TD&AH Dialogue

After explaining to my Mom that my tub faucet was now dripping and I was tired of my house constantly breaking. Apparently she felt the need to address not only my broken faucet but my lack of a significant other, you know other than my dogs. :)

Me: My tub is dripping now.

Mom: Eharmony. Look for a guy that enjoys plumbing and walking in Home Depot.

Me: Thanks, Mom.

Mom: I think it's a plan. Funny enough to quote me on your blog...


So Via Google Images, here is my Mr. Right, an attractive, accomplished plumber, speaks English as a first language (according to my brother that shouldn't matter) and enjoys long walks down Home Depot aisles. A girl can dream, right?

Would You Like Some Cheese with That Wine?

I like to imagine what the previous homeowners of my home were thinking when they did shotty repairs, random decorations, etc. I wonder what they would think now that I have started dismantling their previous home and painting my rainbow of bright colors everywhere.

Before I started this blog I got into a few home improvement projects, simply because I couldn't stand to look at the existing eye sore anymore. Or the smell that the previous fur-kids left behind, whom were obviously not set on going outside to use the bathroom! So, the next few posts will travel back in time, before blog land existed to me and I started my oversharing of my overly exciting, everyday life.

That brings us to the most awesome (read tacky) wallpaper ever! Check it out!

HOT! I know, right?!

Here's Another View...

While you're checking out this most awesome wallpaper ever, please don't look at my most awesome cabinets ever. Second only, to of course...the wallpaper. Or those snazzy curtains, left behind by the previous owners! Side note - when drafting a contract for purchasing a home, things get pretty specific, as in leave the 20 year old stove and snazzy curtains! I however did not request for all of the window treatments to stay...however, lucky me!! I was gifted all of them! Oh yeah, plaid, lace and yellowed blinds, the works! Awesome!

I'd also like to take this moment to point out my beautiful ceiling fan, also left behind by the previous owners. Don't let the fan fool you, it may look like it blends in, even camouflages itself with the white ceiling...unfortunately it's an every day yellowing even more cream. Gross!

If there was anything I had the ability to easily snap my fingers and change in my house, without any change in my bank account, or disruption to my everyday life it would be to have my kitchen completely remodeled. New cabinets, new appliances, new overhead lighting and yes even new curtains! I digress...

Believe it or not, I had a couple of people who walked in and loved my wine wallpaper and plaid curtains. Wowza! This wallpaper made me cringe every single time I walked into my kitchen, so it ended up being my first home improvement project!

After reading a few blogs online, I was confident that I could remove the wallpaper without screwing something up. Off to my trusty Home Depot, I grabbed a paper scrapper that I had seen on the blogs but opted to not buy the $20 tool that pokes holes all in the wallpaper and essentially helps the gel removal product (which I also purchased) soak into the wallpaper.

Let me tell you, BUY THE $20 TOOL! It will be well worth it! My rationale for not buying the incredibly important tool was that I had only a tiny amount of wallpaper in my house. I could figure something out to do without. Well I did. It's called lots of wasted time and effort. This wallpaper had to be pulled off layer by layer and I went through almost an entire bottle of removal gel!

Paper Scrapper

Glue Removal Gel

$20 Tool YOU MUST BUY!

All in all, things turned out pretty good. Here's a picture mid way through. See what I mean about layer by layer?

No More Wine!!!!

Unfortunately after all was said and done, I didn't snap a picture of the final result. I'll be sure to add one to this post down the road, when I remember to snap a picture of the fresh and clean wall! Not bad for my first home improvement project, huh?

Another One Bites The Dust...

I spent most of my weekend doing loads of laundry! I have a guest bedroom, that sadly has become my catch-all for dirty clothes. I had waited probably an entire month to have a major laundry day, other than a few loads here or there when I ran out of something or another. Gross, I know! I never claimed to be perfect. :)

Over the last few weeks work has been a bit stressful, with planning a move to a new office, end of the month, etc. my hours have been a bit extended. On top of that, add my new love for working out and avoiding drive-thrus, I just don't have enough hours in the day to keep up. So...my guest bedroom has been my dirty (literally) little, MASSIVE secret!

