ikea wardrobe is in that room & acts as the "closet." This will be great for more hanging clothes storage & I shoved TJ's luggage in the bottom drawer & a bunch of blankets in the top drawer. It really will hold a lot of stuff. It retails for close to $400 so I am thrilled we found a great deal!

wardrobe in 2nd bedroom

Kony. 2012.

Watch the video.

*I'm a featured peep!*

Holy cow! My wish card was featured at the Chick Challenges {with Ippity}!

Feb running stats.

Total Distance:	5.74 miles
Total Time:	1:01:25 min
Run Distance:	5.74 miles
Run Time:	1:01:25 min

wish.

For the challenge at the Unity challenge blog. I made this for my aunt; her birthday is next week. She has two dogs & she will like this. I used the May 2010 Unity kit of the month, August 2010 Unity kit of the month, & A Love Beyond Measure. I also used Paper Pups.

where's the toilet paper?

When I'm on the computer or scrapbooking Bentley usually is by my side. He sometimes brings me his toys, sometimes (not often) sprawls out on the floor by my chair, but mostly he likes to look out the windows. I usually leave a couple of the blinds up enough for him to peek out & enjoy the view.


Yesterday he wasn't with my in the office/scrapbook room but that's not unusual. He's pretty well behaved, doesn't usually get into stuff, & has only chewed up a runner (well, 3 total), a pair of slippers, & the foam filter for my vacuum since we got him in September.


Yesterday, I turned the corner to see this...

Don't let that precious little face fool you. [Although he IS super cute!]


He stole the roll of toilet paper out of the bathroom & chewed it to shreds!