At about 8 loads in to my laundry, my closet decided to put my task on hold...when this happened! Eek!

My Closet Rack...only About 2 Feet Lower than Where it Started!

All The Clips Broke, or Ripped Out of The Wall!

I was actually thinking to myself, I'd love to get into another home improvement project, other than painting! I guess my 84 year old house heard me. Guess I'll keep my thoughts to myself next time...

Now what to do with this closet? Most of you know I have an obsession with Ikea! I'd love to get rid of the horrible white grates and turn more towards Swedish bliss or Sex and The City, ohh laa laah Carrie, style! However, with the shape of this closet looking more like a long hallway, I can't quite figure out how I would make my closet transformation happen?

I have two identical closets on each side of my room. Part of me wants to knock down both closet walls so I could make one large closet and just extend my room in one direction. Essentially, not losing space in either closet real-estate or bedroom real-estate. Just shifting and combining the two closet spaces, making a more functional closet space. The other half of me is screaming "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

I haven't quite moved up to being adventurous enough to knock down a wall or two, at that!! In time though...I see some disasters coming my way!

Good Riddance to Glidden!

Unlike the saying, I won't be waiting till a "third times the charm moment"! Glidden brand paint has failed me again! After the suggestion of the Home Depot paint staff to try out samples on Glidden paint choices, because Glidden is known for not actually matching their paint swatches...I decided to stay on the safe side and buy some small paint samples.

I had stuck with this brand for every paint purchase in my home since it was a great bang for my buck. The quality of the paint is great and it spreads evenly. Not to mention it's several dollars cheaper than the other Home Depot Brands but still seems comparable in product. Their colors seem to be quite contemporary and have a massive selection of the bold hues I've been selecting throughout my rainbow inspired house. However, on my previous two paint picks, the color has been completely off. After spending $10 in samples to test out the paint, the value per gallon is completely lost. So after this last mishap, it's Good Riddance to Glidden!!

I've been searching for a lime green color to paint my kitchen with. My few requirements are that I don't want it to look like a highlighter, neon black light paint, blind me when I walk into my kitchen or glow in the dark. Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner!! NOT!! Unfortunately, all of my color choices, even Granny Smith Apple, the darkest non-bright color that I thought would be way to puke green, ended up "Ouch, MY EYES!" bright.

Look How Muted These Shades Are Compared To The Wall...

Another Shot of the $3 a Pop Paint Samples That Do NOT Match The Swatches!

And Finally...On The Wall!! Holy Heck, What Happened?

Does anyone have any suggestions for a new paint brand to use? So frustrating! While I like the idea of sampling paint, I'm now stuck with a kitchen that has 3 random green (YELLOW) splotches on it! Awesome!

Anyone Need a Big Spoon...?

My persistence is paying off! This was the view looking down from my bed late last night. My sweet (only when sleeping) furkids have finally decided to do their sleeping in their own bed!! Brutus, however, demands to be the "little" spoon. Annie, weighing in at over 60 lbs less than her big brother, doesn't seem to mind. I on the other hand, can't say I don't miss being the middle spoon in this mess of my furkids.

All Together Now...Awwwwww!

Meet Hampton...

I'm still struggling with keeping the dogs off of the furniture. After Brutus' incident, I'm staying strong, no matter how much he begs or gives me the puppy dog eyes. Look at his face? Look how much he wants to get on the couch! And then I remember him peeing out of spite on my floor and I want to roundhouse kick him in the face with my shoe! Is my foot located there on purpose or coincidence? I guess you'll never know. I have to give it up to him for his persistence! When I ignore him at the far end of the couch...he comes CLOSER!!!!

Look How Sad I Look...

Does It Help If I'm This Close?

After dealing with a few days of up close and personal time with Brutus and Annie I decided I needed to find a rug that they could hangout on but still not be all up in my "bidness"! So with Ms. Shuey in toll, I went off to the amazing land of Ikea!! Is that store dangerous for anyone else's wallet, or is it just me? I could spend hours following those arrows around on the floor!

The trip was a lot of fun, I found some kitchen cabinets I'd like to re-do my kitchen with, once I win the lottery or marry for money! Jamie managed to navigate the cart with all of our whos-its and what-its sticking out everywhere. We kept seeming to run into the pathway of an elderly man driving around on his scooter! Never failed, if we were in picture frames, bath, bedding, etc. he was coming right at us! I could get around him fairly easily but sticking James with the cart was pretty comical, for me at least! In hindsight I should have totally taken a picture of this...but you'll have to use your imagination on this one!

We eventually made it down to the basement and I found an amazingly cheap rug for $20.00, but decided to go with a tad more pricey option which fit my decor more. So, I present to you the newest addition to Two Dogs & A House, Hampton! :)

How Hampton Came Packaged...

Flattening This Guy Out Took Some Effort...

Annie & Brutus Are In Love With Him!

I ended up "shopping" my house after the Ikea trip and moving my coffee table back over in front of my couch. We'll see how this goes...The main reason for me relocating it, other than for it to hold my empty fish tank, is because of Brutus' huge tail! It is the exact height of say plates, cups, glasses full of liquid! So smart me, decides to buy a white rug and put the coffee table on top of it so Brutus' tail can knock everything off onto my new 100% spotless, white rug!

IDIOT! I'm guessing this won't last long...but for now, enjoy! My house is looking less college-esque and more home-like everyday. I could probably help with that by not painting wild colors on the wall, but what fun would that be and since when have I had a drab personality to match toned down paint?

Final Result...I Love It!

The other morning I was woken up by Brutus (read, worst dog in the world) jumping around like a maniac, barking at our next door neighbor’s furkid, Lacy (read, dog that barks at everything including the wind, which causes my dog to bark non-stop, which causes me to want to murder myself as well as Brutus, the worst dog in the world as well as Lacy who is the worst neighbor dog, EVER). Let me also mention that this all happens when my bright-eyed neighbor wakes up at 5 AM or earlier. While I’ve been known to get up at the occasional 5 am for an early morning workout, I by no means feel the need to scream at the top of my lungs to wake up my neighbors or let my dogs bark their heads off so my neighbors want to murder themselves.

Brutus Barking at Lacy...Annie Behaving

Anyway, so here I am lying in bed, at 5 AM, trying to sleep and Brutus is jumping on top of me, trying to jump out my second story window to eat Lacy, the neighbor dog. At this point in time I’m welcoming his need to launch himself out the window, I’m half tempted to open up said window just so I can go back to sleep. Instead, I decide to kick my foot as hard as I can in order to get him to shut up. However, at 5 AM, I have to say my aim is a little off…my foot ended up kicking said window instead of Brutus. How my Jackie Chan kick of my foot didn’t go through the glass, I will never know.

This however, was the last straw! I had caved in letting the dogs on the couch and bed, and decided that after being attacked by my Brut of a dog, this wasn't going to happen anymore. So the next evening I got in bed and instructed my dogs to lay on their mat. Annie, the angel dog, decided to do as she was told. Brutus however, decided to get as close to the bed and stare at me. The lights were off, I threw the comforter over my head but I could feel him looking at me! I turn my back to him and hear him walk away...thinking that he's going to go to his mat.

Brutus Staring Me Down...Annie Behaving

All of a sudden I hear a dripping noise then a full-blown woosh! That stupid dog hiked his leg and decided to show me who's boss! I am convinved that Brutus understands english and was giving me a proper "Screw You, Mom!!"

Brutus Showing Me Who's Boss...Annie Behaving!

Guess who won this battle?!